mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM WAR MEMORIAL ACT
Seth Moulton (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-7-28

s from Wisconsin and Arizona. It is an honor to stand here as fellow marines in support of this bill today. prgtoken Today is a big day. It is a milestone in a journey that we started over a year ago. We are taking a major legislative step in the direction of creating a memorial honoring those who have served on Active Duty during the global war on terrorism. prgtoken For many, like my colleagues, this bill is personal. None of us will forget where we were on September 11, 2001, and we all continue to live with the aftermath of that tragic day in American history. prgtoken It is important to note that the tragic events of 9/11 and the war on terror to follow did not leave us isolated and afraid as a nation. Rather, in true American fashion, they inspired an entire generation to come together and serve. prgtoken So many young men and women selflessly answered the call to serve their country in the wake of that tragedy, and I would like to share just one story with you about someone from my district who would be on this memorial. prgtoken Captain Jennifer lived in the town of Swampscott. She was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and, sadly, became the first Massachusetts woman killed in the Iraq war. prgtoken Jennifer was the epitome of leadership and sacrifice. On flying missions, she had the call sign ``The Dove.'' She would often be called to evacuate our wounded soldiers and marines from the battlefield. prgtoken Captain ' final mission was to transport blood supplies. She willingly volunteered for it even though she was only just days away from returning home. In fact, she was initially told: No. You are too close to leaving. Don't go. prgtoken But she said: I want to fly one more time. prgtoken Her superiors reluctantly agreed. Captain died on February 7, along with six other crew members after insurgents shot down her helicopter. prgtoken In her twenties, with a bright future ahead of her, Captain was on her third tour of duty in Iraq. prgtoken I can't help but think today of my grandfather, a World War II veteran. He never got to see the WWII Memorial in his lifetime. He was never afforded the opportunity to have some place to take his family to reflect on his time in the service or remember his colleagues who did not have the opportunity to come home. prgtoken Let's not let that history repeat itself. The men and women who have given their all in the war on terror should be afforded a place on the National Mall where their loved ones can pay respects and honor their sacrifice. prgtoken Passage of this bill is an important first step in seeing this memorial built in our lifetime. prgtoken Let's get this done for Captain Jennifer and the thousands of others like her who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Mark Takano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-7-28

late last night, Senate s failed in their latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but today is not a day for celebration. It is a day for solutions. prgtoken Over the past 7 years, the Affordable Care Act has expanded access to healthcare for millions of Americans; but the law's imperfections, combined with politically motivated opposition, have created a system that falls short of the goals we all share. prgtoken In many communities across the country, there is not enough competition in the individual marketplaces, there is not enough support for middle class families and small businesses, and there is not nearly enough being done to curb the prescription drug prices that are swallowing family budgets. prgtoken The good news is that we know how to solve these challenges. Now is the time for us to work together, and s, to build a healthcare system that is worthy of this great Nation.
GROW OUR OWN DIRECTIVE: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION ACT OF 2017
Timothy J. Walz (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-7-28

as you heard, I urge my colleagues to support this smart piece of legislation. But I would like to close by adding, also, a thank-you to the chairman and to the majority side, once again showing bipartisanship offering two bills introduced by our side of the aisle that are being heard here on the floor which can be signed into law. It is greatly appreciated. It shows that the care of veterans always comes first. We on the minority side are appreciative of that courtesy. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and .
GROW OUR OWN DIRECTIVE: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION ACT OF 2017
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-7-28

I rise to join my colleague, General Bergman, in support of our bill, H.R. 3262, the Grow Our Own Directive: Physician Assistant Employment and Education Act of 2017. prgtoken The Department of Veterans Affairs and the entire Nation are experiencing a shortage of quality physicians and healthcare providers. For doctors prgtoken alone, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that, by 2030, the country could face a doctor shortage of over 100,000 physicians. Access to care will only become a harder problem to solve the longer it takes to be addressed. prgtoken Nonphysician providers, like physician assistants, are an important part of the solution to this shortage. Physician assistants are highly trained providers that often focus their training on specialties like psychiatry, orthopedics, and internal medicine. prgtoken It is fitting that my bill would help get more PAs into the VA to serve veterans. After all, the profession started when a small group of four Navy corpsmen completed the first PA program started at Duke University. That first program was based on the fast-tracked training of doctors during World War II. Veterans and the military have always been a part of the physician assistant profession. prgtoken The PA workforce offers unique value to rural and underserved areas. In places like northern New Hampshire, in my district, PAs help resolve shortages for family physicians and primary care physicians, shortages that have existed for decades. prgtoken My bill would leverage the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve access to quality care for veterans and rural locations alike. It would create a pilot scholarship program that awards no less than 250 scholarships over 5 years to PAs. prgtoken Currently, the VA has approximately 2,000 PAs. My bill would increase the PA workforce at the VA by over 10 percent. prgtoken In exchange for these scholarships, PAs would be required to work at the VA, and their placement would be focused on sending providers to rural and underserved areas. We know that if a provider is placed in New Hampshire, they tend to stay there. prgtoken This bill would also help get veterans with medical training in the workforce and with good-paying jobs. It is crucial that we help our veterans find excellent career paths that utilize the skills they learned while in the military service, and it is an added bonus that these veterans get to take care of their brothers and sisters in arms. prgtoken The final provision in my bill was included in the Choice funding bill we debated just moments ago. This provision would provide PAs in the VA with competitive pay based on the community they serve. This provision is crucial because it helps recruit and retain these critical providers. The GAO recently reported that PAs experience the highest loss rate of any critical occupation, higher than doctors and nurse practitioners. prgtoken I would like to applaud my colleagues for comin
IN RECOGNITION OF NAVY YEOMAN 3RD CLASS EDMUND RYAN
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-7-28

Navy Yeoman 3rd Class Edmund Ryan of Wilbraham, Massachusetts was killed when the Japanese sank the USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. For 75 years, Yeoman Ryan was one of the nearly 400 sailors from that vessel whose identities were deemed ``non-recoverable.'' But thanks to the advancements in DNA testing and the efforts by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Yeoman Ryan's remains have been finally identified. This was possible by matching the mitochondrial DNA to family members of the deceased. This achievement gives hope to the family members of the 26,000 servicemembers from World War II that possibly they too can be identified. prgtoken Next week, Yeoman Ryan will be interred in his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. On behalf of the First District of Massachusetts and the United States, we are eternally grateful for his service and sacrifice to his nation. And on this solemn occasion, I want to extend my best wishes to his family.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO KATHERINE JENNINGS MOXHAM
Chellie Pingree (Democrat, ME) \u2014 2017-7-28

I rise today to honor the memory of Katherine Jennings Moxham who passed away on July 7, 2017. prgtoken Katherine Jennings ``Kate'' Moxham, 46, a resident of Kennebunk, Maine, died Friday, July 7, 2017 at Maine Medical Center in Portland from injuries received in an accident while riding a bike from home to the town library. She was an advocate for education, literature, science, the environment and personal rights, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. prgtoken Kate was born May 5, 1971 in Kingston, PA, the daughter of Donald Bryden Jennings and Freda Ann Lockyer Jennings, and is a graduate of Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with a BA degree in history. prgtoken Kate was constantly seeking knowledge and educating. She loved reading, had a huge passion for libraries and learning, and was a constant advocate for both. She was vocal about what she stood for and fought for what she believed in. Having been awakened more recently (as she put it), Kate participated in the recent march for Women in Washington, DC, and in the March for Science in Boston. prgtoken Bringing people together to make connections and develop relationships, within her family, her wide circle of friends and her community was a hugely important part of her life. She was always the brightest light in the room wherever she was. Her laugh was infectious and her wit kept others in stitches. And her heart was as big as could be. She would help others without them needing to ask on a daily basis. And if they asked, she was right there. prgtoken One of Kate's passions was literature, and getting kids within her realm to pick up on that passion in any way she could. She was a volunteer at the Kennebunk Free Library, and served on its board of Trustees, including a term as board chair. Kate worked as librarian in the Kennebunk School System, at the Sea Road School library and also the Mildred L. Day School Library; created summer reading lists for all students from elementary grades through junior high, and created personal lists for students she knew so they would be challenged, intrigued, and enjoy the fun of a good book. prgtoken First and foremost was Kate's love of her immediate family--husband Todd of 17 years, and sons Tyler (15) and Riley (13). She was a tireless advocate for Tyler and Riley in the school system and in life. She loved to travel and show them new places and things to expand their minds, and to show them how to live in a community, taking care of others. She was planning to go next spring on a service trip with Tyler to Mississippi with a team from South Congregational Church. prgtoken Survivors include her husband Todd Moxham, two sons Tyler Moxham and Riley Moxham, all of Kennebunk, Maine.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3180, INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018; WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS...
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-7-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I thank the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. ) for yielding me the customary 30 minutes for debate, and I rise to debate the rule for H.R. 3180, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. prgtoken I was somewhat dismayed earlier this week when my friends across the aisle attempted to jam today's bill through this body by jettisoning regular order and bringing the bill up under suspension. prgtoken Luckily, we can add this shortsighted attempt at governing to their long list of legislative failures. And although I may be pleased that their suspension shenanigans failed, my frustration was born anew when we were informed that the bill would come to the floor under yet another closed rule. prgtoken This is all bad enough, and I will come back to it in a moment, but first we need to discuss the blanket martial law provision that my friends on the other side put into this rule. prgtoken This move, especially when considered in the context of those mentioned prgtoken above, truly elevated poor governing to an art form. prgtoken I want the American people, and and Independents alike, to be crystal clear on what is happening here today. By putting a blanket martial law provision into this rule, my friends across the aisle were trying to make it as easy as possible for them to pass a healthcare bill that they had never seen. The bill would have surely ripped healthcare away from millions of Americans and unceremoniously upended one-sixth of our economy. prgtoken Thankfully, Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McCain, and tens of thousands of regular Americans-turned-activists ensured that this effort failed. prgtoken Since day one, the approach of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle on healthcare or, for that matter, any number of other important issues has been horrendous. It has been rushed; it has been secretive; it has been chaotic; and it has been inspired by the desire for a cheap win rather than the desire to make our healthcare system stronger and more widely available to all Americans. prgtoken Truly, whether it is healthcare, veterans, or the authorization of funding for something as important as our intelligence community, the approach leaves some of us bewildered, dismayed, and gravely concerned for the well-being of our country. prgtoken Indeed, when discussing something as important as the authorization for funding for the intelligence community, we ought to proceed in a manner that allows all Members of this body the opportunity to weigh in with their concerns. This closed process does a disservice not only to those of us who do not sit on the committee of jurisdiction, but also the intelligence community and the American people. prgtoken As an example, when I did sit on this committee, I was vice chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and I worked diligently to ensure that minorities wer
REINTRODUCING THE SMART ENFORCEMENT ACT
Suzan K. DelBene (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-7-28

26 States and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of marijuana, including my home State of Washington. Yet marijuana possession or use for any purpose is still prohibited under Federal law, leaving my constituents, including cancer patients, at risk of prosecution. prgtoken That is why today I am reintroducing the State Marijuana and Regulatory Tolerance Enforcement Act, the SMART Enforcement Act. My bill will fix the conflict between State and Federal law by giving States a waiver from the Controlled Substances Act. prgtoken It also resolves the banking issues currently forcing dispensaries to operate in an unsafe all-cash basis. prgtoken These waivers will ensure people in States that have different laws from the Federal Government on marijuana are protected from prosecution, provided they meet certain requirements, because people in these States should not live in fear of unpredictable actions from the Attorney General and the Department of Justice on this issue.
HONORING RABBI AVROHOM HOFFMAN
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-7-28

I take great pleasure in sharing this story of Rabbi Avrohom Hoffman, a truly remarkable man whose presence has illuminated our community for decades. prgtoken Rabbi Hoffman has called Washington Heights his home for more than 35 years, fathering nine children with his wonderful wife, Miriam. He has served our community by teaching precollege students at a yeshiva and by providing spiritual guidance to those in great need. prgtoken I am honored to have such an exceptional individual in my district. I was recently informed that Rabbi Hoffman has donated his kidney to a 62-year-old woman diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. His boundless acts of philanthropy serve as a testament to his tremendous character and remind us of the power of human kindness. prgtoken He serves as a role model to all of us, and I am proud to have recognized a man of such compassion and virtue on this floor.
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018
Stephanie N. Murphy (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-7-28

. Madam , I rise in support of the Intelligence Authorization Act. prgtoken Good intelligence safeguards our Nation from adversaries. It is used to support our Armed Forces, our diplomats, and our homeland security professionals. prgtoken The men and women of the U.S. intelligence community make enormous sacrifices on behalf of our country. While others seek the limelight, they shun publicity and self-promotion. They are silent warriors and quiet heroes. prgtoken I want to highlight section 609 of this legislation. It is a version of a bill that I authored called the Prevention and Oversight of Intelligence Sharing with Enemies Act, or the POISE Act. prgtoken I introduced the POISE Act in May after the President disclosed highly sensitive information to senior Russian officials during a White House meeting. This information had been entrusted to the U.S. by key allies. prgtoken Under Federal law, the executive branch is required to inform the congressional intelligence committees of U.S. intelligence activities. The POISE Act would specify that the executive branch must notify the committees when a member of the executive branch, including the President, intentionally or inadvertently discloses top-secret information to adversary foreign government. prgtoken It is dangerous for a U.S. official to share classified information with an adversary, especially outside of established intelligence channels. The adversary could use the information to harm the United States or its allies. Moreover, our partners might decide to stop sharing critical intelligence with us if they lose confidence in our capacity to keep it confidential. prgtoken The congressional notification requirement in the POISE Act would help deter inappropriate disclosures of classified information to adversaries. Once formally notified of the disclosure, Congress would be in a position to take any appropriate oversight action. prgtoken I am so pleased that the core of the POISE Act is contained in section 609. I want to thank Chairman Nunes and Ranking Member Schiff for including the provision in the bill, and I urge the bill's swift passage.
MOMENT OF SILENCE HONORING VICTIMS OF HUMAN SMUGGLING
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-7-28

. Madam , I rise today to offer my condolences to the loved ones and families of the 10 victims who died in the tragic human smuggling incident that took place in my hometown of San Antonio, Texas, over the weekend. Many before them have sought to come to our country by land and sea, and have perished. prgtoken These were not Americans, but they are children of God. This was, above all else, politics aside, a human tragedy. prgtoken Please join me in a moment of silence to remember the victims and the countless others like them who have lost their lives in pursuit of the American Dream.
WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE OBAMACARE
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2017-7-28

lastly, I will close with this. If you were one of those Members of Congress, if you are a Senator or a Member of Congress who voted to gut the Affordable Care Act, there is time. There is a way to come back from that really bad decision. You can turn around and start working for the betterment of this country by trying to fix the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken The American public will look kindly upon those legislators who are here to work in a bipartisan manner to, again, lower costs, lower premiums, and provide more coverage and better healthcare outcomes. There is time to do this. But there is not time for more opportunities to gut this, for more time to kick people off Medicaid, or for more time to create some kind of situation that is only go to raise premiums. prgtoken If we allow to actually, in his words, make the whole thing fail, it is not Care that fails, it is not the Affordable Care Act that fails--it is the American people that fail. He is playing a game with the lives of the American people. prgtoken What he is going to do is he is going to cause millions of people to either lose their insurance because insurance companies are going to have to start shedding people, or premiums are going to end up going up because, if he creates instability in the market, these insurance companies are going to try to recoup their costs somehow, and it is going to discourage younger individuals from actually coming on and buying into the Care insurance pool, which, again, will raise premiums. This is unnecessary. prgtoken , for those Members of Congress and those Senators who want to work with us, the first step is to encourage and stop the President from sabotaging the Affordable Care Act and to work diligently in a bipartisan manner to fix the Affordable Care Act and cover more people.
RECOGNIZING IMPD DEPUTY CHIEF JIM WATERS
André Carson (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-7-28

I rise with a profound sense of sadness, as I grieve with the City of Indianapolis and the entire law enforcement community, over the loss of a true public servant. Today, we remember Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Jim Waters, who dedicated his life to serving others. prgtoken Deputy Chief Waters served our city for nearly 30 years, in a variety of roles in city government and on the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. In all his roles, Deputy Chief Waters was known as a bridge builder and someone who worked alongside community members to improve and protect our city. prgtoken Deputy Chief Waters was a decorated police officer who came from a long line of public servants. He rose through the ranks of IMPD, serving as District Commander of the East District, Assistant Chief, as well as Deputy Chief. His service did not go unnoticed; he was awarded the Medal of Bravery and Mayor's Community Service Award for his commitment to protecting Hoosiers. prgtoken Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our thoughts and prayers to Deputy Chief Waters' wife, Sherry, his children and his entire family. Deputy Chief Waters left a lasting legacy on the Indianapolis community and I am grateful for his years of dedicated service to our city.