mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO HERB JACKSON OF THE BERGEN COUNTY RECORD ON HIS RETIREMENT
Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-12-20

I wanted to take a moment today to praise the work of a longtime New Jersey reporter who has announced his retirement from The Bergen Record. Herb Jackson is one of New Jersey's most cherished reporters. He has covered my state's congressional delegation in Washington for over 20 years and reported on critical issues and concerns for New Jerseyans encountered. At a time when reporters are under attack, it is essential to honor the role that journalists play--in telling stories that need to be heard and holding elected officials accountable. Herb has done that with fervor and pride, giving insight on issues that matter in New Jersey and beyond. I greatly value the work that Herb put in each day here in D.C. to keep my constituents informed of the work that we do here in Congress. The news community is losing a successful journalist who is respected by many. He will be hard to replace and we are eternally grateful for all the time that he put in with the Record. The New Jersey delegation will miss Herb, and I wish him good luck in the next chapter of his life.
HONORING AMINDA MARQUES GONZALEZ
Frederica S. Wilson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-12-20

I rise today in honor of Aminda Marques Gonzalez, vice president and executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, and a highly respected member of Florida's media community. prgtoken On July 21, 2018, Marques was recognized by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and inducted into the NAHJ's Hall of Fame for her accomplished career and efforts to promote diversity in the newsroom. prgtoken Born in New York City to Cuban immigrants, Marques has dedicated her entire career to journalism in South Florida. Marques graduated from the University of Florida in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and began her career at the Miami Herald, where she had previously interned. After covering a range of issues and rising from metro reporter to assistant city editor, she joined People magazine in 2002 as Miami bureau chief. In that capacity, she oversaw People's coverage of the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. prgtoken Marques returned to the Miami Herald in 2007 as an editor and was promoted to managing editor in 2010. Under her leadership, the Herald has earned national recognition for its outstanding reporting. The Herald won two Pulitzer Prizes in 2017, one for work of the editorial cartoonist Jim Morin and one for the paper's series on the Panama Papers. The Miami Herald also has been a finalist for the Pulitzer three times under Marques' leadership, including for a 2012 investigation into the poor regulation of Florida's assisted-living facilities. prgtoken In addition to her post at the Miami Herald, Marques is president of the Florida Society of News Editors and sits on the Pulitzer Prize Board. She also serves on the advisory councils for The Journalism and Women Symposium, and The Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University. prgtoken Marques has the distinction of being the Miami Herald's first-ever Hispanic and second female executive editor. Her colleagues credit her for recruiting reporters and editors of diverse backgrounds and for challenging the overall lack of diversity in journalism. prgtoken I commend Aminda Marques Gonzalez for her trailblazing work in journalism, and I congratulate her on receiving the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame honor.
DEMANDING VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT RELEASE MICHAEL NGUYEN
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-12-20

today, I rise to address this body, and I demand that the Government of Vietnam respect human rights, religious freedom, and international law as it pertains to an American citizen, Michael Nguyen, who is being held without formal charges, under arrest in Vietnam. prgtoken This unjust imprisonment raises issues, especially since he has never broken the law in the United States. He is a loving father, member of the local church, business owner, and model American citizen. prgtoken Yet, when he was traveling to Vietnam to visit his elderly relatives, he was arrested. Why? We don't know. Apparently, he has been arrested for ``activity against the people's government,'' yet we don't know the circumstances or the reasoning. prgtoken We ask one very simple thing from the Government of Vietnam: to play by the rules, respect human rights, respect religious freedom, and release Mr. Michael Nguyen, an American citizen who is being detained without formal charges. prgtoken , I urge that he be safely released and that he be returned to his family in the United States.
CONGRATULATING WILLIAM RATLIFF ON HIS PROMOTION TO ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF
Brenda Jones (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-12-20

today I rise to honor my constituent William ``Bill'' Ratliff for his commitment to public service and congratulate him on being named Assistant Chief of Police at Inkster's Police Department. prgtoken In 1987, while still attending high school, Mr. Ratliff got an early start to a career in public service as a Police Explorer for the Inkster Police Department. In 1991, he joined the Inkster Police Department as a Communications Assistant and Dispatcher. Mr. Ratliff excelled in that capacity and was rewarded with a promotion to Ordinance Officer. prgtoken In 1995, Mr. Ratliff would join the Detroit Police Department as their Spokesperson. He would remain with the department until he left for a private sector job in public relations. prgtoken In 2004, the Michigan Senate recognized Mr. Ratliff for courageous actions in donating a kidney to his best friend Omie Smith. prgtoken Mr. Ratliff's affinity for public service would eventually lead him back to public service. In 2006, he was named Chief of Staff for a Detroit City Council Member. A year later, he would return to his roots, becoming Inkster Police Department's Director of Emergency Management and Chief of Auxiliary Police. prgtoken In 2010, as a police officer, Mr. Ratliff was assigned to community policing. In 2014, his relentless hard work and tireless dedicated to ensuring public safety while taking heed to the needs of the community led to his promotion to the rank of Sergeant. Just two years later, he would be promoted again to Commander. prgtoken In 2018, Mr. Ratliff's commitment to service and public safety would be rewarded with a promotion to Assistant Chief of Police of Inkster's Police Department. prgtoken Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Assistant Chief of Police William ``Bill'' Ratliff on his well-earned promotion and over two decades of selfless service to the people of Southeast Michigan.
TRIBUTE TO JOE DONNELLY
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2018-12-20

I would like to take a moment to recognize the career and service of Senator Joe Donnelly. Senator Donnelly has spent more than a decade steadfastly representing the State of Indiana in both Chambers of Congress. He has resisted labels and rigid partisanship, consistently proving that he is open to any policy solutions that benefit Hoosiers. prgtoken I have been particularly moved by Senator Donnelly's commitment to defending fairness in the workplace. He has fought for sustainable minimum wages and helped pass crucial protections for victims of pay discrimination. His work in Congress has made the workplaces of Indiana and the Nation fairer. prgtoken I was proud to work with Senator Donnelly in 2015 to expand the resources available to victims under the Violence Against Women Act. We have also worked together to pass legislation to ensure that law enforcement have access to funds to purchase adequate body armor. prgtoken Senator Donnelly's presence and his desire to bridge partisan divides will surely be missed in this Chamber. I know he will continue to do all he can to serve Hoosiers and our Nation, and I wish him and his wife, Jill, all the best.
REP. TED POE FAREWELL
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-12-20

today I'd like to recognize the first to represent the second district of Texas, Ted Poe. prgtoken Before coming to Washington, Ted was a felony court judge in County where he was one of the youngest judges in the state. Known for his practical sentencing, his reputation for telling it like it is accompanied him to Congress. prgtoken Ted has always put his country first. From his time as a prosecutor to a Congressman protecting our borders and combating human trafficking, he has always prioritized American's safety. prgtoken I thank Ted for his 14 years of public service. His patriotism will be missed and as he often says, ``that's just the way it is.''
TRIBUTE TO CONNIE McKENZIE
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2018-12-20

I come to the floor today to recognize a truly exceptional individual who has been a member of my staff for many years. It is bittersweet to stand before you today to recognize the well-deserved retirement of Connie McKenzie, of my Juneau, AK, office. prgtoken Connie isn't originally from Alaska, but you would never know it. She moved to our great State in the summer of 1987 to take a seasonal job in Skagway with a cruise ship tour company, but those few weeks in the Alaskan summer soon turned into a home. She has been in Alaska ever since, and that summer job quickly turned into a successful career in the tourism industry in southeast Alaska, giving Connie the opportunity to work closely with community members, interact with local businesses and to help grow the regional economy. She is a people person to her core and someone we all quickly relate to, a valuable trait for any career. prgtoken Connie soon gained a reputation as someone to go to when you needed something done. She is a problem-solver who doesn't know the word no. From the beginning, her ability to find solutions, showcase her region, and quickly develop professional contacts made her a well-respected member of the community. For more than 20 years, she has been a dedicated volunteer and officer of local and statewide political groups, including the Capital City Women, district cochair, and the State Central Committee. She has been active in Beta Sigma Phi and a variety of community service projects. prgtoken Connie's local involvement eventually opened doors for a new career, one in public service. In 2001, Connie began working for the Alaska Congressional Delegation. She first started working for Congressman Young, now the Dean of the House. She was a natural fit and soon was running a joint office for the entire congressional delegation. It was my good fortune to join the U.S. Senate with a seasoned staff member like Connie. Her regional knowledge and work experience have, no doubt, helped me represent the unique needs of Alaskans, particularly those in southeast. prgtoken After serving in this role for many years, Connie left the office in 2013 to work for the State administration under then-Governor Sean Parnell, but she just couldn't stay away, nor could we last too long without her. Thankfully, in 2015, she came back to us and has served our Juneau office in service to Senator Sullivan and me. She has been a dedicated public servant, and I know I speak on behalf of so many Alaskans when I say we will be sad to see her go. prgtoken Congressman Young said of Connie that she ``is one of the rare gems that comes along rarely in a Congressional career. From the moment I hired her she has been the embodiment of a perfect staff. She is the person who the people of Southeast Alaska have come to rely upon for sound policy advice, every kind of constituent service and has gone above the call of duty to serv
HONORING DARIUS ASSEMI
Jeff Denham (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-12-20

I rise today to acknowledge and honor Darius Assemi, a home builder, businessman, philanthropist, and Central Valley resident of more than 40 years. Darius has been a close friend and confidant for many years, including my time in the State Senate and here in the United States House of Representatives. prgtoken Darius is currently President and CEO of Granville Homes, a real estate development company established in 1977. Over the last 40 years, Granville Homes has built more than 6,000 single-family residences in the Fresno metropolitan area, and has been involved in the acquisition, financing, and development of over 100 construction projects. Through these experiences, Darius's knowledge of building codes and resilient construction has been an important influence on me as I have pursued disaster mitigation policies. prgtoken Darius is actively engaged in public policy work at the local and state level. He is passionate about legislation that affects transportation, agriculture, health care, education, and the environment. In 2009, Darius was appointed to the California Transportation Commission by Governor Schwarzenegger, and reappointed by Governor Brown in 2012. During his 6-year term, Darius was actively engaged with legislators and key stake holders in securing much-needed transportation funding for the Central Valley. In addition to public policy, Darius is driven to educate his fellow citizens about the complex issues that affect everyone in the community. prgtoken The lack of health care options available in the Central Valley and across the world is an issue that Darius and I have focused much of our time on. In 2009, he helped to establish the Alliance for Medical Outreach and Relief (AMOR), a non-profit with a mission to build healthier communities. AMOR constructed and continues to operate a 100- bed hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan that provides medical services and health education to over 80,000 people annually. High amongst Afshar Hospital's key accomplishments is their success in reducing the maternal and infant mortality rates in the Kabul metro area. In addition to their work in Afghanistan, AMOR is in the process of building a wellness clinic and community resource center to serve the impoverished Central Valley farming community of Mendota. prgtoken Darius views his various business endeavors as vehicles to further his true passion: helping to improve the lives of those in the community and around the world through strategic partnerships and philanthropic giving. The Granville Foundation's mission is to provide food, shelter, healthcare, and education to the underserved. In 2006, Darius initiated the Granville Home of Hope, a program in which a new home is raffled off, with 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales given to local non-profits. Over the last 12 years, the Granville Home of Hope has raised more than $5.2 million dollars, providing food, clothing, scholarships, and r
NOMINATION OF WILLIAM R. EVANINA
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-12-20

yesterday one of my colleagues came to the floor to talk about my objection to the unanimous consent request relating to the nomination of William R. Evanina. prgtoken When I noticed my intention to place a hold on this nominee back in June of this year, I made it very clear to the public and to the administration my reasons for doing so, and I put my statement of those reasons in the Record. I have done that consistently, not only since the rules of the Senate require every Member to do that but even before that rule was ever put in place. When I put a hold on a bill or a hold on a nominee, I don't ever want anybody to, say, put the adjective ``secret'' before the word ``hold'' because there is nothing secret about what I do when I place a hold on something. prgtoken The Judiciary Committee has experienced difficulty in obtaining relevant documents and briefings from the Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. prgtoken For example, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein personally assured me the Senate Judiciary Committee would receive equal access to information that had been provided to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence with regard to any concessions in its negotiations regarding pending subpoenas from that committee related to the 2016 election controversies. I have not received equal access, as promised, on that front. prgtoken On August 7 of this year, I wrote to the Justice Department and pointed out that the House Intelligence Committee had received documents related to Bruce Ohr that we had not received. The Department initially denied those records had been provided to the House Intelligence Committee. After my staff confronted the Department on that misinformation, we eventually received some Bruce Ohr documents. prgtoken In that 2018 letter I have referred to, I asked for documents based on my equal access agreement with Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, and as you might expect, I have not received a response to date. prgtoken This morning, I had Acting Attorney General Whitaker in my office for issues he wanted to bring up, but I also had an opportunity to present him with three pages--fairly finely printed--that had a multitude of requests for information that in my constitutional role of oversight of the Justice Department, they should be providing to me. Some of them have nothing to do with this hold, but the Department does have a pretty good record of not responding to this chairman of the Judiciary Committee on things I have a constitutional responsibility to do. prgtoken I also have a promise from these Department heads that they will supply information when Congress asks for it. Since that 2018 letter, I have learned the Justice Department has taken the position that Director Coats has prohibited them from sharing the requested records with the committee. prgtoken In addition to the records that were requested in May of th
TRIBUTE TO STAFF
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-12-20

over the past 12 years, I have had the privilege to serve the citizens of Tennessee and our country with the finest group of people that I have ever been around. I truly love them. prgtoken Today, in my final statement for the Congressional Record, I want to recognize the people who have become like family, past and present--178 hardworking, tenacious, conscientious public servants--and thank them for all they have done to make a difference in the lives of countless Tennesseans and to make our world a better place: Jared Adams, Mike Ahern, Ann Marie Anderson, Jessica Bader, Bridget Baird, David Baird, Michael Bassett, Ryan Berger, Hunter Bethea, Casey Black, Bertie Bowman, Courtney Bradway, Michael Bright, Clay Brockman, Paul Burdette, Tom Callahan, Conor Carney, Mark Cochran, Kim Cordell, Jamie Corley. Kelly Cotton, Leslie Crisp, Carlie Crenshaw Cruse, Joe Curtsinger, Joe Dagher, Kat Dahl, Anna Catherine Davenport, Ashton Davis Davies, Reese Davis, Garnett Decosimo, Armand DeKeyser, Chris Devaney, Caroline Diaz-Barriga, Bradley Dickerson, Tara DiJulio, Sarah Downs, David Dudik, John Dutton, Alex Eblen, Holt Edwards, Tracey Edwards. Brooke Eisele, Callie Estes, Heather Scarborough Ewalt, Josh Falzone, Jason Farris, Paul Fassbender, Aaron Fitzgerald, Chris Ford, Katie Davis Freeman, Michael Gallagher, Lee Gatts, Courtney Geduldig, Santo Giordano, Whitney Calhoun Goetz, John Goetz, Paul Goode, Tori Gorman, Jill Grayson, Joey Greer, John Haley. Stephanie Parsons Hamby, Sam Hamilton, Jenny Hamrick, Chuck Harper, Sarah Mikels Harrington, Joy Hawkins , Jeni Healy, Alex Heaton, Alicia Hennie, Laura Lefler Herzog, Trey Hicks, Caroline Hodge, Farrah Hodge, Chris Howell, Clay Huddleston, Jamil Jaffer, Julia Johnson, Kyle Johnson, Micah Johnson, Jane Jolley, Logan Jolley. Elizabeth Kelly, David Kinzler, Nick Kistenmacher, Anna Knight, Carrie Lane, Audri Larsen, Molly Lazio, David Leaverton, Carolyn Leddy, Rachel Lee, Ramona Lessen, Sarah Leversee, John Lipsey, Todd Love, Patrick Lynch, Kirsten Madison, Dana Magneson, Emily Manning, Caleb McCarry, Connor McCarthy. Jonathan McKernan, Claire McVay, Bess McWherter, Abby Meadors, Owen Mercer, Katy Miller, Michael Miller, Christen Mogavero, Becky Moon, Grant Mullins, Lester Munson, Meg Murphy, Angie Nelson, Stacie Oliver, Bentley Olson, Andy Olson, Sarah Osborn, Anne Oswalt, Arne Owens, Connor Pagnani. Paul Palagyi, Ashley Palmer, Jonathan Parker, Shelby Payne, Michael Phelan, Frank Polley, Shirley Pond, Kelly Puckett, Ben Purser, John Rader, Betsy Ranalli, Tori Read, Rebecca Rial, Scott Richardson, Cate Catani Robertson, Kristin Rosa, Darlene Rosenkoetter, Jill Salyers, Brandeanna Sanders, Marty Schuh. Patricia Schultz, Hayly Humph
SPACE FRONTIER ACT OF 2018
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-12-20

for over half a century, the United States has been the global leader in space. In that time, we have not only watched as NASA has sent humans farther than they had ever gone before, but we have also witnessed a new and growing commercial space sector that has pushed the bounds of what we thought possible. prgtoken As a nation, we can't simply rest on our laurels and take our leadership for granted. That is why I was proud to be joined by Senators Bill Nelson and Ed Markey in introducing the Space Frontier Act, which passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee by voice vote on August 1, thanks to the leadership of Chairman John Thune, who helped make space issues a priority for the committee. prgtoken The Space Frontier Act builds upon the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act that I was proud to work hand in hand with Senator Nelson as well, that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President in 2015. prgtoken The United States has the potential to grow an incredibly vibrant and competitive commercial space industry. The FAA reported in 2009 that commercial space transportation and enabled industries generated $208.3 billion in economic activity. prgtoken While the commercial space industry is continuing to grow, it has been unable to meet its full potential due to outdated regulations and policies that have the potential to stifle innovation, to restrict investment, and to drive the American launch sector and nontraditional space activities to foreign countries abroad. prgtoken The Space Frontier Act seeks to address these challenges by reducing the regulatory barriers that are facing our Nation's commercial space sector so we can allow companies to continue to grow and establish U.S.-led commercial economy in space. prgtoken The Space Frontier Act also takes the critical step of continuing the operations and utilization of the International Space Station through the year 2030; ensures that the United States will not cede low-Earth orbit to China; it enacts meaningful reforms to modernize our Nation's launch and reentry regulations; and it streamlines nongovernmental Earth observation regulations. The bill also ensures that both the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation will take leading roles in promoting and helping to grow our Nation's commercial space sector. prgtoken I am proud to work hand in hand with my friend and colleague, ic Senator Bill Nelson, in seeing bipartisan agreement continue in support of America's leadership in space. prgtoken to Senator Nelson.