mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
(By unanimous consent, Mr. HOYER was allowed to speak out of order.)
Robert B. Aderholt (Republican, AL) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , my motion this morning moves $15 million from an unauthorized program that provides free legal assistance to illegal immigrants at the southern border to the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program. prgtoken The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program--or Byrne JAG, as it is commonly known--is a leading source of law enforcement assistance funding to State, local, and Tribal jurisdictions across the United States. prgtoken Its namesake was Edward Byrne. He was a New York City police officer. He was known by Eddie to his family and his friends. He was outgoing. He was a friendly individual who wanted to make his city a safer place. prgtoken In 1987, Officer Byrne joined the New York City Police Department. He was well liked by his fellow officers, and he was passionate about his work. prgtoken However, in the early morning hours of February 26, 1988, Officer Byrne was on detail protecting a witness who had testified against local drug dealers. Officer Byrne was in his patrol car outside the witness' home when armed gunmen crept up to his car and shot him five times in the head. He died of his injuries. prgtoken The NYPD lost one of its finest that day, and Eddie's family lost a cherished son and a brother. He was only age 22. prgtoken In honor of Officer Byrne, Congress subsequently created the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program. In 2019 alone, Byrne JAG assisted nearly 1,000 State, local, and Tribal jurisdictions. prgtoken Many Members of this body know that Byrne JAG provides critical funding, but Byrne JAG does a lot more. The program that memorializes Eddie Byrne also supports indigent defense programs, drug treatment programs, and mental health programs. prgtoken In our Nation, the fair administration of justice demands that competent and effective public defenders are a part of our system. Our annual Byrne JAG appropriations help to uphold just that. prgtoken As I noted, the Byrne JAG grants also support drug treatment programs. Research shows that drug treatment is more effective than imprisonment at reducing drug use and related crime. prgtoken In addition, Byrne JAG supports crisis intervention initiatives. prgtoken Sadly, the lack of mental health services across the United States often results in police officers serving as the first responders in the case of a mental health crisis. prgtoken However, crisis intervention teams that are supported by Byrne JAG reduce arrests of people with mental illness while improving the likelihood that individuals will receive that mental health treatment they need. prgtoken I think Officer Byrne would be pleased with this. These are just a few of the reasons to support this motion. prgtoken If you need more, please consider this: Current immigration law affirms an illegal immigrant's right to counsel at no expense to taxpayers. prgtoken Moreover, under this bill, even illegal immigrants who are ineligible for asylum, such as criminals and those who hav
(By unanimous consent, Mr. HOYER was allowed to speak out of order.)
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-7-31

quarantining in accordance with the Attending Physician's guidance after extensive interactions with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 176, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 177, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 178. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 965, 116th congress Clay (Davids (KS)) Cleaver (Davids (KS)) DeSaulnier (Matsui) Frankel (Clark (MA)) Garamendi (Sherman) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Hastings (Wasserman Schultz) Horsford (Kildee) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Khanna (Sherman) Kirkpatrick (Gallego) Kuster (NH) (Brownley (CA)) Langevin (Lynch) Lawrence (Beatty) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu, Ted (Beyer) Lipinski (Cooper) Lofgren (Jeffries) Lowenthal (Beyer) McEachin (Wexton) Moore (Beyer) Mucarsel-Powell (Wasserman Schultz) Nadler (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) Pascrell (Sires) Payne (Wasserman Schultz) Peters (Rice (NY)) Pingree (Clark (MA)) Pocan (Raskin) Porter (Wexton) Rush (Underwood) Serrano (Jeffries) Speier (Scanlon) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Welch (McGovern) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)
PAY FOR SLAY MUST END
Doug Lamborn (Republican, CO) \u2014 2020-7-31

in March 2016, Taylor Force, a U.S. Army veteran, was brutally murdered by a Palestinian terrorist while visiting Israel. The terrorist's family now receives monthly rewards from the so-called Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund. Palestinian leadership has spent over $350 million rewarding tens of thousands of terrorists with pay-for-slay payments. prgtoken My bill, the Taylor Force Act, signed into law by President in 2018, targeted these payments, but we have documented evidence that they continue today. prgtoken The U.S. must sanction Palestinian officials, like Qadri Abu Bakr, who are incentivizing terror and officially designate them as sponsors of terror. We must let the enemies of peace know that the United States will not stand by and allow the Palestinian Authority to promote and reward the murder of innocents through pay for slay. prgtoken , in March 2016, Taylor Force, an American citizen and U.S. Army veteran who served his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan, was brutally and senselessly murdered by a Palestinian terrorist while visiting Israel. The murderer was later shot dead by police after his stabbing spree wounded another 10 innocent victims. prgtoken For carrying out this evil act, the terrorist's family receives monthly stipends from the so-called ``Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund.'' prgtoken In fact, tens of thousands of terrorists and their families have received millions of dollars from Palestinian leadership as a reward for murdering innocent men, women, and children. prgtoken The grotesque incentive is structured so that the more people they kill, the greater their monetary reward. The most prolific killers can receive more than $3,500 a month. This includes those who were and remain members of designated terrorist organizations as described in President 's Terrorist Designation Executive Order #13224. prgtoken Palestinian leadership has since spent over $350 million rewarding these heinous acts of terror in what has now been universally dubbed ``pay-for-slay.'' prgtoken My bill, the Taylor Force Act, was signed into law by President on March 23, 2018. This law was meant to disincentivize these awful payments, end the senseless war of terror against Israel, and advance the cause of peace by ending the cycle of violence perpetuated by the Palestinian political leadership. prgtoken Unfortunately, Palestinian Authority leaders have publicly rejected the terms of the Taylor Force Act. We have seen documented evidence that the ``pay for slay'' payments are now continuing in 2020, something which Palestinian leadership has brazenly praised without fear of consequences from the United States. prgtoken The appropriate next step is to personally sanction the Palestinian officials involved in this incentivizing of terror. prgtoken The Palestinian Commission of Prisoners' Affairs and its Director, Qadri Abu Bakr, must be designated as sponsors of terror, as the administration
THANKING ZVERSE
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , during these uncertain times, it is inspiring to see our communities come together to help one another. prgtoken I am thankful to ZVerse in Columbia for their efforts to help our citizens to be safe and healthy. ZVerse is currently using their advanced technology to meet the urgent needs to shield healthcare heroes fighting the Wuhan virus. prgtoken Through this effort, ZVerse can produce 1 million engineered ZShields per week. I am grateful for the success of founder and CEO John Carrington, with President David Craig; board members Hugh Evans, Wei- Chun Tai, and Scot Wingo; and adviser Tom Kurke in fighting against this devastating disease. prgtoken I look forward to thanking ZVerse during the annual bus tour of the Second District. I am grateful for the opportunity to recognize the important work and citizens I represent. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism. prgtoken Our sympathy to the family and friends of Herman Cain from Atlanta.
KLAMATH BASIN
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-7-31

lying in northern California and southern Oregon is the Klamath Lake as well as the Klamath Project, which has provided water for agriculture for almost 100 years. prgtoken The science involved that informs how much water the Klamath Project receives each year has been flawed for quite some time. For years, farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin have competed with salmon and suckerfish for the full water allocation that they need. This year's battle was the final straw. prgtoken Earlier this month, in July, Secretary Bernhardt and Commissioner Burman came to visit the Klamath Basin to meet with farmers, ranchers, locals, and other stakeholders at the invitation of myself and my colleague, Greg Walden. They got to see just how harmful the bad science has been to the irrigators in the basin. prgtoken This week, the Secretary and Commissioner announced that the administration is making a commitment to update the science on the Klamath Project, and it will inevitably provide relief to the irrigators and the dwindling fish populations that have suffered nonsensical allocations. prgtoken In a time where it seems that our government can't seem to get much right or much production done, this administration has provided a potentially lifesaving solution to the Klamath Basin in just under a month. prgtoken Updating the science is critical and will help us make more informed decisions for decades to come.
IN THE MATTER OF REPRESENTATIVE DAVID SCHWEIKERT OF ARIZONA
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , I rise today regarding the determination by the Committee on Ethics on the matter regarding David Schweikert, our colleague. prgtoken As I was preparing my remarks today, I thought about my second or third day in Congress when I was standing at the back of the well looking out at this grand room. Boehner came up to me. And Boehner said to me, You are a prosecutor, right? prgtoken And I said, Yes. prgtoken And he said, You have done it for 20 years in the Federal system? prgtoken And I said, Yes. prgtoken He said, Well, you are going to be one of the designated prosecutors in case someone has an ethics issue. You are going to be one of the ones we are going to use. And he walked away. prgtoken And as he walked away, I thought about two things: I thought, I hope it never happens that they may need my services. And an honor it was, but regardless of the honor it was that he tapped me. prgtoken And the second thing was about what a privilege it is to be in the House. prgtoken Whether or , we all have the great privilege of serving in the United States House of Representatives. And with that privilege comes great responsibility to abide by the rules of this institution, which are in place so that we may best serve our constituents and our country. prgtoken While there is no joy in bringing this action to the floor today, as my colleague and friend, Dean, stated, I appreciate the bipartisan work done by the members who served on this subcommittee. Moreover, I applaud the diligence of the nonpartisan staff members who Dean named, and who worked tirelessly throughout this process to ensure fairness and to uphold the standards imposed upon every Member of Congress. prgtoken The investigation was conducted thoroughly and without one hint of bias. Importantly, I believe the bipartisan manner in which it was conducted demonstrates that the processes in place to hold Members of Congress accountable do indeed work and are taken very seriously by both parties. prgtoken Madam , in closing, I commend everybody who was involved in this investigation, and I commend the House for having these rules.
HONORING VICTIMS OF DAYTON, OHIO, MASS SHOOTING
Michael R. Turner (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , last year, on August 4, 2019, around 1 a.m a gunman opened fire on a crowded street in the Oregon district in Dayton, Ohio. prgtoken The police officers at the scene ran toward the danger. Within a mere 32 seconds, because of the courageous acts of the police officers, the shooter was dead. Hundreds of lives were saved. prgtoken A year later, our community is still reeling from this senseless act of evil. Even with the police's quick action, nine lives were lost: prgtoken Lois Oglesby prgtoken Megan Betts prgtoken Saeed Saleh prgtoken Derrick Fudge prgtoken Nicholas Cumer prgtoken Thomas McNichols prgtoken Beatrice Warren-Curtis prgtoken Monica Brickhouse prgtoken Logan Turner prgtoken My community remains thankful for the quick action of the Dayton police officers.
IN THE MATTER OF REPRESENTATIVE DAVID SCHWEIKERT OF ARIZONA
Kenny Marchant (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , , the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch), for yielding the time to our side. I want to thank the chairman for his service to the House. I have appreciated working with him in Congress and look forward to our continued service in the next few months. prgtoken The Ethics Committee is the only evenly divided committee in the House. We are a consensus-based committee. Through the hard work of many Members and professional staff of the Ethics Committee, we have brought forward this report today by unanimous vote in the committee regarding our fellow House Member, Representative David Schweikert of Arizona. prgtoken The Ethics Committee has been entrusted to fulfill the constitutional obligation and responsibility for admonishing Members and staff when appropriate. This is not a duty that we take lightly--far from it--but it is essential in maintaining the public's trust of our Chamber. prgtoken I want to thank the four Members who served on the investigative subcommittee. This was no easy burden on the investigative subcommittee, led by Congressman Dean Phillips and Mr. Bill Flores as the chairman and ranking member of the panel. They were joined by Congressman Jamie Raskin and Congressman John Katko. prgtoken Collectively, the investigative subcommittee met 22 times during this 116th Congress and four times in the previous Congress. They reviewed over 200,000 pages of evidence and materials and conducted 18 witness interviews. prgtoken The members took their charge with great care and diligence to ensure a thorough and fair process, and I thank them for that. They worked through some very complex material and have produced today's report. I join the chairman in thanking them for their service. prgtoken I encourage all Members and staff to read the report, as it contains significant guidance on proper use of the Members' Representational Allowance, also known as the MRA; the reporting of campaign funds; the proper use of official resources; and financial disclosure. prgtoken The gentleman from Arizona and his legal counsel have participated in this lengthy process with both the investigative subcommittee and the full Ethics Committee. It now rests with the House to accept this report and its recommendations, and I support its swift and favorable passage this morning. prgtoken Madam , .
THANKING 141ST AIR REFUELING WING
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Republican, WA) \u2014 2020-7-31

I rise to honor Washington State's 141st Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base. In countless ways, the 141st Air Refueling Wing has answered the call of service. prgtoken Because of the COVID-19 crisis, they have also taken action to help families in need. For example, they have helped food banks distribute more than 4.5 million pounds of food. They have partnered with the Washington State Department of Health Incident Management Team on testing sites. At this very moment, airmen and -women are operating five mobile testing facilities in my State. prgtoken On top of all this, the 141st Air Refueling Wing is also fighting fires. As the summer wildfire season ends, Team Fairchild's RC-26 Metroliner has flown hundreds of hours, detecting 110 new fires and mapping more than 325 fires. prgtoken With this critical data, the 141st Air Refueling Wing has saved lives, property, and businesses. prgtoken , the 141st Air Refueling Wing and Washington State National Guard serve both at home and around the world. I thank them for their lifesaving efforts and sacrifices.
HONORING HOLLY BARSTOW AND PATRICIA LONGACRE
Don Bacon (Republican, NE) \u2014 2020-7-31

I rise today to honor two dedicated residents from our district of Omaha who stepped up to the challenge COVID-19 has placed on our communities. prgtoken Holly Barstow and Patricia Longacre started a mask-making movement that accomplished an incredible feat. Since March, they and over 2,400 volunteers stayed busy as they worked to make over 140,000 masks. prgtoken Holly and Patricia's efforts started as a project to make 10,000 masks for local hospital personnel and first responders but quickly grew. In addition to the 140,000 masks, they also produced over 36,000 surgical caps, 200 surgical gowns, 500 face shields, and thousands of ear savers. prgtoken They are now retiring, as commercial masks are readily available. prgtoken I admire and thank Holly and Patricia for serving others. They have inspired many to be servant leaders. They have also demonstrated the innovative and can-do spirit that makes America great. We admire them.
STAUNTON KIWANIS CLUB
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2020-7-31

I rise to commend the Staunton Kiwanis Club for their efforts to donate food and supplies to local families in need. prgtoken Originally, the club had donated supplies for the Little League Baseball opener, but when the season was abruptly canceled, club member Michael Roman urged his group to live their motto ``to serve the kids'' in a new way. prgtoken Kiwanis members and Martin's Food then arranged for the repurposing of donated items from the local store. Kiwanis members now pick up items and drive to the concession stand in Gypsy Hill Park, where supplies are sorted and redistributed to social service agencies to be used by their clients. Since April, 15 loads of food, averaging 450 pounds each, have been donated, providing about 334 meals per load. prgtoken Quick thinking and dedicated action by Staunton Kiwanis turned the disappointment of a lost baseball season into positive assistance for local families to truly serve the kids.
RECOGNIZING DUSTIN NIST OF NEW FRANKLIN, OHIO
Anthony Gonzalez (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-7-31

today I rise to recognize the heroic efforts of Dustin Nist from New Franklin, Ohio. prgtoken On June 11, 2020, Dustin witnessed a car run a stop sign, drive off the road, and descend into the Tuscarawas River. Without hesitating, Dustin ran to help. prgtoken Seeing the car had been partially submerged, Dustin ran to the nearby fire station to alert the rescue crew and then ran back to the scene of the accident. Dustin made his way down a hill into the water, swimming to the passenger side of the vehicle in order to break out the window. Unsure about the passenger's injuries, Dustin was hesitant about removing the woman from the car but stayed with her until the rescue crews arrived. prgtoken Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle, Franklin D. Roffe, succumbed to his injuries; but due to Dustin's heroic efforts and the work of the New Franklin Police and Fire Departments, Clinton Fire Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the staff of Summa Akron City Hospital, the woman's life was saved. prgtoken Today, we honor Kent State University student and New Franklin resident Dustin Nist for his heroic actions and keep everyone involved in this tragic accident in our prayers.
IN RECOGNITION OF MISSOURI'S FIRST RESPONDERS
Vicky Hartzler (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-7-31

. Madam , I rise today to honor Missouri's first responders who work selflessly to keep our communities safe. I am tremendously proud and grateful for the Police Officers, Firefighters, and Emergency Medical Professionals who leave their own families and put themselves in harm's way to take care of others. Emergency Dispatchers communicate with terrified victims, frantic witnesses, worried family members and suicidal citizens. They are a calming influence for everyone who calls . . . the reassuring, competent voices in the night that offer peace, assistance, and comfort. prgtoken On any given day, first responders may be called to rescue someone from a burning building, break-up a vicious assault, settle a family dispute, or simply help a grandparent who has fallen. No matter what the situation demands . . . bravery, diplomacy, initiative, versatility or compassion . . . they provide exactly what is needed in that moment. prgtoken Just like during tornados and floods, first responders are on the frontlines of today's COVID-19 crisis and they are being put in situations that were unfathomable just a few months ago. EMS workers are struggling to keep up with a dramatic increase in 9-1-1 calls while enduring shortages of protective equipment and frequent exposure to the virus. Police departments are fighting to keep the peace when large numbers of their workforce are in quarantine and morale is challenged by anti-police rhetoric dominating the national discourse. Fire departments are often understaffed, especially in rural areas, but that doesn't stop them from working tirelessly to keep communities safe amid volunteer shortages. And, emergency dispatchers don't have the option to work from home . . . they are managing an increase in call volume while working in close quarters, which prevents social distancing. prgtoken Missouri's first responders embody the very best of the American spirit. With charity and prgtoken compassion, these brave men and women regularly put the well-being of others before their own. Through their actions they are heroes . . . through their example they are role models for all of us to emulate. prgtoken Madam , the current COVID-19 pandemic has presented Missouri's first responders with seemingly impossible challenges. Despite numerous obstacles, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical professionals and 9-1-1 dispatchers are showing up every day to care for their friends, neighbors, and communities. On behalf of a grateful community, I express my sincere thanks, and pray God blesses them all with peace and safety.