mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING AMERICAN VETERANS IN EXTREME NEED ACT OF 2019
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-7-23

such time as I may consume. prgtoken The overriding principle of the bankruptcy system is to give people who are overwhelmed with unmanageable debt a fresh start through meaningful financial relief. prgtoken The Bankruptcy Code, either directly or indirectly, affects millions of Americans, and all types of businesses, from large to small. prgtoken The system is supposed to work for everyone, from consumer debtors and small business owners, to family farmers, servicemembers, and veterans, and give them a new pathway to economic prosperity. But as we have heard during a recent oversight hearing held by the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law, the bankruptcy system is not working. prgtoken In light of these concerns, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed four bipartisan pieces of legislation to address this concern. These include H.R. 2938, the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019, or the HAVEN Act. This legislation, which has been championed by my colleague on the committee, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, addresses a fundamental unfairness in current bankruptcy law that affects veterans receiving disability benefits. prgtoken Although Social Security benefits are not treated as income for purposes of the Bankruptcy Code's means test, veterans' disability benefits do constitute income under this test, even though, much like Social Security, these benefits are a lifeline to many of its recipients and are otherwise protected from seizure by creditors. prgtoken By counting such benefits as income, many veterans become ineligible for the more immediate discharges available under Chapter 7 and, instead, they are steered into Chapter 13, which requires a debtor to make payments to creditors pursuant to a 3- to 5-year plan before he or she can receive a discharge. prgtoken H.R. 2938 corrects this obvious inequity. It would treat certain veterans' disability benefits paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense the same as Social Security payments under the Bankruptcy Code's means test. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and .
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2019-7-23

it is an honor to recognize the legacy of Steve Antoline as fearless leader in business, a dedicated philanthropist, and a proud West Virginian who has made substantial contributions to our home State. prgtoken One of the greatest milestones we achieved when I was West Virginia's Governor was when the Boy Scouts of America committed to bringing a world-class scouting facility to the Mountain State, and Steve was a vital part of that process. Today, the Summit Bechtel Reserve is homebase every 4 years for tens of thousands of Boy Scouts from across the country. I assembled government officials, business leaders, and private volunteers into what I called the West Virginia Project Arrow Task Force in order to convince the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America of what we already knew--that the ideal place for this facility was in the adventurous terrains and magnificent mountains of West Virginia. The Boy Scouts and West Virginia truly are a perfect match--an organization that builds character, inspires reverences, and promotes the values of hard work and compassion, and a State whose people live and breathe those values every day. prgtoken Steve was able to create and manage so many wonderful programs through the camp. He worked on the Reaching the Summit Boy Scout Community Service Initiative, organizing and garnering support for more than 34 projects that utilized countless hours of community service for Nicholas County. Also in Nicholas County, he serves as the chairman of the Young Life Wild Ridge Camp Executive Committee and also as a sponsor of the Young Life organization for the county. With Steve's input, Young Life is currently in the early stages of building the Wild Ridge Camp, which will host more than 22,000 children per year, providing educational opportunities to develop leadership skills, civic responsibility, and moral values. prgtoken As one of the founding fathers of the Summit Bechtel Reserve Scout Camp, I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to his legacy than the Steve Antoline Family Conservation Center and Trail. The coal from that property helped build the Panama Canal. The timber that from that property helped build the boats that helped win WWII. It has so much historical value, and now it builds the tallest timber--our future leaders. And as Scouts walk by the newly dedicated bronze tribute in honor of Steve's legacy, it is my hope they are inspired by the man who has surrounded them with opportunities here in West Virginia. prgtoken The Conservation Center will offer hands-on exhibits, projects, and a laboratory for Scouts and youth to further understand and promote conservation efforts. This project is being designed and built by Steve, along with collaborative efforts from the Boy Scouts of America and West Virginia University. prgtoken Beyond the camp, Steve has contributed greatly to the surrounding region. He has founded and operated various comp
TRIBUTE TO MAHLON PAUL MANSON
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2019-7-23

I rise today to honor Mahlon Paul Manson, a Montanan and decorated veteran of the Vietnam war. prgtoken Montanans and all Americans owe Paul the deepest gratitude for his service to this Nation. prgtoken Paul was born in San Diego, CA, on September 17, 1948. When he was in first grade, his mother and three sisters moved to Deer Lodge, MT, where he spent his youth. Paul completed high school in 1967 and enlisted in the Army immediately following graduation. prgtoken During the summer of 1967, Paul worked for the Forest Service shortly before starting military training at Fort Lewis, WA. He also received advanced training to be a combat engineer at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. prgtoken Before leaving for Vietnam, Paul returned home for 2 weeks where he got a glimpse into the strength of shared ideals. When he landed at the airport, his bus was not scheduled to arrive for 6 more hours. Not one to wait idly by, Paul decided to try his luck hitchhiking home. prgtoken In a moment of serendipity and brotherhood, a military car driving by saw Paul walking along the side of the road in his uniform, offered to give him a ride, and drove him home. This moment left a deep and lasting impact on Paul, who felt an instant bond with his fellow servicemembers. prgtoken Paul arrived in Vietnam in early 1968 with this sentiment in mind. That year, he fought--and survived--a number of attacks, including one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam war, the Tet Offensive. prgtoken He also showed incredible courage when his convoy came under attack near Lai Khe. While heavily engaged with the enemy, Paul put his own life on the line by jumping out of his military vehicle to encourage the convoy to keep moving. His heroic act helped the U.S. facilitate a counterattack against the Viet Cong, ultimately clinching an important victory. Paul's heroism did not go without recognition--he received a Bronze Star, with a ``V'' for Valor on August 20, 1968 for his leadership. prgtoken After retiring from Active Duty in 1970, Paul returned to Montana to work for the Milwaukee Railroad. He also continued his devotion to service by becoming a recruiter for the Montana National Guard. prgtoken When he retired from the Army, Paul attended the University of Montana. He graduated in 1996 and began working for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Missoula and Sweet Grass and in Washington State as a Port Director. In total, Paul has given the Nation over 20 years of Federal Service and continues to serve the Nation in a different capacity today, as a volunteer for Team Rubicon. prgtoken Paul and his wife, Fran, have been happily married for 48 years. Together, they have a son, Mahlon Patrick, and a daughter, Michelle, as well as two grandchildren. prgtoken Although Paul has undeniably led an eventful life, he humbly maintains that he is simply doing his job. ``Life is a buffet'' he says, a perfect idiom for how he is able to make the most of
EXPANDING FINDINGS FOR FEDERAL OPIOID RESEARCH AND TREATMENT ACT
Jennifer Wexton (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-7-23

I thank the chairwoman for yielding and for her leadership on the very fine bills we have before the House here this afternoon. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3153, the bipartisan EFFORT Act, which would expand Federal research on opioid addiction. prgtoken Since 2011, more than 200 people in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia have lost their lives due to an opioid overdose. Some of the highest numbers of children being born in Virginia with neonatal abstinence syndrome have been from my district. prgtoken But these numbers don't tell the heartbreaking devastation the opioid crisis has wrought for families who have lost their mother, their father, their brother, their sister, or their child. Meanwhile, our law enforcement officers and first responders are struggling with the trauma and burnout that comes from being on the front lines of so many tragic and needless deaths of their friends and neighbors. prgtoken Tens of thousands of Americans and more than 1,000 Virginians are dying every year from overdoses. Addiction is an illness, and fighting the crisis effectively requires adequate research and funding. The EFFORT Act will help to do this by directing the National Science Foundation to support research on the science of opioid addiction. prgtoken The NSF has done an exceptional job in establishing some of the foundational understanding on opioid addiction, including research regarding the use of technology to address the crisis, the secondary effects on families, and options for alternative therapeutics for pain. And while this research has significantly increased our understanding of addiction, research gaps remain in a wide range of disciplines, including, for example, social and behavioral issues such as stigma, socioeconomic status, or treatment accessibility. prgtoken The NSF has a unique ability to help us close some of these gaps and, in turn, to help us develop solutions. By expanding the NSF's research on opioid addiction both within the agency, as well as jointly with the National Institutes of Health when needed, we can more effectively integrate clinical and basic research, obtain a broader understanding of the science of opioid addiction and its impact, and have a more comprehensive approach to tackling the crisis. prgtoken As a founding member of the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, I have worked to be a strong advocate for addiction prevention and recovery efforts, and I am pleased to have introduced this legislation with my fellow freshman colleague from Indiana, Dr. Baird. I thank him for his leadership on this issue, as well. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation.
HONORING FORMER ASSOCIATE JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-7-23

today America lays to rest the great Justice John Paul Stevens. On behalf of the U.S. Senate, it is my privilege, along with my Illinois colleague Senator Duckworth, to introduce and have adopted a bipartisan resolution honoring this remarkable and noble man, a native of the city of Chicago. prgtoken During his Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1975, then-Judge John Paul Stevens faced a line of questioning about his health, which, in retrospect, is amusing. They were asking questions about his health 44 years ago. Justice Stevens had undergone a single bypass heart surgery 2 years earlier, and the members of the Judiciary Committee just wanted to make sure he could handle the rigors of serving on the U.S. Supreme Court. History has shown us that Justice John Paul Stevens had not only a strong heart but a good heart when it came to serving on the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken Sadly, that mighty heart finally did stop beating last week. Justice Stevens was 99 years old. He died peacefully with his daughters Elizabeth and Susan by his side. prgtoken My State of Illinois is proud to claim John Paul Stevens as a native son. He was a member of a prominent Chicago family, and he grew up in the luxury of his family's hotel, then known as the Stevens Hotel and now known as the Hilton Hotel on Michigan Avenue. He never used the privilege of his family's wealth to shirk his responsibilities as a citizen of America. prgtoken In World War II he was a lieutenant commander in the Navy. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service on the code-breaking team, whose work led to the downing of the plane of the man who had planned the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, he became an accomplished attorney and a champion of good, ethical government. prgtoken It was John Paul Stevens' integrity, as much as his brilliant legal mind, that convinced President Gerald Ford to nominate him, then a Federal judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1975. President Ford called then-Judge Stevens ``the finest legal mind I could find.'' The Senate obviously agreed. The vote on the Senate floor for John Paul Stevens' confirmation was 98 to 0. prgtoken He was the second oldest and third longest serving Justice in the history of our Nation, but it is the quality of his service, and not its length, that most distinguishes John Paul Stevens' career on the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Stevens approached disputes fairly, squarely, and succinctly. He took great pains to understand all sides of a case and give all sides a fair hearing. He rejected the easy path of ideology, and he was willing to change his position when the facts warranted it. prgtoken He authored the majority opinions in some of the most famous and important Supreme Court decisions in his time. One example was in 2004. Justice Stevens wrote the majority opinion in which the Court, by a vote of 6 to 3, rejected the
FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PAKISTAN
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-7-23

. Madam , the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, came to Washington this weekend. As chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, it is appropriate that I comment upon what has occurred so far in the bilateral discussions, and I look forward to meeting the Prime Minister later today. prgtoken What is unfortunate is the approach taken by the administration. prgtoken First, as to Afghanistan, the hearts and minds of the Afghan people are critical to our success in what has been our longest war. Tens of thousands of Americans have worked to get the hearts and minds of the Afghan people on our side, building schools and hospitals, under very dangerous conditions. prgtoken Now, the President takes this high-profile opportunity as an opportunity to say that he might kill 10 million Afghans, or was thinking about it, or raises the possibility that we would use nuclear weapons to destroy Afghanistan. prgtoken This does untold harm to our efforts in Afghanistan to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. prgtoken What the President should have done is talk about the Durand Line and how Afghanistan should accept this border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a border that Afghanistan disputes but that the whole world accepts. prgtoken As to Kashmir, it is not surprising that the Prime Minister of Pakistan wants America to arbitrate or mediate. That has been the position of Pakistan for decades. But then, the President said in Osaka, last month, Prime Minister Modi asked the United States to arbitrate or mediate the Kashmir dispute. prgtoken That is utterly preposterous, and it is embarrassing that we have a President who wouldn't realize how preposterous that statement is. Of course, the record has been set straight by Prime Minister Modi. prgtoken Third is what the President didn't say. He didn't make a major issue over Dr. Afridi, the doctor who was critical in helping us find and kill Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was hiding a mile away from the military academy of the Pakistani Army, their West Point. prgtoken We have not demanded that the Pakistanis who helped Osama bin Laden be put in jail, but we do insist that the one Pakistani who helped us find bin Laden be released from Pakistani jail. prgtoken The President barely raised the issue. In fact, he didn't voluntarily raise it at all. prgtoken This is not just a humanitarian concern. It is also a strategic national security concern because who will help us fight terrorism if we leave Dr. Afridi behind? prgtoken In a news interview, Prime Minister Khan suggested there might be a trade, where Afridi was released and a terrorist named Dr. Siddiqui released by the United States. prgtoken No friendly country would demand that we release a terrorist in order for them to release a hero, but we have to be practical, and we have to get Dr. Afridi released. prgtoken Finally, the President failed to mention with the Prime Minister of Pakistan the situation as to human
HONORING FORMER ASSOCIATE JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-7-23

I come to the floor just the day before Robert Mueller is set to come before the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to focus attention on some of the key findings of the special counsel's report on Russia's interference in our 2016 elections. prgtoken I have spoken on the floor many times about the depth and breadth of the Russian interference in the 2016 election. The special counsel's report goes to great lengths to detail this, in his terms, ``sweeping and systemic interference.'' What continues to be worrisome is that these information warfare attacks and other malign influence operations are ongoing with more plans for our elections next year. prgtoken This threat to our national security and the integrity of our democracy has yet to be sufficiently recognized or counted by this administration. Indeed, in the months since the report was released, the administration and congressional s have repeatedly claimed that the report vindicates the President on all charges of collusion between the campaign and Russia and on obstruction of justice rather than taking steps to ensure that we will never be targeted in this way again. prgtoken The special counsel's testimony is vital so he can detail what he uncovered and shed additional light on the events of the investigation. In particular, what Congress and the American people need to hear from Director Mueller relates to three broad categories of questions. For instance, what was the full scope of Russian interference in the 2016 election? prgtoken Second, what evidence did the special counsel find of coordination between campaign associates or the President and the Russian Government, and why did he decide the available evidence was not sufficient to prove a criminal conspiracy with Russia? prgtoken Third, what evidence did the special counsel find that the President obstructed justice? prgtoken Tomorrow's testimony will help the public understand the gravity of the President's conduct in the White House prgtoken and the extent to which Russia influenced the 2016 election. These hearings are not the end. This is not case closed. The intelligence community has assessed that the threat from Russia will continue to evolve and grow even more sophisticated. For our elections to remain free, open, and transparent, we must take seriously the threat posed by Russia and other potential foreign adversaries. We must hold hearings in the Senate with testimony from the special counsel's office and key witnesses from the report. We must consider legislation on election security, foreign influence operations, disinformation, Federal election laws, money laundering, and many other issues. prgtoken When it comes to protecting our democracy, we cannot be complacent. Now is the time for action to make sure we are ready ahead of the elections in 2020 and beyond. Each and every one of us in this Chamber swore an oath to support and def
BORDER SECURITY
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-7-23

last Friday, I went with a group of Senate to visit several detention centers at our southern border, including the Border Patrol facility in McAllen and processing centers at Donna and Ursula, TX. The searing accounts about the conditions endured by the migrant families are true. We saw overcrowding. We heard migrants tell us they are unable to brush their teeth, shower, call their families, or access feminine hygiene products. We saw children in soiled clothing, caged and expressionless. It is heartbreaking--the thousand-smile stares on the faces of toddlers where smiles and laughter should have been. It breaks your heart and makes your blood boil all at once. prgtoken But we saw something else. I am always looking for the positive. We saw a much better model employed by a nonprofit Catholic Charities center, run by Sister Norma Pimentel. There, families had access to medicine, food, and showers as their asylum cases were being processed in an orderly fashion. These people were being treated humanely, and they were following the law. prgtoken Sister Norma told us that the government could replicate this model. She explained that if ICE reinstated the Family Case Management Program, we could see as high as 99-percent compliance with immigration court orders without the need for expanded detention and overcrowding. What a difference that could make. prgtoken Sister Norma showed us that we can treat these migrants with respect and decency without sacrificing border security or law and order. The two are not mutually exclusive. That is such an important point. You can have both humane treatment and rule of law. Anyone who says that we must choose between treating these people humanely and enforcing our laws is offering a false choice. We can do both, and we can follow the model of Catholic Charities all along the border. prgtoken That is why have been pushing to restart and infuse more dollars into alternatives to detention despite objections. The Family Case Management Program, coupled with a ic bill to address the treatment of children--a bill that Senators Merkley, Feinstein, Durbin, and I have sponsored, as well as many others--over 30 other , I believe--would both improve the conditions at the detention centers and ensure that families comply with our immigration laws. prgtoken I would say one more thing about these kids and the parents. They are not criminals. I asked Mark Morgan, who is certainly known as a hard- liner on immigration: What percentage of these kids and parents are criminals? It is a very small percentage. At one point, it was said that 96 percent--and at another point 98 percent--are not criminals. They are the same people our grandparents or our great-grandparents or our great-great-grandparents were, who sought safety and a decent life in America. Their children and their grandchildren--on my father's side I am one of the