mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
504 CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2021
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-16

on April 16, 2021, I was unavoidably detained by a meeting with the U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator, and was not present for one roll call vote on a bill considered under suspension of the House rules. prgtoken Had I been present, I would have voted: Aye on Roll Call 119, on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1482, the 504 credit Risk Management Improvement Act of 2021. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Allred (Wexton) Babin (Fallon) Barragan (Beyer) Buchanan (LaHood) Cardenas (Gonzalez, Vicente) Crenshaw (Fallon) Gomez (Pressley) Gottheimer (Panetta) Graves (MO) (Wagner) Greene (GA) (Gosar) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Jayapal (Pocan) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Keating (Clark (MA)) Lawrence (Kildee) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu (Beyer) Lowenthal (Beyer) McHenry (Banks) Meng (Clark (MA)) Mfume (Wexton) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (Underwood) Napolitano (Correa) Neal (Lynch) Nehls (Fallon) Norcross (Pallone) Omar (Pressley) Payne (Pallone) Porter (Wexton) Rush (Underwood) Sewell (DelBene) Sires (Pallone) Steube (Timmons) Trahan (Lynch) Walorski (Wagner) Wasserman Schultz (Soto) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Hayes) Wilson (SC) (Timmons)
BONNIE ZEE DAY
Mark Pocan (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise to recognize Bonnie Zee with the following Proclamation: prgtoken Whereas, Bonnie Zee began her career as the elected Town of Albany Clerk in April of 1975 and has continued to serve as a valuable, and trusted asset to her community to this day; and prgtoken Whereas, Bonnie Zee's vast knowledge, dedication, and outstanding performance of her duties throughout her tenure has earned her the respect, and admiration of her community; and prgtoken Whereas, Bonnie Zee's service as Town of Albany Clerk resulted in efficient and effective Town government for nearly five decades; prgtoken Now, therefore, I hereby proclaim April 20, 2021 as Bonnie Zee Day in honor of her 46 years of public service to her community, the Town of Albany, and the State of Wisconsin. I join her friends, family, and colleagues in offering her best wishes on her much-deserved retirement.
DEPARTURE OF KAREN LLOYD, DIRECTOR OF THE VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT
Ron Kind (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , on April 10, 2021, after sixteen years with the Library of Congress, including four and a half years as the director of the Veterans History Project (VHP), Karen Lloyd retired from public service. I want her to know that her many years of dedicated work at both the Library and Veterans History Project are very much appreciated. prgtoken Since the VHP was created following the passage of my bipartisan legislation in 2000, the program has had five Directors and developed a repository of over 111,000 individual collections in the Library's American Folklife Center--highlighting the experiences of American veterans from every major military conflict since World War I. Karen ably guided the Library's effort to collect, preserve, and make accessible these personal remembrances for use by future scholars, journalists, and historians. It's an important job and one that Karen clearly enjoyed doing. prgtoken Karen led efforts to increase the development of women veterans collections, and expanded outreach to Native/Indigenous veterans, working to ensure that the Library's collection reflected the broad diversity of America's military forces. She also devoted considerable resources to working personally with Members of the House to raise awareness about the program and grow the collection of veterans histories from every state. She can be proud of her efforts to increase the accessibility of the Veterans History Project as a constituent resource. prgtoken Before coming to the Library, Karen served fourteen years as a U.S. Army Aviator, six of them as a dustoff pilot, and was the first female Medical Service Corp Officer to receive Aviator Wings. She served another fourteen years as an Army comptroller in a variety of positions. She retired as a Colonel after twenty-eight years of military service. Before joining the Veterans History Project, Karen served in several positions at the Library--including the Offices of the Librarian and Strategic Planning, where she coordinated special projects and assessed Library program performance and risk management. prgtoken I have known and worked with Karen throughout her time as VHP director, and I can attest to the dedication and care that she brought to the job. Her passion for highlighting the stories of our nation's veterans was evident from every interaction and event held by the VHP over the years. prgtoken Karen leaves the Library well positioned to help usher in a new realm of collections stewardship and digital discovery. I wish Karen all the best in her next endeavors.
HONORING THE LATE STAFF SERGEANT SPECIALIST JOE HENRY MOORE
Frederica S. Wilson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and honor the late Staff Sergeant Specialist Joe Henry Moore, a faithful servant of God, a veteran, beloved father and friend. prgtoken Whereas, Joe Henry Moore was born on July 27, 1922, on the clay hills of Greenville, Mississippi to the late Annie Edwards and George Henry Moore; and prgtoken Whereas, Staff Sergeant Specialist Joe Henry Moore, or ``Pops'', ``Poppa Joe'' and ``Whytaski'', as he was affectionately called was raised in Mississippi where he received his primary and secondary education at the Dry Bend School, a one-room classroom where he was taught by Mrs. Harvey. At an early age, ``Poppa Joe'' attended church with his family, at Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church where he began his Christian journey with God. He was baptized in a creek called Deer Creek by Pastor G. H. Hankins on September 13, 1936; and prgtoken Whereas, Mr. Moore had a sincere desire to become a soldier to serve his country and joined the United States Army Air Corps December 2, 1942 at the tender age of 19 years old. While enlisted, he served during the Post Pearl Harbor, World War II, Normandy and the Korean Peacetime era. He held multiple positions to include Special Services in Le Harve, France. In this role, he was a Certified Sharpshooter and Marksman. Other assignments included: Projectionists/Librarian and became a Certified Master Chef. ``Poppa Joe'' became such an accomplished chef that he prepared meals for General George S. Patton. Staff Sergeant Specialist Moore was wounded while fighting for our freedom during the Pearl Harbor/World War II--Normandy era earning a number of distinguished honors and awards to include the following: The Silver Star Medal--for Gallantry in Action; the Bronze Battle Star of Normandy, France--25 July-September 1944; the Army Good Conduct Medal; The EAMETO Medal--Europe-African Middle Eastern Campaign Service Medal--issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt; the Post Pearl Harbor Service Medal; the Carbine SS, GCM 5th Award and the Occupational Medal-German; and prgtoken Whereas, after serving his country for more than twenty years and returning the United States, Mr. Moore was employed as a Police Officer at the New Orleans Harbor Police Department and a Foreman at Pan American Life Insurance. Mr. Moore became a Mason and achieved the highest level as a 33rd degree Mason; and prgtoken Whereas, Staff Sergeant Specialist Moore continued serving God and later become an ordained Deacon. He joined the membership of Mt. Airy Baptist Church where he served faithfully on the Deacon ministry for many years. In 2009, after relocating to Miami, Florida, he joined the membership of New Birth Cathedral of Faith International under the Senior, pastoral teachings of Bishop Victor T. Curry. He was a faithful member and Deacon. prgtoken Whereas, Staff Sergeant Specialist Moore leaves to cherish his memories and moments prgtoken of his love, life, and legacy: his s
TRIBUTE TO SHAWN FRIEDKIN
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend, Shawn Friedkin, who left this Earth on March 3 after a courageous battle with cancer. prgtoken When Shawn was 27, he was tragically injured in a car accident. The accident took away Shawn's ability to walk, but it also inspired him to dedicate his life to helping other exceptional people. He founded the nonprofit association, Stand Among Friends, whose mission followed Shawn's, to help people with disabilities to live a life without limits. prgtoken Stand Among Friends partnered with Florida Atlantic University to open the Disability Center, which provides resources and career guidance to help individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment. Shawn was a founding member of the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities. He advocated for the disabled community and was appointed to the White House Healthcare Task Force. prgtoken Shawn's mission was to help people with disabilities embrace their differences, realize their abilities, and leave a positive impact on their community. And his positive impact leaves a lasting legacy through the lives of all the people he helped personally, and most of all through his loving family. All of us are privileged to call him a friend, prgtoken Above all, Shawn was devoted to his family and cherished spending time with his loving wife of 38 years, Lisa, and their incredible daughters, Bennett and Sydney. We will all miss Shawn's endless kindness, compassion, and generosity. Our lives are better for having Shawn as part of them. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Shawn Friedkin's life on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION FOR HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS ACT
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I gave that story of Kenya, who lives in Livonia, Michigan, because, on top of all of that, she was dealing with the number of protections that were lacking in the workplace. prgtoken Again, these are people who take care of our loved ones, take care of our sick, take care of those who are mentally ill, who need assistance, whose family members are not equipped for what they are trying to do. The least we can do, especially during this pandemic, is to offer them more protection and safety in the workplace.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Madam , on Monday, the House will meet at noon for morning- hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes expected no earlier than 6:30 p.m. prgtoken On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate and 12 p.m. for legislative business. prgtoken On Wednesday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for legislative business. prgtoken On Thursday, the House will meet at 9 a.m. for legislative business, with last votes no later than 3 p.m. prgtoken We will consider several bills under suspension of the rules. The complete list of suspension bills will be announced by the close of business today. prgtoken In addition, Madam , we will consider bills relating to justice and civil rights: H.R. 1333, the NO BAN Act, which prevents origin-based discrimination against those seeking to visit our country to do business, see family, or engage in tourism, rejecting the previous administration's policy of banning arrivals from predominantly Muslim countries; H.R. 1573, the Access to Counsel Act, which reaffirms key American principles of justice with regard to immigrants' rights to counsel during status hearings; and then lastly, H.R. 51, standing for the 51st State. H.R. 51 is the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, to admit the District of Columbia as a State and provide equal representation in Congress for its residents. prgtoken That will be our schedule for the week to come. The following 2 weeks in April will be our committee workweeks so that the committees can produce additional product for consideration on the floor of the House of Representatives.
IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise today to commemorate National Infertility Awareness Week and to salute the wonderful progress that has been made over the last four decades to help individuals have families who otherwise could not. It would shock most Americans to know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease of Infertility affects one in eight, or approximately 7.4 million, American women of reproductive age. The disease affects both men and women and it knows no barriers--it affects individuals of all races, religious backgrounds, and economic status. The good news is that since 1978, as a result of extraordinary medical advancements, millions of couples have been able to receive life affirming treatments that have resulted in the delivery of babies. While this is something that most of us take for granted, it is a painful and devastating struggle for millions of couples throughout the world. prgtoken As a nurse who has fought for medical advancements in cancer treatment and care, in Diabetes care, and in dozens of health screenings that bring hope of saving lives, I must admit to absolute amazement at the contributions that research scientists and Reproductive Endocrinologists have made in the advancement of Infertility treatments--including a procedure that allows young cancer patients to preserve their fertility prior to undergoing life saving chemotherapy treatments. Organizations like RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, and the Alliance for Fertility Preservation advocate for the millions of individuals and couples in this country who need the help to have a family. Ms. Barb Collura, the CEO of RESOLVE, recently testified before Congress in support of fertility services for the countless military veterans whose service related injuries have rendered them infertile. I am pleased that these organizations, these Infertility warriors, are active in my own state of Texas as well as throughout the nation. prgtoken As a grandmother and great grandmother, and with Mother's Day around the corner, I salute Infertility warriors throughout the country and the world, who advocate on behalf of that most precious of gifts, that of family.
RECOGNIZING DANIEL CROWLEY OF SIMSBURY, CONNECTICUT
Jahana Hayes (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise today to call your attention to National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, which takes place annually on April 9th. This day honors the men and women who fought two battles, one in combat and another in enduring untold brutality by our enemies. prgtoken April 9th is also the 79th anniversary of the start of the infamous 1942 Bataan Death March in the Philippines. Invading Imperial Japanese forces forced more than 80,000 American and Filipino soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to walk 65 miles up the Bataan Peninsula in the tropical heat without food, water, or medical care while subjecting them to beatings, bayonetting, and beheading. Thousands died. prgtoken One of my constituents, Daniel Crowley of Simsbury, Connecticut, is a survivor of the Battle of Bataan. A member of the U.S. Army Air Corps, he was sent to Bataan in December 1941 after Japan destroyed the military airfields in the Philippines. He was part of the United States Army's Provisional Air Corps Infantry Regiment and fought in the historic Battle of the Points on the Peninsula. prgtoken Daniel avoided the Bataan Death March by swimming from Mariveles on Bataan through three miles of shark-infested and mined waters to the fortress island of Corregidor. There, he became part of the 4th Marines Regimental Reserve who fought a dangerous and desperate shore defense until Corregidor fell to Japan on May 6, 1942. prgtoken He was one of 300 Prisoners of War sent to build an airstrip on Palawan Island for the Japanese Army. Today this site serves as the Philippine Air Force's Antonio Bautista Air Base. Daniel was fortunate to be transferred off the island before the December 14, 1944 Palawan Massacre where the 150 Prisoners of War remaining on the island were doused with aircraft fuel, set afire, and machine gunned to death. prgtoken Instead, Daniel was shipped to Japan aboard a ``hellship'' to be a laborer in two copper mines: one owned by Hitachi Ltd. and the other, Ashio, owned by the Furukawa Company Group. He labored alongside Japanese and conscripted Korean miners as well as Allied and American Prisoners of War from the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dutch East Indies, Norway, Australia, and China. prgtoken After liberation in September 1945, Daniel returned home to Connecticut. He raised a family and became a storied salesman for Northwestern Mutual. prgtoken On January 4, 2021, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont proclaimed ``Pacific War Heroes Day'' in Daniel's honor. After 76 years, Daniel, 98, finally received his long-denied Combat Infantryman Badge, a Prisoner of War Medal, and his previously unknown 1945 promotion to Sergeant in a ceremony held at the Air National Guard Base outside Hartford, Connecticut. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring now Sergeant Daniel Crowley for his extraordinary service to our country fighting tyranny and oppression. His and the more than 200 Ameri
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION FOR HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , as senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary, on Homeland Security, and on the Budget, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1195, the ``Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act,'' which would establish within one year an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (``OSHA'') interim workplace standard requiring health care and social service providers to implement workplace violence prevention plans, and which would establish a permanent OSHA standard within 42 months. prgtoken Currently, there is no OSHA standard that requires employers to implement violence prevention plans that would help reduce workplace violence injuries among health care and social service workers. prgtoken The lack of an enforceable standard means that OSHA, the federal agency created to protect workers' safety, has few meaningful tools to protect health care workers from the threat of workplace violence. prgtoken The Government Accountability Office has estimated, conservatively, that it takes OSHA at least 7 years to issue a standard. prgtoken Seven years; Our healthcare workers have worked too hard and sacrificed too much for them to wait a minimum of seven more years before measures are in place to secure their basic physical safety. prgtoken H.R. 1195 would provide health and social service workers the protection they deserve by: prgtoken Compelling OSHA to issue an interim final standard in one year and a final standard within 42 months requiring employers within the health care and social service sectors to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan. prgtoken Identifying risks, specify solutions, and require training, reporting, and incident investigations. It would also provide protections from retaliation for reporting violent incidents. prgtoken Protecting health care and social service workers in the public sector in the 24 states not covered by OSHA protections. prgtoken Our nation's caregivers--including nurses, social workers, and many others who dedicate their lives to caring for those in need--suffer workplace violence injuries at far higher rates than any other profession. prgtoken While the previous administration relegated the OSHA standard protecting healthcare and social workers to the back burner, making no progress for 4 years, we will not do the same. prgtoken Study after study has confirmed that healthcare workers are not adequately protected in the workplace. prgtoken In 2014, OSHA reported that there are nearly as many serious violent injuries in healthcare as there are in all other industries combined. prgtoken In 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the rate of violence against health care workers increased more than 60 percent between 2011 and 2018. prgtoken Just last year, the BLS reported that health care and social service workers were nearly five times as likely to suffer a serious workplace violence injury than workers in ot
HELPING YOUNG MOTHERS
Sean Casten (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , earlier this month I visited Teen Parent Connection in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It is an organization that serves young mothers, offering everything from diapers and formula, to doulas, counseling, and domestic abuse support services. prgtoken They were extremely grateful for the recent $1,400 economic impact payments that, in many cases, helped these new moms cover critical expenses like housing, food, and healthcare. But as we talked, it became apparent that they were not taking advantage and didn't even know about the larger $3,600 per child Child Tax Credit. And why would they? These are new moms that have never filed taxes before. They don't follow the tax policy changes nearly as closely as we do here in the Capitol, but here is this fantastic need. prgtoken Our office is now working to connect them with free tax filing services, but to the rest of American parents--young and old--please make sure to take advantage of this program. Even if you don't have any taxes due, the credit is fully refundable, and once you file, we will start sending checks to 70 million American families on July 1. prgtoken This tax credit will cut child poverty in half, help close the racial wealth gap, and help ensure more kids can live up to their full potential. In Illinois alone, it will lift 153,000 children out of poverty. It is, in short, a really big deal.
VOTER SUPPRESSION
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-4-16

. Madam , I rise today to sound the alarm about the ongoing efforts to pass voter suppression laws across our Nation and in my home State of Texas. prgtoken s have made it a priority to pass so-called ``election integrity bills.'' These misnamed bills are solely aimed at limiting access to the ballot box, particularly in urban counties like mine in County. prgtoken In the 2020 election, County saw record turnout despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We implemented drive-through voting, authorized voting sites to stay open until 10 p.m and several locations were open for 24 hours. Hundreds of thousands of voters used these options to exercise their constitutional right without endangering themselves or their loved ones. prgtoken Now, s in the State legislature are trying to ban and limit these measures under the false premise of ``election integrity.'' prgtoken Madam , I strongly urge the Senate to pass H.R. 1, which would expand access to the ballot box and prohibit restrictions on drive- through voting for members of my community and all the voters across Texas. prgtoken Voting is a right that should be encouraged, not restricted.
END U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
Sara Jacobs (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-16

I rise today to express my support for ending U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan. prgtoken , wars are supposed to end. In the time that we have been in Afghanistan, I have graduated from middle school, I have graduated from high school, I have graduated from college and grad school, worked at the U.N. and the State Department, started two organizations, and was elected to Congress. prgtoken I represent San Diego, a proud military community, and one that knows better than most the human cost of war. Ending this war does not invalidate those sacrifices. It recognizes them. We are indebted to the thousands of servicemembers who answered the call to serve, and we remember those who never came home. It is in their honor that we look to the next challenge. prgtoken Now it is time to prioritize diplomatic and humanitarian work in Afghanistan, to reassert Congress' authority on war powers, and to focus our efforts on the security needs of the future, not the past.