mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ- BIRKENAU
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-1-27

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , today, we remember the 6 million Jews and millions of others who were systematically murdered in the darkest chapter of human history. prgtoken Last week, I had the privilege of traveling with a bipartisan delegation led by Nancy Pelosi to two nations forever interlaced into the fabric of Jewish history: the first, a monument to tragedy; the second, a beacon of hope. prgtoken In Poland at Auschwitz-Birkenau, we saw firsthand the painful cruelty of the Nazi regime. We walked the train tracks that transported innocent people to captivity and the gas chambers, which led to their cruel and inhumane slaughter. prgtoken After our time in Poland, I, like so many Jews escaping the horrors they experienced in Europe, traveled to the Holy Land with my colleagues. In Israel, we witnessed hope, the homeland of the Jewish people. prgtoken I continue to be inspired to see that such generational trauma experienced by our people could be harnessed into something as powerful as democracy. prgtoken At Yad Vashem, Israel's national memorial to Holocaust victims, we participated in a solemn commemoration to those who did not live to see a homeland that would be theirs. We heard the stories of the lives lost to hate and of the men and women who managed to survive that torture. prgtoken I represent one of the largest survivors of the Holocaust populations in the United States. As the last generation of survivors ends their twilight years, it is even more important now that we keep their memories alive and recorded for future generations. prgtoken In the face of rising hate and anti-Semitism at home and abroad, we all have a role to play in fighting bigotry wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. prgtoken The legislation the House passed today, the Never Again Education Act, which provides teachers with resources to teach children the important lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences of bigotry and hate, is a critically important and vital step. prgtoken As co-chair of the Latino-Jewish Caucus and the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations and a proud member of the Task Force on Combating Anti-Semitism, I am proud that we have all come together today to organize this Special Order in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. prgtoken , s on both sides of the aisle for making this a priority so that we could give voice to the notion of ``never again.'' prgtoken Today, we remember to ensure that never again will the horrors of the past be repeated.
HONORING CINDY DACH
Greg Stanton (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the achievements of Cindy Dach, a leader and visionary entrepreneur in Arizona. Throughout her career and in every endeavor she takes on, Cindy has always been tireless in her pursuit to make our community a better place for everyone. Cindy's work was recently acknowledged with the 2019 ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year award, an honor from the Greater Phoenix Chamber awarded to women who demonstrate excellence in leadership, community service, and mentorship. prgtoken That Cindy should be awarded an honor in the name of the Greek goddess Athena is fitting. Like Athena, Cindy is a force a nature, who lives her life with fearlessness, bravery, and authenticity. It was these qualities that led her to co-found the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation. The organization revitalized a downtown neighborhood into the Roosevelt Row Arts District, now a walkable arts district in Phoenix's urban core, nationally known for its arts and cultural events, rotating exhibits and wonderful local restaurants. prgtoken Most emblematic of her spirit of service is Cindy's role as co- founder and CEO of Changing Hands bookstore, a gathering place for people all over the Valley to exchange ideas. The bookstore has served as a touchstone in our community for more than 45 years, and has hosted presidents and leaders including , Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Madeline Albright. prgtoken Cindy has also helped inspire a generation of young women to build and create in their own art studios, craft breweries, and boutiques on Roosevelt Row. While Cindy has been a pillar of Roosevelt Row for decades, she is saving space and a saving grace for women in business. Not only does she lend square footage of her own properties, but she also mentors and actively supports female entrepreneurs in the arts district. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating Cindy Dach as a leader and entrepreneur behind the helm of a rising Phoenix. I'm grateful for the opportunity to witness her work and to call her a friend.
COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ- BIRKENAU
Donna E. Shalala (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-1-27

today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. prgtoken We remember the 6 million Jews, as well as millions of other minority populations, who were systematically murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. We remember the families who were separated and the sacrifices made by those who protected Jewish lives. prgtoken Pure evil was committed against Jews, Roma, Catholics, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and others. prgtoken We honor the 10,000 Holocaust survivors who live in south Florida and the nearly 70,000 more who live around the United States. prgtoken , I also want to honor my friend, Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, who fled Nazi Europe as a child in 1941. An educational specialist for Holocaust studies at Miami-Dade County Public Schools and director of the Holocaust Institute at the University of Miami, Miriam has dedicated her life to educating the new generation of teachers and students about the horrors of the Holocaust. prgtoken , as we enter this new decade, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that ``never again'' means never again. We will never stop fighting virulent, hateful anti-Semitism and discrimination wherever and whenever it appears. prgtoken In this House, the people's House, we stand together, united against hate. We stand together in pledging ``never again.'' prgtoken Never again.
COMMEMORATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ- BIRKENAU
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-1-27

I thank my friend from Texas for yielding. prgtoken , I am so honored to be here on International Holocaust Remembrance Day with colleagues, ic and alike, who understand the importance of giving real meaning to the words ``never again.'' prgtoken Standing at Auschwitz-Birkenau as we did with a bipartisan delegation last week, what you can't help but be struck by is the effort, the enormous effort that the Nazis went to, to try to destroy the Jewish people, to wipe them from the face of the Earth. Yet, they failed. prgtoken The State of Israel is strong, the strong homeland of the Jewish people. In a world that Adolf Hitler could never have imagined, that the Nazis could never have imagined, Jewish Members of the House, like myself, have the opportunity like the one now to remind America why this is so important. prgtoken Like my colleague from Florida, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, I represent a lot of survivors. Twice a year, our local Jewish family service organization has a program called Cafe Europa. They bring together the survivors from our community for lunch and the opportunity to socialize, to enjoy music, and to be with one another. prgtoken They sit the survivors at tables based on the communities in Europe that they came from, communities where the Nazis tried to eradicate all the Jews. Here they are now, most in their nineties, coming together, in this case in south Florida, with the opportunity to be with one another. prgtoken What is so remarkable is that at virtually every one of these meetings, there is a moment when a survivor from a community in Europe is able to reunite with another survivor from that community that he or she has not seen since before World War II. They have the chance to share their stories not just with each other, but they get to share their stories with all of us. prgtoken Some, like Norman Frajman, a dear friend of mine who lost 126 family members in the Holocaust, was clear when he said, in speaking about Cafe Europa: ``We are disappearing, but when I see faces here, it does my heart good. There are still witnesses to this tragedy, and younger generations must learn of these atrocities that occur when hatred toward one another occurs. We must replace hate with love.'' prgtoken Norman is right. prgtoken Sylvia Richter, also from south Florida, was at Cafe Europa and said this in describing what happened to her, she said: My sisters and I were chosen by Dr. Mengele. I was forced to lie about my age and say I was 17 instead of 14. A female Nazi officer wiped black soot off her arm and told me it was my mother, father and siblings that she was wiping away and if I didn't keep lying, this would be me too. As she wiped away those ashes, she wiped away my smile. I never smiled again until 1946. prgtoken There are people in America, there are people in the world who deny the Holocaust. There are far too many people
NEVER AGAIN EDUCATION ACT
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding, and for his incredible leadership. prgtoken Madam , I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on my bipartisan legislation, H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, which has over 300 cosponsors. prgtoken On this day, 75 years ago, Auschwitz-Birkenau was finally liberated, but not before more than 1 million people were murdered there. We mark this day International Holocaust Remembrance Day as we witness the rise of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry across our country and around the world. prgtoken In fact, we observe this day of remembrance just weeks after a rise of violent anti-Semitic attacks in New York, including an attack at a rabbi's home during the festival of Hanukkah. prgtoken An Anti-Defamation League report recorded that over 1,800 of these acts happened in 2018 alone. And yet, as we speak out against these attacks and stand against hate with our Jewish communities, we are also called to act. prgtoken Condemnation alone is not enough. We need to do all we can to create communities in which these incidents don't happen in the first place. prgtoken We need to make a better future, one of understanding, acceptance, and mutual respect. prgtoken We must make sure our children and students understand the dangers of rising anti-Semitism. prgtoken In the resolution establishing today as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the United Nations asked each member Nation to ``develop educational programs that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.'' prgtoken As a former teacher, I know that our children are not born with hate in their hearts, and it is up to us to make sure that they never learn it. prgtoken We need to give our teachers the resources they need to teach about the Holocaust and the dangers of bigotry and hate. This is not an easy subject matter for our students to understand, and our teachers need support, lesson plans, guest speakers, and training. prgtoken So along with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I introduced H.R. 943, which will expand the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's already impressive educational programs by requiring the museum to develop and disseminate accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust, and educate individuals on the lessons as a means to promote the importance of preventing genocide, hate, and bigotry against any group of people. prgtoken By providing $10 million over 5 years to support key programs like having traveling exhibits, expanding a centralized website, a database, where educators can find curriculum and lessons plans that are appropriate for every age group; to develop and disseminate and implement principles of sound instruction; and to increase engagement with State and local education leaders. prgtoken This was a huge effort over 20 years. I first introduced thi
SECRETARY OF STATE POMPEO'S COMMENTS ABOUT UKRAINE
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-1-27

over the weekend, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cast doubt over American support for our Ukrainian allies when he asked veteran NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly if she thought Americans care about Ukraine and if she could even find it on a map. How insulting. prgtoken Pompeo's outburst came after Mary Louise Kelly questioned him about the administration's shameful treatment of our Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. prgtoken As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus and representative of a large Ukrainian American population, I am deeply concerned about what Pompeo was insinuating with his comments to NPR that the administration can do whatever it pleases because the American public doesn't care about Ukraine. I couldn't disagree with him more. prgtoken Ukraine is the scrimmage line for liberty in Europe. Liberty lovers across the world care about Ukraine because its people are facing down Russian aggression. prgtoken Unfortunately, Pompeo's comments reflect a larger pattern of the administration advancing pro-Russian causes. prgtoken On Secretary Pompeo's upcoming trip to Ukraine, I would urge him to support liberty in Europe. America and the world paid a heavy price for that.
NEVER AGAIN EDUCATION ACT
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , for his leadership in moving this bill forward and my colleagues in the House for passing this bill later this evening. prgtoken I rise today in support of H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, of which I am proud to be a cosponsor. prgtoken Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi's largest death camp and genocidal machine that killed more than 6 million Jewish men, women, and children. prgtoken It also marks the continuation of our ongoing responsibility to keep a promise made after the Holocaust: ``never again,'' never again to allow the evils unleashed by anti-Semitism, extremism, and hatred to fester, never again to stand idly by in the face of genocide. prgtoken Last week, I had the solemn honor to visit Auschwitz with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Pelosi. Standing before the gas chambers and furnaces, seeing what seemed like infinite piles of personal belongings taken from the victims, endless piles of hair of the people murdered at Auschwitz, I felt a deep responsibility to fulfill the promise once again. prgtoken Yet, today, in this moment, we are witnessing an increase in anti- Semitism around the world and specifically here in the United States. In 2018, a gunman walked into the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and killed 11 people. It was the worst anti-Semitic attack in our Nation's history, but it was not the last. A synagogue in Poway, a kosher grocery in New Jersey, and a Hanukkah celebration in Muncie-- across the country are increasing numbers of verbal and physical assaults, vandalism, and other acts of anti-Jewish hate. The numbers are truly horrifying. prgtoken Here we are in this moment, 75 years since the horrors of the Holocaust came into full view, close to a time when there will be no survivors left to tell their story.
NEVER AGAIN EDUCATION ACT
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Madam , I rise in support of H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act. prgtoken With each passing year, there are fewer and fewer people who can provide firsthand accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust. We have a responsibility to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. prgtoken As Elie Wiesel once said: ``Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must, at that moment, become the center of the universe.'' prgtoken This legislation creates a grant program to fund Holocaust education programs across the country. prgtoken As we confront a disturbing rise of anti-Jewish bigotry and acts of hate, let us invest in the minds of young people to understand the destructive powers of intolerance and how to use that knowledge to embrace understanding and insight. prgtoken Madam , I thank Chairwoman Maloney, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Norcross, and Ms. Stefanik for their leadership, and I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.
HONORING THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to The Positive Community Magazine for 20 years of promoting African-American culture, values and traditions. prgtoken In the late 1990s, Adrian Council, Sr. and Jean Nash Wells wanted to change the way African Americans were perceived in their communities and in the country. They did not like the fact that most of the publicity they read about African Americans was negative. They started a newsletter, called the Good Newsletter, and filled it with positive stories from black culture. Then they distributed it to churches and other popular gathering places throughout the northern New Jersey and New York area. Eventually, the Good Newsletter became the Positive Community Newsletter. prgtoken In 2000, the founders decided to turn their newsletter into a magazine, called The Positive Community, and still contains stories about the people, organizations, and companies that are doing good things in black communities. For example, one of their issues is dedicated to college graduation with photos and descriptions of the graduates. prgtoken Today, The Positive Community has evolved into a faith-based lifestyle magazine written for African-American consumers in the New York and New Jersey market. It continues to be focused on the good news reported from churches and communities. The co-founders initial dream to create a balanced medium that accurately reflects the efforts of churches, small businesses, corporations, and concerned individuals to improve their neighborhoods, towns and cities has become a reality. In addition to the monthly publication, The Positive Community co-sponsors church and community events that focus on health and financial literacy-related issues. prgtoken On New Year's Day of 2020, the magazine hosted the inaugural Great American Emancipation Day Awards Banquet at the historic Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They presented seven guests with awards to honor their commitment to African-American communities, such as the Torchbearer Award, Servant Leadership Award, and the Community Spirit Award. The event continued the same devotion to respect for the audience as the magazine has shown to its readers. prgtoken Madam , I ask my fellow Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to join me and recognize The Positive Community Magazine for its 20-year commitment to positive publicity for African Americans across the country.
BEYONDHOME
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , I rise today to recognize BeyondHome for receiving the 2019 Non-Profit of the Year Award from the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. For 30 years, BeyondHome, formerly Colorado Homeless Families, has been helping working families who are experiencing homelessness or who are on the verge of becoming homeless by helping them through difficult periods and ultimately to achieve self-sufficiency for life. BeyondHome housed its first family in December 1988. As of December 2019, it has housed 543 families with children. Of those, 446 families have graduated from BeyondHome achieving full self-sufficiency, including purchasing their own homes, graduating from tech schools, colleges or universities, and increasing their income. Today BeyondHome's specific services include affordable housing, career development, counseling, direct financial assistance and resources, and group classes focused on job readiness, nutrition and cooking, parenting or recovering from domestic violence. In 2016, BeyondHome expanded their services to include private trauma-informed therapy for parents and children. Every adult served by BeyondHome is required to complete courses in life skills, parenting, healthy relationships, financial literacy and much more. BeyondHome continues to play a critical role in the lives of working families. Congratulations on this recognition from the Arvada Chamber, and I extend my deepest appreciation for their contribution to our community.
MERCHANT MARINERS OF WORLD WAR II CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT OF 2020
Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (Democrat, GU) \u2014 2020-1-27

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken I am pleased that this bipartisan bill honors those who answered this Nation's call to duty, regardless of the danger and without expectation of accolades. prgtoken This bill incorporates relevant technical changes introduced by the Senate and includes the additional recognition of the students of the Merchant Marine Academy who lost their lives in service to their country. It is time that we give these courageous mariners the recognition they have more than earned. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important piece of legislation, and .