mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING APRIL 9-22, 2017 AS NATIONAL YOUNG AUDIENCES ARTS-FOR- LEARNING WEEK
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-4-5

I rise today to recognize April 9-22, 2017 as National Young Audiences Arts-for-Learning Week. Young Audiences (YA) Arts for Learning was established in 1952 and is the nation's largest arts-in-education learning network. Young Audiences currently serves over 5 million children and youth each year in 8,300 schools and community centers across the country, through its diversified network of 30 local affiliates. This year, Young Audiences, and its affiliates, will be celebrating ``Young Audiences Week'' with numerous community events, educational programs, and initiatives across the country, culminating on April 21st and 22nd, at the Digital Transformation National Arts-in-Education Conference. prgtoken Young Audiences empowers our nation's next generation of scientists, mathematicians, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, parents, and community leaders, to be innovative, creative and critical thinkers. YA partners with nearly 9,000 local and national organizations, corporations, foundations, and government agencies, to create community-wide collaborations on behalf of arts-in-education. These partnerships enable YA to extend their work and reach more children year by year. prgtoken Young Audience's network strives to connect 4,600 teaching artists with over 80,000 educators to provide in-depth arts-in-education opportunities that raise academic and artistic achievement, while enhancing and developing learning skills that translate across curricula. prgtoken In my district, Young Audiences of Rochester, established in 1962, is upstate New York's oldest and most comprehensive arts-in-education organization, having worked with over 186,000 students in the past year. prgtoken As co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, I understand firsthand the benefits that comprehensive arts education has on our nation's youth. Students engaged in arts learning have higher GPAs, standardized test scores, stronger critical thinking skills, better decision making skills, and lower drop-out rates. Participating in the arts can have incredible benefits on our nation's students. prgtoken I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing National Young Audiences Arts-for-Learning Week.
JEANNETTE RANKIN AND 100 YEARS OF WOMEN IN CONGRESS
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2017-4-5

I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for being co-chair of the Women's Caucus and for being an amazing mother. prgtoken , I rise today to illustrate the importance of 100 years of women in Congress. prgtoken On April 2, 1917, Jeannette Rankin from Montana was sworn in as the first woman ever to serve in Congress. Her life was filled with extraordinary achievements, and she was one of the few suffragists elected to Congress and the only Member of Congress to vote against the U.S. participation in both World War I and World War II. prgtoken She has said that ``I may be the first woman,'' but we all know she said ``I won't be the last,'' holding the door open for all of us to follow behind her. prgtoken While we have a long way to go for women representing Congress, in 2017, we are in the company of 104 amazing women in Congress. We are 19 percent of the 535 Members who serve. Thirty-eight of the 104 women in Congress are women of color: 18 African Americans, 10 Latinos, nine Asian Pacific Islanders, and one multiracial Member. prgtoken In 1951, Ruth Thompson, a longtime lawyer and judge, became the first woman to represent my home State of Michigan in Congress. She was the first woman to serve on the House Judiciary Committee. prgtoken Since then, we have had nine more female Members from Michigan, including myself. I am proud to be in the 115th Congress to stand alongside Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Senator Debbie Stabenow. We work together for the Michigan delegation and the Congressional delegation to advance the concerns of women and issues in our great State. prgtoken I also want to recognize a woman that truly I stand on her shoulders, and that was the first African-American woman to serve in Congress, Shirley Chisholm. prgtoken So we have, in our history of Congress, so many women who paved the way, opened doors, and have been role models not only for us standing here today but for women all over the country. prgtoken I will work with my colleagues across the aisle to see that the concerns of women are addressed and to continue increasing our representation in local government. prgtoken In the words of Representative Rankin, we are half of the people, and we should be half of Congress.
SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT TO CHANGE POLICY
Stephanie N. Murphy (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-4-5

on February 1, I introduced legislation to prohibit individuals whose primary role is political, like Steve Bannon, from serving on the National Security Council or its main subgroup, the Principals Committee. The bill has obtained 183 cosponsors and received significant public support. The majority of the American people clearly believe that our national security policymaking process should not be contaminated by partisan politics. prgtoken Today, the administration responded to this message, removing Mr. Bannon from the NSC and the Principals Committee. I am incredibly proud of this development, which is clearly in the interest of our Nation's security. prgtoken Today is a victory for democracy because it proves that the people, when they speak up and speak out, can change policy for the better.
MORE COMPETITION NEEDED IN BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-4-5

I rise today to express my deep concern with the recent FCC decision that strips Charter Communications of the requirement to provide broadband in a competitive manner. prgtoken When Charter merged with Time Warner, there was a regulatory review, and the requirement was that Charter would actually provide broadband in areas that would improve competition. Just yesterday, the Chairman revoked that regulatory decision and said that Charter doesn't have to provide broadband in an area where some other competitor is providing broadband. prgtoken Now, why does this matter? Americans already pay three to four times more for access to the internet than our European counterparts, and that is absurd. We invented the internet. We built the technology that fuels the internet. We should have the cheapest prices. prgtoken So why don't we have cheaper prices? It is because four or five monopolies basically provide the internet service for everyone. You have Verizon, AT&T, Comcast. prgtoken What is the solution? We need more competition. prgtoken But what is this FCC Chairman doing? He is having policies that are going to lead to less competition, basically carving up the map of this country and saying: You can only provide service here. Don't compete with anyone else. prgtoken Let's just carve up the map so every ISP provides service in a particular area and you don't have competition. And who suffers? The consumers. prgtoken And, by the way, it is not just the consumers in my district in Silicon Valley. It is consumers in rural America who are paying the highest prices for internet service. prgtoken , we need an FCC that is going to promote competition, that is going to go after monopolies, that is going to put American citizens ahead of corporate profits. If anything, we need a country that is going to have universal broadband, universal internet access. prgtoken Just like we talk about having a universal right to health care, just like we talk about a universal right to college, we can't live in a society where everyone can't have access to the internet. The jobs of the future are going to require it, and it ought to be a bipartisan issue to have universal access to the internet at the cheapest prices, cheaper than any other country, not five or six times more expensive than other countries, given that all of the technology was developed here in the United States. prgtoken And one final point. Noah Smith and Heather Boushey and others have talked about what really will create the jobs of the future, and they have written about having universities and colleges spread out across this country. Abraham Lincoln did it with the land grants in the 1860s. prgtoken We need college towns across America, and if we did that, if we expanded our universities, if we expanded research, if we expanded broadband in a competitive place, we could create the jobs of the future all across this great country.
HONORING BISHOP JIMMY W. GLENN, SR.
Marc A. Veasey (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-4-5

I rise today to honor Bishop Jimmy W. Glenn, Sr who was recently elevated to Auxiliary Bishop of Texas' Northeast Fourth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ. prgtoken Bishop Glenn first embraced the call to serve at the young age of 8 years old when he began singing at revival services around Texas. By the time he was 21, Bishop Glenn was licensed and ordained to serve as minister and began to travel across the State of Texas to help spread the word of Christ. prgtoken Bishop Glenn has served in various Fort Worth churches, including Gethsemane Church of God in Christ, St. Mary Church of God in Christ, and Greater Love Chapel Church of God in Christ. prgtoken A true servant with a heart for others, he took on a major leadership role within the Church of God in Christ and now serves as the vice president of the National Evangelist Department. prgtoken On May 5, Bishop Glenn will be recognized for his recent elevation to Auxiliary Bishop of Texas' Northeast Fourth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction during their inaugural banquet. prgtoken I hope you will all join me in congratulating Bishop Glenn on this momentous achievement.
LET'S FIX THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TOGETHER
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-4-5

I would like to make a sincere suggestion to our colleagues who are working hard to come up with a replacement for the replacement plan on health care that didn't fly. prgtoken Let's fix the Affordable Care Act and work together in a bipartisan way. I have always said: the best legislation is always bipartisan. Drop your plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Stop undermining this law, and work with to make the law work better. prgtoken That is what the majority of Americans want us to do. Millions of people now have health insurance, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Insurance companies can no longer refuse to insure people with preexisting conditions, and essential health benefits like maternity care and mental health care are now provided. prgtoken We know that no law is perfect. We acknowledge that. So let's do our job and do what the American public want us to do: join together in a bipartisan way to make the Affordable Care Act work better.
AMENDING THE VETERANS ACCESS, CHOICE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2014
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-4-5

I, too, want to commend our chairman, Mr. Roe, and ranking member, Mr. Walz, for their bipartisan efforts. prgtoken I rise to speak on S. 544, the bill that will eliminate the sunset on the Veterans Choice Program. prgtoken The Veterans Choice Program was a bipartisan effort to quickly help our veterans in need by ensuring they had access to quality health care after the crisis in Phoenix. However, it was a temporary program. It was not intended to last longer than a few years until Congress could have developed the future of VA community care. As many of my colleagues note, the Choice Program needs an update. This bill represents the first step of that process. prgtoken It is expected that the Veterans Choice fund will still have funding by August 2017, as noted, when the Choice Program is scheduled to sunset. This bill will ensure that our veterans will be able to use those resources, and it will ensure those who have long-term care through the Choice Program will not suddenly find themselves without care. prgtoken But, as we design a new program to replace the Choice Program, we must ensure that it is an effective and efficient system of care that follows the very best practices of American health care. Part of that is ensuring that these healthcare practitioners do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. prgtoken The current Choice Program eliminated those protections to facilitate faster implementation, and while I am concerned of the regulatory burden these antidiscrimination measures could provide, I am committed to working with my colleagues across the aisle on a commonsense and reasonable compromise. We can make a program that not only provides effective and accessible care for our veterans, but also prevents discrimination in the workplace and upholds the finest ideals of the United States of America.
COMMEMORATING 38TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-4-6

I rise today to commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), the pillar upon which our robust friendship with Taiwan stands. prgtoken The United States and Taiwan share the common interests and values of freedom, democracy, rule of laws, human rights and free market. Our security commitment has helped Taiwan become one of the most free and prosperous societies in the world. The United States enjoys cooperation with Taiwan on a broad range of concerns, including security, economic cooperation and development, global engagement, humanitarian relief, counter-terrorism, people-to-people exchanges--and the list goes on. It is my firm belief that a strong and prosperous Taiwan will guarantee peace and prosperity in the region. prgtoken As we commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, it is in the national interest of the United States to take decisive action to strengthen U.S.-Taiwan relations. prgtoken I also noticed that the President of the Peoples Republic of China, Xi Jinping is visiting the United States to visit with our President. It is my hope that the upcoming meeting is positive and constructive. U.S. engagement with the PRC is important to the peace and stability of the region. We should always hope and insist that the U.S.-Taiwan relations, and Taiwan's security and interests, are not in any way compromised. prgtoken Taiwan is a great friend of the United States. Taiwan is and will continue to be a friend of the United States.
SUPPORTING AMERICA'S INNOVATORS ACT OF 2017
Randy Hultgren (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-4-6

I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 1219, the Supporting America's Innovators Act of 2017. This is another example of great bipartisan legislation that has been produced by the House Financial Services Committee. Mr. McHenry and Ms. Velazquez should be commended for their hard work on this important piece of legislation. prgtoken Startups and small businesses are the primary job creators and engines for growth in our economy. Unfortunately, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not been focused enough on capital formation aspects of its tripartite mission. This has left thousands of companies interested in raising capital stuck complying with outdated regulations that make it more difficult for them to invest in growing their businesses. This means job creation and wealth building are not reaching their full potential. prgtoken Certainly, the SEC should not overlook investor protection, but the number one concern of my constituents is jobs. This directly impacts their ability to put food on the table, get the car repaired, and pay for college. prgtoken Today we have the opportunity to consider a noncontroversial bill that will make it easier for companies to raise capital without undermining investor production. prgtoken The Supporting America's Innovators Act of 2017 increases the limit on the number of individuals who can invest in certain venture capital funds before those funds must register with the SEC as investment companies. Currently, the Investment Company Act limits the number of investors in an investment company fund to 100 if the fund is to be exempt from registration with the SEC, a burdensome requirement. prgtoken This would permit angel funds, which run syndicates that allow accredited investors to participate in investing in startups, to obtain funds from a greater number of investors. As a result, investors will benefit from investment opportunities that otherwise they would have no access to. prgtoken As noted by Kevin Laws of AngelList in written testimony before the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities and Investments: ``With online fundraising and general solicitation becoming more common because of the JOBS Act, companies are bumping up against the limit more frequently. The current limit now acts as a brake on the amount of money the company wanted to raise, leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table that did not go into startups.'' prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of this legislation. A nearly identical bill passed the House last Congress with 388 votes in support, and we passed the bill out of the Financial Services Committee with almost no opposition.
RETURN STABILITY AND PEACE TO SYRIA
Alexander X. Mooney (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-4-6

I rise today to express my outrage at the chemical attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, that killed upwards of 70 civilians, including children. prgtoken I am proud to represent many Syrian Americans in my congressional district in Charleston, West Virginia. They share their concerns with me on a regular basis. prgtoken This type of violence is a regular occurrence in Syria. Hospitals, markets, schools, bus stations, warehouses--none of these places are off limits for bombing and destruction by Bashar al-Assad and his allies. The slaughter of innocent life will not end unless the United States of America takes the lead. prgtoken Peace in Syria is impossible while Bashar al-Assad remains in control. He has proven this time and again by his reckless and evil use of chemical weapons and other cruel tools of war on his own people. We must establish safe zones for innocent civilians. prgtoken I call upon President and other world leaders to do whatever they reasonably can to end these atrocious attacks on the innocent, and return stability and peace to Syria.
IN RECOGNITION OF ALLISON LOUISE ROSA
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-4-6

I rise today to thank Ms. Allison Louise Rosa for her service to my office and the people of California's 21st Congressional District. prgtoken Ms. Rosa was born May 14, 1994 in Hanford, California where she grew up on her family's dairy farm with her parents, Roland and Karen, her sister Emily, and her brother Jack. Growing up, Allison was very active in the dairy community; she was even crowned the First Alternate Dairy Princess for Kings County, California in 2012. prgtoken After graduating from Mt. Whitney High School in Visalia, California, Ms. Rosa went on to attend College of the Sequoias and Holy Names University. She graduated in 2016 from Fresno Pacific University with a degree in Communications. While in college, Allison was an avid tennis player and an NCAA division II athlete. prgtoken Allison joined my team as Scheduler in my Washington, D.C. office in May 2016. As Scheduler, she was instrumental to my team through managing my daily schedule and helping her coworkers with daily tasks to make the office run more smoothly. While on my team, Allison was greatly respected by her peers for her professionalism, dedication to her work, and sense of humor. prgtoken Outside of work, Allison enjoys spending time with her friends and talking to her family back in California. She is currently looking forward to moving back home to California to be closer to her family and the coast. prgtoken Ms. Rosa's time with my office will come to a close April 7, 2017 when she leaves to begin a new career at Epoch Estate Wines in Templeton, California. Knowing Ms. Rosa, her character, and her work ethic, I have no doubt that she will achieve many great things in her future. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in commending Ms. Allison Louise Rosa for her public service to the people of the Central Valley and wishing her well as she embarks on the next chapter of her life.
38TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT (TRA)
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-4-6

I would like to recognize a very important day in U.S.-Taiwan relations. April 10th marks the 38th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). This important statute has been critical in defining the diplomatic, economic, and strategic relationship we have enjoyed with Taiwan over the last four decades. In 2017, Taiwan is the United States' tenth largest trading partner. The TRA has strengthened our relationship and helped encourage a particularly strong economic partnership. prgtoken The growth of Taiwan is a living breathing example that trade benefits humanity, and not just economically. Particularly in light of the scheduled meeting between President and Chinese President Xi Jinping, it is important for our nation to remember and commemorate the special relationship between the United States and Taiwan, a thriving and innovative economy that most countries envy. In this new and exciting era for our two nations, one that promises to emphasize bilateral trade agreements, I impress on the administration that a strong relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan is key to sustaining peace, stability and liberty in the Asia-Pacific region. prgtoken , I look forward to a continuing successful cooperation between the United States and Taiwan. I am also confident that if we continue to enhance our economic relationship, this dynamic partnership that we've built together will continue to thrive in the future.
RECOGNIZING JEFF COOK OF EAGLE ALLOY, MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN AND PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDRY SOCIETY
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-4-6

I rise today to recognize Jeff Cook, Vice President of Eagle Alloy Inc. in Muskegon, Michigan, for his long-term contributions to Eagle Alloy and the U.S. metalcasting industry. Eagle Alloy is an innovative steel foundry providing vital castings for key sectors including agriculture, construction, mining, defense and railroads. Metal castings are integral to virtually all U.S. manufacturing activities. Jeff joined Eagle Alloy in 1986 after graduating high school. His first position on the shop floor was as a grinder, machining castings on the third shift. He has worked his way up over the past thirty years to become Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Jeff is passionate about attracting the next generation to the metalcasting industry and has dedicated significant amount of time reaching out to local schools and businesses about careers in the metal casting industry. In addition, he has been actively involved in the leadership of the local American Foundry Society (AFS) West Michigan Chapter for many years. He joined the AFS National Board of Directors in 2011, where he spent the past year as its President traveling across the country, meeting with thousands of metalcasters and suppliers underscoring the importance of taking time to ``Attract. Educate. Support'' the next generation of metalcasters. AFS is the major trade and technical association for the North American metalcasting industry. The association has more than 8,000 members representing over 2,000 metalcasting firms, their suppliers and customers. In Muskegon, Jeff has reached out to educational institutions, including local high schools and Muskegon Community College, to better communicate the skills needed and the certifications that are in demand in the industry. Through the AFS chapter, Jeff has worked with local schools to host student night, where they showcase the traveling casting kit, known as Foundry in a Box. It shows students how to form patterns, melt them, the cleanup process behind it, and gives an overview of how castings are made it is with great pleasure that I congratulate Jeff Cook, as he completes his prgtoken successful term as AFS President, for his strong commitment and dedication to Eagle Alloy and to the growth and prospering of the metalcasting industry.