mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF BEVERLY ELIAS MILLER
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , on the occasion of her well-deserved retirement, I rise to honor Beverly Elias Miller, an exceptional woman, an exemplary community leader and an extraordinary human being. In her 29 years on the coast of San Mateo county, Bev touched the lives of just about every coastsider and her contributions are ingrained in the fabric of this wonderful community. I feel very fortunate to count her as a close friend. We first met in 1992 at a Soroptimists award event that she, of course, choreographed. prgtoken Originally from Marinette, Wisconsin, Bev launched her career in the banking industry in Spokane, Washington in 1967. Starting out as a trainee in the key punch department she learned almost all aspects of banking over the following 32 years. She came to the coast in 1991 and served as the branch manager of First National Bank before being promoted to vice president and regional manager. When the Bank of America shut down its earliest branch, located in the tiny rural town of Pescadero, Bev and local farmers and businesses came together to open a branch of her bank so that loans and banking services remained available. In an era before the term ``unbanked'' was popularized, Bev ensured that farm workers could cash their paychecks prgtoken to pay the rent. Today, the successor to First National maintains that branch and the relationship with the community, so wise was Bev's investment of time and energy in the economic development of this little town. prgtoken Grass never grew under her feet and, to prove the point, in 2000 she accepted the position as chief financial officer at San Francisco Brannan Street Wholesale Florist Incorporated. This is a very large wholesale operation in San Francisco, and a perfect work environment given Bev's love for flowers, particularly roses. Bev is an avid gardener and the roses in her garden look like award winners. It was also a natural transition from working with the coastside's farmers, many of whom sold their product at this facility. However, Bev never severed her relationship with coastside businesses and charities. prgtoken Whether it's Farm Day, the Pumpkin Festival, Dream Machine, the Harbor Lights Boat Lighting Contest or any other signature event on the coast, Bev was present and most likely running the show. Several of these events served as fundraisers for charities, and Bev was always serving food, pouring drinks, or raising money. She also used the bully pulpit of the Chamber of Commerce to promote tourism so that her customers and our residents could thrive during good times and survive as recessions came and went. prgtoken Throughout her time on the coast, and although she worked full time, she found time to volunteer long hours. She served on the board of directors of the San Mateo Event Center. For 12 years, she served on the board of directors of the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce. Since 1992 she has been the chair for Mel Mello Farm Day, a delig
400TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST ENSLAVED AFRICANS BROUGHT TO AMERICA
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , I am honored tonight to share and conduct the Special Order sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, and I want to thank Chairwoman Karen Bass for her tremendous leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus and for holding this Special Order tonight in our effort to raise to the public and this body's attention the observance of 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were brought to the shores of America, which began 250 years of one of the most horrific crimes committed against humanity: the government-sanctioned institution of slavery. prgtoken Madam , from California (Chairwoman Bass) for her statement, and I want to say to her that I really commend her tonight for her leadership and, really, for keeping Africa as central in our foreign policy, because we are all reminded, through her leadership, that Africa does matter.
Tribute to Dayton Police Officers (Executive Session)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-9-9

I rise to honor six brave Ohioans--Sergeant William C. Knight, Officers Brian Rolfes, David Denlinger, Vincent Carter, Ryan Nabel, and Jeremy Campbell. prgtoken Last month, on Sunday, August 4, the people in my State woke up to devastating news: A shooter had opened fire overnight--at about 1 o'clock that Sunday morning--in Dayton. In 31 seconds, a shooter had fired 40 bullets. He had taken the lives of 9 Ohioans and had injured 27 more. This was another senseless tragedy caused by gun violence. As awful as it was, it could have been even worse had it not been for the bravery and skill of the officers I just mentioned. prgtoken While others ran from danger, these men ran toward it. They stopped the shooter within 31 or 32 seconds after the first shot was fired. They saved, certainly, dozens of lives as the shooter was about to go into a very crowded nightclub. Had they not gotten to him in less than a minute, the shooter would have entered the doorway he was headed toward of the Dayton institution Ned Peppers, which was filled with Ohioans who were out on a Saturday night. prgtoken Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said: ``Had this individual made it through the doorway of Ned Peppers with that level of weaponry, there would have been catastrophic injuries and loss of life.'' That didn't happen because these dedicated public servants did the job they signed up to do--to protect the people they serve. prgtoken Over the past month, as we have mourned those Ohioans we have lost, we have also seen the incredible strength and solidarity of the Dayton community. People from all over the city have come together to support the families of the victims and to support the law enforcement officers and officials who threw themselves in harm's way to protect their friends and neighbors. prgtoken Chief Biehl reported that the Dayton Police Department has received hundreds of emails, social media messages, and thank you cards--all from people thanking them for what they have done for this city. prgtoken Dayton has faced so many challenges this year. Each time, these officers and the entire department have risen to the occasion. They kept the public safe when a KKK group held a hate rally, and they helped residents after devastating tornados hit this summer. Now they are dealing with this awful gun violence and all kinds of tragedies that have fallen on this community. prgtoken I thank my friend Mayor Whaley, who is here in Washington today to help honor these officers and who has truly held this community together. I think she put it best when she said that Dayton has had, ``as I like to term it, one hell of a summer, and you all have been on the front lines of it.'' prgtoken I met these officers at the Miami Valley Hospital 3 days after the shooting. The President of the United States was there to honor these officers and to see the victims and some of the injured Daytonians who were victims of the shooting and t
CONGRATULATING CAPE MAY 4-H
Jefferson Van Drew (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , Cape May County's 4-H Foundation and Fairgrounds recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. After many years of moving from place to place, the 4-H Fair opened on July 24, 1969, at its current fairgrounds in Cape May County in South Jersey. prgtoken Many of the traditions established back then are still carried on today, such as a chicken BBQ, pet parade, and talent show for the young people who participate in the 4-H program. prgtoken Through clubs that specialize in things like fishing, small animals, reptiles, horses, sewing, robotics, the program enriches many aspects of learning. prgtoken Research has shown that young people in 4-H are almost four times as likely to engage in STEM programs during the school year, thanks to what they explore and learn during their time in the program. prgtoken The four H's stands for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, and it is clear that Cape May County 4-H has been deepening these young people's skills in all of these areas. prgtoken To all the participants, workers, volunteers, and especially Linda Horner of Cape May County's 4-H Foundation and Fairgrounds, congratulations on 50 years, for sure. prgtoken You are helping youth become confident, mature adults ready to take on the world. And you are making South Jersey proud.
400TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST ENSLAVED AFRICANS BROUGHT TO AMERICA
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , , Congresswoman Barbara Lee for anchoring this Special Order recognizing the 400th anniversary of the first slave arriving in America. prgtoken Four hundred years ago the first slave arrived in America, ships set sail from the west coast of Africa and in the process, began one of mankind's most inhumane practices: human bondage and slavery. prgtoken For two centuries, human beings--full of hopes and fears, dreams and concerns, ambition and anguish--were transported onto ships like chattel, and the lives of many forever changed. prgtoken The reverberations from this horrific series of acts--a transatlantic slave trade that touched the shores of a colony that came to be known as America, and later a democratic republic known as the United States of America--are unknown and worthy of exploration. prgtoken Approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 1865. prgtoken The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865. prgtoken American Slavery is our country's original sin and its existence at the birth of our nation is a permanent scar on our country's founding documents, and on the venerated authors of those documents, and it is a legacy that continued well into the last century. prgtoken While it is nearly impossible to determine how the lives touched by slavery could have flourished in the absence of bondage, we have certain datum that permits us to examine how a subset of Americans-- African Americans--have been affected by the callousness of involuntary servitude. prgtoken We know that in almost every segment of society--education, healthcare, jobs and wealth--the inequities that persist in America are more acutely and disproportionately felt in Black America. prgtoken This historic discrimination continues: African-Americans continue to suffer debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships including but not limited to having nearly 1,000,000 black people incarcerated; an unemployment rate more than twice the current white unemployment rate; and an average of less than 1/16 of the wealth of white families, a disparity which has worsened, not improved over time. prgtoken A closer look at the statistics reveals the stark disparity in these areas. prgtoken Black household wealth is less than one fifth of the national average. prgtoken The median black household had a net worth of just $17,600 in 2016. Yet in that same year, the median white house hold held $171,000 in wealth while the national household median was $97,300. prgtoken The black unemployment rate is 6.6 percent, more than double the national unemployment rate. prgtoken Approximately 31 percent children live in poverty, compared to 11 percent of white children. The national average is 18 percent which suggests that the percentage of black ch
Background Checks (Executive Session)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-9-9

today this Chamber, once referred to as the greatest deliberative body, must take action. We have people all over the country who want to see action, people who want to see change, people who are crying out for their leaders in Washington to do their jobs. prgtoken These days, the U.S. Senate has become a place where legislation goes to die and the important issues of the day go ignored, in addition to inaction--major, major issues, significant issues, like climate change and infrastructure and immigration reform. prgtoken Today I will focus on three things that are right before us--three bills in the gun legislation area that right now are on the leader's desk--and two other areas, election protection and bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, where we could literally take action immediately. prgtoken I focus on these because they all involve bills that have passed the House, and the Senate could literally act today. I focus on these because, in all three cases, the timing is urgent. prgtoken I am talking about inaction in the wake of terrible tragedies in Dayton and El Paso and in Midland-Odessa, all in just the last month; inaction in protecting our elections and making it easier for people to vote; inaction in response to serious issues of healthcare costs, particularly prescription drug prices. prgtoken First, I will speak about gun safety. Think about the courage--the incredible courage--of the people who were in Dayton and in El Paso and in Midland-Odessa, of the mom who literally shielded her baby from death as she herself perished from gunshot wounds, but she kept that baby alive. Or how about the grandpa who died shielding his wife and granddaughter or the off-duty soldier who carried children away to safety? All of that happened in that store. prgtoken As we approach the anniversary of 9/11, I think also about the first responders in all of these mass shootings. Those in Dayton, OH, got there in 1 minute--1 minute--but, still, we lost nine people in 30 seconds. But they were there in 1 minute and saved so many lives. That is courage. prgtoken That is the courage of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and I believe in this place of extraordinary power that their courage must be matched. The courage must be prgtoken matched to that mom, to that grandpa, to that soldier, to those first responders. These are ordinary citizens who stepped up and saved lives. It is the least we can do to match their courage. prgtoken The American people can't afford more inaction. But over the past few years, to me, it seems we have lost our resolve. prgtoken Today, I implore my colleagues, I implore the leadership to find the resolve once again and act with courage just as those men and women did in El Paso, in Dayton, in Midland and Odessa and Gilroy and Parkland and Newtown and Charleston and Orlando. prgtoken How about all of those families who lose a loved one every single day to gun
RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the centennial of The American Legion, which was founded in Paris, France on March 15, 1919 by delegates from combat and service units of the American Expeditionary Force. For those who do not know this history, the United States Congress granted a national charter to the delegates on September 16, 1919. prgtoken While initially The Legion was composed only of those who served during World War I, it later admitted veterans of World War II (1942), the Korean War (1950), the Vietnam War (1966), the Lebanon, Grenada, and Panama hostilities (1990), Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1991), and the wars in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2001). prgtoken To this very day, the focus of The American Legion is on the care of disabled and sick veterans. The American Legion has been instrumental in establishing hospitals and other support services for veterans. The hard work of those involved with The American Legion was influential in the creation of the U.S. Veterans Administration in 1930 and the enactment of the GI Bill of Rights in 1944. These two policies have helped more than 10,500,000 veterans afford college or vocational training programs and assisted more than 5,600,000 veterans in their efforts to purchase homes. prgtoken The American Legion does not just help the veterans who are members. It is an organization dedicated to charity and community. Posts across the country donate more than 3.7 million hours of volunteer service. Posts have also helped collect more than 80,000 pints of blood every year for donation. This makes The American Legion the single largest blood donor. And The Legion and its members are focused on future generations by awarding more than 8,000 medals to Junior ROTC students and sponsoring more than 2,500 Scouting units that serve over 64,000 young people. Finally, they have awarded more than $4 million in awards to support individuals to go to college. prgtoken In New Jersey, The American Legion is currently led by Department Commander Robert B. Newell. It does an extraordinary job advocating on behalf of veterans and their families. With a membership of over 4,000, American Legion Posts in Bergen County, New Jersey are celebrating 100 years of service with a celebration in Lodi, New Jersey on September 29. I am pleased to recognize the positive contributions and role The American Legion serves in our community. The Legion's myriad of contributions to the good and welfare of veterans, service members and the community at large cannot possibly be measured. But it is important that they continue to receive our full support.
TRIBUTE TO FORMER CALIFORNIAN STATE SENATOR WADIE P. DEDDEH
Susan A. Davis (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , I am sorry to learn of the passing of former California State Senator Wadie P. Deddeh. prgtoken Wadie was the first Iraqi-born American ever elected to public office in the United States. He served in the state legislature for 27 years-- first in the Assembly, then in the Senate. prgtoken He was known as the ``Father of CalTrans'' because he introduced and guided the legislation that created California's Department of Transportation. prgtoken During the dedication of a new CalTrans Building in Old Town in San Diego--a building that was being named after him--Wadie recalled the first time he ran for office in 1966. He was told Wadie Deddeh was a funny name and he might want to change it. He acknowledged it was a funny name but he would not be changing it. ``People can vote for Wadie P. Deddeh or they don't have to vote for me,'' he said. prgtoken He was deeply proud of his Iraqi Chaldean heritage. And he was deeply proud to be an American. prgtoken In 1979, during the height of the hostage crisis in Iran when 52 Americans were held 444 days, the United States sought to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iraq. President Jimmy Carter asked Wadie if he would go to Iraq and meet with Iraq's Foreign Minister in this effort. He said he would of course return to his homeland on behalf of America. prgtoken While that initial effort to restore diplomacy was not successful, it showed the status he had not only in our state but the nation. prgtoken Born in Baghdad, Wadie emigrated to America in 1947. His story is a shining example of the positive impact immigration has--and continues to have--on the United States. Wadie epitomized public service--an example that lives on in his son Peter, a Superior Court Judge. prgtoken I worked with Wadie on numerous efforts and experienced firsthand the highly respected judgment associated with him. prgtoken My deepest condolences go out to his family. They can take pride in knowing that an Iraqi immigrant, inspired by the words of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, left a legacy in California that lives on to this day. prgtoken As Wadie was known to say, ``Only in America.''
400TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST ENSLAVED AFRICANS BROUGHT TO AMERICA
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , let me first thank the gentlewoman from California for those kind remarks. She has been a consummate fighter for equality for all people across this world, a true humanitarian in her own right, from Oakland, California. prgtoken I had the great honor, during the time we celebrated her birthday, to see a picture of her with this Afro that was indicative of the times. It was perfect, and I was not surprised. prgtoken But her work in the Congress is second to none, and she has been a true role model for me, a true friend to my father. He always had high accolades for the gentlewoman from California, and now that I am her colleague, I understand why. prgtoken Madam , this year marks what I would call ``America's Great Economic Shame.'' prgtoken In 1619, the first boats filled with victims of human bondage reached our shores. When they docked, the very first African Americans walked off a plank and into American history. They would create a dilemma for the leaders and citizens of this new republic that has not been solved to this day. prgtoken They were considered unequal in a country where all men were created equal. Their existence would cause otherwise pious and moral men to engage in the most immoral behavior. And they came together to fight for one goal: the belief that one day, someday, they would be free at last. prgtoken As we commemorate the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans reaching this land, America, it is important to discuss how far African Americans have come as a culture and a community and how far we have yet to go. prgtoken When I look around this Chamber, I see the results of how far we have come. There are now 55 African Americans in the United States House of Representatives, led by a champion of our commitment to freedom, Congressman John Lewis. prgtoken This representation would have seemed impossible 400 years ago. Back then, African Americans were considered property. Back then, families could be torn apart for a greater economic interest. Back then, African Americans in slave States could be killed for something as simple as learning to read. prgtoken We did not ask to be slaves, yet we triumphed in spite of it. We knew they might own our bodies, but they would never control our spirit. prgtoken We have succeeded in every area of American life. Let us look at just a few ways that we have altered America for the better. prgtoken It is easy to talk about how almost every original American music style comes from our community, everything from jazz to blues to hip- hop, but there are several inventions we use daily that came from African Americans. prgtoken We invented America's first clock and then the first automatic elevator doors. prgtoken We invented the traffic light. prgtoken We invented the clothes dryer and the electric lamp. prgtoken We invented the ice cream scoop, the lawnmower, the mailbox, and even the heart pacemaker. prgtoken We have triumphed over tragedy, but we still have
IN APPRECIATION OF JANE WITTMEYER AND HER SERVICE TO IDAHO
Michael K. Simpson (Republican, ID) \u2014 2019-9-9

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Jane Wittmeyer for her incredible service she has given to the great state of Idaho as she retires from Wittmeyer and Associates. prgtoken One of the greatest aspects of being a public servant is meeting people like Jane. Over the years, my staff and I have relied on Jane for her guidance and expertise in several areas, particularly related to our forests, natural resources and agriculture. Jane can bring people together by building coalitions to solve issues by finding creative solutions with minimal impact. This is a skillset that few people possess, and our society certainly needs more problem-solvers like Jane. prgtoken Jane's resume is also extremely impressive, from her exceptional academic education receiving her MBA in International Business and PhD in Public Administration, to her incredible work ethic running her own company, to her athletic achievements in cross country and Tae Kwon Do. Simply put, there is very little that Jane can't and hasn't accomplished. prgtoken There is a personal side to Jane as well. Whenever you see her, she greets you with a warm smile, asks about your work and family and is happy to share stories of her own children and husband. She is a dedicated mother, wife and a fiercely loyal friend. prgtoken I consider Jane a good friend, so it is hard to imagine Idaho Agriculture Industry without her at the table. Congratulations Jane, enjoy retirement.