mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING ANNA SACCENTE OF ORANGE, CONNECTICUT
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2019-4-1

. Madam , it is my honor to rise today to submit to the Record a powerful statement by thirteen-year-old Ms. Anna Saccente of Orange, Connecticut. I have had the honor knowing Anna for her entire thirteen years and could not be more proud of the young woman she has become. prgtoken Despite recent shootings at schools across the country, Congress has failed to pass meaningful reform to school safety and firearm regulations and has instead spent time debating arming teachers. As part of a school assignment, Anna chose to focus on this important issue--a policy that, as a student, would impact her directly. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues in the House not to forget that at the core of this discussion is the fact that the lives of children like Anna are impacted every day by gun violence. It is with great pride that I include in the Record her poignant words. Guns in Classrooms? (By Ms. Anna Saccente) Many people in today's world think that putting guns in classrooms would make them a safer and more productive environment. The truth is that it will actually make the classrooms more dangerous and make students more focused on the guns just feet away from them. Many government officials have brought up the idea of arming the staff in the nation's schools. The teachers who agree to get trained and carry a gun would receive a yearly bonus. The money they would be receiving is not worth the dangers it would pose to the students and staff in the schools. Teachers and other school officials should not be armed with guns. Although some people think arming teachers would be safer, teachers and other school officials should not be armed, because getting the proper training and firearms would be expensive, schools may lose many talented teachers and possibly students due to their beliefs about the guns, and it would also be more dangerous. One reason why teachers and other staff should not be armed is that it would cost the schools and government a very large amount of money. Where would the funding for such a project come from? An article written by a group of medical professionals states that, ``Funding for any program is imperative--quality firearms are expensive and we question how this would be paid for when schools already struggle with funding for basic educational resources'' (Rogers 1). This quote is significant because the schools and government cannot expect the teachers to pay for all the guns and training themselves. The government would need some way to find the money, and so far they have not. There are about 3.6 million teachers in the United States as of 2018. A company in Maryland charges you about one hundred dollars per person for general training. In total it would cost about
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Resumed
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2019-4-1

while my friend is still here on the floor, he was absolutely correct when he pointed me out as saying that I have long supported disasters, whatever State is involved, whether it is a red State, blue State, or purple State. I believe in helping Americans. We are all part of the United States of America. prgtoken I think we do waste time sometimes in having debates on things we should not. For example, when the s controlled the House of Representatives and the Senate and we had a bill to keep our government open and to fund part of the barriers along the Mexican border, both the Senator and I voted the same way. We voted for the bill. It would have given $1.4 billion that the Executive could use toward security. The President threaten to vetoed that, saying it was not enough even though the vast majority of s and had voted for it in the House and the Senate. So he shut down the government for 35 days, which caused unprecedented hurt to Americans of all political persuasions all over this country. I believe the CBO said it cost the country about $11 billion. prgtoken What did he then sign? The new bill we came up with, which had $1.3 billion. He rejected the bill the s and had supported that had $1.4 billion, shut down the government, ruined the lives of many hundreds of thousands of Americans, cost our economy over $10 billion, and then signed a bill to get $100 million less. prgtoken I worry we are in somewhat the same situation now. We seem to be deciding which Americans are going to be helped based on a tweet. I believe all Americans should be helped, and I voted for disaster relief for the States of every Senator who is on the floor presently. I have never asked what their priorities were or what their political background was; if they had a disaster, I voted for it. I think it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to stand with American communities in crisis. prgtoken I praised Chairman Shelby and his staff for their efforts to move this process forward. I know communities in Senator Shelby's State recently experienced their own natural disaster. As vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, as a U.S. Senator, and as a Vermonter, I am ready to stand with the people of Alabama because that is what we Americans do. prgtoken When Tropical Storm Irene devastated my State in 2011, Members of this body came to me not as s or but as American citizens eager to help their neighbor. When disasters have hit other parts of the country, I have done exactly the same. prgtoken But now we should know that for more than 1 year, one of our neighbors has been in crises. In 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by two back- to-back category 5 hurricanes. It is an almost unprecedented disaster-- two back-to-back category 5 hurricanes. At first, the administration was saying: Well, there is only a handful of people who died. Well, it turns ou
JOHN LYNCH OF THUMBSUP4KINDNESS AND THE LUNCH WITH LYNCH FOUNDATION
Jefferson Van Drew (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-4-1

I rise to honor an outstanding member of New Jersey. prgtoken John Lynch has made it his life's work to give to the youth of South Jersey, including creating learning experiences in schools and helping children with life-threatening illnesses. prgtoken He established the Lunch With Lynch Foundation to help facilitate educational opportunities and learning experiences for the children of Wildwoods, New Jersey. As well, he established a ThumbsUp4Kindness organization to change the world one random act of kindness at a time. prgtoken For his outstanding community service, Lynch received the Presidential Community Service Lifetime Achievement Award after 30 years and 4,000 hours of serving his community. prgtoken Thank you, Mr. Lynch. Thank you for what you do for our community. South Jersey is honored to have you. prgtoken Let's all take a page out of John's book and try to be a little kinder to each other in this House, in this country, and in this world.
HONORING THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NATIONAL GUARD
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2019-4-1

. Madam , I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing another outstanding achievement by the District of Columbia National Guard. On February 1, 2019 Burkina Faso became the 76th nation to join the State Partnership Program--a Department of Defense joint security cooperation program administered by the National Guard. The program is executed by the individual states, territories and the District of Columbia. I am proud to inform this body that the D.C. National Guard and the Burkina Faso Armed Forces will now be establishing a military-to-military relationship focused on security cooperation. prgtoken The State Partnership Program provides an equally beneficial relationship between armed forces of partnering U.S. National Guard states, territories, the District of Columbia and foreign nations. It is administered by the National Guard Bureau and guided by State Department foreign policy goals. These partnerships support Combatant Command campaign objectives, strengthen alliances, provide cost- effective subject matter expert engagements and enhance defense security. prgtoken The District of Columbia National Guard's partnership with Burkina Faso will be in addition to the current partnership between the D.C. National Guard and Jamaica. Since 1999, the District of Columbia National Guard has had a successful and productive partnership with Jamaica. In 2018, the D.C. National Guard and the Jamaica Defense Forces conducted 17 key subject matter expert engagements including work on drug-trafficking, military police response and domestic security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response, and preparation for medical and dental personnel, among other activities. prgtoken The Burkina Faso state partnership would not have happened without the leadership of Major General William J. Walker, the Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, Brigadier General Aaron R. Dean II, the Adjutant General D.C. National Guard, Justin Som, Burkina Faso's Secretary General of the Minister of Defense, Andrew R. Young, the U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso Brigadier, General Moses Miningou, the Chief of General Staff for the National Armed Forces of Burkina Faso, and Brigadier General Steven deMilliano, U.S. Air Force, Deputy Director for Strategy, Engagement and Programs Directorate at United States Africa Command. Many others contributed as well from the D.C. National Guard, Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau and State Department. prgtoken As the D.C. National Guard embarks on this new mission, I look forward to supporting them every step of the way. I trust through their dedication and sacrifices, they will help strengthen shared national security goals while fostering a partnership of peace, prosperity, and freedom for the people of Burkina Faso and the region.
BICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF RABBI ISAAC MAYER WISE
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-4-1

I join my friend and colleague, Senator Portman, in rising to recognize the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of prgtoken the giants of American religious life, Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. Rabbi Wise adopted Ohio as his home and is recognized as the father of American Reform Judaism. His ideas and teachings and the many great institutions he founded have had a profound effect on American Judaism and on people of faith throughout our country and around the world. prgtoken Rabbi Wise believed in liberty, in life, and in faith; he wanted to ensure that his ancient religious tradition, which had sustained people for millennia, remained relevant in a new and fast-changing nation. He pioneered ideas like men and women sitting together during services and choral singing and gave so many a new way to understand and practice their faith. prgtoken The groundbreaking institutions he founded left an indelible mark on Judaism and remain an integral part of our country's religious life to this day: the Central Conference of American Rabbis--CCAR--the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, today known as the Union for Reform Judaism, and Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. prgtoken Rabbi Wise made Cincinnati his home, and in large part because of the institutions he created, Cincinnati became central to the fabric of American Judaism. HUC is a center of Jewish thought, and this year, the CCAR will celebrate its 130th anniversary in the Queen City. The weekly newspaper Rabbi Wise founded, the Israelite, was based in Cincinnati, and that paper helped shape Reform Judaism. prgtoken Senator Portman and I join the people of Ohio in remembering this great Ohioan on the bicentennial of his birth. Rabbi Wise and his legacy are a great source of pride for so many Ohioans; we are honored to recognize his incredible contributions to Judaism, to Ohio, and to our country.
COORDINATING AND LEVERAGING ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL SECURITY ACT
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2019-4-1

I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , school shootings are dreadful atrocities that are plaguing our Nation. Nearly 20 years have passed since the horrendous shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where 13 people lost their lives, yet schools and universities continue to be soft targets for deadly attacks. prgtoken Last year, between the months of January and May 2018, there was the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting that claimed the lives of 17 individuals, but there were also shootings nearly every week at our Nation's schools. prgtoken As history has shown us, there is no profile for a school likely to be targeted. This tragedy can happen at any school. prgtoken In 2012, after the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the Department of Homeland Security conducted an internal review of actions that its components were taking to help improve school security. Today, I understand that multiple DHS components currently have programs underway to address school security, but the degree to which there is coordination is unclear. prgtoken The Coordinating and Leveraging Activities for School Security, or CLASS, Act will establish a standing council within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate school security activities, plans, and policies. The coordinating council would include all the key players in school security at the Department. They include the DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans; the Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection; the FEMA Administrator; the Secret Service Director; and the heads of DHS' Offices of Academic Engagement and Public Affairs. prgtoken This legislation was not developed in a vacuum. Inspiration for this legislation came directly from experiences of those impacted by school violence and from the input of New Jerseyans. prgtoken Last July, my subcommittee held a school security field hearing in Newark. At the hearing, the subcommittee heard from the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Association of School Resource Officers, and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security about the security risks the schools face and how Congress can provide support. prgtoken At the hearing and subsequently through our outreach and oversight, we came to understand there needs to be better coordination of school security activities within DHS to bolster coordination and minimize fragmentation. prgtoken As a leader in developing school security best practices and policies, it is important for DHS to have a formal school security body so that it can provide an example to those on the State and local levels on how to coordinate the protection of schools. prgtoken , I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation.
HONORING THE NAPA VALLEY COLLEGE PUENTE PROGRAM
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2019-4-1

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the Napa Valley College Puente Program on the 15th anniversary of its implementation. prgtoken Since its launch in 2004, the Puente Program has served underrepresented community college students in the Napa Valley. The curriculum-focused program was designed to assist Napa Valley College students that are statistically more likely to not finish college. The Puente Program helps students acquire the necessary skills for success in both their academic and professional careers. Students are paired with a Counselor, English Instructor, and Mentor to help them prepare to transfer to a four-year college or university. The program accepts all students, but the majority of students link their background to Mexico and other countries in Central and South America. The Puente Program tailors its services and class materials to connect students to their Mexican-American and Latino identities. prgtoken The Puente Program also spurred the creation of the student-led Puente Club. The Puente Club has been instrumental in collaborating with the community on initiatives, including the first ever Dreamer's Conference. The Napa Valley Community Foundation awarded the program three grants to help further its impactful work. Many of the students of the Puente Program have already positively impacted our community. Two students became Napa County Student Leaders of the Year, one is a dedicated social worker, some have become Puente leaders, and even more have returned to serve our community in myriad ways. prgtoken The Napa Valley College Puente Program is a member of the Northern California Statewide Puente Project. It is governed by a statewide Memorandum of Understanding and the college funds personnel and events. The Napa Valley College Puente Program would not be the successful and collaborative project it is today without its founders, Cathy Gills, Mary Salceda, and Christina Rivera. prgtoken Madam , the Napa Valley Puente Program is an important institution in our community. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor the program on its 15th anniversary.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-4-1

we all recognize that a postsecondary education is required for most family-sustaining, middle-class jobs, and that an educated workforce is essential to a modern, productive economy. A report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that college-level intensive business services have replaced manufacturing as the largest sector in the U.S. economy, and that while college-educated workers make up only 32 percent of the workforce, they now produce more than 50 percent of the Nation's economic output, up from 13 percent in 1967. A college degree also pays off, with one recent analysis estimating that the typical college graduate will earn $900,000 more of their lifetime than the typical high school graduate. prgtoken Yet just as there is growing recognition that postsecondary education is indispensable in the modern economy, families are being required to shoulder growing debt burdens that threaten access to college and their financial health. According to an analysis by the Federal Reserve, student loan debt per capita doubled between 2005 and 2014, rising from $5,000 to $10,000. This is a growing drag on our economy. As student loan debt has grown, young adults have put off buying homes or cars, starting a family, saving for retirement, or launching new businesses. They have literally mortgaged their economic future. prgtoken We know that student loan borrowers are struggling. The Secretary of Education just testified before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee that 43 percent of the student loans in the nearly $1.5 trillion Federal student loan portfolio are in default, more than 30 days delinquent, or negatively amortized. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that the balance of defaulted loans now exceeds $120 billion. More than 8 million borrowers currently have a loan in default. prgtoken Default is catastrophic for student loan borrowers. Only in rare instances can the debt be discharged in bankruptcy. The Federal government has the power to withhold tax refunds, garnish wages, and even garnish Social Security benefits to collect defaulted student loans. prgtoken We have seen the costs to students and taxpayers when institutions are not held accountable. Corinthian Colleges and ITT are two examples of institutions that failed their students while benefitting from Federal student aid. Their fraudulent business practices eventually led to their demise, but not before leaving their students and taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars in student loan debt. More recently, we have seen the closure of Argosy University, South University, and the Art Institutes, all operated by the Dream Center, leave roughly 26,000 students in the lurch. prgtoken We cannot wait until an institution is catastrophically failing its students before taking action. Institutions need greater financial incentives to act be
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2019-4-2

. I would be honored to. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi), my friend, for organizing this Special Order hour and for giving us an opportunity to speak more about what seems to be a recurring fight here in Congress between who are committed to preserving access to high quality, affordable healthcare and to our friends who are committed to undoing the progress we have made. prgtoken I know the gentleman will remember this. In the last Congress, I think, we were confronted with 50 or 60 votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety. And we were able to defeat each of those efforts. prgtoken Then President was elected, that effort continued, and the administration began to administratively sabotage the Affordable Care Act, and even proposed Care, which would have cost 23 million Americans their healthcare in its entirety. prgtoken So now having lost that battle, ran an agenda for the people of this country. prgtoken The first item on that agenda was driving down healthcare costs, driving down the cost of prescription drugs, and preserving coverage for preexisting conditions. prgtoken We won the election. We were put into the majority, in part because the American people rejected the 's relentless effort to destroy healthcare in this country and wanted to come to Congress in control to build on the success of the Affordable Care Act and make sure that we continue to protect access to quality, affordable healthcare. prgtoken Having lost in this body on this issue, now what do the s do? They take the battle to the courts. Let's use the courts to strike down the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken And we should be very clear, as I know the gentleman from California knows, President has claimed over and over again that he wants to protect access to healthcare. prgtoken In fact, just in the last couple of days, he now claims he has a secret plan. It is so good he is going to share it with the American people after the 2020 election. prgtoken But what we know is, unfortunately, what the President says and what he does aren't always the same. Because the truth is, the President has asked his Justice Department to go to court and fight to eliminate every single protection and benefit that the Affordable Care Act has provided. prgtoken So that means if President gets his way and our colleagues, there will no longer be caps on out-of-pocket expenses, there will no longer be savings by closing the donut hole, so prescription drug costs are reduced for our seniors. Medicaid expansion will end. The limits that prevent prgtoken insurance companies from limiting the total coverage over your lifetime, that ban will no longer exist. You will be able to deny access to healthcare for people with preexisting conditions. And the insurance company will be free to sell junk plans that offer little or no real coverage at all.
INTRODUCTION OF THE DONATE FOR DISASTER RELIEF ACT OF 2019
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2019-4-2

. Madam , I rise today to introduce the Donate for Disaster Relief Act. prgtoken Last year, there were 53 major disasters declared. The year before that, we had 61 declared major disasters. As we continue to feel the effects of climate change, there are going to be more major disasters and we as a nation are going to have to pay for the response and repair after these events. Now is the time to start thinking about what we can do to be better prepared for when these disasters strike. prgtoken That is why I am introducing the Donate for Disaster Relief Act, which creates a completely voluntary check-off on income tax returns that lets taxpayers elect to donate to a disaster relief trust. This bill is an opportunity for us to share our selflessness and generosity and be better prepared to adequately fund our response to an emergency situation. prgtoken The harsh reality of disasters is that while we may not be able to predict when or where they will always occur, we certainly can be prepared. The altruism of the American people is on display in their willingness to pitch in and help those in their greatest time of need. This bill creates an easy way for concerned Americans to anticipate the need for disaster relief, wherever and whenever it may be necessary. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support this critically important legislation.