mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING DOWELL TAYLOR
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2018-11-15

I rise today to honor Mr. Dowell Taylor for his recent induction into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation. prgtoken Mr. Taylor is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He is a graduate of Callaway High School and Jackson State University (JSU) where he received a Bachelor's in Music Education, as well as a Master's in Music Education. During his undergraduate years, he arranged over 100 band selections including JSU's current theme song, ``Get Ready,'' an old Motown favorite. Mr. Taylor decided to further his study by enrolling in the Doctor of Musical Arts program in Wind Conducting at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music. He then went on to receive a certification in Music Technology from the Technology Institute for Music Educators. prgtoken In 1975, he received the highest achievement of a JSU bandsman, the ``Best All Around Bandsman'' award. Mr. Taylor has served as Director of Bands at both Mary Holmes, Jr. College and Kentucky State University--where he also served as department chair. From 1984 to 1992, he served as Director of Music Technology and the Director of Bands of one of the most entertaining programs in HBCU history, the ``Sonic Boom of the South.'' prgtoken In 2009, he developed the Music Technology degree program for undergraduate students at Jackson State University, accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, and in 2010, he was honored by the Mississippi Jazz Foundation. Mr. Taylor's Jazz Quartet received the Jazz Group of the Year Award from the Jackson Music Award, Inc. prgtoken After 31 years of service, he retired from Jackson State University in June of 2015. But, that did not stop him from coming back in September of 2017 to serve as Interim Director of Bands, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Music Technology at Jackson State University. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Dowell Taylor on his induction into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation along with his years of dedicated leadership and servanthood to the art and craft of music.
I RISE
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2018-11-15

I rise because I love my country. I rise because I care about people. And because I love my country and care about people, I rise on behalf of those living and deceased who have suffered grave injustices associated with hate. prgtoken I rise on behalf of those who have suffered the injustices associated with sexism, racism, nativism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia. prgtoken I rise on behalf of the slave mother who had her baby torn away from her at the auction block. I rise on behalf of the mother at the border of the United States of America who had her baby taken from her as her baby cried to be in her mother's arms. prgtoken I rise on behalf of the many who have been persecuted for religious beliefs, those who have suffered religious persecution. prgtoken I rise on behalf of the women who have been denied opportunities because of their gender. I rise on behalf of the LGBTQ persons who have suffered simply because of being who they are. prgtoken , I rise and I stand in the well of the Congress of the United States of America against bigotry and hatred. I rise and stand against the bigotry emanating from the Presidency, . prgtoken , I refuse to allow it to be reduced to his being a jerk. I refuse to allow it to be reduced to something simply political. Mr bigotry in our country has hurt too many for too long. prgtoken , I let others do what they may. I am not angry with anyone, . Let them do what they may. But it is in my DNA to oppose this bigotry, and I rise and I stand against it. prgtoken I will not let the Record show that when I was elected to Congress, I did not do something about the circumstance that is changing the culture in this country: persons running for office claiming that they somehow can say that it is okay to go to a hanging; persons running for office talking about monkey business, knowing how that relates to those of African ancestry. prgtoken , I refuse to accept it. I rise to take a stand for the many who have suffered from bigotry and hatred emanating from the Presidency. prgtoken I rise.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--S.J. RES. 65
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-11-15

I would like to share with the Senate and those following this debate a story about a man named Alton Mills. prgtoken Alton Mills was a young African American in the city of Chicago. He was an above-average high school student. It looked like he might even go on to higher education, but he had some bad luck when it came to employment and jobs, and he made a stupid decision. He made a stupid decision by becoming part of a gang in the neighborhood that was selling drugs. prgtoken As a result of that, he was arrested and convicted of the possession and sale of a small amount of narcotics. The sentence was suspended because he had had no previous criminal record. prgtoken It happened a second time. Again, he didn't serve a day in jail. It was suspended with the promise that he would never do it again, but he stumbled and did it a third time. As a result of that, in 1994, at the age of 24, Alton Mills was given a mandatory sentence of life in prison. He had never been involved in a violent crime. He had never used a firearm, and he never was a drug kingpin but had been involved in the sale of drugs. At the age of 24, he received a life sentence for the three incidents I just mentioned. prgtoken How could we have ever reached a point at which a person would be sent to jail for life for those three crimes? prgtoken We reached that point because 25 years ago we did something that was just plain wrong. You will seldom hear a Senator say this in the course of a speech, but I am going to say it. The worst vote I ever cast in my life in the House or in the Senate was for the 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. In other words, if you took the same amount of cocaine and if it were in a powder form, sitting next to the same amount of cocaine in a crystallized form that could be smoked and if you were arrested for the possession of one or the other, the sentence for crack cocaine was 100 times what it was for powder cocaine. prgtoken Why did we do that? Why did we have such a gross disparity? It was because we were frightened. prgtoken As a Member of the House of Representatives, I remember it well. They came to us and said that there was a new form of cocaine on the streets. It cost 5 bucks, and it was heavily addictive. If a mother were to ingest this cocaine while being pregnant, it could harm the fetus for life. So do something. prgtoken At about that same time, there was this great scandal here in Washington, DC, of an outstanding basketball player at the University of Maryland, named Len Bias, who overdosed on drugs and died. People were talking about his career in the NBA and this great talent, and he was dead. It had nothing to do with crack cocaine, but it was part of the environment and part of the overreaction that took place among politicians in Washington. I was one of them. I voted for that 100-to-1 disparity and said we had to accept a hard, tough message right no
NOMINATION OF MICHELLE BOWMAN
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-11-15

this week this body began rubberstamping yet another nominee who will help unravel Wall Street reform and who will give big banks free rein again. This White House increasingly looks like a retreat for Wall Street executives. prgtoken Michelle Bowman is about to become a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. We should be aware that the only reason this slot is open is because of the obstruction of President 's Federal Reserve nominees in the last Congress. President will have already nominated six of the seven Board slots. There are other nominees we could be voting on who would enjoy more broad bipartisan support and have a direct impact on saving and creating American jobs-- people such as the four bipartisan nominees to the Export-Import Bank, blocked by two or three Members of the Senate doing the bidding of the White House, costing us thousands. prgtoken This is coming from business interests, the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Wall Street Journal, and places like that. This is costing us thousands of good-paying manufacturing jobs because of an ideological hangup on this side, because of complicity in the majority leader's office, and because somebody at the White House has a problem with the Export-Import Bank. Nobody can understand what it is. prgtoken These nominees have strong bipartisan support. Instead of voting on that to create jobs immediately--immediately in my State, we are voting on someone who will make it easier for the Fed to roll back and water down more consumer protections. prgtoken Ms. Bowman failed during a hearing to provide the committee any insight on her views on monetary policy, regulation, and financial instability--in other words, all of the issues that affect our economy that she will make decisions on. prgtoken We have seen what is happening at the Fed. We have heard their plans for rolling back rule after rule after rule. Vice Chair Quarles came to our committee. Last week he said the Fed will weaken stress tests and living wills for the largest banks. prgtoken We see what is happening in other ways. The Fed put out its proposal to implement the bank giveaway bill enacted earlier this year. It rolls back rules on banks with over $250 billion in assets. But do you know what else it does? Get this. The Fed announced plans to weaken rules for foreign megabanks. These are banks such as Santander, Deutsche Bank, and UBS. These are foreign banks. Think about ``Make America great again.'' These are foreign banks, big foreign banks--foreign banks that are huge into the hundreds of billions of dollars in assets internationally and a good size in this country. They have broken Federal law time and time and time again. prgtoken What does the White House do? What does the majority leader do? He says it is OK to give these foreign banks a break, and then we have to be preached to about making America gr
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK AND WOMEN IN APPRENTICESHIP DAY
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2018-11-15

it is National Apprenticeship Week and Women in Apprenticeship Day, and I want to highlight the potential for apprenticeships to get people into good-paying jobs. prgtoken When I visit communities across northwest Oregon, I hear from many Oregonians who feel left behind and left out of the economic recovery. Far too many families are still struggling to make ends meet. prgtoken Their wages are stagnant, and they feel overwhelmed by rising rent prices, barriers to transportation, and skyrocketing costs of childcare. They can't save for retirement or for their kids to go to college. They need access to good-paying jobs so they can support themselves and their families. prgtoken Workforce development programs can assist them, particularly assisting those who have barriers to employment. Good workforce policies can help them access the education, training, credentials, and support services they need to secure living-wage jobs. Good workforce policies create opportunities for employers to align training with the skills they need. prgtoken As we recognize National Apprenticeship Week and Women in Apprenticeship Day, we must commit to strengthening apprenticeships and work-based learning programs. Investing in these programs will help more people access better-paying, stable careers and provide our businesses with a workforce that will improve productivity and efficiency. prgtoken In the district I represent, the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, or OMIC, is bringing together industry leaders like Boeing with local colleges, including Portland Community College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, and Portland State University, to develop a registered apprenticeship program. This collaboration will result in growth, innovation, and efficiency in advanced manufacturing and a more skilled workforce. prgtoken OMIC is a tremendous opportunity for Oregonians and exactly the kind of partnership that brings value to our communities and to our economy. I was proud to help secure funding for OMIC through the Economic Development Administration, and I look forward to seeing its continued growth and the opportunities it will bring to northwest Oregon and our region and our future manufacturing workforce. prgtoken Although some employers recognize the importance of recruiting and training all working people, across the country, the representation of women in the trades remains quite low. In Oregon, we are leading the way. Women's participation in registered apprenticeship programs is more than double the national average, demonstrating the value of organizations like Oregon Tradeswomen, with the mission dedicated to promoting success for women in the trades through education, leadership, and mentorship. prgtoken We can help increase the presence of programs like Oregon Tradeswomen across the country by increasing funding for the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants, and, of co
COAST GUARD REAUTHORIZATION BILL
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-11-15

today I wish to raise concerns about the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, known as VIDA, which is included in the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Act of 2018. prgtoken I voted in favor of the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Act of 2018, along with 93 of my colleagues, because I strongly support the Coast Guard and its mission. The women and men of the Coast Guard provide invaluable services to our Nation, which include homeland security, maritime safety, drug interdiction, search and rescue, and marine environmental protection. prgtoken However, the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act title in the Coast Guard authorization bill is a rider that I have long opposed. VIDA imposes a uniform national standard and preempts California law in a way that weakens California's ballast water management program, which protects coastal waters from pollution and invasive species. prgtoken California has one of the most stringent ballast water discharge and management standards in the Nation. It is home to three of the country's largest and busiest ports with extremely high-volume traffic. prgtoken California's ports are often the first stop for vessels from Asia before they travel up the West Coast. Therefore, California is often the first line of defense against the spread of invasive species and other types of pollution. That is why it has led the Nation in one of the most advanced, stringent ballast water and invasive species management programs--and with much success. prgtoken Invasive species wreak havoc on ecosystems and infrastructure, with wide ranging effects from damaging levee systems to crippling commercial fisheries. Due to climate change, warming waters and shifting currents will increase the spread of invasive species, and strong safeguards are needed now more than ever. prgtoken This is why I strongly oppose VIDA's preemption of California's ballast water program. prgtoken For all these reasons, I supported the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Act of 2018, but do not support the VIDA provision contained therein. Thank you.
GUN VIOLENCE
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2018-11-15

I come to the floor, as I have many times in the last several years--and I know I am not alone in this--to talk about, unfortunately, yet another mass shooting. This one occurred in my home State--in Allegheny County, PA, in the southwestern corner of our State, in the city of Pittsburgh, in a community known as Squirrel Hill. prgtoken I come here to do a couple of things--to honor the victims of this mass shooting and the individuals who were injured, of course; to offer condolences to the grieving families again; to express gratitude for the law enforcement and medical professionals who responded to the scene; and, of course, to stand with the community in the face of hate and terror. prgtoken On this occasion, this deadly mass shooting occurred in one community, but it also occurred in a house of worship. It resulted in the deaths of 11 innocent Pennsylvanians. It left six people injured, including four law enforcement officers who were responding to the scene. It was a targeted, hateful attack on the Jewish community within the Squirrel Hill community in the city of Pittsburgh. It was an act of violence that we must work to ensure never happens again. prgtoken It was just a couple of weeks ago, long before election day, on Saturday, October 27, that three congregations--the Tree of Life, the Dor Hadash, and the New Light--were engaged in Shabbat morning services at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, which is a residential part of the city of Pittsburgh. As these worshippers were engaged in services, what played out was the most deadly act of violence against the Jewish community in American history. These congregants were targeted for one reason--because of their religious beliefs, because they happened to be Jewish. Their lives were changed forever by one hateful act of terror, as were the lives of those who were injured. prgtoken So our deepest condolences are with the 11 families of the victims of this attack. Here are the names of the 11: Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal and his brother David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger. May their memories be blessings to their families and community. It is difficult to even begin to adequately express the hurt that this community has endured, the horror that these families have endured, and the hurt that is still part of this community. prgtoken Maybe one of the best ways to convey not just our condolences and our sympathy but also our solidarity with those who faced that horror and that danger and that hate is to talk about what those folks did in that dark, dark hour. It literally was about an hour, maybe a little more than that, on that Saturday morning. prgtoken We, of course, at this time--and so many have since that date--pay tribute to those in law enforcement who confronted the murderer with uncommon valor. We pa
HONORING HANK SANDERS
Terri A. Sewell (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2018-11-15

I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and amazing career of Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders, also known as The Rock. prgtoken For the past 35 years, State Senator Sanders has been a powerful voice in the Alabama Legislature, ably representing the 23rd District since 1983. He was the longest serving chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee from 1996 and served for four consecutive terms until s took over the statehouse in 2010. prgtoken Senator Sanders is a lawyer; a statesman; a native of my hometown of Selma, Alabama; and a true Renaissance man. Along with his numerous legislative accomplishments, Senator Sanders has also penned more than 1,600 newspaper articles and columns known as Senate Sketches as a way of communicating directly with his constituents. prgtoken Senator Sanders' years of service to the State of Alabama and to the Alabama Legislature will be missed. For you see, , after 35 years, this lion of the Alabama Senate is retiring. Choosing not to run in 2018, he will be ably replaced by his daughter, who recently won that election. prgtoken Unlike many who found themselves in positions of power, Senator Sanders did not come from a privileged background. Senator Sanders came from humble beginnings, 1 of 13 children born to Sam and Ola Mae Sanders in Baldwin County, Alabama. prgtoken Growing up, Senator Sanders said what his family lacked in money, they more than made up for in love and support. The Sanders family provided constant encouragement for their children, pushing each of them to further their dreams through education. prgtoken At the age of 12, Senator Sanders was inspired to become a lawyer after reading an article about Thurgood Marshall. Following his graduation from Douglasville High School, Senator Sanders began pursuing his legal career, graduating near the top of his class at Talladega College. prgtoken After earning his bachelor's degree, Senator Sanders went on to enroll and graduate from Harvard Law School. He attended Harvard Law School in the 1970s on a Felix Frankfurter Scholarship, an award for underprivileged students who showed exceptional promise. During his time at Harvard Law School, he was president of the Harvard Black Law Students Association. prgtoken It was during law school that he found his life mate, his beloved wife, Faya Ora Rose Toure, formerly known as Rose M. Sanders. After graduating, Senator Sanders and his wife moved back to Selma, Alabama, my hometown. prgtoken Their decision to go to Selma was one that was made because they knew how important it was to do things in the Black Belt, saying they grew up to love and cherish the city, which provided an opportunity to build both of their careers and raise their family. prgtoken They started a very productive law firm by the name of Chestnut, Sanders, and Sanders. prgtoken During their 41 years together, they produced six beautiful children and nine grandchildren. prgtoken In 1971,
IN HONOR OF BUI BINH BAN
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-11-15

I rise today in honor of Mr. Bui Binh Ban, a well-respected leader who has made significant impacts on the Vietnamese community in Orange County, California. prgtoken Mr. Bui Binh Ban was born in 1937, in Nam Dinh, Vietnam. In 1954, he migrated to the South of Vietnam and continued his higher education. In 1958, he graduated and became an agricultural engineering professor training many engineers and officers in the field of agriculture in the South of Vietnam. prgtoken Mr. Bui left Vietnam and settled in Southern California where he dedicated his life to the Vietnamese community here. He served as the President of the Vietnamese American Federation Association of Southern California for two consecutive terms (1994 to 1998). In 2002, he established the Federation of Overseas Free Vietnamese Communities Television, FreeVN.Net, to livestream Vietnamese community events without accepting any compensation, advertisement or staff offers. His recordings are particularly valuable to not only the Vietnamese community, but other Vietnamese media. In 2010, he became the Advisor for the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and has been in this position until today. prgtoken Mr. Bui has lived blissfully for 81 years. His passing is a tremendous loss to the Vietnamese community in Orange County. In memory of his passing, I'd like to take this moment to recognize his contributions, dedication, and continuous efforts in preserving and developing the Vietnamese history, culture, activities, and most importantly, community in Orange County. He will always be remembered as a kind, devoted, and prominent Vietnamese community leader.