mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING MR. FRANK MONTEIRO
Elizabeth H. Esty (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise today to honor Frank Monteiro, the Chief Operating Officer of MacDermid Performance Solutions and a true leader in the Waterbury, Connecticut community. Today, the Waterbury Regional Chamber is honoring Frank with the 2017 Malcolm Baldrige Community Award for his success at MacDermid and his commitment to the City of Waterbury. prgtoken A Waterbury native, Frank has been with MacDermid for nearly two decades. During Frank's time with MacDermid, he has helped guide the company through substantial transitions for the business and the local economy. Frank has been a champion for expanding the company's presence in Waterbury, working to protect 200 jobs at the research and development center and encouraging the company to expand its workforce in our town. He has served as COO of Performance Solutions since 2015. prgtoken In addition to his leadership in local business, Frank has dedicated his time and expertise to support important causes in his community. He works with the Waterbury Regional Chamber's professional development program and is an active supporter of Multiple Sclerosis research and the Greater Waterbury Campership Fund. Frank also serves on the boards of a number of local groups including the Waterbury Sportsmen's Club, the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, the Naugatuck Valley Community College, and the United Way of Greater Waterbury. prgtoken , Frank Monteiro has been an instrumental leader in our Waterbury community, both as a leader of MacDermid Performance Solutions and a champion for our local economy. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today and congratulate him on this well-deserved award.
HONORING THE TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR ROLE IN HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF EFFORTS
Marc A. Veasey (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise today in recognition of the Texas Military Department for their outstanding response and service to the state in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. prgtoken The Texas Military Department is a unique force comprised of the Texas Army National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Texas State Guard and the Domestic Operations Task Force. With little notice, Texas National and State Guard forces mobilized to participate in search and rescue missions, provide vital first aid, and assist in transportation and distribution support to the storm-ravaged areas of the Lone Star State. The 12,000 soldiers of the Texas National Guard are fully mobilized and completely engaged in operations serving Texans in need. prgtoken Since Hurricane Harvey made landfall, the Texas National Guard has performed more than 16,000 rescues and evacuated more than 7,400 people and 1,000 animals They also ensured that the immediate needs of Texas residents were met by setting up over 30 points of distribution for food, water, and other vital commodities between Beaumont and Corpus Christi. There are 35 active Texas State Guard Shelter teams sheltering more than 8,000 evacuees at 13 shelters across the state and the Texas National Guard assisted in setting up three evacuation hubs. Rescue efforts have involved over 400 vehicles ranging from Humvees and troop transport vehicles to re-fuelers and wreckers. The Texas National Guard also deployed its 16 aircraft fleet to support rescue operations all along the coast, including numerous Blackhawk, Lakota, and Chinook helicopters. prgtoken Not only have Texas' military forces proved crucial during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth located in my district continues to play a critical role in the relief effort. The base housed a massive influx of aircraft that was evacuated ahead of the storm in order to avoid damage to critical military weaponry. It also became a rallying point for military and other first responders from all over the country to organize recovery efforts. I cannot stress enough the importance of this strategic base and its role in providing a swift response during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. prgtoken The Texas Military Department's dedication to working around the clock in incredibly challenging conditions and its demonstrated ability to integrate seamlessly with active duty military troops, first responders, and the myriad of volunteers in the midst of one of the worst natural disasters to affect Texas is truly an embodiment of their motto of ``Texans Serving Texas.'' prgtoken The Texas Military Department's response to Hurricane Harvey complimented federal efforts and the countless Texans who rose to the challenge of helping their fellow Texans during their time of need. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a native Texan, I could not be more proud of my state's response during one of the worst natural
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-9-26

after the rushed and secretive effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed earlier this year, I had hoped that we could finally turn the corner and move forward in a bipartisan fashion to find some real solutions to our Nation's remaining healthcare challenges. prgtoken I still believe that most of us here in the Senate--including Senators Alexander and Murray in the HELP Committee--are willing to work across party lines to find consensus on pragmatic improvements. That is why I was so appalled that President and leadership are reviving a last-ditch effort to pass a disastrous bill that would upend our healthcare system and take away insurance coverage from millions of Americans. prgtoken Worse yet and even harder to believe, the bill that leadership is rushing to the floor for a vote this week potentially is actually worse than any previous versions of this legislation. The so- called Graham-Cassidy bill they are hoping to vote on would mean higher premiums for worse coverage and millions of Americans losing their health insurance. It will permanently gut Medicaid. Let me say that again. It will permanently gut Medicaid. And despite promises to the contrary that s have long made, it would end key protections for people with preexisting conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. In short, it would throw our entire prgtoken healthcare system into chaos. That is just awful policy any way you look at it. prgtoken How did we get here? For over 7 years, s in Washington have cheered shortcomings in our healthcare system and blamed the Affordable Care Act for every single problem, under the premise that they would do better if we only put them in charge. The trouble has been that their opposition to the ACA has been more rooted in bumper sticker politics than it ever was about actual policy or plans to do better for the American people. The long-lasting effort on display throughout this year in the Senate is only further evidence that President and s in Congress don't have any real solutions to improve our Nation's healthcare system. prgtoken After months of negotiations behind closed doors, when Senate s released their secret Care bill in July, its contents proved too harmful for passage, even in their own caucus. Now they are hoping for one more last-ditch vote before the end of September to pass something, anything to follow through on their reckless mission. prgtoken One consequence of this legislation that is so important to my home State of New Mexico is that if we pass this bill, it will spell the end to any progress we have made in fighting our Nation's opioid and heroin epidemic. It is nothing short of hypocrisy for President to say they are taking this major public health crisis seriously when they are supporting this bill. prgtoken Ironically, the bill before us actually does less to combat opioids t
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise to speak about the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is one of the worst disasters our country has ever seen. prgtoken The men, women, and children who live on these islands are American citizens. Do not forget that. They are suffering, and they need our help. They have no food to eat, no water to drink, no power, and no refrigeration. If we don't give them help now, then many more people there will die--far more than those who were killed during the hurricane itself. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to think about our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and what they are suffering through right now. Listen to their cries for help. Listen to what one of my constituents said to me: We need help getting my grandparents to come to New York. Their house is damaged and not safe. My grandfather is 93 with Alzheimer's. He is bed bound. He has not been able to walk for over 18 months. My grandmother is 92 and diabetic with a heart problem. My aunt is 68, and we think had a brain aneurism and needs medical care. Please help them. Help get them to New York. We can pay for the plane ticket. We need help getting them to the airport and putting them on the plane. prgtoken Another New Yorker told me that her father is a veteran of Vietnam and is a retired police department lieutenant who now lives in Puerto Rico. This veteran of the U.S. military told his daughter that he suffered from head trauma because he slipped and fell while clearing water from his house. He told his daughter that Puerto Rico is devastated and looks like an atomic bomb has struck the island. He is without power, cell phone use, and water. He told her that Mother Nature had unleashed a monster on them. prgtoken He said, ``God have mercy on us,'' and then told his daughter that he loved her. prgtoken This man is a veteran. He served in our military alongside so many other Americans from Puerto Rico. He protected our country when we needed him, so we need to protect him now. prgtoken How would you respond if this humanitarian crisis happened in your State or in my State or any other State around the country? prgtoken Can the Presiding Officer imagine what this would be like if it were Ohio? Can you imagine what this would be like if it were New York? We would act as quickly as we could. We would give people there every resource they need to recover. We wouldn't hesitate even prgtoken for a moment. This is urgent and serious, and we have to help our fellow citizens now. prgtoken Congress must provide the funding necessary to send every resource available. Help them clean up. Help them recover without further delay. That includes providing disaster community block grant funding, just as we did for the people of Texas and Florida. We cannot turn our backs on our fellow citizens. prgtoken . prgtoken I suggest the a
HONORING THE LIFE OF REV. IMRE A. BERTALAN
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise today to recognize the life of Rev. Imre A. Bertalan, devoted husband, father and grandfather, who served as a compassionate pastor of Calvin United Church of Christ and was known for his dedication to his church, his dedication to his Hungarian heritage, and advocating for his beloved East Toledo neighborhood, Birmingham. Imre passed away after a valiant struggle against cancer on August 29, 2017 in Latrobe Hospital in Latrobe, PA. prgtoken Imre was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on October 4, 1949 to Margaret and the Rev. Imre G. Bertalan. He graduated from New Brunswick High School, held a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. prgtoken Initially not intending to be a minister after graduating from seminary, Imre started as a community organizer and helped form the East Toledo Community Organization. He became a member of East Toledo's Calvin United Church of Christ, which was founded as the Hungarian Evangelical Reformed Church. He was elected pastor in 1979. prgtoken During his tenure as pastor, Imre reached out to the congregations of all of the religions in the neighborhood so that Calvin was not just known as a Hungarian church, but as a neighborhood church open to the entire neighborhood. prgtoken True to his Hungarian-American roots, Imre was integrally involved in efforts on behalf of America's ethnic communities. A strong representative particularly of the Hungarian-Americans with whom he shared a common heritage, Imre served on the boards of national Hungarian-American organizations for many years. He extended his national efforts to his family, instilling a love of their Hungarian tradition in all. He was encouraging, comforting, filled with abiding kindness and a gentle soul, always advising people that ``everything will be all right.'' prgtoken After decades in ministry as pastor, Imre became the executive director of Bethlen Communities in Ligonier, PA, a retirement and nursing community founded by the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. Even after his move to Pennsylvania, Imre and his wife maintained a home in the Birmingham neighborhood of Toledo and were active in the planning for the annual Birmingham Ethnic Festival. prgtoken Reverend Imre Bertalan will long be remembered for his dedication to his family, church, the Toledo community at large, and Bethlen Communities. A beautiful memorial service was held for Imre at Calvin United Church of Christ in East Toledo on September 23, 2017. We gathered together and gave thanks for the prgtoken ministry of Reverend Imre Bertalan. Just as importantly, we remembered a loving family man and friend. prgtoken We offer Imre's beautiful and artistic wife of almost 37 years, Magdalene ``Baba'' J. Ujvagi, Imre's children, Sara Davis, Magda Bertalan, Juli Bertalan, Margit Bertalan, and Imre Bertalan, his five grandchildren, his sisters Lillian Bertalan and M. Sarah B
INCREASING OPPORTUNITY AND SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN AND PARENTS THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING ACT
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2017-9-26

. First, I would like to thank Chairman Brady as well as Chairman Smith for honoring their commitment to work with me to ensure that the most needy rural communities are not neglected in this bill. prgtoken I am glad to see that the language I proposed during the committee markup last week has been included in the Smith amendment. prgtoken Both my friend from Nebraska and I represent rural America, and we understand the obstacles that our rural constituents confront on a daily basis. Moreover, we both believe in the mission of the MIECHV Program, and we see how effective it has been in both rural and urban communities. prgtoken One of the reasons why the MIECHV Program is good policy is because of the program's flexibility. While models like the Nurse-Family Partnership can be successful in urban and suburban areas, other evidence-based models like HIPPY--or Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters--can be incredibly effective in rural areas that tend to have fewer resources. prgtoken This amendment language, which I offered during the committee markup, ensures that rural communities with little resources are not skipped over. This is a simple and commonsense fix that has bipartisan support as well as the support from the Home Visiting Coalition. prgtoken While I appreciate my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with me to fix this language, I have to say that I am disappointed that none of the other commonsense amendments offered by my ic colleagues were accepted during the markup. prgtoken For years, the MIECHV Program has enjoyed bipartisan support, but I am afraid that changes in the underlying legislation we are considering today, I believe, will hurt the MIECHV recipients in the long-term viability of the program. prgtoken While I oppose the final passage of the underlying bill, I, again, want to thank my friend from Nebraska, as well as Chairman Brady, for accepting my markup amendment language, and I urge my colleagues to support the Smith amendment. prgtoken , .
DEFEND, DENOUNCE, AND ANNOUNCE
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise today and stand at the podium designated for s, but I rise not as a or a . I rise today, , not as a Liberal or a Conservative. prgtoken , I rise today as a proud American: a person who believes in his country, who salutes the flag, says the Pledge of Allegiance, and sings the national anthem. prgtoken I rise today, , to make comments that I never thought I would have to make in the well of the House of Congress. I rise today to defend, denounce, and announce. prgtoken , I rise to defend any mother who has been called a dog because her son engaged in peaceful protest. I rise, . prgtoken I rise today, , to defend any son who is called the son of a dog because he engaged in peaceful protest. I rise, . prgtoken , I rise to denounce these comments that have been made because they have brought discourse to a new low this is a level of indecency that is unbecoming of the Presidency. prgtoken , I rise to say to the world that this is not what America is all about: calling people SOBs. We know what a ``B'' is. It is a dog. prgtoken , I rise because my heart tells me that I must do something. prgtoken , I denounce the comments that were made, and I rise to announce that next week I will bring a privileged resolution before the Congress of the United States of America. prgtoken I will stand here in the well of the Congress, and I will call for the impeachment of the President of the United States of America.
HONORING MR. EDUARDO DIOKNO
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-9-26

I, along with my colleague Representative Mark DeSaulnier, rise today to honor Eduardo Diokno upon his retirement after 12 years of service with Contra Costa County. Mr. Diokno currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to Supervisor Federal Glover and has been a thoughtful policymaker and committed voice for Filipino Americans in the County. prgtoken Mr. Diokno is a lifelong East County resident with a passion for serving our community. He served our country in the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant and later joined the Army Reserves. Mr. Diokno then worked as a journalist for 28 years with the Philippine News, Oakland Tribune, and Contra Costa Times where he reported on politics and policy-making. prgtoken Upon joining the County, Mr. Diokno served as a Senior Field Representative and then a Policy Analyst before stepping into his current position with Supervisor Glover. In his various roles, Mr. Diokno facilitated the County's first recognition of the contributions of Filipino Americans, developed small business initiatives, and worked with committees and advisory bodies developing health policy at the county level. He also served as the principal liaison to Bay Point, the County's largest unincorporated community. prgtoken , Mr. Diokno has served our country and our county and his legacy sets a high standard to which other public servants should aspire. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today and extend our best wishes for an enjoyable retirement.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-9-26

I rise to speak about the debate this week over the Graham-Cassidy proposal with respect to healthcare that is being considered by the body. I have high regard for both of these colleagues. I serve with each of them on different committees. I oppose the bill and want to talk a little bit about why I do but more specifically about an aspect of the bill that I find puzzling. prgtoken It is no surprise to me that there are many in this body who would like to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. When the were in the majority for my first 2 years in the Senate, I often sat in the chair where the Presiding Officer sits. I heard a lot of people giving speeches on the floor. I was in the Chair during an all-night sort of filibuster by the Senator from Texas about the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. I get that there are arguments about it. While I support the Affordable Care Act--I strongly did in 2010 and still do--I do want to work with my colleagues to find solutions to improve healthcare. There are differences of opinion about it. prgtoken One thing I never heard during all of the speeches that I heard, either as a presider or paying attention on the floor, was Members getting up and saying they wanted to dramatically cut Medicaid. That is not anything that anybody has filibustered about. That is not anything that people speak about. prgtoken When President campaigned, he said: I am unique on the forum right now of all these candidates in that I will not cut the Medicaid Program. When the Senate started to consider versions of the Care repeal and replacement over the summer, after the House acted, what interested me was not the portions of the bill that attempted to replace the Affordable Care Act but the significant changes to the Medicaid Program that were never advertised. There was never this discussion: We are going to repeal Care, and we want to cut Medicaid. It was always about Care. prgtoken I am puzzled, standing here today, considering a Graham-Cassidy proposal that not only would be a fundamental change of repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act but also contains a very significant revision of Medicaid that would hurt my State and would hurt a lot of people I care about. That never seems to be acknowledged, and I am puzzled about why. prgtoken As to the Graham-Cassidy proposal, again, I respect my colleagues, and I think they are putting it on the table because they think it would be preferable to the current system. I don't question their motives. I was a Governor, and the notion of block grants and discretion and dollars back to the State can be a good thing. Quickly, before I get to the Medicaid piece, the problem is if you take the Graham-Cassidy proposal, it takes the dollars that are currently being delivered to the States through the Affordable Care Act, shrinks them by about $240 billion over 10 years, and then e
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-9-26

I first rise today to thank my colleague for his comments. I am very pleased that this process may now move forward--the one that was stymied because of a bill that, as my friend from Colorado just pointed out, would kick millions of people off of healthcare, jack up their premiums, and really was an effort to pass the buck to the States without the bucks. I think that is one of the reasons we saw our Governors in Nevada and in Ohio opposing this effort. I thank him for his leadership on the relevant committees and his passion for this issue. prgtoken I would agree with him that people in my State, the State of Minnesota, just like the State of Colorado--we have a lot of independent sorts in both our States, and they want to see us get things done. We now have the opportunity to do that.