mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO MARY COLLINS
Thomas R. Suozzi (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-12-8

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to Mary Collins who, after 22 years is retiring as chair of the Huntington Town ic Committee. Over the years, I have been fortunate to know Mary both as a friend and an ally and remember the gracious welcome she gave me when I opened my flagship Congressional office in the Village of Huntington. As a staff person to former members of Congress Gary Ackerman and Steve Israel, Mary spent many years advocating for the constituents of New York's Third Congressional District. She is admired by many and I join with them in wishing her the best as she moves on to the next chapter in her life. prgtoken I include in the Record the following tribute to Mary that was prepared by the Huntington Town ic Committee: On the Occasion of the Retirement of Mary Collins as the Chairwoman of the Huntington Town ic Committee, celebrating her 22nd anniversary as our beloved chair, we honor Mary for her excellence and service to the Huntington Community. We hereby recognize and acknowledge her tenure in office by sharing some of her biography and contributions. Mary has been a resident of the Town of Huntington since 1950. She moved here from East Hampton as a child at the age of 8 when her Father became the caretaker of the Marshall Field Estate (now Caumsett State Park) where he was in charge of the stable of horses. Her family ties to East Hampton connected her to Eleanor's Legacy by her relationship with Judith Hope who was the East Hampton Town Supervisor. Judith Started Eleanor's Legacy. Mary brought Eleanor's legacy to Huntington by appointing Sherry Pavone as head of the Woman's Initiative. HTDC has supported Eleanor's Legacy's goal of supporting women candidates throughout NY. Mary was a teacher by profession. She spent her career wholly within Syosset High School District. Mary's area of expertise in teaching was Global studies. However, she became very interested in local politics on Long Island after observing her mother's long service as a Board of Elections volunteer, registering voters and working through election times as far back as the 1950's. Huntington at that time was a quasi-rural area with much farmland. Many Huntingtonians wanted to keep the character and nature of Huntington as it had been before WWII. Huntington experienced rapid suburbanization with the development of Dix Hills/Melville, community groups such as House Beautiful and the development of the 110 Corridor. However, these changes came and our leaders had to wrestle with the issues surrounding this development. Early on, Mary was particularly interested in the corruption felt throughout Long Island in the late 1950's. She fondly remembers when Robert Flynn, attorney and longtime
Farewell to the Senate (Executive Session)
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-12-8

it is my honor today to commend the senior Senator from New Mexico, my longtime partner in this Chamber, my good friend Tom Udall, for his years of service to our great State of New Mexico and to our Nation. prgtoken Before I speak about Tom, I would like to quickly take a moment, too, to recognize the service of Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small over these last 2 years. prgtoken Congresswoman Torres Small actually served for a time in Senator Udall's office in Las Cruces, and for these last 2 years in the House of Representatives, she has dedicated herself to delivering resources for the people of southern New Mexico. And I am so very grateful to have served alongside Xochitl in our congressional delegation, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing how she will contribute her heart and her talents to New Mexico next. She certainly learned a great deal from our senior Senator.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6395, WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-12-8

I rise in opposition to the Conference Report for H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This bill contains many important provisions that should become law, but unfortunately those laudable policies are outweighed by the staggering cost and I cannot support the bill as a whole. prgtoken I am grateful for the Conferees' work to include language increasing treatment and benefits for veterans by expanding the types of diseases that are presumed connected with exposure to Agent Orange. I also strongly support the pay increase for our troops, the removal of names and symbols associated with the racist legacy of the Confederacy, and the bolstering of paid parental leave policies across the federal government. I commend Chairman Smith for his ongoing work to advance legislation that improves the military's prevention of sexual assault and support for survivors, takes encouraging steps to address climate change, and prevents the misuse of taxpayer money on a wasteful border wall. In response to authoritarian tactics by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere, the Chairman and House Conferees also achieved bipartisan support for a policy I championed requiring that any federal forces responding to a protest or civil disturbance by clearly identifiable. prgtoken I cannot ignore, however, the unprecedented amount of military spending that this legislation would authorize. Amid a national crisis precipitated by a global pandemic, voting to allow billions of dollars to be spent on weapons is unjustifiable when our communities desperately need food and housing security, access to childcare, affordable health care, and small business support. We must not accept the notion that annual increases in defense spending are somehow inevitable and can be rationalized as modest when adding just one percent costs billions of dollars that should instead be invested domestically in schools or infrastructure. prgtoken I do not take this vote lightly and my commitment to providing for our servicemembers remains steadfast. It is a complex and challenging task to responsibly fund our national defense, but I am confident that we can maintain adequate security while reining in the immense and ever-increasing sums that endlessly pour into the military-industrial complex. I look forward to continued engagement with my colleagues as we address these difficult issues.
ALS DISABILITY INSURANCE ACCESS ACT OF 2019
Lloyd Doggett (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-12-8

. Madam , I join today in support of the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act to ensure that individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) receive the financial support they need and for which they have already qualified. I congratulate Congressman Moulton and Senator Whitehouse on their successful leadership for this important effort of which I have been a cosponsor. prgtoken For individuals who are determined to have a sufficiently severe disability to quality for Social Security Disability Insurance, the security that Social Security is intended to provide can come with a cost--two years without health insurance. This waiting period--which should really be called a suffering period--must be eliminated. Two unjustified delays prolong the suffering. The first, a five-month delay to receive any disability payment even though the recipient has already qualified. The second, is a two-year delay to access Medicare coverage for which they already qualified. prgtoken This means that the millions of individuals with disabilities in this waiting period may not be able to access necessary medical treatments and medications. This only makes existing health complications worse and increases overall health care spending. Many die waiting their turn for health coverage. In 2018 alone, about 16,000 workers with disabilities died during the 5-month waiting period and about 56,000 workers with disabilities died waiting for Medicare coverage. prgtoken These waiting periods only serve to harm the health of individuals with disabilities and delay the support they need. In addition to this bill for individuals with ALS, other colleagues have offered legislation to end the waiting periods for individuals with metastatic breast cancer, Huntington's Disease, and other life-threatening illnesses. I support all of these efforts. We must provide a healthy foundation for all individuals with disabilities, who already arc experiencing unique health challenges. prgtoken I hope that this ALS bill represents a step forward in the eventual approval of the bipartisan Stop the Wait bill, H.R. 4386, that I introduced to eliminate the onerous waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare. This bill now has 50 House cosponsors. and Senator Bob Casey has introduced companion legislation. Having recognized the suffering of these waiting periods for Americans with ALS, I urge Congress to consider the suffering of all those subject to waiting periods and pass long-overdue reforms to Stop the Wait. We must ensure individuals with disabilities have access to health care when they need it. Social Security cannot truly provide health care security, until all individuals with disabilities have guaranteed access to prompt Medicare coverage. Let's Stop the Wait for all of them.
Tribute to Tom Udall (Executive Session)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-12-8

Senator Udall and I came here in the same class 12 years ago. It is hard to believe that 12 years have passed. How can that happen so quickly? We have seen the Senate in various chapters as it sought to address the big challenges facing America. prgtoken Colleagues have already noted Tom's intense advocacy for the wildlands of the West and the poetry that he brought to it in his speech today with Mr. Stegner's reflections on the majesty and importance of the wildlands of the West and all of his efforts to protect those lands. prgtoken Colleagues have mentioned how, when folks thought it couldn't be done, he dived into this partnership with Senator Vitter to drive the Lautenberg Toxic Substances Act and got it accomplished through months and months of intense negotiations. prgtoken He cares about the function of this body and has shared with us idea after idea on how we might make it work better--ideas that we should still work to consider in the months and years ahead. prgtoken As he thought about protection of lands, he thought about protection of the oceans and the role of plastics in the oceans. He spearheaded efforts for us to reconsider how we produce so much plastic waste and where it ends up and the damage that it does--a vision that others will have to carry the baton on after his departure. prgtoken He has stood up fiercely for the constitutional vision of a nation and a government of, by, and for the people, that money is not speech, and that corporations are not people. prgtoken Tom, thank you. Thank you for fighting for the vision of our Constitution, for a government that can and will take on the issues facing us. We will miss you. I personally hope that you will have a major role in continuing to advance the protection of those wildlands in the West in the near future. All my best, and take care in your next chapter.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6395, WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Jim Banks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2020-12-8

I thank the ranking member for yielding time to me today and for his many years of service. America and the world are safer today because of Mac Thornberry's service in the United States House of Representatives. prgtoken , I thank Mr. Smith, the chairman of the committee, as well, for ensuring that this year's NDAA is bipartisan once again. prgtoken , I want to rise most of all in support of the aptly named Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken While the bill doesn't include everything I want it to and there are certainly items that I wish would be removed, overall, it ensures that our Nation is protected, and it supports our men and women in uniform. prgtoken So many in the administration have warned us for years that China is our Nation's long-term strategic competitor, and countering China is a key focus of the fiscal year 2021 NDAA. prgtoken Having just been a part of the Future of Defense Task Force and the China Task Force, I am more motivated than ever before to stop the Chinese Communist Party's egregious affronts on the U.S. Government, its citizens, and our military. I appreciate the inclusion of many important recommendations from both of those task force reports in this year's NDAA. prgtoken This NDAA establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to strengthen U.S. posture and capability in the Indo-Pacific region, and it works better with prgtoken allies to deter against Chinese malign behavior. prgtoken It also protects against Chinese industrial espionage by requiring a Presidential assessment on how to deter it and large-scale cyber threat of intellectual property and personal information. prgtoken The NDAA also includes a number of protections for Federal investments in science and technology by including new mandates on university research and limiting funding for universities with Confucius Institutes, for example. prgtoken These are just some of the very important provisions in this year's bill, to not just acknowledge the China threat, , but to address it head-on. That is why I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this critical legislation.
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6395, WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-12-8

section 6308 enhances U.S. law enforcement's ability to access international bank records to help better ensure financial crimes are investigated. I am supportive of this new and necessary provision. This new authority allows the Departments of Treasury and Justice to issue subpoenas requiring production of records relating to accounts held by banks outside of the United States. This new authority would create a secondary mechanism for seeking discovery from foreign banks separate from the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (``MLATs'') or other multilateral or bilateral agreements the United States currently maintains with many foreign governments for this purpose. As the Departments of Justice and Treasury implement Section 6308, I encourage them only to use this new authority where a foreign bank operates in a jurisdiction as to which no MLAT or other information-sharing agreement exists or where the relevant foreign government has not satisfied its obligations under an MLAT or other information-sharing agreement. prgtoken Many foreign countries restrict banks operating in their jurisdictions from sharing their customers' financial or personally identifiable information (``PII'). As a result, subpoenas issued under section 6308 may place foreign banks in the difficult position of either violating home country law or being in contempt for failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the United States government. As a result, I believe it is appropriate for the Departments of Justice and Treasury to take into consideration conflict of laws situations to achieve the purposes of Section 6308 while also maintaining a respect for home country requirements. prgtoken Finally, I encourage the Departments of Treasury and Justice to issue regulations establishing appropriate protocols to ensure that the authority granted under section 6308 does not supersede or supplant existing MLATs or other multilateral or bilateral agreements between the United States and the relevant foreign government that are available for obtaining records from a foreign bank.
RECOGNIZING 2020 TRUMAN SCHOLAR VALERIE DOZE
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2020-12-8

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Valerie Doze, a student at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph on receiving the Truman Scholarship. prgtoken The Truman Foundation was established by Congress in 1975 to honor President Harry S. Truman's legacy of extraordinary public service. The Truman Scholarship serves as a living monument to that legacy. prgtoken Each year, a diverse group of scholars receive $30,000 to pursue graduate studies and are granted priority placement at our nation's top universities, as well as internships within the federal government. prgtoken Valerie is one of 62 in the 2020 class of Truman Scholars, having distinguished herself in a pool of nearly 800 candidates nominated by 316 colleges and universities across the country. Valerie will serve as the North Dakota Truman Scholar. prgtoken Congratulations to Valerie on this incredible honor, and we look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes.
FAREWELL TO CONGRESSWOMAN ROBY
Martha Roby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2020-12-8

I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my friend, for yielding. prgtoken Thank you so much, Leader Hoyer, I just appreciate your friendship all these years. I really do appreciate the time you have given me. prgtoken , I rise before you and my colleagues here today to speak for my final time on the House floor. prgtoken , 17 years ago, my husband, Riley, and I prayerfully decided I would put my name on the ballot for the first time. Never could we have imagined that that original decision to run for the Montgomery City Council would lead us to serve five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. prgtoken We are so grateful that God allowed us to serve our country in this way, and we give all honor and glory to Him. I count it a great privilege to have served the people of Alabama's Second Congressional District over the past decade, and I cannot adequately express how deeply thankful I am for the confidence my constituents have placed in me over the years. prgtoken Each of you sitting here before me knows the responsibility that comes along with being a Member of Congress. Yes, we are required to vote and to be the conscience of those we represent, but serving our constituents back home truly changes lives in our communities for the better. prgtoken As I look back on the wonderful things Team Roby was able to accomplish, along with the help of my colleagues in the Alabama delegation, I realized that our most significant duty is to help those who need us. Whether it is requesting assistance with the VA or another Federal agency, assisting with cleanup following a large-scale weather event, voicing an opinion, or booking tours of the U.S. Capitol, my doors have always remained open to each person I represent. prgtoken I am thankful for the unique opportunities given to me by those who came before me, especially the chance to serve on several impactful committees, including Committee on Appropriations, Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Agriculture, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Select Committee on Benghazi. Much prgtoken work has been done in each of these revered committees to impact the lives of my constituents, and for that, I am forever grateful. prgtoken I have been asked many times over the past few months what will I miss the most upon my departure, and my answer has remained the same-- the relationships. prgtoken The genuine friendships formed with my colleagues, my constituents, and so many others over the years, and interacting with these individuals on a daily basis is what I will truly miss the most. For many, this past year was and continues to be very challenging. We have all experienced plenty of unfamiliar hardships. Not only has the global health pandemic taken center stage, but America is marked by intense division and polarization. Every time you turn on the television, you see a depiction of disunity amongst the American people
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6395, WILLIAM M. (MAC) THORNBERRY NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-12-8

I congratulate Chairman Adam Smith and Ranking Member Mac Thornberry for their dedicated work on developing this bipartisan bill appropriately named in honor of Chairman Mac Thornberry, an American patriot. prgtoken As a member of the conference committee, I appreciated the opportunity to work on another historically important NDAA. Enactment of this bill will be the 60th consecutive fiscal year that the NDAA has passed, exhibiting the true bipartisan nature of the process. prgtoken I am thankful for the provision of a 3 percent military pay increase, which represents the first time in a decade the troops have consecutively received a salary boost of at least 3 percent. prgtoken The most recent report contains the Guardian and Reserve Hazard Duty Pay Equity Act, a bipartisan bill introduced with Representative Andy Kim. I was grateful to lead a letter with Representative Kim urging its inclusion. prgtoken I am also especially grateful that my bill, the Body Armor for Females Modernization Act, was included to ensure that female servicemembers have the right equipment from day one. prgtoken This legislation contains the Small Manufacturer Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, a bill I introduced with Representative Jimmy Panetta, which will allow the Department to partner with manufacturing extension partnership centers to provide assistance to small manufacturers. prgtoken There is full funding for the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative at USC Aiken and PILT and pit production at the Savannah River site. prgtoken It also incorporates a bipartisan bill I introduced with Representative Ed Perlmutter to ensure continued funding for the Office of the Ombudsman in the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Program. prgtoken I appreciate the success of staff member Drew Kennedy and military fellow Major Jeremy Tillman. prgtoken I support this conference report, remembering 9/11 and the murderous attacks, by defeating the terrorists overseas. prgtoken , I urge all Members to vote in favor.