mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO MODIFY THE REQUIREMENT TO REMAIN OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES FOR COMMONWEALTH ONLY TRANSITIONAL WORKERS
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2023-3-7

three years of pandemic have taken a toll on businesses nationwide and, especially, in isolated, one-industry economies like that of the Northern Mariana Islands. prgtoken Policies that made sense before a pandemic shut down the tourism industry in the islands I represent are now actually making recovery more difficult. prgtoken So, today, I am introducing legislation to ease the return to normalcy by recognizing the impact of the pandemic. prgtoken My bill will delay for three years the effective date of a provision of the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act, Public Law 115-218, that is making it more expensive and more difficult for businesses in my district to recover. prgtoken This is the so-called ``touchback'' provision of that law that requires employers to send certain foreign workers back to their home country at least every three years. Doing so has, of course, proven problematic during the pandemic, when airflights were interrupted and increasingly costly. In some cases, home country ingress provisions made it difficult for workers to return. prgtoken In the meantime, the purpose of the touchback requirement has been fulfilled. It was intended to reduce reliance on foreign workers and encourage investment in U.S. workers. And that is precisely what has occurred, even without implementation of touchback. prgtoken During the pandemic the number of U.S. workers employed in the Marianas has held steady near 13,000, according to the most recent report from the Governor required by the U.S. Workforce Act. The number of foreign workers, according to the Governor, has fallen from about 8,000 to 6,000. prgtoken Even without the requirement that certain foreign workers return home at least every three years, Marianas businesses appear to have shifted to a relatively greater reliance on U.S. workers. This is precisely the intent of Public Law 115-218. prgtoken Rather than striking the requirement from the law altogether, however--as considering this shift touchback may now seem unnecessary-- my bill takes a more conservative approach to delay the effective date for three years, matching the duration of the pandemic. prgtoken The bill also makes clear the intent of the law's authors--Chair Rob Bishop and Ranking Member Raul Grijalva of the House Natural Resources Committee, Chair Lisa Murkowski of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and me--with respect to the timing of touchback, as explained in our letter of July 22, 2020, to Samantha Deshommes, Chief of the Regulatory Coordination Division of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. prgtoken Ultimately, I respect the bipartisan agreement on a reasonable immigration policy unique to the Marianas that is embodied in the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act. Circumstances now warrant fine-tuning the touchback provision. Ultimately, however, I want to see that bipartisan policy through to its conclusion in 2030.
HONORING THE LEGACY OF EDWARD FORD WEBER
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today to celebrate the productive life of the Honorable Congressman Edward Ford Weber of Toledo, Ohio, a gifted lawyer and a man for others. prgtoken Throughout his life and during his congressional service, beginning in 1981, he worked hard to serve the people of northwest Ohio during those tumultuous economic times. prgtoken He was a gentleman and a veteran, dedicated to his family, to our community of Toledo, and to our country. He earned a Phi Beta Kappa from Denison University, was president of his fraternity, and captain of the men's tennis team. He was married to the love of his life, Alice Hammerstrom, for 66 years. They reared three wonderful children, six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. prgtoken Ed was committed to education and to music, as well. He tutored children in reading within the Toledo public school system, some of our most challenged neighborhoods, in addition to the teaching he did at the University of Toledo Law School. prgtoken Ed practiced law in Toledo for nearly half a century at Marshall Melhorn first, and then eventually founded his own firm and generously kept giving of himself to numerous endeavors to improve Toledo: Our zoo; the Toledo Museum of History, which is world class; the Boy Scouts; the YMCA; the Toledo Museum of Art, also world class; the Red Cross; and numerous charitable foundations. He kept giving back, through his deep commitment to the people of Toledo and surrounding communities, and we needed him. He understood the impact and importance of civic duty. prgtoken Today, America salutes Edward Ford Weber for his lifelong, noble, honorable service. We honor and remember his constructive life and the ethic that imbued his spirit. prgtoken The last time I had the pleasure of seeing him was at the Toledo Club. He prgtoken had a Wednesday group, and all these guys would meet. They basically had formally retired from their professions, but they really didn't retire from life, and they were having one great time. prgtoken Our prayers are extended to his loved ones. May they be comforted by the love and memories they hold in their hearts, and may the angels carry their beloved husband, father, and grandfather to a place of peace and joy.
Nomination of Arun Subramanian (Executive Calendar)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-3-7

today, the Senate confirms a first-rate legal mind, someone I was proud to champion to the President for a lifetime appointment to the Federal bench, Arun Subramanian of New York. prgtoken Mr. Subramanian is the epitome of the American dream and a historymaker: The child of hard-working immigrants from India, he will become the first South Asian to preside in the Southern District, which has one of the largest South Asian populations in the country. prgtoken Mr. Subramanian's resume tells a very clear story. He is excellent. He is accomplished. He has dedicated his entire career fighting for average Americans. He served as a law clerk to Judge Dennis Jacobs on the Second Circuit, Judge Gerard Lynch in the Southern District of New York, and the late, great Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. prgtoken He is an expert in consumer protection, with years of experience defending those injured by unfair, illegal practices. He also defended victims of child trafficking and pornography. prgtoken Our courts need more people like Arun Subramanian. I am proud to support his confirmation. s on both sides of the aisle for supporting him today. prgtoken Once we confirm Mr. Subramanian, this U.S. Senate majority will have confirmed 114 judges to the bench: 30 circuit court judges, 83 district court judges, and 1 incredible Supreme Court Justice in Ketanji Brown Jackson. Of those 114 nominations, 82 are women, 78 are people of color, and, again, Mr. Subramanian is the first South Asian judge confirmed to the Southern District of New York. prgtoken Because of the work done by this majority, our Federal judiciary is far more balanced, far more diverse, far more experienced than the one we just had 2 years ago. It is something every American can be proud of. prgtoken .
WELCOMING THE HONORABLE JENNIFER L. McCLELLAN TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jennifer L. McClellan (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-3-7

I thank Representative Scott for his introduction. I also thank the Members of the Virginia delegation, and my new colleagues. prgtoken I rise as the newest Member of Virginia's Fourth Congressional District and the first African-American woman elected to this body from the Commonwealth of Virginia. I thank the voters of the Fourth Congressional District for placing their trust in me to serve in this, the people's House. prgtoken Today, I succeed, but can never replace, A. Donald McEachin, who was a friend, mentor, and colleague whom I served with in the Virginia House of Delegates and succeeded in the Senate in Virginia. I stand on his shoulders. I stand on the shoulders of John Mercer Langston, the first African American to represent Virginia, also from the Fourth District. prgtoken , I did not make this journey alone, and I thank my friends, family, and supporters who have supported me along the way. prgtoken First and foremost, I thank my husband, David Mills. I thank my son, Jackson, who is excited to show off his dance moves, and my daughter, Samantha. prgtoken I thank my mother, Lois McClellan. She will be the first to tell you that she is half responsible for me. She and my late father, Dr. James F. McClellan, Jr.--on whose Bible I took the oath of office--are why I am here. prgtoken I grew up listening to their stories of their childhood during the Depression, coming of age during World War II and its aftermath, and raising a family through the tumult of the 1960s and 1970s. They saw the best of government in the New Deal. They saw the worst of government in Jim Crow. prgtoken Their stories and the love of history that they sparked in me taught me at a young age that at its best, government is a force for helping people and solving problems. At its worst, government is a force that oppresses some for the benefit of a few. prgtoken Their stories sparked a desire to dedicate myself to making a government by, of, and for the people actually work for the people, solving problems and making their lives and communities better. prgtoken That desire led me to serve in the Virginia General Assembly for 18 sessions where, as the daughter and granddaughter of men who paid poll taxes and the great-granddaughter of a man who took a literacy test and had to find three White men to vouch for him to be able to vote, I was able to pass over 370 pieces of legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of Virginia. prgtoken I stand on the shoulders of my parents, grandparents, and great- grandparents, recognizing that in a lot of ways I am fighting the same fights that they did, and I stand here to ensure that my children and yours don't have to fight those same fights. prgtoken I am honored, humbled, and excited to get to work with you for the people of Virginia's Fourth Congressional District and this great Nation of ours.
RECOGNIZING TAMPA BAY'S LOCAL TRAILBLAZER, DR. JOHN SMITH, JR., IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today during Black History Month with immense gratitude for the life of service of veteran and retired educator, Dr. John L. Smith, Jr. Because of Dr. Smith's long- standing commitment and dedication to education and leadership, higher learning institutions throughout the United States are advancing diversity and inclusion at the highest levels. He charted a course through music, the arts and education that serves as an inspiration for future generations. prgtoken Dr. Smith was born in Bastrop, LA. on Sept. 14, 1938. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged after four years of service. Dr. Smith earned his bachelor's degree in music education from Lincoln University and then his master's degree in music education from Indiana University. Dr. Smith also went on to earn his doctorate from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with post-graduate study at Harvard University. Dr. Smith is married to Dr. Juel Shannon Smith and they share seven children, nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren together. prgtoken Dr. Smith's memoir titled Mentors Matter: One Black Man's Journey to Success highlights the role many of his mentors played in nurturing and inspiring his interest in classical music and the sousaphone. His life's path was so outside the norm, it is inspiring to learn how each of his mentors, Black and white, kept him on track until he reached goals that few other Black men of his time had achieved. prgtoken Dr. Smith is a nationally recognized and accomplished musician. For more than 60 years, he has dedicated his time to playing the tuba. In 1962, he was named the first African American principal tubist for a professional American symphony orchestra. Dr. Smith was the first African American to receive a full-time appointment with the Oklahoma City Symphony. In 1966, Dr. Smith was appointed as Chairman of the Music Department at Langston University and modified the curriculum to be more African American centered. Also, during his tenure there, he produced a summer Black Arts Festival. prgtoken Dr. Smith's talent and commitment to students did not go unrecognized. In 1972, he was appointed as the first Tuba professor at the University of South Florida. His work to create an inclusive environment for Black students was tremendous and includes serving as founder and president of the Committee on Black Affairs, increasing Black faculty and administrators, and creating a Black student support group. Dr. Smith's leadership in these roles led to the establishment of the Institute on Black Life and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. campus plaza. prgtoken In 1988, Dr. Smith advanced to the position of Dean of USF's College of Fine Arts, becoming USF's first Black academic dean. From 1988 through 1998, Dr. Smith raised $120 million for three endowed Chairs, including an African Art Chair; increased student and faculty diversity; held weekly lunch and counseling sessions for mino
DEFENDING VOTING RIGHTS
Marc A. Veasey (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-3-7

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida and the gentleman from Illinois for putting together this Special Order hour to talk about something that is very important, and that is voting rights in this country. prgtoken On the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, that happened in Selma, Alabama, 58 years ago, a group of courageous civil rights activists were brutally attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in that city as they marched against legalized segregation, legalized apartheid in America, and voter suppression. One of these activists who was beaten within an inch of his life was our friend and late colleague John Lewis. prgtoken Now, nearly six decades later, I am very sad to report to you that a lot of these attacks are starting to take place again, but in a different type of a way, because people are clever. You heard Lee Atwater, on his deathbed, say that if you say it that way, people will stop listening to you, so you have got to say it this way. So people have become very clever about how they unveil these attacks on people's voting rights. prgtoken I want to start in my home State of Texas. You know, something interesting, after the Voting Rights Act was passed, for decades, we were probably the leaders when it came to expanding voting rights for citizens in the State of Texas. We had a very generous early vote period; a very generous vote-by-mail period; easy to be able to register to vote; felons could vote after they were no longer, as they say, on paper; and it was a place that enfranchised lots of people. prgtoken But now, the right to vote in Texas is under attack. There are six bills in the State of Texas that are moving through the legislature. One is trying to make it illegal for people to vote on college campuses, where election officials can't hold elections on college campuses. That is how crazy and desperate this has gotten. I will talk about that cleverness and how people try to say things a little bit differently because they know if they just blurt it outright that they will just get completely taken to task on that. prgtoken So in my home county of Tarrant County, where Fort Worth is located, our county judge and district attorney had a press conference a few weeks ago and said that they were going to use taxpayer dollars to create a voter integrity employee, to presumably try to find someone Black or Hispanic that they could hold up and showcase as committing voter fraud. That is how crazy it has gotten, that people would actually be so desperate that they want to try to find somebody that they can hold up as a political ploy to try and further advance their careers. It is crazy, it is unjust, and we can't let this happen. prgtoken Sadly, -led States across our Nation are following Texas' dangerous lead. prgtoken That is the reason why I founded the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus. As a Member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I urge us to do everything we can to pass the John
HONORING APRIL F. CHRISTON
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today to honor a hardworking and dedicated public service worker, April F. Christon. prgtoken April Christon was born April Spencer on April 1, 1985, in Marks, MS, to Joyce Tennin Spencer and the late James Jones. She grew up on a home with her mother and 2 of her siblings in Lambert, MS. April attended school in the Quitman County School District and graduated with honors from Madison S. Palmer High School in 2003. While in high school, April gave birth to 2 daughters. Despite being a young, teenage mother, April had hopes and dreams of a better life and was determined to continue her education. With the support and assistance from her mother, extended family members, and friends, April went on to pursue postsecondary education at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. In 2008, April graduated from MSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Art. In 2009, April married her husband, Marcus Christon. They share 3 children together and settled in Batesville, MS. prgtoken April went on to start her career in the public service field by counseling individuals with severe mental health, behavior, family, and alcohol and drug issues. While gaining work experience and becoming more knowledgeable in her field, April decided to go back to school and pursue more education. She received her Master of Science in Continuing Education in Counseling and Psychology from the University of West Alabama in 2012. She also received a post graduate certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of North Texas in 2018. April currently works for the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) in the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, heading the Supported Employment division. April serves the state of MS by assisting Mississippians with most significant disabilities with services to obtain and maintain competitive integrated employment. She is a member of the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) and the Rehabilitation Association of MS (RAM). She also assists with the Project SEARCH program within MDRS, which recently was awarded the 100% Outcome Award for her work with Merit Health River Region Hospital in Vicksburg, MS, and the Excellent Outcome Award for her work with MS Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, MS. prgtoken Not only does April serve her community and state in public service through her professional work, but she also serves her community through volunteering her time in various organizations and programs in Panola County. April, along with two others, founded a non-profit organization, Pure Justice, Inc that is focused on the positive development of youth and their artistic talents. This organization was developed to provide social and educational activities for children and youth in Batesville, MS, Panola County, and surrounding areas. Within the organization, Pure Justice dance team was formed and has been a productive
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF LAUREN VERDICH
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today to recognize the life of LGBTQ activist, community advocate, and friend Lauren Verdich. prgtoken During the mid-1980s, Lauren became part of a group of volunteers at the AIDS Memorial Quilt Display at Navy Pier who came together to provide hot meals to homebound Chicagoans with HIV/AIDS. She helped to found Open Hand, an organization which served meals to people impacted by HIV/AIDS, and which still lives on today as part of Heartland Health Alliance. prgtoken She pursued her passion for cooking by starting Lauren's Catering in 1986, donating tens of thousands of dollars' worth of goods and services to nonprofits over the years. She was a founding member of the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1995. To honor all of her achievements, Verdich was inducted into Chicago's LGBT Hall of Fame in 2015. prgtoken I was honored to have her join my LGBT Advisory Committee and help educate me on the needs of the LGBT community in my district. She was a strong force, a fearless advocate and a friend who will be missed. prgtoken She is survived by her spouse Gail Morse; son Jordan Wolski and their son Zachery Wolski; daughter Dana Bennett; sisters Roberta Heinrich, Andrea Reich and Linda Mankoff; brother Steven lsaacson; loving nieces and nephews; countless friends and those whose lives she touched.
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-3-8

. Well, , I am disappointed that our bipartisan bonhomie this week about carjacking only lasted as long as overturning Washington, DC's law. prgtoken We should address how we can stop more carjackings. I don't think we should blame cars for carjacking the way some would blame guns for gun violence. The simplest way to stop carjacking is to lock carjackers away in prison for a long time and not to let them out early. prgtoken And the Senator from Illinois, I will say, is right. I was the most implacable foe of the FIRST STEP Act, and I remain so. Guilty as charged. I will walk free, like most violent criminals in Washington, DC, who plead guilty as well, but continue my advocacy against that law which has led to hundreds and hundreds of its beneficiaries committing violent crimes. It was a mistake in 2018 when we passed it. Eighty- seven Senators committed the mistake, including most s. President made a mistake in supporting the FIRST STEP Act. That law is dangerous to public safety. prgtoken .
PROTECTING SPEECH FROM GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE ACT
Andrew Ogles (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-3-8

accountability matters. Our Nation deserves nothing less than full transparency from Federal officials working in the name of the American people. prgtoken When government officials abuse their office to infringe on Americans' right to free speech, it is a very grave offense. Government officials who abuse official taxpayer-funded resources to censor Americans need to be out of government service for a long time. prgtoken My amendment allows the Office of Special Counsel, which adjudicates the Hatch Act, and would adjudicate the newly added provisions of this bill, to punish those employees with a longer span of debarment. prgtoken This amendment revises the disciplinary action under the bill to allow for debarment from Federal employment for up to 10 years rather than 5. This better reflects the gravity of their offense. People who abuse their official office to violate Americans' constitutional rights shouldn't be able to return to government employment after a brief stint in the private sector. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and .