mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING THE HONORABLE ESTEBAN TORRES
Linda T. Sánchez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-2-3

. Madam , I rise to honor the life of the late Congressman Esteban Torres, a dedicated public servant, trailblazer for Latino political power, and a champion for the working class. prgtoken Congressman Esteban Torres dedicated his life to serving his community, early on as a labor leader and eventually in Congress and the White House. prgtoken He was among the first Latinos elected to Congress, paving the way for increased representation across all levels of government. prgtoken As a Member of this body, Congressman Torres proudly represented the community in which he was raised and much of the community that I am proud to serve today. prgtoken He fought with integrity for the rights of immigrants, environmental justice, and economic empowerment. prgtoken His legacy will live on in the communities he represented and in the hearts that he touched. prgtoken I send my sincere condolences to his family and all who knew him.
HISTORY CANNOT BE ERASED
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-2-3

. Madam , I rise today with a printing of a painting done by a talented Detroit artist, Jonathan . prgtoken Jonathan named the painting ``Critical Race Theory.'' It gives me chills as I look at it on how the contrived fight against our history, Black history specifically, seeks to erase the fight, struggle, triumphs, and success of our Black neighbors in our country. prgtoken So as many of us recognize and celebrate Black History Month, I implore those who are pushing to erase our history, including many colleagues in this body, to stop with the empty words and gestures. You cannot erase history to paint the picture you want. We won't stand for it.
IN HONOR OF COACH KIRBY PAUL SMART
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2022-2-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor, commend, and extend personal congratulations to the University of Georgia's (UGA) Football Head Coach, Coach Kirby P. Smart. Coach Smart recently led the UGA Bulldogs to their 2022 College Football Playoffs National Championship win on Monday, January 11, 2022. prgtoken Kirby was born on December 23, 1975, to the union of Sonny and Sharon Smart. He was educated in the Decatur County School System, and he began his playing career at Bainbridge High School under the tutelage of his father. During his high school career, he was a three-year letterman in football, basketball, and baseball and a first-team Class AAAA All-State as a senior. Upon his graduation from Bainbridge High, he enrolled at and played for the University of Georgia, where he was a four-year letterman at defensive back and a first-team All-SEC (Southeastern Conference) selection as a senior. He finished his college football career as a four-time member of SEC Academic Honor Roll, with 13 interceptions, ranking fourth-all time at UGA, and led the Bulldogs with six interceptions in 1997 and five in 1998 before graduating in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in Finance. Kirby later obtained his master's degree in Physical Education from Florida State University in 2003. prgtoken Kirby began his impressive coaching career in 1999 as the Administrative Assistant Coach for UGA. Since then, he has served as the Assistant Coach for Defensive Backs (2000) and Defense Coordinator (2001) at Valdosta State University, a Graduate Assistant (2002 through 2003) at Florida State University, the Assistant Coach for Defensive Backs (2004) at Louisiana State University, the Assistant Coach for Running Backs (2005) at UGA, and the Assistant Coach for Safeties (2006) with the Miami Dolphins. He also served as the Assistant Coach for Defensive Backs (2007), Defensive Coordinator for Inside Linebackers (2008 through 2013 and 2015), and Defensive Coordinator for Inside Linebackers (2014) at the University of Alabama, before coming back to UGA to serve as the Football Head Coach (2016). Since returning to UGA, Kirby and the Bulldogs have amassed championship titles at several levels including four in the SEC Eastern Division, one in the SEC, and one at the national level. prgtoken Coach Smart has received countless awards and commendations for his achievements and accomplishments as a coach including the Broyles Award (2009), American Football Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year (2012), SEC Coach of the Year (2017, 2021), and most recently, a bipartisan and bicameral resolution on January 11, 2022, endorsed by the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation honoring the UGA Bulldogs' recent 2022 College Football Playoffs National Championship win. prgtoken Coach Smart has accomplished much in his life, but none of it would have been possible without the grace of God; the love and support of his wife, Mary; and their children; We
ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS OF ST. PAUL
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-2-3

. Madam , I rise to call attention to correspondence I recently received from Todd Axtell, Chief of the St. Paul Police Department. Chief Axtell and the men and women in uniform of the department who serve my constituents are extraordinary public servants who operate with a level of professionalism that has been consistently demonstrated during the difficult circumstances of the past two years. Therefore, I include in the Record Chief Axtell's letter to highlight the increasing challenges being placed on St. Paul police officers. prgtoken At this moment, the City of St. Paul is the venue for the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers involved in the murder of Mr. George Floyd in May 2020. This trial has been brought by federal authorities, regarding federal civil rights charges, and concerns a crime that occurred in Minneapolis, not in St. Paul. By selecting St. Paul as the venue for this federal trial, extraordinary security and financial burdens are being placed upon the City of St. Paul, Ramsey County, and our local taxpayers. prgtoken It is my belief that the federal court and Department of Justice must not be allowed to shift security related costs onto local government and taxpayers. This is simply unacceptable. Therefore, I am exploring funding options that will ensure the federal government covers all costs associated with security for this federal trial and the City of St. Paul, the St. Paul Police Department, and the property taxpayers of St. Paul are held financially harmless. Though I cannot guarantee funding, my office will make every effort to achieve this goal. prgtoken Madam , I remain committed to working with both local and federal counterparts to achieve a positive outcome for the people of St. Paul. I would also like to recognize Chief Axtell for his leadership and the day-to-day commitment of the St. Paul Police Department to meet the needs of our constituents. Department of Police, City of Saint Paul, January 21, 2022. Hon. Betty McCollum, House of Representatives, Saint Paul, MN. Dear Representative McCollum: The murder of Mr. George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020 sparked unprecedented civil unrest in the State of Minnesota and across the globe. For several days, an outpouring of frustration sparked reactions ranging from massive demonstrations, to looting, to widespread destruction of property. In the Twin Cities, two people were killed and our community suffered millions of dollars in property damage, including 330 buildings in Saint Paul that were damaged or destroyed. The past two years have brought dramatic changes in law enforcement staffing; police officers are leaving the profession in numbers that ha
INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
Derek Kilmer (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , the America COMPETES Act is about creating jobs and spurring innovation all across our country. It is about recognizing that America can't compete if it leaves communities behind and that we need to get all of our best players on the field if we are going to win economically. prgtoken Today's bill includes a pilot version of my RECOMPETE Act, which would provide some flexible, long-term support to empower communities that have struggled so that they can grow jobs and strengthen their economies. For some communities, that may mean investments in workforce development; for others, broadband; for some, support for entrepreneurs. prgtoken I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, and now I am proud to represent it. We have amazing assets and outstanding people, but there is a real concern in some communities that their town's main export may be young people, as prospects for the future often seem brighter someplace else. prgtoken But with today's vote, we are saying that we don't believe in leaving communities behind. We are saying that people should have economic opportunity regardless of what ZIP Code they live in, and we are saying that we can't wait.
PRIORITIZING EL PASO, TEXAS
Veronica Escobar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , I have the honor of representing El Paso, Texas, a critical hub for commerce and trade with one of the busiest land ports of entry in the country. prgtoken Today, I am proud to have voted for the passage of the America COMPETES Act to strengthen supply chains, U.S. competitiveness, and create good-paying STEM jobs at home. It will build on policies championed by congressional and President that have led to a historic year of job creation, as shown in today's jobs report. prgtoken The bill includes my amendments to address many El Paso priorities on local job creation, addressing the climate crisis, and optimizing our ports of entry. prgtoken One of my amendments creates a mandatory set-aside specifically for small businesses, the backbone of our local economy, to move into the solar component manufacturing sector. prgtoken Additionally, I included amendments that respond to the climate crisis by ensuring that we reduce deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions in developing nations and allow environmental defenders to assist in developing our climate-resilient strategy. prgtoken My amendments also address the needs of our ports of entry, El Paso's major artery for trade and commerce. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to have also addressed inflation.
BIOECONOMY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2021
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , this amendment would significantly strengthen how the America COMPETES Act will work by improving access to affordable high-quality higher education. prgtoken First, the amendment includes the JOBS Act, which expands how individuals can use the Pell grant, using the short-term programs enabling them to get good jobs quickly and retrain for better paying jobs while we recover from the pandemic. prgtoken It also includes the College Transparency Act, which has helped the Department of Education address longstanding racial and socioeconomic inequities in higher education and track the quality of programs. Importantly, the amendment ensures that we continue to protect the privacy of students' personal information. prgtoken These proposals have strong bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying legislation.
SUPPORTING AMERICAN WORKERS
Marie Newman (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate how the America COMPETES Act will empower manufacturing workers and small businesses on Chicago's southwest side and suburbs. prgtoken For too long, America's supply chain has relied on countries like China to bring us critical goods and services. And who has suffered? Of course, it is not the CEOs who ship jobs overseas. It is America's factory workers, small businesses, and local manufacturers. prgtoken This bill is for them. And that is exactly why I have introduced amendments to this bill to boost American jobs and strengthen the supply chain with new workforce development programs. prgtoken Let's support American workers, invest in American businesses, and let's create millions of American jobs. prgtoken By passing the America COMPETES Act, we will do just that.
HONORING THE NATIONAL LATINO PEACE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (NLPOA)
Val Butler Demings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , I rise today to honor the National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA), which has for 50 years provided opportunities to Latino peace officers throughout the United States. As the former Police Chief of Orlando, Florida and now in my role as U.S. Representative for Florida's 10th Congressional District, I would like to celebrate the NLPOA for supporting the engagement, rights, and training of Latino law enforcement officers across the country. prgtoken Founded in 1972 by Vicente Calderon of the California Highway Patrol and John Parraz of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, the National Latino Peace Officers Association was formed to address the unique challenges that impact Latino peace officers in American law enforcement agencies. The organization works tirelessly to recruit, mentor, and train qualified Latino peace officers. prgtoken As a result of their engagement with law enforcement offices, communities throughout the United States, and Latino peace officers in particular, the NLPOA has contributed to important reforms related to its founding mission. For instance, the organization obtained bilingual pay for officers in the California Highway Patrol, which convinced other California police agencies to do the same. Moreover, members of the organization's Santa Clara Chapter in 1977 were instrumental in requiring Santa Clara County to increase diversity in the hiring and promotional processes for the county's law enforcement officers. This action helped set a precedent for the promotion of diversity in police ranks, something now widely agreed upon as a priority. prgtoken As a former law enforcement officer and the first woman police chief of Orlando, I recognize the importance of having well-trained officers that reflect the communities they serve across the country. The work of the NLPOA has been extremely important in this effort. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognition and thanks to the National Latino Peace Officers Association for 50 years of service.
BIOECONOMY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2021
Joaquin Castro (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Representative Steel and I share a lot of the same concerns about China, prgtoken in fact: its human rights record; unfair competition; its aggression in the South China Sea, for example; its troublesome Belt and Road Initiative. However, this amendment misstates how global climate negotiations work. prgtoken The United Nations climate negotiations are designed to have countries submit their own nationally determined climate mitigation goals. They are designed this way to ensure that no one can tell America what our climate policies should be. I would think that my colleagues would understand and support that. prgtoken We should be doing everything we can to pressure each country, particularly China, which is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, as the Representative mentioned, to upgrade its commitments and commit to more ambitious nationally determined contributions. prgtoken The administration and the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Secretary John Kerry, have been clear that the People's Republic of China must make stronger commitments to cutting its carbon emissions. prgtoken The Government of China has said that they are targeting carbon neutrality before 2060. Well, that is clearly too late. The world needs to reach net zero by 2050 at the latest. prgtoken I completely agree that the United States must put pressure on China to reach net zero at a faster pace, but arbitrarily tying it to our timeline isn't the way to do that. prgtoken Madam , .
LIMITING IMPACTS FROM SUPPLY CHAIN SHOCKS
Tom O’Halleran (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , I rise today to voice my support for the America COMPETES Act, for which my amendment to this legislation was adopted. prgtoken This legislative package will make new investments in research, innovation, and American manufacturing. It will ensure that the United States can outcompete any nation in the world for the coming decades. prgtoken Importantly, our bill would address issues with our supply chain and higher prices for families at the grocery store and the gas pump. Even small price increases make a painful dent for rural and Tribal families in our district. prgtoken That is why I introduced the amendment to the legislation that will ensure these rural and Tribal families, like so many of Arizona's First District, are not overlooked. prgtoken My amendment tasks the Department of Commerce with publishing a report every 4 years on supply chain resilience and domestic manufacturing. Understanding how supply chain shocks impact rural, Tribal, and underserved communities is critical for their future growth. prgtoken I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to identify commonsense legislative solutions that continue to address these issues.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , as the gentleman occupies one of the offices that he served in, I am proud to now be representing many of the communities that he represented here in this body. Thank you so much. prgtoken Now, for the schedule for next week. On Monday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for morning hour and 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning hour and 12 p.m. for legislative business. On Wednesday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business. prgtoken The House will consider H.R. 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, introduced by Representative Cheri Bustos, which would end forced arbitration in cases relating to sexual assault and harassment, providing survivors with legal recourse to seek justice in court against their assailants. prgtoken The House will also consider H.R. 3485, the Global Respect Act, introduced by Representative David Cicilline, which furthers our Nation's commitment to LGBTQ rights around the world by sanctioning foreign individuals found to be complicit in violating the human rights of LGBTQ people. prgtoken Additionally, the House will consider Representative Carolyn Maloney's bill, H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act. This bipartisan bill would strengthen the financial position of the United States Postal Service and ensure it continues to successfully carry out its mandate to the deliver mail to every household and business in the country. prgtoken Lastly, the House stands ready to act on the Build Back Better Act, as well as the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, should the Senate amend them. Of course, we will act on appropriations, hopefully on an omnibus bill, but we will not allow the government to shut down. prgtoken Additional items may be possible in our view.
JAMES L. ``WINKY'' CAMPHOR: HUMBLE HOMETOWN HERO, CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN AND FOR COPPIN STATE
Kweisi Mfume (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , it has often been said ``Education is the Key'' that unlocks the future for people seeking a better life. The person I rise for today could really be considered the ``Locksmith'' for Baltimore's kids. From teaching at public schools to educating juvenile detainees, his compassion for others motivated him to give freely the keys to set minds free for higher endeavors. A life-long educator and philanthropist of modest means, he gave of himself to the Baltimore Community, its schools as well as to Coppin State University. He was the epitome of the humble hometown hero. I am honored to stand today for the recently departed James Leroy ``Winky'' Camphor, age 94. prgtoken After teaching for 43 years in the Baltimore City Schools, in his love for youth and the underserved, he assumed the role as Superintendent at the Cheltenham School for Boys. He was ever devoted to unlocking doors for at risk children and those within the juvenile justice system. In all his unselfish endeavors, he never sought accolades. As one whose salaries were always modest, his charitable gift of $200,000 to his beloved alma mater, Coppin State, was an incredible gift. Imagine the number of students who have been helped and will be helped with books, meals, and transit costs. He was a man of noble stature, a man of an unquenchable thirst to empower others, and a man who gave unselfishly of his talents, his finances, his inspiration, and never sought recognition nor praise. prgtoken This from a family man of modest means who according to the Baltimore Evening Sun ``scrimped and saved'' over his whole career in education. He loved Coppin State so much he married the former Florine ``Peaches'' on, a city public school educator who graduated from Coppin in 1958, whom he met at a meeting of Coppin's alumni association. And together they grew their philanthropy. prgtoken Additionally, he holds the record for scoring 50 points in a basketball game at Coppin State, a record, which has never been broken. prgtoken As a champion for children and all the causes he held near and dear to his heart, he received numerous awards. The prestigious listing includes organizations and affiliations such as: the National Association for Equal Opportunity in High Education Distinguished Alumni Award, State of Maryland Faithful Citizen Award, Children's Cancer Center Volunteer Award, Heart of Love Award, the Harlow Fullwood Award, the National Association for Sickle Cell Outstanding Member Award, Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene Service Award, City of Baltimore Citizen's Award, National Federation of the Blind Service Award and the list goes on. prgtoken James Leroy Camphor, son of James Camphor and Emma Camphor, was born in Baltimore and grew up near Hollins Market in Southwest Baltimore. Raised by a single mother, he reflected the value of hard honest work in his childhood job of shining shoes. The beginnings may have been humble, but
AMERICA COMPETES ACT TACKLES CHALLENGES
Kurt Schrader (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2022-2-4

. Madam , I rise today in support of the America COMPETES Act of 2022. prgtoken This comprehensive bill tackles the challenges everyday Oregonians face right now with supply chain and consequent rising consumer prices. It is a huge investment in our competitiveness on the global stage for the 21st century. It invests $45 billion to strengthen and improve our supply chains while incentivizing manufacturing of critical security goods that should be made right here in the United States. prgtoken As the pandemic has shown us, active ingredients of lifesaving pharmaceuticals and PPE gear should not be all made overseas. prgtoken I am also glad that leadership included the $52 billion in emergency CHIPS Act funding, a priority for my Problem Solvers Caucus and the State of Oregon. Without this Federal investment, our semiconductor problems would only grow worse. We will continue to see critical shortages, hindering a wide range of industries in my district and across the Nation. Passage here will strengthen our domestic supply and lead to good-paying jobs for our citizens and companies as they move to expand and set up our domestic manufacturing facilities. prgtoken This bill contains bipartisan proposals to keep us innovating and creating in critical industries and makes sure that the United States is not at the mercy of a tenuous international supply chain.