mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-7-17

first, let me say thank you to the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Steven Horsford, for shaping our message tonight and reminding us so eloquently of what our role is to be here as a Member of Congress, as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, representing some 80 million Americans and some 18 million Black Americans. prgtoken To our Special Order hour chairs, the gentleman from Illinois and the gentlewoman from Florida, thank you for your leadership role. Thank you for your opening remarks reminding us that words matter, reminding us that as leaders, we are elected to represent diverse bodies across this wonderful America that we live in. Thank you to my classmate, Congressman Donald Payne, for giving us a history, for setting the record straight. prgtoken , we are here today because we want America to know how important our work is. We want them to know when we say we are woke, we are proud. We are speaking to constituents across America. prgtoken Somehow, my colleagues have started with that, turning that into a negative. Well, we are very clear that we are very woke. We are woke about what is needed to all constituents, and we are fighting for everyone, but, yes, we clearly stand up and represent Black America. prgtoken I rise today to join my colleagues in shedding light on the deeply derogatory term that has perpetuated the pain and suffering endured by Black Americans throughout history; the term that was used by a Member of this Chamber just a few days ago--colored people. prgtoken It was equally as disturbing, , that he made reference to DE&I as lowering standards, getting less than. Well, today I rise as a strong supporter of DE&I. prgtoken Through the bold leadership of then Chairwoman Maxine Waters, chair of the prestigious Financial Services Committee, I was appointed by her as the first-ever D&I chair of the Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion under the powerful Financial Services Committee. prgtoken Now, I mention this for a reason, . We brought in the largest financial institutions in this Nation, CEOs of companies like J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and the list goes on and on. prgtoken Each one of those CEOs under oath testified that they were committed to DE&I because it was a good business thing, and it would make a difference in this country. prgtoken They hired DE&I corporate executives across America not because it was lowering standards, not because they were employing people who were less than, but because they had an understanding in this America that we live in that that makes us more united, and it helps us avoid the culture wars that I am sadly seeing on this floor. prgtoken Today, , I stand here as a Black woman, proud to serve all of my constituents, but, today, it is very personal and somewhat emotional for me prgtoken because I am standing here in the same spot that I stood in last week where I am now reminded
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Robin L. Kelly (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-7-17

for centuries, Black Americans have been denied the right to define our own existence. How we live, how we work, and how we raise our children have been judged, appraised, scorned, and dismissed. To this day, we must fight back against harmful stereotypes and brutal discrimination. prgtoken There are forces that seek to maintain the status quo that discriminates against Black Americans, and these forces don't just wear white hoods. Racism can be subtle. It persists because too many people fail to notice or don't want to notice how bias and discrimination infect the systems in which we live our lives. prgtoken They claim color blindness and deride wokeness when, in actuality, they fail to look out and see the world around them for what it is. prgtoken This is the failure that leads a Member of Congress to utter such an offensive phrase on the floor of this body, to insult me and my colleagues on the floor of this sacred Chamber. prgtoken This is why we refuse to back down when s propose cutting programs that promote diversity and educate us on our history because it is not just about history. Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth. Black Americans are more likely to be victims of gun violence. Black Americans are more likely to be denied the right to vote. Black Americans are more likely to be saddled with crushing student debt. prgtoken We face these disparities because of systems that were built to exclude us. When s oppose diversity and inclusion, they are not just denying our history; they seek to resurrect the worst impulses of our history. We cannot and will not let them. Nothing less than the fate of our democracy is on the line.
HONORING RETIRED COLONEL JERRY A. BROWN
Susie Lee (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2023-7-17

I rise today to honor retired Colonel Jerry A. Brown for a career of service to our nation. prgtoken Col. Brown is a 1996 graduate from the Army ROTC program at Emporia State University, and the second generation of his family to serve in the United States Army. He has faithfully served our Nation for over 30 years, starting as an enlisted Petty Officer in the United States Navy before commissioning as an Officer in the United States Army. During his career, Col. Brown deployed to the Mediterranean while serving on board the USS Forrestal CV-59 in April 1988, he conducted operations to support the Persian Gulf War, and he participated in combat in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2010 to 2011. prgtoken As a Congressional Legislative Liaison Officer of the 63rd Readiness Division, Col. Brown has supported Army Reserve priorities, programs, and resources by building relationships, educating, and informing Senators, Representatives, State Legislators, Mayors, and non- governmental organizations across the Division's seven-state regional footprint of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. prgtoken Further, as a Congressional Legislative Liaison Officer, he is responsible for legislative actions with professional organizations, defense industry partners, and veterans service organizations that includes informing, advising, and representing senior Army Reserve leadership on congressional activities, and for telling the Army Reserve Story in the 7-state region. prgtoken In his last post, Col. Brown also provided support to the 7-state region as a board member for the 2022 Service Academy. He supports all local leaders of Nevada by providing them with information regarding the Army Reserve and the economic impact to states and cities. He has also supported the Army Reserve Ambassador Program, which supports students with full-ride scholarships to any ROTC program in the Nation with the hope that they will one day return to the Southwest as tomorrow's leaders. prgtoken In his over 30-year military career, including 10 different assignments and 2 different services, Col. Brown has shared his knowledge and experience with hundreds of officers and enlisted Soldiers, helping them to develop as leaders and enhance their careers. Col. Brown is an exceptional leader who will be greatly missed by the U.S. military when he moves into retirement, while his service will be long remembered by those he worked with. There is no doubt that the soldiers he helped train and mentor over his 30 years will continue to build on his legacy of service and working to make our Nation stronger. prgtoken , please join me today in honoring Colonel Jerry A. Brown on his outstanding service to our Nation and in congratulating him on his retirement.
SUPREME COURT DECISION ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WILL HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS
Shontel M. Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-7-17

I thank Congressman Jackson and Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick for leading this Special-Order Hour. prgtoken The Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action is a disaster for the Black and Brown young people that I represent in Northeast Ohio. It's a disaster for underserved communities across the country. And frankly, it's a terrible outcome for the entire Nation, because diverse schools are better schools, for all students. This is a ruling that denies the reality of our past and undermines our Nation's future. And we need to be upfront about what this ruling will mean for real people. prgtoken Because of this ruling, there are going to be drastically fewer Black and Brown students admitted to the Nation's most selective schools. Because of this ruling, the Nation's top schools, the schools that feed into power, influence, and wealth--are going to be whiter. So, let's be real: this ruling is a lot of things--but it's not about fairness. Mr last week I had the honor of hosting HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in Cleveland and introducing him to students and faculty at Lincoln-West High School. prgtoken At Lincoln-West, we have the only high school in the country located inside a hospital--and the students are doing incredible things. They're shadowing doctors and nurses, interning at MetroHealth hospital, and earning certifications at a very young age. prgtoken During our visit to Lincoln-West's facilities at MetroHealth, we met with recent graduates Tavion Lindsey and Khandah Abdullah. These talented young people impressed us deeply, introducing themselves and describing the program and their experience seamlessly with multiple members of Congress, a member of the Cabinet, and the President of the hospital. Tavion and Khandah demonstrate how this program at Lincoln- West is instilling understanding, confidence, and expertise in its students. prgtoken , Lincoln-West is in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which is nearly 80 percent Black or Hispanic, and where a majority of students are from low-income households. The success of this innovative hospital program shows students can do so much--if they're given a chance. And , that's why this ruling cut so deep. I think of all the brilliant minds in my district and across America who are going to be denied opportunities because of this shameful and ignorant ruling. We owe it to those young people to keep fighting, keep working, and keep speaking out. prgtoken We must support schools and students and teachers in every zip code, and we must make higher education more affordable. We must invest in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and support the students that attend them. Finally, we must build a more inclusive economy, with programs and policies that are equitable. prgtoken , the Supreme Court may have decided to ignore centuries of slavery, centuries of discrimination, centuries of inequality--but I have not. I am proud to stand wi
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-7-17

let me thank the gentleman from Illinois for the opportunity to discuss this term that was used in this very Chamber just last week: colored people. It is a term used to describe African Americans during a debate that was negative. prgtoken Colored people is a term that we hadn't heard in quite some time. Colored people are what the signs above water fountains outside of bathrooms in train stations and in bus stations said. It was a part of life that African Americans had to deal with to show the separation, the inequality, and the second-class citizenship that we were relegated to for so long. prgtoken Was it a mistake? prgtoken I am sure the gentleman from Arizona feels it was now, but sometimes the truth comes out. It was during a discussion on diversity in the military and how we don't want to spend--or the loyal opposition doesn't want to spend--military dollars on diversity and inclusion. Let's separate the Armed Forces again: Whites over there, colored people over there. prgtoken Let's go back and let's Make America Great Again. That is what that is all about. It is going back to someone's good old days when they were comfortable, when they felt they were supreme, and when they thought that they had the upper hand. We don't want equality, we want to go back to the good old days. Let's Make America Great Again. We don't want diversity in the military. That is not for the military to decide. Let's go back. prgtoken It is an insult. I was here, . I was on the floor when the gentleman was discussing this. I rise today to discuss the derogatory term colored people. I support the need for diversity in programs nationwide. prgtoken Last week, a MAGA House from Arizona used the term colored people to describe African Americans and other minorities. He used the term very comfortably, although I think it slipped out. prgtoken He used it when he discussed his amendment to reject diversity initiatives in the military. He said that this amendment would prohibit discrimination in the Armed Forces. Clearly, he needs to enroll in one of the diversity courses that he wants to ban. prgtoken Discrimination has a long history in our country, including hiring in the Armed Forces. His amendment rejects the success of diversity hiring initiatives in the military, and it could return our country to a time when race was the only factor in who got hired and who got promoted in the military. prgtoken Let me return to his use of the term colored people. Historically, the term colored has always been used to separate the races into two classes and justified the discrimination that would follow such a separation. prgtoken It made it legal to have that discussion. It made people comfortable because someone has to be on the top, and someone has to be on the bottom in this country. prgtoken We have been used against each other for years. The ruling class, the rich, have always pointed to people on the bottom at each other so t
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Steven Horsford (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2023-7-17

I thank the gentleman for yielding. Congressman Jonathan Jackson, I commend you and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick for co-chairing tonight's Special Order hour. prgtoken I rise today with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to address the recent comments made on the House floor by Representative Eli Crane of Arizona during last week's debate on the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken While offering an amendment that would prohibit the Pentagon from participating in race-based concepts in hiring, promotion, or retention in our military, Representative Crane stated that the military was never intended to be ``inclusive,'' adding that the military strength is ``not in its diversity.'' prgtoken Representative Crane would go on to refer to Black servicemen and servicewomen who defend our country with their lives as ``colored people.'' prgtoken These words harken back to a dark and racist time in our country's history and should not be tolerated. Representative Crane's comment on the House floor was unprofessional, wholly inappropriate, and unbecoming of a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. prgtoken Furthermore, to have a word like that spoken anywhere but here on the prgtoken House floor in the year 2023 actually speaks to the very need for diversity, equity, and inclusion. prgtoken Sadly, in the days since, we have heard from Members on the other side of the aisle who have tried to provide cover for Representative Crane. We need to be absolutely clear here tonight. For a Member of this body to use the words ``colored people'' in this Chamber in 2023 is unconscionable, and it calls for nothing short of full condemnation. prgtoken From the of this body to the leadership on the other side of the aisle, to those who claim to be allies of the Congressional Black Caucus, your silence is deafening. prgtoken Representative Crane has publicly stated that he misspoke during debate. However, he has yet to formally apologize directly to his colleagues, including our former chair, the previous chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative Joyce Beatty, who was handling debate on the very amendment before this body, or to the servicemen and servicewomen who deserve far more respect than the indignity of being reduced to a racial slur on the House floor; to our veterans, our veteran servicemembers who have had to deal with the consequences of segregation in our military, of being referred to as colored, even on the battlefields while fighting for our freedom and our justice. prgtoken What Representative Crane said last week while defending his amendment was shocking, but it was not unsurprising, given what the s have shown us every single day on this issue. prgtoken Right now, in fact, the U.S. Marine Corps is without a confirmed commandant for the first time in over 160 years. Why? All because one Senator believes his political agenda is more important than the servicem
UNITED STATES-TAIWAN INITIATIVE ON 21ST-CENTURY TRADE FIRST AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-7-18

Indiana was settled by men and women who left the safety of their homes, they headed westward, and they crossed the Appalachian Mountains into the wilderness and the unknown. They were willing to endure hardship, to risk danger in search of a better tomorrow, to clear a path for others to follow. They were pioneers. But, long after our State was settled and Indiana's population drifted up from the banks of the Ohio River toward Lake Michigan, Hoosiers never stopped looking at the frontier. Only, they cast their gaze away from the west and toward the sky. prgtoken In the fall of 1959, 15,000 people gathered in the southern Indiana town of Mitchell--population 3,500 at the time. Some lined the streets. Others sat on rooftops or watched through windows. They hadn't come to Mitchell's annual Persimmon Festival for the beauty pageant nor did they come for the pudding contest or the classic car run. No. They were there to see the convertible at the head of the festival's parade as it drove down Mitchell's Main Street. Seated inside that convertible was one of their own, a local boy. They knew him from the house on Baker Street. Maybe they knew him from Mitchell High or from the First Baptist Church. History knows him as the second American to travel to space and the first man to go there twice. prgtoken So I am proud to have the privilege to deliver these remarks in front of the Presiding Officer, who has also been to space. His name was Lt. Col. Virgil Ivan ``Gus'' Grissom. There he is--a great Hoosier, a great American. prgtoken I ask all who may be watching to study his portrait--that flat-top haircut, the serious expression. That was Gus Grissom. They should look at old photos of the White House press events. It is uncanny. He is the odd astronaut out, the one who looks like he would rather not be there. You see, the images don't lie. He was taciturn, tough-minded, and hard- driving. prgtoken NASA's head physician described him as ``confident but not conceited.'' He was a ``stern competitor but a good teammate, a frank but carefree speaker.'' prgtoken He had little use for publicity or even the press. He only went to White House events because Betty, his wife, and their boys wanted to. Gus Grissom wasn't a celebrity; he was a pilot and an engineer. He was more comfortable racing fellow Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard in his souped-up Corvette around Cape Kennedy. He was a regular guy. But the race that Gus Grissom truly cared about was the one to the stars. He was determined--determined--to beat Russia there. ``I think we ought to declare an out-and-out race with the Russians to put the first man in space,'' Grissom once stated. prgtoken You see, this Hoosier didn't mince words. He saw the space race as an important global competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, between freedom and communism. And the prize was more than just a flag that was planted on the Moon. It meant prestig
Tribute to Dr. Nido Qubein (Executive Session)
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-7-18

I rise today to honor a distinguished North Carolinian and a dear friend, High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein. prgtoken Dr. Qubein immigrated to the United States from the Middle East when he was 17 years old. He came to our country to pursue his education and attend college. Needless to say, his academic achievements were impressive, and they were an early indication of the success he would build in North Carolina. prgtoken He received his associate's degree in business from Mount Olive College, a bachelor's degree in human relations from High Point University, and a master's in business education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. prgtoken My family and I have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Qubein and his family and his wife Mariana for decades. We have been inspired by their dedication to education and their service to others. prgtoken During his career in business, philanthropy, and education, Dr. Qubein has been widely recognized for his work. He received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Horatio Alger Association for Distinguished Americans designation, the Daughters of the American Revolution Americanism Award, and has been inducted into the National s Hall of Fame. prgtoken But of all of his accomplishments, what he has been able to achieve for his hometown of High Point, NC, is perhaps his most indelible legacy. In 2005, High Point University trustees asked him to become its seventh President. Dr. Qubein decided to scale back his business career and to accept their offer to lead his alma mater. That decision launched a huge golden age. prgtoken What has happened under Dr. Qubein's tenure is nothing short of a complete transformation of High Point prgtoken University. Enrollment at the school has more than quadrupled--now over 6,000. Nearly every year, HPU has topped itself, increasing the number of students in each year's class. In 2005, HPU had three specialized academic schools. Today, there are 13, including dental, law, and engineering. In 2005, the university had 108 full-time faculty. Today, they have 500. In 2005, the university's endowment was just over $45 million. Today, it has quadrupled to $180 million. The size of the campus has skyrocketed by over 400 percent to 520 acres. Under Dr. Qubein's leadership, the university established a full-time, pro bono physical therapy clinic, as well as new schools for business, communications, law, natural sciences, health sciences, nursing, a school of pharmacy, a conservatory, and so much more. prgtoken All of this growth has led to this amazing fact: The percentage of graduates who either begin a career or enroll in graduate school within 180 days of earning their degree is 99 percent. That outcome is 14 percent higher than the national average. prgtoken The success is all the more exceptional because High Point University is an institution led by the values of its president. HPU is a God, family, and co