mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CALIFORNIA INSURANCE OPTIONS LIMITED
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-6-5

in California and in the Western States, we see massive wildfires year in and year out due to the nonmanagement or mismanagement of our forests. prgtoken The result here lately has shown that, in California, you are seeing major insurers pulling out of the State. They are either no longer offering new insurance policies to homeowners or are even withdrawing old ones upon their expiration, which means costs go up for the remaining companies, fewer choices for consumers, and even more disaster in the fact that insurance will no longer be affordable at all for any of them as they have seen skyrocketing costs. prgtoken What do we do about this? What should government do? Well, it probably shouldn't be getting into the insurance business. Indeed, the California one called FAIR is already expensive and hard to get, beyond what the private ones are. prgtoken It comes down to forestry, having positive forestry that makes the level of risk in line, as well as not fees and mandates on top of what it takes to build a home already too costly in California, and making land available instead of getting sued over using the land in order to build new housing. prgtoken Now, you are going to hear the regulators say: It is all due to climate change. prgtoken No, it is other government actions that are doing this.
RECOGNIZING MIKE GRIMM
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-6-5

I rise today to honor the remarkable career of Mike Grimm and to celebrate his retirement from The Nature Conservancy. Mr. Grimm has dedicated his life to conservation and ecological studies throughout Northeast Wisconsin, and he has been instrumental with my ``Save the Bay'' initiative since its inception. prgtoken Mr. Grimm began his career in the field of ecology and conservation with his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and later a Master of Science in Natural Resource Planning. He joined The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 1991, and later moved to Door County in 1994 to create the ``Door Peninsula Project.'' Since then, he has served as a conservation ecologist throughout the region and has taken part in planning, researching, and restoring different land management projects on behalf of TNC. prgtoken Mr. Grimm has been a leader when it comes to TNC's philanthropic missions and has played a pivotal role with land acquisition projects throughout the region as well. He has extensive knowledge of the diverse ecological and biological landscapes of northeast Wisconsin, and he has conducted a significant number of ecological assessments throughout the region. His research and conservancy efforts have been profound, and he has worked hard to preserve and protect our unique northeastern Wisconsin landscapes and wildlife. prgtoken Furthermore, Mr. Grimm has been a key component of the Save the Bay initiative since its inception in November of 2015. He led the first Lower Fox Watershed Workgroup meeting for the program in 2016 and has facilitated meetings throughout the region for the past eight years. Mr. Grimm has invested many hours towards this collaborative program and has significantly contributed to its success. He has been instrumental with the formulation of goals and priorities for the initiative, and has played a substantial role with planning, preparation and idea generation. prgtoken Mr. Grimm's work throughout Northeast Wisconsin has been nothing short of incredible. His presence at The Nature Conservancy will be missed, as well as his thoughtful leadership at Save the Bay meetings, but the work he has done and projects he started will continue forward and will preserve his legacy. Mr. Grimm's impact on the community will not soon be forgotten and I would like to urge everyone to join me in thanking Mr. Grimm for his great career and his many years of service to Northeast Wisconsin.
CELEBRATING NATIONAL TRAIL DAY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-5

on the first Saturday of the month, we celebrated National Trail Day. prgtoken In recognizing our local, State, and national trails, we can bring attention to the importance of our trails, build a world where everyone feels welcome to enjoy the great outdoors, and provide the perfect opportunity to set off on a hike. prgtoken I am proud to represent the only national forest in Pennsylvania, the Allegheny National Forest. This multiuse forest is a staple in our region, providing recreation as well as employment opportunities. prgtoken The ANF has more than 200 miles of hiking trails, 53 miles of cross- country skiing trails, and 18 miles of interpretive trails, offering a variety of hiking experiences for outdoor enthusiasts of all types. prgtoken My district is also home to Marion E. Brooks Natural Area trails in Elk County, the Mid State Trail in Tioga County, and the North Country National Scenic Trail, which spans from New York to North Dakota. prgtoken , these hiking trails provide an opportunity to experience the beauty of our land. As the weather warms up, I encourage all my colleagues to get outdoors and explore their hometown hiking trails.
AUTHORIZING THE USE OF CAPITOL GROUNDS FOR GREATER WASHINGTON SOAP BOX DERBY
Chuck Edwards (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-6-5

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H. Con. Res. 43 authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby later this month. prgtoken Every year, we authorize the use of the Capitol Grounds for this event. prgtoken The national All-American Soap Box Derby has been running since 1934 and provides opportunities for young people to demonstrate their innovation and ingenuity through a family-friendly competition-- something we need much more of this day and age. prgtoken The Greater Washington Soap Box Derby is one of many local races that will qualify winning competitors for participation in the national Soap Box Derby . prgtoken , I urge support for this resolution, and .
CONGRATULATING NOTRE DAME MEN'S LACROSSE TEAM
Rudy Yakym III (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-6-5

I rise to celebrate excellence in college athletics and a very accomplished group of young men. prgtoken One of the many great things the University of Notre Dame is known for is the slogan: ``Play Like a Champion Today.'' That is exactly what the Notre Dame men's lacrosse team did last Monday when they defeated the Duke Blue Devils to win their first national title in program history. prgtoken The Fighting Irish had faced the Blue Devils in the championship game twice before, only to fall just short. However, the third time was the charm for the Irish. Their exhilarating 13-9 win came before a Memorial Day crowd of more than 30,000 fans and countless more cheering from around the country. prgtoken Notre Dame's defense proved key in taking home the title as the Irish led the Blue Devils to their fewest goals of any game all season. prgtoken Congratulations to Head Coach Kevin Corrigan, his entire staff, and all the Irish lacrosse players for bringing a national championship back to Notre Dame. prgtoken God bless, and go Irish.
HONORING THE 2023 TRUMAN SCHOLARS
Dusty Johnson (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-6-5

I rise today to recognize the 2023 Truman Scholars. prgtoken This year the Foundation received 705 applications from 275 institutions. After a review of the students' records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement, the finalist selection committee selected 199 students from 133 institutions to interview. The final selection of students includes 62 students from 60 institutions. prgtoken This year's nominees are: Malhaar Agrawal, Lina Altaan Al Hariri, Andres Arocho Gonzalez, Bob Atkinson, Andee Baker, Malea Bauer, Zachary Billot, Maisie Brown, Grace Carter, Gabrielle Chiodo, Isobel Dernlan, Madeleine Dotson, Margot Duque, Abby Dziura, Yasmine Elkharssa, Maya Elsner, Colin Hall, Sky Harper, Jason Hess, Amarachukwu Ifeji, Luda Isakharov, Samiha Islam, Adam Johnson, Travis Johnson, Ayesha Khan, Azeem Khan, Catherine Kish, Nidhi Krishnan, Niko Malhotra, Dewayne Martin, Anna Mathis, Sandrien Mekany, Sarah Mickelson, Rafael Montero, Aaliyah Moore, Tay Moore, Rina Nagashima, Klemmer Nicodemus, Anchee Nitschke Durben, Shreeya Parekh, Joleece Pecore, Irena Petryk, Hattie Polson, Christian Gyles Ramos, Emily Robertson, Andrew Schumann, Cheyon Sheen, Michael Solomon, Caleb Swanson, Cameron Tiefenthaler, Jalen Travis, Martayn Van de Wall, Madison Van Der Mark, Pieter van Wingerden, Kaitlyn Vana, Iona Volynets, Corbin Walls, Caleb Weiland, Jonathan Weinberg, Aubrey Wieberg, Ambria Williams, and Carter Yost. prgtoken Established in 1975, the Truman Foundation is the nation's living memorial to the thirty-third president. According to the Foundation's website their mission is to recognize aspiring leaders at an important inflection point in their development. Students are recognized in their junior year of college and rewarded for their aspirations to enter public service. After being selected, students receive a scholarship for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. prgtoken Congratulations to this year's nominees. I look forward to seeing where each of them will go in the future.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGING GROWTH COMPANIES
Patrick T. McHenry (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-6-5

I thank the chair of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Mrs. Wagner, for leading our committee s' capital formation agenda on the Financial Services Committee. She has done a fantastic job. prgtoken I thank the Members of the minority party for joining with us in passing some of these important bills. prgtoken By the end of today, we will haved passed 11 of those bills through the House of Representatives in the last 2 weeks. I thank the Members for their work there. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 2608. This bill clarifies the periods for which financial statements are required to be provided by an emerging growth company. prgtoken Now, an emerging growth company is an important provision of the JOBS Act of 2012. These are smaller companies that are growing rapidly, and the idea here is we want them to be able to access the public markets more quickly. prgtoken Now, let me stop here. It is a real pleasure to spend time on the House floor getting back to the policy that I am most steeped in and most interested in and, quite frankly, thrilled that I am not talking about the debt ceiling. Thank you for your indulgence there. prgtoken This important provision of the JOBS Act, called the emerging growth company piece of the JOBS Act, has this designation of an IPO on-ramp. The idea here is these are smaller revenue companies, and in their growth, we want them to be able to get to the public markets as quickly as they can. prgtoken Emerging growth companies are given a 5-year ramping period in the public markets to comply with a lot of regulatory requirements that public companies are obligated to comply with. prgtoken The goal here was to have an accommodation to have more companies go public here in the United States, and it has worked. This was title I of the JOBS Act. The success of this provision was as a direct result of it being self-executing. We wrote the law, and instantly, that day, people started using the statute. prgtoken Within the first 2 years of enactment of the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies resulted in 85 percent of all U.S. IPOs. Additionally, this specific accommodation for 2 years of audited financial statements was utilized by 65 percent of emerging growth companies within the first 2 years of the JOBS Act. prgtoken Despite the success of the JOBS Act IPO on-ramp, there are clarifications Congress should make to maximize the utility of these provisions. For example, there are instances where an emerging growth company, or a company that qualifies as such during its initial public offering, must provide financial statements for periods earlier than 2 years. prgtoken The first instance is when an emerging growth company acquires a significant business. The emerging growth company must present 3 years of financial statements, even though the post-merger company also qualifies as an emerging growth company. This is kind of a wonky failure of the statute. prgtoken The second in
FAIR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTS ACT
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-6-5

I certainly thank Chair Wagner and Ranking Member Sherman for their strong words of support for my bill, the Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act, which, as Ranking Member Sherman noted, passed out of our committee unanimously by voice vote, but it also has passed this House of Representatives, , twice already. prgtoken Most Americans are prohibited from investing in a wide variety of businesses. Unless you are rich enough, or what is called by the SEC, an ``accredited investor''--meaning that you make more than $200,000 per year or you are worth at least a million dollars, not including your house--you are not really allowed to easily invest in private markets, only in our public companies. prgtoken Meanwhile, new businesses are staying private for longer because bad policy from Washington has made it increasingly expensive for companies to become public, to go public, and to remain a public company. prgtoken In my view, , that is not fair, and it is not smart. The current accredited investor rules favor the rich and the affluent over people who have knowledge, that are working maybe in their own area of expertise, and then it effectively discriminates against someone who would be poor or potentially in a minority community. prgtoken In fact, the Securities and Exchange Commission argues that 1.3 percent of accredited investors are African American, and only 2.8 percent are Latino, even though they make up a third of our country. prgtoken Are you telling me they don't have the investment expertise or the knowledge to invest in a company they are interested in? Of course, they do. prgtoken Small businesses and startups in Arkansas and across the country are integral to our Nation's economic growth, innovation, and job creation. prgtoken From my years of experience in helping small firms raise capital, I know this bill will enhance capital formation and offer long-term wealth appreciation for those with the knowledge to apply it. prgtoken This legislation simply provides individuals who demonstrate a strong understanding of an offering the opportunity to invest in private offerings. This is good for Arkansas and good for entrepreneurs across our country. prgtoken This is about giving those previously limited to only investing in public market opportunities a chance to build savings and investment and wealth in private companies. prgtoken If you have the knowledge and expertise, you ought to be given the chance to invest in an industry that you know very well. prgtoken , I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Vargas) as well as the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), an original cosponsor of this bill, for their support of this legislation. I thank the ranking member and the chairwoman for their support, and I urge all my colleagues to vote for this bill.
HONORING DR. ELLEN JUNN
John S. Duarte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-6-5

I rise today with great admiration and respect to honor Dr. Ellen Junn, the esteemed President of Stanislaus State. Dr. Junn's unwavering commitment to excellence in education and her outstanding leadership have had a profound impact on the university community, its students, and California's Central Valley. prgtoken Throughout her tenure, Dr. Junn has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the transformative power of education. Under her guidance, Stanislaus State has flourished, reaching new heights in academic achievement, student success, and community engagement. Her vision and dedication have paved the way for innovative programs and initiatives that have enriched the educational experience for students and provided them with the tools to succeed in the modern world. prgtoken Dr. Junn's commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive campus environment is truly commendable. She has championed access to quality education for all, ensuring that every student has an equal opportunity to thrive. By prioritizing the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students, faculty, and staff, she has created a campus that celebrates the unique perspectives and experiences that each individual brings to the table. prgtoken Under Dr. Junn's leadership, Stanislaus State has forged strong partnerships with local industries, government agencies, and community organizations. By fostering these collaborations, she has created numerous opportunities for students to gain real-world experience and develop the skills needed to excel in their chosen fields. This commitment to experiential learning has not only enhanced the educational experience but has also strengthened the university's ties to the community it serves. prgtoken Dr. Junn's impact extends far beyond the walls of Stanislaus State. She has been an influential voice in higher education, advocating for policies and initiatives that benefit all students and institutions. Her leadership has been recognized and respected at the state and national levels, further solidifying Stanislaus State's reputation as a force for positive change in the education landscape. prgtoken Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dr. Junn is known for her compassion, approachability, and dedication to the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. She leads by example, embodying the values of integrity, resilience, and empathy. Her genuine concern for the success and happiness of those around her has created a vibrant and supportive campus community. prgtoken As we honor Dr. Ellen Junn, we express our gratitude for her transformative leadership, unwavering dedication, and remarkable achievements. Her vision and passion have made a lasting impact on Stanislaus State and the lives of countless individuals who have had the privilege of being a part of this remarkable institution. We wish her continued success in her future endeavors, knowing that her legacy will conti
ACCREDITED INVESTOR DEFINITION REVIEW ACT
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-6-5

this is an issue that is near and dear to me, having spent virtually my entire legislative career on the Capital Markets Subcommittee, including a time as the chair and ranking member, and this is something that many of us have been working on for a long time. prgtoken Thanks also to Chairman McHenry for setting out an ambitious agenda to strengthen and expand access to our capital markets. prgtoken The legislation being considered here today, both the previous bill, H.R. 835, and my bill, H.R. 1579, make good on this promise while increasing opportunity for small businesses, as well as investors in Michigan's Fourth Congressional District and across America. prgtoken Under Gary Gensler, the Securities and Exchange Commission continues to blow past their longstanding three-part mission to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and to facilitate capital formation with a number of other things that are well beyond that. We are here today to refocus the SEC on its core mission to help more Americans participate in our capital markets. prgtoken During our bipartisan effort, we have heard uplifting stories from Americans who inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs. prgtoken Look, we all know some very hardworking, middle-income folks who know how to manage their money and manage their money well. Frankly, we probably all also know stories of wealthy people who, frankly, don't have a clue financially, and I would never turn over our money to them to manage or to invest. prgtoken So let's talk about a couple of those people in the first category. I start, first, with a woman named Omi Bell. Omi Bell founded Black Girl Ventures, an organization focused on providing women of color with access to community networks, capital, and capacity building to develop and grow their businesses. Omi does that right here in Washington, D.C. prgtoken Omi testified before our Subcommittee on Capital Markets that her mother invested $10,000 of her own retirement to support Omi's first business venture. Yet her mom was not considered an accredited investor and, despite her desire to support her daughter's ambitions, she could have been disallowed from investing in that. prgtoken We also heard testimony from David Olivencia. He is the CEO and cofounder of Angeles Investors, who, while earning his MBA from Notre Dame, learned about startups and how early-stage investments could lead to outsized returns. prgtoken Unfortunately for David, as he told his story, he said he did not qualify as an accredited investor because his immigrant family did not have wealth that he could inherit. prgtoken That is a horrible way, , to decide whether someone should or can invest in a dream and in something that they know about. I can tell you this: Both Omi and David are all too common in the investment world. While innovators often turn to their local communities for support, they often lack the ability to reach those investors,
NATIONAL DAIRY MONTH
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-5

. Madam , this June, we celebrate National Dairy Month and recognize the farmers and the producers across Pennsylvania who provide healthy dairy products for our children who need that as they grow and mature. prgtoken Pennsylvania's 13th District is home to the greatest number of dairy cows in the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For generations, family-owned-and-operated dairy farms have been at the heart of our rural communities. prgtoken This year, Congress will work to pass a farm bill. To prepare for this legislation, I have been traveling across our district to hear from the farmers who will be affected most by this legislation. prgtoken Over the past years, we have seen inflationary policies lead to rising prices on the grain, the fertilizer, and supplies that our farmers rely on, and they are faced with imitation products that continue to put a strain on the dairy markets right here in America. prgtoken Last year, dairy substitutes made over $2.8 billion in sales, directly harming these locally owned dairy farmers in Pennsylvania. prgtoken The attacks on our dairy farmers have been going on for far too long. We have seen liberal policies dating back to the administration that have yanked whole milk from school cafeterias and have pulled away the nutritious product that growing young men and women need. prgtoken This decision is directly harmful. We know the nutritional benefits to bone, to muscle, and brain development that only whole milk can provide. Now, our students are missing out on these benefits. prgtoken National Dairy Month allows us to recommit to returning whole milk back into the schools, back to the kids who need it. prgtoken Let's pledge to end the false labeling of fake dairy products, and let's commit to standing with our dairy farmers.