mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF ROSEMARY O'NEILL
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of the life of Rosemary O'Neill, who dedicated her life and career to public service. prgtoken A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and daughter of former of the House, Thomas ``Tip'' and Millie O'Neill, Rosemary was born on March 20, 1943. Following in the family tradition of public service and diplomacy, Rosemary first began what would be an extensive career with the Department of State as special assistant to George Feldman, Ambassador of Malta and Luxembourg, shortly after graduating from Dunbarton College of the Holy Cross. Rosemary then continued to work at the Department of State's headquarters in Washington, D.C. for several years, before receiving her posting as a foreign service officer in Morocco in 1980. prgtoken In 1992, Rosemary was elected chair of the Secretary of State's Open Forum, and was tasked with supervising the Open Forum Channel, monitoring the Dissent Channel, and managing the Open Forum's Program. The Secretary of State's Open Forum was established in 1967 to encourage U.S. government employees to share new or alternative policy recommendations with the Secretary of State in a confidential manner, free of bureaucratic restraints. Under Rosemary's leadership and guidance, the 's Program and Open Forum Working Group on Conflict Resolution, Civil Society, and Democracy flourished. prgtoken An advocate for strong American Irish relations, Rosemary served as advisor to the Department of State's Director of Policy Planning on Northern Ireland. Even in retirement, Rosemary continued her relationship with the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition and often travelled to her family's ancestral home of Mallow, County Cork, serving as the Grand Marshall of Mallow's St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2017. Whether travelling to the USSR to promote human rights for individuals with disabilities or working to establish the State Department's Afghan Women's Program to advance educational opportunities for women and girls throughout Afghanistan--Rosemary dedicated her life and career to bettering the lives of all, across the globe. prgtoken After a remarkable career as a Foreign Service Officer, Rosemary retired in 2004. However, retirement did not stop her from continuing to help and support those in her community. Rosemary went on to serve as Chair of the Board of the Family Pantry of Cape Cod and on the Harwich ic Committee. Surrounded by family and loved ones, Rosemary left us too soon on July 20, 2022, at the age of 79. Rosemary's legacy will carry on through the lasting impact she left on the lives of so many through her work advancing women's rights and advocating for underrepresented and underserved groups. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to honor the life of Rosemary O'Neill. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing her life's commitment to serving her community and country.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. prgtoken Let me, of course, thank Representative Neguse for his strong leadership on these issues, as well as Leader Hoyer for getting this bill to the floor. prgtoken I also acknowledge and understand my good friend Mr. Westerman's complaints about regular order, but I also know that he understands how urgent of action is needed, especially when it comes to us getting a grip on the conflagrations, the devastation, and the destruction that we are experiencing in the American West when it comes to wildfires. prgtoken Right now we have a record drought that has led to record levels of dryness. Dead and dying fuels have created vast swaths of wilderness that are flammable, ignitable, and combustible just from a single spark, a simple downed power line, a smoldering campfire, or a strike of lightning that can absolutely wipe out not just our forests and our parks, but lives and livelihoods. prgtoken This legislation contains a number of bills that would help reduce that threat, including my Save Our Forests Act that would authorize the Forest Service to hire more employees to help manage not just forests but the people who visit our forests. prgtoken Eighty percent of wildfires are caused by humans, so more Forest Service personnel are needed to manage humans acting like humans. prgtoken Additionally, the Wildfire Emergency Safety Act, which I authored with Senator Feinstein, provides a strategy and the authority to start thinning out the undergrowth of overgrown forests and then set prescribed burns to eliminate those dead and dying fuels. prgtoken This bill would do that at the national level with large-scale restoration projects, and it would do that at the local level with non- Federal lands through partnerships with our Federal stakeholders. prgtoken Let me also make one thing clear to our environmental allies. This is not a slippery slope to clear-cutting or commercial logging. This is not about timber harvesting for economic interests. This is about smart, science-based, commonsensical stewardship for our forests. It is a solution to deal with our drought and a strategy to not just suppress wildfires, but, also, to do everything we can to prevent them.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-7-29

I rise in strong support of the assault weapons ban. prgtoken I live very close to Highland Park, Illinois, and I have heard from literally hundreds of people and met with hundreds of people--students, teachers, parents, small businessowners, and, yes, even law enforcement officials--who demand that we pass an assault weapons ban. prgtoken Today's vote would not be possible without the fearless and tireless work of advocates and survivors. This day is for them. I think that there is no rational reason that we would allow these weapons of mass destruction that ravage our families, our communities, and even our way of life to be on the streets of our country. prgtoken , I urge a ``yes'' vote to ban assault weapons.
HONORING DARCY J. DAVIS
Lois Frankel (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , I rise today to honor Darcy J. Davis, a distinguished health care advocate, to congratulate her on being named to Florida's Top 100 Women-Led Businesses by the Commonwealth Institute of Florida. For more than 30 years, Darcy has empowered women by promoting gender equity and diversity within the health care system, and she is among the 15 percent of health care CEOs nationwide who are women. prgtoken As CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Darcy has ensured that the residents of our county have access to comprehensive primary care, specialty care, and dental services. The Health Care District serves such an important role in our community, often assisting those without insurance, and has administered over 200,000 COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the pandemic. prgtoken Darcy also serves our community as a member of the America's Essential Hospitals' Strategic Planning Committee, the United Way of Palm Beach County's Hunger Relief Advisory Council, and the County's Sober Home Task Force. She has received several other awards and has been honored by the Palm Beach County Medical Society as a ``Hero in Medicine''. prgtoken Darcy's dedication to health care access and her service to the people of South Florida is truly admirable. I am proud to celebrate her today and wish her continued success.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-7-29

I know the damage that guns can cause firsthand. When I was 16, an accidental gunshot severed my spinal cord and left me paralyzed. prgtoken And yet, the damage caused by that gun pales in comparison to the destruction caused by assault weapons, whose sole purpose is to inflict maximum damage on their targets. prgtoken No one needs an assault weapon to go deer hunting. prgtoken No one needs an assault weapon to defend their home. prgtoken These weapons of war simply have no place on our streets. prgtoken After all, it is no coincidence that assault weapons were the firearm of choice for the killers in Uvalde, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Parkland, Orlando, Sandy Hook, and the list goes on. prgtoken I ask my colleagues, does this body have the courage to stop the next massacre from taking place? prgtoken Or will we shirk from our responsibilities and our duty to act, content to simply offer thoughts and prayers while Americans, and even small children, are mowed down in our schools, grocery stores, and places of worship? prgtoken I know which side I am on. I hope my colleagues will join me. prgtoken I thank Congressman Cicilline for his steadfast work on bringing this legislation to the floor.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-7-29

today I rise in emphatic support of H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. prgtoken Over the past few weeks, survivors of the horrific shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, came to D.C. determined to make change. They teamed up with Uvalde, Parkland, and Newtown to demand an assault weapons ban to reduce the chance of other communities experiencing the trauma they all tragically bear. prgtoken Today, thanks in no small part to their efforts, the American people will get that recorded vote. The world is watching. No other nation experiences the grotesque number of murders from deranged individuals turning weapons of war on kids in school, families at prayer, and people watching a parade. prgtoken The vote we are taking today will show the families of those murdered exactly who is on their side--who is protecting our children and putting people over politics, and, conversely, who is on the other side voting for their own power. prgtoken , I thank Pelosi and Congressman Cicilline for working tirelessly to secure a timely vote, and I urge passage of this bill.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Melanie A. Stansbury (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act as wildfires have been burning across my home State of New Mexico and our life-giving Rio Grande has dried for the first time in decades in significant stretches of the river. This bill is vital to supporting our communities as they are responding to the impacts and working to build a more resilient future. prgtoken This year, communities across our State have been battling unprecedented wildfires that have devastated homes and livelihoods and taken the lives of four first responders just a couple of weeks ago from Bernalillo County in my home district, exacerbated by a millennial drought and the impacts of global climate change. prgtoken But we are New Mexicans, and we are resilient. This bill, which includes our wildfire legislation and three of my water bills, is crucial to the future of our State. prgtoken That is why I am so incredibly grateful for the leadership of this body, to Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, my good friend Representative Joe Neguse, and our amazing committee chairman, Mr. Grijalva, for their incredible leadership in meeting this moment and putting together a comprehensive package to address drought and wildfire across our country. prgtoken These bills will empower our communities, our Tribes, and our Pueblos, who have depended on these life-giving waters since time immemorial, our acequias and our land grants, who have depended on these lands and waters for generations, and empower our communities with the tools, resources, and science to meet the moment. prgtoken My bipartisan Water Data Act will help unlock the power of big data and science to help transform water management across the United States. prgtoken Our Rio Grande Water Security Act will help to create a framework for collaboration and innovation to keep water in our precious river. prgtoken The WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act will help to lower barriers so that our Tribes and Pueblos can access vital funding for water security projects. prgtoken Our Hermits Peak bill will help to make our communities that have been devastated by wildfires whole again. prgtoken Madam Chair, we must pass the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, and we must pass it to prevent more devastating fires. We must pass it to ensure that our life-giving rivers do not continue to run dry. We must pass this legislation so that our communities have the tools and the resources that they need to remain resilient. prgtoken Madam Chair, the time to act is now, and the time to support our communities is now.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I thank Chairman Grijalva and everybody who has worked to bring this bill to the floor today. prgtoken A historic drought has forced ranchers in our parched Eastern Plains to sell their cattle early. prgtoken We don't collect and share data about our precious water resources with the ranchers, Tribes, and farmers who need it most. prgtoken Four brave firefighters lost their lives battling wildfires across my beautiful State. Five more people died in the fires and the floods from the burn scars. Today, I honor each of those nine souls and their grieving friends and family. prgtoken The Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act is like a gentle monsoon rain falling on our thirsty landscape. It brings real solutions to these problems. prgtoken It includes my Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire bill to compensate those who lost their ancestral homes, businesses, and ranches when the Forest Service started not one but two fires that became an inferno of destruction. These fires scorched 534 square miles of land in Mora, San Miguel, and Taos Counties. prgtoken When I visited the burn scar, Brandon Bustos, a third grader evacuated from his beloved village, said: ``Mora will be back. I guarantee it.'' He has not given up on his future. Neither have I, and neither have any of us who will vote for this bill because this bill will help Mora rebuild. prgtoken It will pay firefighters a minimum wage that is necessary because they risk their lives for us. It will invest in burn centers of excellence and the science, technology, and data sharing we need to build resiliency and make every precious drop of water count because agua es vida. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill today.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. STEPHAN EARLY
Jimmy Gomez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , today I rise to honor the life and legacy of a community leader and advocate, Mr. Stephan Early. prgtoken Mr. Early was an educator and active community member. Mr. Early taught English at Eagle Rock High School for 30 years and was part of the National Education Association where he represented California as a delegate in education policy for nearly 10 years. He was most proud of teaching Shakespeare to students, noting the literature's timeless and engaging language. prgtoken Mr. Early was a standout educator, and dedicated ally and advocate. He supported his students at bake sales, car washes, and encouraged neighbors to do the same. Mr. Early would say, ``in order to communicate an idea, you need to be able to write it down.'' His passion for teaching, creating community, and service is what made Mr. Early a model citizen. prgtoken Mr. Early cared so deeply about his community that he served as the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council President for 2 years and always worked on protecting the Eagle Rock community. Mr. Early was a proud family man and veteran. His wife, Mrs. Early, remembers him as a loving husband and proud father of 2. Mr. Early served our Nation in uniform during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Purple Heart. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mr. Stephan Early.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I certainly appreciate the gentlewoman's support, her attention, and her description about the need for funding to help rural communities recover from natural disasters and emergencies. I certainly share the desire to ensure that rural communities have access to clean and reliable drinking water. prgtoken I am looking forward to the House considering Mr. McCarthy's amendment as well as the many bills and bipartisan bills that are included within this Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-7-29

I rise today in support of H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban, legislation that will help reduce the gun massacres being committed in our communities by weapons of war. prgtoken These military-style weapons were designed for the battlefield for maximum efficiency when a soldier is engaged in combat. prgtoken And the military features banned by this bill are added to make these guns more accurate, more controllable, more concealable, and more deadly, enabling killers to murder as many people as possible as quickly as possible. prgtoken These weapons have no place in our communities. They turn our streets, our schools, our grocery stores, our movie theaters, and hospitals into bloody battlefield scenes, and they kill our children, our friends, our neighbors, and the police officers trying to protect them. prgtoken In 2016 and 2017 alone, more than two dozen officers were slain in the line of duty by an assault weapon. One in five officers is killed in the line of duty by these weapons, which is why the Major City Police Chiefs Association endorses this legislation. prgtoken Yet for nearly 18 years, we failed to take action to stop them from flooding into our communities and being used time and time and time again in mass shootings. prgtoken It is unconscionable that anyone can walk into a store and legally purchase a weapon capable of inflicting the carnage we have seen in Highland Park, in Buffalo, in Uvalde, in Atlanta, in Sutherland Springs, in Las Vegas, in Orlando, in Parkland, and the list goes on and on. prgtoken Today, the House is finally taking a long overdue and necessary step to reinstitute a ban on these exceptionally dangerous weapons. prgtoken We didn't just come up with this proposal out of thin air and propose it, the original assault weapons ban was in place from 1994 to 2004, and we have clear evidence that it was effective in reducing these killings. prgtoken Compared with the decade before its adoption, the 1994 assault weapons ban was associated with a 25 percent drop in gun massacres and a 40 percent drop in fatalities. prgtoken As soon as the ban expired, fatalities and shootings skyrocketed again. prgtoken When an assault weapon is used during a mass shooting, six times as many people are shot. prgtoken Today, I am imploring my colleagues to take action to get these weapons of war designed for maximum destruction of human life off our streets. prgtoken Let me be clear: I respect the Second Amendment, but it is not without limits. Imagine if we clung to the desire to protect our children and our communities as tightly as some of my colleagues cling to their rifles. prgtoken There are more guns than people in this country, more mass shootings than days in the year. This is a uniquely American problem. prgtoken This bill won't stop all gun violence, but it will effectively decrease it. prgtoken Because they were designed for military combat, these weapons don't just kill, they decimate. The shots fir
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. prgtoken Our communities have been hit hard by wildfires year after year. During the 2017 wildfire season, 44 people were killed and nearly 5,000 people lost their homes. Five years later, our communities are still rebuilding. prgtoken We made significant investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to fight and prepare for wildfires. prgtoken The Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act is another step towards providing our communities with the resources we need to combat wildfires and reduce drought. prgtoken I am particularly pleased to see my language requesting information from the Department of Agriculture on crop losses due to natural disasters included in this bill. prgtoken Given the prolonged drought conditions and the constant threat of wildfire and smoke exposure, we already know that many of our growers will need disaster assistance for 2022 losses. prgtoken The information we request from USDA will help inform my work to reauthorize the Emergency Relief Program for 2022 losses. prgtoken This bill includes a crucial cost share adjustment and establishes a minimum basic pay and hiring authorities for federal wildland firefighters--providing necessary resources to those who put their lives on the line to save our lives and homes. prgtoken This bill provides authorization for the pre-deployment of resources during red flag warnings similar to how we prepare resources in advance of oncoming hurricanes. prgtoken This bill also includes provisions from the FEED Act, legislation I was proud to introduce, allowing local restaurants to partner with the government to distribute healthy food to wildfire victims during their time of need. prgtoken As we continue to address the climate crisis, I will continue to do everything I can to ensure our communities have the resources they need to prevent and recover from the fires that continue to threaten our homes and livelihoods every year. prgtoken I urge a yes vote on this bill. prgtoken Ms. DeGette. Madam Chair, studies show that when our environmental laws are broken our poorest communities disproportionately pay the price. Communities such as Globeville and Elyria-Swansea--two predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods in my district--are being inundated by the pollution coming from the highways, railyard and industrial plants around them. prgtoken The problem is: While EPA monitors each of these sources individually, they don't consider the cumulative health impact that all of these sources combined can have on nearby residents. prgtoken The legislation I included in this bill will change that. It will require EPA, for the first time, to address the cumulative effect of multiple sources of nearby pollution. It will also require EPA to identify 100 of the most heavily polluted communities in the country and ensure the laws put in place to protect them are being