mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OF 2021
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , I thank the chairman for allowing me to speak, and I want to commend my colleague, Representative Cheri Bustos, for introducing this very important legislation. prgtoken It is a travesty of justice for a woman to be subjected to sexual harassment and even sexual assault on the job. Oftentimes, it takes place in a job setting where there is a culture of sexual harassment and sexual assault. prgtoken And when these women find after they have been assaulted that they are barred from going to court because somehow they have been hoodwinked into a forced arbitration agreement with their employer, they are surprised because at that point they have been assaulted for a second time because when they go into arbitration you often find that the deck is stacked against the victim in favor of the perpetrator. prgtoken This legislation gets at that problem by making those kinds of agreements unenforceable. I fully support this legislation. I would ask all of my colleagues to support it. It is good, commonsense legislation. prgtoken Justice is all that is asked for.
ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OF 2021
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , I thank the distinguished chairman for his leadership, and I thank my distinguished friend from Illinois, Congresswoman Bustos for her constant determination. prgtoken It is wonderful that H.R. 4445 is restoring freedom and justice to women. It is a bipartisan piece of legislation that will not allow any pre-dispute arbitration agreement or pre-dispute joint action waiver to be valid or enforceable with respect to a case which is filed under Federal, Tribal, or State law and relates to a sexual assault dispute or sexual harassment dispute. prgtoken I am glad to hear friends on the other side, as this is a bipartisan bill, acknowledge the fact that this is an absolute injustice; an injustice that befalls a certain segment of the population, and that is women. prgtoken One of the cases that is most stark is the one of Stefani Bambace. Many witnesses came before us in the Judiciary prgtoken Committee. Witness after witness gave us horror stories of isolation and fear and the absolute inability, because of the fine print, to do anything about it. prgtoken Stefani Bambace alleged that she worked in a sexually charged and hostile work environment, including being subjected to sexually explicit language from her employer, sexual advances and groping. Let me say that again. Touching in her space from her employer, sexual advances and groping and explicit images. How can you work as a professional or anyone? Think of the levels of work that women are in; from domestic to as high a level as scientists and CEOs. But yet, they are subjected to this kind of behavior. prgtoken According to Ms. Bambace's petition, she complained to human resources to no avail about the harassment. And guess what her relief was? Guess what empathy was shown? Guess what comfort and reforming the system was? It was her being fired. That is right. She was fired. How many stories of women are there, that are yet not told, who were fired? prgtoken And so this agreement of which my colleague has worked on, and we are pleased in the Judiciary Committee to be part of moving this legislation, this will end these arbitration agreements that are snuck into a packet of materials that you sign. prgtoken It is imperative we pass it, but more importantly Madam , it is imperative that it is passed in the Senate because it is bipartisan, but it is signed by the President and becomes law. prgtoken I thank Ms. Bambace and all of the witnesses that came before us. They sacrifice, they suffered, but yet today, hopefully, will be an announcement, a pronouncement of freedom and justice for women who have struggled with this all of the time. prgtoken H.R. 4445 is a relief that is a long time in coming, and it should move away from blind, silent, quiet agreements that no one knows what it is. Freedom and justice for women in the workforce today. prgtoken Madam , I rise to speak in strong support of H.R. 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Se
HONORING CONGRESSWOMAN SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for reminding us of Shirley Chisholm's history here in the Capitol as a member of the Agriculture Committee. prgtoken Now, you know I worked for the late Ron Dellums starting in 1975, and I worked for him for 11 years. I got a chance to be with Congresswoman Chisholm many times, also with Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, so I got a chance to know her and her brilliance and her stately demeanor and her huge intellect. prgtoken And I remember very clearly that Congresswoman Chisholm also was on the Rules Committee. And I know she was only the second woman to ever be appointed to the Rules Committee. Again, I have to go back to 1789 because I want the public to understand the centuries that took place during the interim. prgtoken First, Congresswoman Chisholm was the second woman on the Rules Committee since 1789, and I believe--and we are checking--I think that she may have been the first member of the CBC on the Rules Committee also. But also, in terms of Congresswoman Chisholm's history and bringing it current, she was an original board member, first honorary copresident in 1969 of the National Abortion Rights Action League, better known as NARAL, and she was a fierce advocate for women's reproductive rights and justice. And she was also only one of 16 Black women who courageously led a movement for reproductive freedom that began with the publishing of the very seminal brochure ``We Remember: African American Women Are For Reproductive Freedom.'' And that was in 1989. prgtoken And so Congresswoman Chisholm has been honored in so many different ways throughout the years, but we need to do more. We are going to start with our Chisholm Trail. For those who want to join us this year we are going to commemorate the Chisholm Trail. prgtoken I was so pleased that Chairwoman Beatty mentioned the Shirley Chisholm stamp. It took us a long time to do this, but it was a bipartisan effort. We finally have a Forever Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm's historical stamp from the Postal Service. prgtoken Also, she posthumously was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President . For her official portrait, I thank Nancy Pelosi because that was one of her first efforts working with us. And you remember Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, another African-American woman, brilliant woman, from Southern California who passed away. She was chairing the House Administration Committee, and we got together. And this wasn't easy. And I thank Pelosi for helping us because it was a heavy lift to get this beautiful portrait painted by a young brother down in Southern California into this temple of democracy. prgtoken And at first, there were those who wanted the portrait to be hidden in some little corner. Well, Pelosi and Lorraine Miller, Clerk of the House, made sure that she was placed in a prominent place so that people, especially young people, could get a chance
HONORING CONGRESSWOMAN SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , today I rise in honor of the first African American woman to serve in the United States Congress and the first woman to run for President of the United States, the Honorable Shirley Chisholm. As we celebrate Black history month, we must also commemorate our sheroes for their contribution to protecting and preserving our precious democracy. prgtoken I, including many of my colleagues here in Congress, stand on the shoulders of this courageous woman who was a champion for progressive policy that sought to improve the lives of society's most vulnerable both internationally and domestically. In particular, she fought against the oppressive Apartheid Regime in South Africa and the Vietnam War. In addition, she was instrumental in the movement for women's rights and the poor. prgtoken The Honorable Shirley Chisholm understood the plight of the poor and working-class in this country. The reality is that there is no American Dream without economic equity. I am committed to continuing her activism in addressing the wealth gap. The average Black household has $24k in wealth, whereas the average White family has $188K in wealth. Approximately 30 percent of my District's residents live on under $75K a year, while 21% live under $30K. prgtoken To address these systemic challenges, it is vital to ensure that Congress resembles the diversity that exists in this nation. However, in states like mine, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, is committed to disfranchising voters through gerrymandering in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution. Ron DeSantis took the unprecedented and anti-democratic step of proposing his own Congressional map for the state of Florida. Under DeSantis' proposed plan, two Congressional seats currently held by African-American representatives elected overwhelmingly by working Floridians would lose their seats. prgtoken This is yet another attack on Floridians' sacred right to vote and a blatantly undemocratic prgtoken power grab. We believe that voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. By injecting partisanship into the redistricting process, DeSantis is attempting to dilute minority representation and undermine the true will of Florida voters. He is a threat to our democracy. My colleagues and I will continue to fight against his racist and discriminatory proposal. prgtoken The Honorable Shirley Chisholm once said, ``I want to be remembered as a woman . . . who dared to be a catalyst of change.'' I hope that her legacy and commitment to service will inspire us all to continue defending the United States Constitution and fight tirelessly to improve the lives of our constituents through progressive policy.
FORCED ARBITRATION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-2-7

now on forced arbitration. prgtoken On a different matter, later today, the House is expected to pass bipartisan legislation to end forced arbitration for sexual assault and sexual harassment. Once this important bill passes the House, the Senate will move as soon as this week to quickly take up this bill and send it to President 's desk. Congress can finally act to empower victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment to speak openly by nullifying forced arbitration clauses that push survivors into an often secret and biased process. We will not waste this historic opportunity. prgtoken There are numerous good proposals that we can address here in the Senate on a bipartisan basis, and this is one good example. We hope to do more. The Senate's forced arbitration proposal, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, passed unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee. Every and every voted for it. I expect there will be strong, bipartisan support for it on the Senate floor. I want to thank my colleagues Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Lindsey Graham for their leadership on this important legislation.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 1300 CAMPAIGN
Doris O. Matsui (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , it is with delight that I rise to honor the 1300 Campaign for their outstanding efforts to close the college achievement gap in the Sacramento region. The 1300 Campaign, a community-led and systems change initiative, is dedicated to permanently transforming the historical systematic barriers that have limited opportunities for young men of color. prgtoken In 2013, Improve Your Tomorrow was founded with the mission to increase the number of young men of color to attend and graduate from colleges with the vision of a world where men of color are overrepresented in higher education and underrepresented in the criminal justice system. The 1300 Campaign is an initiative of the Sierra Health Foundation, My Brother's Keeper Sacramento, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative with backbone support provided by Improve Your Tomorrow, a homegrown organization within my district. Working together with local leaders and organizations, the 1300 Campaign strives to increase the number of young men of color from Sacramento who attend and graduate from the Los Rios Community College District, California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. prgtoken The 1300 Campaign partners with school districts to incorporate the A-G requirements as a default curriculum for all students. This will help ensure that all graduates, particularly young men of color, are eligible for post-secondary options. A-G eligibility for all students addresses a systematic barrier to college that contributes to the divergence in educational outcomes, particularly for young men of color. Additionally, the 1300 Campaign works with school districts to incorporate ethnic studies as a graduation requirement, to establish a place-based mentorship model, hire additional counselors that represent the diversity of the student population, develop an organizational racial equity assessment tool, design and implement an ongoing countywide professional development training centered around culturally responsive pedagogy, to incorporate required implicit bias training for K-12 educators, and districts to implement a moratorium on school suspensions related to willful defiance for all schools in Sacramento County for no less than one year. prgtoken Madam , today we honor the 1300 Campaign for their outstanding efforts to close the college achievement gap and I thank their partners for their dedication and successful efforts.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-2-7

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the following nomination: Calendar No. 648, Alice P. Albright, of the District of Columbia, to be Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation; that the Senate vote on the nomination without any intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
HONORING KYLA CLAUSSEN AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK
Cynthia Axne (Democrat, IA) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Kyla Claussen, disability rights advocate and caregiver, as Iowan of the Week. prgtoken Kyla is a tireless advocate and clear voice not just for herself, but for the thousands of Iowans who find themselves waiting for assistance through a Medicaid HCBS waiver. Although Kyla lives with an unknown progressive neuromuscular disease that has impacted her lung capacity, mobility, and speech, that has not sapped an ounce of her compassion and dedication. prgtoken Kyla is one of over 17,000 Iowans waiting for a waiver to receive home and community-based care through Medicaid. She brings a unique perspective to an all-too-common problem for Iowans living with a disability. Before requiring assistance herself, Kyla had in fact been a caregiver for over a decade. While Kyla is no longer able to work as a caregiver, I know this hasn't taken away her compassion and drive to make sure everyone--no matter who--can live in their home, their community, and achieve their fullest. Her unending commitment to others and service to her community, whether as a caregiver or fighter for disability rights, embody the values that make me proud to be an Iowan. prgtoken You can find evidence of Kyla's commitment wherever you look. If you ask her friends and fellow advocates at Iowa Upgrade Medicaid, she's been called ``the researcher'' for her ability to dig into and digest disability laws in Iowa and around the Midwest. And just this past fall, Kyla was able to use her story to call attention to the need for better home and community-based services as part of a roundtable discussion with the White House. I am incredibly proud to see Iowa so well-represented in Kyla, and I am glad that more folks had a chance to hear her story. prgtoken But Kyla's story doesn't stop there. Kyla lives in Avoca, Iowa with the kittens she's fostering--she has four right now, but it's been more in the past--and her service dog in training, Ed. Whenever Ed notices that Kyla's breathing has flagged, he's trained to start barking. Then, according to Kyla, her mission becomes getting him to stop. That's a good boy. prgtoken I know that our laws have failed in protecting and providing for our disability community. I have heard so many personal stories of how our existing programs are woefully inadequate, unable to address the most basic needs for those who are not able-bodied. Gaps in our local, state, and federal system have mired the disability community with red tape and bureaucracy to receive the most basic level of assistance. The issues facing our friends, family, and neighbors with a disability are profound, and the current systems are antiquated. I am proud to have supported legislation to address these problems, however much of this legislation remains stalled. I will not stop supporting and advocating to ensure we treat those with a disability with respect, humanity, a
CORONAVIRUS
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-2-7

on an entirely different subject, on March 26, 2020, America passed a grim milestone when 1,000 Americans died that day of COVID--front page news. Two months later, after Memorial Day, we passed another terrible milestone when 100,000 had died of COVID. As many Americans had died from COVID as from the Korean, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars combined. By this past September, the number of Americans who had been lost to COVID hit 695,000--memorialized in a heartbreaking sea of small, white flags that covered our National Mall. This weekend, the United States hit another staggering milestone--900,000 Americans dead from COVID. In Illinois, there have been 31,000 lives lost. prgtoken COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer. At the rate we are going, experts say it is likely the United States will reach 1 million COVID deaths in just a few weeks. prgtoken What makes these numbers even more tragic is that so many of the deaths could have been prevented. COVID vaccines are safe and free and highly effective at preventing COVID hospitalization and death. Think about this: According to new data from the CDC, unvaccinated individuals are 97 times more likely to die of COVID compared to those who have been vaccinated and boosted--97 times more likely to die if you are unvaccinated. prgtoken Just last night, I watched ``60 Minutes.'' There was a presentation by nurses in Louisville, KY, the home State of the leader. They talked about the devastating toll on their emotions and even their physical bodies when it comes to the deaths that they have to witness every day. They are beaten down, these nurses. They say that some 25 percent, if I remember correctly, have already resigned and have said they can't take it anymore. And to think how many of those hospitalizations could have been avoided if vaccinations had become universal across this country as they should be. prgtoken Well, this evening, Members of Congress will gather on the steps of the Capitol for a moment of silence to remember the 900,000 souls we have lost to this virus. May their families and loved ones find peace. prgtoken We have the tools and knowledge to bring this pandemic under control if only we would use them.
ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OF 2021
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-2-7

. Madam , 3 minutes. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, would restore access to justice for survivors of sexual assault or sexual harassment who are forced to settle their disputes against their harassers and abusers in a private system of arbitration that is often stacked against them. prgtoken Arbitration was originally developed as an alternative to the court system for parties of relatively equal bargaining power to enter into voluntarily. In recent decades, however, forced arbitration clauses have become ubiquitous in our lives, largely in the form of take-it-or- leave-it contracts between very large companies and individual consumers. As a result, these clauses have rendered our court system, in which plaintiffs have far stronger protections, inaccessible to far too many. prgtoken Nowhere is that trend more apparent or problematic than in the workplace. It is projected that, by 2024, 80 percent of private-sector workers will be forced to sign an arbitration clause when accepting employment. And consider that, over the past 5 years, employers prevailed over their employees in 98 percent of these arbitration cases. But these numbers cannot capture the true human toll of forced arbitration. prgtoken Last November, the Judiciary Committee heard powerful testimony from four survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment about their harrowing experiences and the deep wounds they continue to carry with them to this day. It was a hearing none of us will forget, and we appreciate these brave women coming forward and sharing their stories. prgtoken Each of these women was subject to horrific treatment by a person with power over their lives. Then, when they sought to hold their assailants accountable in court, they were forced to relive the trauma of their harassment and assault to find that their only recourse was a secretive arbitration process that was stacked against them. prgtoken Forced arbitration clauses, buried deep in the fine print of the paperwork required as a condition of employment, have bound workers to a system in which they are nearly guaranteed to fail, foreclosed the possibility of ever having their day in court, and in almost every case taken away their right even to discuss their experience. prgtoken The company gets to pick the judge and the jury, truncate the discovery process, choose the law applied, and prgtoken prevent all appeals. When the company wins, it can request that the victim pay its attorney's fees, and it can ensure that misconduct never sees the light of day. prgtoken H.R. 4445 removes these barriers to justice for survivors of sexual assault or sexual harassment by giving them a real choice of whether to go to court or to arbitrate their claim. prgtoken In doing so, this legislation ends this unjust and, frankly, repulsive system in which American companies are better off retaliating against victi
TRIBUTE TO ANGIE YOUNGEN
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-2-8

finally, I want to acknowledge someone who is in the Chamber tonight. I want to acknowledge her dedicated service. This is one of my senior staff members, who is moving to Richmond, VA, to join the new Virginia Governor's administration. prgtoken Angie Youngen is an Ohio native and an Ashland University graduate-- who is very proud of that--and who was the scheduler for my predecessor, Senator George Voinovich. I have had the good fortune of having her on my team. Her loyalty, hard work, and judgment over the past 8 years is deeply appreciated. prgtoken So, Angie Youngen, we will miss you here on Capitol Hill, but best of luck in your new adventure. prgtoken .