mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19
Steve Chabot (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-4-28

. Madam , I want to thank Congressman Bera and Congressman Yoho, two of my colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for hosting this virtual special order today on the importance of strong U.S. global leadership with regard to the coronavirus. prgtoken The coronavirus is reminding us that diseases and their impacts know no borders, making it critical that the United States show leadership during the pandemic, and also afterwards to get the global economy back on track as well as prepare for the next outbreak. There is no reason to assume there will not be future outbreaks, and, as the world becomes more interconnected, we need to be prepared so that the next outbreak does not become a pandemic like the coronavirus. prgtoken This is where the Global Health Security Act, legislation that my friend Gerry Connolly and I authored, can make an impact. And I want to thank him for his leadership in moving this legislation forward. prgtoken The Global Health Security Act would help the Federal Government prepare for the next pandemic both by codifying critical aspects of the interagency coordination process for global health security and also put the Congressional stamp of approval on the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). prgtoken The GHSA is an oddly-named multilateral initiative which seeks to strengthen health systems around the world. It focuses on public health issues of top international concern such as biosafety and biosecurity, immunization, health monitoring, zoonotic diseases, and healthcare worker training. Many of these priority areas are critical to fighting not only the coronavirus but also any infectious disease that emerges after we have contained the current outbreak. prgtoken The Administration helped set up the GHSA in the face of sluggish implementation of international guidelines for health systems around the world and poor international leadership in response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa in 2014. The Administration has enthusiastically carried on U.S. leadership through the GHSA, pledging substantial U.S. funding toward its implementation. The GHSA is something which both parties can be proud of. prgtoken Americans are rightly skeptical of the efficacy of multilateral organizations. Since an illness is one short plane ride away, however, investments in disease detection and public health capacity in other countries directly support our own health security right here in America. If we don't address and prepare for diseases abroad, we will have to address them at home. prgtoken That is why I am proud that the Global Health Security Act passed the Foreign Affairs Committee in February with unanimous support. By passing this legislation Congress will demonstrate a strong commitment to global health security leadership. prgtoken For better or worse, the United States does not have a choice on whether we step up and lead on the coronavirus and future pandemics. As we have se
AMERICA'S GLOBAL LEADERSHIP DURING COVID-19
Ted S. Yoho (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-4-28

. Madam , the United States, along with the rest of the world, currently finds itself in the midst sofa global emergency of epic proportions. Never in the modern era has every nation on Earth been brought to their knees so quickly by a pandemic that threatens our security, our economy, and the social fabric of our lives. prgtoken The United States, and the rest of the world, were woefully unprepared for the arrival of COVID-19. Our underestimation of infectious diseases goes back multiple administrations, when we had ample opportunity to secure our essential supply chains, ensure stockpiles of PPE, and dedicate the necessary resources to research and study emerging diseases. prgtoken If there is one bright side of our current crisis, it is that our nation will never again take for granted our health security. President and industry leaders like Bill Gates forewarned us that our country would need to take proactive measures to prepare for the next pandemic. We clearly failed in heeding their warnings. COVID-19 will not be the last health crisis we face, and we must use the lessons we have learned to aggressively build up our capacity to prevent future pandemics. prgtoken As a veterinarian, it's no secret that I have been vocal on the threat of zoonotic diseases and the dangers of animal to human transmission. Just recently, I introduced the Advancing Emergency Preparedness Through One Health Act of 2019, which would improve public health preparedness by helping federal agencies implement a ``One Health'' approach, recognizing that the health of people is linked to the health of animals and the environment. Multiple studies by the CDC have found that 6 out of 10 infectious diseases were seen in animals before humans, including the virus we face now. Coordination between government agencies is essential in addressing and eliminating zoonotic outbreaks, which is why the One Health model would improve synchronization between veterinarians and doctors by requiring the Department of Homeland Security and United States Department of Agriculture to work together. prgtoken Historically, the United States has applied its health expertise to the global stage as well, in the form of direct support and contributions to multilateral health organizations. The U.S. has historically been one of the largest donors to organizations like the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), which utilizes market forces and private sector partnerships to drive down medical costs and develop and deliver new and underused vaccines to developing nations. Similarly, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), established by President in 2003, has saved millions worldwide by providing essential resources for prevention, treatment, and vaccine research. It is through smart investments like these that the United States demonstrates leadership on global health security. prgtoken But we can,
IN MEMORY OF LUCILLE JANE SOLTYSIK
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , I rise today to encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mrs. Lucille Jane Soltysik. On the morning of Sunday, April 19, 2020, Lucille of Mountain Home, Arkansas passed away at the age of 70 years old. She was born on May 20, 1949 in Joliet, Illinois. She was married to Roger Soltysik. She moved from Illinois to Arkansas in 1998. She served on the Oakland-Promise Land Volunteer Fire Department from 2000-2019, where she served as the Fire Chief. She also served her community by being on the Baxter County prgtoken Quorum Court Justice of the Peace from 2012 through 2020. She was Past President of the Baxter County Women Committee and also a long time member of the Baxter County Committee. prgtoken She was devoted to her community by volunteering at Hospice, Meals on Wheels, PLACO, and she taught food preservation. She was an avid gardener, cook and mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a hard worker and nobody would out work her. Arkansas is better because of people like Lucille. I ask my colleagues to keep Lucille's friends and family in their prayers.
HONORING BIRTH-DAY
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , I invite my colleagues to join me and members of Concerned Families in Southern Oregon in recognizing ``Birth-Day'' on the first day of every May. Since 2012, the Birth-Day Project has motivated concerned adults to make an impact on their local public and private schools by visiting students and celebrating all their birthdays with ice cream sundaes and recreational activities. Nearly 10,000 Americans celebrated Birth-Day last year, including several of the inaugural members in Grants Pass, OR who first recognized Birth-Day as 4th graders nine years ago. In fact, the Birth- Day Project has been so significant for students and their communities that a similar group in the State of New York, Young Life Manhattan, now celebrates Birth-Day in schools throughout the Bronx. prgtoken However, this May students that would be wrapping up their school year or graduating at school, are instead learning from home and practicing social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many students and adults may feel disheartened at missing this year's Birth-Day celebration while at school, I ask that they keep in mind the sentiment of honoring the birth and life of their fellow community members. As the Coronavirus continues to impact our daily lives, we must turn to our American values to reinvigorate our fortitude as well as own faith in each other during this crisis. The Birth-Day Project seeks to bring out the best in us by valuing compassion, community, and service to others. prgtoken Once again, l hope my colleagues will join me today, Friday, May 1st in building community connectedness all over our great country and celebrating the birthdays of young Americans who deserve some cheer and support during these trying times. I would personally like to wish a happy Birth-Day to all the Oregon students who cannot celebrate at school this year. We are all in this together.
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER SCOTT SANDEFER
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the life of Christopher Scott Sandefer, who passed away on April 25th at the age of 57. Scott grew up in Lee County, Mississippi, and was a standout athlete at Shannon High School where he graduated in 1980. He then attended the University of Mississippi where he was a member of the ROTC and graduated with a degree in Public Administration. prgtoken Scott answered the call to serve our great nation with the Mississippi National Guard and was a Brigade Leader and Company Commander for the 155th Brigade in Tupelo for many years. Scott's life of service also included over 30 years in law enforcement at many agencies and positions. Scott served as a former Captain of the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, he served with the Tupelo Police Department, the Pontotoc Police Department, and later retired from the Pontotoc County Sheriffs Department where his talents were appreciated and respected by all. prgtoken Scott enjoyed spending time in the outdoors where he was an avid hunter and motorcyclist. He was also an avid college sports fan and especially enjoyed cheering on his alma mater the Ole Miss Rebels. prgtoken Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Cristi Lane Jordan Sandefer, his daughter, Shelby Leigh Sandefer, as well as many other close family members and friends. Scott Sandefer's life was one of service, grace, love for his family, and community. He will be greatly missed by all whom he encountered.
HONORING THE MEMORY OF HAROLD REID, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE STATLER BROTHERS
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , I rise to recognize the passing of Harold Reid on April 24, 2020, and to honor his legacy of commitment to family, community, and music. prgtoken Harold Reid was born August 21, 1939, the son of Sidney Boxley Reid and Mary France Craun. He married Brenda Lee Armstrong and together they raised daughters Kim, Karmen, Kodi, Kasey, and son Wil. He is survived by Brenda, their children and spouses, and ten grandchildren. prgtoken Harold Reid loved his family, entertaining, and the small-town they call ``home''--Staunton, Virginia. Together with high school friends, Harold formed the Four Star Quartet, debuting as gospel singers, who were welcomed in churches across the Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County area. They performed for high school dances and other local events before winning the 1955 Kiwanis Amateur Talent Show in Staunton, earning a live performance on a Richmond television station. prgtoken By 1960, the group's membership changed, and Don Reid joined his brother in the group which became known as The Kingsmen. They played for the Miss Virginia Pageant and earned a contract to appear regularly on a regional television station. In 1962, they opted to change their performing name again, becoming The Statler Brothers. prgtoken Histories of the renowned Statler Brothers credit Harold Reid with the vision and charisma that encouraged the quartet to continue their musical performances. His deep bass voice undergirded wonderful harmonies when the quartet was on stage. His sense of humor kept audiences engaged and his fellow bandmates upbeat through long hours of road travel. prgtoken It was Harold Reid who approached another country music legend, Johnny Cash, following Cash's performance in Roanoke, Virginia. Harold reportedly told Johnny that he should hear the quartet sing. A few days later, the Statler Brothers opened for Johnny Cash for shows in Berryville, Virginia. The Statler Brothers became a part of Cash's roadshow on March 1, 1964. Fans of country music will recall where that road led. prgtoken The Statler Brothers earned their first hit the following year with ``Flowers on the Wall.'' The group released more than 50 albums. They won three Grammys, nine Country Music Association Awards, six International Country Music Awards, and numerous Music City News Awards. The Statler Brothers Show ran on The Nashville Network from 1991 to 1998. ``Flowers on the Wall'' garnered renewed interest when the lyrics were included in the movie ``Pulp Fiction'' (1994). In 1996, a Poll ranking America's favorite singers listed the group as second to Frank Sinatra and ahead of many other singers across various genres. The Statler Brothers have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2007) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (2008). The group performed for over 40 years. prgtoken Harold Reid and the Statler Brothers never forgot their small-town roots. Harold was a co- prgtoken founder of Happy
IN MEMORY OF JAMES WOOD
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of James Wood. Well-known in North Texas, he was businessman, veteran, and philanthropist. prgtoken Mr. Wood was born on November 4, 1937, in Decatur, Texas and grew up the youngest of five children. After graduating high school in 1956, he left his Wise County hometown and went to work in a shipyard on the Harvey Canal in Louisiana. After a short time working in Louisiana, he entered the U.S. Army, serving his country for three years. Upon his honorable discharge from the military, Mr. Wood went to work at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth. prgtoken He decided to try his hand at selling cars just like his father. Mr. Wood became manager of Cocanougher Ford in Bridgeport. For a decade, with his wife Shirley, they successfully operated Tanwood Motor Sales in Decatur before taking over the General Motors dealership. prgtoken In 1989, under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Woods, James Wood Motors became the largest GMC truck dealer in the United States. During the next decade, their dealership was the top GMC dealership in Texas. James Wood Motors built a new facility in 1989 and became Wise County's full-line General Motors. prgtoken The Woods expanded their geographic footprint and vehicle offerings by purchasing a Buick/GMC dealership in Denton. James Wood Motors added Pontiac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Jeep, Eagle and Mazda to their dealership portfolio and created the James Wood AutoPark by 1994 in Denton. The Woods family currently owns General Motors dealerships in Decatur and Denton, a Hyundai dealership in Decatur, as well as Neighborhood Used Car dealerships with multiple North Texas locations. prgtoken Mr. Wood was recognized for his many contributions to the community as Decatur's ``Citizen of the Year'' in 1989. In addition, he was elected to the GM Presidents Dealer Advisory Council in 1987 and served as a board member of the Wise Health System for ten years. He was instrumental in founding the Champions and Blue Ribbon Club for the Wise County Youth Fair and due to his time and efforts in support of the Fort Worth Stock Show, he was elected to the Stock Show Board of Directors. prgtoken While a very successful business owner and community philanthropist, Mr. Wood was also an avid farmer and rancher and dedicated family man. He enjoyed cutting horses and raising cattle but most importantly, spending time with his wife of sixty years, Shirley, and their three children: daughter Janetta, son Raymond and late son Josh, grandchildren and great grandchildren. prgtoken James Wood was a respected business and community leader and a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends to whom I extend my sincere condolences.
HEROES IN THE WUHAN VIRUS PANDEMIC
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , in the midst of the National Emergency being successfully faced by President and Vice President , there have been so many citizens stepping forward to help fellow neighbors in need. I am grateful to recognize heroes who are making a difference. prgtoken Journalist Kara Gormley Meador has initiated highlighting innovative citizens efforts to address the Wuhan Virus with former S.C. Revenue Director Burnie Maybank of the Nexsen-Pruet Law Firm, there is free streaming at www.buzzpodcast.com. The first conversation was with President Lou Kennedy of Nephron Pharmaceutical where she explained retooling her operation almost overnight to respond to the virus. She has been welcomed to the WVOC Radio in the Midlands with Gary David and Christopher Thompson. prgtoken Dale Hatchell and Elizabeth Burt of Lexington have organized Support a Nurse to provide ``Light of Love'' care kits to nurses on the front lines. These kits are donations of nutritional and immunity products with a support message helping the Dorn Veterans Administration Hospital, Lexington and Prisma hospitals, and Department of Juvenile Justice. prgtoken Talk radio host Kevin Cohen has been relentlessly providing important updates for the Midlands of South Carolina, fulfilling his goals on The Point promoting charities and local events. prgtoken Halsey Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Milliken & Company of Spartanburg is continuing the visionary tradition of the late Roger Milliken. Milliken & Company of Spartanburg is developing the manufacturing process for a new nanofiber with antiviral properties in cooperation with retired Colonel David Lobb of Aiken and Ascend Materials of Florida. prgtoken Scott Gottlieb of the American Enterprise Institute in The Wall Street Journal (April 12) has thoughtfully presented a plan to reopen the economy for jobs with companies diagnosing coronavirus cases in the workplace. He understands healthy citizens need a healthy economy. prgtoken Ambassador Andre Haspel of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has thoughtfully forwarded encouragement to members of the Congressional Caucus of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The alliance of the Netherlands and the United States is strong and appreciated to defeat the Wuhan Virus. prgtoken General Milford Beagle, Commander of Fort Jackson, with Army Chief of Staff Major General James McConville have been pro-active to protect the lives of new recruits and the dedicated personnel at Fort Jackson. The installation trains nearly 50 percent of all Soldiers and more than 60 percent of all women entering the Army each year. prgtoken Cecil Staton, President and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners of America, with Vice President Chirag Shah have worked tirelessly to promote the gruesomely impacted hospitality industry. AAHOA is the largest hotel owner's association in the world with 20,000 members owning half of hotels in America. prgtoken Walgreens Drug Stores with
HONORING BENTON, ARKANSAS
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , today, I recognize the City of Benton, Arkansas, for the healing and hope promised as part of their Wall of Prayer in the city's downtown. prgtoken Benton Mayor Tom Farmer has constructed a lattice wall for residents to share their prayer requests on while preparing for the National Day of Prayer, May 7. prgtoken This initiative reflects that many of Benton's residents are looking for opportunities to maintain their sense of community during the current public health crisis due to COVID-19 while at the same time staying safe by following social distancing guidelines. prgtoken Residents are encouraged to hang a prayer written on a piece of cloth on the wall, and each day at noon until May 7, faith leaders will pray over the wall uniting in the shared experience. prgtoken While they are there, they can further show support for their community by taking a picture with the nearby ``I Love Benton'' sign. prgtoken I congratulate Mayor Farmer and the City of Benton for this creative way to come together and pray for our community, and I look forward to joining in prayer for this strong community on May 7.
RECOGNIZING THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF SOUTHERN UTAH
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-5-1

. Madam , today I rise to recognize the Assistance League of Southern Utah for its outstanding work in assisting prgtoken students in my district. You may ask, why is a Congressman from Arizona recognizing a group from Utah? Well, it just speaks to its generosity and the great impact this organization is having in my district. prgtoken This great organization is providing art supplies for 85 sixth-grade students in the communities of Beaver Dam and Colorado City, Arizona. These communities are located in the geographically isolated Arizona Strip, which is north of the Grand Canyon, near the Utah border. For context, to travel to almost any other part of Arizona takes hours because you cannot drive over the Grand Canyon, Madam . prgtoken The intent of this program is to stimulate creativity in these young people and give them activities to keep their minds active once the school day is over. Each student is provided with items such as coloring books, markers, and colored pencils and are given creative license to create whatever they like. prgtoken In addition to the art program, the Assistance League also organizes an annual campaign called Operation School Bell. This program provides clothing to disadvantaged students and this year will include a literacy program to greater enrich the minds of these students. prgtoken I would sincerely like to thank the Assistance League's President Gail Neumann and Vice President Kay Minor for being willing to serve their neighboring state and their immeasurable impact on the Beaver Dam and Colorado City communities.