mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING KRISTEN MUSGROVE
John H. Rutherford (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise today to honor Ms. Kristen Musgrove from Nassau County, Florida, for having earned the Milken Educator Award. prgtoken This distinguished award recognizes teachers, principals, and educational specialists who have made a profound impact on their students and school communities. prgtoken Ms. Musgrove teaches math to the sixth grade students at Hilliard Middle-Senior High School and was the only teacher in the State of Florida chosen for this very prestigious award. prgtoken Our educators are tasked with teaching and inspiring the next generation of Americans and Ms. Musgrove has gone above and beyond as demonstrated by preparing and guiding her students in the development of valuable problem-solving skills. prgtoken In fact, under Ms. Musgrove's instruction, her classes lead the Nassau County School District with a 97 percent math proficiency. Ms. Musgrove's dedication to her students extends beyond the classroom, as she also offers tutoring at a weekly after school math camp. prgtoken On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Florida and the grateful students and parents of Hilliard Middle-Senior High School, I thank Ms. Musgrove for her lifelong dedication to excellence in the classroom and congratulate her on receiving the recognition she so well deserves. Honoring the HIDTA Program
CONGRATULATING LIBERTY CLARK ON MEDICAL DEVICE INNOVATION
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise today to congratulate the Scandia Internet Focus Group for receiving the Good Neighbor Award for their efforts to secure additional funding for broadband expansion in Scandia, Minnesota. prgtoken Because of the focus group's efforts, more than half a million dollars will go toward building out internet service for more than 200 homes through the State's Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program. prgtoken Building out broadband to the last mile will give unserved and underserved communities access to the digital world, allowing access to vital educational resources, telehealth services, and an increasing amount of commerce done online. prgtoken Thanks to the Scandia Internet Focus Group, this service will meet and exceed the State's goals for 2022 and 2026. prgtoken , I congratulate Steve Kronmiller, Patti Ray, Beth Mohr, Eric Mohr, Aron Larson, Christopher Johnson, Chris Frymire, Jesse Pereboom, Travis Waite, Kristen Novaak, John Carney, and Andy Brogan.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TURNS 100 YEARS OLD
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2020-2-12

growing up on our family farm in rural Kansas, one thing was for sure: Every day at about 12:20, over the lunch hour, and then again at about 10:20 at night, our family would be gathered around the television set to watch the latest weather forecast for the upcoming day. prgtoken From aviation to agriculture, accurate and timely weather forecasts are essential to a number of industries across the United States, and especially to farmers and ranchers back home in Kansas. prgtoken 150 years ago, on February 9, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law a joint resolution creating what was known as the Signal Service, laying the foundation for what would become today's National Weather Service. prgtoken While the organization has evolved over the years, the National Weather Service provides important weather data, forecasting, and warnings aimed at protecting life and property across the United States. prgtoken There are four National Weather Service offices across Kansas working to analyze data and provide timely weather information. They are located in Topeka, Dodge, Wichita, and Goodland, and I have had the opportunity to visit several of these locations and the fine ladies and gentlemen that run those stations. prgtoken , I rise today to say happy 150th birthday to the National Weather Service and to say thank you for the around-the-clock work they do to keep us all safe and informed. Surprise Billing
RECOGNIZING CLERMONT HUGER LEE
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise today to recognize Mrs. Clermont Huger Lee for being one of the 2020 honorees at the Savannah College of Art and Design's Women of Vision recognition ceremony. prgtoken During the middle 1900s, Mrs. Lee was a true trailblazer in our community for her groundbreaking work as a landscape architect. In Savannah, she became the first female landscape architect with her own practice. Additionally, she was considered the foremost expert in re- creating the historic landscapes that are so critical to Savannah's downtown. prgtoken Although she passed away in 2006 at the age of 92, her work is still extensively studied at SCAD and can be seen across Savannah in gardens at the Davenport House, the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, the Owens- Thomas House, and more. prgtoken Now, in the 21st century, female landscape architects are leading a number of important projects across the country. prgtoken , I thank everyone involved with the Savannah Women of Vision recognition ceremony for honoring such an important woman. Recognizing Freddie Smith
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS--MOTION TO PROCEED
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-2-12

in a few minutes, we are going to vote on this resolution to begin debate on it, and what most people would think by reading it is this is a resolution to diminish the chances of war with Iran. prgtoken I actually think that if this resolution were to ever pass and actually become law--or I would argue that even this debate we are having now, to some extent--potentially increases the chances of war, and I will explain why in a moment. prgtoken First, let me start out by saying I don't question the motives of the sponsors and proponents, the people who are in support of this. These are people with a long history of wanting to assert congressional oversight over the conduct of armed warfare, and it is certainly something I respect. prgtoken The problem is that their intentions and how this will be perceived by the audience that I believe it matters the most to right now, and that is the leadership of Iran, perception and the reality are two different things, and the perception is very serious. prgtoken What is the perception? I can tell you, just moments ago, I went online before coming here just to see if anything has been written about it, and here is what I found. It was just one headline. That is all I needed because I think this broadly captures the way it is going to be talked about in the press and all over the world. Here is the headline from POLITICO: ``Senate to rein in war powers after Iran strike.'' prgtoken The first paragraph goes on to say: ``The Senate is set to pass a bipartisan resolution . . . to limit President 's authority to launch military operations against Iran weeks after the U.S. killed a top Iranian general.'' prgtoken That is the opening paragraph of that story. That is basically the way it is going to be reported, and I am going to explain to you why that is a problem. prgtoken One of Iran's objectives in the Middle East is to push the United States out of the region. They don't want us in Iraq to help the Iraqis fight ISIS. They don't want us in Syria. They don't want us to have military bases anywhere in the region, including Bahrain, as an example, where one of our major naval fleets is headquartered. They do not want us in the Middle East. prgtoken Their strategy to drive us out is attacks conducted primarily by surrogates, meaning other groups--groups they have created, groups they sponsor, groups they arm. Their strategy is to use those groups to kill Americans. prgtoken Their reasoning is, No. 1, if they use these groups, it gives them deniability so the world can't condemn them. They will go on and say: It wasn't us. It was some Shia militia or some other group that did it. So they think it gives them some level of plausible deniability. prgtoken The second reason why they do it is they calculate that if Americans start to die in the Middle East, the American people will demand that we withdraw from the Middle East. So it is a pressure tactic th
COLORADO WILDERNESS ACT OF 2019
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Mr. Chair, again, I encourage the adoption of this commonsense amendment; that we let the science rule; that we keep land available, our precious land and our precious resources to use in this fight to remove atmospheric carbon, to make the world a better place, and for environmental stewardship for the future. prgtoken That is why I offered this amendment and why I encourage my colleagues to support it. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS--MOTION TO PROCEED
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-2-12

today I would like to rise in opposition to Senator Kaine's War Powers Resolution, S.J. Res. 68. prgtoken I have had a longstanding opposition to the War Powers Act. I think it is an unconstitutional intrusion on the ability of any Commander in Chief to defend the Nation and to direct military operations. prgtoken This statute passed, I think, in the 1970s. It was a way to deal with the Vietnam war. prgtoken I have always believed the best thing Congress can do when it comes to dealing with military operations--longstanding conflicts that it disapproves of--is to cut off funding. I think that is what the Framers had in mind. prgtoken The inherent authority of any Commander in Chief to defend the Nation is part of our constitutional checks and balances. The President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. You cannot have 535 people planning and implementing military operations. That 535 would be Congress. Can you imagine what would happen if our Nation had to respond in real time and we had to get 535 Members of Congress to agree on anything? prgtoken This resolution is designed to prevent actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran without congressional authorization. It does acknowledge in the law that we can take defensive action. We can always defend ourselves. I think that is inherent to putting people in harm's way. prgtoken I have been consistent over time. I have opposed the War Powers Act being used against all Presidents, or ic. I will continue to do so because I do believe, from a national security point of view, this will create a nightmare for our country's ability to defend itself. Every Commander in Chief has to have the latitude and the flexibility to engage enemies of this Nation in real time and to send messages that are clear. prgtoken When the President decided to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear agreement early on in his Presidency, I supported that action. We are trying to find a way to replace it with something that is more sustainable and acceptable to the region and the world. Without boring everyone with the flaws in the Iran nuclear agreement, I thought it was a bad deal. It gave the Ayatollah and his henchmen a bunch of money without their having to change their behavior. It was tied to their nuclear program and had nothing to do with their missile program or their being the largest state sponsor of terrorism. prgtoken Now you see Iran has been acting out since this agreement has been signed. Iran has been involved in operations in Yemen, Lebanon, and throughout the entire region. It has captured American sailors on the high seas and humiliated them. Its efforts in Lebanon put Israel's very existence at risk by its flooding Lebanon with weapons that could be used to destroy our friends in Israel, and it is the largest state sponsor of terrorism. prgtoken I applaud the President for standing up to the Iranians. They have attacked the largest o
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-2-12

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate complete its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m Thursday, February 13; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of S.J. Res. 68 under the previous order.
AMERICANS MUST BE PROTECTED FROM SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLING
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2020-2-12

I rise today to recognize Muncie resident and Ball State student Matt Peiffer. His Muncie-based organization, A Voice for Kids, is one of 30 winners in T-Mobile's second annual Changemaker Challenge. prgtoken The Changemaker Challenge asks kids aged 13 to 23 to come up with ideas to help their local communities. A Voice for Kids advocates for the improvement of the foster care system. prgtoken A former child in Indiana's foster system, Peiffer has already helped improve the system, and this award shows that people around the Nation are noticing his good work. prgtoken , I congratulate Matt and A Voice for Kids for making their community and the Hoosier State a better place. Celebrating Shelbyville Rotary Club's 100th Anniversary
DIRECTING THE REMOVAL OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM HOSTILITIES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-2-12

Missourians and many of our closest neighbors waiting for the life-changing moment that happens when you have a liver transplant now have to have one more hurdle in the process that they have to go through to make that happen. There is a new, and I think terribly flawed, organ allocation policy. prgtoken Senator Moran and I have really led an effort to slow this down. We have both been the chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee. We understand how that agency is supposed to work and how some of these healthcare issues are supposed to be handled. prgtoken Frankly, I don't think either one of us think this one has been handled in the right way. With the policy we see today, nearly half the country is disadvantaged by a new policy that has been put in place. prgtoken It used to be that when someone donated a liver, those organs were matched with the transplant candidates, first at the local level, then regionally, and finally at the national level. It is my belief, and I think Senator Moran's belief, that when you know your neighbors are going to benefit from that decision, you are more likely to make the decision that you want to be part of that organ donor community. In the neighborhood where we live and where the Presiding Officer lives, I think people have approached this in a pretty dynamic way, wanting to be part of that. prgtoken In Missouri, 17 percent of people are organ donors or at least willing to be organ donors. Other States in the Midwest and the South and, frankly, the rural parts of the country just simply have the highest donation rates of people who are willing to be an organ donor. That is not the case everywhere. In New York, for example, 32 percent of people are organ donors. There is a big difference between 73 percent and 32 percent. I don't know how much of that difference relates to the fact that in Missouri and Kansas and Arkansas and other places, people look at this and they think: If I am willing to be an organ donor, then people I know--people whom my kids go to church with, go to school with, people we go to church with, people we see in the grocery store--have a better chance, if they have that crisis in their life, to benefit from it than others do. prgtoken On February 4, a new policy went into effect that will take livers that were specifically donated by Missourians and allocate them to other parts of the country. You will no longer know, if you are an organ donor, that the people who live closest to you have the greatest chance of getting that organ that you have been willing to donate. The change in liver allocation means that roughly 32 percent fewer liver transplants will happen in Missouri than will happen otherwise. prgtoken Senator Moran is joining me here on the floor. We have both talked about this a lot. We had the group come into our offices. They are supposed to be making this system work. In Missouri, we have six transpla
AMERICA'S ECONOMY WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-2-12

the January jobs report with gains is terrific. prgtoken Over 225,000 jobs were created and wages increased. New job creation has achieved a 50-year high with record highs for women and younger citizens. prgtoken I am grateful that President and policies have put the American economy into high gear, reducing taxes and regulations. prgtoken This first job report of the decade shows that America's economy will continue to thrive in 2020, thanks to President . prgtoken Following an acquittal after the impeachment hoax; providing a peace plan for Israel; inspiring the Nation with the State of the Union Address; providing new trade agreements with China, Mexico, and Canada; and the announcement of Opportunity Now, this job report rounds out another week of winning for President . prgtoken All Americans celebrate the lowest levels of unemployment ever for African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.
COLORADO WILDERNESS ACT OF 2019
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Madam Chair, when the s were in the majority, we set three overarching objectives for our Federal lands policy: to restore public access to the public lands, to restore good management to the public lands, and to restore the Federal Government as a good neighbor to those communities impacted by the public lands. This bill is the very opposite of these three policies. prgtoken The purpose of America's public lands was to set aside our most beautiful tracts, in the words of the original Yosemite Charter, ``for public use, resort, and recreation . . . for all time.'' prgtoken The bill before us does exactly the opposite: It imposes severe restrictions on the public's use of 2.5 million acres of their own lands; 1.5 million acres would be put off limits to such innocent things as mountain bikes and strollers; and it would remove roads to reach campsites or even allow emergency equipment to access. It also designates 843 additional miles of our rivers as wild and scenic. prgtoken Does anybody think that sounds good? prgtoken I can tell my colleagues that that designation on the Merced River in my district has been used to close many traditional tourist amenities at Yosemite Park, including swimming pools, raft and bike rentals, horseback riding stables, and ice skating and lodging facilities. ``Public use, resort, and recreation'' becomes ``Look, but don't touch.'' prgtoken The health and vitality of our forests depends on active scientific forest management. That means carefully tending our forests to protect them from morbid overcrowding, which, in turn, makes them vulnerable to disease, pestilence, drought, and, ultimately, catastrophic wildfire. prgtoken Excess timber comes out of the forest in one of two ways: It is either burned out or it is carried out. This bill makes good forest management impossible by forbidding our foresters from using their science to protect and groom and care for our forests by assuring that trees have room to grow strong. prgtoken Finally, this bill ignores and insults the communities directly affected by this massive Federal land grab. In case after case, local elected officials, local governments, local fire districts, and local residents in the nearby communities have formally, vigorously, and vocally protested the draconian restrictions imposed by this measure because they imperil public safety from fire, and they do wanton harm to the local economies. prgtoken This bill reverses the three objectives set by House s: prgtoken Instead of restoring public access to public lands, the restrict and deny it; prgtoken Instead of restoring good management to the public lands, the forbid it; prgtoken Instead of restoring the Federal Government as a good neighbor to those communities impacted by the public lands, the give those communities the finger. prgtoken What said about elections having consequences, here it is in real life.
RECOGNITION OF EMILIE MA, PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS HONOREE
Andy Biggs (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-2-12

. Madam , I rise today to honor Emilie Ma, a young student from my district who has been named an honoree in Arizona by the 2020 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. She was recognized for volunteering her time to help families struggling with poverty. prgtoken Ms. Ma assists with charitable efforts for low-income families at the Native Health Center. She donates her time to a club she founded at her school named the Modern Health Organization which provides services to patients with mental and physical needs. Ms. Ma has been an example to her peers, inspiring them to care for others and their communities. prgtoken We must encourage and support the kind of selfless contributions young citizens like Ms. Ma make in the lives of others. We all need more empathy. Everyone can work together to help the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers, like Ms. Ma, are inspiring examples to all of us and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.
REMOVING DEADLINE FOR RATIFICATION OF EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-2-13

. Madam , I thank Chairman Nadler for yielding. prgtoken In Texas, many years ago, I marched in support of the equal rights amendment. Today, I join my colleagues to reaffirm that support. prgtoken Women are behind some of this Nation's greatest achievements. We fought for civil rights, set athletic records, sent men to space, and then went there ourselves. We have forged prgtoken our paths in history, yet we are still not equal to men under the eyes of the law. prgtoken We must remove this stain from our Constitution. Today, we are voting to remove an arbitrary deadline so we can finally prohibit gender discrimination under the Constitution. prgtoken Madam , I will proudly vote in favor of the resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to do the same. prgtoken As many in my district would say, ``It is time to approve the ERA.'' ``Ya es hora de aprobar el ERA.''