mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE NCAA WOMEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Filemon Vela (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to recognize the Texas A&M- Kingsville Javelinas for their 2018 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II National Championship win. prgtoken The Texas A&M-Kingsville Women's Beach Volleyball team was started in 2016, and they played their inaugural season in 2017. Head coach Tanya Allen, along with assistant coaches Gary Payne and Stephanie Johns, are invaluable to the success of this young team thus far. prgtoken The Javelinas ended the 2018 season with a 20-10 record, never losing a game in Kingsville. Freshmen Tenley Housler and Erin Umbel held the best set record of the team at 15-7. These promising players were joined by their teammates Gabby Atchley, Macy Berg, Kylexus Block, Madison Brabham, Kyra Henderson, Haley Hutchinson, Sarah Miller, Kadi Shipman, Madeline Sims, Maelee Sowa, Shelby Tate, Whitney Walker and Loren Washington. prgtoken During championship play at Hickory Point Beach Sand Volleyball Complex in Tavares, Florida, the Javelinas received a bye in the quarterfinal round. They then triumphed over the Spring Hill College Badgers in the semi-final game by a score of 3-2. The final match played against the Ekerd College Tritons saw the Javelinas prevail with a 4-1 win, securing the National Championship for the university. prgtoken , please join me in recognizing the Javelinas for their National Championship which has brought pride and recognition to Texas A&M-Kingsville.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF FRANCISCO (FRANK) ``PANCHO'' RIOS
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Francisco (Frank) ``Pancho'' Rios, an Angeleno, a veteran, an immigrant, and a man who lived a rich life full of love and service. With his passing on the evening of July 17, 2018, his loss is being mourned by family, friends, and others who knew him. prgtoken Francisco Rios was born in 1930 in the small town of Santa Barbara, Chihuahua, Mexico, and he resided in Mexico until 1952 when he left to attain his piece of the American Dream. He married his wife Paula Vega in 1954, and together they settled in Fresno, California, before ultimately making their home in Los Angeles. prgtoken Francisco decided to serve his adopted home, enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he served on active duty from 1955 to 1957, and received an honorable discharge on June 30, 1963. For three decades, he also dedicated himself to serving Los Angeles County residents, working to maintain roadways for the Department of Public Works. prgtoken Known affectionately as ``Nino'' and Uncle Frank, Francisco became an avid traveler, venturing to Africa, the Middle East, Western Europe, and his favorite destination, Las Vegas. He fondly recounted many of his travels, including his spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and to Vatican City. An Angeleno through and through, he was everyone's favorite tour guide of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, regularly exposing out-of-town family visitors to the diversity of the region's sights and attractions. prgtoken While Francisco and his wife Paula did not have children together, they were an affectionate presence in the lives of their nieces and nephews, to whom they showed love, wisdom, kindness, and unwavering and unconditional support. The latest of these was Kaila Vega, daughter of Amador Vega. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in sending heartfelt condolences to the family of Francisco Rios. He leaves behind a rich legacy of love, patience, warmth, affection, strength, and wisdom that will be deeply missed by his loved ones. He is preceded in death by his parents Francisco and Soledad and his wife Paula, and he is survived by siblings, many nieces and nephews, and godchildren, who will deeply miss and cherish the memory of their ``Nino'' and Uncle Frank.
RECOGNIZING OSS VETERAN HOWARD POLLARI
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to recognize Mr. Howard Pollari, a World War II veteran of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and a resident of Illinois's Tenth District. The OSS was a wartime intelligence agency, and precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), that played an integral part in our military and intelligence operations during World War II. Members of the service trained, supplied, and fought alongside resistance organizations throughout Europe and Asia as they battled against the Axis Powers. For two and a half years, Mr. Pollari committed his life to the service of our country. Beginning in 1944, he participated in five ``Carpetbagger'' operations as part of the 857th Bomb Squadron of the OSS delivering much-needed supplies to resistance fighters and allies in Nazi-occupied Norway. These dangerous stealth missions were typically flown on moonlit nights and at low level to avoid enemy detection. Mr. Pollari's role as a flight engineer was vital to the success and survival of these missions, as he was responsible for making in-flight repairs to the B-24 aircrafts during the airdrop missions. Mr. Pollari was one of more than 13,000 individuals employed by the OSS at the war's peak. Today, fewer than 100 former OSS members remain alive, and for too long their service and sacrifice was not properly recognized. Earlier this year, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor, to those who served in the OSS in recognition of their heroic and pioneering service to our country. It is my great honor and privilege to recognize Howard Pollari on behalf of a grateful nation for his service to our country and allies during World War II. I look forward to presenting him and his family with a copy of the Congressional Gold Medal in person this August.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-7-24

we are on the verge of the 1-year mark since the U.S. Senate attempted to take away healthcare from 30 million Americans and was told no by the American public. prgtoken For virtually the entire time, since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, s in the House and in the Senate engaged in an exercise that was futile while President was in office but then was made possible by the election of --that was the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which extended care to 20 million Americans who weren't guaranteed that health insurance would actually cover the things they needed and protected people who were sick or people with preexisting conditions from discrimination. prgtoken When s finally took over, they realized they had spent a whole lot of time criticizing the Affordable Care Act but not a lot of time figuring out what would come next, and most of 2017 was spent in an embarrassing series of proposals that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would uninsure somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 to 30 million people. prgtoken Finally, when a vote was called on the floor of the Senate, just enough Senators chose to side with the American people, who want to maintain the protections of the Affordable Care Act and work to perfect it, that the bill failed by one vote. That 1-year mark will occur this weekend on Saturday. prgtoken So a few of us wanted to come to the floor today to talk about what has happened since that fateful vote a year ago that was, frankly, celebrated all across this country, as folks who were deeply fearful that their healthcare was going to be ripped away from them by the Congress realized they might be able to rely on it for at least another year. prgtoken Let me set the stage, first by reminding people of the promises that were made. This is President shortly after his election and just before his swearing in. He said: We're going to have insurance for everybody. People covered under the law can expect to have great healthcare . . . much less expensive and much better. prgtoken That is a clear promise that the President made: Everybody is going to have insurance. It is going to be less expensive, and it is going to be better--more insurance, less expensive, better quality. prgtoken The vote that took place a year ago this Saturday would have done exactly the opposite. It would have kicked 30 million people off of insurance. It would have driven up costs for millions of Americans-- especially those people with preexisting conditions. Coverage would have been much worse, not much better, in part because people with preexisting conditions wouldn't be able to access care. prgtoken So this promise never came true because of the vote that we took a year ago this Saturday. prgtoken But, occasionally, the President does say something that is true. This is a picture of the celebration that the House of Repres
AGOA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH AFRICA
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2018-7-24

last week, I had the privilege of attending the annual forum on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), where we focused on forging new strategies for U.S.-Africa trade and investment. It was an honor meeting with African leaders to continue the discussion on how we can continue to develop trade between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa. I want to thank all of the Members of Congress who have worked together to support and maintain the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Since the legislation's passage in 2000, the strong bipartisan support that AGOA has received is proof of our nation's commitment to expanding global markets for U.S. goods and services. It shows that at our core, despite President 's protectionist views on trade and recent attacks on our allies, we as Americans value any opportunity to strengthen international relations and develop strong democracies. Trade with Africa has greatly benefited the United States and Africa. By allowing duty-free access to the U.S. market for exports from 40 sub-Saharan countries, AGOA offers African countries tangible incentives to continue their efforts in opening their economies, while also reinforcing internationally recognized human rights. While exporting $13.8 billion in goods to the United States under the act in 2017, AGOA nations also continued to make efforts to enact policies that observe the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process, fighting poverty and corruption along the way. As a member of the Ways and Means committee, and as a representative of the state of Alabama, whose economy is highly dependent on trade, I will continue to be supportive of AGOA because it promotes investment and strengthens our global economy. prgtoken I applaud both American and African government officials, the private sector, and the people of the AGOA nations for working so hard to maximize the benefits of AGOA. I encourage us to continue working together to enhance our commitment to Africa.
REMEMBERING GEORGE B. WILLIE, SR.
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise to honor George B. Willie, Sr one of our last surviving Navajo code talkers, who passed away at age 92 on December 5, 2017. Mr. Willie was a humble man who never bragged and rarely talked about his uncommon feat. prgtoken Mr. Willie was born near Sawmill, AZ. He was To Dich'iinii--Bitter Water--and born for Tabaaha--Near The Water Edge--and resided near Leupp when he passed away. prgtoken Mr. Willie only had a seventh-grade education. He tried to enlist in 1941, but was too young. He was finally able to join the Marines 2 years later, when he was 17 years old. He served the Second Marine Division, 10th Battalion, from 1943 until 1946. prgtoken As a marine, Mr. Willie was one of the 421 code talkers from the Navajo Nation. The original 29 Navajo code talkers developed a code based on their native language. At that time, there was no written language, and only about 30 persons outside of Tribal members understood Navajo. The code talkers were required to quickly and accurately translate and transmit messages about troop movements, tactics, prgtoken and the like through telephone and radio. At first skeptical, military leaders quickly learned to appreciate their skill and tremendous value to the war effort. The Japanese never broke their code. prgtoken While the Federal Government relied on the Navajo language for military success, back home, it continued the longstanding policy of forbidding Native students from speaking their languages at Federal boarding schools. prgtoken Mr. Willie served in the Battle of Okinawa, one of the last and deadliest battles of the war. In June 1945, the Americans and the British Pacific Fleet took the island after 82 days of battle. It was their last stop before the planned attempt to take the Island of Japan, which was preempted when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6. prgtoken After coming home, Mr. Willie married Emma Gean Willie, and they had 10 children. The code talker program was secret, and the code talkers were sworn not to tell anyone about their work. Even after the Federal Government declassified the program in 1968, Mr. Willie continued to honor his promise and did not tell family members he was a code talker until almost 30 years later. In 2001, Mr. Willie and his fellow code talkers were awarded the Silver Congressional Medal of Honor. prgtoken Today I honor Mr. Willie, a true American hero.
REMEMBERING GEORGE ELL
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to honor the life of George Ell, a member of the Blackfeet Nation who is being remembered by his family, by his community, and by his Tribe. prgtoken George was born and grew up on Livermore Creek near Browning, MT, fishing and exploring the mountains surrounding it. In the year 1890, not long after Montana was admitted to the Union, the U.S. Government forcibly took him from his home at the age of 16. prgtoken George was forced to board a train to Pennsylvania to attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School. He was turned away from his cultural practices, forced to cut his hair, and discard his traditional clothing. He was barred from speaking his language. prgtoken George died under mysterious circumstances a little more than a year after he arrived in Pennsylvania--a foreign land for a 16-year-old boy. The government buried him in Carlisle. It took 128 years for George to rightfully return home to Montana, where he belongs, to be reburied. prgtoken George's ancestors laid him to rest recently on a bluff next to Flattop Mountain, where his family can mourn and our Nation can learn from this sad chapter of America's history. prgtoken I also want to recognize George's family, including Dale Ell, Leon Chief Elk, Rhonda Boggs, and everyone involved, who were relentless in their quest to bring George back home. Their efforts are not only admirable, but an essential part of the collective healing process. prgtoken The Ell family is just one of many Native American families who were torn apart by this Nation's horrendous assimilation policies and the boarding school era. It is my hope that, as his family lays George Ell to rest, we commit ourselves to a brighter future--a future where we celebrate the first people of this Nation, their culture, heritage, religion, and strength. It is imperative that we learn from the story of Mr. Ell, so the next generation is educated about the suffering, so our kids and grandkids are inspired by his fortitude and the resilience of so many other Native Americans. prgtoken I rise today to honor those who were tested by cruelty; may their stories resonate in our history and spur us toward a stronger tomorrow.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 184, PROTECT MEDICAL INNOVATION ACT OF 2017, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6311, INCREASING ACCESS TO LOWER PREMIUM PLANS AND EXPANDING HEALTH SAVINGS...
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-7-24

the balance of my time. prgtoken , in closing, this place, the people's House, should be about approaching our congressional responsibilities and daily activities in a manner that is fair and respectful to all Americans; in a manner where the appropriate committee of jurisdiction holds hearings and markups; in a manner where experts in the field are respected and consulted; in a manner where Members of both political parties have the ability to offer amendments and debate the contents of bills that come to the House floor. prgtoken Unfortunately, in this historically closed-off, run House, that is not the case. And let me make it very clear. Even though in the Ways and Means and the Appropriations Committee, as a matter of practice, we allow for closed rules, we now have, with these three rules that are likely to be finished today, we have 95 closed rules. This is 2018, and not in the history of the people's House has the process been as closed. prgtoken When the of the House of Representatives began this session, he indicated that it would be the most open session that we would have. And yet, it is not the case. prgtoken I spoke earlier about immigration, and I saw this morning where the majority leader has determined, even though having promised his own conference that he would have a vote on immigration, he ain't gonna do it. prgtoken Now, something is wrong with this process and it needs to be corrected, and we can correct it going forward. We will make 100, and then we will be historically referenced as the most closed Congress in the history of the United States of America. prgtoken What we see are my friends across the aisle, bending over backwards to reward a very specific and elite constituency. Week after week, the powerful gun lobby is rewarded as leadership refuses to bring up even the most commonsense gun violence prevention legislation. prgtoken The next week, like today, the powerful medical insurance lobby chalks up a win as this -led Congress votes in favor of special interests over the interests of hardworking Americans. prgtoken Some other people that make out like bandits that we never talk about are the insurance companies. I could spend a whole hour talking about how they are benefiting while we are about the business of tying each other in knots with verbiage rather than with substantive legislation. prgtoken , while there is no quick fix to any of these measures, not to gun violence, opioid addiction, the immigration problems, and ongoing foreign cyber attacks on our election system's infrastructure, we simply must engage in the complicated and difficult process of improving our country's current policies. prgtoken I, as well as my colleagues on this side of the aisle, stand ready to work with Members of Congress to bring commonsense legislation to the floor that will benefit all Americans and not just the rarified few. prgtoken , I am goin
HONORING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIFETRACK
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to congratulate Lifetrack on 70 years of providing high quality supportive services to some of the most vulnerable residents of Saint Paul, Minnesota and surrounding communities. Throughout decades of adaptations, Lifetrack remains constant in serving those in need, and empowering families to thrive through challenges. prgtoken In 1948, injured veterans returning from WWII and families ravaged by the polio epidemic faced major obstacles. Lifetrack was born as a collaboration of social services agencies that embarked on a mission to provide speech, physical, and occupational therapies to these adults and children. Later, the organization launched vocational programs that aimed to prepare people for life and work after their rehabilitation. Services have continued to expand to assist families and individuals experiencing homelessness and new refugees. Lifetrack also now provides services to families of highly stressed and deaf and hard-of-hearing children to help them build social, emotional and life skills that can carry them through their lives. prgtoken When individuals and families face adversity, a network of support is critical to resiliency. For the most vulnerable in our community, that support is not always available. Lifetrack strengthens our community by empowering families and forging connections. prgtoken Staff and volunteers make it their mission to help individuals build their own support systems and by connecting them to services both within and outside the organization. All of us benefit when individuals and families have the tools to reach their full potential. prgtoken For 70 years Lifetrack has worked to help the most vulnerable achieve better lives by building resilience, breaking cycles of trauma and hardship, and providing therapies that make working and living a comfortable life more attainable. prgtoken , please join me in congratulating the staff, volunteers, board of Lifetrack on seven decades of remarkable service to the community.
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2018-7-24

I appreciate what the distinguished senior Senator from Illinois just said. I will speak about the same amendment. We will be offering this amendment. It does provide $250 million for State election security grants. It provides it to protect our upcoming elections from attacks by Russia especially but from many other hostile foreign powers. prgtoken We don't do this as an exercise. We know the attacks have been there in the past, and they are coming in the future. Look at what our intelligence community said. They unanimously said that Russia interfered in our 2016 election. prgtoken After the intelligence community unanimously said they interfered, Congress came together, and we appropriated $380 million for State election security grants in the fiscal year 2018 omnibus. prgtoken Since that time, all 55 eligible States and territories have requested funding. One hundred percent of these funds have been committed to the States. As of yesterday, 90 percent of the funds have been disbursed to the States. This is pretty remarkable considering that the fiscal year 2018 omnibus was signed into law just 4 months ago. prgtoken I have asked what the funding was used for. I am told it has assisted States in improving election cyber security. They have replaced outdated election equipment. They have undertaken other anti-cyber efforts. prgtoken That is an important first step. I know all of us do not want our democracy attacked by foreign aggression. More is needed. It is certainly needed before the November 2018 elections--I might say even afterward. prgtoken States need postelection audit systems. They have to be able to verify the accuracy of the final vote tally. They have to be able to upgrade election-related computer systems if our Department of Homeland Security identifies vulnerabilities. I believe the State and local election officials should undergo cyber security training. They should start using established cyber security best practices. These efforts are all essential to the security of our elections, and my amendment would enable them to go forward. In fact, yesterday, 21 State attorneys general signed a letter. They urged Congress to appropriate more funding for the States to help them meet their security needs. prgtoken Let me quote from their letter. They said: Additional funding for voter infrastructure will not only allow states to upgrade the election systems, but will also allow for a comprehensive security risk assessment. Unfortunately, past practice has shown that the existing Election Assistance Commission grants are simply insufficient to provide for the upgraded technology needed. More funding is essential to adequately equip states for the financial resources we need to safeguard our democracy and protect the data of voting members in our states. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record, at th