mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF CHIEF OF POLICE RUSS KERBOW
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-8-24

I rise today to recognize the exemplary work of Chief of Police Russ Kerbow of the Lewisville Police Department. prgtoken Chief Kerbow recently retired from the Lewisville Police Department after spending more than 40 years serving his hometown. He began his career in 1977 as a Reserve Officer before rising through the ranks in various areas of the department. Nearly thirty years later, in May 2007, he was appointed Chief of Police. prgtoken As a North Texas leader in law enforcement, Chief Kerbow is well respected by his colleagues and the residents of Lewisville, Texas. prgtoken Before joining the Lewisville Police Department, Chief Kerbow graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He attended the School of Police Supervision at the Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute, the Command Management School, and the 197th Session of the National FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Chief Kerbow holds a Master Peace Officers License and is the regional director for Region 8 of the Texas Police Chiefs Association. prgtoken Outside of his law enforcement career, Chief Kerbow actively serves or has served on a number of North Texas non-profit organizations' boards such as CASA of Denton County, the Heroes of Denton County, Lewisville ISD Education Foundation, and Lewisville Rotary. prgtoken Chief Kerbow has devoted more than four decades to protecting and serving his neighbors, putting strangers' safety above his own. He has made significant contributions to the Lewisville Police Department and our North Texas community. I am deeply grateful for Chief Kerbow's service to the City of Lewisville, and wish him the best in his retirement.
CONGRATULATING SKYWEST AIRLINES ON BEGINNING ITS SERVICE AT PLATTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2018-8-24

I rise today to congratulate SkyWest Airlines on beginning its round-trip service between Plattsburgh, New York, and Washington Dulles. prgtoken On March 20, 2018, SkyWest won approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to become the new Essential Air Services Provider at Plattsburgh International Airport. SkyWest, branded as United Express, will offer 12 round-trip flights a week to and from Washington Dulles International Airport. This new connection between the Washington metropolitan area and the North Country will serve employers and institutions for business travel, foster tourism in the Adirondacks, and link Plattsburgh with the rest of the world through greater access to international flights. SkyWest will also proudly take over as the flight provider for the North Country Honor Flight to continue serving North Country veterans and their families. prgtoken On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, I want to welcome SkyWest to Plattsburgh International Airport and to the North Country, and wish them the best of luck as they begin this important service to Northern New York. This connection presents a major opportunity for the community, and I look forward to seeing the economic development that it will bring to the region.
CONGRATULATING DR. ABERRA MOLLA
Mike Coffman (Republican, CO) \u2014 2018-8-24

I rise today to congratulate Dr. Aberra Molla on his achievements in computerizing the Ethiopic or Ga'ez alphabet. prgtoken Dr. Aberra Molla is a scientist, inventor, and pioneer in the computerization of the Ethiopic alphabet. Dr. Molla invented a method for Ethiopians to render their language, which contains more than 564 Unicode glyphs, accurately on a computer, using, at most, two keystrokes per character. He now owns two U.S. patents for his invention of this unique system. prgtoken I am grateful for Dr. Aberra Molla's contribution to the Ethiopian people in Ethiopia, in Colorado, and throughout the rest of the world. His hard work and ingenuity has enabled Ethiopians to use their language and alphabets effectively and efficiently on the standard size keyboards that are synonymous with today's technology. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. Molla for making his invention available to the general public to use free of charge, improving the everyday lives of all Ethiopians. prgtoken I have the honor of representing the largest Ethiopian community living in Colorado in my Congressional District and deeply appreciate the value of Dr. Molla's invention to them. Further, it has been my pleasure to get to know Dr. Molla through the years and I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize him on the House floor here today.
CELEBRATING CLAUDE AND MARY RENSHAW ON THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Jackie Walorski (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-8-24

I rise today to recognize Claude and Mary Renshaw of South Bend on their 50th wedding anniversary. prgtoken After marrying in 1968 and moving to northern Indiana in 1977, they built a beautiful life for their family full of love, laughter, and strong Hoosier values. Fifty years of marriage is a marvelous accomplishment that speaks volumes to the compassion and the tremendous foundation of respect and gratitude they share with one another. prgtoken Their lasting commitment not only to each other but also to their daughters and granddaughter is a shining example of devotion and prgtoken faithfulness in our Hoosier community. Having dedicated themselves to educational and cultural enrichment, they have touched the lives of countless people in our community. I am grateful for all they have done over the years to make South Bend a better place to live. prgtoken On behalf of 2nd District Hoosiers, it is my honor to celebrate Claude and Mary on their golden anniversary and to help them ring in this milestone. I would like to extend my sincerest congratulations to Claude, Mary, and their entire family. It is my hope that their love continues to grow stronger with each passing year.
HONORING THE 2018 TUNKHANNOCK TIGERS SOFTBALL TEAM
Lou Barletta (Republican, PA) \u2014 2018-8-24

I would like to recognize the Tunkhannock Tigers Little League Softball Team for their outstanding performance in the 2018 Little League Softball World Series. prgtoken The Tunkhannock Tigers had an impressive run in this year' s tournament. They were the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinal game and ultimately advanced to the championship, where they fought hard but suffered a loss to a team from Wheelersburg, Ohio. Throughout the entire series, they showed an impressive level of poise and determination. prgtoken These exceptional athletes serve as an example for not only aspiring female athletes, but for all Pennsylvania youths. Their talent and dedication are a great source of pride for the community and state at large, as they were the only team from Pennsylvania in the tournament. I am honored to represent the Tunkhannock Tigers. I know these young women have bright futures ahead of them and will go on to accomplish great things. prgtoken , please join me in recognizing the Tunkhannock Tigers Little League Softball Team and congratulating these athletes on their hard fought second place finish in the 2018 Little League Softball World Series.
TRIBUTE TO JO AND DELMAR SOUTH
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-8-24

I rise today to recognize and honor Jo and Delmar South of Cumberland, Iowa on the very special occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married on July 7, 1968. prgtoken Jo and Delmar's lifelong commitment to each other and their family truly embodies Iowa values. As they reflect on their 50th anniversary, I hope it is filled with happy memories. May their commitment grow even stronger, as they continue to love, cherish, and honor one another for many years to come. prgtoken , I commend this great couple on their 50th year together and I wish them many more. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating them on this momentous occasion.
REMEMBERING LEONARD AND DODY BOSWELL
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-8-27

I come to the floor today to pay tribute to a devoted public servant from my home State of Iowa. Congressman Leonard Boswell passed away this month after a long battle with cancer. A decorated military officer, he served 20 years in the U.S. Army, a dozen years in the Iowa Senate, and 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. prgtoken That adds up to nearly a half-century in service to the country he so dearly loved and served with honor and distinction. After being drafted into the U.S. Army, Leonard rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served two tours of duty as an assault helicopter pilot in Vietnam. His distinguished service in uniform groomed him for political battles on the campaign trail and in public office at the State and Federal level. prgtoken In civilian life, as well as in both the military and political arenas, Leonard Boswell was an officer and a gentleman. He brought integrity to the campaign trail and to the halls of Congress. Anyone who underestimated Congressman Boswell failed to appreciate the gritty combination of a decorated war veteran and a cattle farmer from southern Iowa. In fact, an armed intruder who broke into the Congressman's farm home in 2011 found out right quick. At age 77, Leonard's instincts to protect his family kicked into overdrive, and he tackled the intruder to the ground. prgtoken Notwithstanding those instincts, Leonard Boswell was widely known as folksy and plain-spoken. He was Iowa through and through. That included answering the call to help his neighbors and a local grain elevator struggling during the 1980s farm crisis. From there, he threw his hat into the ring for public office. prgtoken Congressman Boswell's funeral service was last Saturday, and unexpectedly, it became a double ceremony as his beloved wife of 63 years died just hours before the service, 8 days after Congressman Boswell passed. Leonard and Dody's life together was filled with deep faith, love of family and friends, and service, as she taught elementary school for 37 years, mainly in Lamoni. Dody's family rightly described her as spiritual, adventurous, vibrant, with a wonderful sense of humor who lived with love, tenacity, and compassion. prgtoken Although Congressman Boswell and I were members of two different political parties, we shared many things in common as lifelong Iowans, farmers, octogenarians, and outspoken champions for rural America. prgtoken On many issues of the day, we had different points of view on how to achieve a particular goal, but at the end of the day, we shared an unequivocal commitment to work on behalf of Iowans, especially farmers and veterans. From farm bills to transportation and infrastructure spending, Leonard and I largely saw eye to eye on legislation that would help Iowans weather the storms of natural disasters or downturns in the farm economy. prgtoken As members of the Iowa congressional delegation, there is an unspoken understan
Remembering John McCain (Executive Session)
Johnny Isakson (Republican, GA) \u2014 2018-8-27

. Yesterday was a difficult day for me. I am 74 years old. I was born in 1944. Like many Americans, my youth was during the Vietnam era. The prime of my youth was the Vietnam era. prgtoken In fact, my senior year in college, I got a graduation diploma and a draft notice on the same day. They were put in the same book. Everybody was going. Everybody was being called up for the draft. There was a lottery, but so many people were eligible that almost everybody in my age group would have been drafted if they didn't join the service. prgtoken I joined. I joined the National Guard, which I am very proud of, and I am still a guardsman to this day. It also gave me the chance to serve my country in a way that would not put me at as much risk to go to Vietnam as it would if I were drafted. I consciously did that because I wanted to do everything I could to stay here and get married a few months later to my wife Dianne. I was of the age to be drafted, and I made the decision to find a way to serve that would not put me in a position of being drafted, where I lost control. I was able to do it, and a lot of people were, but a lot of people weren't. I know that. The ones who could know it, and the ones who couldn't know it. The Presiding Officer knows what I am talking about, being a guardswoman herself. prgtoken I lost my best friend in Vietnam, Jackson Elliott Cox III, Waynesboro GA, Liberty County--Bird Dog Capital of the World. prgtoken Jack and I graduated from college together. Jack went off for a weekend and came back and told us all he had joined the Marine Corps, was going to OCS, and was going to go to Vietnam and fight the bad guys. We all said: Jack, don't volunteer to do that. You could get killed. prgtoken He said: No, I want to do it. It is a great country. I have had a great life, going to the University of Georgia, have a wonderful mom and dad, good friends like you all. I want to go to OCS and be an officer in the Marine Corps--and he did. prgtoken A few years later, he was shot by a sniper in the 11th month of a 13- month stint in Vietnam. Alex Crumbley, the superior court judge in Georgia years later; Pierre Howard, the ic Lieutenant Governor of Georgia; and myself--we were the three best friends, the ``Four Amigos,'' if you will. We went to 589 Liberty Street in Waynesboro and spent 3 nights and 4 days with Emily and Jack, Jack's dad and mom. prgtoken When the Marine Corps brought the body back, it was lying in state in their dining room, and we had a wake and a service for him. We stood guard. We cried. We talked about the good times. We talked about the bad times. We felt sorry for ourselves because the life that had meant so much to all of us was gone. prgtoken Jack felt a calling for the country, and he did a great service for the country. I am proud of him, and I am proud to have been his friend. prgtoken I tried to do what I could but never in the category of a John McCain or a Jack Cox. There wer
Remembering John McCain (Executive Session)
Jeff Flake (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2018-8-27

until the very end, he served his country-- until the very end. ``Service,'' to John McCain, meant living something unique in all the history of the world. It meant living in service to something unique--the American idea. prgtoken E pluribus unum--``from many, one''--might seem like a quaint vestige from a more idealistic time when compared to the brutal and determined divisions of our time, but it was an idea that defined John McCain's life. In and through his service, he defied categorization; frustrated the tired conventions of the way party loyalists were supposed to behave; acted against his own political interests time and again in a way that, from our vantage prgtoken point today, is nothing short of awe-inspiring; and he recognized that democracy was hard but that living in bondage to tyranny was far harder. prgtoken We talk a lot in this Chamber about freedom. No one in this city and few in American history knew as much or as vividly about the price of freedom as did John McCain. Our words are too often cheap and eminently forgettable, but John McCain paid our freight with his body and with his soul. prgtoken To our shame, he lived long enough to have to take to this Senate floor to inveigh against the rank tribalism that we have fallen into lately. He knew that giving in to our worst impulses to score pyrrhic political victories was as easy as it was dangerous and was and is a tangible threat to American democracy--a democracy to which he gave every bit of his life. prgtoken If I may, and with your indulgence, I will read from Senator McCain's last speech from this room. prgtoken On July 25, 2017, while bearing the fresh wounds from his last battle, Senator McCain stood in this Chamber. Thinking not of himself but of his country, he exhorted, inspired, pleaded, and cajoled all of us in an attempt to shake us to our senses in order to reject the prevailing ugliness that seized the Capitol. One last time, he was standing alone to do what was right. In a sure sign of just how desperate he was, he even appealed to our decency and to our reason-- qualities that seem to have long fled Washington. prgtoken That day last summer, he said in part: We are the servants of a great nation, ``a . . . nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.'' More people have lived free and prosperous lives here than in any other Nation. We have acquired unprecedented wealth and power because of our governing principles, and because our government defended those principles. prgtoken He went on: America has made a greater contribution than any other nation to an international order that has liberated more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have been the greatest example, the greatest supporter, and the greatest defender of that order. We aren't afraid. We don't covet
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-8-27

. Mr President, I have a request for one committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committee is authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, August 27, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Carmen McLean, to be an Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Remembering John McCain (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2018-8-27

I can't think of anything more difficult than to speak after the last two speakers. Of course, I have known them for a long time. They are two totally different, opposite people. prgtoken We have Susan Collins, who is a well-recognized moderate. She is one who understands and has great appreciation for the environment. She is not the kind of person you would associate with a tough guy like John McCain, who has gone out there and has done things that other people haven't done but just talked about. prgtoken Then we heard the statement from the Senator from Georgia. You know, I was thinking about that. I am a few years older than he is. We have a lot of things in common. He was talking about his being drafted; I was drafted. I will always remember, I was actually enrolled many, many years ago--I was going to be at the University of Mexico in Mexico City in an international program. At that time, I was at the University of Colorado. I did all of my finals and all that early so that I could get back in time to go to Mexico. prgtoken I got back to Tulsa, where I am from, and I got a letter from a very important person, the President of the United States. I thought, how nice of Eisenhower to remember me. It was my draft notice, so that changed my life. But it changed my life in a way that it was the greatest single experience I have ever had, and I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it were not for the discipline that comes from being in the military. prgtoken We will always have heroes we deal with, and we are dealing with a hero when we deal with Senator McCain. prgtoken I have often said that I think Timothy, who wrote 2 Timothy 4:7, had John McCain in mind when he said: ``I fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.'' That is exactly what he did. prgtoken He was kind of a mean guy. A lot of people didn't like John McCain. He wasn't the most lovable person to be around. But he was a fighter. He never shied away from a good fight. He was passionate for the causes that he believed in and a strong advocate for human rights and ic values, standing up for oppressed people around the world. That is the softer side of John McCain that a lot of people don't know about. prgtoken He was a fighter but not just a fighter; he was a fighter for the people of Arizona. After he returned from the time he had spent in prison, he got back to Arizona, and he started fighting again. He did that for 36 years after his incarceration. prgtoken He was shaped by his own military service and that of his father and grandfather. It has been said several times in statements about his father and grandfather--and I have done some studying on them--that is really what formed John McCain. Both of them were admirals in the Navy, and it was natural that he was going to be in the Navy, and, of course, he was. prgtoken During his time of leadership on the Senate Armed Services Committee, he <
LITTLE VILLAGE, CHICAGO FIRE
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-8-27

yesterday, a fire ravaged several homes in Little Village, Chicago. It was the deadliest fire the city has experienced in a decade. Today, we mourn the tragic loss of eight lives taken by this disaster. prgtoken In the early hours of the morning, the Chicago Fire Department received a call that a fire had started on the porch of a home where children had been having a sleepover. The fire eventually took the lives of eight precious children, ranging in age from 3 months to 16 years old, and critically injured two others before spreading to several other homes. prgtoken My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones of those who were taken far too soon, and my prayers for recovery are with the two teenagers in critical care. Please know I am grieving with the families of Little Village as they work to remember those lost and rebuild their community. prgtoken I want to thank the Chicago Fire Department and emergency workers for their quick responses and dedication to saving lives and putting a stop to the deadly fire, as well as workers from the Red Cross and local organizations, who immediately came to the scene to provide support to residents. prgtoken I know the people of Little Village will come together to support one another, and they will be stronger for it.