mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO DR. PAUL LeBLANC
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2024-6-17

as the senior Senator from New Hampshire, I rise to celebrate the career of Southern New Hampshire University President Paul LeBlanc and congratulate him on his 21 years of leadership to the university, as well as his significant contributions to the higher education sector, as he steps down this summer. prgtoken Fueled by his own experience as a first-generation immigrant college student, Dr. LeBlanc has been driven throughout his career to make college more accessible and affordable to all learners, regardless of their personal circumstances. Appointed as SNHU's president in 2003, his work has created more inclusive opportunities for learners in New Hampshire, across the country and globally. prgtoken As SNHU's fifth president, with a reputation as a pioneer and leader in online education, Dr. LeBlanc has played a pivotal role in reshaping the university into a forward-thinking global institution committed to student success, accessibility, and innovation. Under Dr. LeBlanc's direction, SNHU grew from 2,500 students to more than 225,000 learners, making SNHU the largest nonprofit provider of higher education in the country. With his vision to make higher education more accessible, Dr. LeBlanc has conferred more than 200,000 degrees during his tenure at SNHU. The university also ranks among the most innovative universities in the country and as a top employer nationwide. prgtoken As a thought leader in learner-centered higher education innovation, Dr. LeBlanc is the author of two books, ``Students First: Access, Equity, and Opportunity in Higher Education,'' published by Harvard Education Press in 2021, and ``Broken: How Our Social Systems are Failing Us and How We Can Fix Them'' published in 2022. His prgtoken written work explores the ways higher education has traditionally left some students behind and challenges the industry to rethink delivery models and evolve to meet students where they are. prgtoken Dr. LeBlanc has also been a steadfast community member in the city of Manchester. In 2023, LeBlanc was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Under his leadership, SNHU launched many community initiatives, including donating funds and volunteer hours to support people experiencing housing insecurity, delivering thousands of meals to Manchester K-12 students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and partnering with the YWCA NH to launch the Center for New Americans to support families who are new to the United States. prgtoken As a lifelong learner, Dr. LeBlanc is not retiring but going back to his original graduate work, studying the impact of new, paradigm- shifting technologies on society--specifically AI's impact on education and the workforce. I look forward to hearing his important insights on such a critical topic. prgtoken I congratulate Dr. Paul LeBlanc on his outstanding tenure as the president of Southern New Hampshire University and his positive impac
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF A.O. SMITH
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2024-6-18

I rise today to congratulate A.O. Smith Corporation on the occasion of their 150th anniversary. prgtoken In 1874, A.O. Smith began in Milwaukee, WI, as a small family business. Over the past century and a half, they have grown from their humble roots. They began by specializing in the fabrication of metal hardware specialties and have emerged today as an industry leading global water technology manufacturer producing residential and commercial water heaters, boilers, and water purification equipment. Today, they employ more than 12,000 people across the world and conduct business in over 60 countries. prgtoken The company was instrumental in helping to usher in the automobile revolution, developing a new, lightweight steel car frame--a development that caught the interest of major car companies including Peerless, Cadillac, Packard, Oldsmobile, and Ford. Ford's initial order of 10,000 frames led A.O. Smith to develop the world's first mass production process for assembling frames, later introducing the world's first automated frame production line. This first fully automated frame assembly plant came to be known as the Mechanical Marvel due to the line's ability to make a frame every 8 seconds--10,000 frames a day. A.O. Smith was also a large component manufacturer that supplied parts to another early Wisconsin pioneering manufacturer, Harley-Davidson. prgtoken A.O. Smith engineers discovered an improved method for welding, allowing for the production of a wide range of steel products. This included the pressure vessel for oil refining and large diameter steel pipe, important components in the oil and natural gas industries. prgtoken One of the company's most important and enduring innovations was the process of fusing glass to steel. By perfecting this process, the company developed a range of new products, including glass-lined beer kegs, glass-lined brewery tanks, and glass-lined residential water heaters. Glass-lined water heaters rapidly became an industry standard that endures today and led to A.O. Smith's growth as a global leader in water heating products. These products now include industry leading models that are consistently among the most efficient in the market according to the ENERGY STAR program. prgtoken In recent years, A.O. Smith has emerged as an industry leader in developing technologies that address drinking water quality challenges. A cofounding member of the Water Council, A.O. Smith has helped ensure Milwaukee's place as a global water technology hub, while supporting economic development in Wisconsin. The Water Council helped bring about the creation of the Global Water Center, which houses water-related business accelerators and research facilities where engineers conduct controlled testing on water purification products sold around the world. Bringing together their work has helped transform Milwaukee into a world hub for water research, education, and economic develo
HONORING DR. MICHAEL LOVELL
Greg Stanton (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2024-6-18

I rise along with my colleague and fellow Marquette University graduate, Rep. Gwen Moore, to honor the life and legacy of President Michael Rhodes Lovell, Ph.D an accomplished engineer and the 24th president of my alma mater. His decade of leadership was transformative for both the Marquette and Milwaukee communities. prgtoken In his lifelong pursuit of academic excellence, Dr. Lovell completed three mechanical engineering degrees at the University of Pittsburgh, was a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Academy of Inventors and held U.S. and global patents. He published more than 100 articles in engineering journals, coauthored Tribology for Scientists and Engineers and was awarded nearly $30 million in research grants for which he was a lead investigator. His brilliance did not go unnoticed: he won a National Science Foundation CAREER award and the ASME Burt L. Newkirk award in Tribology. Dr. Lovell understood the importance of research and development, and Marquette more than doubled its research and development expenditures in his tenure. prgtoken Before joining Marquette's community, Dr. Lovell was the engineering school dean at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for three years. He was later appointed as the school's eighth chancellor in 2011. Once at Marquette, he led the implementation of Beyond Boundaries--a strategic plan that encourages students, faculty and staff alike to think creatively and to lead impactful lives through entrepreneurship and community building. Under his leadership, the university has become more accessible to students from all different backgrounds. Dr. Lovell's impact is seen across campus; from the brand-new dorm to the new business school, he fought to make Marquette a world-class university. prgtoken Dr. Lovell's thoughtfulness and spirit of service extended far beyond his administrative duties. He never failed to make time for Marquette's students, attending hundreds of campus events and teaching classes. An avid runner, he could be seen jogging around campus. He was often joined by students through his running club, meeting weekly at the St. Joan of Arc Chapel on campus. If a student wanted to speak with him, all they needed to do was put on a pair of running shoes. He recognized the importance of listening and working closely with his fellow Wisconsinites to address difficult issues. Alongside his wife Amy, Dr. Lovell worked especially hard to address mental health issues in the wider community. prgtoken Dr. Lovell embodied Marquette's tagline, `Be the Difference.' As the first non-priest to become Marquette University president, Dr. Lovell held close the Jesuit values that guide Marquette's mission. He worked to connect all communities across Milwaukee and led by example, living a life dedicated to service. prgtoken Let us pray for Dr. Lovell's wife Amy and his children--Marissa, Matthew, Anna, and Kevin, and his many frie
HONORING CHERYL REID-PAYNE AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2024-6-18

Cheryl Reid-Payne was born on the beautiful island of Barbados, immigrated to London, England, and eventually moved to New York. There, she pursued a career in the medical field and obtained her certification as a nursing assistant. prgtoken After over 20 years of living in New York, she moved to Central Florida in 2002 and continued her passion for helping people by working at several nursing facilities. Cheryl, a champion of serving the community, also sought opportunities to do so by becoming a member of the CFAFCC, NAFCC, NAACP, and the Caribbean and Floridian Association, known as CAFA. She has been an active member of CAFA for the past 23 years serving in many capacities, such as chaplin, corresponding secretary, and co-chair of the Service Activities/Education Committee, for which she is currently the sole chairperson. In this capacity, Cheryl enjoys planning, shopping, and delivering Christmas giveaways to residents at Central Florida nursing facilities. During Thanksgiving, she also hands out turkeys at several locations in Kissimmee to families in need. At CAFA's biggest annual community event, Caribbean Fusion, held in Kissimmee, you can find her by the medical tent taking blood pressure as she is also on CAFA's Medical Committee as a nursing assistant. prgtoken Additionally, Cheryl and her team fundraise for and provide college scholarships at CAFA's yearly scholarship awards ceremony to Osceola County high school students with impeccable GPA scores. Students also receive special gift bags, which Cheryl shops for and donates to the students with great pleasure. prgtoken Keeping in line with her passion and love for children, Cheryl officially opened Cheryl's Daycare, which was opened in the Poinciana area for 18 years. Beyond Cheryl's social and professional endeavors, she finds comfort in serving as an usher at her local church in Poinciana. prgtoken It has been and remains her honor to serve the community and she looks forward to continuing to do so with passion and care, with a goal of becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Currently, she is happy being a wife and mother of four children and five grandchildren.
FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT OF 2023--Continued
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-6-18

I am proud to come to the floor today to stand with my good friend and a great leader on this issue, Senator Martin Heinrich, on a matter of life and death. prgtoken A few days ago, the MAGA Supreme Court struck once again, reversing a ban on dangerous bump stocks like the one used in the Las Vegas shooting--the deadliest mass shooting ever committed by one person. prgtoken Today, the Senate must step into the breach and pass a Federal ban on bump stocks, which Senator Heinrich has championed. I urge s not to block this commonsense safety measure. prgtoken Banning bump stocks should be the work of 5 minutes. It is an idea that even some conservative Senators have claimed to support in the past. One conservative colleague of mine on the side said a while ago that if a bump stock ban ``actually gets on the Senator floor, I'd vote for it.'' prgtoken The senior Senator from South Carolina also said: I think doing away with bump stocks, that's achievable. . . . I'm willing to get rid of that. prgtoken Senate s even supported when he, hardly a friend of gun safety, backed bump stocks after the Las Vegas shooting. If banning bump stocks was good enough for s in the past, it should be good enough for them today. prgtoken But if s block this bill today after claiming to support bump stock bans in years past--a ban even President supported when he was President--shame on them. They would be siding with the gun lobby over families exasperated by gun violence. prgtoken , it is amazing to me that the MAGA Supreme Court even went to the right of on this issue. It is surprising, appalling, and very, very hard to swallow that they would have this kind of reasoning. prgtoken If s now believe a ban on bump stocks is simply too much, they should explain their change of heart to the families in Nevada who lost loved ones. If s block this bill today after claiming to support bump stock bans in years past, shame on them. s should explain to parents and teachers and students why they would rather make it easier for murderers to access dangerous weapons instead of making it harder. It is not enough for s to roll their eyes and dismiss this bump stock vote as a show vote. Tell that to the families who lost loved ones. prgtoken I urge s not to object. Americans are sick of gun violence. They are especially sick of lawmakers who obey the gun lobby and kill any effort to make our communities safer. prgtoken I want to thank my friend and great leader in the Senate Martin Heinrich on this and so many other issues, prgtoken whether it is conservation or environment or protecting the rights of people or just helping New Mexico in every way, as he is now vowing to help them with the fires that are ravaging in his State. The Senator from New Mexico is one of our great leaders here
TRIBUTE TO A.O. SMITH CORPORATION'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2024-6-18

it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate and celebrate the 150th anniversary of A.O. Smith Corporation, a cornerstone of American innovation and Industry. prgtoken A.O. Smith was founded in 1874 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and over the past century, has grown from a small family business specializing in the fabrication of metal hardware into a global leader in water technology, manufacturing, residential and commercial water heaters, boilers, and water purification equipment. Today, A.O. Smith employs more than 12,000 people across the world and conducts business in over sixty countries. A.O. Smith provided family-supporting jobs for many of my constituents, their parents, and grandparents. prgtoken A.O. Smith was instrumental in helping to usher in the automobile revolution, developing a new, lightweight steel car frame--a development that caught the interest of major car companies including Peerless, Cadillac, Packard, Oldsmobile and Ford. Ford's initial order of 10,000 frames led A.O. Smith to develop the world's first mass production process for assembling frames, later introducing the world's first automated frame production line. This first fully automated frame assembly plant came to be known as the ``mechanical marvel'' due to the line's ability to make a frame every eight seconds--10,000 frames a day. A.O. Smith was also a large component manufacturer that supplied parts to another early Wisconsin pioneering manufacturer, Harley- Davidson. prgtoken A.O. Smith engineers discovered an improved method for welding, allowing for the production of a wide range of steel products. This included the pressure vessel for oil refining and large diameter steel pipe, important components in the oil and natural gas industries. prgtoken One of the company's most important and enduring innovations was the process of fusing glass to steel. By perfecting this process, the company developed a range of new products, including glass-lined beer kegs, glass-lined brewery tanks, and glass-lined residential water heaters. Glass-lined water heaters rapidly became an industry standard that endures today and led to A.O. Smith's growth as a global leader in water heating products, which now includes industry leading models that are consistently among the most efficient in the market according to the ENERGY STAR program. prgtoken In recent years, A.O. Smith has emerged as an industry leader in developing technologies that address our drinking water quality challenges. A co-founding member of the Water Council, A.O. Smith has helped ensure Milwaukee's place as a global water technology hub, while supporting economic development in Wisconsin. The Water Council helped bring about the creation of the Global Water Center, which houses water-related business accelerators and research facilities where engineers conduct controlled testing on water purification products sold around the world. Bringing together their work ha
FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT OF 2023--Continued
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-6-18

. I commend Chairman Carper for his efforts to maintain adequate guardrails against proliferation during negotiations with our House colleagues. But we must not export nuclear material and technology to countries that do not meet the same safety standards to which we hold ourselves, and we cannot afford to compromise decades of nonproliferation efforts to advance short-term geopolitical interests. prgtoken In addition to my concerns over the export license provision, I would like to raise my concerns over section 105 under division B of the Fire Grants and Safety Act. This section directs the Secretaries of Energy and State to assess factors beyond 123 agreements to determine a country's Generally Authorized Destination status under part 810 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, which facilitates the export and transfer of certain nuclear material and technology as ``general activities.'' 123 agreements refer to section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act, which sets out specific requirements for the United States to engage in significant civilian nuclear cooperation with another country. 123 agreements are critical to the nonproliferation apparatus. These agreements require congressional approval, include a list of nine safety criteria, and set out clear procedures governing cooperation under the agreement. prgtoken This provision provides no definition or guidance on what ``other factors'' qualify as adequate criteria for Generally Authorized Destination status. prgtoken Chairman Carper, is it the intent of this provision to allow the Secretaries of Energy and State to grant Generally Authorized Destination status to countries that do not meet our own standards for nuclear safety and proliferation?
FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT OF 2023--Continued
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2024-6-18

soon, the Senate will have an opportunity to ensure that essential Federal resources remain available to fire departments all across our country. prgtoken Every day, firefighters risk their health and safety to protect our communities. They don't just respond to fire emergencies; they also help keep us safe from threats like chemical hazards, terrorist attacks, and even active shooters. prgtoken The Fire Grants and Safety Act gives our firefighters the support they deserve. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes two vital grant programs administered by FEMA. These programs help fire departments purchase safety equipment, address staffing needs, train their staff, and provide cancer screenings to first responders. prgtoken The bill also reauthorizes the U.S. Fire Administration, which represents firefighters at the Federal level. The USFA helps ensure that our local fire departments get the proper support, and it takes the lead on data collection, research, education, and training for the fire service. prgtoken Federal programs like these enable fire departments to do their jobs safely and effectively, and I have seen it firsthand while visiting local departments across my home State of Michigan. Without these programs, many fire departments would simply not have the resources and equipment they need to stay safe in the line of duty. Every day, firefighters have our backs, and now we can do the same for them. prgtoken I would like to thank Ranking Member Paul, Senator Carper, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Collins for their help in advancing this legislation. I would also like to acknowledge Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for their work to get this bill passed out of the House of Representatives. prgtoken Now it is time to finish the job. Let's finish the job and send this bipartisan legislation to the President and help firefighters everywhere keep our communities safe. prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO KEN JARVIS
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2024-6-18

I rise today to honor a trailblazer, philanthropist, and community leader. Kenneth B. Jarvis transitioned from this life on June 3, 2024. Though he no longer walks among us, his spirit will forever reside in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him. prgtoken Ken, as he was affectionately known, was born in 1934 in San Francisco, California. From a young age, Ken learned timeless values that he carried throughout his life: respect, fortitude, and leading by example. He graduated from Polytechnic High School and then enlisted in the United States Air Force. prgtoken After his service with the Air Force, Ken returned to San Francisco and joined the United Parcel Service (UPS), where he made history as the company's first African American package car driver. Ken quickly rose through the ranks of UPS, relocating to Illinois and then Plano, Texas, where he was tasked with establishing the Southwest region of UPS. Throughout Ken's 37-year career with UPS, he opened their doors to thousands of qualified and diverse applicants. Ultimately serving as the Vice President of Human Resources before retiring in 1994, he used his platform to promote inclusive policies and foster a culture of diversity and opportunity. prgtoken Ken's career advancements also provided him with the opportunity to further his commitment to community service. In Plano, he worked tirelessly to strengthen the fabric of the community by initiating programs aimed at fostering unity, inclusivity, and prosperity for all residents. In retirement, Ken served on various boards and committees, including Texas Health Resources, the Plano Symphony, and the Plano Police Civilian Review Board. Ken co-founded the Mutual Alliance Restoring Community Hope (MARCH) Foundation, which has provided over 2,000 grants and scholarships for young African Americans entering Historically Black Colleges and Universities. After Ken's wife, Kay, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Ken began the H. Kay Jarvis Alzheimer's Research Endowment to support research on the disease. prgtoken Left to cherish his memory are his son, Kenneth B. Jarvis II; daughter, Michele Jarvis Kindred; granddaughter, Krystal N. Jarvis; grandson, Kenneth B. Jarvis III; great-granddaughter, Ariela Giles; and many more. prgtoken , I urge you and our colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Ken Jarvis. Ken was more than a leader; he was a source of inspiration for all who had the privilege of knowing him. Through his guidance and encouragement, he paved the way for countless individuals to achieve their dreams and aspirations. May we continue to cherish his memory for years to come.