mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF GUS GARCIA
Henry Cuellar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I rise today to commemorate the life of Gus Garcia, Austin, TX's first Hispanic mayor and the first Hispanic to serve on the Austin school board. prgtoken Mr. Garcia was born in Zapata, TX and moved to Laredo when he was ten years old. After serving in the Army, he utilized the GI bill to afford college and graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in accounting. Later, he would become a Certified Public Accountant and eventually start his own firm. While searching for housing in Austin, he and his wife, Marina, were subject to discrimination in neighborhoods around the university. He also faced professional challenges from those still reluctant to hire a Hispanic accountant. These experiences led Mr. Garcia into the realm of politics and shaped his commitment to representing Hispanics in Austin, TX. prgtoken Mr. Garcia served as a member of the Austin School Board, city council, and, eventually, as the Mayor of Austin. His colleagues remember him as a dedicated and industrious civil servant who always inspired those around him through his tireless efforts. The Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy, a middle school in East Austin, was named in honor of his groundbreaking career. prgtoken Mr. Garcia is survived by his three sons, five grandchildren, and wife, Marina. However, he will be remembered by countless others for his commitment to civil rights and a career that changed the face of politics in Austin.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6, AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019
Donna E. Shalala (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , on Monday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 415, providing for consideration of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act, under a closed rule self- executing a manager's amendment. The rule provides 2 hours of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in support of the bill in this rule, H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. I rise as the granddaughter of immigrants. prgtoken This is a historic day in which we begin to shape immigration policy that reflects American values. H.R. 6 offers a path to lawful permanent residence status for Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED beneficiaries. These are our neighbors, our friends, our schoolmates, our workers, and our family. They make our communities stronger and fuller. They are Americans in every way except under the law. We intend to correct that omission today. prgtoken These immigrants are longtime residents of our country with deep roots in the communities where they reside. For many of them, the United States is the only country they have ever called home. It is cruel and un-American that we have left members of our communities to suffer uncertainty in this way. prgtoken With this bill, we keep families together and ensure that these women, men, and children can continue contributing to the communities we share. In my district, Florida's 27th, there are 11,400 residents who are eligible for protection under H.R. 6. Approximately 8,200 are Dreamers, and 3,400 are TPS or DED holders. prgtoken As I have long said, in my south Florida community, it doesn't matter the color of your skin, the language you speak, whom you hold hands with, your religion, or your country of origin. You are a Miamian if you call our city home. Today, the House of Representatives will make clear that you have every right to call yourselves Americans, too. prgtoken Madam , I proudly support this historic step forward towards a more just America. Let's pass this rule and H.R. 6. prgtoken Madam , .
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-6-4

I thank my neighbor and friend, Senator Collins, and Senator Feinstein--the two of them for organizing this afternoon's conversation on the floor in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. prgtoken I also begin by recognizing Senator Mikulski, who was such a trailblazer for so many women. I remember being a young woman involved in politics in the late eighties in New Hampshire right after she was elected to the Senate, and she came up and spoke to us. At the time, I was not sure there was ever an opportunity for a woman in New Hampshire to go anywhere, and listening to her made me realize there were opportunities for women everywhere, and we need to take advantage of them, so I thank Senator Mikulski. prgtoken Today we celebrate not only the passage of the 19th Amendment but the countless women who fought for decades before 1919 so that women would one day realize the full rights protected under the Constitution. prgtoken As so many of my colleagues have said, we remember women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, who organized the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls in 1848; Susan B. Anthony, who took up the fight following the first convention, and Harriet Tubman, Ida Wells, and Sojourner Truth, who worked tirelessly for women's rights all while battling the forces of slavery and racism. These women and so many others faced extraordinary obstacles as they protested, marched, lobbied, and, at times, sacrificed their own freedom so women could one day secure the right to vote. prgtoken The leaders of the women's suffrage movement understood the fundamental truth; that the rights protected under the Constitution are merely privileges if they are not enjoyed by everyone in our society. prgtoken As Susan B. Anthony put it in 1873, ``It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; not yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves . . . . but to the whole people--women as well as men.'' prgtoken The suffrage movement was, of course, an effort to achieve political equality for women, but it was also an effort to secure a more perfect Union by giving life to the ideals laid out in our founding documents. This pursuit for equality continues today, and it is in the spirit of our trailblazers that women carry on the fight for full equality under the law. prgtoken It is in that spirit that we are here this afternoon on the floor of the Senate to talk about the importance of carrying on the tradition of our Founding Mothers. These figures are an important part of our history, and because of the generations of women they inspired, their legacy lives on today. We must remember their stories and honor their sacrifices. Those sacrifices have helped shape the identity of our Nation, and it is why we celebrate these wom
Job Corps (Executive Calendar)
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-6-4

first, I want to congratulate the senior Senator from Iowa and say what a wonderful story that is about his mom. And to see a picture like that--it is such an inspiring story. He certainly has a lot to be proud of in many, many ways. prgtoken I say to the Senator, now I know more about you, knowing that you had such a smart and strong mom. That tells me a lot. Thank you for sharing that. prgtoken I rise with two short topics today. First, I, too, want to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Even more so, I rise today to celebrate the brave and determined women who fought so hard and for so long for our right to make our voices heard. prgtoken I remember coming into the U.S. Senate in 2000 and finding out that it wasn't until 2001--the first year I was here--that we actually had enough women in the Senate to have one woman on every committee, a woman's voice on every committee. It is incredible, actually, that it took until 2001. But this was an important milestone at the time, as together we have been able to achieve many different milestones for women's voices, and we see that continuing to happen. prgtoken I want to speak specifically about Catharine Fish Stebbins, a woman from Detroit who was one of those women who fought so hard at the very beginning and on whose shoulders we really stand. She may not have been as well known, but she was a suffragist and an abolitionist. She signed the Declaration of Sentiments at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848. prgtoken One of the resolutions in that document said: ``It is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to elective franchise,'' and she took that very seriously. prgtoken In 1871, accompanied by her husband, Catharine tried to register to vote. She was told no. She tried again, this time accompanied by a friend who lived in another ward. That friend, Nannette B. Gardner, argued that she was a widow and a taxpayer and that she should be allowed to register. But Catharine was once again told no. prgtoken In 1872, she tried to register again. This time, she was told no, but she did get election officials to admit that, in their words, ``Mrs. Stebbins would have all the required qualification of an elector, but for the fact of her being a woman.'' prgtoken Catharine never did get to cast a ballot before she died in 1904. Yet I believe she would be extremely proud of how far we have come as a country and how far we have come in Michigan. prgtoken Last November, Michigan elected a woman Governor--our second woman to be elected Governor--a woman secretary of state, a woman attorney general, reelected a woman to the U.S. Senate, and elected three new women Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was extraordinary. prgtoken That is progress, but in my mind, the real progress was that being women wasn't the story. We di
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-4

. I want to thank my distinguished colleague from the great State of Maine. Thank you so much, Susan. Thank you for your work here, for your care, for your concern, and for your vigilance on all issues that affect women. Thank you so much. prgtoken , I am very proud to join Susan Collins and all of my colleagues on the floor today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Congress's passing the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. prgtoken Before the 19th Amendment, women were actually denied the same basic civil rights as men. We were not allowed to attend a college. We could not become doctors, lawyers, or politicians. Married women had no right to property, and even though women were required to follow the law, they had no say in electing their lawmakers. prgtoken Simply put, women were second-class citizens. So it is against this backdrop that the women's suffrage movement took shape decades ago to fight to achieve equality for us, and the fight began at the polls. prgtoken In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson faced a tough reelection campaign. At the time, 12 States allowed women to vote. The newly formed Women's Party campaigned forcefully in most States against Wilson because of his strong opposition to women's suffrage. As a result, women voted against Wilson by notable margins, causing the first known gender gap in a Presidential election. prgtoken Although Woodrow Wilson ultimately won a second term, the Women's Party made clear that they were a force to be reckoned with. I could not be more proud of the suffragists who fought for decades to secure our right to vote and laid the groundwork for a woman's right to hold office. It is because of fearless, hardworking women like Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Dorothy Day that I stand here today on the floor of the Senate representing the largest State in the Union, California. prgtoken In the first elections held after the 19th Amendment was ratified, women won public office in 23 States. Today, women are represented in all levels of government--Federal, State, and local. prgtoken In 1992, the first year I was elected to the Senate, a historic number of women won elected office. Twenty-four new women were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives that year, and four women-- Senators Murray, Boxer, Mosley-Braun, and I--were elected to the Senate. Last year, nearly a century after Congress passed the 19th Amendment, women set another record with 102 women serving in Congress and 3 more holding seats on the U.S. Supreme Court. So women are still shattering the glass ceilings. prgtoken In 2014, Janet Yellen became the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated by a major political party for President of the United States. And just this year, after being elected the first female of the House in 2007, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to be reelected of the House. prgtoken Last Congress, I b
RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the 30th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Starting on April 18, 1989 thousands of students marched through Tiananmen Square calling for a more democratic government and protesting China's Communist government. An estimated 1 million people joined the protests in Tiananmen Square and citizens in over 400 Chinese cities staged protests. After months of protests, late in the afternoon of June 3 thousands of troops moved onto Tiananmen Square and fired into crowds throughout the night into June 4. The People's Republic of China has still not admitted to how many people were killed by the military but despite the Chinese government downplaying the number killed, it was likely in the thousands. The Chinese government has tried to erase this tragedy from history in order to uphold its Communist regime's legitimacy. The Chinese government continues to violate the human rights of its citizens including putting millions of members of its Uyghur minority into ``re-education'' camps and continuing suppression of democratic voices throughout China. We must continue to commit ourselves to supporting the values for which the victims of Tiananmen Square Massacre gave their lives.
COMMEMORATING 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-6-4

I rise today to commemorate the historic 75th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944, the heroic Allied invasion of Europe at Normandy, France. prgtoken Let us honor the 180,000 Allied troops who reclaimed liberty for the modern world, moving across the turbulent English Channel, which ran red with their blood, including from our beloved uncle, Stanley Rogowski. prgtoken Our troops endured more deadly Nazi shelling from land and air as they clawed their way up the daunting seawalls and beaches to retake Europe for the free world. prgtoken The weather was harsh. The shores were littered with mines and barbed wire. From their landing crafts and parachutes, our soldiers were met with heavy fire. prgtoken The work of clearing the five beaches upon which the Allies landed-- Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword--was as difficult as it was deadly. It was not until June 12 that all five beaches, stretching over 50 miles, were finally conquered. prgtoken When the smoke finally cleared, over 4,000 Allied troops had made the ultimate sacrifice. prgtoken Operation Neptune was a decisive victory for the Allied cause. It remains the largest seaborne invasion in history and a turning point in the Second World War. prgtoken Until that day, Adolf Hitler waged destruction and terror across Europe, virtually unencumbered on the Western Front. From France to Poland to Russia, millions died in his wake. But from the Allied foothold in Normandy, American, Canadian, and British troops spread out across Europe and liberated German-occupied Europe from Nazi tyranny. prgtoken This week, we gratefully remember and honor the men and women who served and sacrificed for the freedom of Europe and the entire world. We live in their debt each day.
WELCOMING RABBI LAWRENCE R. SERNOVITZ
Madeleine Dean (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , I am delighted to welcome to this Chamber my prgtoken close friend, Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, whom we have just heard offer us a beautiful, wise prayer. prgtoken I first met Rabbi Sernovitz in Abington, in my home district, where he served Temple-Beth Am. When I was first elected to public office as a township commissioner, it was Larry, it was the rabbi, who offered a powerful benediction that evening on the importance of education, social justice, humility, and courage. Larry has been a close friend and counselor ever since. prgtoken Through Larry's rabbinical work, he has lifted his devotion to community, faith, and family. Larry lives the creed, ``Love the stranger.'' prgtoken As a founder of Nafshenu in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, he seeks to create a community that places people and their hopes and their dreams first. prgtoken Most importantly, Larry is a dedicated husband to Rebecca and a loving, steady dad to Sam, Daniella, and Eden, who join him today. prgtoken It brings me great joy to welcome my good friend Rabbi Larry Sernovitz and thank him for his wise prayer.
Climate Change (Executive Calendar)
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Thank you, . Thank you, Senator Collins. prgtoken I rise today proudly wearing a yellow rose in solidarity with 24 other women who serve in the U.S. Senate to recognize what is a very historic milestone in our Nation's history. Almost 100 years ago, after decades and decades of struggle by brave women and men, our Nation finally extended to women the most fundamental right of our democracy-- the right to vote. The struggle for women's suffrage was fought in every corner of our country, and communities all over the Nation are planning to recognize their contributions over the next year. prgtoken Today marks precisely 100 years to the day that the Senate passed the 19th Amendment. I am proud to state that a week later, on June 10, 1919, Wisconsin became the first State in our Union to ratify the 19th Amendment. I am always proud to say that my home State was the very first to ratify women's right to vote, narrowly beating our neighbor to the south, the State of Illinois, because of a paperwork error. You know, we are still first. I am especially happy that I will forever have bragging rights over my friend from Illinois, the co-chair of the Senate caucus, Senator Tammy Duckworth, because Illinois wasn't quite quick enough and Wisconsin did it first. prgtoken I am also proud today to wear a purple ribbon. This ribbon is in recognition of the women of color who fought and marched alongside their White colleagues in the suffrage movement but whose contributions went largely unsung and many of whom were still denied the right to vote after the 19th Amendment was ratified. prgtoken As we observe and celebrate this historic moment, we must be careful not to mistake progress for victory. With just 131 women currently serving in Congress, we are well short of equal representation in government. Government works best when legislatures reflect the people they work for--when they look like America. That is why it is important to increase the number of women who serve in public office. Women are half the population. We should be half of our Nation's government, too. prgtoken When I first entered public service, I had the opportunity to sit on the Madison City Council. I remember well a meeting when I had one of those light bulb moments of the difference that women make when we serve. prgtoken The city council that day was debating whether to extend service and add an additional bus route that went directly to the Madison Area Technical College's new campus. I remember listening to my male colleagues and their participation in the debate. There was a lot of focus on funding and logistics and finger pointing at which body in government should bear this responsibility. At first, they didn't seem to think that the city council should take action to add another bus route. prgtoken Then I began hearing the voices of my female colleagues. They began speaking of and describing their experience traveling to campus. They s
AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2019
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-6-4

. Madam , let me begin by thanking my cosponsors, Nydia Velazquez and Yvette Clarke, Judiciary Chairman Nadler, Chairman Lofgren, the Judiciary Committee, and especially Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal for the extraordinary work they did in bringing this bill to the floor. prgtoken Today is truly a historic day for our country. It will be the first time the House of Representatives will pass a Dream Act under regular order, sending a strong message that Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients truly belong in America and contribute greatly to its success. prgtoken The American Dream and Promise Act is landmark legislation that will provide 2.1 million Dreamers with hope, security, and the opportunity to become American citizens. prgtoken We would not be here today without the tireless work of Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients who bravely and publicly shared their stories with Members of Congress and our Nation. Their stories of endurance, resourcefulness, and heartbreak, coupled with their love of America, is what inspired me in 2001 prgtoken to introduce the first Dream bill, a bipartisan bill known as the Student Adjustment Act, with former Congressmen Howard Berman and Chris Cannon. prgtoken One such story is of Josue, a student studying aerospace engineering. He dreams of contributing to the advancement of space exploration and is one of many Dreamers who will produce a new generation of scientific research that will help shape our country's future. prgtoken Another Dreamer is Carolina, who hopes to become a teacher, serving as a role model, as her high school teacher did for her. prgtoken And there is Julio, who is working toward a psychology degree and whose goal is to serve historically underrepresented and marginalized students as a community college counselor. prgtoken This is just a sampling of Dreamers whose stories exemplify American values, talents, and a desire to give back to their community and the only country they know as home. prgtoken Although Dreamers live under the veil of fear and uncertainty, they still contribute over $17.3 billion in Federal taxes and nearly $9.7 billion in State and local taxes each year. Their households have $75 billion in buying power. prgtoken The reality is TPS and DED recipients and our Nation's Dreamers make our Nation stronger with the contributions they make to our economy and our American society. We cannot afford to lose or hinder their talents, resilience, and contributions to our Nation. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support this bill.