mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONGRATULATING UCI CHANCELLOR HOWARD GILLMAN ON THE 2019 ELLIS ISLAND MEDAL OF HONOR
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , I am honored to recognize Dr. Howard Gillman, Chancellor of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), as a recipient of the Ellis Island Honors Society's 2019 Medal of Honor. In his time with UCI, Dr. Gillman has been an advocate and an example for students, working to foster diversity and inclusion throughout the UC system. Dr. Gillman grew up in Southern California and was a first- generation college student, an experience that has guided his work at UCI, where he has been Chancellor since 2014. Prior to joining UCI, Dr. Gillman spent more than two decades at the University of Southern California (USC), where he held appointments in the Departments of Political Science and History and the Gould School of Law. From 2007 to 2012 he served as dean of the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the largest, oldest, and most academically diverse unit at USC. As Chancellor, Dr. Gillman has established UCI as a trailblazer in creating opportunities for low-income and minority students. The University of California (UC) system has been called ``California's Upward-Mobility Machine,'' and with Dr. Gillman's guidance, UCI has stood out as a leader within the UC system. The New York Times named UCI the No. 1 University ``doing the most for the American dream,'' and College Access Index ranked the campus as one of the nation's best in its support of low-income students. UCI has also been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), for its role in serving substantial populations of these students, the majority of whom receive federal financial assistance. The Ellis Island Honors Society was ``created on the conviction of its founders that the diversity of the American people is what makes this nation great.'' Today, UCI is ranked sixth in the nation for awarding bachelor's degrees to minority students in the 2016-2017 school year. I thank Dr. Gillman for his leadership as Chancellor of UCI and his work to ensure that UCI provides opportunities for a quality, affordable education to every student.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
José E. Serrano (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of my friend from Colorado's amendment which would increase funding to improve NOAA's weather forecasting abilities. prgtoken This is an issue that we have to deal with. This is an issue that has to be dealt with in a proper way. This amendment does that. As chairman of the subcommittee that oversees this section of the bill, I approve of, and I hope my colleagues will vote for, the amendment.
SEPARATING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES IS A VIOLATION OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , just 1 year ago, we learned of the administration's cruel separation family policy. prgtoken Separating immigrant children from their family is a violation of basic human rights and a betrayal of our values as a nation. prgtoken In the wake of this terrible policy, my colleagues and I went to work and spoke out because, Madam , we are a nation of immigrants. I introduced the REUNITE Act, which would require the immediate reunification of children with their families. prgtoken When we learned separated children were being held in a facility in my district, we worked to reunite them with their parents because we are a nation of immigrants. My office reunited four families, one of which I brought to the Capitol as my guest at the State of the Union to show the President that the people he tried to damage through this terrible policy are stronger than he thinks. prgtoken Today, the other side of the aisle presented a false motion to recommit. We voted it down because we are, Madam , a nation of immigrants. prgtoken This administration must own up to its failure, and my colleagues and I will continue to work to make sure this never happens again.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chair, until the Midwest floods struck, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was fairly confident that the Emergency Watershed Protection Program needs were fully met with the $125 million that was in the bill. However, on April 25, the USDA advised us that the estimate had increased to $435 million with large funding needs in Iowa and in Nebraska, in particular. This amendment would bring the bill to that level. So I am therefore happy to support the amendment. prgtoken Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), who is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies of the Appropriations Committee.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of this legislation. prgtoken It has now been 2 years since Maria barreled into Puerto Rico inflicting historic damage, enormous suffering, and the loss of 3,000 American lives. Yet 20 months later, the people of the island continue struggling to recover and rebuild. prgtoken Compounding this problem, Puerto Rico has exhausted funding for its nutritional assistance program, and the Governor has informed us they require $600 million to meet the food needs of the Commonwealth's most vulnerable. These are seniors, working single mothers, and those with disabilities. prgtoken Let me remind my friends, in the U.S. Territory Puerto Rico, 65 percent of our children live in poverty. It is un-American to deny nutrition assistance to American citizens living in Puerto Rico, particularly children. That is immoral, and we should be ashamed that, in the richest country, most powerful country in the world, we have allowed for children to suffer this way. That is simply wrong. prgtoken In January, we passed a package to address this, but the Senate has failed to act, even though a number of my Senate colleagues have promised to deliver Puerto Rico the aid they so desperately need. prgtoken Making matters worse, our President has repeatedly distorted and misled the American people about the amount of money Puerto Rico receives. prgtoken We must remember, Madam Chair, those suffering in Puerto Rico are our fellow citizens. It is unacceptable that this President and Senate s would abandon them. prgtoken Importantly, the bill also instructs FEMA to rebuild in a manner that is more resilient and capable of withstanding future extreme weather. Maria taught us painful lessons, and it only makes sense that as the island recovers we provide it with the tools to rebuild and resist future hurricanes.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken He had a lot of facts and assertions in his comments. First of all, let me correct: He adopted the President's number. The President's number was wrong. It bore no relationship to reality. He picked it out of the air. Numerous fact-checkers have indicated that. prgtoken The facts are that $42 billion has, in fact, been allocated, $20.3 obligated, and $12.7 outlaid. So, clearly, there are funds that have been allocated, but not the $90 billion to which the gentleman referred. prgtoken Having said that, obviously, what held it up in the Senate was the argument over Puerto Rico. I mean, that is why we have been put to the process of passing another bill. prgtoken The good news in that delay is, we did take care of the Midwest. We put $3 billion in there for disasters that occurred subsequent to the first emergency disaster relief bill that we passed. And, as I said, we included $500 million when we opened up the government for humanitarian relief. prgtoken We included another half a billion dollars for judges because there are, as the gentleman knows, legitimate seekers of asylum who are fearful of their own lives, the lives of their families prgtoken are in danger, and they are coming here. prgtoken The gentleman well knows there are some people in the White House who want to see the numbers of immigrants to America almost eliminated, so that there is some discussion and disagreement in the White House. I don't know exactly where the President stands on that, but he certainly has been hostile to immigration. prgtoken So, I take the gentleman at his belief, but we have not necessarily seen that from the White House. prgtoken Having said that, we will work--because we believe, as he does, that people who come to the United States need to be treated, for whatever reason they come to the United States, in a way consistent with our American values, in a humanitarian way. prgtoken And it is--I will repeat--ironic that we are debating this issue on the year's anniversary of children being taken from the arms of their mothers and fathers and sent hundreds of miles and, in some cases, thousands of miles away, and still have some of them who have not been reunited with their parents. prgtoken I am glad that there is concern about humanitarian treatment now. That is appropriate. I share the gentleman's view on that. Hopefully, we can reach bipartisan agreement in the very near term. prgtoken As the gentleman knows, the President's request was just sent down last week. As the gentleman further knows, we have appropriated money to certain objects. And we had a confrontation on that, and both the House and the Senate thought the President was taking money and applying it to an object which we had not authorized. prgtoken Then the Congress stood up for itself, in a bipartisan way, in the Senate and in the House. prgtoken Unfortunately, the President vetoed that bill, and he is spending
NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
Andy Kim (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-5-10

I rise today to recognize the incredible contributions that small business owners across Burlington and Ocean Counties are making to our communities. prgtoken This week is National Small Business Week, and I have talked with New Jersey small business owners about the opportunities they see and the challenges that they face. One owner is Kristofor Sabey, who runs Surf Liquors and Market with his wife, Patty, in Seaside Heights. prgtoken In 2012, Kristofor and Patty faced the unthinkable when Superstorm Sandy destroyed their store. But as Kristofor told me, small business owners are nothing if not determined, and they have rebuilt, even though they still face challenges. prgtoken It is that determination that drives more than 860,000 small businesses in New Jersey, and it is that determination that makes them the backbone of our economy and our communities. prgtoken I hope my colleagues take a moment this week to reach out, listen, and thank our small business owners. When we do better for our small business owners, they do better for our communities. We should strive for that this week and every week forward.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his comments. prgtoken Madam Chair, the purpose of this supplemental appropriations bill is to help communities rebuild from disasters, and my amendment simply ensures that we give communities reasonable time to rebuild and recover. prgtoken We shouldn't be yanking the rug out from under them before they have gotten themselves back on their feet. For that reason, I urge adoption of this amendment, and .
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chairwoman, allow me to thank my very important sponsor of this amendment and, as well, our colleagues for their leadership. We are underwater in Houston. We are concerned about Puerto Rico and support the underlying bill. If this amendment passes, we will be able to help all of those who have been impacted by disaster: 203,000 homes, 12,700 of which were destroyed. prgtoken Four billion dollars are important dollars, and to have that delay really hinders those who are suffering now. You can imagine that we will be going home to overflowing bayous and homes and people who are in fear. Therefore, this amendment, particularly in the shortening of the time, recognizes that disasters mean emergencies, and people in emergencies are desperate and they need help. prgtoken So I am delighted to support this amendment and will join with the gentlewoman as we move forward on improving how FEMA responds, as well, to these disasters and how we can work further with the Army Corps of Engineers. prgtoken This important amendment is going to be a lifesaver for so many by shortening the time in which these regulations will be able to be rendered, and I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and her leadership. prgtoken Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of the Fletcher-Jackson Lee Amendment to, H.R. 2157, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019. prgtoken The Fletcher-Jackson Lee Amendment shortens the time requirement of the publication of rules of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Fund in Public Law 115-123. prgtoken Flooding is a serious problem in Houston, today areas of the city are experiencing high water placing residents, businesses and city services at risk. prgtoken I am in strong support of this amendment because of the desperate situation of those who have lost their homes during disasters and the unacceptable length of time victims have had to wait for housing assistance. prgtoken Hurricane Harvey was the largest housing disaster in our nation's history. prgtoken Hurricane Harvey damaged 203,000 homes, of which 12,700 were destroyed. prgtoken The nine-county Houston metro area impacted by Hurricane Harvey covers 9,444 square miles, an area larger than five states, including New Hampshire, New Jersey and Connecticut. prgtoken County covers 1,778 square miles, enough space to fit New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Austin and Dallas, with room still to spare. prgtoken Hurricane Harvey dropped 21 trillion gallons of rainfall on Texas and Louisiana, most of it on the Houston Metroplex. prgtoken The underlying bill is a comprehensive emergency disaster supplemental bill to help meet the urgent needs of American communities still struggling to recover from recent hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. prgtoken This robust disaster package includes $17.2 billion in long overdue emergency spending for disaster-stricken communi
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Joe Cunningham (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam Chair, my bipartisan amendment will allow the Air Force to repair and rebuild bases that were badly damaged by recent natural disasters and will restore funding for critical projects aboard the Nuclear Power Training Unit at Joint Base Charleston. prgtoken Without the additional $270 million my amendment provides, the Air Force has stated that they will need to divert funding from projects across the country to rebuild Tyndall and Offutt Air Force Bases. prgtoken This would have disastrous effects on the readiness of our armed forces and on our national security. prgtoken The operational success of our Navy is dependent on highly trained crews. The NPTU uses real nuclear power plants aboard retired submarines to train sailors to operate and maintain our nuclear power fleet. prgtoken And starting this month, the Lowcountry will be the only place in the Nation where sailors can learn these highly technical skills, which are fundamental to our Navy's ability to maintain its worldwide presence and ensure the security of the global commons. prgtoken That is why it is urgent that we pass this amendment and ensure the NPTU has the resources to modernize and repair its training facilities and ensure that the pipeline of newly trained nuclear operators is not disrupted. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
REPUBLICANS HAVE NO PLAN TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE
Sean Casten (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act. prgtoken I was proud to vote in favor of H.R. 986 yesterday to rescind the administration's dangerous effort to weaken lifesaving protections for people with preexisting conditions under the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken The administration has been obsessed and relentless about undoing the historic and meaningful gains made under the ACA. Here, that means undermining the stability of the healthcare market and allowing States to promote junk, so-called short-term, limited-duration insurance options that directly discriminate against people with preexisting conditions. prgtoken Let us not forget that before the ACA, a woman's gender was, in effect, a preexisting condition. One-third of women who tried to buy health plans on their own were either turned down or charged a higher premium. prgtoken s have no plan to improve healthcare, only to roll back the progress made in the ACA, putting the health coverage of the 52 million Americans with preexisting conditions in jeopardy. prgtoken I am proud of the progress that this House has made to protect Americans' health coverage, and I look forward to continuing action to expand access and lower healthcare costs.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , the administration submitted a supplemental request last week for an additional $2.9 billion in emergency appropriations for the unaccompanied children program. prgtoken We are carefully reviewing that request. We expect the administration to provide further details about the proposed use of those funds. We have had bicameral, bipartisan meetings to get more details on the request, and we expect that in the next several days, but we need additional details from the administration before we can sign off on this request. prgtoken How many children are expected to be referred by Customs and Border Protection over the next few months? What kind of shelter beds are we paying for with the $2.9 billion? prgtoken Let's be clear. There are child welfare differences, and major cost differences, among traditional beds that are $250 a night, soft-sided dormitories, and brick and mortar influx shelters, which run from $750 to $1,250 per bed per day. prgtoken Does the estimate include appropriate onsite mental health professionals and clinicians for facilities so that the children have access to the services they are legally required to have? We know they have been wanting in those services. prgtoken These staffing ratios are critical, as are legal services and child advocates for the most vulnerable children in ORR's care. We need to know if these costs have been included in OMB's estimate. prgtoken I assure my colleagues, we are taking this request seriously, but you should not be fooled. This bill is not the right vehicle. It is the wrong bill for the unaccompanied children program. prgtoken This motion to recommit does not provide funding for unaccompanied children. It adds $2.9 million to the account for Head Start. prgtoken Madam , my friends should have been with us on the appropriations bill on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies just 2 days ago. They had a chance to vote for $4.5 billion for childcare, for child welfare. They said no. They said no to this. prgtoken So don't be fooled by this, keeping in mind this is the 1-year anniversary of their child abuse policy to separate our kids at the border. prgtoken You want to know about unaccompanied kids? You could have cared for them last year and every day since. prgtoken Vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit.
TIME FOR THE SENATE TO ACT ON HOUSE-PASSED BILLS
Harley Rouda (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , I rise today because I am frustrated. I came to Washington, D.C because I was tired of politics as usual. That is why the voters of Orange County sent me here. I also came here to honor my constitutional obligation and the oath of office I took. prgtoken Yet, today, we see a President and an administration that continues to sabotage the efforts of Members of Congress to do their job, while painting a false narrative that all we want to do is investigate, investigate, and investigate. And that is not the case. prgtoken This House, the House of the people, has passed 115 measures, 115 bills, the overwhelming majority of them bipartisan. Yet, only 12 have gone to the floor of the Senate to be voted on. That is right--only 12. prgtoken It is time for the leadership in the Senate and for Mitch McConnell to start allowing these bills that have passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, that address disaster relief across our great country, to finally be voted on to help working families and Americans across our great country.
COMMEMORATING THE CHINESE RAILROAD WORKERS ON THE 150TH ANNIVERSARTY OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD
Grace Meng (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2019-5-10

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and honor the nearly 12,000 Chinese railroad workers who tirelessly worked on the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. prgtoken As you may know, today marks the historic 150th Anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Transcontinental Railroad has long been considered one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the 19th century. After its completion, the railroad reduced cross-country travel time from six months to a single week--facilitating a new era of commerce; bringing the country closer together in the aftermath of the Civil War; and unleashing the unlimited potential of our nation. prgtoken But, too often in our conversations surrounding it, we emphasis the economic benefits; too often we forget to acknowledge the nearly 12,000 Chinese immigrants who made these benefits possible. prgtoken Madam , these workers endured both the arduous physical labor of constructing a railroad and the emotional trauma of being discriminated. They were given the most difficult, dangerous jobs, and were paid lower wages than other workers. While working in the Sierras, Chinese workers hung in baskets, 2,000 feet above raging rivers, to blast into the impenetrable granite mountain--to make way for laying the tracks. prgtoken Despite these conditions, the Chinese railroad workers were considered indispensable prgtoken and were respected for their work ethic and discipline. Above all, these workers formed one of the first organized labor movements in the United States for better living wages and work conditions, which ultimately opened doors for future generations. prgtoken This is why I introduced a resolution in Congress since 2014 to recognize their important contributions and the dangerous risks they faced in the process. It is important for us to commemorate their efforts and share their stories, so that their role in America's history is not forgotten. After all, their stories helped create the space needed for today's growing conversations on Asian American diversity and inclusion. prgtoken Madam , I believe today's celebration is not only about recognizing the many contributions the Asian American community has made--and continues to make--but it is also a step towards weaving the story of Asian Americans into the greater American tapestry. I am thankful for the indelible mark they left in the growth of our nation-- and hope their contributions are further honored for the next 150 years.