mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE ALCEE L. HASTINGS
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her service. I thank Chairwoman Beatty and members of the Congressional Black Caucus for organizing this Special Order tonight. prgtoken Madam , Alcee Hastings was a dear friend, a close friend, a wonderful supporter, adviser, counselor, a friend who will be greatly missed not only by me, but by so many with whom he served on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken Madam , he and I served together in this House for 28 years, almost three decades. Over the course of that time, I came to know him very well. I visited his district. I know his wife. I saw his passion for public service, his sharp intellect and ability as a legislator, and his kindness and decency as a human being. prgtoken Alcee was someone who held strong convictions, as all of us know, and he would impart those to you, and he fought hard for what he believed in. One of those convictions was that all people on this Earth deserve the same basic freedoms and access to democracy as Americans are privileged to enjoy. prgtoken Madam , he and I served together on the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Alcee later served as its chairman, as I once did. He was the first African American to lead that body. And he was also honored, Madam , by legislators from 57 different nations when he was chosen as president of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly. The only American, the only African American, obviously, to have had that honor, and the only person of African descent to have that honor. prgtoken Before the pandemic, Alcee traveled the world to promote democracy and human rights where they were newly enjoyed or not yet achieved. Wherever he went, he brought his deep commitment to constitutionalism, rule of law, equality, justice, and opportunity for all. prgtoken In doing so, he was an excellent envoy of this House of Representatives, the people's House, and the democratic mission it embodies to the nations of the world. prgtoken I want to take a moment to speak about a part of Alcee's life that shows his true character. It is no secret that Alcee faced difficult and painful rebuke earlier in his career. I am not going to go into the specifics. Most people know the outlines. prgtoken But what stands out, Madam , for me and for others more than anything about what happened is that most people, after having been through such an experience, might have turned away from public service and harbored a debilitating anger and self-pity. Not our friend Alcee Hastings. prgtoken He was determined to continue giving back and serving his State and his country. So he ran for Congress and received the imprimatur of his neighbors and friends and constituents as a person of great worth whom they wanted to represent them. He served his constituents faithfully and with great ability for 28 years and, indeed, prior to that as well. prgtoken Those he served and t
CELEBRATING EARTH DAY
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I rise today as the proud sponsor of the resolution honoring Earth Day. prgtoken For over 50 years, people have come together on April 22, which is tomorrow, to support protections for our air, water, and land, and to increase appreciation for Mother Earth. prgtoken But every day, not just on Earth Day, we must commit ourselves to protecting our planet. We must embrace our shared responsibility to preserve our Earth, not only by increasing environmental and climate literacy but by building upon efforts like the Paris Agreement to ensure that future generations inherit a livable, sustainable, and ecologically rich planet. prgtoken Throughout the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our Nation. However, our natural environment, including parks and green spaces, has been a haven for communities to come together safely. prgtoken This past year has reinforced the importance of protecting these natural spaces and ensuring the continued cleaning and greening of all communities. prgtoken Like those who celebrated the first Earth Day in 1970, tomorrow we must continue our work to address environmental challenges, large and small, from climate change to litter; to educate friends, neighbors, and elected representatives about the need for year-round action; and to honor the stewardship ethic that serves as the foundation of this special day. prgtoken Together, we can protect our planet, public health, and overall well- being of all people and wildlife.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-4-21

reserving the right to object, I understand the position of my colleagues from Alaska and Florida who want to see a return to cruising by July 4. I am there with them. The cruise industry in my home State supports over 5,500 jobs and creates $900 million in annual local business revenue. Those jobs and that impact on the local economy have been severely disrupted, but we have to ensure the safety of our friends and our families on these cruises before they disembark. prgtoken We have seen firsthand how devastating COVID outbreaks on cruise ships can be. Just last year, we saw thousands of passengers stranded on cruise ships--people put in quarantine or refused entry to ports as borders closed. prgtoken Over 31 million Americans have contracted COVID, and 560,000 have died prgtoken from this disease. Cruise ships require specific focus and protocols in place to prevent future outbreaks. prgtoken While I am as eager as anyone else to see a return to travel, we cannot cut corners. Doing so risks lives and will only further delay returning to normal, hurting our economy more in the long run. prgtoken We must trust the science, and we must allow the CDC to continue its work to help us return to what we love as safely as possible. prgtoken So I will continue to work with the CDC and the administration as they develop the next phase of their cruising guidance, but for now, I object.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE ALCEE L. HASTINGS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her recognition of Alcee's complimentary words about Texas, but he was still our friend. I thank Congresswoman Johnson for that tribute. prgtoken Again, this is a very special tribute, and I might say special, special tribute to our friend, the late Alcee Lamar Hastings. prgtoken To provide another tribute is one of our members of the Congressional Black Caucus, a member of the leadership of the cochair of the ic Policy and Steering Committee, a cardinal on the Appropriations Committee, and it is known that often people say: Barbara Lee speaks for me. prgtoken The Honorable Congresswoman Barbara Lee is from California, a State that loves Texas as well. prgtoken Madam , from California (Ms. Lee).
ACCESS TO COUNSEL ACT OF 2021
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I rise today in support of the Access to Counsel Act. prgtoken Thousands of immigrants lawfully come to our country, come through our ports of entry, daily. They come in order to reunite with families, in order to receive lifesaving medical help, in order to pursue their educational dreams. They come because they are allowed to come, and they come for really good purposes. prgtoken When they arrive, all too often they are subjected to grueling inspections and relentless questioning by our Customs and Border Patrol agents, and often they have no help to turn to. prgtoken H.R. 1573 will ensure that these individuals can communicate with a family member, an attorney, or other party who can help them navigate what is going on at the port of entry if they are held over an hour. prgtoken This is important. We are not saying that there shouldn't be any inspections whatsoever, that there shouldn't be any questioning. But sometimes people have been held up to 30 hours without any access to help. It is not right. prgtoken This is critical to ensuring that immigrants are treated fairly and with dignity. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Access to Counsel Act and to support due process for all.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2021-4-21

I rise today to call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Senator Portman and myself--and Senator Portman will come in later and express his desire for this also--in taking action to permanently schedule fentanyl and deadly fentanyl analogs. prgtoken Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine, 50 times more potent than heroin, and according to the DEA, 2 milligrams--just 2 milligrams--of fentanyl can cause a lethal overdose. prgtoken In February 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a temporary scheduling order to schedule fentanyl-related substances, which has allowed Federal law enforcement authorities to bring criminal actions against individuals who manufacture, distribute, or handle fentanyl-related substances. prgtoken A year ago, this body extended the scheduling order through May 6, 2021, via unanimous consent. The House extended it by a vote of 320 to 88. This should not be controversial at all. prgtoken In 2019, 36,359 people died because of fentanyl. That is 51 percent of all overdose deaths that year--51 percent. Over half of the people who were killed by overdose were by fentanyl. We know 2020 was a record year in drug overdoses, mainly driven by fentanyl-related substances and the COVID-19 pandemic. We can safely assume that there were at least 44,000 deaths last year--think about that--44,000 deaths related to fentanyl last year. In total, that is over 80,000 people who have died because of fentanyl in just the last 2 years. It is heartbreaking to lose so many Americans to preventable overdoses. prgtoken The time to permanently schedule this deadly substance is now. That is why Senator Portman and I reintroduced the bipartisan FIGHT Fentanyl Act to permanently schedule fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. I am saying permanently schedule fentanyl and fentanyl analogs. prgtoken The FIGHT Fentanyl Act is a proactive overdose prevention bill. It stops the creation of these drugs and removes incentives for people to bring these deadly chemicals into our country, reducing the harm to our fellow Americans. prgtoken We know that fentanyl is deadly. It is killing Americans at record rates. West Virginia, my home State, has the highest overdose rates per capita in the Nation, and every West Virginian is familiar with the horrible impacts of the prgtoken drug epidemic on our family, friends, neighbors, and our entire economy. prgtoken I recognize there are concerns about mandatory minimums that do more harm than good. But permanently scheduling fentanyl and fentanyl analogs is not about locking people up; it is about keeping our fellow Americans alive. prgtoken Don't take my word for it. We asked the GAO to study it--the General Accounting Office to study it. In the last 3 years since the rescheduling was put in place, the GAO found only eight prosecutions occurred related to fentanyl analogs, four of which were associated with drug cartels. If that is not enough, our bi
Nomination of Vanita Gupta (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-21

I will tell you what, let me end my remarks, then, and just say to the Senator from New Jersey, I am here to listen to him as well and to close by saying this extraordinary woman is presenting her credentials for approval by the U.S. Senate at exactly the right moment in history. prgtoken We need, in the Department of Justice, Vanita Gupta, who has given a lifetime of courageous service in the pursuit of justice and in the pursuit of civil rights. prgtoken Is there a lesson from Minnesota that we should bring to the floor of the Senate? It is the fact that we need people like her who can communicate effectively with law enforcement and civil rights groups and resolve our differences, more at this moment in history than ever. prgtoken If you can still remember that verdict--and I will remember it for a long, long time, as others will--when you cast your vote on the Senate floor today, vote for Vanita Gupta to be part of this Department of Justice team. prgtoken At this moment in American history, never have we needed a person with her qualifications more than at this moment. prgtoken .
NOMINATION OF VANITA GUPTA
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-4-21

now on a related subject, part of that effort, though modest, is installing committed, experienced, compassionate civil rights leaders in positions of power in the Justice Department, our Nation's top law enforcement Agency. It just so happens that, today, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of Ms. Vanita Gupta to be the next Associate Attorney General. prgtoken Not only is Ms. Gupta the first woman of color to ever be nominated to the position, she is the first civil rights attorney ever to be nominated to the position--the third ranking official in the Justice Department. That is shocking, really. We never have had a former civil rights attorney serving in such a position of prominence at the Justice Department. In that sense alone, Ms. Gupta would bring a long overdue perspective to our Federal law enforcement Agency. prgtoken Just to give you a sense of Ms. Gupta's commitment to civil rights and racial equity, in her very first case after law school, she won the release of several African Americans who had been wrongly convicted by all-White juries in Texas. Her clients later won a full pardon from Texas Governor Rick Perry. prgtoken At a time when our country needs to make strides against racial injustice, how can we not install one of the Nation's top civil rights lawyers at the Department of Justice? How can our colleagues not rise to the occasion--our colleagues on the other side of the aisle--and vote for her? I am so, so troubled by the fact that they are virtually unanimously against such a fine person who is needed so much at this time. prgtoken Yes, but, unfortunately, Ms. Gupta might be the first nominee in this Congress where the vote falls entirely down on party lines. I hope it doesn't come to that. The effort to elevate highly qualified civil rights attorneys like Ms. Gupta should be bipartisan. prgtoken I urge my colleagues--all of them, and particularly my friends on the other side of the aisle--to vote in favor of Ms. Gupta's nomination today.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE ALCEE L. HASTINGS
Lucy McBath (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding to me. prgtoken Madam , I rise in celebration of the remarkable life of our dear friend and colleague, Congressman Alcee Hastings, known affectionately as The Judge. People called him that long before I got here. He was the first African-American Federal judge in the State of Florida, appointed by President Jimmy Carter, where he served for 10 years before being elected to Congress in 1992. prgtoken I know that a lot of my colleagues and persons in this great Chamber tonight might wonder what kind of a relationship I would have had with Alcee Hastings. I would have only been here for 2 years. But what I do know is that I recognize Alcee truly from his spirit. prgtoken He and I both had cancer. I was a cancer survivor, and oftentimes, here on the floor, every single day, I would come to his side and sit next to him, and I would say: ``How are you doing today?'' prgtoken He would say: ``Not so good today,'' or he would say: ``Today is a great day.'' prgtoken But I remember his kindness, and I remember his words of wisdom to me, always telling me: ``You are doing the right thing. You are standing up. Stay strong. Look forward.'' prgtoken I am really grateful for even that 1 year that I had to stand and to serve with a giant such as Alcee Hastings. prgtoken Alcee and I were both very proud to serve in the House together as fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus. We talked about it, and oftentimes, I said to him: ``I still can't believe I am here. I cannot believe I am here, but I am so grateful to be here to serve with you.'' prgtoken As I said, we were also bonded over our shared kinship as cancer patients because I understood what he was going through. I understood the treatment and the pain and the suffering. But what I admired about him the most is his tenacity, his strength, and his fortitude to come here every single day in spite of it and to push his way through for the sake of this Chamber, for the sake of this body, for the sake of the people who he loved so dearly in his community. prgtoken He offered me encouragement, telling me to stay the course and to continue to work on behalf of the American people. I remember he said to me: ``I may not be here when you pass that gun bill, but you must pass it.'' prgtoken I will always be grateful to him for his friendship and for the wisdom and leadership that he shared with this body and with me. prgtoken I always find that I am so grateful to be in this body, to be among some of the most wise, intelligent, compassionate, and driven people I have ever met in my life, particularly those of the Congressional Black Caucus like Alcee Hastings, a giant among us. prgtoken Madam , I am so grateful today to be able to stand here and pay reverence to him, the giant among us.
PROMOTING COVID-19 VACCINE EQUITY AMONG COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
Juan Vargas (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I rise today in support of a resolution promoting COVID-19 vaccine equity among communities of color. prgtoken Communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, highlighting longstanding health, social, and economic inequities. prgtoken The resolution calls for the prioritization of areas with a high Social Vulnerability Index, SVI, for COVID-19 vaccination efforts and working with trusted community partners to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies, among other efforts. prgtoken The resolution is going to be introduced during this month of April, during the National Minority Health Month to promote the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minority communities and to underscore the need for these communities to get vaccinated. prgtoken Vaccinate, vacunen. It is very important that they get vaccinated, es muy importante que se vacunen. prgtoken Madam , vaccinate yourself. It is very important. prgtoken I am so proud to support this resolution.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE ALCEE L. HASTINGS
Val Butler Demings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding. prgtoken Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Congressman Alcee Hastings. prgtoken Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once said: ``The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.'' prgtoken Madam , what we all know in this Chamber is that Congressman Alcee Hastings was never afraid to stand during times of challenge and controversy. You see, Congressman Hastings was born in central Florida in Altamonte Springs. He was always so proud to share his stories with me about growing up in a city not far from the district I now represent. prgtoken Alcee Hastings was a giant in our State, the dean of the delegation. When I think about what it meant for Alcee, being the dean was a lot more than being the longest serving Member. prgtoken Alcee Hastings was a giant of a man in Florida, but he was a giant of a man around the Nation and a giant of a man in our world. prgtoken As you have heard, he was the first Black person, period, man or woman, appointed as a Federal judge in Florida. We all know the joys and the pain of being a first and paving the way for others to follow, paving the way for other boys and girls and men and women, regardless of the color of their skin, paving the way for them as a first. prgtoken I remembered that appointment. I was working at the Orlando Police Department, and I was so proud to know of this giant of a man who was appointed as the first Black man to serve as a Federal judge. We were all so proud of him. prgtoken One of the things I most appreciated about Congressman Hastings, my colleague from Florida--and hear me clearly, there were many things that I loved and appreciated about him. But prgtoken one of the things was that he was big enough to share his space with you regardless of whether you were a freshman or you had been here for a considerable amount of time. Congressman Hastings never hesitated to share his space with you. He never hesitated to give advice. He never hesitated to mentor, and he genuinely wanted you to do well. prgtoken Congressman Hastings was a true friend, and it didn't matter if he agreed with everything you said. He didn't have to. If you were his friend, he understood that friends didn't always agree on everything because, see, Alcee was his own man. We heard the song earlier today, and he did it his way. prgtoken He was his own man with his own beliefs, his own principles. He allowed me to be my own woman with my own beliefs. He allowed all of us, in our respective places. That is the kind of man, the giant of a man, that he was. prgtoken Congressman Hastings didn't waste a lot of time fighting over trivial matters. He was on a mission. He was fighting for justice. I really can't remember a time he was not fighting for justice. He didn't mind fighting for women's rights even after he had made it
AFGHANISTAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL
Jake Auchincloss (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I rise today to commend the President's decision to end the war in Afghanistan. prgtoken Now Congress must ensure that future Commanders in Chief can never prgtoken again wage failed forever wars. This is also a critical moment to show we can defend America and protect the global commons without a $740 billion defense budget. prgtoken We must repeal the Authorization for the Use of Military Force; reassert congressional oversight of war powers; and cut the Pentagon's budget by at least 10 percent as we invest instead in diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and solving global challenges like climate change and pandemic preparedness. prgtoken The war in Afghanistan cost our country more than $2 trillion, the lives of 2,400 American servicemembers, and credibility at home and abroad. The generation that fought in this war must now govern in light of its mistakes. Let us resolve to learn from them.