mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING DENNIS ``D.J.'' JEWELL
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Mr. Dennis ``D.J.'' Jewell for receiving the Governor's Initiative for Volunteer Excellence Award in the Outstanding Volunteer Service by a U.S. Veteran category. prgtoken D.J a resident of Columbus, Mississippi, was a past commander for VFW Post No. 4272 and completed over 1,000 community' service hours in 2018. As a veteran, one of his main concerns is the mental health of fellow service members, specifically veterans suicide rates. To prevent this issue in his community, Jewell established a monthly support group for combat veterans at the VFW and has also traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for mental health support for veterans. prgtoken I am honored to have the privilege to represent outstanding servicemen such as D.J. His selfless service to our country extends past his military career as he continues to go above and beyond for Mississippians each day. It is individuals like him that make Mississippi, and America, great.
REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENT SUPPRESSION OF DEMOCRACY PROTESTS IN TIANANMEN SQUARE AND ELSEWHERE IN CHINA
Scott Perry (Republican, PA) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I thank the ranking member for yielding. prgtoken Madam , today I am in support of this resolution on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and I thank Representative McGovern and Representative Smith for their leadership on this resolution, which serves to remember the victims of the violence and suppression of democracy protest in Tiananmen Square in 1989, and calls on the current Communist Government of China to respect the universally recognized human rights of all people living in China and around the world. prgtoken I just remember as a young man watching this--as probably many of the people do--whole thing unfold on our television sets. We were rooting for these people yearning to be free, and the man standing in front of the tank. It is just emblazoned in our minds. prgtoken Thirty years ago in the spring of 1989, thousands of Chinese students began staging peaceful protests for democratic reforms in China. They were asking their Communist government for rights that are fundamental to any democracy, including: freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and the elimination of official corruption. prgtoken They were asking for rights and freedoms that we enjoy in the United States, but the Chinese citizens were being denied then, and believe it or not, are still being denied today. Regardless of what we see on television, regardless of what we might think because it says, ``made in China,'' things are different in China. prgtoken When faced with the growing and intensifying peaceful protests, the Communist leaders in 1989 chose a violent and authoritarian response, and then lied about it and acted like it didn't happen. They chose to declare martial prgtoken law and to intensify their use of authoritarian tactics to oppress and control the people of China, culminating in the events in Tiananmen Square. prgtoken On June 4, 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers in armored columns of tanks outside Tiananmen Square fired directly at Chinese citizens and indiscriminately at crowds in Beijing, inflicting high civilian casualties. These were unarmed crowds, Madam , fired upon. prgtoken To this day, we still don't know how many civilians were killed that day. Estimates range from hundreds to a few thousand and we can say with confidence that thousands more civilians were wounded on June 4 and even a greater number were arrested for taking part in these protests. prgtoken We are here today to honor those who were lost and affected by the violent, authoritarian suppression of the Chinese Communist Government in 1989, and to call for an end to China's current, continued authoritarian suppression. prgtoken Unfortunately, parallels can be drawn between the Chinese Government that perpetrated the Tiananmen Square massacre and the current regime of President Xi and the Communist Party. In China today, there is official government repression of freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and assembly
IN RECOGNITION OF CRESTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL KNIGHTS ON THEIR 2019 OHSAA BOYS STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Robert E. Latta (Republican, OH) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , it is my great pleasure to recognize the Crestview High School Knights of Convoy, Ohio on their victory in the 2019 OHSAA boys state basketball tournament. This was their second championship in five years. prgtoken The Crestview Knights completed a historic season with an unexpected win. After a challenging semifinal, the Crestview Knights were considered the underdogs, heading into the championship ranked below their opponent, Berlin Hiland. In the end, they dominated with a 58-38 win, holding Berlin Hiland to 21 points below its season average. prgtoken The community of Convoy should be very proud of this team's hard work and dedication. Congratulations to Coach Best and the Knights on their state title.
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-6-4

I have 9 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have 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 committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Armed Services prgtoken The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 9:30 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources prgtoken The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Environment and Public Works prgtoken The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. 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 Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a closed roundtable. Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety prgtoken The Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 11:30 a.m to conduct a hearing. Subcommittee on Intellectual Property prgtoken The Subcommittee on Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-6-4

. I rise to remind the Senate of two anniversaries that are happening this week. This week is the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. It is commonly known as D-Day. One hundred sixty- thousand-plus individuals crossed the English Channel by aircraft, by boat. They moved in every way possible, starting in the middle of the night and with the major invasion that was the largest naval invasion in the history of the world. They would have crossed into France--what was the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany. prgtoken The loss of lives of Americans and Allied forces was catastrophic as they pushed in. The boys, 18, 19, 20 years old, got on aircraft, got on ships, launched out into the water, knowing there was a tyrant on the other side who had to be stopped. It is entirely appropriate for the Nation to pause to remember D-Day, to know the freedom we have right now was protected by a generation that stood for that freedom. As the Nation looks toward Normandy a couple days from now, I think we should once again thank the ``greatest generation'' that guarded our freedom. 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment prgtoken , today is also a 100-year anniversary, though. One hundred years ago today, June 4, 1919, the Senate voted to pass the right for women to vote. As a son of a pretty amazing mom and as the husband of a really remarkable lady and as the dad of two daughters who are both voters now--they cannot thank the ladies enough who started in the 1800s working toward a basic human dignity and right; that is, the right for people to vote. It is astounding to us as a nation to think that it took that long, all the way up until 1919, to have a vote in the Senate to allow women to vote. That vote--with 36 s and 20 that day who voted on June 4, 1919--changed the direction of how we would vote and how we would cooperate together as a nation. prgtoken Now, we have a lot of other areas to fix, but that one was a big one, and my family is grateful for what was done in the past. People who come through the Rotunda of the Capitol often see a statue there that looks like it is not finished. It is a block of stone, and there are three ladies who are carved out of it, but a part of it is not carved. I often hear people say they don't understand that statue. That statue is Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott, the three ladies who led the movement of ladies all over the country to just speak out and say ladies should have the right to vote. Those three ladies are carved into stone that is in our Rotunda, but what is interesting is, the statue is unfinished because the assumption was in the days ahead, there would be more ladies in the future who would step out and would lead a nation to make sure that we allow the rights of every single individual to be honored. prgtoken So, for the sake of my mom and my aunt, my grandmother, my wife, my daughter
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2019-6-4

from Maine for her leadership in today's activity as we commemorate the Senate's action in passing the 19th Amendment and sending that to the States for ratification. prgtoken It is amazing to think that it was 100 years ago today--today--that women in this country still did not have the right to vote. When we think about Nashville, TN, today, we are thinking about country music, bachelorette parties, pro-sports; in the summer of 1920, Nashville, TN, was the focus of individuals on both sides of the debate over women's suffrage because that summer was the final push to get the 19th Amendment ratified so that women would forever have the right to vote. Suffragists from all across the country looked to Tennessee in that last-ditch effort to pass an amendment before the 1920 Presidential elections. prgtoken As it all came together and as everybody was coming into Nashville-- you had the red roses on one side and the yellow roses on the other side--the battle was heating up. The Tennessee House of Representatives had been called back into a special session so that they could debate this issue: Would women receive the right to vote? Would Tennessee agree to vote for ratification of the 19th Amendment? prgtoken The pro and anti suffragists flooded that city. Those who opposed enfranchisement, wearing those red roses, went to extreme lengths to prevent a vote. At one point, legislators actually fled the State to prevent a quorum. prgtoken They left the State so they would not have to say where they stood on the issue of women having the right to vote. But let me tell you, against those Tennessee women, against suffragists from across the country, all wearing their yellow roses, those legislators never stood a chance. prgtoken You have all heard of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but let me introduce you to a few more of those fierce female fighters from the summer of 1920. There was Anne Dallas Dudley from Nashville, who was really quite an organizer; Abby Crawford Milton; Sue Shelton White from West Tennessee; and, as has been mentioned, Ida B. Wells, who was from Memphis. They are all Tennesseans who fought tirelessly on behalf of suffrage and brought the State's house of representatives to that fateful vote on August 18, 1920. prgtoken The Senator from Maine talked a moment earlier about a young legislator, the youngest member of the House of Representatives in the State of Tennessee. His name was Harry T. Burn. Harry was from Niota, TN. He was a freshman house of representatives member. He switched his vote from nay to yea, broke a tie, and made history. As the Senator from Maine said, he did it because of a letter written to him by his mother, who reminded him that he should be a good boy and help Ms. Catt--Carrie Chapman Catt--put the ``rat'' in ``ratification.'' He did, and so it was official: Tennessee had become the 36th and final State needed for ratification
AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her remarks. She alluded to a number of reforms to our legal immigration process, and yes, I stand ready to work with the gentlewoman on those issues, but none of the legal reforms that are necessary to balance this legislation are in this bill. prgtoken In fact, this bill is called the American Dream and Promise Act, but if we are looking for reforms that will secure our border, we are dreaming. The only promise being kept is the promise to put people who are here illegally ahead of legal immigrants in line for citizenship. It is a grave disappointment and a violation of this document, the Constitution of the United States. prgtoken The American people might think, when tuning in, hey, great, we are finally addressing immigration, so maybe we will find a way to secure our borders. But this bill has no language to secure our borders, no language to build the wall, no language to help children and families in terrible conditions at the border, no language to reform our asylum programs or our visa programs to make them more efficient, and no language to stop the thousands of caravans of illegals crossing over the border, over 5,000 each and every day. prgtoken Instead, it does the exact opposite. It incentivizes illegal immigration. It incentivizes the dangerous journey that these families are taking. prgtoken We have heard a lot from the other side about individuals here illegally who are achieving, but we can cite every individual who is currently facing enormous danger, children facing enormous danger on this journey to the border, one in three women who are facing sexual assault on this journey to the border, families right now who are deciding whether or not to put their children at risk of death by marching up to the United States because they are hoping that there is an incentivized program like this in place when they get here. prgtoken We need to take action to control our border. We will never stop the flow of illegal immigration coming into this country until we get serious about securing the border and until we follow through on the enforcement mechanisms that Congress has and continues to put in place. Until we do that, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and cartels will continue to thrive. prgtoken This bill is unfair to immigrants who have obeyed the law to enter our country legally. America welcomes all who are coming to our Nation who respect the rule of law and want to contribute to our society. Unfortunately, they will be left to wait while USCIS attempts to process the millions of applications that today's legislation would authorize. prgtoken It creates a system that is ripe for fraud and abuse. It includes a laundry list of unverifiable documents that can be used to obtain green cards. prgtoken , there is nothing in this legislation that fixes what is wrong with our immigration laws. This is the wrong way to go. I hope that my colleagues on th
Job Corps (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-6-4

I come to the floor today, on June 4, to take a look back at a very historic vote by the U.S. Senate. This vote changed the course of political history in America. It strengthened the social fabric and constitutional framework of our Republic. prgtoken One hundred years ago today, lawmakers in this body cast a vote for liberty and equality under the law. The Senate approved Federal suffrage legislation. At the time it was passed, it was known as the Susan B. Anthony amendment. Today it is better known as the 19th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution. prgtoken Section 1 of the 19th Amendment reads: ``The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.'' prgtoken By adopting the measure, the 66th U.S. Congress paved the way for women's suffrage from sea to shining sea. At the time, more than a dozen States and Territories allowed full suffrage, led by the Western States of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. prgtoken In 1919 both Chambers of Congress were led by majorities. The House of Representatives adopted this constitutional amendment 304 to 89 on May 21. Two weeks later the Senate voted 56 to 25 in favor of women suffrage. That was two votes more than the necessary two-thirds vote required under our Constitution. prgtoken Both U.S. Senators from my State of Iowa voted for passage. Senator William Kenyon, then the junior Senator from Iowa, later went on to serve as a Federal judge for the Eighth Circuit. prgtoken The other aye vote from Iowa was cast by my predecessor, meaning he was the only other Senator from Iowa to serve in the position I now serve in as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. That senior Senator from Iowa was a former Governor of Iowa, Albert Baird Cummins. prgtoken To a full Gallery packed with suffragists, Senator Cummins, as President pro tempore, announced final passage of the suffrage amendment. It was reported on June 5 in the New York Times that Iowa Senator Cummins, presiding over the U.S. Senate, allowed visitors in the Gallery to celebrate with ``deafening applause,'' and he made no effort to stop the celebration. prgtoken As President pro tempore, Senator Cummins from Iowa was present at the enrollment ceremony, watching over the shoulder of Vice President Thomas Marshall, who signed this historic bill. prgtoken After the Senate passed it, it was then sent to the States for ratification. In a special session of the Iowa General Assembly, my State became the tenth State to ratify the 19th amendment on July 2, 1919, less than a month after the U.S. Senate had approved it. prgtoken Suffragists and supporters continued the campaign they started in the Hawkeye State prior to World War I. They mobilized support among farmers to pave the way to the ballot box for women. The future Secretary of Agriculture under President Harding championed women's
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2019-6-4

earlier, I recognized Senator Barbara Mikulski, an outstanding leader and former colleague and member of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission. I also want to acknowledge that there are other members of the Commission who are here with us today. We welcome them as they observe this debate, and we thank them for their hard work to make sure this significant occasion is recognized. prgtoken It is now my great pleasure to yield time to the Senator from Washington, Senator Cantwell.
REMEMBERING STAFF SERGEANT JORDY SOESBE
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2019-6-4

today I would like to remember the life of retired U.S. Army National Guard SSG Jordy James Soesbe. Staff Sergeant Soesbe passed away on May 20, 2019, at the age of 44. prgtoken Jordy Soesbe was born in Burke, SD, and raised on his family's farm and ranch in Gregory, SD. prgtoken Soesbe spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, retiring in 2017 at the rank of staff sergeant in the National Guard. He completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, serving as a gunner on a Humvee, sniper, and prison guard. He served with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and 25th Infantry Division and the South Dakota National Guard's 235th Military Police Company. prgtoken During his time in the military, he earned numerous commendations and medals, including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with ``M'' Device and 10-year Hourglass Device, Army Commendation Medal, and four Army Achievement Medals. prgtoken Aside from his career in the military, he also served as a reserve sheriff's deputy with the Meade County Sheriff's Office. prgtoken In his spare time, he was an avid pheasant and deer hunter. He also enjoyed spending time at his local shooting range. prgtoken Staff Sergeant Soesbe was not only a hero in life, but also a hero in death. As an organ donor, he saved at least three lives. I commend this hero for his service, both in life and death, and offer my sincerest condolences to his family and friends. He is survived by his mother Virginia; brother Brett; daughters Alexandra, McKenna, and Alyssa; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws.
CONGRATULATING MR. AND MRS. CARL AND JANET BREWER'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican, MO) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I rise to honor Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Janet Brewer and congratulate them on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The Brewers will celebrate this incredible milestone anniversary on June 14, 2019. Carl and Janet both grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. They married at age 16 and have been by each other's side ever since. The couple eventually moved to Lohman, Missouri then to Wardsville where they still reside today. Both dedicated their lives to public service and the betterment of our community while working for the Missouri Department of Revenue. Carl's dedication as a public servant did not start and stop there. His service in our military and as a policeman at the John Cochran Hospital and Jefferson Barracks is a perfect example of a man who put the lives of his neighbors and fellow Americans before his own. Now, both retired from the Missouri Department of Revenue, Carl and Janet most enjoy spending time with what they consider their proudest accomplishment: their family. They have been blessed with a son, Carl Brewer II and daughter, Stephanie Brewer Palmer. Stephanie and her husband Jason have given the Brewers the greatest gift a family can receive with the birth of their granddaughter, Miranda. When they aren't spending time with their family, the Brewers can often be found at Solid Rock Family Church in Jefferson City where they attend service each Sunday and Wednesday. Along with their congregation and family, I thank the Brewers for their many contributions to Missouri and our community. Madam , please join me in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Janet Brewer on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. May they have many more happy years to come.