mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF WORLD LYMPHEDEMA DAY
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-7

I rise to pay tribute to World Lymphedema Day. World Lymphedema Day is committed to increasing awareness of a disease that affects up to 10 million Americans and an estimated 150 million people worldwide. prgtoken Lymphedema is an extremely understudied yet common disease that occurs when the body's natural lymphatic drainage system is underdeveloped, blocked, or damaged. The lymphatic fluid, unable to properly drain, becomes trapped in a particular area of the body like the arms, legs, torso, head, or neck. The resulting swelling can hinder mobility and impair proper bodily functions. In many cases, the swelling can cause extreme pain dramatically reducing quality of life. prgtoken Stanford University estimates that 10 million Americans are affected by lymphedema; however, lymphedema research continues to be chronically underfunded. This has led to an' unfortunate number of misdiagnosis and under-treatment of the disease, which add significant costs to patients and the healthcare industry. prgtoken Lymphedema can be inheritable or result from a trauma or health complication later in life. Secondary Lymphedema is reported to develop after health experiences such as cancer treatment, radiation therapy, major surgery, and severe burns. Combat injuries sustained by the brave men and women who don the uniform in defense of our country significantly increase the risk of developing lymphedema. prgtoken Lymphedema affects an estimated 15 percent of all cancer survivors and 40 percent of all breast cancer survivors. This is particularly concerning as one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. prgtoken I have long fought to increase funding for breast cancer research by the National Institutes of Health, and have recently passed legislation that will increase funding for research through the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act. prgtoken The New York State legislature recently passed a resolution recognizing March 6 as the 2nd Annual World Lymphedema Day and the U.S. Senate commemorated the day in the last Congress. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the amazing dedication and strength of the advocates, patients, and health care providers calling for increased awareness of and research funding for lymphedema as we mark World Lymphedema Day.
REMEMBERING PETER G. PETERSON
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-5-7

last month, Peter G. Peterson passed away in his home in Manhattan at the age of 91. He was a rare figure in modern American politics as a true public citizen asking politicians to be fiscally responsible. prgtoken Peter George Peterson was born Peter Petropoulos in Kearney, NE, to a Greek family. His parents came from southern Greece without any money. George, his father, took a job as a dishwasher for the Union Pacific Railroad. His mother made wine in his basement, which she sold to people. George eventually opened a Greek restaurant in Kearney and changed the family name to Peterson. At age eight, Peter would work the register at this place. The family never had much wealth. prgtoken Almost everyone knew him as Pete. His family was so frugal that Pete and his brother took turns using the same bath water on Saturday nights. The Great Depression taught him lessons that he would message to the country for the rest of his life: Never spend more than one earns, even in the worst of times. prgtoken Pete developed into a business wonder. He finished top in his class in high school, attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Northwestern University. In the 1950s, Pete was an advertising executive for the legendary McCann Erickson agency before he was 30. Within a decade, he became chief executive for Bell and Howell electronics. prgtoken Pete answered the call for service in 1971, becoming the White House Assistant for International Economic Affairs and, eventually, Commerce Secretary for a brief period of time for President Nixon, but he was never a White House insider. Partisans distrusted him because he was too comfortable with . He left a year into the post before scandal engulfed the White House. prgtoken He was nearsighted and colorblind, but he had a clear vision of where he thought the country should go. Pete built a career that made him one of the few captains of business stretching into public life. He was chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations for 22 years and led government commissions and advisory bodies. Pete also helped found the incredibly successful Blackstone Group and became chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He was a member of President Bill Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform as well. prgtoken Pete's leadership as a fiscal watchdog might be his greatest achievement. Since the 1970s, Pete has challenged leaders of both parties to address the country's dangerous fiscal path. He launched the Institute for International Economics in 1981, which became the Peterson Institute for International Economics in 2006. Pete was the founding president of the bipartisan Concord Coalition, which included former ic Senator Paul Tsongas and former Senator Warren Rudman in 1992 to advocate for generationally responsible fiscal policy. prgtoken The national debt is not a partisan problem; it is an American problem.
CELEBRATING BUILDING SAFETY MONTH
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2018-5-7

I rise today to mark the beginning of Building Safety Month and to recognize the men and women of the International Code Council (ICC) who have dedicated their livelihoods to ensuring the public safety of Americans. prgtoken Building safety and fire prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, design professionals, laborers and others in the construction industry work year-round to ensure the safe construction and maintenance of buildings. It is through their efforts that our nation continues to address critical safety issues in the built environment that affect our citizens in both everyday life and in times of natural disaster. prgtoken These individuals, who are dedicated members of the International Code Council, develop and implement the highest quality codes to protect Americans in the buildings where we work, live, and play. prgtoken The International Codes, the most widely adopted building safety and fire prevention codes in the nation, are used by most U.S. cities, counties and all 50 states including my State of Vermont. These modem building safety codes also include safeguards to protect the public from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, wildland fires, floods and earthquakes. prgtoken Each year, in observance of Building Safety Month, which is sponsored by the International Code Council, Americans are encouraged to raise awareness of the importance of safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, disaster mitigation, and new technologies in the construction industry. prgtoken The theme for Building Safety Month 2018, ``Building Codes Save Lives,'' encourages appropriate steps everyone can take to ensure that the places where we live, learn, work, worship and play are safe, and recognizes that countless lives have been saved due to the implementation of safety codes by local and state agencies. prgtoken , please join me in thanking ICC Board President Mr. Jay Elbettar, the International Code Council leadership, and its Members as they recognize Building Safety Month.
Puerto Rico Recovery (Executive Session)
Bill Nelson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-5-7

I have just returned from Puerto Rico. I went there at the invitation of Governor Rossello. I spent time with his Secretary of Housing. I spent time with members of his executive staff. prgtoken I went up into the mountains to a city named ``Las Piedras,'' a city of some 30,000 people. According to the mayor, who took me around and showed me a number of the residential neighborhoods, 30 percent of that city does not have electricity. prgtoken It has been 8 months since the two hurricanes--first Maria and then Irma--hit the island of Puerto Rico, our fellow U.S. citizens. There are still major parts of the island that do not have electricity. prgtoken In this town of 30,000 people, you go to different locations, and in one particular location farther up in the mountains, there is no electricity. prgtoken I asked the residents: How are you coping? What do you do? prgtoken They had a generator, but because of the shortage of fuel and the cost of fuel, they can't run the generator all the time. Basically, they use it for necessities, such as cooking and other chores during the day. Therefore, they have no refrigeration. prgtoken I asked: What do you do? prgtoken They showed me. A fellow had just come from the grocery store down the mountain. Every day, they have to go get their groceries that are perishable and cook them and consume them that day because they do not have refrigeration. This is 8 months after the hurricane. Can you imagine that happening in any of our States on the mainland? Can you imagine the degree of anger and insistence that there be a full recovery? Yet this is happening to fellow U.S. citizens on the island of Puerto Rico. prgtoken They are coping. They are a very industrious and inventive people. As they recover, they are looking at new ways instead of just relying on what in the past has been a dilapidated electrical grid. Tesla has come in. I inspected this pilot project up on top of the mountain. It is an array of solar cells--the most efficient that have been produced--and that array of solar panels is supplying electricity full time to 12 houses up on the mountain. We need more of that. We need more of that as a backup to the electrical grid and in some cases a replacement for the electrical grid since it has been so unreliable in the past. prgtoken I wanted to bring this report to the Senate. Puerto Rico will make it. Although jobs are scarce, although many thousands have fled to the mainland to stay with relatives, although many of those I met--thank goodness FEMA extended the temporary housing assistance to get those families through the end of the school year, as their children would have been uprooted in the middle of final exams and their graduations would have been disrupted had that temporary assistance not been extended through the end of June. Many of them want to go back, but there is no job to go back to, and there is a home that is now completely filled with m
VETERANS CEMETERY BENEFIT CORRECTION ACT
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2018-5-7

I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4910, the Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act. I joined my fellow Georgia Congressman Austin Scott to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure that all of our veteran families receive the benefits that they have earned. prgtoken I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor, and I thank all of my colleagues for their help in moving it forward. prgtoken , Andersonville, which is one of the two remaining National Park Service cemeteries, has a very, very interesting and unique history. Andersonville was the site of a Civil War prisoner of war camp, and, interestingly enough, it held prisoners of war for both the Union and the Confederates. Unfortunately, because of the prgtoken unsanitary conditions, thousands of veterans, both Union and Confederate, died at Andersonville. prgtoken Of course, in more recent years, Andersonville has been designated as the National Prisoner of War Memorial for our country, and, in that stead, we erected and funded the National Prisoner of War Museum, which is located on the grounds of Andersonville. The facilities there are controlled totally by the National Park Service. prgtoken Currently, when veterans are buried in some of the Federal cemeteries, as you have heard, a number of the families are left to pay the burial costs that typically would be afforded them under other circumstances. prgtoken Current law requires that when a veteran is buried in a national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration, that the VA will provide an outer burial receptacle, known in other terms as a grave liner, or it will provide reimbursement to the family for purchase. prgtoken However, the current law inexplicably excludes national cemeteries that are under the control of the National Park Service. The Andersonville National Cemetery, located in my district, is one of the two remaining national cemeteries controlled by the National Park Service. prgtoken Today, we are taking steps for Congress to correct this oversight and to ensure that veterans buried in cemeteries controlled by the National Park Service, and their families, are provided all of the benefits to which they are entitled, not only for my district but for all of our veterans and their families who have selflessly served our country. prgtoken I applaud Senator Isakson's successful effort to push this legislation through the Senate under unanimous consent. It is now time for the House to take action, and by voting for this legislation, we can fix this oversight and ensure that all of our veterans and their families are provided appropriate benefits in all of our Federal cemeteries.
REMEMBERING LARRY LEONG HONG
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-5-7

I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life of Larry Leong Hong, who passed away peacefully on April 20, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. prgtoken Born in China in 1922, his family immigrated to Burma when he was an infant, to seek better fortune. Larry was the oldest son of six children; he had three sisters and two brothers. His family sent him back to China to get his schooling and to learn about his heritage and his culture. At age 13, shortly after he returned home to Burma, he left to seek a better future for himself and for his family. He came by himself to America, to the Golden Mountain, where it was believed the streets were paved with gold. prgtoken In 1935, when he arrived in America, he found no streets paved in gold bricks. Instead, he found a country in the grips of the Great Depression, and life was hard. But that did not deter him. He worked hard at the family restaurant. Larry learned the value of hard work, determination, and self-sufficiency. He worked in the restaurant until the clarion call of World War II. In 1942 Larry joined the war effort, working at a factory as an engine lathe operator and was promoted to be an inspector until he was called to serve. Larry--also known as Wing Q. Hong--was inducted into the Army of the United States on March 2, 1943. He was an infantryman and rose to TEC 4 as a cook. He served in the European theater, landing with his regiment in Normandy and went on to serve in Ardennes-Rhineland, Northern France, and Central Europe, serving as the acting mess sergeant for the officers. He was honorably discharged on October 19, 1945. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal AR 600-68 and the EAMETO Medal with one Silver Service Star. This patriotic and hard-working immigrant started a tradition of service to his country. All of his descendants and their spouses served this Nation, either in Active Duty as members of the military or as civilians. Upon discharge, Larry returned to civilian life and went back to the restaurant business. Two years after his discharge from the Army, his only son, Kenneth, was born. prgtoken He met the love of his life, Annette Moy, at the restaurant in which they both worked, and they were married in 1942. This was a love affair that lasted for almost 62 years, until his beloved wife passed in January of 2000. Even though Larry came to America by himself, as a young teen, when he married Annette, he married into the Moy Clan--very large, very tight-knit, and very loving family. He learned through Annette the value and the strong bonds of family. Larry was devoted to his immediate and extended family. He was generous, strong, dependable, and stable. He and his wife were the anchor for their very large family. prgtoken The family took every opportunity to gather together, whether it was to celebrate a holiday, to celebrate a special milestone or just to get together for a picnic. They were fun, and of course th
MARVIN GAYE POST OFFICE
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-5-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 1496, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3585 South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, California, as the Marvin Gaye Post Office. prgtoken As Members know, Marvin Gaye is a national treasure. I join my colleagues in supporting this designation, and .
PROTECTING SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Dwight Evans (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2018-5-7

I want to thank my colleagues for holding this Special Order hour, the CBC Special Order hour this evening, as we discuss SNAP and other efforts by the President and the GOP to shed the social safety net. prgtoken , I thank the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chairman Richmond, for allowing me to have this opportunity to lead what we call the ``Conscience of the Congress'' of the Congressional Black Caucus, who is the one who has led this and come up with this idea for us. prgtoken As we paint a picture of the Black community in 2018, it is clear that we have a lot to lose. Too many of our neighborhoods are, unfortunately, still plagued by rampant poverty, dysfunction, and crime. These are very serious issues that our community has to deal with. prgtoken But instead of the GOP Congress working with us side by side in a bipartisan manner, we have a group, , hell-bent on enacting jaded, outdated, economic backwards legislation in the form of SNAP that would throw thousands of recipients off the roles. According to the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, SNAP is the country's most effective antihunger program helping one in five Americans afford a basic diet. prgtoken For over 15 years, State and Federal policymakers have worked on a bipartisan basis to strengthen SNAP. The GOP would take a large step backwards, reducing or eliminating benefits for more than 1 million households with more than 2 million people. And let me be clear, it is not just about programs, policies, and laws being enacted by the GOP and President , it is about the overall tone that has been set by this President, who regularly raises insults, instead of engaging in meaningful policy discussions. prgtoken The President's review of welfare programs is an immoral attempt to get the programs that provide a basic standard of living for Americans struggling to make ends meet, all to pay for the massive tax cuts for himself and the richest 1 percent. Instead of taking food out of the mouths of poor children or kicking the elderly off of Medicare, President and congressional s should work with to put more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans. prgtoken Let me be clear: this executive order is a thinly veiled attempt to restrict access to healthcare, housing, food, and many other basic living programs by adding onerous so-called work requirements. prgtoken , from Alabama (Ms. Sewell), a person who I admire and had the chance of visiting with her in the great State of Alabama. She has a lot of experience firsthand and knows and understands what it means to be close to the people.
HONORING WADE THOMAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-5-7

I rise today to honor Wade Thomas Elementary School in Marin County for its recognition on May 3, 2018 as a 2018 California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education. Chosen for its exemplary high performance, as measured by state and national assessments, Wade Thomas Elementary School was one of 287 schools to attain this honor statewide. This highly competitive award reflects outstanding achievement and the highest caliber of professional service, family commitment, and community engagement. prgtoken With 412 students across six grades, Wade Thomas Elementary School offers comprehensive educational programs that academically challenge and instill a joy of learning in its students while ensuring that all children have the skills and knowledge to reach their full potential. prgtoken , this hard-earned distinction reflects true community success. From the students and their families, to the staff and administrators, and the extended community, Wade Thomas Elementary School has developed an education model for the state and the nation: empowering today's students to be tomorrow's problem-solvers, inventors, and pioneers. Please join me in congratulating Wade Thomas Elementary School on this impressive achievement.
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-5-7

on another matter, as the Senate returns to work after the recess, we are scheduled to process six circuit court judges over the next few weeks. Some of these judges are noncontroversial and have received support from their home State ic Senators, and we will work with the majority to confirm them. But Michael Brennan, second in line this week, will receive a cloture vote on the floor of the Senate even though one of his home State Senators, Ms. Baldwin, has not returned a blue slip for his nomination. prgtoken When hearing the facts, they are appalling--not just his ideology, although Mr. Brennan is a very conservative nominee who failed to earn the recommendation of a functioning bipartisan commission that was set up by both Senator Baldwin, a , and Senator Johnson, a , to recommend Federal judicial nominees. That is how people want us to do things, in a bipartisan way. I was able to work out judge nominations in a bipartisan way in the Senate when we had a President, a Governor, but that was overrun. This is now the second time that Chairman Grassley has ignored the blue-slip tradition in this Congress, but the part that really burns me and I think many others who are fair-minded in the Senate and this country is the fact that the seat that Mr. Brennan would fill on the Seventh Circuit was held open for 6 years--6 years--via blue slips. Senator Johnson did not turn in a blue slip, and the seat stayed vacant. prgtoken Now that we have a President, Senator Baldwin's blue slip is being ignored. What a double standard; what hypocrisy. When people ask whether we are being obstructionist, let the shoe fit as to what happened to this seat on the Seventh Circuit. It was historic obstruction, yet Senator Leahy faithfully observed the blue-slip tradition and kept the circuit seat vacant for 6 years. prgtoken Listen to this. During those 6 years, none other than Mr. Brennan himself, the nominee, wrote an op-ed defending Senator Johnson's right to refuse to return a blue slip to the Seventh Circuit vacancy. Of course, irony of ironies, it is now Mr. Brennan who is up for confirmation over the objection of one of his home State Senators. Where is the defense of senatorial courtesy today? prgtoken Making matters worse is the fact that the far right is pushing very conservative nominees, way out of the mainstream, and the pressure on my friend--and he is my friend, the leader--to ignore all of the traditions, the blue slip above all, and create this double standard is really galling. prgtoken On Wednesday of this week, the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Ryan Bounds. He is also a nominee for a circuit court, this one the Ninth Circuit in Oregon. He has not received a blue slip from either Senator Wyden or Senator Merkley. This will be the first time the Judiciary Chairman has allowed a nominee who lacks the support of both h