mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MENTAL HEALTH MONDAY
Andrea Salinas (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-2-6

I rise to recognize my first Mental Health Monday. prgtoken There are 731,000 adults in Oregon who have a mental health condition. These 731,000 of our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members are struggling, and we in Congress have an obligation to find solutions to their struggles. prgtoken That is why I am dedicating my Mondays to mental health. For too long, we have allowed stigma to shame people into silence, and that silence has cost lives. It is my hope that, by raising awareness, we can make strides in care, treatment, and recovery for those struggling with their mental health. prgtoken Today is also the first Monday of Black History Month, so I would be remiss not to acknowledge the troubling disparity in mental health care for the Black community. Lack of access to culturally responsive care makes treatment inaccessible to too many Black and Brown individuals. Congress must work to bridge that gap. prgtoken , I hope you will join me for future Mental Health Mondays as we work to break new ground on this very important issue.
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2023-2-6

it is with great respect and sincere admiration that I rise today to celebrate Black History Month and its 2023 theme--Black Resistance. This year's theme reflects on the importance and significance of opposition to ongoing systematic injustice and prgtoken oppressive rhetoric against the African American Community throughout the past and at the present time. prgtoken Part of the African American fight for freedom includes the struggle to create space for African American people to thrive and succeed. Throughout history in the United States, African Americans have resisted unjust persecution through brave and courageous acts including protests, sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and political rallies, to name a few. Their efforts have been successful, inspiring, and have created significant change in the values and belief systems of America. The struggle is ongoing, and there is much more to be done. It is the responsibility of every American to create an environment that supports equality and freedom for all. prgtoken This month and always, it is important that we honor America's greatest advocates for equal rights. Throughout history in Northwest Indiana, which I proudly represent, there have been many who have taken up this fight. One such individual is the Honorable Calvin D. Hawkins, Lake County Superior Court Judge, who continues a legacy of civil service to the community of Northwest Indiana. Judge Hawkins has been a civil rights activist his entire life. While still in his teens, he participated in the historic March on Washington in 1963 before embarking on his distinguished legal career. Judge Hawkins was appointed to the bench in 2007 by then Governor Mitch Daniels. and he has faithfully served with purpose, integrity, and respect. Outside of the courts, he has championed numerous causes that support equality and civil liberties for African Americans, and he has also proven himself to be a tireless advocate for the youth in his community. In 2008, Judge Hawkins launched a stay-in-school initiative, and his efforts have had a major positive impact on the lives of students throughout the area. In addition, he has served as the president of the board of directors for Indiana Legal Services, an organization that provides free legal assistance to those in need. For his noteworthy leadership and unwavering dedication to improving the quality of life for all people, Judge Hawkins is worthy of the highest praise. prgtoken , I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in celebrating Black History Month and honoring those who fought, and continue to fight, for civil rights and justice. As we pay tribute, let us remember their profound perseverance and sacrifice in the struggle to build a better Nation, more equal and free.
DEATH OF TYRE NICHOLS
Emilia Strong Sykes (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-2-6

I rise today during the first Congressional Black Caucus Special Order of the year to stand in solidarity with the families and loved ones in support of the safety and security of American citizens. prgtoken Tomorrow, during the State of the Union, I will be joined by Ms. Pamela Walker, a police accountability advocate and mother of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old unarmed Black man from Akron, Ohio, who was fatally shot 46 times by police in June of 2022. prgtoken Jayland Walker was just 25 years old. He was a kind, quiet, and thoughtful young family man who regularly spent time with his mother, grandmother, and sister. prgtoken He was just beginning to live his life with aspirations of starting his own business or becoming a professional wrestler. prgtoken His mother described him as the son that every mother dreams of, talked about how proud she was to be his mother. prgtoken Ms. Walker is coming to the Capitol in honor of her son, demanding accountability, public safety, and change so that her son will not have died in vain or anyone else's son. No mother should ever have to go through what Ms. Walker experienced. prgtoken Despite her unimaginable grief, she has displayed unwavering strength, dignity, and perseverance. prgtoken , we must reexamine our institutions, how they operate and are governed, without the polarizing rhetoric that only leads to division and not solutions because the longer we are divided and legislation is not passed, the more lives hang in the balance, and public safety and security is too important to play with. prgtoken We need to create a level of trust where our law enforcement officers feel like they are a part of the community, and we must also take steps to improve police accountability. prgtoken There is still much work to be done to restore trust between the police and the communities they serve. That is why I felt it was important to have Ms. Walker join me tomorrow. prgtoken Let her presence signify that enough is enough. We, as a Nation, have reached an inflection point because too many lives have been lost. prgtoken I join my colleagues in calling for robust reexamination of our policing system, wholesale public safety policies, and bipartisan national solutions to this issue before more lives are lost.
ENERGY CYBERSECURITY UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ACT OF 2023
Frank D. Lucas (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-2-6

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in support of H.R. 302, the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2023 led by Representative Ross and Representative Carey. prgtoken Cyberattacks from foreign adversaries on the U.S. energy sector present a major and constantly evolving threat to our national security, energy independence, and global competitiveness. prgtoken Multiple attacks over the past few years have shown us that whether it is our liquefied natural gas industry, our electric grid, or even our national laboratories, all critical U.S. energy assets can be attractive targets for adversarial cyber campaigns. prgtoken Troublingly, many of these cyberattacks are just preparations for future operations. As the FBI, CISA, and other security agencies have warned, the CCP is using smaller attacks now to provide inroads so they can inflict major damage to our energy infrastructure in the future. prgtoken The threats to our energy cybersecurity have only increased recently due to several factors such as the war in Ukraine, increased aggression from the CCP, and the development of new energy technologies and grid modernization practices. prgtoken To protect our energy sector, we need to take a whole-of-government approach, and the Department of Energy plays a central role in planning for and countering these attacks. prgtoken H.R. 302 is one way to support the DOE's energy cybersecurity mission. This is important, bipartisan legislation that will help address expanding vulnerabilities in our energy sector by strengthening the next generation of our energy cybersecurity workforce. prgtoken , Representative Ross, for reintroducing this timely bill and Representative Carey for joining her as the lead of this bipartisan effort. prgtoken On the Science Committee, energy cybersecurity initiatives have long been a bipartisan priority. H.R. 302 is just the beginning of our work on this issue in the 118th Congress. prgtoken I pledge to continue working with all Members to pass legislation that will keep the U.S. energy sector safe, reliable, and competitive for years to come. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
PALA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS LAND TRANSFER ACT OF 2023
Darrell Issa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-2-6

. Madam , I spoke on this a year or two ago, and not much has happened except more time has passed since this land was taken from this Tribe. prgtoken I represent 21 Tribes in my congressional district. I believe that when I come to the floor, people look and say, well, you are always representing Tribal issues. I represent the issues that became an issue when Ulysses S. Grant recognized what he had done wrong to Tribes. We began the process over 100 years ago of turning around that challenge. prgtoken As the ranking member mentioned, in 1934, we passed significant legislation. Much has happened since that time. One of the things that has happened is, here on the House floor, we talk about CBO scoring. I want to touch on that today, which I didn't do a year ago. prgtoken CBO says this has a cost. Yes, when we move land into trust, when we move it into Federal ownership, it loses property tax so there is a small cost. This is not a cost objected to by my county or any of the surrounding cities. prgtoken The Native American Tribes in my district have more than compensated the community from the revenues they earn, and they have been good stewards. This land failed to even qualify as a landfill over decades. prgtoken This is land that, to many, would be considered not usable. It has water challenges that the Tribe will be spending time and money making sure that they prevent the runoff, that they preserve. prgtoken They have antiquity on this site. They will be investing in that. prgtoken Yes, a few Members, mostly in my own party, last year failed to vote for this because they said: Well, it is an unfunded mandate. It costs a little money. prgtoken Yes, it costs money to transfer things into Federal hands because we lose a little bit of revenue, but over 100 years ago--far over that; actually, during the Spanish time--this land was taken from a people, and there was no compensation. prgtoken As we put it back, I would ask each of the Members who considered not voting for it a year ago to reconsider, to consider that every piece of every objection, other than that small one, has been taken care of. prgtoken The Tribe will be a better steward of the land than it is now. The land will be better preserved and will be used in a way that-- certainly, if you can't qualify as a landfill, it is not exactly the land everybody is looking for. prgtoken The reality is the Pala Band has taken what they have earned over the years in agriculture and from their gaming concession and are putting it back into their ancestral land. prgtoken I have another Tribe that we are working on that is trying to simply get their graveyard back into trust. We will have the same challenge. They will say: But the graveyard might have an economic cost when it goes into Federal land. prgtoken Madam , I expect this bill to pass--it passed in the last Congress--but I would hope that all my colleagues would look very carefully and say not all transfers are the
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE HISTORIC LANDS REACQUISITION ACT
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-2-6

. Madam , the balance of my time for closing. prgtoken Again, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for introducing this bill, and I appreciate his tireless work on it. I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico and the minority support on this piece of bipartisan legislation. prgtoken I will say that H.R. 548 is a commonsense bill that facilitates greater control for the Eastern Band of Cherokee over their sacred and historic homelands in Tennessee. It ensures the protection of their timeless heritage, culture, and tradition, and gives them the opportunity to memorialize the history and culture of the Cherokee people. prgtoken The Tribe has worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority for more than three decades, and this legislation is long overdue. prgtoken Madam , I thank Mr. Fleischmann for his leadership and fulfilling a vital constituent service. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE HISTORIC LANDS REACQUISITION ACT
Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-2-6

. Madam , I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 548, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Requisition Act. I thank the chair and the distinguished ranking member both for their very kind words of support for this very important legislation. prgtoken This legislation has passed in this House before. It needs to pass tonight. It needs to go to the Senate and it needs to be on the President's desk. It has been far too long. The Eastern Band of Cherokee have been waiting and had a lot of promises made to them over the years which have been broken. This a great bill for America, and it is a great bill that we honor our wonderful Eastern Band of Cherokees. prgtoken The great State of Tennessee, my home State, gets its name from the historic Overhill Cherokee settlement called Tanasi, located in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. Tanasi served as the capital of the Cherokee people from as early as 1721. prgtoken Unfortunately, as a result of misguided Federal policies, the Cherokee people were forcibly removed from their homes in Tennessee and the surrounding States. This tragic period in American history led to the Trail of Tears, a journey on which the United States forcibly marched 15,000 Cherokees to the Indian Territory. prgtoken My bill, the Eastern Band Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, returns important historic sites back to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Tribal Nation comprised of descendants of those Cherokees who resisted removal in the Great Smoky Mountains and escaped the Trail of Tears. prgtoken It is on these same lands where the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have for decades honored the birthplace of Sequoyah, whose likeness we all have the opportunity to pass as we make our way from the rotunda of our Capitol to this House floor. prgtoken H.R. 548 would return 76.1 acres. I want to be clear: It is only 76.1 acres of TVA land back to the Eastern Band of Cherokees in trust and grant two permanent easements over TVA property to be held in trust for the Tribe for creating recreational trails between the sites. prgtoken The Tribe is committed to improving the educational resources of the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and to provide a means for economic development for the local community through cultural tourism. prgtoken The Cherokee Nation has a rich history in the Third District of Tennessee, and I am grateful to be engaged in the process to safeguard their story. prgtoken Madam , I strongly urge Members of both Chambers to understand the importance of the Cherokee prgtoken Tribal land preservation and support H.R. 548 so that it may be brought to President 's desk in a timely manner.
HONORING THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FRANKLIN CENTER FOR GLOBAL POLICY EXCHANGE
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-2-6

I rise today to recognize an important milestone in the history of The Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange--the organization turns 45 this year. For those not familiar with the group, the Franklin Center was founded in 1978 and is a nonpartisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to enhancing understanding of important international issues. prgtoken Along with its partner organization, The Ripon Society, The Franklin Center holds an international policy conference each year in a foreign capital. Called the TransAtlantic Capital to Capital Exchange, the policy conference brings and ic lawmakers together with their legislative counterparts overseas to discuss and learn more about the challenges facing America and her allies around the world. prgtoken Closer to home, the Franklin Center and Ripon Society also hold a dinner each year at one of our Nation's Presidential Libraries, where they present Members of Congress with the Roosevelt Leadership Award. This award honors those lawmakers who embody the qualities that Theodore Roosevelt spoke of when he said: ``The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly . . . who at best know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly.'' prgtoken Finally, the Franklin Center and Ripon Society hold a bipartisan luncheon at the end of each year to honor the ``Unsung Heroes of Capitol Hill''--that is the schedulers and executive assistants who quietly and faithfully work behind the scenes to keep the trains running on time in both the House and the Senate. prgtoken In addition to its work with the current generation of world leaders, the Franklin Center seeks to invest in the leaders of future generations by funding a scholarship program at Johns Hopkins University. The scholarship is named after The Honorable Connie Morella, who represented Maryland's 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 2003, and later served as Ambassador to the OECD from 2003 to 2007. A longtime supporter of the Franklin Center, Ambassador Morella currently serves as the Chairwoman Emeritus of the organization. prgtoken The Constance A. Morella Scholarship is offered to an undergraduate student at the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins and requires an independent research project that examines some of the most pressing questions in global affairs. prgtoken At a time when so many groups and organizations seem to come and go in American politics, the Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange has been a fixture for 45 years. I congratulate them on this achievement and wish them all the best in the years ahead.
RECOGNIZING ANNIE PALMER OF INDIANOLA
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-2-6

I rise today to recognize Annie Palmer of Indianola who received the Grow Your Future Award from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. prgtoken Each year, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation offers the Grow Your Future Award to young Iowans who work in agriculture to help grow their businesses. Last year, Annie submitted her business, H8R Acres, which raises Berkshire hogs and Navajo-Churro sheep for their meat and wool. prgtoken After several rounds of voting, Annie was selected as a finalist which involved a pitch-off to determine which award she would receive. At the end of the conference, Annie went home with $2,500, which she plans to put toward building a new shed for lambing or farrowing. prgtoken I also thank the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation for hosting this annual competition to financially support the next generation of Iowa farmers. This competition has been a great way to encourage young farmers to get into the agricultural business and grow the farming community in Iowa. prgtoken Congratulations to Annie and the rest of the winners of this year's Grow Your Future Award. I look forward to seeing their businesses produce.
HONORING MICHAEL WEINSTOCK
George Santos (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-2-6

. Madam , today, I rise to honor a former volunteer firefighter who was at Ground Zero on 9/11, Michael Weinstock. He was an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn's special victim's bureau and a volunteer firefighter and EMT. prgtoken On the morning of 9/11, Michael witnessed the black smoke billowing out of the World Trade Center. Without thought, he voluntarily rode with first responders to help in any way he could. Michael had been unloading medical equipment out of an ambulance when the South Tower crumbled and nearly crushed Michael to death. prgtoken Today, Michael suffers from a painful and incurable disease: neuropathy. prgtoken Michael has been a strong advocate for neuropathy to be covered by the World Trade Center Health Program. Neuropathy is a medical condition that results in damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. Those who suffer from neuropathy experience weakness and numbness which typically occurs in the hands or feet. This can be incredibly painful and debilitating, and many are unable to live normal lives. This is also known as the suicide disease due to limited effective treatments and the fact that there is no cure. prgtoken Studies from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health have linked neuropathy with the 9/11 dust. The data from the 2019 study found that nearly 10,000 firefighters and emergency medical workers were exposed to toxins at the World Trade Center. prgtoken The World Trade Center Health Program covered conditions categories include: acute and traumatic injuries, airway and digestive disorders, cancers, and mental health conditions, to name a few. prgtoken In 2016, the World Trade Center Health Program was petitioned to add peripheral neuropathy to its list of covered conditions, which it declined to do. In 2017, an FDNY responder again petitioned the program to add peripheral neuropathy to its covered conditions list. Unfortunately, the World Trade Center Health Program declined to update its list a second time citing insufficient evidence. prgtoken Michael's story is one of many that have yet to be told to a wider audience. This issue goes beyond the political pale of versus . As a Member of the 118th Congress, I will use this opportunity to raise awareness of what the men and women who suffer from this debilitating disease are going through due to the exposure of the toxins from the World Trade Center. prgtoken Since the World Trade Center Health Program does not cover neuropathy, people like Michael must pay out of pocket for treatment, medication, and other medical needs. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues that we work together and find a solution to have conditions such as neuropathy be covered under the World Trade Center Health Program. prgtoken Tomorrow, I will be proud to have Michael as my guest for the State of the Union Address. I am proud to be his Member, as he is a constituent of the Third Cong
HONORING YORKTOWN POLICE CAPTAIN KENNETH SGROI
Michael Lawler (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-2-6

today, I rise to recognize a fallen hero from New York's 17th District, Yorktown Police Captain Kenneth Sgroi. Captain Sgroi passed away suddenly on January 2 after fighting a brief illness. prgtoken He was a model police officer and a humble family man. He graduated from the police academy in 2007, serving as a deputy sheriff in Dutchess County. He then served as a member of the Yorktown Police Department with dignity, honor, and a compelling sense of duty for almost 13 years. prgtoken His loss has been a profound one felt by the Yorktown community, his fellow officers, and his family. prgtoken The town of Yorktown recently renamed their police department after him in honor of his service and sacrifice on behalf of the people of Yorktown. prgtoken Captain Sgroi is survived by his wife, Anne, a classmate of mine at Manhattan College, and two young children. My prayers are with them as they grieve his loss, and my office stands ready to assist them in any way we can.