mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY MODIFICATION ACT
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-12-10

I want to thank Chairman Huffman for his leadership. prgtoken I am proud to speak in support of two of my bills being considered today, H.R. 5458 and H.R. 5459. As you have heard, these bipartisan bills would extend Rocky Mountain National Park and ultimately create more opportunities for Coloradans and visitors to our State to enjoy outdoor activities. prgtoken H.R. 5458, the bill before the House right now, the Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary Modification Act, as has been articulated previously, would formally codify a generous donation into the park boundary made by former astronaut and Longmont, Colorado, native, Vance Brand. prgtoken Mr. Brand bravely served our country in the Armed Forces and then served as an astronaut, and he has now so generously agreed to donate roughly 40 acres to Rocky Mountain National Park. This expansion would add additional protections for the park's high elevation ecosystem and provide recreational access to literally hundreds of miles of trails. prgtoken , I am proud to have introduced both of these legislative proposals, which came at the request of local communities that I have the honor of representing back in Colorado and that ultimately seek to protect the public lands that they love. The bills enjoy the support from the town of Estes Park, Larimer County, and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. prgtoken As one of the Nation's most historic parks, Rocky Mountain National Park remains one of the top-visited public lands in our country, attracting over 4.6 million people, annually, in recent years. Given the park's breathtaking scenery and iconic significance, these numbers are only anticipated to rise. prgtoken I know my good friend from the Fifth Congressional District of Colorado, Representative Lamborn, knows Rocky Mountain National Park well. I am sure, like me, he and his family have had countless opportunities to enjoy the park and its breathtaking scenery. prgtoken It is an honor to be able to represent Rocky Mountain National Park here in the United States Congress. prgtoken People from all over the world are drawn to the park, each for their own reasons, to experience nature, seek solitude, watch wildlife, and partake in outstanding recreational activities. I, myself, hold a number of treasured memories growing up in Colorado and enjoying Rocky Mountain National Park: hikes with my father and now being able to take my daughter on those same trails. It is something that holds deep meaning for many Americans, and especially for Coloradans. prgtoken As we collectively seek healing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, our public lands offer both a mental and physical refuge as well as an economic stimulus for the local communities that rely on them. prgtoken Additionally--and this bears mentioning--this year, devastating wildfires have occurred across Colorado, forcing evacuations, threatening air and water quality, and destroying homes and businesses. Three of
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JOINT CENTER FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC STUDIES
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-12-10

. Madam , I rise today to acknowledge the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. prgtoken Founded and chartered in 1970 as the first of its kind, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies has since served as America's chief Black think tank inside the beltway. Though diverse in their research and advocacy, the Joint Center has remained a consistent presence in the application and advancement of empirical-based policies supporting strategies to advance Black America. prgtoken Madam , it is common that any resolution addressing the disproportionate impact of a policy on the Black community introduced in this chamber cites a study conducted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Even I, along with countless Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) colleagues have referenced their reports when legislating and communicating with my constituents. The Joint Center plays a critical role in keeping our leaders properly informed and educated on the issues that Black Americans face daily. prgtoken Just last year, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies was credited for several efforts to achieve diversity in the workforce. Among them include bringing increased awareness to congressional staff diversity, culminating with the establishment of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the U.S. House of Representatives; encouraging companies to consider the future of their work through a racial equity lens, resulting in companies like McKinsey & Company. Another example of the fruition of their work would be The Atlantic and the National Skills Coalition releasing, `The Future of Work' reports and hosting listening sessions. Over the last five decades, they have successfully convened leaders of major cities to discuss workforce modernization in Black communities. prgtoken The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies' work is more relevant and necessary now than ever before. In the face of a crisis disproportionately affecting Black Americans' health outcomes and economic security encompassed by a global pandemic, we must push for a national agenda with viable solutions that address the systemic racism that prompted these inequities. prgtoken Madam , as we celebrate the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies for their successes over the years, let us also reaffirm our commitment as a body to working alongside them and others to advance noble ideas and policies that promote the Black community.
ROBERT E. LEE STATUE REMOVAL ACT
Anthony G. Brown (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-12-10

I thank the gentleman from California, my good friend, Mr. Huffman, for yielding time. I also thank Chairman Grijalva and the staff on the Committee on Natural Resources for their work and partnership on H.R. 970, the Robert E. Lee Statue Removal Act. prgtoken , my bill, which I first introduced last Congress, would remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Antietam was the site of immense bloodshed during the Civil War. prgtoken After 12 hours of combat, 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing. It remains the bloodiest day in American history, and thousands come every year to learn about the war over slavery that almost divided our Union. prgtoken On this Federal land stands a 24-foot statue of General Lee. It was commissioned with the explicit intent of honoring the Confederacy and glorifies the Confederacy, its leaders, the cause of slavery, and open rebellion against the United States of America. prgtoken The Lee statue was built by a private citizen in 2003--as you heard, 138 years after the end of the Civil War--and later acquired by the National Park Service. It is also historically inaccurate. prgtoken The monument depicts General Lee riding to the battlefield on horseback, but the evidence shows the General actually traveled to a different part of a battlefield in an ambulance due to a broken wrist. prgtoken The monument claims that Lee was ``personally against secession and slavery.'' Yet Lee was a brutal slave owner. He fought for the Confederacy and defended the savage institution of slavery, and he led an army that kidnapped free African Americans and massacred surrendering Black Union soldiers. prgtoken Instead of teaching us the dark lessons of our history, this statue sanitizes the actions of men who fought a war to keep Black Americans in chains. This is just one monument, among many. prgtoken Throughout our history, monuments to the Confederacy have been used to prgtoken rally white supremacists and intimidate Black Americans. The majority of these monuments were built post-Reconstruction by Confederate apologists, segregationists, and opponents of civil rights. prgtoken We next saw a resurgence of statues honoring the Confederacy during the 1960s and 1970s, when white supremacists attempted to roll back the progress being made during the civil rights movement. As monuments went up, Black men, women, and children were being lynched. prgtoken Confederate monuments served as a reminder of the power that white supremacists attempted to yield and assert over Black Americans. Earlier this week, the House voted to remove the names from military bases and property that honor the Confederacy. We should take the same steps for statues honoring the Confederacy in our national public spaces. prgtoken Reckoning with our shared history and this country's past injustices doesn't dishonor the Nation; it makes
RECOGNIZING LESLIE LOVE
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-12-10

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the lasting impact of the work of Michigan State Representative Leslie Love as she enters into retirement. prgtoken Over the years, I have witnessed Representative Love's hard work and commitment to the people she serves in Michigan's Tenth House District. Rep. Love was born, raised, and educated in the City of Detroit and her community roots run deep. She is passionate in her approach to securing resources for the residents of Redford Township and the City of Detroit. As a legislator, she counts among her successes, securing financial resources that provide much-needed technology to public schools, public parks, and after school programming for young people. Rep. Love has also championed auto insurance reform, a policy that would have a profound impact on residents. Further cementing her commitment to public service, Rep. Love has connected with residents throughout the Tenth House District on countless occasions, whether it's attending community events or hosting town halls or coffee hours. prgtoken In short, Representative Leslie Love has served the public admirably. Please join me in tribute to her service.
TRIBUTE TO PETE SFERRAZZA
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2020-12-10

today I am honored to recognize former Reno mayor and justice of the peace for the Reno Justice Court, Pete Sferrazza, who retired in October of this year. prgtoken Mr. Sferrazza has a long history of public service to the great State of Nevada. He served as Reno's mayor from 1981 until 1995, an unprecedented length of service, and served as a judge on the Reno Justice Court from 2008 until his retirement earlier this year. In the intervening years, Mr. Sferrazza served as county commissioner for Washoe County, from 1998 to 2007. prgtoken During his time as mayor and throughout his life of public service, Mr. Sferrazza focused on advancing labor rights and economic prosperity, while promoting the beauty of the Reno community. As mayor, he led the establishment of the City of Reno Arts Commission, as well as the creation of Reno's Victim Advocate Program, which has served as a model for the rest of the State. Mr. Sferrazza was also responsible for helping to preserve the Mt. Rose Wilderness and supporting the iconic Truckee River Walk. prgtoken In a time of seemingly stark political divide, Mr. Sferrazza is a shining example of what an elected official can and should be. As county commissioner, he approved a number of expansions of Reno's downtown and helped to consolidate various local emergency services, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Finally, during his time on the Reno Justice Court, Mr. Sferrazza was elected by his colleagues as president of the American Judges Association, the largest judges' association in the United States. His willingness and desire to help everyone in his community have been crucial to the city's development, especially as the city continues to grow into the 21st century. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Pete Sferrazza as he retires after decades of serving the city of Reno, Washoe County, and the State of Nevada in so many ways. His time in public office has made the Reno-Sparks community stronger and more inclusive for everyone, and I want to thank him for his service and lifelong commitment to leaving the Truckee Meadows a better place than he found it.
WORKING FOR THE INLAND EMPIRE
Pete Aguilar (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise today on behalf of the Inland Empire of southern California, the region my family has called home for generations. prgtoken As we stand here today, people in communities like mine and across the country are hurting. They are mourning loved ones, they are missing paychecks, and they are wondering what their government is doing to make the situation better. prgtoken Right now, in Congress are laser focused on providing the relief the American people need in this pandemic. We have been for months. We passed the CARES Act in March, but we didn't stop there. We passed the Heroes Act in May, and then we passed the updated Heroes Act. prgtoken We have continued to work on behalf of the American people, and our counterparts have not met us halfway. Senate s' months of inaction have led to a dire situation across this country, and it is unconscionable for them to continue to do nothing as we approach the holidays. prgtoken We have lost valuable time, and it is my hope that, using the bipartisan framework, we can reach an agreement as soon as possible. To do nothing in the face of this much pain is unacceptable. The people we represent have entrusted us with an enormous responsibility, and we cannot let them down.
MAKE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BUILDING A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Kwanza Hall (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise today to speak a truth, and that truth is quite simple. I stand on the shoulders of giants. prgtoken I hail from Atlanta, which is the home of the King Center, a place dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr one of America's greatest citizens. We honor him with a Federal holiday and memorial on our National Mall, just outside of this Chamber. prgtoken I am also the heir to the seat held by the late, great John Lewis. Congressman Lewis was by Dr. King's side, and Congressman Lewis dedicated his life to peaceful nonviolence. prgtoken Congressman Lewis was a beacon in this Chamber for the dozens of years that he served. It is one of the greatest honors of my life to be able to complete the term for which he was last elected and take the baton and bring his service across the finish line. prgtoken But I would be remiss if I did not use this opportunity to make sure their lessons are known for generations to come. prgtoken That is why it is critical that we make sure we preserve the buildings in metro Atlanta that give life to their work. We must establish the former headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where Dr. King did his work alongside Congressman Lewis, as a National Historic Site. prgtoken If we do this, we can do our small part to ensure that those who follow in our footsteps do so mindful of the example of these giants of the civil rights movement.
ROBERT E. LEE STATUE REMOVAL ACT
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-12-10

I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) for yielding. prgtoken , I rise in favor of H.R. 970, and I salute my colleague, Congressman Brown, for his exemplary leadership on this issue. prgtoken , I cannot find a single case of any other country on Earth where monuments and memorials are put up to honor the generals of enemy forces in a civil war or any other war. Maybe another such case exists, but I can't find it. And there is no denying that there is something freakishly unusual about this practice, but you cannot blame Americans from the 19th century. In this case, you can't even blame Americans from the 20th century. prgtoken This statue of Robert E. Lee went up in 2003, not even 2 decades ago. The bizarre and stubborn impulse to honor Confederate military traitors to the Union on the very battlefield where they fought to destroy our Union and to kill our soldiers waving the Union flag reflects the hold of the so-called ``Lost Cause'' ideology, the myth which returns in times of resurgent racism, that the Confederate cause was heroic and noble, that slavery was a benevolent institution, and that treason was somehow justified. prgtoken This kind of derangement from reality and from American constitutionalism has set the pattern for a paranoid style in American politics, which continues to this very day. prgtoken , in 2020, we have a President of the United States who refuses to accept his defeat in the election by more than 7 million votes and by a margin of 306-232 in the Electoral College--a margin he declared ``a landslide'' when he won by that very same amount. prgtoken A big defender of the Confederate statues, the President from New York is busily constructing a new romantic ``Lost Cause'' mythology about his loss, despite the fact that more than 40 courts have rejected all of his claims about the election. prgtoken , let us put an end to this strange practice of honoring the military enemies of the United States. Let us put an end to the ``Lost Cause'' mythology, which has been such an abscess and such a danger to the Republic.
HONORING JOSEPH H. RAINEY
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise today to express my appreciation to this august body for unanimously passing H. Res. 1253. I also want to thank Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for their support of the passage of this resolution. prgtoken This resolution honors the life and legacy of Joseph H. Rainey, a fellow South Carolinian, who, on December 12, 1870, became the first African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives, blazing the trail that provided the path that I am honored to be on today. prgtoken With the passage of this resolution, the House permanently recognizes Congressman Rainey's remarkable achievement 150 years ago from Saturday. They are honoring him by renaming H-150 on the first floor of this building, which is the room in which he met at the time he was a member of the Committee on Indian Affairs, on which he served from 1873 to 1875.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--CONFERENCE REPORT--Continued
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise today to remind all of my colleagues about the urgent, urgent need to pass coronavirus legislation. People need help, and they need it right now. prgtoken I am glad that bipartisan discussions are continuing. I think it is very positive, and I know that many of us are involved in those negotiations. I commend all of my colleagues who are working very hard to get this done. prgtoken It is critical that we come to an agreement that will help families and that will help businesses and communities get through this rough time, but time is running out, as we know. Our Nation is facing a crisis. Our States and local governments are facing a crisis as they are trying to gear up for an effective and rapid distribution of vaccines. Our local police officers, firefighters, public health workers, and other essential workers face layoffs. prgtoken The only real possibility that I see of defunding the police is the unwillingness, so far, by the majority leader to support funding local law enforcement in the COVID-19 emergency package that we are trying to get done. We all know that businesses and workers and families are facing a crisis. prgtoken We simply can't wrap up this session, we can't end this session and go home without responding to the urgent needs of the American people. prgtoken It has now been 1 week since the last time I was on the floor speaking about the need for more help. In the past week, more than 1 million additional people in the United States have become infected, and an additional 13,000 people in the United States have died because of COVID-19--13,000 moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas and friends and neighbors. We have now seen nearly 290,000 of our family members and friends and neighbors die of this horrible disease. That is like if the entire population of Grand Rapids and Flint, MI, simply disappeared. prgtoken Meanwhile, millions of families at risk of eviction are 1 week closer to finding themselves without a home in the winter in the middle of a health pandemic. Millions of small business owners have spent 1 more week scrambling to keep their workers on the payroll. Families don't have enough to eat, and they have spent 1 more week wondering where their next meal is going to come from for themselves and for their children. prgtoken A week is a long time to wait when you are in danger of being homeless or losing your job or being hungry or watching your child who is hungry. We are running out of time. We are running out of time, and so many American businesses, workers, and families are running out of time. prgtoken On December 26, only 16 days from now--16 days from now, the day after Christmas--vital unemployment programs will end, cutting off benefits that millions of workers need to provide for their families. Somebody who is self-employed, a contract worker, a gig worker, they will receive zero help after that to feed their families and put a roof over their head
COVID-19 RELIEF
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2020-12-10

the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our country for 9 months now. More than 15 million Americans have been infected. Nearly 300,000 are dead. Our economy is on the ropes. Folks are struggling just to get by, and have been trying to pass a relief package for months. prgtoken Last week, s finally met us at the table to negotiate a solution. We need to get this deal done. It must address the urgent needs of the American people by providing direct cash payments for working families; stronger unemployment payments; relief for cities and towns; new resources for the frontline workers who are keeping our communities safe; and funding for testing, vaccines, hospitals, and community health centers so we can end this pandemic and get back to our lives. prgtoken The American people sent us here to work for them. They have waited for far too long for Congress to pass a new relief package. Let's get this done on their behalf and let's not leave Washington until we do.
SECURING AMERICA'S PORTS ACT
Xochitl Torres Small (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-12-10

I ask unanimous consent to take from the 's table the bill (H.R. 5273) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a plan to increase to 100 percent the rates of scanning of commercial and passenger vehicles entering the United States at land ports of entry along the border using large-scale non-intrusive inspection systems to enhance border security, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendments thereto, and concur in the Senate amendments.