mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CHILDREN NEED OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE GENDER IDENTITY WITHOUT CRITICISM
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I, too, rise to speak about a book, a book much like ``I Am Jazz'' that I have had the privilege of reading before on the House floor for a number of years. It is an opportunity for children to explore their gender identity without being criticized. This book is titled ``They, She, He easy as ABC.'' They! they! They! they! New friends are everywhere waiting to play! Out on the dance floor we love to sing they. They is a way to let everyone be. No one left out and everyone free. Then when we're friends, we sing they, she, he, ze. Making it easy as a-b-c-d. Let's dance! A. Ari loves to arabesque. They hold their pose with ease. B. Brody is a break dancer. Brody loves to freeze. C. Cory leaps high like a cat. She springs and leaps and bounds. D. Diego drums and dances. Tree has all the sounds. E. Ebony flies everywhere. They spread their arms like wings. F. Fawn is free as a flower. Fawn can bring the spring. G. Gia's going fast and strong. She's dancing on the go. H. Harvey's heart beats happily. Hip hop makes her flow. I. Indigo's into insects. Ze loves the buzzing vibe. J. Jorge jams to jazzy tunes. He or they can jive. K. Kelly can kick super high. His heart lives in the sky. L. Lourdes sings of lofty heights. Their songs let them fly. M. Marley is a star mermaid. He or she flows with the sea. N. Nathan is a nesting bird. He just wants to be. O. Ocean's arms are open wide. Tree swings and sways about. P. Paul pretends to be a plant. Paul grows up and OUT. Q. Quetzal is so, so quiet. He rests just like a queen. R. Rene is into rainbows. He creates the scene. S. Sky is like a star so bright. All the pronouns are right. T. Tai is tiger in the night. He claims his own might. U. Una is a unicorn. They prance to their own sound. V. Viola's a volcano. Her power's in her ground. W. Wren whistles when she dances. She knows just what to do. X. Xander exaggerates moves. They're extremely cool. Y. Yoli yells YES! joyously. Their voice becomes the song. Z. Zahara zooms in and out. Ze knows that ze belongs. Now's your chance. We need your moves. Join the dance. There's always room. Maya makes the art and words. She sings the song to life. Matthew dreams and tinkers. He makes the work tight. Together they make books for the kids they used to be. And for their own two kids so all kids can grow free!
COMBATING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE EPIDEMIC
Stacey E. Plaskett (Democrat, VI) \u2014 2020-2-27

the opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on communities throughout our country. In my conversations with members of law enforcement, public safety officials, and public health experts, it has become clear that serious reforms are necessary to ensure our criminal justice system effectively contributes to efforts to combat the substance abuse epidemic. prgtoken The 2018 National Institute on Drug Abuse data shows that every day, 128 people in the United States die from an overdose of opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl is a severe national crisis that affects public health, as well as social and economic welfare. prgtoken Next month, I am going to hold a roundtable discussion on this issue in my district to learn best practices and ensure that our stakeholders stem the tide before it becomes a crisis in our community. I am going to use the measures that my ic colleagues instituted to bring that to our community to make sure that it does not happen in the Virgin Islands.
TAKING STRONG ACTION TO STOP THE EPIDEMIC OF YOUTH TOBACCO USE
Lauren Underwood (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-2-27

this week the House is taking strong action to stop the epidemic of youth tobacco use. prgtoken We have watched as the use of tobacco and vape products by kids has exploded in our community over the past months. It has become a full- blown public health crisis affecting more than 5 million kids. prgtoken More than 200 Illinoisans have suffered respiratory illness from dangerous vape products since last year. Eight of them have died. This shouldn't be happening. prgtoken Thanks to decades of public health work and education, youth tobacco use was actually going down until the introduction of sophisticated vape products. prgtoken Let's be clear, these products are targeted at kids. They are made with flavors like cotton candy and gummy bears. They are marketed directly to children, and they are designed to keep children hooked. prgtoken This is a crisis that we will be dealing with for decades because 95 percent of adult tobacco users started when they were kids, and there is still so much that we don't know about how the high doses of nicotine and other chemicals in these products affect kids' bodies and their minds. prgtoken Given the FDA's failure to effectively regulate these products, Congress needs to act now before it is too late. It is time to stand up and refuse to let our kids be hurt. It is time to pass the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019.
REMEMBERING THE KHOJALY MASSACRE
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , I rise today in remembrance of the Khojaly Massacre, and to honor the victims of this horrendous act. The appalling massacre perpetrated on the innocent people of Khojaly in February 1992 is no less shocking 28 years later. One of the worst atrocities ever committed in the South Caucasus, justice has still not been delivered and 150 civilians are still missing. As we demand respect for human rights and democratic accountability within the international community, it is important that we continue to remember what happened in Khojaly and bring those responsible to account.
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I rise in strong support, and I thank Chairman Pallone for his incredible leadership on this. prgtoken Madam , I also want to thank Congressman Krishnamoorthi, who has been a leader on the youth vaping epidemic as the chair of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy on the Oversight Committee. He has led a months' long investigation into e-cigarette companies, which revealed mountains of evidence that these companies are illegally targeting children in advertising campaigns. prgtoken And the way they target children is by selling flavored tobacco products with kid-friendly flavors like mango and mint. This is despicable and will cause long-term damage to countless children's lives. prgtoken This bill is very important because it will ban the manufacture and sale of all flavored tobacco products, which will make it much more difficult for companies to target children. This is extremely important. It will save lives. prgtoken I strongly support the bill and urge my colleagues for a ``yes'' vote.
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , today we finally comprehensively address America's resurgent youth nicotine epidemic. prgtoken In 2019 more than 5.3 million middle and high school students used e- cigarettes, double the number who reported vaping just 2 years before. It is no surprise when flavors like gummy bear and cotton candy are used to lure children to e-cigarettes. And the aggressive digital marketing aimed at minors, like the campaigns Juul admitted to running, obviously work. prgtoken But this administration failed to holistically address this issue. Worse, they caved to Big Tobacco by embracing a woefully inadequate flavor ban. So this bill does just what this administration refused to; it bans flavors and proactively combats this epidemic. prgtoken I am grateful to Chairman Pallone for including language from my legislation, the PROTECT Act, that directs the CDC to implement a successful--like the anti-tobacco youth campaign was--youth anti-vaping education and prevention campaign. That is vital because if a child never starts vaping, we keep them off this perilous path to nicotine addiction. prgtoken Madam , I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill to stand up to Big Tobacco and to protect the health of young people.
BAKU POGROMS
Andy Levin (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I rise, as the representative of a large and vibrant community of Armenian-Americans in southeast Michigan, in remembrance of the Baku pogroms. prgtoken During these tragic events 30 years ago, Armenians faced unthinkable horrors. Press reports describe Armenians tossed out of their homes, their possessions thrown into bonfires. Others were killed by mobs. prgtoken As we condemn this violence and remember those who were lost, we must also look forward and reaffirm our commitment to the Armenian people. prgtoken Last year, I was proud to be an original cosponsor of and to cast my vote for the resolution that finally recognized the Armenian Genocide. Our vote affirms that there is no question about what happened to the Armenian people, and that we will never forget it. prgtoken I was also proud to support funding for aid to Artsakh, including support for critical demining projects. I am committed to continuing that support and working to secure the safety and wellbeing of the Armenian people. prgtoken I stand with the Armenian-American community of Michigan's 9th District and across the nation, as they honor those lost during the Baku pogroms. Armenian-Americans have champions and friends in the U.S. House of Representatives.
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Karen Bass (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I am here to rise in support of the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act and to speak in opposition to the motion to recommit. prgtoken I am concerned that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are confused about what the discussion is about today, so I rise in opposition. prgtoken The real issue here is about a dying industry that is in need of a new market, a new generation of smokers, because the national movement that fought to protect the health of the public from the adverse consequences of tobacco has successfully reduced smoking and driven the industry overseas to sell its product. prgtoken In 1988, California was one of the first States that voted to raise taxes on cigarettes and dedicated some of the revenue to creating statewide antismoking programs and campaigns to help people break addiction to tobacco. prgtoken Public health researchers correctly identified the correlation between the marketing practices of the industry, accessibility of product, and levels of addiction. prgtoken Some of you might remember Joe Camel, a cartoon character that made smoking look fun and innocent. Why would an industry whose product was only for adult use use a cartoon character to market its product? After lawsuits, the industry agreed to stop using cartoon imagery. prgtoken Before Joe Camel, depending on how old you are, you might remember candy cigarettes. When I was a child, I could buy candy in a package that looked like cigarettes with 20 pieces of candy shaped exactly like a cigarette that we pretended to puff. prgtoken California continued to raise taxes on tobacco and passed numerous ordinances to prohibit smoking. You can't smoke in government buildings. You can't smoke even directly outside of government buildings. You can't smoke in restaurants, in parks, or on the beach. You can't even smoke in bars. prgtoken Each time when taxes were raised or smoking was prohibited, the industry paid millions of dollars to frighten people. Businesses were going to close; businesses were going to leave California, and we would face a recession. prgtoken But what happened? People stopped smoking. Smoking rates in California declined by 55 percent. States and communities around the Nation joined the effort to protect the public's health by taxing cigarettes and reducing where people could smoke. prgtoken When smoking rates began to decline in specific populations--more affluent, more middle-class populations--the industry intensified marketing strategies and campaigns in low-income communities of color. prgtoken In the 1990s, I ran a community-based program that was funded by tax dollars from cigarette sales. We fought to remove billboards and other advertisements near schools and recreation centers because we understood the industry was losing customers and they needed new smokers. The industry offered to sponsor community events, supported community organizations, ev
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , today, I rise in support of H.R. 2339 the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019. This critical legislation provides a comprehensive approach to address the youth tobacco epidemic, which has surged in recent years with the introduction of such new tobacco products as e-cigarettes. The bill will prevent the loss of an entirely new generation to a lifetime of nicotine addiction. prgtoken Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, disability, and disease in the United States, and it is attributed to more than 480,000 deaths in the United States each year. Even more concerning is the rapid escalation in youth e-cigarette use, as youth use of nicotine in any form is unsafe and can seriously harm brain development and lead to other forms of addiction. In 2019, 5.3 million middle and high school students have reported to have used e-cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent increases have erased the decline in any tobacco product use that occurred in previous years. prgtoken As the first registered nurse elected to Congress, I am proud to support the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. Particularly, I am pleased to be joined by the American Public Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Medical Association, NAACP, and the National Black Nurses Association, who have all shown their support for this critical legislation. prgtoken As representatives of Americans from all corners of our country, we have a responsibility to protect the health and well-being of our communities and especially our children. On behalf of my home state of Texas, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2339.
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 2339, the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 and the efforts by the House to curb the youth e- cigarette and vaping epidemic. prgtoken Congress must take strong action to stop the marketing of tobacco products to children and end the e-cigarette epidemic among our youth. In 2009, Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act), which provided the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with authority to regulate certain tobacco products marketed towards children. And today, the House is passing the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act introduced by Representatives Pallone and Shalala, which will strengthen the FDA's authority to regulate tobacco products marketed towards children, particularly the insidious e-cigarettes that have swept the country in the decade since we passed the Tobacco Control Act. The legislative intent is rooted in the important objective of preventing youth access to tobacco products and stopping big tobacco and others from preying on our children by developing a new generation of nicotine-addicted smokers. prgtoken For years, many of my colleagues and I have worked with FDA and stakeholders to ensure that traditional, handcrafted premium cigars that are not used by or marketed to children are not swept up in an overbroad regulation. We introduced bipartisan legislation this Congress, as we have in last four Congresses, that reinforces the legislative intent of the Tobacco Control Act and narrowly defines traditional non-flavored handcrafted premium cigars not marketed to children. Our bill currently has 78 bipartisan cosponsors, and last Congress, our legislation H.R. 564 had 149 bipartisan cosponsors. prgtoken I would like to thank Chairman Pallone for working with me and others to address what I believe could have been unintended consequences of H.R. 2339 of subjecting traditional large and premium cigars not marketed to children to overbroad regulation. The bill as amended in the Energy and Commerce Committee correctly exempts from certain regulations this small subset of traditional, handcrafted cigars that are not marketed to children. The FDA would continue to have the authority to subject traditional and large premium cigars to important FDA regulations like minimum age requirements; prohibition of adulterated and misbranded products; requirements to register and report products and ingredients; FDA inspections every two years; good manufacturing practices and tobacco product standards; user fees; and the FDA should have enforcement powers for these. prgtoken While it was appropriate to provide exemption from certain provisions for traditional large and premium cigars in the bill, the definition of traditional large and premium cigars contained in H.R. 2339 should be updated to conform with the definition in H.R. 1854, to
HONORING HENRY HAMILTON
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor Henry Hamilton to close Black History Month. prgtoken Mr. Hamilton is the principal of the Whitney E. Houston Academy in East Orange, New Jersey. He has been a teacher, administrator, and principal at the school for 50 years of his 57 years in education. prgtoken His dedication to his students is shown every single day. He chats with them in the halls. He eats meals with them during lunch. He encourages them when they are having a bad day. He even carries peppermint treats to reward students for good grades. prgtoken He loves teaching so much that he never missed a day of work for his first 33 years of service. prgtoken Madam , I celebrated his work and legacy during my special Black History Month celebration on February 21. He is an asset to my district, a revered public servant, and a great, great man. He deserves all these accolades and many more.
REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I am pleased to speak in support of H.R. 2339. This bill provides a comprehensive approach to address the youth tobacco epidemic that has unfolded before our eyes in recent years. prgtoken The numbers are disturbing. About 6.2 million American middle and high school students used some type of tobacco product last year, and one in every three high school students have used a tobacco product in the last 30 days. These numbers should alarm us all, especially as we have worked so hard and invested so much to ensure the next generation doesn't face the same type of tobacco-related disease and death as those that have preceded them. prgtoken It is clear the tobacco industry has employed the same tactics that they have used for decades to hook young people on new versions of their products in order to generate new customers that will be addicted for life. E-cigarette manufacturers like Juul have used slick product designs, glossy advisements, and sweet flavors to appeal to kids. The rapid rise of products like these have reversed the progress we have made in slowing youth tobacco use. prgtoken In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that e- cigarette use by high school students has increased by 78 percent between 2017 prgtoken and 2018. Young people have said that kid-friendly flavors like bubble gum, chocolate, cotton candy, and mango are the driving force behind why they say they began using e-cigarettes in the first place. prgtoken There is also evidence that kids perceive flavored tobacco products to be less harmful than nonflavored alternatives. And flavors mask the harshness and flavor of the tobacco, causing young and adult smokers to smoke more, not less. prgtoken But e-cigarettes are not the only contributor to the youth tobacco epidemic. Research has shown that menthol-flavored cigarettes have contributed to the increased number of young people smoking. In 2019, nearly half of middle and high school students who were currently smoking used menthol cigarettes. prgtoken Congressional action is necessary today because President broke his promise to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes. The administration's proposal created giant loopholes, leaving a myriad of disposable and open tank e-cigarette systems on the market that continue to attract kids, as well as menthol-flavored products. prgtoken While it is important for us to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from age 18 to 21, which we did, the surge in youth tobacco usage cannot be reversed just by increasing the age alone. In order to fully combat this crisis, we need a multipronged approach that tackles all of the reasons and ways that kids are using these products, and H.R. 2339 is the solution that we need. prgtoken This bill prohibits all flavors that are so popular among kids. It updates and extends existing marketing and advertising restr
COMMEMORATING THE KIWANIS CLUB OF PASADENA CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
Adam B. Schiff (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena upon its centennial anniversary. prgtoken Kiwanis International is a volunteer-led global organization committed to service and strengthening goodwill. Since its founding in 1915, Kiwanis has grown to nearly six-hundred thousand members spanning across eighty countries. prgtoken The Kiwanis Club of Pasadena was founded in 1920 and is one of the oldest Kiwanis Clubs in the world. Their objective is to make the City of Pasadena a better place to live and to accomplish their goals working together as a team. The club has approximately forty members and supports many organizations that help the local community. These include Union Station Homeless Services, where club members help prepare, cook, and serve monthly meals to the shelter's homeless families, Villa Esperanza Services where members assist disabled adults in the Pasadena area, through the Aktion Club, and the Salvation Army. prgtoken The club also works with local Key Clubs, which are international leadership service programs for high school students, by holding a ``Career Day,'' allowing Key Club members to visit various businesses for a day to learn about different careers. In addition, the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena provides annual educational scholarships to outstanding students in the Pasadena area and supports the Camperships for Kids program for youth to attend summer camp. prgtoken The care, time and energy that the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena has given to the community is extraordinary and the residents of the Pasadena area have benefitted greatly. I ask all Members to join me in commending the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena upon their celebration of one hundred years of outstanding service.