mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO KURT NEWMAN, M.D.
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today to honor the career of Kurt Newman, M.D president and chief executive officer of Children's National Hospital on the occasion of his retirement. For nearly four decades, Dr. Kurt Newman has made outstanding contributions to pediatric healthcare for children and families in Maryland, the greater DC metropolitan region, nationally, and internationally. prgtoken Dr. Newman joined Children's National Hospital as a surgical fellow in 1984 and became surgeon-in-chief and senior vice president for Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care in 2003. Inspired by the bold vision of making surgery for children minimally invasive and pain- free, Dr. Newman was instrumental in developing the vision for the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National where he served as founding vice president in 2009. prgtoken In 2011, Dr. Newman became president and chief executive officer of Children's National Hospital, a 323-bed pediatric acute care hospital. Under his exemplary leadership, Children's National has risen in the ranks of U.S. News & World Report to be consistently ranked among the very best children's hospitals in the Nation. Under Dr. Newman's leadership, Children's National led the critical COVID-19 response by opening one of the Nation's first drive-thru and walk-up COVID testing center for children, offering a critical resource for children in the region and beyond. prgtoken Through a culture of patient-centered care, Dr. Newman has championed innovation in research, operations, and clinical care. He has strengthened and diversified the economy of the region by growing pediatric medical research at Children's National and the high-wage jobs that support that field by turning Children's National into one of the top-funded pediatric institutions in terms of National Institutes of Health funding. Additionally, Dr. Newman has worked tirelessly to draw more funding and attention to the youth mental health crisis through robust advocacy efforts. prgtoken As the majority of Children's National Hospital's patient population hails from Maryland, Dr. Newman has continuously expanded care into our State, including the opening of Children's National Prince George's County on July 23, 2020. This facility, among more than 20 care locations throughout the State, makes it easier for Maryland patients and families to receive high-quality care. I want to personally thank Dr. Newman for keeping members of Congress, especially those of us in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, informed about critical healthcare needs in our region and throughout the country. prgtoken Children's National and its many supporters will celebrate Dr. Newman on his retirement on June 30, 2023, and Children's National will continue to build upon his legacy to provide high-quality pediatric healthcare across the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. prgtoken As a nationally recognized leader
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Jason Crow (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-6-21

here are some facts. prgtoken Fact number one, remains one of the greatest dangers to our democracy that we have ever seen, and he is a demagogue. prgtoken Fact number two, demagogues don't like people who call them out, who speak the truth, and who pose a threat to their grand designs to destroy our democracy. prgtoken Fact number three, I have spent my life serving this country in uniform, out of uniform, and I would be hard-pressed to find somebody who is more committed to democracy, who has more integrity, and who is more committed to the rule of law than Adam Schiff. prgtoken I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this absurd proposal, to set yourself free from your servitude of so we can move forward as a country. prgtoken Set yourself free. You know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
Tariffs (Executive Session)
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-6-22

today is a very good day for one of Washington's most famous products; that is, Washington apples. And that is because retaliatory tariffs that had been put on Washington apples in India really impacted our growers across Washington State. prgtoken I want to thank Ambassador Tai, and I want to thank the administration--Secretary Raimondo especially--and I also want to thank Ambassador Garcetti for making sure that, in the negotiations leading up to today's visit by Prime Minister Modi and discussions between the United States and India, removing these retaliatory tariffs on apples was included on the list. prgtoken So, today, our growers know that they can go back to marketing a great worldwide product, our Washington apples, that had access to what at one point was a $120 million market. This retaliatory tariff being removed will help boost sales to India. It will help prgtoken the bottom line of farmers in Washington State, and it will be essential for the 1,400 growers that I have just recently visited along with my colleague Senator Stabenow, in discussion of this year's farm bill, to say these are important markets for Washington products. prgtoken We heard from people like Jorge Sanchez from Northern Fruit in East Wenatchee that ``India was a critical market for the Washington apple industry, and the tariffs have hit the producers of Red Delicious apples especially hard.'' prgtoken These growers are looking forward to an opportunity to rebuild this market access. This deal also includes removing some of the tariffs on chickpeas and lentils, also a great Washington product that suffered under these retaliatory tariffs. India was a top export market for U.S. chickpeas and lentils prior to the tariffs, and these important pulse crops are a very great product to see into the Indian market. prgtoken At its peak, the pulse crop value was over $180 million. And they, in the last year, with the retaliatory tariffs over the last 6 years, had dwindled down to next to nothing. That is why it was so important to speak directly to Prime Minister Modi, to ask him to consider more trade with the United States, to open up these opportunities for us, Washington and India, to work together and for the United States and India to work together. prgtoken Trade and investments are an essential part of our relationship with India. They are essential for all our allies and partners. And they should be in tandem with growing our partnership on critical, leading- edge technologies. I know the discussions that will happen today at the White House and in the future will be about marrying our technology economies as well--very important work to be done in the post-CHIPS and Science legislation that was passed--and working together on important national security issues. prgtoken But today is also very good news because it shows that the partnership between the United States and India can get us off of these retaliato
400TH ANNIVERSARY OF DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to honor the city of Dover, NH, on the 400th anniversary of its first settlement. prgtoken In 1623, brothers Edward and William Hilton, two fishmongers from London, sailed up the Piscataqua River and set up their Cochecho Plantation near Pomeroy Cove. The name of the settlement changed in the early years, first to Bristol, then to Dover, then to Northam, then back to Dover. But the settlers remained, which leads many historians to contend that Dover is the oldest continuously settled city or town in New Hampshire. It is also among the oldest cities in all of the United States. prgtoken The city of Dover's nickname, The Garrison City, has its roots in these early years. Its settlers took advantage of the area's abundant forestlands to fell trees for use in heavily fortified houses called ``garrisons.'' Made with sturdy logs and slits in the walls for rifles and muskets, these structures provided protection and a sense of security in cases of emergency or attack. Most of Dover's garrisons were destroyed in the late 1600s, but modern day residents and visitors can see for themselves the intact Damm Garrison at the local Woodman Museum. It is a symbol of the common threads of resilience, grit, and solidarity that are woven into the long and proud history of Dover. prgtoken The city of Dover has hosted many thriving industries over the past four centuries, including agriculture and shipbuilding in the 1700s and brickmaking in the 1800s. Yet anyone who takes a short stroll down Central Avenue can see the remnants of an industry that catapulted Dover to national prominence in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Textile manufacturers used the currents of the Cochecho River to power a sprawling mill complex that at one time employed over 2,000 workers. The Cocheco Manufacturing Company, its name the product of a clerical misspelling on incorporation documents, was one of the leading national producers of printed cotton and generated millions of yards of textiles annually. In 1828, it was the site of the first all-women strike in the United States when hundreds of ``mill girls'' marched off the job and through city streets in protest of meager wages. The nearby Sawyer Woolen Mills on the Bellamy prgtoken River also grew into the largest manufacturer of woolens in all of New Hampshire. Like many textile manufacturing giants of the Northeast, these enterprises closed their operations in the mid-1900s. Their expansive brick buildings sat dormant for years; however, city leaders have worked tirelessly in recent decades to repurpose them for modern use. They are now home to the Children's Museum of New Hampshire, restaurants, barbershops, toy stores, candy stores, small businesses, and apartments. They are once again the focal point of a vibrant downtown. prgtoken Throughout these many changes, challenges, and opportunities, Dover residents have remained determined to write their own distinct chapte
RELATING TO THE CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 503, IMPEACHING JOSEPH R.
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-6-22

I cannot overstate the solemnness and sadness that I feel right now. prgtoken To see the House so debased by the invocation of our most grave constitutional duty--impeachment of a President--should disturb every patriotic American. prgtoken Just 49 years ago, Barbara Jordan, the great gentlewoman from Texas, invoked the solemnity with which any serious Member of Congress must approach our duties, and particularly the circumstances under which we should consider impeachment. prgtoken That solemnity has guided the majority in this House in recent years as we have tried to navigate an extraordinarily tumultuous time in service to our Nation and our constituents--a time in which we have seen a rogue former President run roughshod over the guardrails of democracy and decency, compromising our national security and disparaging the courts, the free press, law enforcement, Congress, and anyone who would try to hold him accountable. prgtoken During that time, we impeached former President twice, but we did so based upon a careful and close study of law, history, our Constitution, and rigorous factfinding, as well as consideration of the impact upon our country. We prayed. We prayed for guidance to discharge our duties to our country, our constituents, and our Constitution with fidelity. prgtoken Today, as we confront this deeply unserious effort to impeach a President to serve partisan political posturing and political profiteering, I have to return to the words of Barbara Jordan. prgtoken She cautioned: ``Common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. Congress has a lot to do: appropriations, tax reform, health insurance, campaign finance reform, housing, environmental protection, energy sufficiency, and mass transportation. Pettiness cannot be allowed to stand in the face of such overwhelming problems.'' prgtoken Jordan's words could not ring more true today. Common sense is revolted by the political grandstanding and petty stunts allowed by the House majority. Days on end are wasted catering to the whims of an extremist minority. prgtoken We are marking 6 months of one of the least productive Congresses in history. Under the control of this MAGA majority, we have made no progress in addressing the most pressing issues facing America, whether gun violence, hunger, opioid abuse, housing, immigration, health costs, tax reform, or the environment. prgtoken So I must oppose both this rule and the resolution, because in the words of Congresswoman Jordan: ``My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution.''
MAKING GOOD ON OUR PROMISE TO FORGIVE STUDENT LOAN DEBT
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-22

there are 45 million Americans waiting on the Supreme Court decision to see if their student loans will be forgiven. prgtoken Let me be clear: We cannot continue the resolution of student loan payments until we make good on our promise to forgive them. If students are having to pay student loans in September, they will then have less money to spend, and it will hurt us and possibly drive us into a recession. prgtoken Under the Higher Education Act, the President has the authority, and he should exercise that authority to make sure students aren't repaying their loans come this September, regardless of what the Supreme Court does.
CONDEMNING THE USE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FACILITIES TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR ALIENS WHO ARE NOT ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-6-22

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in opposition to H. Res. 461. prgtoken Like clockwork, we are here, yet again, taking up another proposal that, among other things, purports to improve school safety but does nothing to address gun violence in schools or improve students' mental health. prgtoken So far this Congress, the priorities for K-12 education have focused almost entirely on so-called culture wars. First, the House s passed legislation to ban books. The House then advanced legislation targeting trans students. prgtoken We just debated an impeachment resolution, and now the House is considering a proposal that would encourage taking away funding from schools whose facilities are used to temporarily house refugees and immigrants. prgtoken Schools are routinely used to temporarily house people in emergencies like hurricanes or earthquakes. So now I guess they are suggesting that we check citizenship papers before we let people in. prgtoken The resolution falsely implies that temporarily using school facilities to house immigrants leads to learning loss, but there is no evidence to support that claim. prgtoken Addressing learning loss and helping students make up for lost time in the classroom is what we did last year, without a vote, when we made historic investments in the American Rescue Plan to help schools make up for lost time by funding after-school, summer mentorship programs, and other initiatives to actually make up for lost time. prgtoken But we cannot continue to meaningfully address learning loss or meet students' mental health needs if all we are talking about is taking away Federal funds from schools. prgtoken Moreover, any conversation about school safety that does not meaningfully address gun violence, is not a serious conversation. This is a haphazard proposal and another distraction. Since it is a nonbinding resolution, it doesn't actually do anything the supporters of the resolution say need to be done. prgtoken It does nothing to improve immigration policy. It doesn't even stop the use of schools to house immigrants. This is a nonbinding resolution. prgtoken If my colleagues are serious about addressing learning loss, we should be talking about evidence-based strategies that meet the needs of our students. There is nothing in the resolution that addresses learning loss or mental health. prgtoken If my colleagues were serious about school safety, we should be confronting what is actually killing them. Parents, teachers, and students are demanding that we take up meaningful legislation to address gun violence. There is nothing in the resolution to address gun violence. prgtoken I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 461. prgtoken Madam , .
ESTABLISHING HIGH-SPEED, SECURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DATA CONNECTION FROM THE AMERICAN SOIL TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
Stacey E. Plaskett (Democrat, VI) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to highlight my bill, H.R. 3385, the DiasporaLink Act. This critical piece of legislation would request review of the feasibility of an undersea fiber-optic telecommunications cable established between the United States and Africa linked in the Virgin Islands of the United States. prgtoken This bill offers a significant opportunity to deepen economic connections and aid American regional security by establishing high- speed, secure telecommunications data connection from the American soil to the African Continent. The U.S. territory of the Virgin Islands, which is strategically positioned in transit zones to fight transnational crime and protect U.S. national and regional security, will prove to be a mutually advantageous location. prgtoken With increased terrorism and Russian, Chinese, and other adversarial nations on the African Continent, U.S. interests, the need for direct linkage is mandatory. The United States undersea cable linked in the Virgin Islands, which is already a hub, is within our national strategic interests.
RECOGNIZING THE WESTPORT LIBRARY
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-6-22

today I rise to recognize the Westport Library as it celebrates the release of its first vinyl record. prgtoken Public libraries serve vital roles in our communities, providing no- fee access to collections of books, films, and other media, as well as to computers and the internet. They are hubs of community interaction, and now, in Westport, CT, a creative outlet for local musicians. prgtoken Founded in 1886, the Westport Library has been enriching the community for almost a century and a half. In addition to its full collection of books for readers of all ages, the library is prgtoken home to a MakerSpace, a Library of Things, a seed library, a cafe and store, and a collection of professional artwork. These resources make the Westport Library one of the best libraries in all of America--a ``noisy library,'' as its supporters say, and a true jewel of the community. prgtoken Over the past year, Westport Library has added a new innovation to their impressive collection: Verso Studios, a state-of-the-art recording studio based in the library itself. On June 3, 2023, I was proud to join the library in celebrating the release of its first record: ``Verso Records: Volume One'' on vinyl. This record is the product of collaboration among local artists and is the first of its kind issued by a public library. prgtoken This endeavor is an example of Westport at its best, the vision and vibrancy of the community and its commitment to artistic achievement, powering culture throughout the State of Connecticut. prgtoken I applaud the innovative and important work done by the Westport Library and hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating all of the staff and supporters of the library on this impressive achievement.
Introductory Statement on S. 2150
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-6-22

I believe that Americans are ready and willing to answer the call to serve, to come together and meet the challenges that we face at the local, national, and international level. We just need to create the conditions to mobilize them. That is why I am proud to join Senator Young in introducing the Unity through Service Act. prgtoken Our legislation is based on the recommendations of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. The Commission was established in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. At that time, the Armed Services Committee faced a critical question: Should women be required to register for the draft? Chairman John McCain and I quickly understood that the question was also about something bigger. What does it mean for the Nation when so many people do not have the common experience of service, whether in the military or in their communities? And what happens when those who want to serve do not have the opportunity to do so? With those thoughts in mind, we established the Commission to look at the issue of service comprehensively. prgtoken The Commission published its final report and recommendations just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to grip the Nation. It set a 10-year goal for 5 million Americans to begin participating in military, national, or public service each year. Additionally, the Commission set targets for ensuring there are more than enough qualified individuals seeking to serve in the Armed Forces, and it called for modernizing government personnel systems to attract and enable Americans with critical skills to enter public service. The Unity through Service Act would help to implement those recommendations, providing the architecture and prgtoken focus to mobilize a whole of government approach. prgtoken Specifically, the Unity through Service Act would establish an Interagency Council on Service to coordinate and lead initiatives that extend across military, national, and public service. The council would be tasked with preparing and submitting to the President a national strategy on service, including a review of current programs, initiatives, and online content. The legislation would promote cross- service marketing, recruitment, and retention through joint advertising campaigns and shared market research. It would also ensure that transitioning military members and AmeriCorps members are informed about other service opportunities open to them. prgtoken The Unity through Service Act would elevate all forms of service, leveraging the strengths of existing programs. In addition, it would complement the ACTION for National Service Act, which I introduced earlier this year to put us on a path to one million national service members annually within 10 years. The Unity Through Service Act would provide a roadmap for bringing a new generation of Americans together in service to our Nation. Americans want to serve. We just need to provide
IMPROVING PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS
Robert Garcia (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-22

America just went through the largest health crisis and loss of life event in the modern era. Due to the pandemic, we lost over 1.3 million Americans, including my own mom and stepdad. That is why I have introduced the FLASH Act to help strengthen our Nation's ability to respond to a public health crisis. prgtoken I was the mayor of Long Beach during the pandemic and worked every single day on the response. Both Governor Newsom and President called our pandemic response a national model. We moved quickly to vaccinate 99 percent of seniors, protect frontline workers, and reopen schools ahead of most major cities, but in the first months of the pandemic, we struggled to get lifesaving equipment without Federal help. prgtoken My bill will help the Department of Health and Human Services cut through red tape to quickly buy and distribute PPE, tests, medical supplies, and vaccines. We need this bill, and that is why I am urging my colleagues to support this critical legislation.