mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ELLA PHILLIPS STEWART
Barbara Comstock (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise to inform you and our colleagues about a special ceremony that took place in Berryville, Virginia on October 6, 2018, to honor the extraordinary life of Ella Phillips Stewart, an African-American woman born in 1893, in the Longmarsh District of Clarke County, that is situated in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Ella's parents, Henry H. Phillips and Eliza T. Phillips, were sharecroppers who chose to send Ella to live with Henry's mother in the village of Stringtown, outside of Berryville. An outstanding student, Ella won several major scholarships to what was then the Storer Normal School, later Storer College, a historically African-American College in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Ella's upbringing in Clarke County provided her with the values and education that were a foundation for later professional success and national and international recognition. prgtoken After successfully matriculating from Storer, Ella was accepted by the University of Pittsburgh's School of Pharmacy and became the prgtoken first African-American woman to graduate from that program in 1916. In the same year, Stewart passed the state examination, becoming the first African-American female pharmacist in the state of Pennsylvania. An entrepreneur at heart, Ella soon opened her own drugstore at the General Hospital in Braddock, Pennsylvania and, in 1918, moved back to Pittsburgh, where she again established her own business, Myers Pharmacy. After practicing as pharmacists in Youngstown, Ohio for a couple of years, she and her husband, William Wyatt Stewart, a fellow graduate of the University of Pittsburgh's Pharmacy School, opened Stewart's Pharmacy in Toledo, Ohio, in 1922, which they operated until 1945, when they sold the business and retired. Located in Toledo's Pinewood District, the pharmacy was a popular neighborhood gathering place. The Stewarts, who owned the building and lived in the spacious apartment above the pharmacy, often hosted special visitors from out of town, including Marian Anderson and W.E.B. Du Bois. prgtoken Despite the inherent challenges of successfully operating a drug store and pharmacy, Ella Phillips Stewart found the time and energy to be involved in numerous civic organizations during her working career and in retirement. Her activities at a local level included leadership in the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the local chapter of the NAACP and the Enterprise Charity Club, a social service organization run by African-American women. From 1944 to 1948, she served as president of the Ohio Association of Colored Women, and from 1948 to 1952, as president of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). As leader of the NACWC, Stewart forcefully spoke out against segregation, discrimination and racial stereotyping. In 1961, she became an inaugural member of the Toledo Board of Community Relations, which worked to improve race relations in the city, and to ensure enforcemen
MANAGE OUR WOLVES ACT
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today in support of this bipartisan legislation. The Endangered Species Act helps species recover, and let me tell you, it works. In 1980, there were 25 wolves in Wisconsin. Recently, that number grew to 232 wolf packs--roughly 900 wolves. prgtoken Now that the wolf population is recovered, states must be allowed to take over management. The rising wolf population means livestock and hunting dogs fall prey to attacks, and as long as federal protections remain in place, Wisconsinites cannot protect their property. prgtoken , I support H.R. 6784 because, outside of dire circumstances, states are the most effective managers of wildlife and the policies affecting state residents. This legislation restores power to states, and I hope all my colleagues join me in voting for it.
IN HONOR OF THE LIFE OF EDGAR DAVID GROSS, WT2c NAVY RESERVE
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise to recognize the life of Edgar David Gross, WT2c Navy Reserve. prgtoken Edgar was born on October 25, 1902 in Athens, Alabama. He was the youngest of 10 children born to George and Susan Gross. prgtoken Edgar was married to Anne Pearl Gross and did not have any children. Edgar was a water tender 2nd class (WT2c) in the U.S. Naval Reserve and served aboard the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). prgtoken He was killed on December 7, 1941, during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. prgtoken The USS Oklahoma was moored at berth F-5, outboard of the USS Maryland, at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor when attached by Japanese forces. The USS Oklahoma suffered multiple torpedo hits which caused it to capsize. 429 sailors and Marines were killed, including Edgar. Only 32 men were saved. prgtoken In 2003, the POW/MIA Accounting Command disinterred the first casket of unknowns from the USS Oklahoma to identify. The remainder of caskets were disinterred until 2015 and Edgar's remains were identified officially on November 3, 2018. prgtoken A funeral and burial ceremony for Edgar will be held on Memorial Day 2019 at Cherry Grove Baptist Church in Athens followed by his burial at the family cemetery, Evans Cemetery. prgtoken , please join me in honoring the life of this brave American hero who is finally coming home.
RECOGNIZING THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF MADELINE DONOVAN
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-11-16

the work we do each day in Congress would not be possible without the tremendous efforts of our dedicated and talented staff. prgtoken Today I rise to recognize an especially valuable member of my team who is soon departing our office. prgtoken Madeline Donovan has been serving the needs of our North Country community since 2010, when she began working for constituents of our district in the office of my predecessor, Congressman Bill Owens. prgtoken The daughter of Timothy and Laura Donovan, Maddie was born and raised in Oswego, New York, and has enthusiastically worked on behalf of her community since she was a child, as a founding member of St. Stephen the King's Youth Group, a member of Oswego County's Youth Court, and an officer on Oswego County's Student Advisory Council. prgtoken She is a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester and has called Watertown, New York, home for the past eight years. prgtoken Maddie is passionate about her home state. She loves discussing the remarkable history of our region and is always eager to point out to others just what makes Northern New York so unique. Whenever I travel across our great district, I run into veterans, seniors and farmers that she has worked tirelessly to help. I know that she will always carry a piece of the North Country with her in her heart, and it is bittersweet to wish Maddie all my best going forward. prgtoken I am grateful for her incredible service to our district.
IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN VOLPI
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today to recognize John Volpi of Lone Star Analysis, who will retire in December. His career leaves an indelible mark on the State of Texas and our nation. Born and raised in Chicago, John moved to Texas after graduate school at Michigan State. He joined Texas Instruments where he helped usher in modern radar technologies including low level terrain following, and he was a leader in commercial electronics including low cost LORAN. John's teams created technologies that we all depend on today. He led the creation of miniaturized high-performance GPS. He led the development of smart cell phone antennas needed for 4G and 5G base stations. John was perhaps the most important influence at a critical point when DoD decided whether to use GPS for weapons. Today, we assume JDAM and many other smart munitions use GPS. That might not have happened without John's influence. John is an expert in intellectual property. He holds a large number of patents, awarded and pending. He was a key voice in the patent strategy at Texas Instruments, and later at Raytheon. He left the world of large corporations to become Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Incucomm Inc a business incubator. Incucomm played a critical role in the successful launch of several companies and touched more than 300 tech startups in North Texas. One of the companies born in that incubator was Lone Star Analysis, where John now serves as CTO. In 2012, John was awarded the Tech Titans Award for Corporate CTO by the DFW Metroplex Technology Business Counsel out of a pool of 4,000 firms. The Tech Titans Award was only one of many awards and accolades he has earned over his illustrious career. In addition to his achievements, John has been an important mentor and teacher in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology. John led Lone Star's internship program for many years. In some cases, he personally tutored young engineering students. His commitment was ``none of our interns will fail any of their classes.'' He has been an asset for North Texas universities and their students. In fact, he personally has taught nearly all the new employees at Lone Star. John leaves a legacy of excellence, compassion, and impact. Texas and our nation are better places because of the life he has led. I am grateful for his service, and wish him well in his retirement.
MANAGE OUR WOLVES ACT
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2018-11-16

I would just say that the Endangered Species Act delisting a species is based on science, and the science has proven that this species is recovered. Twice under the previous administration, Fish and Wildlife tried to delist the species based on the science. prgtoken , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson), who is also a cosponsor of the bill and from wolf country.
MANAGE OUR WOLVES ACT
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today in support of my colleague from Wisconsin, Representative Sean Duffy, and his bill, the Manage Our Wolves Act. This piece of legislation is critically important to my district and its farmers. prgtoken You see, farming is the lifeblood of northeast Wisconsin. Not only do our agricultural products support thousands of local jobs, they also feed millions of mouths across the world. This is why so many of my constituents are concerned by the threat of the gray wolf population to our farms. Already, the gray wolf's predatory behavior has cost Wisconsin farmers millions of dollars in damage. prgtoken This is why we must pass the Manage Our Wolves Act to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act and return control of population back to the States where it belongs. By doing so, farmers will finally be able to focus on actual farming, instead of having to spend extra time and money on keeping their livestock out of danger. prgtoken I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation. Our farmers are depending on it.
MANAGE OUR WOLVES ACT
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2018-11-16

I will emphasize something I think that has been said before. You always try to think of something new. prgtoken You can't help but notice that the number of people who do not want the gray wolf delisted live in areas that don't have gray wolves. The State of Wisconsin is maybe typical in this. They introduced gray wolves to northern Wisconsin. When there was controversy about it, they said, Well, that is okay. These are northern areas where very few people live. Of course, even then I had a problem with it because people did live up there. prgtoken I don't think the people near where this judge lived would want the gray wolves wandering around the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. They would not want the concern, walking around at night with the wolves, even though prgtoken they don't normally attack humans. They would not want the concern of the wolves out there if they have dogs or other pets around. If they had cattle, they wouldn't want that concern. prgtoken Wisconsin being very typical, I think the gray wolves that began in the northern part of the State are now all the way down to areas like Columbia County or Sheboygan County in the southern part of the State. And they will, unless somebody does something about it, continue to grow, continue to go further south, and the herds will continue to grow. prgtoken I would ask people who are going to vote against this: Think how you would feel if you have a significant number of gray wolves wandering around your subdivision--or even one gray wolf wandering around your subdivision--and then have more respect for the Congressmen who are living with these gray wolves.
RECOGNIZING JOAN NYE OF COLUMBUS
Greg Gianforte (Republican, MT) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today to honor Joan Nye of Columbus for her efforts to prevent suicide in Montana and the support she provides the survivors of suicide loss. Ms. Nye serves on the executive board of the Montana chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and has led the organization for a decade as its chairwoman. She facilitates a support group for survivors of suicide loss and has been an active member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Yellowstone Valley since its formation in 2004. The group sponsors monthly meetings, outreach events, fundraisers, and seminars. A survivor of suicide loss, Ms. Nye chairs the AFSP Montana chapter's education committee which focuses on suicide prevention education and training. She helps health professionals, family members, and others learn to identify the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and how to seek help. Ms. Nye is a key organizer of the Out of the Darkness Yellowstone Valley Walk, which raised nearly $90,000 in September for AFSP to invest in research, education, outreach, and support services. Her efforts are critical in Montana which has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. On average, a Montanan dies by suicide every 33 hours. Tragically, it is the eighth leading cause of death in Montana, and it is the second leading cause of death for young Americans. Suicide, however, is preventable, and dedicated and compassionate advocates like Joan Nye are helping to save lives and end the stigma surrounding suicide for her selfless devotion to the survivors of suicide loss and her tireless efforts to prevent suicide in Montana, I recognize Joan Nye for her spirit of Montana.
RECOGNIZING 2018 WORLD WIDE PRESSURE INJURY PREVENTION DAY AND H. RES. 1133
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today to bring awareness to the 2018 World Wide Pressure Injury Prevention Day and to express my support for H. Res. 1133 which I recently introduced to raise awareness to an epidemic affecting our country and the entire world. prgtoken Pressure injuries and their associated complications lead to over 60,000 deaths in patients per year, affect over 2 million Americans, and cost the United States health care system nearly $11 billion annually. prgtoken Between 2016 and 2017, hospital-acquired pressure injury incidence rates increased by 58.4 percent. Clearly we need additional research to advance treatments for pressure injury patients. This will also relieve the financial burden on government and health care providers around the country. prgtoken World Wide Pressure Injury Prevention Day, observed annually on the third Thursday in November, and the National Pressure Ulcer/Injury Prevention Day proposed in H. Res. 1133, serve as reminders for all that we must do more if we hope to overcome this challenging health care dilemma. prgtoken I look forward to working with the House Energy and Commerce Committee in considering H. Res. 1133 for the benefit of all Americans to reduce the prevalence and impact of this overlooked, yet devastating health care condition.
MANAGE OUR WOLVES ACT
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-11-16

I have a few wolves in my district, not enough. I don't know that I will take Mr. Peterson's wolves, but we are breeding our own. prgtoken OR-7 made an incredible journey from way up in northeastern Oregon all the way down to the California border. He went down to California looking for a mate. He finally found one, and those were his first progeny. prgtoken Guess what? We are not having catastrophic predation on cattle in southern Oregon. We could accommodate more wolves. prgtoken Now, there are reasons why cattle die. My colleague from Oregon might show up, and he has a picture--it is kind of ugly--of a calf that was killed by wolves. It was sad that that calf didn't get to grow up and go to the slaughterhouse. prgtoken Here are the real facts. Seventy-four percent of loss is due to health issues; that is, good husbandry. Eight percent almost, 7.8, is due to weather; 2.7 is due to coyotes, cougars, bear, and dogs-- predators. Oh, here we are. Look, that is the problem. Wait a minute. We have new numbers, 0.2 percent--0.2 percent--is due to wolf predation. prgtoken Now, I doubt that my colleagues on the other side have gone to Yellowstone to see the phenomenal recovery of the ecosystems in Yellowstone. We will hear that, oh, it is bad for hunters, elk. Well, actually, the elk population is doing very well, but they don't browse all the way down into the streams anymore. So now fish have come back, and other species have come back, because the elk are worried about the wolves, so they stick to the forested areas where they should be. So having apex predators is incredibly important to a balanced environment. prgtoken To say that we have to go out and slaughter those--Fish and Wildlife or Animal Damage Control, whatever the heck we call those jerks these days. The Federal Government has been subsidizing for years the indiscriminate slaughter of predator species, ostensibly to help out the ranchers. prgtoken Now, when I was a county commissioner, we were kind of broke, and we went through a list of everything we were doing. I said, what are we doing, giving this money there? They said that is our match to the Federal Government to come and kill coyotes. I said, why? What is that about? They said, oh, sheep predation, horrible, horrible. prgtoken We were broke. We cut out that. We said, no, we don't want these people here anymore. We are not going to subsidize it. prgtoken Guess what happened? Nothing. We did not have horrible sheep predation in my county. prgtoken So a lot of this is based on some kind of gut-level, historic fear or hatred of predators that has been passed down from generation to generation. prgtoken We can have a healthy wolf population, and you can still do good husbandry with cattle. prgtoken So they want to delist the wolf in all the lower 48. We have maybe 8, 12, 10-- prgtoken we don't even know--in my district, which is historic habitat. In other parts of the State that have been previously occ
WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY 2018
Grace Meng (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today to speak in honor of Women's Entrepreneurship Day which is celebrated around the world each year on November 19th. prgtoken Women are majority owners of 9.9 million American businesses which generate $1.4 trillion in annual sales and employ more than 8.4 million workers. Ninety-nine percent of women-owned businesses are small businesses, and 47 percent of all American minority-owned businesses are also women-owned. I applaud these women entrepreneurs and their economically-vital businesses. prgtoken I applaud Wendy Diamond, who has personally spearheaded the Women's Entrepreneurship Day movement. Since her campaign launched in 2013, her Women's Entrepreneurship Day organization has funded 500 Syrian refugee girls in Jordan so they could attend high school, launched an initiative in Oman to empower women and girls to vote against arranged marriage, and partnered with a Uruguayan university to offer scholarships to young women. Women's Entrepreneurship Day is now celebrated in 144 countries and 65 universities and colleges internationally, with numerous global ambassadors. The Women's Entrepreneurship Day mission is to empower the four billion women worldwide to be catalysts of change, and uplift the over 250 million girls living in poverty around the world. prgtoken This week, Ms. Diamond is hosting a Women's Entrepreneurship Day event in New York City at the United Nations in order to empower, celebrate, and support women and girls globally to alleviate poverty. prgtoken During this event, Ms. Diamond and her organization will be honoring the following individuals with the following awards: prgtoken Anna Sui--fashion designer and founder, Anna Sui brand--Fashion Pioneer Award. Eileen Murray--Co-CEO, Bridgewater Associates--Financial Pioneer Award. Shannon Dellimore--Co-Founder, GLAMGLOW--Beauty Pioneer Award. Shanu Hinduja--Chair, Hinduja Bank in Switzerland; Chair, Hinduja Foundation US; and Co-Chair and Director of Hinduja Global Solutions Inc.--Philanthropy Pioneer Award. prgtoken Princess Martha Louise of Norway--Chair, Princess Martha Louise's Fund--Political Pioneer Award. prgtoken Kathleen King--Founder, Tate's Bake Shop--Culinary Pioneer Award. prgtoken Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk--President and Co-Founder, Memnosyne Institute, and President and Co-Founder, The John Philp Thompson Foundation--Civic Pioneer Award. prgtoken Shelley Zalis--Founder and CEO, Online Testing Exchange, and Founder and CEO, The Female Quotient--Technology Pioneer Award. prgtoken , I urge the entire House to recognize these remarkable role models, and to celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day this year and every year moving forward.
END HUNGER NOW
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-11-16

I just saw a report that most minimum wage workers need 2\1/2\ full-time jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment. prgtoken Many of us can't imagine deciding between paying rent and buying food, but that is exactly the choice that far too many Americans face. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, helps by providing a small benefit so families don't go hungry. But the farm bill that the House s have passed cuts SNAP by $23 billion. prgtoken Let's remember, most people on SNAP who can work, do work. prgtoken Let's also remember that real farmers rely on the farm bill. The longer s try to use it for entitlement reform, the longer we hurt those farmers. prgtoken The American people made their priorities clear at the ballot box: They want to create opportunity and possibility for all our families. prgtoken Here is a radical idea: Let's listen to them. Let's follow the lead of Senate s and who worked together on a farm bill that helps farmers and maintains SNAP. And let's end hunger now.
EXTEND THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM
Charlie Crist (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-11-16

I rise today urging action to extend the National Flood Insurance Program. prgtoken If Congress fails to reauthorize the NFIP by November 30, millions of homeowners will be unable to obtain or renew their flood coverage; housing markets will grind to a halt; and families will be left at risk of financial ruin should a flood occur. prgtoken Congress must put this uncertainty to rest. Policyholders need stability. Our housing markets need stability. American families also need stability. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to bring to the floor, and to pass, the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program as soon as possible.