mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CELEBRATING THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARC OF SCHUYLER
Tom Reed (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to honor and celebrate the fortieth anniversary of The Arc of Schuyler. prgtoken The Arc of Schuyler is a private, not for profit organization providing support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, and their families. The Arc of Schuyler is a Chapter of the Arc of New York, prgtoken which is the largest not for profit organization working with and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York State and is a member of The Arc of the United States. prgtoken A courageous group of family members and friends of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities founded The Arc of Schuyler on May seventh, in the year nineteen hundred and seventy-eight. From modest beginnings it has become the most comprehensive provider of support in Schuyler County to hundreds of people with developmental disabilities and their families. prgtoken The Arc of Schuyler is an advocacy agency that believes all people have the fundamental moral, civic, and constitutional rights to live, learn, and work in safe and respectful communities of their choosing without prejudice. A volunteer Board of Directors including relatives of persons with a developmental disability and dedicated community leaders continue to provide their experience and insight to ensure the rights of people with developmental disabilities. prgtoken The Arc of Schuyler urges all citizens to give full support to the efforts empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they may live full and productive lives of inclusion in our communities. prgtoken Given the above, I ask that this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations and join me to commend The Arc of Schuyler upon the occasion of its fortieth anniversary in the year two thousand eighteen.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise this morning to support the Hollingsworth amendment, which would allow the Secretary of the Interior to issue depredation permits to livestock farmers authorizing the taking of black vultures during calving season. prgtoken Currently, the black vulture is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. I don't know why they are all migrating to my district, and that is where they all live and they are not leaving. prgtoken The current permit process doesn't provide farmers the flexibility they need to adequately protect calves from black vulture attacks. By allowing the Secretary of the Interior to work with Fish and Wildlife to issue State or regionwide depredation orders, we will provide farmers with the ability to protect their livelihood. prgtoken This isn't just about giving farmers flexibility; it is also about being humane. If you have ever seen a black vulture attack calves, that is not something you want to see more than once. prgtoken It is time we give our cattle farmers the authority to legally handle this dire situation. prgtoken I want to point out that the ranking member's comments are very relevant to me, as well, with cormorants. We have a big problem with cormorants, as well, in my district. So, certainly, we need to be taking these issues into consideration.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Stephen Knight (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-5-18

I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Roskam for his work on this amendment. prgtoken I do speak in favor of amendment No. 14 which strengthens Federal laws against animal fighting and has garnered bipartisan support many times over the past two decades. This is something that still happens. It still happens in our country. Just a month ago, over 1,000 birds were collected in a cockfighting raid just in my district in southern California. prgtoken Forcing two animals to fight to the death is not only a crime problem, it is a moral problem as well. There is strong bipartisan agreement that animal fighting is an inexcusable crime. We should strengthen our laws to protect animals and society from this barbaric activity which has no place in modern society.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Stevan Pearce (Republican, NM) \u2014 2018-5-18

my friend from Pennsylvania was pointing out about the problem with storm waters running off. Bonito Lake, in the middle of the Lincoln National Forest, close to Ruidoso, provides water for Holloman Air Force Base and for Alamogordo. It is 75 feet deep, just a small lake in the middle of the forest. prgtoken After the fire, the Little Bear fire, the next rain put 50 feet of fill into prgtoken that lake. So, 75 feet; 50 feet now has mud and debris in it. All the fish were killed, and it is no longer usable for drinking water. That is what is going on in the West. Our watersheds are destroyed, our forests are destroyed, and our grazing habitat is destroyed, all because of the management of the forests. prgtoken This amendment does a very simple thing: It allows the Forest Service to go in and do large-scale projects. Typically, they will be in a million acre forest, cleaning 30 to 50 acres at a time. This allows them to get very large-scale projects to where we can restore the health of our forests. It is a commonsense amendment. prgtoken , again, I urge adoption of my amendment, and .
THE ATTACK ON AMERICANS BY PRESIDENT ERDOGAN'S SECURITY FORCE
Ted Poe (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-18

on May 16, 2017, as Turkish President Erdogan visited the Nation's Capital, his gestapo security forces unleashed a brutal assault on peaceful American demonstrators. Many of them were Armenian Americans who were exercising their constitutional right of free speech. prgtoken As Erdogan looked on, his thugs demonstrated their intolerance for free expression and contempt for America. This illegal behavior is absolutely intolerable by any security force, especially on U.S. soil against Americans. prgtoken Fifteen members of the Turkish security detail were originally charged for this unprovoked attack, but now there are only four. Why? It is clear from video recordings and witness accounts that more than four Turks participated on this assault on free speech. prgtoken I contacted the Justice Department and asked why charges were dropped against 11 guards, but they refused to give an explanation. The DOJ should not be complicit in Erdogan's assault on democracy. The DOJ must enforce American law. It must not make backroom deals with want-to-be dictators. prgtoken And that is just the way it is.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2018-5-18

while many today will debate the role of the Federal Government in regulating product sales between two willing States, I simply want to make one point: The medical evidence against raw milk, against unpasteurized milk, is clear. There is no denying the link between raw milk consumption and life-threatening foodborne illnesses. prgtoken According to the CDC, unpasteurized dairy products, otherwise known as raw milk, while consumed by less than 4 percent of the population, account for 96 percent of illnesses from contaminated dairy products. prgtoken As a physician who has recently retired from obstetrics, what truly touches my heart is that two-thirds of these outbreaks are associated with raw milk consumption involving children. prgtoken How any school could allow raw milk inside their walls is nothing short of appalling, and that is why I stand today and ask you to oppose this amendment that would expand the interstate sale of raw milk and would fly in the face of both the FDA and CDC's best science. prgtoken , .
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Peter J. Roskam (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-5-18

. Mr. Chair, I will yield myself 30 seconds because I have got to watch this clock sort of tight. prgtoken So here is the situation: Animal fighting is inappropriate and wrong no matter where it happens. It is against the law in the continental United States, and, I should say, in all 50 States, and what we are proposing is to make that a standard in the territories as well. prgtoken There are some elements of animal fighting that is illegal in territories, but not altogether. This has been a long journey. It is a 40-year journey in this country. It reached a crescendo about 10 years ago when a standard was created in all 50 States. What this amendment does, , is very simple: it proposes to do the same thing in the territories. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF MAXWELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to recognize the centennial celebration of Maxwell Memorial Library in my hometown of Camillus, New York. Maxwell Memorial Library in the Village of Camillus first opened its doors 100 years ago following the advocacy of local teacher K. Belle Hackford, who organized the Camillus Library Association on May 26, 1918. The library was granted a provisional charter on September 22, 1921, and its absolute charter on February 19, 1926. The name was changed to Maxwell Memorial Library, in honor of librarian Mary Ellis Maxwell, on February 28, 1958. Maxwell Memorial Library has had several homes, all on Main Street in the village. Its first location was in one room over Abert's Plumbing Shop. In 1922, it moved downstairs to a larger space. The next move was in 1924, to the former Cook home. In late 1925, it made a fourth move to an old building behind Kemper Garage before the library finally settled into its current home in the former Presbyterian Church. Today, Maxwell Memorial Library offers adult, early, and digital literacy programs to its patrons. On average, around 31,000 people visit Maxwell Memorial Library every year. It is my honor to recognize Maxwell Memorial Library's current director, Amanda E. Perrine, and former director, Katy Benson, and Board of Trustees Lucille Adorante, Donna Breen, Michael Dendis, Cynthia Drake, Megan Glass, Sue Mezey, Kristen Northrop, and Barb Parsons for their hard work to make this library what is today. Congratulations on 100 years in our community.
CELEBRATING THE 350TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF SAULT SAINTE MARIE
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-5-18

it's my honor to recognize the city of Sault Sainte Marie upon the occasion of its 350th Anniversary. Through three and a half centuries of community investment and growth, the Soo has become an indispensable part of the Upper Peninsula and the state of Michigan. prgtoken For centuries before the arrival of Europeans, the area now known as Sault Sainte Marie was inhabited by Chippewa Native Americans. In 1668, French missionaries Jacques Marquette and Claude Dablon founded a Jesuit mission near the rapids of the St. Mary's River--establishing the oldest permanent settlement in what is now the state of Michigan. The first look connecting Lake Superior to Lake Huron was constructed in 1855, and since then a steady flow of goods and materials have flowed through this critical junction. Over its 350 years, the settlement grew from a mission and base for fur trappers into a modern city and major artery for the industry of the Great Lakes. prgtoken In honor of the Soo's semiseptcentennial, the city is hosting a variety of events and celebrations throughout the year. The festivities kicked off with the ball drop that welcomed the New Year, and has already included the 50th Annual I-500 Snowmobile Race and the annual opening of the Soo Locks. From July 20th to the 27th, the city will host a week-long 350th Festival filled with history, games, kids' entertainment, music, and food. The closing ceremonies for the year- long festivities will be December 16, 2018, with a performance at Pullar Stadium and the closing of the Semiseptcentennial Time Capsule. prgtoken , day after day, the city of Sault Sainte Marie continues to set a positive example of what can be achieved when the people of a community work together for the common good. It's my honor to congratulate them for their 350 years of success and community growth. On behalf of my constituents, I wish the Soo all the best as it ventures into the future.
IN HONOR OF DR. DON STOCKTON
Kevin Brady (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-18

today, I rise to recognize and thank Dr. Don Stockton for his tireless service and unwavering commitment to the students and employees of the Conroe Independent School District. prgtoken A graduate of both Purdue University and Texas A&M University, Don Stockton began his career in education as a math teacher in Lafayette, Indiana, but just two years later, Don found his way to Conroe lSD, where he continued to teach math and coach at Conroe High School and Travis Junior High School. prgtoken Over the course of seventeen years, Don served throughout Conroe lSD: working as the Assistant Principal at Oak Ridge High School, the Assistant Principal and Principal of McCullough Junior High, the Assistant Principal and Principal of Knox Junior High, the Principal of The Woodlands High School, and prgtoken the Interim and Assistant Superintendent of Schools. prgtoken In 2003, Don was appointed Conroe ISD's Superintendent of Schools--a posting he has held for fifteen years. Under his leadership, Conroe ISD has reached new levels of success and earned countless performance and achievement awards--becoming the largest school district to ever be named Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency and one of only three school districts with the highest academic achievement rating eight years in a row. prgtoken Throughout his time in Montgomery County and the Greater Houston Area, Don has used his talents to serve his community in both Conroe ISD and a wide variety of educational and civic organizations. These tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed. Dan's hard work and passion for service have earned him the title of Superintendent of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and many other community and public service awards. prgtoken Don dedicated his career to making a difference in his community that reached far beyond the classroom, and thousands of students, families, educators, and staff have been changed for the better due to his efforts. prgtoken I am proud to join his wife, Kara; his daughter, Brooke; his friends; and his colleagues in thanking Don for his career of service and wishing him the best as he begins his well-deserved retirement.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-5-18

. Madam Chair, I would like to speak on this amendment and make a few points. prgtoken Madam Chair, it is true the public health establishment is opposed to this amendment. It is also true, if you look at the amount of allergies out there, the amount of some other diseases that are affecting young kids, to some degree, the public health establishment is dropping the ball, and I don't think we can trust them entirely. prgtoken In my district, there is a substantial number of people who drink raw milk, and I would say it is tilted strongly towards people with a scientific background; chiropractors, nurses, veterinarians are the ones who feel strongest about drinking raw milk. prgtoken My final comment is I like to talk to people from foreign countries about the differences between their country and this country. Last year, I talked to a diplomat from Northern Europe and I asked him what the best and worst things about America were. To my surprise, he said the worst thing about America is the difficulty in getting unpasteurized cheese and unpasteurized milk. prgtoken Madam Chair, I thought it was a shame that America, the land of the free--when people come here from Europe, we are supposed to be freer in the United States. A complaint from people in Europe where you can drink unpasteurized milk, raw milk is that we don't have those freedoms in America. prgtoken Madam Chair, I think it is a great amendment for people who believe in freedom. And like I said, the people in my district who drink raw milk are the most informed on health issues.
CELEBRATING DEDE TERNS-THORPE OF GREENE COUNTY
John J. Faso (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-5-18

it is with profound respect that I rise today to recognize and celebrate Dede Terns-Thorpe of Haines Falls for being named Greene County's 2018 Senior Citizen of the Year. This is a designation reserved for the outstanding individual in Greene County who has continuously and selflessly gone above and beyond to make a positive impact on the community. prgtoken From her time working as a nurse and for the U.S. postal service, to her volunteerism delivering meals to her neighbors and gardening, Dede has been dedicated to the Greene County community and has shown compassion and care in all that she does. As the town historian of Hunter, Dede has made great contributions to the history of the area, unearthing the wonders, stories, and heroes of Greene County's past. prgtoken I am grateful for Dede's many years of dedicated service to Greene County, to the 19th District, and to New York State. I wish her the best as she continues to preserve the region's history and I am thankful for her many contributions to the community.
IN HONOR OF THE WYOMING STATE SOCIETY, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION'S ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Liz Cheney (Republican, WY) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to recognize the Wyoming State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, which will hold its one hundred and third annual conference on May 17-20 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Daughters of the American Revolution has a long tradition of promoting historic preservation, education, and patriotism across the country and state of Wyoming. This year at their conference, members from around the state will come together to celebrate their contributions to Wyoming history and society, present the first annual scholarship to promote Native American education, and present the D.A.R. Good Citizen's award. They will hear from a host of speakers, including Claudia Stowers, the Vice President for Advancement of the Museum of the American Revolution, and they will rededicate a monument and benches donated by their organization 42 years ago. Members of the D.A.R. have a deep sense of patriotism and support for our armed services. At the conference they will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of Germany's surrender in WWI. During World War I, the state of Wyoming was very involved in war efforts. Fort D.A. Russell, now called F.E. Warren Air Force Base, outside of Cheyenne served as a major mobilization point at the start of the war. 11,393 Wyoming men served in the war. As a state with expansive agricultural and energy production, Wyoming was integral in providing resources for our troops and civilians. During this time, Wyoming oil production doubled and ranchers and farmers worked tirelessly to meet the increasing demand. I join the members of the Daughters of the American Revolution in remembering and thanking those in our state and across the country for their contributions to our armed forces during World War I and throughout history. I would also like to thank the members of the Daughters of the American Revolution for all they do to preserve the history of our great state and country and to promote the importance of education and patriotism of our great nation it is my honor to acknowledge the many contributions the women of the Daughters of the American Revolution have prgtoken made throughout history, and continue to make today.
TRIBUTE TO JOHN IKARD
Mike Coffman (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-5-18

I rise today to acknowledge Mr. John Ikard's generous philanthropy and dedicated service to the State of Colorado. prgtoken In 2017, Mr. Ikard retired from his position as CEO of First Bank after 17 years of leading one of Colorado's largest and most successful financial institutions. Under his leadership, John also helped to give back to his community. Since 2000, FirstBank has donated over $50 million to disability and wellness charities throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Although Mr. Ikard has since stepped down from prgtoken his position, he remains on First Bank's Board of Directors, ensuring the continuation of the company's benevolent culture. prgtoken Mr. Ikard's success at FirstBank is rivaled by his service and commitment to bettering his community and the State of Colorado. He has previously served as Chairman of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Denver Area Boy Scout Council, Colorado State University Board of Governors, and the Denver Economic Development Corporation. Today, Mr. Ikard continues to be an active member on the Colorado Children's Hospital Foundation and Board, as well as a pro-business advocate for Colorado Concern. prgtoken Mr. Ikards's extraordinary efforts to better the lives of others have not gone unrecognized. This year, Mr. Ikard was honored with the Mizel Institute's Community Enrichment award; a highly, esteemed decoration bestowed on community leaders. This accomplishment is another noteworthy addition to Mr. Ikards's long list of achievements. prgtoken , Mr. John Ikard's role as a business and community leader can serve as an inspiration to all Americans and I thank him for his contribution to the betterment of our community and of the State of Colorado.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-5-18

. Madam Chair, I just want to thank my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania for this amendment. Yes, the USDA has existing authority, but I think this expresses the intent of Congress and our recognition that one of the biggest issues that we face in the agriculture industry--which is the number one industry in Pennsylvania, one out of every seven jobs comes directly or indirectly from agriculture--it is our succession planning. It is where is the next generation of farmer coming from? Congress recognizes the need of having this type of leadership designated so that there is somebody on point overseeing, and pointing, and administering the young and beginning farmer programs that we have put in place for the past couple of farm bills. prgtoken It is actually a crisis, given the average age of farmers across this Nation. And I appreciate the fact that we are going to help to certainly further express the intent of this Congress on the importance of this, and provide a direction so that resources can be administered to meet this need. I appreciate the gentleman's effort.
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2018
Jenniffer González-Colón (Republican, PR) \u2014 2018-5-18

I thank the chairman for yielding. prgtoken We would never have had this debate if we had had an opportunity to have a public hearing on the issue. So I oppose this amendment because this is more Federal regulation for the territories. prgtoken Cockfighting is already a highly regulated industry in Puerto Rico. Originally regulated in 1933, then in 2007. We actually have offices regulating this issue that creates an $18 million industry on our island with 27,000 direct and indirect jobs. Already the farm bill permits that cockfighting will be prohibited in the States and interstate commerce, but can be legal if the State or the territory authorizes and regulates the event. prgtoken That is the situation with the territories; we regulate the event. Actually, this proposed legislation will cause a highly regulated industry to go underground and go to the streets where there is no control at all. prgtoken Our constituents were never heard on this issue, and we are looking for that opportunity. I do believe that we are not having the opportunity to be treated equally. That is the reason I oppose this amendment, and we should have at least a public hearing on this issue.