mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO JERRY KLECZKA
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2017-10-11

I rise today to pay tribute to Jerry Kleczka. He was a true public servant and legislator. He passed away on October 8, 2017. He was 73 years old. prgtoken Jerry Kleczka grew up on the south side of Milwaukee. He graduated from Don Bosco High School, attended the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee for two years, worked as an accountant and served in the Wisconsin National Guard. Jerry Kleczka was elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature at age 24 where he served in both the Assembly and Senate. In 1984, he won a special election to replace Clement Zablocki in Congress and served for over two decades until his retirement in 2005. I succeeded Jerry Kleczka in the 4th Congressional District and appreciate his kindness in assisting me through the transition to Washington. He gave me a gift of African cloth from one of his trips that I cherish to this day. prgtoken While in Congress, Jerry Kleczka served on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee; he formed a warm and lasting friendship with Representative John Lewis during that tenure. He twice voted against going to war--the Gulf War in 1991 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some of his signature legislation included support for seniors and preventing ``drive-through'' baby deliveries when insurance companies forced some women to leave hospitals too soon after giving birth. prgtoken Jerry Kleczka was a serious, hard-working legislator with a strong work ethic. He took pride in being the guy from the south side of Milwaukee. prgtoken When my alma mater, Marquette University began an internship program in Washington, D.C in 1984 for students interested in careers in government and public service, Kleczka was a strong supporter. Jerry Kleczka donated his campaign funds of $300,000 to endow what became in 2005 the Kleczka Internship Program. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of law degree in 2005 by Marquette University. Many of the interns serving in my office were members of this program; this is Jerry Kleczka's lasting legacy to the entire community. prgtoken Upon his retirement, Jerry moved to Middleton. Middleton was Bonnie's, his wife of 39 years, hometown. He lived quietly and was busy with hobbies that included gardening, woodworking and remodeling projects. prgtoken , Jerry Kleczka was a valued member of Milwaukee, the 4th Congressional District, and the entire State of Wisconsin. I applaud and value his stewardship. I urge you and my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in a salute to the late Jerry Kleczka.
THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH AND SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2017
Daniel Lipinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-10-11

I thank Chairmen Chabot and Smith and Ranking Members Velazquez and Johnson for their leadership on this bill. prgtoken The SBIR and STTR programs have helped countless innovative small businesses grow jobs through American ingenuity. This bill will make these programs work even better by providing small businesses with additional tools for bringing innovations to market. Better SBIR and STTR programs mean more successful small businesses and more jobs. prgtoken I especially want to thank my colleagues for supporting inclusion of two provisions that I put forward in committee. prgtoken First, the bill increases the amount of money that grant recipients are allowed to spend on business and technical services, like market research, intellectual property protection; or participation in entrepreneurial training programs, like the highly successful Innovation Corps program. This helps small businesses, especially startups, use their funds where they know they are needed most, for technical assistance, creative approaches to problem solving, and other types of guidance needed in today's complex marketplaces. prgtoken Second, this bill expands the highly successful Phase 0 Proof of Concept Partnership pilot program, which I helped create at the National Institutes of Health in a previous SBIR reauthorization. This highly successful program provides the earliest funding for researchers exploring the possibility of turning their research into a viable medical product. prgtoken After just 2 years in operation, the three hubs created by the NIH program have filed 30 patent applications, negotiated 14 technology licenses, formed 7 companies, and have 70 promising technologies in the pipeline. prgtoken This bill extends the Phase 0 program for another 5 years at NIH and expands it to the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy. In doing so, we will be giving a needed boost to more researchers who are budding entrepreneurs who will create the jobs of tomorrow. prgtoken , our small businesses deserve support as they drive America's economic growth. This bill will give innovators and entrepreneurs additional tools to drive this growth that we so desperately need. So I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.
IN HONOR OF THE CAPITOLA BEGONIA FESTIVAL
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-10-11

I rise today to recognize an important milestone in my district. The Capitola Begonia Festival has recently completed its 65th and final year. This event has provided family friendly fun in the beautiful village of Capitola for thousands of people in our neighborhood and beyond. It has brought hundreds of families together and has created many memories that will always be remembered. The Capitola Begonia Festival has been a cherished event in our community since it began in 1952. The begonias have been donated by several growers in our community, including the Antonelli, Vetterle, and Reinelt families. The Golden State Bulb Growers provided additional support that helped keep the tradition alive for 65 years. The begonias provided by all of these growers have been a part of one of the most prized events of the weekend, the Nautical Parade of begonia adorned floats. Each year, volunteers head down to the city of Marina in the early morning to collect the blooming begonias to adorn the floats. While begonias once grew abundantly in Capitola by the 1970's, they were eventually only to be found in Marina. The Begonia Festival has allowed us to encourage imagination in our community. We have seen a giraffe created out of begonias for the 2007 ``Jungle Safari'' theme and witnessed the sunshine yellow form of SpongeBob SquarePants come alive for the 2008 ``It Came From the Sea'' theme. Whether it is creative ideas or creative structures, the Begonia Festival has been an incredible outlet for art, creativity, and imagination here in our community. Along with the Nautical Parade, there have been many other activities created to help celebrate this special weekend. Among these, some favorites stand out, including the Horseshoe Contest, Fishing Derby, and the Sand Sculpture Contest, where art is created from one of the finest mediums found on the Central Coast of California. All of these events are open to the community and beyond, making Capitola a warm and welcoming environment. These cherished events will be remembered fondly for creating a family friendly and historical tradition for Labor Day weekend in our community it is my pleasure to recognize this treasured community tradition that has brought together countless participants, volunteers, and sponsors. I thank all of those who have given their time and resources to make the Capitola Begonia Festival a gem of our community; one that will be truly missed.
ASSISTANCE FOR PUERTO RICO
Luis V. Gutiérrez (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-10-11

it has been 3 weeks since the eye of Hurricane Maria crossed over Puerto Rico. It has been 3 weeks, and there are still parts of the island that have not had contact with FEMA yet--3 weeks. For most people, that has meant no power, and most still don't have running water. prgtoken Hospitals and clinics were hit hard, as The New York Times reports. The daughter of one man who died because he couldn't receive oxygen treatment told the paper: ``Because of the electricity situation, a lot of people died and are still dying.'' prgtoken Forty percent of the island still lacks running water because of the blackout, which still affects 85 percent of the island. As a result, many people are bathing in streams and receiving water from huge tanks, which is never a good idea. prgtoken This is after 3 weeks in the most powerful nation on Earth. This is unacceptable. prgtoken Our response to Hurricane Maria and the people of Puerto Rico is a national and international embarrassment and a tragedy. They are our own citizens in our own Caribbean colonies of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and we have not helped them all that we can. prgtoken I spoke to Chicago firefighters yesterday who have been in Puerto Rico for about a week, and they tell me it is worse than we are being told. prgtoken They told me yesterday that they are still making contact in towns where people come up to them and say, ``Thank God, it is FEMA; you are finally here,'' only to be told, ``No, we are not FEMA; we are from Chicago; we are firefighters,'' and they embrace and cry with gratitude. prgtoken Last week, a group of my colleagues and I got together. We represent large Puerto Rican communities here on the mainland in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, and Florida. All of us have been contacted by our constituents who are in desperate need to get their loved ones back and out of Puerto Rico. prgtoken After 3 weeks, they have run out of patience and are not interested in excuses in our congressional district. They want their parents, they want their Tia with cancer, and they want their cousins on dialysis off the island, period, now. They want a plane ticket to get the hell out. prgtoken Our communities are ready. Lorain, Ohio; Hartford; Boston; Orlando; New York; Chicago; we are all ready, but the problem is transportation. If you have money, connections, or internet access, then you probably can find a flight out. prgtoken I know this because I was in Puerto Rico 2 weeks ago, and I saw the Land Rovers, the Jaguars, parked at the private airports in San Juan, because if you have the money, you have already put your loved ones on a flight out of Dodge. prgtoken The individuals from FEMA have been doing a great job, given the constraints, but I think now FEMA and the military resources should focus on the task of evacuating the elderly, the sick, and the vulnerable from the island. prgtoken Look, this is the way FEMA works. They say:
CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE
Susan A. Davis (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-10-11

last week, the administration rolled back contraceptive care for hundreds of thousands of women. They called it a victory for religious liberty. But let's be real. This is just one part of the White House's fight to strip women of their independence and healthcare. prgtoken First, they came for title X, scaling back the essential family planning centers that served low-income women. They attacked Planned Parenthood, pledging to block access for the millions of women who depend on it. They expanded the global gag rule, a policy that will limit the preventative healthcare options for women across the world. prgtoken Then, they turned their destructive sights on title IX, scaling back crucial guidances that protect sexual assault victims on our college campuses. prgtoken Now, they have opened the door for bosses to deny contraceptive coverage for their female employees. prgtoken Let's not pretend this is a victory for religious freedom. This is about taking away women's choices.
FOCUS ON THE PAIN THAT PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-10-11

let me first of all say what the world is coming to and how much our friends, our neighbors in America have had to go through: the most recent tragedy and massacre in Las Vegas, and now the horrendous, unspeakable tragedy by fires in California. I offer my sympathy to my friends, Mike and Jared, Congresspersons in California, and we look forward to working with them, and offer our sympathy for those who are lost, those who are missing. prgtoken I think it is important, as we have these natural disasters, that we really attentively work on the pain that people are suffering; that is on the back side of Puerto Rico, where there is no power, and we don't know the assessment of loss of life, there is no housing; from Florida to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where people are still waiting for relief, and the attention is not at the peak that it should. Then, in my own community, we are in desperate need of housing. We have senior citizens, after Hurricane Harvey, being dismissed and out of their homes. prgtoken Finally, , we are looking for a new disaster supplemental food program. We have the okay from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We have the State of Texas ready to work with us, but we must make sure that our local officials realize that this is a disaster and an emergency and that they move forward quickly to serve the people who are hungry and who are in need. prgtoken So, County, you need to move faster to use the Federal funds that we now have.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S. 585, DR. CHRIS KIRKPATRICK WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT OF 2017; PROVIDING FOR PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 16, 2017, THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2017; AND...
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-10-11

by defeating the previous question today, we can bring forward the Dream Act, which I am confident would pass on the floor of the House probably by a good margin. prgtoken What the Dream Act does is it allows young people who grew up in our country, who know no other country, a pathway to become citizens. They have gone to our schools, they have been on the football team or cheerleaders like your own kids or grandkids, . prgtoken They are able to work legally in our country because of the deferred action program, which is scheduled by President to be canceled in 4\1/2\ months. We need to act now to give these young people the certainty they need to live their lives as Americans, the only country they know, and the only country that they are loyal to. prgtoken We simply don't have time to waste. We need to give these young de facto Americans the certainty they need to continue with their lives to be able to contribute to our country, join our military, pay taxes, and all of the other responsibilities that Americans have. prgtoken Of course, , protecting whistleblowers is important. It is critical to ensure that our democracy functions honestly and with accountability and government is truly working in the best interests of the people that it serves. But we could get there a better way, by having an open process that allows and s to suggest further improvements to whistleblower protection rather than having a bill that was never marked up in committee, that simply appeared fully formed for the full House to consider without the opportunity for or s to make it any better. prgtoken The Dr. Chris Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act will strengthen the rights of whistleblowers and reaffirm their value and importance to our country. But once again, this bill should have gone through a regular process that allowed us to amend it. prgtoken The fact that this bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support shouldn't stop us from making changes in this body, the House of Representatives, to improve the bill and make it work even better. We have an obligation to our constituents to thoughtfully consider every piece of legislation in front of us and to amend where we see fit. prgtoken As we move forward on addressing the pressing issues in front of us, such as finding a path forward on deferred action, which we will present if we can defeat the previous question, reauthorizing CHIP, or making improvements in our healthcare system, let's do it through a regular process that allows and s, the 435 of us who serve here, to bring forward our ideas, not just the ideas of leadership in making the country a better place. prgtoken We have good, smart, deliberate Members on both sides of the aisle who want to work, want to legislate. It is ridiculous that we only have 30 days out of the next 78 in which Congress prgtoken will even be working, and I suspect for most
HONORING THE LIFE OF REVEREND DR. A.V. FISHER
Marc A. Veasey (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-10-11

I rise today to honor the life of a community trailblazer, father, husband, and man of God, the Reverend Dr. A.V. Fisher. prgtoken The Reverend Dr. A.V. Fisher was born the sixth of seven children to Essie J. and Corine Caraway Fisher in 1933 in Marshall County, Texas. After graduating from Pemberton High School, Reverend Fisher forged his own path to become the first male student to graduate Cosmetology at Valarie Hurd Beauty College. In 1958, Reverend Fisher brought his expertise and work ethic to Fort Worth where he opened his first beauty salon. Reverend Fisher immediately transformed the salon into a community icon that caught the attention of Ebony and Beauty Trade Magazines, ranking him as one of the Top 100 Beauty Operators in the United States. The Texas Legislature joined their high praise by honoring Reverend Fisher for 50 years as a Hair Stylist and Beauty Owner. prgtoken Following his successful barbershop career, Reverend Fisher decided to embark on a new chapter of this life by transitioning into ministry. He entered the Gospel Ministry in 1963 under the spiritual guidance of Reverend James Warren and Dr. M.R. Lester, and later became pastor of the Salem Missionary Baptist Church. As a Reverend, Dr. Fisher has welcomed hundreds to his church; baptized many, ordained over 300 deacons, and installed over 200 preachers as pastors all over the United States. Additionally, Reverend Fisher's service did not waiver. He founded the Black Pastor's Association, coordinated the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Service and Prayer Breakfast for 30 years, and helped found the East Fort Worth Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. Reverend Fisher graduated from the New World Bible Institute, and has received numerous awards including an honorary doctorate. He has preached all across the United States and the Bahamas. prgtoken Reverend Dr. A.V. Fisher passed away on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 and is survived by his wife, Verdell Knighten, and their three beautiful daughters, Avis Michelle, Ava LaNell, and Adrain Van. prgtoken I honor and celebrate the life of a dedicated community servant, Reverend Dr. A.V. Fisher.
REAUTHORIZE CHIP
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-10-11

I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding and for his leadership in organizing this Special Order hour. prgtoken There is no more sacred responsibility that we have than to ensure that the children in this country have access to quality, affordable healthcare. So I rise this evening to speak in support of the vital Children's Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP. prgtoken As you know, , CHIP authorization expired on September 30, 2017--this past September. This program assures that 9 million children, including 27,000 children and pregnant women in my home State of Rhode Island, are provided with low-cost health insurance, which covers essential services such as routine checkups, immunizations, doctor visits, prescriptions, dental and vision care, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, laboratory and x-ray services, and emergency services. prgtoken This historically bipartisan program has been successful in lowering the percentage of children who are uninsured from nearly 14 percent when it started in 1997 to 4.5 percent in 2015. Historic achievements. prgtoken If not extended by Congress soon, many States will no longer be able to fund the program and will begin limiting coverage, some as early as the end of this year. prgtoken In fact, the Kaiser Family Foundation recently concluded that, without an extension of CHIP, ``States would face budget pressures, children would lose coverage, and implementation of program changes could result in increased costs and administrative burden for States as well as confusion for families.'' prgtoken If not extended by Congress soon, many States will no longer be able to fund the program and will begin limiting coverage. prgtoken Congress must also act with urgency to extend and reauthorize the other programs that were enacted in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, including extending funding for community health centers; the Personal Responsibility Education Program; the rural and Medicare-dependent hospitals program; Teaching Health Centers; Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; and the Special Diabetes Program for type 1 diabetes and for Indians. prgtoken These critical programs, as well as CHIP, are vital to the American healthcare system, and they support access to high-quality, affordable care. prgtoken I want to again thank the gentleman from Arizona for providing this Special Order. This is urgent and should be an urgent priority for the Congress of the United States to reauthorize this critical program to absolutely insist that children--as I said, 9 million children across this country--have access to quality, affordable healthcare, including 27,000 children and pregnant women in my home State. prgtoken are urging our colleagues to reauthorize this bill immediately so that the families who are so anxious about whether or not they will continue to have the ability to access quality, affo