mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THOMAS J. COLLINS OF COLLINS ENGINEERS, INC. ON THE COMPANY'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-9-17

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and applaud Thomas J. Collins, founder of Collins Engineers, Inc on his company's 40th anniversary. Tom has been a longtime constituent and resident of La Grange, Illinois. Born and raised in Chicago, Mr. Collins is a Vietnam War veteran, a professional engineer, and a certified diver. He pioneered the use of engineers as diving inspectors for underwater bridge infrastructure that eventually became the basis of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) program mandate for underwater bridge inspections. Additionally, Mr. Collins developed and carried out several DOT training programs for infrastructure assessment and management, including teaching best practices to ensure public safety. Mr. Collins played a significant role in Vietnam as part of the 39th Detachment, setting up operations at Cam Ranh Bay in the then-largest military quarry in the world, operated by the 864th Battalion. During this time, he joined the local Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Post and continued to advance his noteworthy military career. In February 1967, he became the quarry officer and supervised drilling, blasting, and crushing to produce aggregate. In July 1967, he was assigned as the Battalion Civil Engineer before leaving active duty to return home with an honorable discharge. Mr. Collins' expertise led him to found Collins Engineers, Inc. in 1979, a civil and structural engineering firm with a concentration on infrastructure that supports a safe and efficient transportation system. Under Mr. Collins's leadership and with innovation as a guiding principle, Collins Engineers, Inc. pioneered the use of underwater inspections. Today, the company is using underwater imaging, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and partnerships with technology firms like Google for mobile work platforms and asset management. Mr. Collins is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a diplomate of the Academy of Coasts, Ocean, Port & Navigation Engineers, a member of the Standing Committee on Structure Maintenance of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), Chair of the Underwater Inspection and Maintenance Subcommittee of the TRB, and was elected a permanent member of the Ports & Harbors Committee of the Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute, among many other notable distinctions. He is a mentor to generations of engineers, including his five children, three of whom are currently in the business, and a devoted husband to Roxanne Horswell since 1966. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Mr. Collins and Collins Engineers, Inc. as they celebrate 40 years of hard work and innovation. I look forward to their continued success for many years in the future.
GUN CONTROL MEASURES
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2019-9-17

. Thank you for the recognition, . prgtoken Last month, on August 22, an 86-year-old grandmother, born and raised in my hometown of Santa Fe, NM, was gunned down while she was shopping at Walmart in El Paso by a White supremacist with an AK-47 style assault weapon. The gunman said he ``wanted to shoot as many Mexicans as possible.'' The shooter told police he had purchased 1,000 rounds of ammunition. prgtoken Less than 24 hours later, it took the shooter in Dayton, OH, only 32 seconds to kill 10 people and wound 27 others with his .223-caliber, high-capacity rifle with 100-round drum magazines. Had the Dayton police not responded immediately, the numbers of dead and injured in the crowded Dayton downtown area could have been exponentially higher. prgtoken On August 31, in Odessa, TX, a shooter killed 7 and injured 25, including a 17-month-old girl, who was shot in the face. The shooter had failed a background check in 2014 because a court had found he was mentally unfit to own a gun. He purchased his AR-15 style weapon in a private gun sale, which is not subject to a background check. prgtoken Assault rifles, often paired with high-capacity magazines, were used to slaughter innocents at Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Aurora, Orlando, San Bernardino, the Sutherland Springs church, and the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. prgtoken According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 10,552 gun- related deaths this year. That includes 2,681 children and teens. Mass shootings number 300. That is more than one mass shooting every day of this year. prgtoken The American people support commonsense gun safety legislation in overwhelming numbers. Recent polls confirm that 90 percent or more registered voters support background checks for all gun sales--90 percent. Think about that. The American people support a ban on high- capacity magazines. They support a ban on assault weapons. They support keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. prgtoken People all across the country are worried about their communities, their schools, their churches, and their children. They are worried that they will be caught in the next mass shooting, that their community will be the next El Paso, the next Sandy Hook, or the next Aztec. prgtoken When I was in school, we had safety drills in the event of a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union. Children now have safety drills in the event of a shooter from within our own communities. prgtoken The American people are demanding that Congress take action on this national crisis. After El Paso and Dayton, many of us implored Leader McConnell to call us back into session to vote on the gun safety bills sitting on his desk gathering dust. Leader McConnell says he will only bring bills before the Senate that the President will sign. prgtoken We are the legislative body. We are sent here by our constituents to pass laws, to do their will, to protect their welfare. We do not depend on
STOP TIP-OVERS OF UNSTABLE, RISKY DRESSERS ON YOUTH ACT
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2019-9-17

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today as a very proud and grateful person who has been a consumer advocate all of my life. prgtoken Today, Congressman Long, you and I are going to be dealing with bills that may not always get the top headlines, but they save lives. prgtoken When I say grateful, I am so grateful to our ranking member, Congresswoman Rodgers, and for all the bipartisan support that we have had on these bills. It means so much to me. prgtoken I rise in strong support of H.R. 2211, the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable Risky Dressers on Youth Act, which is known as the STURDY Act. prgtoken I introduced this legislation with Representatives Jerry McNerney, Darren Soto, and Bobby Rush. This legislation advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee on July 17, 2019, by voice vote, meaning unanimously, bipartisanly. prgtoken According to data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child is injured from a tip-over every 17 minutes. Every 10 days, a child dies from one of these tip-overs. Particularly deadly are tip-overs of clothing storage units, such as dressers. prgtoken Since 2000, these clothing units have killed more than 200 children in the United States. Victims tend to be under the age of 6. At this age, children are mobile and curious. They like to climb on furniture, play in the drawers, or stand in the drawers and reach for items on top of units. Tragedy can come in just minutes. Just after a child awakes from a nap or a night's sleep, they are likely to engage in this kind of activity. prgtoken Tens of millions of dressers have been recalled in recent years. Unfortunately, children continue to die from furniture tip-overs. That is because the current industry furniture stability standard is simply too weak. It does not cover shorter clothing storage units that have also been known to kill children, and industry tests don't cover common hazard patterns. Moreover, the standard is only voluntary. prgtoken That is why it is critical that we pass the STURDY Act, which would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a strong and mandatory safety standard that is effective at preventing furniture tip-overs. prgtoken I especially thank the families of victims, the people who have come with pictures of their children or their loved ones to talk about how important this bill is, how hard it is for them to talk about the terrible loss of life in their families. It is those people who have really told the story of how important it is for us to act today. prgtoken I appreciate the willingness, as I said before, of our ranking member and all the s to work with me to bring this bill to the floor. I call on all of my colleagues to support this measure, and .
GUN CONTROL MEASURES
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2019-9-17

I rise today to join my colleagues in calling on Leader McConnell to immediately bring to the floor commonsense gun violence prevention legislation that is supported by the majority of the American people. prgtoken We must take action in response to the tragedies that have touched too many communities across the country, including in Gilroy, El Paso, Dayton, Midland, and Odessa just this summer. Time and again, we saw the American people respond with courage--the courage of a mother who shielded her child from gun fire, the courage of first responders who ran into the line of fire to save lives. It is time for the United States Senate to find the resolve to act with courage; the American people cannot afford any more inaction. prgtoken There are three bipartisan bills sitting on Leader McConnell's desk that will help to save lives: the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which requires a background check for the sale of all guns; the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which closes the Charleston loophole and gives law enforcement more time to complete a background check; and the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which includes a provision based on my bill, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act, to keep domestic abusers and convicted stalkers from buying or owning a gun. prgtoken We should also take action to ban the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and encourage States to enact extreme risk protection order laws to allow law enforcement or family members to intervene when a person is a danger to themselves or others. In a nation plagued by gun violence, passing these commonsense provisions will help save lives. prgtoken There are more shootings and more tragic losses all too often, and every time, we hear expressions of sympathy, but we have yet to see votes or action. The time has come to act, and we must act now. prgtoken Thank you.
NICHOLAS AND ZACHARY BURT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING PREVENTION ACT OF 2019
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-9-17

I thank Representative Schakowsky for yielding. prgtoken I want to say to Representative Long that I am so sorry for his loss, and, again, it is appropriate to be with him on the floor today. prgtoken , more than 20 years ago, Cheryl and Todd Burt experienced an unimaginable tragedy when their two sons, Zachary and Nicholas, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Zachary was 4 years old; Nicholas was only 16 months old. Cheryl, Todd, and their eldest son, Ryan, barely made it out of the home alive on that cold January evening. prgtoken Today, the House is considering H.R. 1618, the Zachary and Nicholas Burt Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act. prgtoken This legislation is named in honor of Zachary and Nicholas, but it is truly for the over 400 Americans who die each year and more than 20,000 who are hospitalized as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Among them are two of my constituents, John and April Courtney from Lyman, New Hampshire, who lost their lives to carbon monoxide poisoning just last February of this year. prgtoken While it happens most frequently in cold winter months, carbon monoxide poisoning actually happens throughout this country. prgtoken As a mother and an aunt, I know there is nothing more important than keeping our children and our loved ones safe, and that is why I am so proud today that the House is preparing to vote on my bipartisan legislation with my colleague Buddy Carter, which provides funding for States to prevent future carbon monoxide-related deaths by educating the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and the importance of properly installing alarms in their home. prgtoken It also supports the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in housing for the elderly and low-income individuals and high-traffic public buildings like schools. This bipartisan legislation will truly save lives. prgtoken , I want to thank my distinguished colleague, Buddy Carter, for working on this bill with me and helping to build a consensus for its unanimous passage in the Energy and Commerce Committee. I also want to thank Chairman Pallone and Congresswoman Schakowsky for making this piece of legislation a priority and including it in the package of bills today. prgtoken At a time when Congress so often seems divided, this legislation is proof positive that we can work together on our committee to find common ground and get things done to help our constituents. prgtoken Finally, , I would like to recognize and thank Anna Yu and Alex Chasick from the Energy and Commerce Committee staff and Hart Thompson and Nick Schemmel from Congressman Carter's office for collaborating with my team, Will Pisano and Travis Krogman, to move this legislation forward. prgtoken I am proud that this bill is supported by a diverse coalition of public safety and industry groups, and I include in the Record five letters of support. prgtoken The first is a letter from 15 national organizati
GUN CONTROL MEASURES
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2019-9-17

we are all coming to the Senate floor this evening to demand that we finally take real steps to address our Nation's gun violence epidemic. This epidemic is wide-reaching and knows no bounds. We need to listen to the students and to the young people who have grown weary from so many shootings at our schools. prgtoken In my home State of New Mexico in recent years, we have seen gun violence tragically take the lives of high school students in Aztec and Clovis and, just last month, college students in Hobbs. Every student and teacher should feel safe at school. No parent should have to live in fear of their child not coming home at the end of the day. prgtoken Across our Nation, we have witnessed, with grave horror, mass shooters armed with assault rifles gun down Americans in churches, in synagogues, in concert venues, and in shopping centers. Amid our grief and anguish, Americans have come together to call on their leaders to not let this senseless, heart-wrenching violence continue unabated. They are calling on us to do something. We can no longer accept these horrific shootings as the status quo. prgtoken In my hometown of Albuquerque, just last Thursday night, five people, prgtoken including three teenagers, were shot to death in multiple shootings across our city, and six others were wounded. While police are still investigating these senseless acts of violence, no one can tell me that this level of gun violence is somehow acceptable. prgtoken There are things we can do. There is no doubt that this debate brings up very emotional and difficult questions, and there are large challenges we need to grapple with that are fueling gun violence in America. Many of the most horrific acts of violence and terror that we have witnessed have been inspired by hateful ideologies, by racist bigotry, and by divisive rhetoric. But we need to acknowledge that they were carried out with deadly weapons, weapons that we are clearly not doing enough to keep out of the hands of those who would seek to cause us harm. prgtoken We may not all agree on what steps should be taken at the Federal level to address this crisis, but can we at least agree that something needs to be done to combat the epidemic of gun violence in this country? prgtoken We need to listen to our Nation's students and mothers who are calling for us to come together on the things we can agree on. At the very least, that includes universal background checks. There is bipartisan legislation on background checks that passed out of the House and is sitting on the majority leader's desk right now. Let's vote on that bill. prgtoken Someone who can't pass a background check should not be allowed to purchase a firearm. We shouldn't be putting guns in the hands of those convicted of domestic violence or sexual assault who continue to be a threat to their victims. Someone who has been found by family and friends to be a danger to themselves and their commun
FOSTERING UNDERGRADUATE TALENT BY UNLOCKING RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION ACT
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2019-9-17

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 2486, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education, or better known as the FUTURE Act. prgtoken This bill is an absolutely crucial piece of legislation. It represents the number one priority of our minority-serving institutions, which educate nearly 30 percent of all undergraduate students in America. prgtoken The FUTURE Act would reauthorize title 3, part F of the Higher Education Act, providing $255 million in funding for MSIs for the next 2 years. prgtoken This includes: $85 million of historically Black colleges and universities; $30 million for Tribal colleges and universities; $100 million for Hispanic-serving institutions; and $15 million each for predominantly Black institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions. prgtoken First authorized in 2010, title 3, part F have helped MSIs prepare their students for STEM professions, fortified failing infrastructure on MSIs campuses, and provided fiscal stability for many of our smaller MSIs. prgtoken In order for MSIs to continue this work for fiscal year 2020 and beyond, the House must act tonight and ensure that our low-income, first generation college students are not left behind. This bill is about their future. prgtoken H.R. 2486 is not only integral to MSIs and the millions of students that they serve, it is also responsible legislation that is completely paid for, not adding one cent to the deficit. H.R. 2486 does this by repealing automatic maintenance fees, a relic of the now-defunct Federal Family Education Loan Program, where the government-paid private institutions called guaranty agencies to manage student loan accounts. And with the Federal Government now directly lending to student borrowers, these fees are no longer paid, and are increasingly being phased out. prgtoken , I ask for support for H.R. 2486, and I include in the Record a letter from the American Council on Education and 43 other national organizations in support of passage of this bill tonight by the House. American Council on Education, Washington, DC, September 16, 2019. Representative Nancy Pelosi, of the House, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Representative Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Pelosi and Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), and the higher education community at large, we write to ask that you and the members you lead vote in favor of H.R. 2486, the Fostering U
CONSTITUTION DAY
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-9-17

. Since the day I was born, I have celebrated Constitution Day. That is because the 39 delegates signed the U.S. Constitution on September 17, which is exactly 146 years before I was born. It is a gift to share my birthday with the historic signing of our Nation's founding charter. prgtoken The Constitution lends weight to the resilience of our heritage and to the heroes who fought to defend and protect our borders at home and from distant shores around the world. prgtoken On this Constitution Day, it is my hope that Americans of all ages will reflect upon the blessings of freedom handed down from one generation to the next and protected by the U.S. Constitution. prgtoken .
Taxes (Executive Session)
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-9-17

I want to talk a little bit today about something I am embarrassed about on behalf of the Federal Government. Before I explain why I am embarrassed on behalf of my government, I need to give a little background. prgtoken Did you ever stop and think about how much we pay in taxes in this country? We have city taxes. We have county taxes. In Louisiana, we call our counties parishes, so we have parish taxes. We have State taxes. We have fees at all of those levels. Sometimes politicians will try to call a hand in your pocket a fee as opposed to a tax, like you are going to be dumb enough to think that makes a difference. It is still money out of your pocket. And then we have Federal taxes. The government taxes the food we eat, the clothes we buy, the houses we live in, the cars we drive. The government taxes when we work and when we play. If you want to go fishing, you have to pay a tax. If you want to go hunting, you have to pay a tax. The government even taxes us when we die. prgtoken Let me talk about the Federal taxes for a second. This is just a fraction of the money people pay. At the Federal level, our main tax is income taxes--corporate income tax, personal income tax. Do you know how much we pay every year--the American people--in corporate and personal income tax? I am going to show you. I am going to write it out because it is impressive. Do you see all those zeros? There are 12 zeros--$2 trillion every year. Do you know how much $2 trillion is? That is $2,000 billion. Do you know how much a billion is? If right now I started counting to a billion, do you know when I would finish? It would take me 32 years. I would finish in 2051. I wouldn't make it; I will be dead by then. prgtoken I will tell you how big a billion is. A billion seconds ago, it was 1986 and Ronald Reagan was President. That is how big a billion is. A billion minutes ago, the Romans were conquering Mesopotamia. A billion hours ago, Neanderthals roamed the Earth. That is 1 billion. The American people pay $2,000 billion in taxes every year--not State and not local; Federal corporate and personal income taxes. prgtoken Now, look, we know that as a result of the social contract we have made among ourselves, we are better off living and working together and pooling our money so we can hire cops and build roads and educate our children. We know that is the price to pay in a civilized society, but that is still a lot of money. prgtoken Now, I don't know about you, but I get mad when some people cheat-- when all people whom I know of cheat on their taxes. That means that law-abiding citizens have to pay more to make up for those who cheat. prgtoken Do you know what else makes me mad? What also makes me mad is when the Federal entity to which we pay these taxes has money of ours and they don't return it. I am not talking about tax refunds. I am talking about something else, and that is going to be the subject of my talk for a f