mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam Vice President, the right to vote is sacred, the heart of any democracy. And in a proud, though painful tradition, successive generations of Americans have fought to expand and protect that right and ensure that we as a country live up to our democratic ideals. Many risked their safety and even gave their lives in the fight for the right to vote. From Frederick Douglass to Lucy Burns, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to John Lewis, and countless other unnamed and unknown patriots, Americans have long taken it upon themselves to make their Union more perfect. prgtoken It is because of the sacrifice and unyielding activism of those brave Americans that the 14th, 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th Amendments were ratified; the Indian Citizenship Act was passed; the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed; and in 1965, the landmark legislation of the Voting Rights Act was enacted. That transformative law, along with its bipartisan renewals over the following decades, helped set us on a path to representation across the Nation that better reflected the diversity of the American people and better ensured the right to vote. prgtoken We cannot allow these hard-earned advances to be reversed. prgtoken Yet, as we speak, instead of preserving the right to vote, s are finding new and insidious ways to make it harder to cast ballots. Why else would they oppose secure, effective, verifiable mail-in ballots? What other reason is there for curtailing early voting and weekend voting? These regressive new laws sprouting up across the country are clearly meant to discourage voters, particularly people of color, young people, people with disabilities, and the working class. That is not just malicious; it is an assault on America's ideals. prgtoken In this moment of crisis, only Congress can step in to repair the breach by passing the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. We cannot wait for others to act. Chief Justice Roberts ruled that Congress needs to change the Voting Rights Act to preserve its protections for millions of Americans. prgtoken At the State level, at least 19 States passed laws restricting access to voting in 2021, and a number of States have begun to allow partisan actors to interfere with election processes or even reject election results entirely. Blatant gerrymandering is diluting the voice of minorities and election procedures are being tampered with as nonpartisan safeguards fall to the wayside. prgtoken In the face of this dire onslaught against our democracy, the Constitution is clear that Congress has both the power and the responsibility to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act and to ensure greater election integrity in our country. prgtoken And this isn't a case of so-called red States and blue States. Every State needs to do more to preserve access to the ballot box, and the bill before us ensures that Federal elections in every State will be more secure and more accessible to voter
MOURNING THE LIVES LOST AT TWIN PARKS NORTH WEST
Ritchie Torres (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , I come here with the heaviest heart. My beloved Bronx saw the deadliest fire in the history of New York City in more than three decades; a fire that has left a death count of 17 residents, including 8 children. prgtoken A malfunctioning space heater was the immediate cause of the fire in a duplex on the third floor of a 19-story building known as Twin Parks North West. And even though the fire was largely limited to the third floor, both the apartment door and the nearby stairwell door were left open, causing the smoke to spread rapidly and widely throughout the 19- story building. prgtoken Since the building has no fire escapes and since the stairwells were full of black, toxic smoke, the tenants had no means of escape. The smoke spread so widely that victims were found on every floor. The fatalities were tenants who died from severe smoke inhalation from cardiac and respiratory arrest. prgtoken Almost all of the victims came from a single town in Gambia. The Gambian community has had roots in Twin Parks North West that date back more than half a century. It is hard to imagine a more closely knit community, a community more tied by the bonds of faith and family and fellowship than the Gambian community of Twin Parks North West, and so the loss is deeply felt. prgtoken The victims were as young as 2, and no older than 50. These were victims who had their whole lives ahead of them. Ousmane Konteh was only 2 years old. prgtoken Muhammed Drammeh celebrated his twelfth birthday. prgtoken Sera Janneh was a student at Lehman College. She had dreams of becoming a social worker of aiding those afflicted by trauma. prgtoken My heart aches for the father who lost his wife, two daughters, and a son; for the mother who lost her toddler; for the children who lost their parents; for the Drammeh family who lost four members; and the Dukureh family who lost five. prgtoken The fire at Twin Parks North West was as preventable as it was tragic. If the space heater had shut off automatically, the fire would have been prevented. prgtoken If the apartment door and the stairwell doors had closed automatically, the spread of the smoke would have been contained and countless lives would have been saved. prgtoken If the building had a sprinkler system, the fire would have been extinguished. prgtoken If the building had a two-way intercom system, the tenants would have been advised by the fire department to remain in their homes instead of fleeing to a smoke-filled stairwell that had become a death trap. prgtoken And if the tenants had sufficient heat and hot water in their homes, there would have been no need to use dangerous space heaters in the first place. prgtoken The use of space heaters is often a cry for help and a cry for heat. It is often an act of desperation for decent and dignified housing. prgtoken Madam , the Bronx is no stranger to deadly fires. New York City's four worst fires in the past 30 years have all been in the Bro
DEMOCRATS HAVE DELIVERED FOR THE PEOPLE
Ted Lieu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , last year passed the American Rescue Plan that provided funding to schools so they could reopen, funding to cities and States so that first responders, municipal employees, and county employees didn't get laid off, and it got stimulus checks to the American people. prgtoken As a result, we were able to have over 6 million jobs created since January 20, 2020, and the lowest unemployment rate now in nearly 50 years. prgtoken However, with the opening of our economies across the world, inflation has happened, including in the United States, and that is why I am so pleased that the administration has announced $14 billion to go to 500 Army Corps of Engineers projects, including at ports to help with supply chain issues. By making sure we can move goods faster and easier and to address these supply chain issues, we will reduce the cost of goods, and that was because also passed the infrastructure law. have delivered for the people.
ENDING FILIBUSTER TO PASS VOTING RIGHTS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-1-19

. I thank you, Madam , for the opportunity to stand here this morning with a very solemn heart, overwhelmed, one would say, with a sense of grief. And in that grief, there is joy. prgtoken The grief, of course, is to feel the personal pain of the lack of unity around the very core of democracy, and that is the right to vote. prgtoken As has been evidenced by Members over and over again, as I listened to Senators last night, everyone acceded to the point that voting is the core of democracy. It means that the individual in pain, in frustration, in affirmation, in the understanding of policies, gets to select a person of their choosing. It is not about those who are elected or candidates or the elections. It is about the voters having that right. prgtoken Right now, today, in the hands of the other body is the crux of democracy. I am, frankly, undone by the usage of an insignificant procedural rule that has been used over the decades and centuries to crush democracy. prgtoken The filibuster is insignificant. It is an order. It is not a statute; it is not the Constitution; it is not the 15th Amendment or the 14th Amendment; it is not the 13th Amendment, which freed slaves. It is also the recognition that voting rights is for all persons irrespective of their race, color, creed, or religion, and their party affiliation. prgtoken Why is the other body, under the leadership of Minority Leader McConnell, not coming to the table of unity? I extend an olive branch. prgtoken The filibuster has been changed already over 161 times. Do we recognize that between 1866 and 1890 many landmark pieces of civil rights legislation prgtoken that were essential to protecting the constitutional rights of Americans of color--this was during Reconstruction--they were, if you will, voted along party lines? But from 1917 to 1994, civil rights were crushed by the use of the filibuster. prgtoken And so I rise today to ask for the better angels of the other body, two Members who happen to be ic Senators, and others who are in total lockstep in the other party. prgtoken But listen to William E. Mason saying: ``But every schoolboy in the United States knows that the Senate is practically the only parliamentary body in the world where the majority cannot transact the public business, and where the minority instead of the majority transacts the business of the country.'' Senator William E. Mason, April 21, 1897, a . prgtoken I ask for mercy. As someone who worked for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who had the privilege of being here for the reauthorization in the mid-2000s, who wrote the Coretta Scott bill legislation that was added that said no mid-term redistricting, and as well helped rename the bill at that time to many icons of diversity. prgtoken I want to conclude my remarks by referring to Martin Luther King's mountaintop speech, to read as much of it as I can. He speaks at the beginning by saying if he had sne
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-1-19

I would like to go back a little further in history than last year's warmed-over conspiracy theories that we just heard my friend from Iowa talk about. prgtoken I so appreciated Senator Bennet's discussion of sort of the history of voting rights and the history of this body. The American public certainly doesn't know what cloture means. The American public really doesn't know all that much about the filibuster either. prgtoken But go back a few decades. The filibuster was used to suppress the vote. The filibuster was used by many people in my political party-- back when too many were on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of civil rights--was used by southern segregationists. It was finally overcome by some northern s, with a whole bunch of northern . prgtoken But think about what else the filibuster has been used for. The filibuster was used in the 1970s and 1980s to protect Big Tobacco in Kentucky. The filibuster was used to protect Big Oil. Now, it is used to protect Wall Street. The filibuster is used to protect big tech companies. The filibuster is used in case after case after case to protect big drug companies. So we know that the whole purpose of the filibuster has been to protect the most affluent, the most privileged, the wealthiest corporate interests in this society that just get their way in this body day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. prgtoken Now, this weekend--and many referred to this--we honored Dr. Martin Luther King. We heard a lot of words extolling his legacy. Those words from many who are for whatever reason not supporting voting rights today--those words sounded pretty empty. prgtoken Few people told the story of Dr. King in Memphis, why Dr. King was in Memphis. prgtoken In early February of 1968, sanitation workers in Memphis--some of the most abused, taken-advantage-of workers in our country; mostly Black workers doing a dirty, difficult job in a segregated city with a very racist mayor, who let that be known in the ensuing months--these sanitation workers were not even given rest periods, particularly when they were in White neighborhoods. There was nowhere to go when they were picking up the garbage in White neighborhoods. There was no place to go for the rest periods. prgtoken Two workers in early February, in a rainstorm, got in their garbage trucks to protect themselves from the rain for a few minutes. The garbage truck malfunctioned. Those two workers--underpaid, with no real benefits and no insurance and no help for their families--those two workers were killed. prgtoken Dr. King went to Memphis the first time to help lead that strike, to join the striking workers. The second time he went back, that is when he was assassinated. prgtoken Dr. King understood that the dignity of work was intertwined with voting rights. Worker rights and voting rights always went together. Dr. King insisted that
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Thank you, Senator Wyden. prgtoken I want to thank you. Oregon was the first to use vote-by-mail for a Federal election. Although, I think Senator Padilla, a great member of the Rules Committee from California, would tell you, in fact, that California and Washington first allowed any voter to request a mail-in ballot in the 1970s. prgtoken But since then, what has happened? Utah, considered a red State by all accounts has mail-in balloting for nearly all of their voters. We have seen this across the country. prgtoken Today, 34 States allow any voter to request a mail-in ballot. During the pandemic, 45 States actually allowed this to happen without an excuse. What happened during the pandemic is that we saw 11 States that didn't typically allow all voters to request a mail-in ballot do so. prgtoken Sadly, 10 of them have already started rolling this back for the next election. We know that this is a really safe and good way to vote, whether there is a pandemic or there isn't a pandemic. And the key is voters got used to it, they liked it, and attempts to roll this back and to make it harder to vote are the wrong way to go for our country. prgtoken And, instead, we should be assuring everyone that regardless of their ZIP Code, regardless of their State, they should be able to vote by mail. prgtoken Thank you for the question.
WILLIE O'REE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-1-19

2 days ago our country took time to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and reflect on our ongoing effort to ensure racial equality in America. It is fitting then that today this body considers legislation to honor the life of Willie O'Ree who, like Dr. King, was on the frontlines of racial integration in America and has dedicated his life to the ideals of diversity and inclusion. prgtoken In 1958, Willie O'Ree integrated the sport of hockey by becoming the first Black player in the National Hockey League. Well, known are the stories of barrier-breaking athletes like Jackie Robinson in baseball and Bill Russell in basketball; Mr. O'Ree's story is lesser known. prgtoken He was born in Canada, the youngest of 13 children. His grandfather, Paris O'Ree, escaped slavery in South Carolina and fled to Canada. Growing up in Canada, O'Ree quickly developed a love and talent for hockey. During his early years playing hockey, he was blinded in one eye by a stray puck. However, this setback did not deter him from his dream of playing professional hockey. A few years later, Willie finally got the call to play in the NHL with the Boston Bruins, becoming the first Black player to do so. prgtoken But the road ahead was not an easy one. During his time playing for the Bruins, Willie endured racist slurs by fans and opposing teams. He suffered illegal hits and rough treatment constantly. But that was not enough to deter him. He remained committed to playing hockey and would do so for 22 years in the NHL and the minor leagues. Think about that, , he played 22 years of professional hockey while enduring racism and bigotry; oh, and only having vision in one eye. prgtoken Willie never intended to stop the fight for inclusion in the league once he left playing hockey. After hanging up his skates, he became the NHL's diversity ambassador, a role he continues to this day. prgtoken In the 1990s, he established the Hockey is for Everyone initiative to offer marginalized and underrepresented children an opportunity to play hockey and develop important life skills. Since its inception, more than 120,000 children have participated in the program. prgtoken After his remarkable career on and off the ice, Willie has begun to receive the recognition he has long deserved. In 2018, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and just last night, his jersey was retired by the Boston Bruins. prgtoken It has been my honor to know Willie over the past decade and help lead this bill to award him a Congressional Gold Medal. I am thankful to my colleagues, Representatives Higgins, Pressley, Emmer, and Katko, who led this legislation in the House with me, and Senators Stabenow and Scott who led this bill in the Senate. prgtoken When I was young, my heroes were hockey players. They were talented, strong, and skilled. They taught me many things. At the time they were all White. Willie fought his entire life to change that during and afte
GHOST ARMY CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT
Ann M. Kuster (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-1-19

I rise today to recognize a group of veterans who have gone unrecognized for far too long. prgtoken In World War II, top secret units known as the Ghost Army used combat deception to literally fool the Nazis. Their mission to was to divert enemy forces away from American combat units so that our troops faced less resistance. This required creativity and a special kind of courage. prgtoken Whereas a typical American unit had tanks made of steel, the Ghost Army, as you have heard from my colleagues, Mr. Barr and Ms. Dean, built tanks made of rubber and wood. Using inflatable equipment and sonic deception, the Ghost Army made it appear as if there were tens of thousands of combat troops when there were literally none. prgtoken If the Germans ever discovered this ruse, the Ghost Army would have been annihilated. Throughout the war, the Ghost Army took this risk and, using their creativity and artistic talents, played a decisive role in Allied combat operations. prgtoken As Mr. Barr noted, in evaluating the performance of these units after World War II, an Army analysis found rarely, if ever, has there been a group of such few men who had such great influence on the outcome of a major military campaign. I might note that was the campaign that turned the tide of World War II. prgtoken To this day, combat deception units in the Army learn about the tactics that were used by the Ghost Army so many years ago. In this sense, the brave actions of the Ghost Army still are keeping Americans safe to this day. prgtoken The Ghost Army's combat deceptions were so effective that the Army kept them classified for over 40 years after the war. Because of this classification, the great men of the Ghost Army were never properly recognized for their heroism and contributions to defeating fascism in Europe. prgtoken , as noted, the House passed the Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act that I introduced last spring. The Senate is now asking passage of the companion bill, S. 1404, introduced by Mr. Markey. This would right the wrong by awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to those living members of the Ghost Army. We will recognize the families of those who have passed. prgtoken I am proud that 75 years after their service, the Ghost Army is finally getting some of the recognition it earned. prgtoken I also want to take a moment to recognize the contributions of so many individuals in getting this bill over the finish line. prgtoken First, I want to thank my colleague, Representative Stewart, and his staff for dedicating themselves to this bill. prgtoken I also want to recognize a good friend of mine, Rick Beyer, and Roy Eichhorn. These two historians helped rediscover the Ghost Army's story and share it with the world. prgtoken Finally, I want to recognize all of the members of the Ghost Army Legacy Project. This coalition, made up largely of family members of Ghost Army veterans, worked tirelessly to help Representative Stewart and my
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2022-1-19

. and colleagues, as today's debate begins to wind down, I want to rise to join those who have called for the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. prgtoken Years ago, when the United States was in the early stages of conflict in Vietnam, I was fortunate to win a Navy ROTC scholarship to attend Ohio State. prgtoken During my freshman year there, as spring break approached, our commanding officer urged a bunch of us freshman midshipmen to--he said: I got a deal for you. How would you like an all-expenses-paid trip to Quantico, VA, over spring break? prgtoken That is where the marine officers trained after going to college. prgtoken We all raised our hands and said: Count us in. prgtoken On our way--1 day off--we had 5 days in Quantico and 1 day off. We took a train to Union Station in Washington, DC, just three or four blocks from here, and from there, most of my fellow midshipmen found their way to watering holes in Georgetown. I chose to visit Capitol Hill. It is a place I had never been. prgtoken That day, I walked up Delaware Avenue and passed this building, somehow finding my way into the Rayburn House Office Building just a short distance from where we are gathered today. I walked up to a security officer there and asked if there were any hearings underway that I might try to sit in on. He said yep, and he directed me to a long line leading to the House Judiciary Committee room. prgtoken After a long wait, I finally had the chance to find a seat and watch in person the debate over what would later become the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I was glued to that seat for hours, mesmerized by what I saw and what I heard. prgtoken Later, back on the train to Quantico that evening, my friends asked me what I had found on Capitol Hill on that day, and I told them I thought I may have found my future. As it turned out, I did. prgtoken That day and in the days to come, those hearings inspired by the civil rights movement forced a spotlight on the discriminatory State laws that had made it nearly impossible for many Black Americans to vote 100 years after the end of the Civil War. prgtoken Years earlier, my sister and I had grown up in Danville, VA, the last capital of the Confederacy. There, we saw racial discrimination up close and personal. Even as children, we knew it was wrong, and we knew it had to change. prgtoken Sitting in Rayburn years later, I found the place where I thought just maybe--just maybe--I might be able to help do something to right that wrong. prgtoken Nearly 18 years later, since sitting in that hearing room, after I had finished my studies and completed my third deployment to Southeast Asia as a naval flight officer during the Vietnam war, I found myself back on Capitol Hill in these halls, this time serving alongside John Lewis in the House of Representatives. prgtoken After years of blatant discrimination and voter suppression specifically targe