mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF ELLIOTT'S BAKERY
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-6-29

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Elliott's Bakery located in Trenton, Michigan, on the occasion of their 90th anniversary. Their decades spent as a mainstay of the Trenton community is worthy of commendation. prgtoken Established in 1931 by Mr. Waldo Elliott, Elliott's Bakery has been a Trenton staple for nine decades. Mr. Elliott, a Northville, Michigan native, spent 12 years in the bakery business before deciding to expand. After considering six locations, he found Trenton to be the perfect home for the new Elliott's Bakery. At the time of its founding, Trenton was a thriving residential community in need of a bakery for its residents. Elliott's was exactly what the neighborhood needed. The bakery was later owned by the Bill and Violetta Vidojevski family, who added their own special recipes to the menu. prgtoken Despite the changes in ownership, the recipes and quality of their baked goods have maintained their excellence. The current owners, Bradley and Kristine Davidson, have been committed to keeping the bakery's traditional recipes alive. Originally, the bakery provided a variety of breads and later became well-known for their desserts. The bakery's most popular items today include their Long John donuts and the raspberry-currant and butter bud cookies. Throughout their nine decades in the Trenton community, Elliott's Bakery has maintained their reputation for serving up delicious, high-quality donuts, cookies, pies, and other treats. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the 90th anniversary of Elliott's Bakery in Trenton, Michigan. Please join me in congratulating Elliott's Bakery on nine fantastic decades of business and in wishing them the best of luck in the years to come.
REPLACEMENT OF BUST OF ROGER BROOKE TANEY WITH BUST OF THURGOOD MARSHALL
G. K. Butterfield (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2021-6-29

. Madam , let me first thank the chair for her leadership and friendship on our committee. prgtoken Madam , just a little bit of history. I want to take you back to 1860. President Lincoln won the general election in 1860 by winning 18 of 29 States. prgtoken Madam , the 11 States that Lincoln failed to carry were slave- holding States. These States were fearful that Lincoln would find a way to end slavery and deprive slave owners of their free labor. Eleven Southern States immediately seceded from the Union, forming the Confederate States of America. The CSA elected its leadership, they printed a currency, and they set up a military. prgtoken At Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the CSA took military action against the United States of America. For the following 4 years, more than 600,000 Americans lost their lives on the battlefield, including Black Union soldiers. This was not a war between the States; it was a war against the United States by 11 Southern States, including my State. prgtoken When the Union finally won the war and both sides buried their dead, 4 million slaves were granted their freedom by the passage and ratification of the 13th Amendment. prgtoken In 1864, each State was granted the privilege to donate two statues of deceased persons to be displayed in this Capitol that depict the history of their State. These statues are now known as the National Statuary Hall Collection. prgtoken Approximately 10 of these statues depict men who volunteered to fight against the United States in the Civil War. All of these statues were donated many decades after the Civil War. Like many other statues around the country honoring members of the Confederate States of America, particularly those erected in the South, these 10 statues were not donated and installed in the Capitol until the 1900s, during the height of the Jim Crow era. prgtoken Many Americans see these statues and the timing of their placement to intimidate Black Americans and to perpetuate the notion of white supremacy. We must not continue to honor these combatants by allowing their images to be displayed in this Capitol. prgtoken The bill before us today, Madam , identifies several other statues for removal that are not part of the collection, including the bust of Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, who authored the 1857 Supreme Court decision of Dred Scott that ruled that slaves could not be considered citizens and that Congress did not have the ability to ban slavery. This opinion, Madam , is regarded as possibly the Supreme Court's worst decision of all time, and the 7-2 decision was a major factor contributing to the Civil War. prgtoken Another bust not a part of the National Statuary Hall Collection is for Vice President John Breckinridge, 1856 to 1859. In 1860, Breckinridge ran for President on the Southern ic ticket and he lost. During the Civil War, Breckinridge served in the United States Senate, from Kentucky, but became a traitor
HONORING THE LIFE OF BARRY WILLIAMS
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-6-29

. Madam , I rise today to observe and mourn the passing of Barry Williams, a local civic champion who dedicated his life to bringing people together and who tirelessly advocated for social justice, the middle class, and the everyday working man and woman. Sadly, on May 2nd of this year--Barry passed away at the age of 71 after a tough 17-year battle with Parkinson's disease. Barry's inspirational life, however, will never dissipate from our community's collective spirit as he treated everyone he encountered with love and humility, setting an immortalized example for us all to aspire to. prgtoken Born in in 1949 in York, Maine--Barry and his family relocated to Waterford, Connecticut where Barry grew up and acquired his love for the coastline. Barry would spend many hours of his life enjoying the beach, fishing, or sailing, and was invigorated when he caught a fish, which wasn't often. Barry was an avid reader and eventually made a career of his love for books by attaining a degree at the University of Connecticut in Library Science then even returning to work for his alma mater as an acquisitions librarian. prgtoken While working as a librarian, Barry was also an active member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT local union and even worked his way up to become President of his local. Being elected to lead his union truly changed Barry and ignited a passion in him that he used to champion workers' rights throughout his life. While president of the union, Barry was admired for his ability to fight for his members but still maintain a loving and friendly personality and always face challenges with a positive attitude. Barry's accomplishments and dedication to his union gained him statewide notoriety and led to him being recruited as a Government Affairs Representative by Connecticut statewide AFT President George Springer. Hitting the ground running-- Barry made his mark and inspired all those around him with his willingness to put others before himself. Not only did Barry talk the talk but he was always out on the front lines with his brothers and sisters rallying for their right to equal opportunities and fairness in the workplace. Achieving milestone after milestone--Barry set himself apart as one of the top labor leaders in Connecticut and this led to his election in 1985 to represent all workers in the state as the Secretary Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. prgtoken Now a true and tried advocate in the world of unions, Barry decided to go independent and start his own lobbying firm to represent unions and non-profits in 1987. With all the statewide connections he had developed in his decades of organizing and union work--Barry quickly gained traction as someone who could bring opposing sides to the table to talk, and he also became known for a little secret weapon in breaking the ice between opposing forces--his famous homemade bread. Barry was truly a master negotiator because he never lamen
REPLACEMENT OF BUST OF ROGER BROOKE TANEY WITH BUST OF THURGOOD MARSHALL
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-6-29

. Madam , I thank Madam Chair for her leadership on this very important issue. prgtoken The point that she makes is interesting because, actually, in terms of the 14th Amendment, when Black Americans were given the right to vote, it was the s who were the votes to make that happen, and the , to a person, voted against it. So, her point is well taken. Now, we are in a fight to protect that right to vote, but we will have that conversation another day. Today, we are here for a very specific purpose. prgtoken Madam , this weekend, we observe the birth of our Nation, the Fourth of July, when Americans joyfully celebrate the birth of America's independence and the blessings of liberty. prgtoken As we do so, we solemnly recognize that those blessings have been denied to so many throughout our Nation's history out of sheer bigotry and racism. prgtoken This holiday, while a celebration, is also an opportunity to take steps to right the wrongs of history, starting here, right here in the U.S. Capitol. prgtoken That is why, today, we are again passing legislation to remove statues of Confederate officials and other advocates of bigotry and removing them from the U.S. Capitol. prgtoken As I have said before, the Halls of Congress are the very heart of our democracy. The statues that we display should embody our highest ideals as Americans, expressing who we are and who we aspire to be as a nation. prgtoken Monuments to men or people who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end are a grotesque affront to those ideals. They are an homage to hate, not heritage. They must be removed. prgtoken I thank Leader Steny Hoyer, who has been advocating this for a long time and took charge and worked with Whip Jim Clyburn, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, Chair Bennie Thompson, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congressman G. K. Butterfield, who we just heard from, and the Chair. Madam , I prgtoken thank you and the others for your leadership. prgtoken This action builds on actions taken last Juneteenth when, using my authority as House , I ordered the removal of four portraits of past s from the Capitol who traitorously served in the Confederacy. prgtoken Among the Confederate statues in the Capitol that we are addressing today are Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens, president and vice president of the Confederacy, respectively, both of whom were charged with treason against America. prgtoken This legislation also removes from the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol the bust of Justice Roger Taney, a defender of slavery and the author of the 1857 Dred Scott ruling, one of the most horrific stains on our Nation and the Court's history. Mr. Hoyer has been particularly interested in removing Justice Taney. prgtoken Removing these statues will not erase this stain or that of other racist acts in our history, nor will it erase the racism that exists in our country today. But it is
IG INDEPENDENCE AND EMPOWERMENT ACT
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-6-29

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 2662, the IG Independence and Empowerment Act. I want to thank the chairwoman of the committee for her leadership, especially in bringing forward this important legislative package to bolster the independence and protection of oversight of Federal inspectors general while holding them more accountable to Congress and the American people at the same time. prgtoken Our Subcommittee on Government Operations held a hearing in April that highlighted the need for this legislation. At the hearing, we discussed how the former President, Mr exploited statutory loopholes repeatedly to attack Federal IGs, firing well-respected IGs for investigating policies of political allies he liked. prgtoken President also appointed political agency officials to serve as acting IGs, this double-hatting Ms. Porter just talked about. This legislation would address that. We cannot allow these actions to be repeated. prgtoken IGs are unique in the Federal Government, serving to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and gross mismanagement. They report both to the executive and legislative branches of government. This bill bolsters IGs on both fronts. prgtoken Importantly, the bill ensures the President or an agency head can remove an IG only for documented cause, and I think that is a very important new standard. This measure will ensure that IGs can be removed when appropriate and cannot be removed simply because they speak truth to power. prgtoken I authored two additional provisions included in this legislation. The first, the Integrity Committee Transparency Act, is a bipartisan provision I drafted with my ranking member, Mr. Hice. This provision would codify and enhance administrative reporting reforms at the Integrity Committee. Just this week, we saw how important that can be. prgtoken It would also require the Integrity Committee to report immediately any particularly serious and flagrant problems, abuses, or deficiencies at the Office of Inspector General to the IG of that office. prgtoken Importantly, the provision also expands the membership of the Integrity Committee to include a former inspector general, increasing acumen and accountability and some distance. prgtoken These are critical measures necessary in the wake of cases in which the Integrity Committee has sometimes fallen short in its reporting to this body, to the Congress. In one recent allegation of wrongdoing, it took nearly 4 years for the Integrity Committee to complete its investigation, and employees at that office continued to struggle under an IG who conducted herself with clear negligence. That case got resolved today with the announcement that that IG is going to retire. prgtoken IGs cannot afford to be poor leaders, nor can we afford to have them be poor leaders. They must be model Federal employees if their credibility and integrity are to be trusted. prgtoken We also champion title VII of this bill, the Enhanced
REPLACEMENT OF BUST OF ROGER BROOKE TANEY WITH BUST OF THURGOOD MARSHALL
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-6-30

. Madam , I rise today to shed some light on history. prgtoken In 1854, members of the Whig Party met to begin discussions on a new political party--the primary platform being the abolition of slavery. prgtoken The idea spread like wildfire, and just six years later, the newly formed Party successfully elected their first President, Abraham Lincoln. prgtoken leadership fought to eradicate the scourge of slavery, defeat the racist Southern , and forge a new future for America where all were equal--no matter the color of their skin. prgtoken s, as the of the House so eloquently explained earlier, voted to pass the 14th amendment to give Black Americans the right to vote. Against the will of the . This history is integral to the discussion we're having today, as the men who fought to perpetuate slavery, impose racist policies, and oppress newly freed Black Americans were all . prgtoken Now, the of today don't want you to know that. prgtoken They've worked hard to hide their history and supplant the accurate story of their party with the narrative of the ic savior. What they're attempting to do today is further bury their racist past and hide it from the American people. prgtoken I represent Tulsa, a city that knows something about hiding their past. Just this month, we observed 100 years since the horrific race massacre that destroyed Black Wall Street and killed hundreds of Black Tulsans. These attacks were orchestrated by Oklahoma and subsequently hidden by Oklahoma for decades, until we began to seek out the truth. prgtoken Tulsa no longer hides this shameful part of our history. Under leadership, Tulsa has worked hard to honor the memories of the race massacre victims and share the accurate history of the horrific, racist attack that took place 100 years ago. prgtoken We are stronger now because of our commitment to shine a light on our history . . . even the painful pieces. We do not hide it, obfuscate it, or rewrite it--like my ic colleagues are attempting to do today. prgtoken There are men on display in the Capitol Building who did terrible things. They should never have been placed in such positions of prominence, but it was leaders at the state level who sent them here. Many such states are now working to remove their statues under the proper process, led by leaders at the state level. prgtoken Congressional are attempting to usurp the authority given to our states and claim it as a moral victory for themselves. prgtoken For the statues and busts under Congressional jurisdiction, I fully support efforts to remove terrible men from positions of prominence, but I cannot justify usurping power from the states--states that are already working to rectify the decisions made generations ago by racist . prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition to
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2021-6-30

. Madam , rather than working across the aisle to advance a bipartisan highway bill, as they are attempting to do in the Senate, House have jammed a partisan bill through to the floor that puts America on a road to nowhere. prgtoken This bill is nothing but a partisan wish list that prioritizes the Green New Deal agenda over the core needs of our Nation's infrastructure, like roads and bridges. In fact, the bill before us would actually prevent the building of new roads, ripping away the ability of States to prioritize the needs of local communities. prgtoken I was sent to Washington to ensure our government is transparent and accountable for every action it takes. Spending $1 out of every $2 to comply with Green New Deal mandates is absolutely ludicrous. prgtoken I will not accept a deal that puts big cities and Big Government over the interests of the American taxpayers who I represent in rural America. prgtoken We are willing and open to negotiating realistic ways to rebuild our highways and infrastructure, but it must be done in a fiscally responsible manner and not through deficit spending. prgtoken Madam , I urge a ``no'' vote on this misguided piece of legislation.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION ON ROLL CALL 196 FOR H.R. 3005 ON REPLACING THE BUST OF ROGER BROOKE TANEY AND REMOVING CONFEDERATE STATUES
Michael R. Turner (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-6-30

. Madam , on Roll Call 196 for H.R. 3005, I inadvertently voted No when I intended to vote Yes. prgtoken Madam , my record shows my support for H.R. 3005 in the past. In the 116th Congress, this legislation, as H.R. 7573, passed the House of Representatives, and I voted Yes at that time. I intended to vote Yes on H.R. 3005 in the 117th Congress, and I am pleased to see that it passed the House.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2021-6-30

the bill that passed the committee was partisan and wasteful. prgtoken As expected, the succeeded in making a bad bill even worse. That is crazy, but that is how it goes. prgtoken And things are going wrong for rural America in this bill. In fact, it specifically bans building new roads and lets road and bridge funding expire while playing favorites with urban transit funding, like Amtrak and Pelosi's pet train project. It mandates policies that make us more dependent on Chinese supply chains while refuse to allow development of our own resources. prgtoken The bill is more focused on the Green New Deal than the well-being of hardworking Americans--spending now with promises to tax later. prgtoken Pelosi said it herself last week. According to the : ``There ain't gonna be no bipartisan bill, unless we have a reconciliation bill. Plain and simple. In fact, I use the word `ain't.' There ain't going to be an infrastructure bill, unless we have the reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate.'' prgtoken , listen to that. The is hellbent on raising your taxes and using them to increase wasteful spending. House , led by Pelosi, can't even get on board with their colleagues in the Senate and administration. prgtoken Maybe it is not too late to learn and do better. The STARTER Act is one way to move forward. prgtoken , whatever path we choose, it would be better than going off the rails on a crazy train bill like this one. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
WISHING THE MISSISSIPPI BULLDOGS GOOD LUCK
Michael Guest (Republican, MS) \u2014 2021-6-30

. Madam , tonight the eyes of the Nation will be on TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs face the Vanderbilt Commodores to determine who will be crowned the national champion in NCAA Baseball. prgtoken Mississippi State will not only be playing for their fellow students, the faculty, and alumni, but also for our great State as they seek to bring home the first Division 1 National Baseball Championship in Mississippi history. prgtoken Led by the offense of Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan, and Kamren James and the pitching of Will Bednar and Landon Sims, this group of athletes has brought life and excitement back to the people of Mississippi in the wake of a deadly pandemic. prgtoken We could not be prouder of these young men and all that they have accomplished. Tonight, I and the entire State of Mississippi will be hanging on every pitch of this winner-take-all game at the College World Series. prgtoken Good luck and Hail State.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2021-6-30

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken With this bill, House are saying that when it comes to our Nation's infrastructure, it is either their way or the highway. prgtoken Instead of accurately investing in our roads and bridges, the House have chosen to double down on a liberal wish list. prgtoken In fact, $1 of every $2 in this bill is spent on parts of Green New Deal mandates. prgtoken It allows jurisdictions that have defunded the police to backfill their budgets with Federal dollars for traffic enforcement activities. prgtoken It allows funds to be spent on art instead of roads, bridges, and waterways. I will just repeat that again. It allows the funds to be spent on art instead of roads, bridges, and waterways. prgtoken It punishes our Nation's truckers by raising their minimum insurance costs by 167 percent and regulating when and how far they can drive their own vehicles on their own personal time. prgtoken And it does not include any way to pay for this massive $547.9 billion price tag. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.