mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS POSTAGE STAMP
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2019-5-7

on May 21, 2019, the U.S. Postal Service will release a series of postage stamps commemorating America's Wild and Scenic River system. These are America's remarkable rivers and streams unique for their free-flowing beauty, along with their contribution to recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and countless other important benefits. prgtoken As we recognize the 50th anniversary of this landmark conservation law, I want to make a point that Oregon has always been a leader in protecting rivers and just this year added more than 250 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers designations, increasing our miles of protected rivers from 1,916 to a grand total of over 2,170 miles. That gives Oregon the State with the most miles of Wild and Scenic River designations in the contiguous United States. prgtoken Three Oregon rivers are being recognized by the U.S. Postal Service in this commemorative stamp edition: the Deschutes, the Owyhee, and the Snake Rivers. Each is remarkable and unique in its own way, and together, these rivers embody Oregon's tradition of providing habitat for endangered salmon and steelhead, clean drinking water, and recreation opportunities for countless outdoor enthusiasts from all over the United States and the world. prgtoken One of these rivers, the Owyhee, carves its way through some of the harshest and most arid and remote landscape of Oregon's high desert in the easternmost parts of our State. The Owyhee River flows through a steep, eroded canyon with cliffs towering hundreds of feet above. Added to the Wild and Scenic Rivers system in 1984, this river is revered for its remarkable cultural, geologic, recreational, and scenic values. It is of particular historical significance to Tribes across Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada. Beyond its significance as a Wild and Scenic River, the Owyhee region is a critical lifeline to the rural economy of eastern Oregon and the local ranching community. prgtoken Moving westward to central Oregon, the Deschutes River is an oasis that winds through sandy, pumice-filled soils and sloping plateaus. A Wild and Scenic River since 1988, the Deschutes is world renowned for its fly fishing, rafting, and hiking opportunities. For centuries, Native Americans have honored the cultural and fishing uses of the river and venerated its historical value. prgtoken The final Oregon river honored in this series is back to the east in Oregon but north of the Owyhee: the mighty Snake River. It flows through Hells Canyon--the deepest gorge in North America--on the border between Idaho and Oregon. First designated a Wild and Scenic River in 1975, the Snake River holds significant cultural value for the people of the Shoshone and Nez prgtoken Perce Tribes. It also holds an important part of our State's history; emigrant pioneers risked their lives crossing the Snake in search of their future in Oregon. Pristine sections of this river and its stunning landscapes provide bountifu
HONORING SHIRLEY MONACELLI AS AMHERST WOMEN'S INTERCLUB COUNCIL HONOREE
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-7

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the life and accomplishments of Shirley Monacelli as she is honored by the Amherst Women's Interclub Council for her lifetime of service to her community. prgtoken As a dedicated educator, Shirley began her career teaching grades Nursery through 3rd Grade in the Niagara Falls School System, as well as evening classes in English for adults seeking U.S. Citizenship or their GED. Additionally, she served as an adjunct professor at Niagara County Community College where she designed and taught her own Early Childhood Education Curriculum. prgtoken In 1980, Shirley started her lifetime of community service by volunteering as an usher and in the gift shop at Art Park. She continued in that volunteer role for 30 years , picking up numerous other volunteer roles along the way which she continues to participate in to this day. prgtoken Shirley has touched the lives of so many individuals as a leader, educator, and neighbor in her community. Her roles stretch from a Chairwoman of the New York State Council for Children State Conference, to working the Information Office at the Amherst Senior Center, to teaching Religious Education at St. Gregory the Great. prgtoken Dedicated community leaders such as Shirley, who are committed to serving the Western New York Community and to making life enjoyable and fulfilling for all our neighbors, are part of what makes Western New York such a special place to live. prgtoken Madam , I recognize Shirley Monacelli as she is honored by the Amherst Women's Interclub Council for her lifetime of service to her community. Her devotion to enriching the lives of others through community service and volunteer work is an inspiration to everyone who seeks to better the world in which we live.
OATH CEREMONY ON MAY 10, 2019
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2019-5-7

. Madam , it is with great pleasure and sincerity that I take this time to congratulate thirty individuals who will take their oaths of citizenship on May 10, 2019. This memorable occasion will be held at the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Hammond, Indiana. America is a country founded by immigrants. From its beginning, settlers have come from countries around the world to the United States in search of better lives for their families. Oath ceremonies are a shining example of what is so great about the United States of America--that people from all over the world can come together and unite as members of a free, democratic nation. These individuals realize that nowhere else in the world offers a better opportunity for success than here in America. On May 10, 2019, the following people, representing many nations throughout the world, will take their oaths of citizenship in Hammond, Indiana: Amorette Jackson Vorkpor, Ragubir Singh Rathore, Zeyad Khalaf Al Sedra Al Sedra, ra Thamer Mohsin, Jason Christopher Richardson, Sana Hajira Kendrix, Mari Diaz, Marisol Lopez Pantoja, Felipe Garcilazo Garcilazo, Alexandros Angelos Taflanidis, Henry G. Huang, Carlos Magdaleno, Teodora Orduno Gutierrez, Geena Jikyung Kam, Natalie B. Leonov, Andres Loza, Ying-Ling Lin, Araceli Magdaleno, Janet V. Fatti, Mourad Takawi, Veronica Gonzalez, Qusai M. Odeh, Ana Delia Aleman Lorenzo, Estela Reyes, Boubacar Bouka Gamby, Norma Alicia Garmendiz, Mika Trivunovic, Adrian Jaesim, Hisham Mahmoud Salih Abidallh and Stanislawa Antonina Malochleb. Although each individual has sought to become a citizen of the United States for his or her own reasons, be it for education, occupation, or to offer their loved ones better lives, each is inspired by the fact that the United States of America is, as Abraham Lincoln described it, a country ``. . . of the people, by the people, and for the people.'' They realize that the United States is truly a free nation. By seeking American citizenship, they have made the decision that they want to live in a place where, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, they can practice religion as they choose, speak their minds without fear of punishment, and assemble in peaceful protest should they choose to do so. Madam , I respectfully ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating these individuals who will become citizens of the United States of America on May 10, 2019. They, too, are American citizens, guaranteed the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We, as a free and democratic nation, congratulate them and welcome them.
Violence Against Women Act (Executive Calendar)
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2019-5-7

let me say to my colleague, the ranking member of the Senate's Indian Affairs Committee--with whom, by the way, I know I have 2 more years--that I am so going to miss working with him. I appreciate his passion, particularly on days like today on which he is highlighting issues that affect so many of our communities across this country, particularly when it comes to our Tribal communities and Native communities. prgtoken Thank you for always being at the forefront, my friend. prgtoken This past Sunday, many Americans joined thousands of survivors and supporters in solidarity across the country to honor the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. Organizers hosted rallies and benefit runs; communities honored loved ones lost; and supporters posted on social media with the hashtag #NotInvisible. For many, this was a day to raise awareness about the alarming number of murdered and missing indigenous women, but for our Tribal communities, a day of awareness only scratches the surface of what is needed to address this epidemic. prgtoken Indian Country needs action. That starts right here in this Chamber, and it can start today. Right now, the Senate is considering three pieces of legislation--the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and my bipartisan bills, Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act--which will help to combat this crisis. Passing these bills is critical in protecting the lives of Native women and girls. prgtoken The numbers speak for themselves. More than 80 percent of Native women will experience physical, sexual, or psychological violence in their lifetimes, often in the form of domestic or intimate partner violence. One in three Native American women has been raped or has experienced an attempted rape, and murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women and girls. In addition, Native American women who experience sexual or domestic violence are far more likely to fall victim to sex trafficking. prgtoken Even more distressing is the fact that we likely don't know the full scope of the problem because of underreporting. In fact, nearly half of the Tribal law enforcement agencies surveyed believe human trafficking is occurring on Tribal land beyond what has been brought to their attention. Because of a lack of coordination with Federal Agencies and because of sparse resources and limited jurisdiction in which to prosecute crimes, women across Indian Country are dying and disappearing, and far too many of their cases go unreported, unsolved, or untouched by law enforcement. prgtoken This is unbelievable. We must act. Yet there is no targeted Federal plan or strategy to address this epidemic even as it becomes increasingly clear that we are failing to uphold our trust responsibility and, even more so, that we are failing Native women and their families. prgtoken As former Nevada attorney general, I have heard directly from survivo
MUELLER REPORT
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-5-7

I come to the floor to once again discuss U.S. policy toward the Russian Federation. I fear this body is in the grips of a paralysis that has rendered us flat-footed in the face of a multitude of threats from Russia. This is not a paralysis due to a lack of knowledge, lack of facts, or lack of intelligence. It is a paralysis of our politics, a paralysis born out of a lack of political will to do what is necessary in the absence of Presidential leadership, a lack of will to stand up for our national security, a lack of will to defend our ic institutions, a lack of will to fulfill the oath that every single Member of this Chamber swore to uphold. prgtoken The inaction from this body since the beginning of the year on Russia has been astounding. It gives me no pleasure to think that political considerations could be compromising the majority's willingness to respond robustly to the Russia threat, but how else can I explain why the party of Reagan has gone missing? What force, other than politics, can explain our failure to demand the administration robustly respond to Russia's seizure of Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait in the high seas in international waters? What force other than politics can explain our feeble response to Russia's chemical attack in the United Kingdom? What force other than politics can explain our failure to thwart Russia's hand in Syria and allow Putin to sit back and enjoy the political instability spawned in Europe by the resulting migration crisis? What force other than politics can have us playing right into Putin's hands? What force other than politics can explain the remarks made earlier today by Majority Leader McConnell in which he suggested that ic efforts to assess the full and unredacted Mueller report are impeding the ability of this body to shore up our election security? prgtoken Well, that is really rich. I might remind the American people that it was the majority leader who, when presented by top intelligence officials in the administration with Russian efforts to help President 's candidacy, blocked efforts to inform the public? prgtoken Look, I am not here today to talk about conspiracy or obstruction or President . Make no mistake, those issues are deeply concerning, and contrary to the majority leader's words, the case is not closed. The case is not closed. However, there will be other opportunities to address these issues, and when it comes to shoring up our defenses, we are running out of time. prgtoken So as the ranking member on the Foreign Relation Committee, I am here to flash a red warning light about what the Mueller report means for our national security, what it means for America's geopolitical standing with respect to Russia, what it means for our credibility on the world stage as ic institutions are attacked. prgtoken I am worried that in the face of Russian aggression, we are getting lo
Violence Against Women Act (Executive Calendar)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2019-5-7

I, too, want to thank the Senator from New Mexico for organizing today's effort on this very important issue. prgtoken I rise today to join my colleagues in really shining a spotlight on a crisis that has brought terror and pain to Tribal communities across my home State of Washington and the Nation for far too long. It is an alarm that has been sounding, actually, for generations and one that has impacted literally countless families, robbing them of their mothers and grandmothers, their sisters, their aunts, their daughters. ``Family of missing Native woman demands answers in Wapato.'' prgtoken In Yakima County: A year after her body was found, officials are now officially calling the death of this young woman a homicide. prgtoken A year after. prgtoken In Toppenish: 16-year-old . . . disappeared after Christmas Eve in 1971. Her sister refuses to give up the search. prgtoken Those are just a few of the headlines that have appeared in news outlets in Washington State within just the last few months highlighting the scope of the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in our communities. prgtoken For far too long, our Nation has ignored or misclassified the terrible stories of violence against women and girls in Tribal communities, who have been reported missing or murdered at much higher rates than their non-Native counterparts or, worse, not reported at all. prgtoken It is a crisis that is particularly salient in Washington State, which ranks second among States with the highest number of reported cases of missing and murdered Native women. Even worse, Seattle ranks No. 1 among cities with the highest number of cases. But it isn't just Seattle; it is the Yakama Nation, Spokane, Tacoma. The epidemic of missing and murdered Native women isn't an urban problem or a rural problem. It is not an issue just for western Washington or eastern Washington. This is an alarming trend that is devastating communities every day throughout Washington State and across the country, one for which Native women and girls are paying the ultimate price. prgtoken Now, thanks to the determination of Native women who have spent years raising their voices to bring attention to this tragic pattern of injustice, we are beginning to develop the tools and resources we need to combat this epidemic. prgtoken I am very grateful for Native leaders and organizations like the Seattle Indian Health Board, which last November released a landmark new report--the first of its kind--on the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women, collecting important data and insights. It is a major step toward removing a significant barrier that has burdened efforts to end the decades-long epidemic, but there is so much more we need to do to keep Native women and girls safe and seek justice. prgtoken As important as it is to bring awareness to this devastating crisis, more than awareness, we need action.
CHAMPIONING AMERICAN BUSINESS THROUGH DIPLOMACY ACT OF 2019
Albio Sires (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-5-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I would like to thank first Mr. McCaul for his hard work on this legislation. prgtoken I am proud to be supporting this legislation, this bipartisan measure, which makes better use of State Department resources to increase exports of American-made goods and American-provided services and, in turn, creates more jobs for American workers. prgtoken This important bill supports the 277,000 small and medium-sized businesses that are trying to sell U.S.-origin goods and services across the globe. prgtoken They need help understanding the overseas market, locating customers for U.S.-origin products, dealing with local imports and customs rules, and arranging financing for their export sales. All these efforts support U.S. jobs. Economic officers in our embassies and at the State Department in Washington can help exporters deal with these challenges. prgtoken This piece of legislation improves the State Department's training program for economic officers, affirms a long-standing directive to U.S. Ambassadors to include commercial and economic issues in their portfolios, and strengthens coordination between the State Department and the Commerce Department by consolidating data on overseas markets. prgtoken These efforts fortify the key role of our State Department, provides critical confirmation to U.S. exporters, and makes more efficient use of public funds. prgtoken H.R. 1704 is a critical bill that will not only spur exports and job growth but will ultimately improve the lives of the American people. prgtoken Our sponsors and I would also like to clarify the requirements under section 9 of H.R. 1704 to ``initiate and pursue negotiations with countries to establish international standards for government-supported quality infrastructure investment overseas'' are intended to be fulfilled within the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. prgtoken This bill does not direct or authorize the Secretary of State to initiate or pursue negotiations in the World Trade Organization or amend any multilateral or plurilateral WTO agreements. prgtoken , I strongly support this measure, and .
Nomination of Kimberly A. Reed (Executive Calendar)
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2019-5-7

I am very honored to offer my support today for Kimberly Reed to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. I think the Presiding Officer is very proud, too. We are both proud that the first woman to lead the Ex-Im Bank will also be the first West Virginian. prgtoken As a former West Virginia small business owner, I know this is an engine for economic growth and long-term stability and prosperity. It is truly beneficial for those businesses to reach broader markets and new customers. Rural states like West Virginia have a lot of talent and a lot of great businesses, but we need to make sure these companies are hitting global markets and building in sales and supporting more jobs here at home. prgtoken The Ex-Im Bank creates jobs and helps businesses, both big and small, to sell their products overseas at no cost--I repeat, at no cost--to the Federal Government, in addition to providing loans and other forms of credit. The Bank can also help with market research and to identify potential buyers and distributors of products in foreign countries. It is like having your own reconnaissance team, PR team, and a sales force, everything wrapped up into one. prgtoken In 2014, I invited the former Ex-Im Bank Chairman, Fred Hochberg, to West Virginia. Since then the Bank has worked with 14 West Virginia businesses throughout the State, providing $11 million in loans to support $18 million in exports. The people in West Virginia had no idea of the opportunities that a small business person would have with the Ex-Im Bank. They had no idea how to get into foreign markets. They didn't have any idea about the collections process or the legal expertise in that arena. This helped them immensely. prgtoken I know Kimberly wants to do the same thing for our State and for small businesses across rural America. prgtoken I can state that Kim's West Virginia roots shaped her to be the leader she is today. Growing up in Buckhannon, WV, and graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan College and West Virginia University, Kim checks all of the boxes for the best and brightest our State can offer. Every West Virginian will know what it means when I say that she was a Golden Horseshoe awardee and a Governor's Honors Academy graduate. prgtoken She hasn't lost sight of those roots, either. She continues to serve on the Wesleyan board of trustees and has worked with West Virginians every step of her career, whether it was as the senior adviser to the Secretary of the Treasury or the head of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. prgtoken Kim exemplifies bedrock Appalachian values, and her deep commitment to serving her Nation through the House of Representatives and the Department of Treasury is a true testament to her character. I have always been proud to call her a West Virginian, and I know that I and the Presiding Officer will be proud to call her the President and Chairwoman of the Ex-Im Bank