mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Albio Sires (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-2-13

. Madam , today, I recognize and congratulate Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey on its 150th anniversary. prgtoken Stevens Institute of Technology was founded as the United States' first college of mechanical engineering on February 15, 1870 with a bequest from Edwin A. Stevens, a member of one of America's great families of inventors. Over the past 150 years, the university has expanded to include all engineering and science disciplines, an accredited School of Business, and a College of Arts and Letters. prgtoken From its earliest days, Stevens has honored its mission to inspire, nurture, and educate leaders in tomorrow's technology driven environment while contributing to the solutions for the most challenging problems of our time. Today, Stevens is among the fastest- growing universities in the nation, attracting top students and faculty from New Jersey, the nation, and across the world. prgtoken Stevens is one of the largest producers of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree recipients in New Jersey and ranks first in New Jersey and fifteenth in the nation in the production of engineering graduate degrees. Students at Stevens' benefit from the university's technology-centric education, which provides a unique, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial approach to learning and is a passport to success. Stevens has an outstanding 96 percent placement rate for its graduates and its alumni have launched prgtoken and led numerous companies and organizations. prgtoken Stevens faculty, students, and alumni have pioneered research and innovations in many diverse fields, including transportation, telecommunications, resiliency, sustainability, artificial intelligence, machine learning, health care, biomedicine, cybersecurity, maritime security, and systems engineering. It is not an exaggeration to say that Stevens has changed and improved the way we live, work, and communicate. Stevens has also contributed significantly to the community as well as the local, state, and national economy. prgtoken It is my great honor to recognize Stevens for this significant milestone in the history of the university and to thank its leadership, faculty, students, and alumni for their contributions to Hoboken, Hudson County, the State of New Jersey, and the United States.
TRIBUTE TO JERRIANNE BOGGIS AND VALERIE CUNNINGHAM
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2020-2-13

I am proud to recognize JerriAnne Boggis of Milford and Valerie Cunningham of Portsmouth as February's Granite Staters of the Month for their work to bring to light New Hampshire's too often forgotten Black history and engage communities across our State in conversations about New Hampshire's full past. prgtoken JerriAnne has said that it took 25 years after emigrating from Jamaica to New Hampshire for her to discover that New Hampshire had a Black history. JerriAnne was surprised to learn that the town she lived in, Milford, was home to Harriet E. Wilson, one of the first African Americans in North America to publish a novel. To commemorate Harriet's incredible achievement, JerriAnne established a nonprofit organization to erect a statue of Harriet, which also marked the first statue in New Hampshire to honor a person of color. prgtoken Valerie grew up in Portsmouth, where her parents were leaders of the local civil rights movement and encouraged their daughter to explore New Hampshire's Black history. Valerie followed her parents' encouragement and spent years documenting African and African-American history in New Hampshire. Valerie would later go on to create a physical embodiment of her decades of research by establishing the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail in 1995, with the intent of bringing public awareness to Portsmouth's Black history. prgtoken Today, the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail has expanded to become the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. The foundation that Valerie founded is now led by JerriAnne, the trail's executive director. JerriAnne is working to expand the organization's mission to other towns across New Hampshire with the hope of growing public awareness of the Black history that exists in every region of the State. prgtoken The Black Heritage Trail plays an important role in engaging Granite Staters about the complex topic of race in America. To help jumpstart these necessary conversations, the organization hosts community dialogues, called Tea Talks, focused on discussing the intersection of race with different facets of American life, including health, education, and the arts. It also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including the Black New England Conference, held last year at Southern New Hampshire University. prgtoken The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire brings a long overdue focus on our State's Black history. African Americans in New Hampshire have made profound contributions to our State, and thanks in part to the work of JerriAnne and Valerie, these stories and achievements will be remembered in history. It is a great honor to recognize the work of these women and their dedication to creating a more informed, inclusive, and just New Hampshire.
REMOVING DEADLINE FOR RATIFICATION OF EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-13

. Madam , I thank the chairman for his extraordinary leadership on this issue. prgtoken This is very simple, Members. Women want to be equal, and we want it in the Constitution. prgtoken I am equal on this House floor with all of my male colleagues, but when I walk out, I have fewer rights and protections than them. prgtoken I rise today because the women of America are done being second-class citizens. We are done being paid less for our work, done being violated with impunity, done being discriminated against for our pregnancies, done being discriminated against simply because we are women. prgtoken The ERA is about equality. The ERA is about sisterhood, motherhood, survival, dignity, and respect. prgtoken The world recognizes this. Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, 165 have put this kind of language in their constitutions, but not the United States of America. prgtoken From the Women's March to the #MeToo movement to the pink wave, the outrage we have seen among women is because we have been disrespected, devalued, and diminished in our society. And we are fed up. prgtoken It is no wonder recent votes to ratify the ERA came in 2017, 2018, and 2020, because we want the ERA now. We have waited for almost a century for the ERA. prgtoken I want to thank my cosponsors of this resolution, including Congressmen Reed, Fitzpatrick, and Van Drew. prgtoken I know most of you recognize that this is the right thing to do for your wives, daughters, and granddaughters. Ninety-four percent of Americans already support the ERA. In fact, they are surprised it is not already in the Constitution. prgtoken Now, some of you will say just restart the process, but you are the same people who admit you won't vote for it. Some will say, ``Well, women already have equality,'' while they vote against VAWA reauthorization, vote against paycheck fairness, chip away at title IX. prgtoken For too long, women have relied on the patchwork quilt of laws and precedents. We have put our lives on the line. We have been forced to take our cases all the way to the Supreme Court, and often, there, we lose. prgtoken For my colleagues who think we already have women's equality, talk to Christy Brzonkala, who was raped by two football players at Virginia Tech. She sought justice under the Violence Against Women Act, but the Supreme Court struck down the civil suit provisions, claiming Congress lacked the authority to pass it. prgtoken Talk to Lilly Ledbetter, who had to rely on an anonymous note to learn she was paid less than her male colleagues at Goodyear. prgtoken Talk to Betty Duke, who was passed over for promotions and paid $10,000 less for her work at Walmart. prgtoken Talk to Peggy Young, who was placed on unpaid leave, losing her health insurance, while pregnant, at UPS, all the while men were granted the exact same accommodation that she was denied. prgtoken The ERA is about building the America we want. It is about forming a more perf
S.J. RES. 68
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2020-2-13

earlier today, we voted on an amendment to S.J. Res. 68 that was offered by the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Risch. That amendment consisted of one sentence, as follows: ``The President has a constitutional responsibility to take actions to defend the United States, its territories, possessions, citizens, servicemembers and diplomats from attack.'' prgtoken On its face, the Risch amendment seems reasonable. The President does have a responsibility to defend the country. But, as is so often the case, the devil is in the details, or the absence of details, and when it involves engaging U.S. Armed Forces in hostilities, we should pay particularly close attention. I was among those who opposed the amendment and I want to explain why. prgtoken First, it is important to note that the underlying resolution already states that ``[nothing] in this section shall be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from imminent attack.'' So there is no question about the President's authority to defend the country. But the central purpose of the resolution is to give meaning to the Congress's constitutional authority--the Congress's sole power-- to declare war. For far too long this body has surrendered that duty to the executive branch. prgtoken In 2002, when the Senate considered whether or not to authorize President to invade Iraq, many in this body argued that providing the President with that authority was needed to convince Saddam Hussein to back down. I, instead, saw it as Congress abdicating its constitutional duty by providing the President with open-ended authority to use military force against Iraq. For that reason, among others, I voted no. prgtoken In fact, my worst fears were realized. Not only was the justification for that war based on lies, but thousands of Americans died, trillions of dollars were wasted that could have been used to fix what's broken in this country, and the American people are no safer. Today that authority is being used in ways that no one envisioned or intended to justify an attack against another country, Iran, nearly two decades later. prgtoken We should learn from that costly mistake. The obvious implication of the Risch amendment is that any President is authorized, and has an affirmative responsibility, to use military force at anytime, anywhere, indefinitely, to prevent an unspecified attack that might occur sometime in the future. There is no requirement that it be ``imminent''. There is no requirement that such an attack be anything other than speculative or imagined. prgtoken Given the way this and past administrations have expansively interpreted past authorizations for the use of force, the Risch amendment could be interpreted to further erode Congress's ability to prevent a President from unilaterally sending U.S. forces into hostilities without prior consultation with, or further authorization from, the C
TRIBUTE TO IYAD SHIHADEH
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-13

I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to a valued and long-standing member of my staff, Iyad Shihadeh. After nearly 9 years of serving the people of California in my San Francisco office, tomorrow will be Iyad's last day. prgtoken Iyad first joined my team in 2011 as a staff assistant and quickly made an impression through his diligent efforts on behalf of the Californians calling or visiting our office. Iyad was quickly promoted to the position of constituent services representative, where he managed as many as 200 casework requests simultaneously between the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security. prgtoken Iyad demonstrated an aptitude for problem solving on behalf of individuals and organizations needing help navigating the Federal bureaucracy. Additionally, Iyad took charge of the office's intern program, guiding the dozens of students each year working in the San Francisco office. Many of our former State interns and staff are indebted to him for his thoughtful career advice as they made their first forays into the field of public service. prgtoken In 2017, Iyad was promoted again to be the director of constituent services, prgtoken in charge of a team of staff who receive, process, and advocate for the casework needs of Californians seeking assistance from Federal agencies. I have depended on Iyad's sound judgment, management capabilities, and cool head in this critical function. prgtoken As all Senators know, your casework director needs to be a special person. They represent you to constituents who are in need and often have nowhere else to turn. I have been particularly lucky to have Iyad in this role; he has performed with skill and with a deft personal touch. prgtoken I am proud of our casework successes under Iyad's management in recovering millions of dollars in benefits for those needing help with Social Security checks, student loans, tax refunds, veterans' benefits, and other payments from the Federal Government. He has worked on behalf of countless constituents seeking visas or other immigration benefits. When a constituent is in a foreign jail or has lost their passport overseas, Iyad has been on the case, immediately, professionally, and successfully. prgtoken I am particularly thankful for Iyad's help with Maria Mendoza, a nurse from Oakland who is back in the United States with her children after Iyad's work in securing an H1-B visa; also Maria Isabel Bueso, a young woman from Guatemala who has lived in the United States for most of her life in order to receive lifesaving medication, but who was threatened last year with removal. Iyad worked with the family and with Judiciary Committee staff, and now, Isabel has been given a stay from deportation. prgtoken In addition to his casework efforts, Iyad has provided guidance in my San Francisco office. His steady presence has been indispensable for three State directors and four chiefs of staff. prgtoken Before join
HONORING DR. WILLIAM CATON
Judy Chu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-13

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Dr. prgtoken William Caton, who passed away on February 6, 2020 at the age of 74. Dr. Caton was a lifelong leader in the field of neurosurgery and led a distinguished career that had lasting impacts on my district in the San Gabriel Valley and throughout California. Dr. Caton was born in burg, Pennsylvania on July 7, 1945 and spent his childhood in Georgia and Massachusetts. He received his bachelor's degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and then moved to California to attend medical school at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Medicine. He received his M.D. in 1971 and completed his residency in Neurosurgery at the Los Angeles County--USC Medical Center in 1977. After completing his residency, Dr. Caton began his practice in Pasadena, a community he would serve for the next forty years. Dr. Caton's dedication to his patients earned him the reputation as one of the top neurosurgeons in California. He was a representative for the California Association of Neurological Surgery (CANS) at National State Council meetings for twenty-five years and served as President from 2009 to 2010. He also represented CANS in meetings with LA County that resulted in developing a county-wide system of trauma care centers in 1983. He was appointed to serve as Chairman of Neurosurgery at Huntington Memorial Hospital, the leading trauma center within the San Gabriel Valley, a position he would hold for over twenty years. His work was also well known around the globe. He collaborated on a project in Bangalore, India, where he advised the development of a brain cancer treatment center, and he created an international symposium on healthcare, also located in India. He was a strong advocate for higher education and passed his knowledge on to multiple generations of students. For almost forty years, he was a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Neurological Surgery Department at USC. He was also a long-time faculty member at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the Department of Biology and Bioengineering. While there, he founded the Caltech Students Medical Mentor Program, served as director of the Caltech M.D.-Ph.D. Clinical Outreach Program, and became director of the Pasadena Neuroscience Fellowship. Because of his distinguished service and contributions to higher education, Dr. Caton received an honorary graduate degree from the Caltech Alumni Association in 2008. Additionally, he was a strong advocate for the education of women and served on the Board of Trustees for Mayfield Senior High School, an all-girls college preparatory high school, from 1986 to 1997. Dr. Caton leaves behind an enduring legacy of service, patient advocacy, and leadership to the San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County, and California. He is an inspiration to all who knew him, and it is my distinct honor to commemorate his life.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-2-13

I rise to speak with respect to final passage of S.J. Res. 68, which will be the next item of business before us. I will speak briefly because I have been on the floor about this a few times in the last week or two. prgtoken First, I want to thank my colleagues for this process, including the President. It has been a very collaborative process, with a lot of dialogue, a lot of listening, a lot of changes in amendments, and back and forth since early January. My colleagues, however they voted on things that I hoped they might support me on, were very willing to dialogue and ask hard questions. I understood why people were where they were. I just want to thank the body for it. prgtoken I also note what a cool thing it is to actually have a bunch of amendment votes on the floor. I hope we might do more on other items. prgtoken This is an issue that is extremely important to this body, and it is extremely important to me. Of the variety of issues--I didn't serve in the military--why would it be important to me? Having a child in the military and coming from a State that is so connected to the military, I have been nearly obsessed with this issue since about 2002. prgtoken I never knew I would have an opportunity to work on it as a U.S. Senator, but when I came here in 2012, I started to look for colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both Houses who would stand for the proposition that war is the most solemn responsibility we have, and it cannot be outsourced to anyone. prgtoken I was willing to stand up to a friend--a ic President--and challenge him when he was undertaking military action without coming to Congress. I have done the same with President , but with no disrespect to the office. I want an article II President who will inhabit fully the article II powers of the office of Commander in Chief. But what I have hoped for since I came is an article I branch that would fully inhabit the article I powers that are vested only in Congress. prgtoken For that reason, I put the resolution forward and worked with you and others to make sure the resolution was bipartisan. It is not only bipartisan, but folks from different parts of the political spectrum and from different parts of the country and new Members and veteran Members have come together to say--after many decades of abdicating responsibility, under Presidents of both parties and under majorities of both parties in both Houses--it is time for Congress to take this very seriously. That is why I will be voting in favor of the resolution and encouraging other colleagues to do the same. prgtoken The last thing I want to say is this. I talked about these two young men briefly yesterday on the floor. I am struck by their stories. The last two men who were killed in combat for the United States in the 19- yearlong war against terrorists that was sparked by America's righteous outrage over the attack of 9/11 were two sergeants first c
MS. JEAN WILEY, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER AND ACTIVIST
John Lewis (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2020-2-13

. Madam , I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Jean Wiley, who transitioned from the world that she tirelessly fought to improve, on December 9, 2019. prgtoken Born on June 11, 1942 to Elizabeth Thelma Holland Boyer Wiley and Joseph Alphonsus Wiley, Jean Wiley was a proud daughter of Baltimore, Maryland, where she completed her undergraduate degree at Morgan State University. As a testament to her work and legacy, many parts of our country--Michigan, Alabama, California, Washington, D.C and Georgia to name a few--claim this amazing woman. prgtoken In 1953, the Supreme Court integrated Washington, D.C but a few miles up the road, Ms. Wiley grew up surrounded by the oppressive stench of segregation in Baltimore. In 1963, she and other students took matters into their own hands; police arrested Jean and her friends as they conducted a sit-in to desegregate Baltimore's theaters. Upon hearing that Howard University students were heading up the highway to reinforce their protest, Baltimore's Mayor released these brave young activists and integrated the facilities. prgtoken Madam , I believe that taste of success fueled Ms. Wiley's life-long passion for civil and human rights. A few years later, Jean completed graduate studies at Michigan State University and began to teach at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute (now University). Professor Wiley challenged her students to expand their minds and inspired many to join the national movement for civil rights. prgtoken I will forever cherish my memories from this period of our lives, when young people from all different walks of life became nonviolent foot soldiers in the fight for our freedom. After Hosea Williams and I attempted to lead a march from Selma to Montgomery on a day that became know as Bloody Sunday, Ms. Wiley and more than 500 Tuskegee students caravanned from Macon County to Montgomery, Alabama to protest in solidality for our right to vote. At the end of the summer, Congress passed, and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965. prgtoken Madam , for many of us in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Jean was and will always remain a sister. Time and time again, she put her life and livelihood on the line in her pursuit of truth and justice. Jean taught volunteers to canvass, offered her home as a refuge, and even became the voice and face of SNCC during the summer of 1965, when she served as our national media relations coordinator. In this role, Ms. Wiley played the integral, critical role of sharing our work in the Deep South with the nation and the world. Whether we were boycotting, protesting, or testing voter registration procedures, Jean made sure that our work was not ignored. prgtoken After serving on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement, Ms. Wiley made her way to Washington, D.C. where she helped create the Center for Black Education. Throughout her life, Jean was committed to the betterm