mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT RICHARD HALL
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-2-5

. Madam , Mr. Richard Hall was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, the country's first Black military aviators in the U.S. Air Force. prgtoken Born in Georgia, Hall moved to Central Florida with his parents when he was five months old. A graduate of Robert Hungerford Boarding School in Eatonville, Hall received a four-year scholarship to Xavier University in New Orleans, LA. He joined the Army Air Force Reserves, and in 1942 was sent to fight in World War II. prgtoken Mr. Hall was among the first African American Chief Master Sergeants after integration in 1949. He served his country for over three decades and completed tours on four continents, including the Korean and Vietnam wars. prgtoken In 2007, Mr. Hall, along with other Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal from President . In Central Florida, he was honored with a life-sized sculpture that sits outside Hannibal Heritage Center. prgtoken Mr. Hall retired to Maitland in the 1980s and continued to call Central Florida home until his death on January 21, 2021.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
David J. Trone (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-2-5

I rise today to urge support for my amendment, which addresses the barriers to finding a job that justice- impacted individuals face when they leave prison. prgtoken Stable employment is one of the single biggest factors for determining whether Americans who have been incarcerated will return to prison or jail. Returning citizens face significant barriers to employment, with an unemployment rate five times higher than the national average. prgtoken My amendment will help support the establishment and expansion of the apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship workforce training programs in all Federal correctional facilities. It will reduce recidivism and help formerly incarcerated individuals lead productive lives and build strong communities. prgtoken The criminal justice system in the United States is anything but just. We can fix it. It is time to lead with compassion. It is time to focus on rehabilitation, not retribution. It is time to give those who serve their time, and are trying to start a new life, a second chance. prgtoken , I include in the Record a communication from the Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance, and I urge bipartisan support.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2021-2-5

I rise in support of H.R. 447. prgtoken Apprenticeships are well recognized as a way to help local economies grow by providing career opportunities for young people. However, the current national apprenticeship system does not adequately support the creation of apprenticeships in the Marianas and other insular areas. That inequity ends today. prgtoken H.R. 447 incorporates my bill, the Outlying Area Apprenticeship Expansion Act, which I introduced in the last Congress. My bill provides $2.5 million over 5 years for the Marianas to create and expand apprenticeships, and it provides more than $11.2 million for the insular areas in total. prgtoken Our island schools already equip students with the skills employers seek. With these additional funds and participation in the national apprenticeship program, we will be able to build that connection between what was learned in the classroom and real-world work. With widespread unemployment due to the coronavirus, that link is needed now more than ever. prgtoken I thank Chairman Scott for including the outlying areas in this program and for his work to update this law first enacted in 1937. prgtoken , I include in the Record a statement from the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers. [From AWFS, Jan. 29, 2021] AWFS Stands in Support of National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 Anaheim, CA.--The Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS), a national trade association for the wood industry and owner/operator of the AWFSFair trade show, is in support of the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. AWFS has officially signed on as a supporter of the Act. ``Our industry, comprised primarily of small businesses, is experiencing a skills gap,'' says AWFS Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone. ``We need to utilize all tools and resources available to us to attract and train new talent, including apprenticeships.'' The expanded opportunities to Registered Apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships made available through the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 will help small wood manufacturers who lack the capacity to create an apprenticeship on their own. Congressman Robert Scott (D-VA- 3), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor has introduced the bill (H.R. 447), an amendment of the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937. According to Rep. Scott, the Act ``will begin to bring America's investments in apprenticeship more in line with countries around the world'' as ``our peer industrialized nations spend roughly six times as much as a share of GDP on apprenticeships as the U.S.'' ``There are multiple successful U.S. apprenticeship models comprised of companies collaborating together and with local school and community partners.'' says Gangone. ``This
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-2-5

to Chairman Scott and the entire Committee on Education and Labor, I thank you for the time and for your hard work. prgtoken , as the former labor secretary from the State of Delaware, I am proud to support the National Apprenticeship Act and have my amendment to H.R. 447 before the House today. prgtoken My amendment would make improvements to the bill to expand pathways for Americans to obtain good-paying jobs and ensure a diverse and highly skilled workforce, which we need today more than ever. prgtoken This amendment will make certain that we engage schools which accept Federal funds for students to promote apprenticeships for low-income students, specifically title I schools. prgtoken It will coordinate with HHS to better support healthcare and childcare jobs. It would ensure that nontraditional populations, such as the Latino community, are represented in apprenticeship programs and, finally, ensure that apprenticeship websites are user-friendly and accessible to those with disabilities. prgtoken , this bill is vital. As we, in America, are in the midst of a pandemic, we know more than ever that jobs are important and that our economic viability is paramount. This bill is also about opportunity and improving the lives of Americans. prgtoken I stand in support of this bill, and I ask for your support on these amendments. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter from Third Way. Third Way, February 1, 2021. Hon. Bobby Scott, House Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Scott: We are pleased to see that the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 is receiving a vote this week on the House floor. With millions of Americans out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that policymakers work toward an inclusive economic recovery. That's why we encourage House lawmakers to pass the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which would provide a much-needed revamp of the nation's registered apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships can play a key role in our economic recovery and help people regain their footing in the job market. Through your leadership, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 would take important steps to bolster apprenticeships across the country. It would broaden economic opportunity by expanding apprenticeships to women, people of color, and people facing barriers to employment. The legislation would help small and medium-sized businesses create apprenticeship programs. Further, it would modernize our nation's apprenticeship system by expanding apprenticeships in growing fields like information technology, advanced manufacturing, and health care. The bill would also expand apprenticeships in part by relying on intermediaries, or apprenticesh
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Derek Kilmer (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-2-5

I rise today in support of this package of en bloc amendments, which includes a bipartisan amendment I offered to expand access to computer science youth apprenticeship programs that are critical to the 21st century workforce. prgtoken We know that education is the door to economic opportunity, and one of the most American and foundational paths to high-quality, worked- based learning and education are apprenticeship programs. prgtoken In today's changing economy, it is important to continue to find ways to prepare our kids for the jobs of the future, jobs in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, technology, green jobs, and computer science. prgtoken According to Code.org, across 24 States, only 35 percent of high schools in the U.S. teach computer science. That same study found that Black and Hispanic students, students receiving free and reduced lunch, and students from rural areas are less likely to attend a school that provides access to this critical subject. prgtoken Not everyone is going to have a tech-related job, but we know that there is a growing demand that we are struggling to meet for preparing students for these in-demand jobs and for equipping workers with advanced computer science skills. prgtoken In fact, a lot of employers in the region I represent in northwest Washington have job openings going unfilled because they can't find folks with the necessary computer science skills. prgtoken To prepare students to be successful and innovative in the workforce, the Federal Government should help expand computer science education and pathways to more students. prgtoken That is why my amendment would ensure that computer science youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs are prioritized for funding through the historic National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. prgtoken Growing the number of computer science programs, including youth apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships for students in high school and beyond, will provide more 21st century job opportunities for our kids, more high-skilled and qualified employees for our local employers, and more economic resiliency for our communities. prgtoken , I thank the chairman for his support of this simple yet important amendment, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the package and ``yes'' on the bill.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Donald Norcross (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-2-5

I just want to make sure, the standards are so important. When there is a hurricane that hits the Gulf Coast, literally, linemen and workers from around the country come together. And why is that important? Because they all train on the same standards. prgtoken Could you imagine if everybody came in learning a different way? That is how people die. That is why standards are critically important and proven over time. prgtoken So I encourage everybody to come together to work on and vote for the most impressive and successful program in the history of the United States. prgtoken , I include in the Record the North America's Building Trades Unions letter of support. North America's Building Trades Unions, Washington, DC, February 3, 2021. Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of the over 3 million skilled craft professionals that comprise North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU), I write in support of H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. I first would like to commend the work of Chairman Scott and the bipartisan cosponsors of this legislation for their diligent efforts to maintain the integrity of the Registered Apprenticeship system, and their continued engagement with us on this bill, which reauthorizes the foundational law on which our apprenticeship programs are built. In the eight decades since the Registered Apprenticeship system was created, our nation, the economy, our industry, and technology have drastically changed. What has not changed is the need to forever protect and enshrine the rights of those individuals who enter an apprenticeship program, and H.R. 447 continues to protect the safety, well being, and economic trajectory of the apprentice. More than two-thirds of all civilian registered apprentices in the United States are trained in the construction industry. Among these construction apprentices, seventy-five percent receive their training at one of the 1,900 privately funded training centers in North America which are jointly administered by construction contractors and building trades unions. Investing almost $2 billion in private capital annually in our Registered Apprenticeship programs, our joint labor-management programs have long been considered the gold standard of the Registered Apprenticeship system. The affiliated unions of NABTU provide a debt-free ladder of opportunity to those who seek a career in the construction industry through Registered Apprenticeship. From day one, apprentices earn while they learn on a progressively increasing wage scale, with the added security of healthcare and retirement benefits, and upon completion of the program earn, on avera
IN MEMORY OF MR. HENRY LEE JACKSON, SR.
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2021-2-5

. Madam , it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today, to pay tribute to a man of God, respected public servant, and entrepreneur, Mr. Henry Lee Jackson, Sr. Sadly, Mr. Jackson transitioned from labor to reward on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at the age of 91. His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at Floral Memorial Gardens in Albany, Georgia. prgtoken A native son of Albany, Georgia, Henry Jackson, Sr. answered the call to serve his nation at the age of 17, when he joined the United States Marine Corps. He served our nation honorably among the ranks of the first black Marines, known as the Montford Point Marines because they received basic training at the segregated Montford Point Base adjacent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This historic troop went on to fight in the gruesome Battle of Peleliu in Japan during World War II. More than 50 years later, he and all of the Montford Point Marines, the first African-Americans allowed to serve in the Marine Corps, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President recognizing their personal sacrifice and service to their country during World War II. prgtoken Yet, Madam , Mr. Jackson's profound service did not stop there. He went on to fight in the Korean war, and upon returning home and finishing his education, he enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF), where he served for 24 years before retiring as a Master Sergeant. After his retirement from USAF, Mr. Jackson served as the Chief of Airport Security at the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport for several years before retiring and dedicating his time to his businesses. He was the owner of Jackson Income Tax Service and a lawn service. prgtoken Maya Angelou once said, ``A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies.'' Henry Lee Jackson, Sr. is one such great soul, who served humanity in a special way. He devoted decades of service to fighting for the freedoms of others. He was an honorable human being who loved deeply and, in return, was deeply loved. His impression on this earth extends beyond himself to the very wellbeing of his beloved city, state, and nation, and for it, he will be remembered for time to come. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in honoring the life and legacy of Mr. Henry Lee Jackson, Sr. for his remarkable service to humankind. Moreover, we extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. Jackson's family, friends, loved ones, and all who grieve during this difficult time of bereavement. We pray that they will be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
HONORING THE CAREER AND SERVICE OF DANIEL FRENCH
Warren Davidson (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-2-5

. Madam , I rise to recognize a valued, longtime resident in the Eighth District of Ohio, Daniel French. This year, Dan achieves an impressive milestone of 50 years of service at French Oil Mill Machinery Company in Piqua. prgtoken This manufacturing company has been a staple in Miami County for 121 years. It was founded by Dan's grandfather. From being a machine tool operator to eventually president, chairman, and CEO, for half a century, Dan's efforts have improved the lives of employees, colleagues, neighbors, and fellow Ohioans. prgtoken The enterprise has experienced great success under Dan's stewardship. Every expansion and hiring campaign has blessed the City of Piqua with jobs and commercial investment. His business expertise is renowned by his peers, who have benefited from his service in various industry organizations, including the Ohio Manufacturers' Association. prgtoken Professional accolades aside, countless Piqua and Miami County nonprofits and community groups have been recipients of Dan's time, leadership, and philanthropic support. Further, a grateful nation thanks Colonel French for his 28 years of combined honorable service in the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve-including service in Vietnam. prgtoken Southwest Ohio is a better place thanks to people like Dan French, his wife Margaret, and their family. Congratulations on an impressive 50 years of service at French Oil Mill Machinery Company.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CONGRESSMAN JIM RAMSTAD
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2021-2-5

as we begin this new session of Congress, I rise today to honor the memory and legacy of my friend, Minnesota Congressman Jim Ramstad. prgtoken For nearly two decades, Jim represented the people of Minnesota's Third Congressional District. Sadly, after so many years of service to his country and community, Jim lost his fight with Parkinson's just a few months ago. prgtoken Jim was a true public servant, a lawmaker whose passion for his work only made him more effective. He was a tireless champion for any person who needed his help, even if they were a stranger. He was truly a leader guided by his compassion for others. prgtoken Although Jim and I never served together, he was a personal friend of my wife, Jacquie, and me for 40 years. And today, his legacy shapes my work. prgtoken As a fellow Minnesotan, I am proud to continue his monumental work on addiction and mental healthcare by introducing legislation that will bring care to those who need it most. prgtoken I am also happy to support a bill to name the Wayzata Post Office after Jim, a physical memorial to his work and legacy in the State and the town that he loved so much. The monument is a fitting tribute, but his lasting legacy will always be the impact he made on millions of Americans. prgtoken Thank you, Jim. You will be missed, but you will never be forgotten.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-2-5

. Madam , our colleagues talk a lot about the fact that 94 percent of people who complete apprenticeship programs get jobs immediately, but they never talk about the gold standard they call the registered programs, which graduate only 43 percent of the people who enter them, so I think they are very selective in the statistics that they use. prgtoken Madam , expanding funding and giving funding to State apprenticeship offices, in my opinion, is just a hook for more Federal control. And everything about this underlying bill is to have more and more control at the Federal Government level, which enhances the role of unions in apprenticeship programs. That is not the way we should be going. prgtoken Our colleagues have not noticed, I think, how quickly the workforce is having to adapt to, particularly, technological changes that are occurring in our country. These programs change very, very little over time because of the hidebound unions and the hidebound system that we have. prgtoken We need the employers on the ground who are dealing with creating new jobs all the time in new industries to be able to tap into their taxpayer dollars that are coming into the Federal Government, which are denied to them unless they are hooked to a union. That is wrong, and we need fair systems. prgtoken As Mr. Keller and Mr. Perry have pointed out, even the standards set for industry programs that are controlled by unions are different than they are in the private sector. There are more regulations on the private sector than on the union programs. prgtoken This is not a good way for us to be going in the year 2021. We need innovation. We need to be forward-looking, not backward-looking. prgtoken Madam , .
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-2-5

I rise today in opposition of H.R. 447, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. prgtoken Let's be very clear: Apprenticeship programs are a tremendous benefit to our economy. They provide a diverse range of opportunities for emerging workers to hone and develop skill sets while providing competitive salaries that strengthen our economy. prgtoken I agree with my colleagues that our existing apprenticeship system is severely outdated and it must be restructured to reflect the needs and challenges of the current economy and the modern workforce. However, H.R. 447 completely fails to address and expand work-based learning programs. prgtoken Current regulations permit a special carve-out for union-sponsored apprenticeships to ignore the mandatory ratio of apprentices to supervisors intended to keep workers safe. This preferential treatment, by definition, creates an uneven playing field and jeopardizes worker safety. prgtoken I offered an amendment to this legislation that would have closed this loophole, leveled the playing field, and ensured the safety of all apprentices on the job. However, the majority voted to prgtoken reject this effort to hold all apprenticeship programs to the same standards of safety regardless of which entity sponsors the program. prgtoken Given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our economy, now more than ever we need an apprenticeship system that provides and protects workers and gives them the tools and opportunities for success. The bottom line is that this law must be updated so employees can participate in a system that is reflective of their needs and the needs of their workers, something this legislation in its current form fails to do entirely. prgtoken Voting for H.R. 447 in its current form would mean doubling down on the outdated policies and bureaucratic red tape that too often prevents innovative and necessary improvements from taking place. prgtoken This bill should be rejected.