mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF MARY INA JONES HENDLEY
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-11-4

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the 100th birthday of Mary Ina Jones Hendley. prgtoken Ina was born November 25, 1921, to Fisher and Mary Griffin Jones, a farming family in South Georgia. One of 14 children, her family depended on her to help with childcare and their farm. Her father was a carpenter and businessman, so she also helped in the family store. Ina graduated high school the top of her class in Nashville, Georgia. prgtoken Like her father, she was proficient in mathematics. She worked for a local agricultural manufacturer until marrying her high school sweetheart, Willard Hendley. Willard served proudly in the United States Navy during World War II, in the Pacific theater. They lived in several port areas during the war. Later they returned to raise their two daughters in Nashville. prgtoken Ina and Willard assumed leadership roles, in the community and their church. Accounting was Ina's interest and she completed courses that led to work as a finance officer at Moody AFB, Valdosta, Georgia. She continued her education through off-campus courses offered by Troy University and attained a BS in Business. She also earned an MBA from Valdosta State University. After her daughters left home, Ina accepted a position as Payroll Supervisor at Patrick AFB, in Satellite Beach, Florida. prgtoken They witnessed rocket launches near Cape Canaveral and enjoyed having their grandchildren observe these historic events. When she retired at 70, her coworkers gave her a signed photo of the space shuttle. After retiring, Ina was a caregiver for Willard. During this time, Ina worked towards a Religious Education degree, including time as an extension student with New Orleans Baptist Seminary. She completed several mission trips with her church teaching English as a Second Language. prgtoken In her early 80's, Ina returned to her hometown of Nashville and sang in church choir, helped at the food bank and served as a ``Pink Lady'' at the hospital and nursing home. prgtoken In 2013, she moved to be near her second daughter and resides in Alexander City, Alabama. Ina attributes her health to being active; loving to walk, exercise and read. prgtoken Madam , please join me in recognizing Ina and wishing her a very happy 100th birthday.
BUILD BACK BETTER AGENDA
Deborah K. Ross (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2021-11-4

I rise today to discuss the urgent need to pass the Build Back Better agenda, a transformational package that will help individuals and working families across North Carolina. prgtoken This bold legislation will bring down the high costs that have held families back for decades by making childcare, home care, education, healthcare, and housing more affordable. This is a package for the people--all the people--and it spans generations, providing support to infants, students, working adults, and older Americans. prgtoken Right now, the average annual cost for a child in North Carolina to attend a childcare center is nearly $9,000. The average North Carolina family with two young children spends more than 20 percent of their annual income on childcare. That is unacceptable. For kids to thrive and for parents to excel in the workplace, we need quality, affordable childcare. prgtoken I have a constituent from Cary, North Carolina, named Katy, she works at a nonprofit and has a 1-year-old child. She told me this: Becoming a mom has opened my eyes to how broken our Nation's childcare system is. We felt lucky to find a spot for my child at a high-quality childcare program, but the cost was shocking. We pay more than $800 a month for my son's care. At the same time, the director and teachers at my son's program likely don't make a living wage. They're doing one of the most important jobs in the world, helping raise the next generation. Why aren't they compensated fairly? Childcare providers shouldn't have to work second jobs on the weekends to feed their families, but many do. At the same time, parents can't shoulder the burden. In fact, the extremely high cost of childcare is a major factor for my family as we decide to have a second child. prgtoken Katy's story is so common. If we claim to value our children and our families, we need to stop turning a blind eye to the exploding costs of childcare. We can do better. prgtoken That is why the Build Back Better Act will provide universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds and limit childcare costs for working families to no more than 7 percent of their income. prgtoken , we also need to do more for our seniors and their loved ones. Every American should be able to look forward to a comfortable, secure retirement. Our seniors should not have to worry about financially burdening their children and their grandchildren. prgtoken In my family, my father-in-law wanted to stay in the home he loved, and he did until he was 98 years old. We found prgtoken it very difficult to find him home care. I continue to hear stories from seniors in my district who have had to give up their homes simply to stay in a nursing home. prgtoken Again, we can do better. That is why the Build Back Better Act will provide a historic investment in home care in order to help the more than 800,000 people on State Medicai
Local Journalism Sustainability Act (Executive Session)
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-11-4

I come to the floor to talk about the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. prgtoken And before the majority leader leaves, I want to thank him for his leadership on such an important piece of legislation. From the very beginning, he understood the fact that diversity in resources is about competition and is a key part of our democracy, and we wouldn't be at the precipice of getting support for local journalism without his help. So I thank him for that. prgtoken We originally introduced legislation here in the Senate that Senators Wyden, Kelly, Schatz, Markey, Murray, Klobuchar, my colleague Senator Schumer, Manchin, Cortez Masto, Sinema, Baldwin, Lujan, Leahy, and Blumenthal all supported. prgtoken This is important legislation. We hope our House colleagues will take this up this afternoon or tomorrow, as it is included in the Build Back Better program, to make sure that we have the free press that is essential to our democracy and that we have true competition. prgtoken Local news is a trusted source of news. Working to high journalistic standards, local newspapers and broadcasters play a critical role in holding our elected officials accountable, shining a spotlight on important news, and challenging the issues of our community to come to light. As one friend of mine said, local news is like hanging a lantern on a problem so that the light shines through. prgtoken That is exactly why we want to make sure that we continue to support having this diversity of voices, especially while we see in the online world unfair and uncompetitive practices that we know will be discussed by our colleagues, looked at by the Department of Justice, and certainly legislation proposed about. But in the meantime, we want to keep this diversity of voices working. prgtoken We know that since 2005, newspapers have lost more than 40,000 newsroom employees--about 60 percent of their workforce. Most States have lost more than 50 percent of their newsroom workforce. We cannot let regional and community news organizations continue to die as we navigate very challenging information-age business issues. That is why this legislation is so important. prgtoken Local journalism is highly trusted in communities around the country. According to a 2019 study from Gallup and Knight Foundation, Americans trust local news over national news by a 2-to-1 margin to ``report the news without bias.'' Local journalism has developed that trust based on transparency, accuracy, ethical reporting, and shining a light on important issues, including crime and corruption, and holding public officials accountable. prgtoken Local news reporting takes national news stories and translates them into their community news, and America's newspapers and online journalists and radio and television broadcasters are at the heart of this media landscape. prgtoken During the pandemic, broadcasters continued to provide essential information to audiences, reporting t
Introductory Statement on S. 3183
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-11-4

today I am introducing a bill to improve stormwater management practices at Department of Defense, DOD installations across the country. prgtoken Climate related impacts, such as increased rainfall intensity and sea level rise, exacerbate the problem of stormwater runoff. Excess stormwater can threaten our military readiness and pollute surrounding waterways and ecosystems. prgtoken This phenomenon is acutely present in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where DOD is the second largest Federal landholder, and stormwater is the only pollutant in the watershed that continues to increase. Therefore, it is imperative that the DOD, as an official partner to the Chesapeake Bay Program, do all that it can to support reduction in pollution runoff consistent with the State-based watershed implementation plans required by the Environmental Protection Agency. Climate change has put numerous Virginia and Maryland military bases at increased risk of flooding, including Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Langley Air Force Base, Naval Support Activity Annapolis, Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Joint Base Andrews, and Naval Support Activity South Potomac. prgtoken While there are 137 DOD installations, sites, and facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, this proposal will help ensure stormwater and natural resources beat management practices are constructed, maintained, and repaired at DOD facilities across the Nation. prgtoken The Federal Government provides State and local governments with billions in financial assistance each year to invest in stormwater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Very limited funding exists for the financing of stormwater infrastructure on military installations. The EMBRACE Act would make stormwater management projects eligible for Federal funding under either military construction projects, military installation resilience projects, unspecified minor military construction projects, defense access roads projects, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program DCIP, and the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program ERCIP. prgtoken The bill instructs the Defense Department to give priority to projects that retrofit buildings and grounds on bases and improve access roads prone to flooding. It backs the building of stormwater ponds and other retention strategies. It also supports replacing impermeable paving with materials that let water seep into the soil rather than run off. Projects such as rain gardens, cisterns, and planters also would be eligible for funds. prgtoken I am proud to be joined in this effort by Senators Warner, Cardin, and Van Hollen. The bill has also been endorsed by critical partners such as the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the prgtoken Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Chesapeake Conservancy, Choose Clean Water Coalition, American Flood Coalition Act
Introductory Statement on S. 3179
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-11-4

I rise today to introduce the Fiscal Year 2022 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, which will help fund essential government programs that invest in the success of everyday Americans and help build a stronger, more resilient economy with greater opportunity and more shared prosperity for all. prgtoken As chair of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, I developed this bill with the help of Ranking Member Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi, and I want to begin by thanking her and the Appropriations Committee staff on both sides that have helped assemble this legislation. Putting together any one piece of the Federal budget is beyond the power of any one individual; it takes a dedicated team of public servants working shoulder-to- shoulder, day-in and day-out--and committed to delivering real results for the American people. I appreciate Senator Hyde-Smith's partnership on our subcommittee, and I also want to thank Senator Leahy and Ranking Member Shelby for their leadership on the full committee. prgtoken And in addition to my colleagues and partners on Capitol Hill who have contributed to this legislation, our work has also been guided by the input of others, outside of the Senate, who have offered their testimony and insight. In order to craft this spending package, the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee held public hearings with the Treasury Department and the IRS, a public hearing to help understand Postal Service delivery issues, and a public hearing to learn about the important role of Community Development banks in economically challenged communities. We were briefed by an array of agencies under the bill's jurisdictions and met with stakeholders who would be directly affected by key elements of this legislation, including residents from my home State of Maryland. prgtoken The result of those combined efforts can be seen in the substance of this year's Financial Services and General Government spending bill, which provides $29.4 billion to bring critical services to the American people by funding a number of important Federal agencies and government bodies from the Treasury Department to the Small Business Administration to the Federal Judiciary to the D.C. courts--and much more. Today, I would like to share with the American people exactly what is in this bill and how they stand to benefit from the provisions within it. prgtoken First and foremost, this bill arms the IRS with the resources it needs to ramp up customer service. This bill includes $13.6 billion for the IRS, an increase of $1.6 billion over last year's spending levels, and these funds will allow the IRS to bring taxpayer services into the 21st century by upgrading and replacing aging IRS infrastructure. For working families, that means improved service and shorter hold times when they call the IRS with questions. prgtoken That additional fundin
HONORING LAKETIA MARSHALL-THOMAS
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2021-11-4

. Madam , I rise today to honor a resilient individual, Laketia Marshall-Thomas. prgtoken Laketia Marshall-Thomas, a native from Bolton, Mississippi, is the Assistant Superintendent for High Schools with the Jackson Public School District. Mrs. Thomas has served in the field of education for 23 years, which includes her previously serving as Principal of Provine High School from 2011 to 2017, Curriculum and Instruction Assistant Principal at Lanier High School from August 2009 to May 2011, and Assistant Principal at Whitten Middle School from August 2008 to May 2009. She also served as a Mathematics Coach at Blackburn Middle School from August 2006 to May 2008. She established her career as an educator at Brinkley Middle School where she taught Algebra I and 8th grade mathematics from 1997 to 2006 and served as the Girls' Basketball Coach. prgtoken Mrs. Thomas's strong commitment is confirmed as a scholar in her educational achievements, which include Hinds County Public School System and attended Hinds County Agricultural High School. Mrs. Thomas began her post-secondary education at Tougaloo College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry in 1994. She attended Clark Atlanta University, where she pursued a Master of Science degree in Polymer Chemistry and furthered her studies at Mississippi College receiving a Master of Science and an Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership in 2006 and 2008, respectively. She is currently in dissertation status at Mississippi College pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. prgtoken Superior academic performance is at the forefront of her instructional goals and has led to school, community, and district recognition. While serving in leadership capacities at Provine High School, Lanier High School, and Blackburn Middle School, Mrs. Thomas was recognized for moving each school from their underperforming status to a level of satisfactory progress. She has been selected as the High School Division's Administrator of the Year for two years. She led student participation in Jackson State University's statewide S.T.E.M. Team Competition with Lanier High School and Provine High School winning first place, both years of participation. Additionally, the Jackson City Council awarded her the Amos Wright Award for community involvement and superior academic performance in 2012 and 2020, and the Outstanding Leadership in Education Award in 2016. She has also received numerous accolades from faculty, staff, and student organizations in recognition of her leadership, loyalty, and service in public education. prgtoken Mrs. Thomas prides herself on keeping her life in balance with a strong commitment to God and a loving family. She is married to Jonathan Thomas, Sr. and they have two sons, the late Jonathan, Jr. and Jonah Thomas. Mrs. Thomas strongly believes that schools are ``A Building With Four Walls and Tomorrow Inside''. prgtoken Madam , I
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-11-4

the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a tremendous toll on our Nation. Healthcare workers have valiantly served our communities throughout the crisis. Still, we face unprecedented challenges, and this moment calls for historic action. prgtoken The pandemic laid bare the gaps in our healthcare system and magnified longstanding inequities. Health inequities have been eating away at our communities for many years, which is why I have fought for policies to reduce economic and social inequalities overall--in short, access to nutrition, education, and housing, and increased funding for social and mental health services. prgtoken Earlier this year, Congress enacted some of those reforms in the American Rescue Plan Act, which is bringing much-needed help to Marylanders and Americans across the country. It was a strong investment to complement ongoing efforts to curtail the rapid spread of the virus, particularly as we grapple with more contagious variants, such as the Delta variant. Now, we have the opportunity to enhance that effort through the Build Back Better Act. prgtoken Even with the significant investments in healthcare over the last year and a half, Americans are struggling to pay for their basic healthcare needs, like prescription medications and mental healthcare. Waiting lists for home- and community-based services so individuals can age in place with dignity are in the thousands or tens of thousands in States around the country. In my State of Maryland, over 30,000 seniors and individuals are waiting to get access to home- and community-based services. prgtoken Now, we have the opportunity to make prescription drugs more affordable, expand access to home- and community-based services, extend enhanced financial support to individuals in the individual market, and permanently fund the Children's Health Insurance Program--CHIP. prgtoken We have been working on these problems for years and, in some cases, for over a decade. Congress is long overdue in acting to remedy them. prgtoken As we make these historic investments, we must also redouble our efforts to address the longstanding gaps in healthcare access. For instance, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make major reforms to the Medicare benefit. prgtoken Earlier this year, I reintroduced the Medicare Dental Benefit Act, which would add dental benefits to Medicare. It would help more than 56 million seniors and people with disabilities afford much-needed dental care. prgtoken According to the Wisdom Tooth Project of Oral Health America, nearly 70 percent of seniors lack or have limited access to dental insurance, and fewer than half have access to dental care each year. Those numbers are inexcusable. We should be working to strengthen and expand access to quality, affordable dental care for all Americans, regardless of age or income. prgtoken That is why, today, I am introducing, along with Senator Stabenow, the Medicaid Dental Ben
HONORING UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIALIST 4, GEORGE OSBORNE, JR.
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2021-11-4

. Madam , it is with great respect and admiration that I take this time to remember one of Northwest Indiana's heroes, United States Army Specialist 4 (SP4) George Osborne, Jr who was killed in action in Vietnam on November 22, 1967. On this upcoming Veterans' Day, SP4 Osborne will be recognized with a special tribute, and I join Mayor Jerome Prince and the citizens of Gary, Indiana, in honoring his service. courage, and sacrifice. prgtoken George Osborne Jr. was born on January 30, 1948, in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, to George and Virginia Osborne. Throughout his youth, George was an avid drummer with his school's band, and he took a special interest in automobiles and electronics, the latter of which influenced his decision to join the military. Following his graduation from William H. prgtoken Holtzclaw High School, located in his hometown of Crystal Springs, in May 1966, George relocated to Gary, Indiana. There he worked for a short time at Inland Steel before enlisting in the Army on November 29, 1966. prgtoken After completing his required training, SP4 Osborne's tour in Vietnam commenced on May 20, 1967. He is remembered for his commitment toward the ideals of freedom for all and for his concern for those with whom he fought. During his time in Vietnam, SP4 Osborne made a great impact on his fellow soldiers, one of whom would later contact his family to tell the story of the day George saved his life. Tragically, on November 22, 1967, while transporting a mortar round, it exploded, and SP4 Osborne sustained a fatal fragment wound. While there is great sorrow in his young life being lost that day, SP4 Osborne's service and sacrifice will forever be remembered by a proud community and a grateful nation. prgtoken Following his death, SP4 Osborne was posthumously awarded the Military Merit Award. For his service and sacrifice, he is also a recipient of numerous awards including the Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnamese Merit Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. prgtoken George is remembered fondly by his friends and family. He is survived by his brothers, Herbert, Glen and Robert Osborne, and his sister, Georgia Osborne-Davis. He was also the cherished son of George Sr. and Virginia, and the beloved brother of Melvin Wilson, Will Osborne, Lula Osborne, and Lois Osborne-Kemp, all of whom have passed on. prgtoken Madam , at this time, I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in honoring a fallen hero, SP4 George Osborne, Jr. SP4 Osborne is a true patriot who fought not only for his country but for the freedom of all people. He made the ultimate sacrifice and will forever remain a hero to his family and friends, to his community, and to all those for whom he served. Thus, let us never forget the sacrifice he made to preserve the