mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CRITICAL INITIATIVES INCLUDED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2020-7-22

yesterday the House passed H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken The passage of this year's NDAA in the House was a bipartisan achievement done under extremely difficult circumstances, and I would like to congratulate Chairman Adam Smith, and particularly Ranking Member Mac Thornberry, as this will be his final NDAA before his retirement at the end of this year. prgtoken I wanted to take a few moments to highlight some of the provisions in this legislation which I am grateful were included. prgtoken These include provisions which will strengthen manufacturing in my home prgtoken State, protect the employment rights of our Nation's servicemembers, help to improve maternal and mental healthcare for servicemembers and their families, and strengthen ties with one of our Nation's oldest allies. prgtoken The Southern New England Regional Commission, H.R. 5124, which this bill included, establishes a regional commission that will facilitate the investment of Federal funds in southern New England, including my home State of Rhode Island, to build upon our regional strengths, such as defense manufacturing, shipbuilding, and renewable energy. This initiative will generate critical economic growth in the region to reduce poverty, unemployment, and out-migration in counties that were hit hardest by the Great Recession and now by COVID-19. prgtoken , I acknowledge Congressmen Joe Courtney, Joe Kennedy, Stephen Lynch, John Larson, and Bill Keating, who are cosponsors of this legislation, and I thank them for their support of this critical initiative which will benefit all of our districts. prgtoken This year's NDAA also includes the Justice for Servicemembers Act, H.R. 2750, which I authored, clarifying that the statutory rights of servicemembers and their families under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act cannot be waived through forced arbitration unless it is agreed to after a dispute arises. prgtoken American servicemembers, veterans, and their families have sacrificed much in service of our country. They have fought to protect the fundamental idea that we are a nation of laws and institutions that guarantee the rights and prosperity of every American. prgtoken Since the Second World War, Congress has created many laws, including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, to provide essential protections and guarantee every veteran and Active-Duty servicemember, including the Reserves and National Guard, the right to be free from workplace discrimination on the basis of their military service and their right to their day in court to enforce these protections. But for too long, forced arbitration has eroded these fundamental protections by funneling servicemembers' claims into a private system set up by corporations without the same procedural safeguards of our justice system. prgtoken Buried deep within the fine print of everyday contracts, forced arbitration clauses block
HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-22

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken What a void we feel tonight. I rise to honor the life and legacy of a great warrior for peace and justice, a kind and gentle human being, the conscience of the Congress, Congressman John Lewis. prgtoken As a giant of, as our whip indicated, a civil rights movement, John's leadership and his courage continued as an extraordinary congressional leader. Every year, I joined John on his annual pilgrimage to Selma, Montgomery, and Birmingham, Alabama. I brought young people from the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Center in my district and my grandchildren each year to learn about and give thanks to the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement. prgtoken John always took time to meet with these young people. Even this year, with his failing health, he pulled them aside. He met with them. He always wanted to, and he did, inspire them to take that baton and to run the next lap of the race for justice and equality. And, yes, like with so many, he blessed my community by coming to my district to continue these efforts with my young people. prgtoken Last year, Pelosi and Chairwoman Bass led a delegation to Ghana, West Africa, to observe the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans brought to America. John said that Ghana was one of the most moving trips of his life. He said: ``To see and behold the inhumanity during another period of our history, it tells each and every one of us to never let this evil happen again.'' prgtoken Now, John was welcomed in Ghana as royalty, which he was. He was honored as a son of Africa who had come home. prgtoken John and I would compare notes on tough votes, such as on matters of war and peace and defense spending. I will miss his wise counsel and admonition--and, really, admonition--to do the right thing as he told all of us to keep our eyes on the prize. prgtoken Now, Members know how we get agitated when our colleagues poach our staff members. Well, John poached a brilliant and wonderful young woman from my office Jamila Thompson. When he told me about it, believe it or not, for the first time, I was thrilled that one of my staff members had been poached by John Lewis. What an honor. prgtoken John's presence in the people's House will be deeply missed, but one of the greatest tributes to Congressman John Lewis would be to restore the Voting Rights Act. prgtoken I would not be standing here as the 100th Black Member of Congress had it not been for the Honorable John Robert Lewis. prgtoken My deepest condolences and love and gratitude to John's family, Michael Collins, Jamila Thompson, his entire phenomenal staff, and his constituents, and to all those whose lives he touched. Let us continue to build the beloved community that he so eloquently spoke of. prgtoken In closing, I am reminded of a Scripture, 2 Timothy 4:7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. prgtoken As John Lewis' soul returns to his C
MEMORIALIZING THE HONORABLE JOHN LEWIS
Tony Cárdenas (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-22

I appreciate this hour to honor one of the most beautiful human beings that ever walked this Earth. Many of us believe in God, and many of us try to be the best that we can be, but few of us are capable and able to live a life of true love and of tremendous dignity and respect for every single person who comes our way. prgtoken I wish I could learn how to turn my cheek the way John Lewis proved he could and did. prgtoken I mourn his passing, but I celebrate the honor of knowing that he lived and also knowing that I could go to him on the floor of this House or in the hallways of Congress and speak with him, learn from him, and then say ``I love you, brother,'' and then to have him tell me--and I selfishly relished the opportunity to hear him say it--``I love you too, brother,'' as I gave him a hug and he hugged me back. prgtoken I am unfortunate that I grew up in a very strict household where my mother and father only said ``I love you'' to the big boys and girls and adults very few times. Once we got off their knee, it just didn't happen very often. But John Lewis reminded me how much I missed that, and in a selfish way, that is one of the reasons why I always rushed to him and asked him, by saying ``I love you,'' to know that he would say ``I love you'' and with all his heart mean it. prgtoken I am going to miss him. Some of my family members were fortunate to meet him and to know him, and I feel blessed to know that he was my friend as well. prgtoken May he rest in peace.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-7-22

first, it is wonderful to be here with my great friends from Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Ohio. This is such an important discussion we are having today and such an important bill that needs to be passed. prgtoken Let me start again by underscoring something that Senator Murphy said, because despite what happened in the beginning as it relates to China and certainly over the years, I have not been shy to address concerns related to stealing our intellectual property rights or other issues related to China. The reality is, despite whatever the smokescreens are about China, you can't say that they are the reason that with 4 percent of the population, we have 25 percent of the cases of COVID-19 and 25 percent of the deaths in the world. There is much more to it, and, unfortunately, it lands right in this country with the lack of national leadership that has been completely AWOL when it comes to the kind of national strategy we need to get our people the equipment, the support they need, the testing they need, and to have a strategy to safely reopen the economy and our schools while, at the same time, putting the health and safety and lives of Americans first by addressing the pandemic. prgtoken So I rise today to urge the Senate to take up and immediately pass the Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act. I want to thank Senators Baldwin, Murphy, and Brown for introducing this important legislation. I am very proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. prgtoken As all of you know, throughout history--and I love history--perhaps no State was as crucial to our Nation's victory in World War II as was Michigan. My colleagues may debate that, but I have the mic, so I will talk about Michigan. prgtoken The truth is that more than half of Michigan men and women proudly served in uniform, including my own dad. Back home, the people of our State were hard at work producing the bombers, the tanks, the trucks, the helmets, and the guns needed to win the war. In fact, Michigan was called at that time ``the arsenal of democracy.'' We make things, and during World War II, we were making the things that were needed to win the war--the arsenal of democracy. Both at home and abroad, victory in many ways depended on the people of my State. prgtoken For the past 6 months, our Nation has been fighting a different kind of war, a raging health pandemic, taking over 141,000 American lives so far. Unfortunately, this time our national generals appear to be missing in action. How is it possible that 6 months after the first case of COVID-19 on January 20, our healthcare workers still are struggling to get the personal protective gear they need to treat patients while keeping themselves safe? How can that be? prgtoken How is it possible that 6 months after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the United States, people are still struggling to get tested? Well, I will tell you how. It is because of the complete l
HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN ROBERT LEWIS
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-22

. Madam , John R. Lewis honored us with his presence on this floor for over 3 decades. That a man of such courage and such accomplishment would dedicate so much of his life to this House confirmed the decision of all of us to give up our private lives and private measures and to spend our time here in the people's House. prgtoken Five years ago, I was honored to go to Terri Sewell's hometown of Selma and on the 50th anniversary to walk with John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where, 50 years prior to that time, John Lewis had been beaten down and his skull fractured. We walked forward across that bridge with John Lewis, and with the President of the United States, President , to prove that America walks forward, and that the progress that we have made cannot be turned back. prgtoken Years later, many of us joined John on this floor to make some good trouble when we took over the floor of this House to demand a vote on commonsense gun control. prgtoken President , when he awarded John the Presidential Medal of Freedom, said: ``Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind; an American who knew that change will not wait for some other person or some other time, whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now.'' prgtoken And that is why I say now is the time to pass what should be called the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. John Lewis was too great a man for us to fail to provide a substantive memorial.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-7-22

I rise tonight to ask: What does democracy look like in America? I have here a picture of what democracy looks like--people showing up presenting their opinions with their feet and their voices and their signs saying: We want change. And the change they want is to pursue the important value that public safety in America be a value that is applied equally to all citizens; that every single person in the community is viewed as a client for the public safety team; that the distribution of protection is equal and the treatment of citizens is equal, so that when public safety officers respond, they respond equally no matter what section of the city the call comes from; that they respond the same no matter the color of a person's skin; that profiling is a thing of the past; that viewing two young Black men on the street is not viewed differently than viewing two young White men on the street. It is that goal of having everyone treated fairly that has led so many to come out and say: We need major reform in our country. We need to set behind us the time period when departments of public safety tend to look at the White community and say, ``Those are our clients,'' and look at the Black community or the dark-skinned community and say, ``Those are the threats.'' That is what people are trying to change by turning out in America in this fashion. prgtoken It is an important moment in which we need substantive change, real change--real change like the bill Cory Booker put together and led the battle on, and put together with him in partnership and led the battle on. That is the type of change we need in America. That is why people have been turning out in the streets. prgtoken But there is an unexpected twist on something we didn't anticipate, in which the President of the United States hasn't listened to this message about coming together so that everyone is treated equally. Instead, he is doubling down on a strategy of racism, a strategy of bigotry, a strategy of creating conflict in America with a determined new effort. prgtoken This is a picture of protesting in Oregon. I was at a demonstration much like this, where people chanted: ``This is what democracy looks like. This is what democracy looks like.'' prgtoken This is what democracy looks like, colleagues--people coming together with their signs and their feet and their time, saying: We need change. It is as fundamental as free expression under the First Amendment. It is as fundamental to our Constitution as the right to assemble. This is as fundamental to the vision of ``We the People'' as anyone can imagine--that vision that Lincoln summarized as ``government of the people, by the people, for the people,'' not of, by, and for some dictatorial force, not someone who wants to consolidate power in an imperial Presidency. prgtoken In fact, our Founders were really worried about authoritarianism. They were really worried about an imperia
HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2020-7-22

we are here to honor Congressman John Robert Lewis, our hero, our colleague, our brother, our friend. prgtoken Having known John for 52 years, I can tell you honestly that even in his humanity, he lived his life in the image of Jesus. prgtoken John was a voice of the voiceless--African Americans, for women, for LGBTQ people, for the least and the left out, for anyone mistreated by society. prgtoken His unwavering sense of right and wrong was a North Star for this Nation, which is why we called him the conscience of the Congress. prgtoken People as good as John don't come our way very often. Despite all of the accolades and recognition he received, John remained humble, unfailingly kind, and always fueled the capacity of people to be better, despite their past transgressions. prgtoken Where would America be today if it were not for John Lewis? Without his activism, without his courage, without his perseverance for voting rights, I doubt if I would be here today. prgtoken Thank you, John, for your lifetime of advocacy, for sacrifice of friendship and counsel. prgtoken And thank you, God, for the life of John Robert Lewis. prgtoken , from Indiana (Mr. Carson).
PAYING TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-7-22

. Madam , I count among my life's greatest blessings the distinction of being able to call John Lewis my colleague and my friend. prgtoken Martin Luther King said the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. John Robert Lewis spent his entire life working to accelerate and complete that bend fully committed to justice, to nonviolence and, in his own words, to good trouble. prgtoken John Lewis' incredible capacity for love, his steadfast belief in nonviolence, and his limitless humility inspired all of us, and , to be better. His singular character established him as the conscience of the Congress. prgtoken I have too many personal stories to share in a short 1-minute speech, enough stories, in fact, to more than fill the entire hour. I will hold each of these treasured memories in my heart for the rest of my life. prgtoken I join with my colleagues to honor his legacy and together hope we will continue his work bending that arc toward justice. prgtoken Rest in peace, John, knowing your memory will be a blessing to your Nation and to all whose lives you touched.
FOSTERING UNDERGRADUATE TALENT BY UNLOCKING RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION ACT
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-7-22

. Madam , when we heard of the Muslim ban being implemented, many New Yorkers, including our chairman, Congressman Nadler, rushed to JFK Airport to help families. What I witnessed there in many cases was, in fact, Muslim members of our Armed Forces were trying to be reunited with their mother, with their spouse, and they were being denied. prgtoken As I entered the space, I was surrounded by Customs and Border Patrol officers, and we fought to make sure that these folks could unite. And so we witnessed the pain of a spouse without a husband, a son without a mother, a father without a child. prgtoken Madam , this is not American. This is not American at all. But what was witnessed there and across the country was the best of our Nation, the spirit of our Nation, the fact that we would not be split along racial, ethnic, or religious lines.
HONORING CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-7-22

in the passing of Congressman John Lewis, I have lost a dear friend, Georgia has lost a true leader, and our nation has lost a civil rights icon. prgtoken John Lewis and I first met upon my arrival to Congress nearly three decades ago. Yet, by prgtoken the time of that meeting, he had already made a profound impact on my life. It was because of his early work on the advancement of the Civil and Voting Rights Acts that I can stand here and address you today. prgtoken His grasp of the nuances and complexities of public policy, paired with his genuine personality, made him a dynamic presence in this Chamber. When he spoke, everyone--regardless of party or politics-- listened. When he sang--like he did when we were jailed together following a nonviolent protest at the Embassy of Sudan--peace ensued. His stories captivated, his advice educated, his sermons inspired, and his speeches motivated. He brought the same passion he had as an activist to the halls of Congress, where he spent his career representing Georgia's 5th district. prgtoken It is impossible to properly eulogize John Lewis with only words--for he was a man of action. We would therefore all do well to reaffirm our commitment to the preservation of equality and justice in his honor, which is necessary now more than ever before. prgtoken , I wish to offer my condolences to John Lewis's family and to thank the Congressman for a life full of ``good trouble.''
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOHN LEWIS
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-22

great women and great men have served in Congress, walking these Halls and casting votes on this very floor. One of the greatest was our friend, John Lewis. prgtoken A civil rights icon, responsible at a young age for lasting progress and remarkable courage in the face of violence and injustice. He was the conscience of our Congress. The room quieted and people listened when he spoke. It was a true honor to serve with him in the House and, for me, on the Ways and Means Committee. prgtoken It was surreal to walk with him over the Pettus Bridge in Selma on the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. And constituents thank me to this day for inviting him to my district. prgtoken Our great country is better because of John Lewis, and we should all work to be just a little more like John Lewis. prgtoken John, we miss you. Rest in peace, my friend.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2020-7-22

. I am, of course, very disappointed that we cannot move this forward. prgtoken I want to respond to a couple of the comments made by my colleagues from the State of Wisconsin, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. prgtoken It is July. It is July, and cases are rising. Action was not taken in February, March, April, May, June, or so far in this month of July. We had more than fair warning that we had shortages of masks and gloves and gowns and face shields and testing swabs and testing media and reagents, and yet it is July. prgtoken As I said earlier, yesterday Wisconsin announced the most cases positive for coronavirus in a single day that we have seen since the pandemic began. prgtoken As we strive to reopen our economy, the President exhorts all schools to hold 5-day-a-week, in-person classes. prgtoken We know that the demand for testing and the demand for masks will only increase exponentially--the need to keep workers safe as they return to work and the need to keep customers safe as they enter and engage in commerce. To say that this needed to happen back in February is an understatement. prgtoken I am pleased that my colleague has held hearings, but this bill was filed in April when it became apparent that the President was not going to act. This bill has been available for committee review since April. prgtoken The House passed many elements of the Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act in their Heroes Act, which they passed 2 months ago. I just ask, where would we be today had this been put into law? prgtoken There has been time to review. There has been time to study. But it is past time to pass the Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act. I hope we can create another opportunity for the Senate to act on this in the days to come because it is so overdue. prgtoken I want to again thank my colleagues who joined me on the floor this afternoon--my coauthor, Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut; my colleague from Michigan, Debbie Stabenow; and my colleague from Ohio, Senator Sherrod Brown; and the 45 other Members of the U.S. Senate who have joined me in sponsoring this bill. prgtoken .