mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.RES. 826, EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S HARMFUL ACTIONS TOWARDS MEDICAID; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2474, PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO...
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Madam , I am proud to rise in support of the PRO Act. This much-needed legislation rebalances the economic playing field to give workers a fair shake, and it is long overdue. prgtoken Two nights ago, the President stood here and talked about how great the economy is doing, how the stock market is soaring, and unemployment is falling. But the truth on the ground is that people in the middle class and below are not being lifted by this tide. The cost of housing, childcare, education, and other basic essentials are rising at rates not matched by stagnant wages. prgtoken Madam , I include in the Record a report by the Foundation for Delaware County and Philadelphia Citizens For Children and Youth. Underwater: What's Sinking Families in Delaware County [From PCCY, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Mar. 2019] The American Dream is eroding in Delaware County. Incomes that used to provide a comfortable middle class life are no longer enough to even cover the basics. Four in ten families are likely to be underwater if they're raising children. Their financial outlook is bleak--a far cry from the prosperity that their parents enjoyed. And if things continue down this road, their children face a future of continued decline. Hard-working families earning $50,000, for instance, are likely to be more than $3,000 in debt between child care, health care, housing, utilities, transportation, food, and taxes. And that's with the help of crucial child care and health insurance benefits. Even if these families have no child care needs, they will have less than $7,000 left over after paying for the other essentials. That's under $7,000 for things like clothes, sports teams, birthday presents, summer camps, class trips--just to name a few. Nearly a quarter of families earn this much or less in Delaware County. Even families who are near the median income--an income that should solidify their middle class status--are drowning. Families making $75,000 a year, for example, are likely to be saddled with over $2,000 in debt after paying for the basics, since they do not receive subsidies for child care and health care. If these families are free from the burden of child care, they would have around $15,000 left after the major basic costs, but this is still hardly enough to cover the additional everyday costs for the children and parents. On top of that, these families have little money, if any, to save for things like retirement or college for their children, not to mention any emergency costs that may spring up. Nearly 40% of families in Delaware County make this much or less. The parents in these struggling families bank on the hope that their children can move up the economic ladder, becoming more prosperous as adults
EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S HARMFUL ACTIONS TOWARDS MEDICAID
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-2-6

I have a great deal of respect for both you and the chairman, but there is a parting of the ways here. I want to urge my colleagues to stand against the administration's vicious assault on Medicaid. That is how I perceive it. prgtoken The expansion of Medicaid by the ACA is one of the great success stories of government in action in the last 50 years. Despite the decade-long obstructionism, Medicaid expansion has saved 19,000 older, low-income adult lives--and I know they don't challenge those numbers-- and 825 lives just in our State of New Jersey. prgtoken But many s have rejected the attempts to destroy--they tried to destroy the ACA at the ballot box and at the courthouse. But like Captain Ahab after his white whale, they remain singularly dedicated to stealing healthcare away from as many Americans as possible. prgtoken This administration knows their policy is pure poison. They gave it an innocuous name and, as we heard on Tuesday, are lying about the details to fool people. prgtoken Americans will not be fooled by this Orwellian scheme. This policy would rip away healthcare for some of the most vulnerable of our neighbors. They want to obliterate the ACA no matter what the consequences. prgtoken , I support this resolution to send a loud message: Those on the other side cannot be allowed to steal your healthcare. We will do everything in our power to stop their schemes. prgtoken Now, the ``Joker'' movie may not prevail at Sunday's Oscars. We must think about any other jokers that go through any of their basements, including the White House, after today's vote. What will they be sulking about? This is important legislation.
PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ACT OF 2019
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Income inequality is challenging our communities and our future. In northwest Oregon and across the country, the labor movement has helped fight income inequality, raise wages, improve working conditions, and expand benefits. prgtoken More workers would join a union if given a choice, but many feel retaliation for supporting or engaging in organizing efforts. Under current law, tactics to intimidate, coerce, or fire workers involved in union organizing are illegal, but the penalties aren't strong enough to deter employers. prgtoken I helped ban captive audience meetings when I served in the Oregon legislature, but these rights should be protected for every worker in the country. We should be making it easier, not harder, for workers to form unions and collectively bargain. prgtoken I am an original cosponsor of Chairman Scott's Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Under this bill, employers who break the rules will finally be held accountable. prgtoken Today, by supporting the bipartisan PRO Act, we can support workers, restore fairness, and help to make sure our economy works for everyone. prgtoken , I insert in the Record letters in support of the PRO Act from the BlueGreen Alliance and more than 70 environmental groups. BlueGreen Alliance, January 31, 2020. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, , House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Pelosi and Leader McCarthy: As a coalition of some of the nation's largest labor unions and environmental organizations, collectively representing millions of members and supporters, we write to express the BlueGreen Alliance's support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2019, H.R. 2474. In the United States, we face a critical juncture for the rights of employees to organize. As Supreme Court cases and anti-union legislators and their financial backers seek to strip workers of their rights, we need a strong law on the books to ensure that workers are not penalized for organizing and demanding collective bargaining for higher wages, safer working conditions, and better benefits. Union membership has fallen dramatically from 33 percent in 1956 to ten percent in 2018, due in large part to exploitation by employers of labor laws that have been made toothless. As it stands, no meaningful penalties exist for corporations using illegal tactics to eliminate the option to organize. Additionally, workers now are facing record wage inequality, and we know based on the National Bureau of Economic Research's statistics that unions consistently provide working Americans with ten to twenty percent higher wages than non-unionized workers. Empowering workers
CENTRAL VIRGINIAN OF THE WEEK: HANNAH HOWARD
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-2-6

I rise today in recognition of the perseverance, strength, and compassion of my constituent, Hannah Howard. prgtoken Hannah is a Gordonsville resident, Orange County High School senior, and Blue Ridge Virtual Governor's School student. prgtoken On May 8, 2019, Hannah lost her older brother, Devon, to a heroin overdose. In the 9 months since Devon's death, Hannah has shown tremendous courage by studying addiction and educating her peers. prgtoken As part of her senior project, Hannah interned at a rehabilitation facility where she learned about the recovery process and engaged with patients to understand substance use disorders. prgtoken Following her internship, Hannah not only became certified to administer Narcan herself, but she led her first Narcan certification course to members of the Orange County Youth Council and plans to hold additional trainings in the future. prgtoken I admire Hannah's empathy and determination. Through unimaginable loss, she has created a framework within the Orange community to prevent tragedies like the one she and her family have faced. prgtoken , please join me in thanking Hannah for her selflessness and her service to Virginia's Seventh Congressional District.
EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S HARMFUL ACTIONS TOWARDS MEDICAID
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-2-6

I thank my chairman for all the hard work he has been doing. prgtoken I rise in strong support of H. Res. 826 and in opposition to the administration's recent proposed cuts to Medicaid. prgtoken Medicaid provides important lifesaving care for our Nation's children, seniors, and disabled, including in my home State of Michigan. That is why political leaders, under the leadership of Governor Rick Snyder, a , worked across the aisle to expand Medicaid in Michigan in 2014. prgtoken This expansion, Healthy Michigan, currently covers over 650,000 Michiganders, providing them access to both quality and affordable healthcare and protection from crippling medical bills. prgtoken It has also supported rural hospitals both in Michigan and across the country. Without Healthy Michigan, hospitals across the State that serve some of our most vulnerable residents would face closures and terrible increased financial pressures. prgtoken Finally, Medicaid is the single largest payor of long-term care in this country and allows our seniors the opportunity to live with dignity as they age. prgtoken The administration's recent actions puts this all at risk. Both the 2017 healthcare proposal and the CMS proposal would block grant Medicaid, drastically cutting the resources it provides for lifesaving medical care. prgtoken We know what this means: increased healthcare costs for my constituents and a loss of coverage for seniors, the disabled, and our children, who are the overwhelming majority of Medicaid recipients. prgtoken This resolution sends a strong message: We will make good on our commitment to provide quality and affordable healthcare to every American, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
HONORING THE LIFE OF CONGRESSMAN FORTNEY ``PETE'' STARK
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-6

we lost a devoted public servant with the recent passing of our dear friend, Representative Pete Stark. prgtoken As a student at Mills College during the early 1970s, I was president of the Black Student Union, and Pete helped me with many of my organizing efforts. He was also the very first Member of Congress I voted for. prgtoken Pete served for 40 years as a passionate and courageous public servant who made it his goal to advocate for those most in need. prgtoken Through working alongside him in Congress, I came to admire his willingness to speak out for what he believed to be right, even when it meant challenging those in power. prgtoken Pete made a difference in the lives of millions of people across the country. His substantial and lasting influence on health policy reflected his deeply held values of compassionate legislating and courageous advocacy. prgtoken Pete believed it was his role to fight for the people's interests, not for special interests. He saw his role as one of advocacy for the underserved people of his district and throughout the country. prgtoken Pete never failed to speak up when it came time to champion a more compassionate approach to governance. He truly spoke truth to power. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers are with Pete's wife, Deborah, his children, his family, and his loved ones. prgtoken May we carry his baton forward in our work for a more just world, a more compassionate world, and may he rest in peace.
PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ACT OF 2019
Max Rose (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the PRO Act to protect workers against an unprecedented tide of attacks on hardworking Americans. prgtoken Unions are the backbone of our economy, and, for too long, Congress has watched as unions are trampled on in the name of shareholder value. Well, no more. prgtoken For far too long, the ic Party has treated unions as if they were fully owned subsidiaries, talking to them only during times of elections. Well, with this Congress, we say that those days are no more. prgtoken For too long, the ic Party stood on the sidelines and watched nonunion members go to war with union members, all in the working class and the middle class, and we had forgotten that, when the union movement works well, when the union movement grows, the entire middle class prospers. Well, that ends today. prgtoken With this bill, we reaffirm workers' rights to organize a union and to negotiate higher wages and better benefits. By passing this bill, we uphold the bedrock values of this country.
PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ACT OF 2019
Frederica S. Wilson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I rise in support of H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or the great PRO Act. The Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, which I am privileged to chair, conducted three long, riveting hearings in the 116th Congress. During these hearings, we assessed a multitude of legal obstacles workers face in securing union recognition and winning collective bargaining agreements. prgtoken Some facts are indisputable. Collective bargaining gives America's workers an economic ladder and safer working conditions. There are so many unsafe working conditions all over America. prgtoken During our first hearing, we heard testimony from Cynthia Harper, who suffered a severe injury in an Ohio assembly plant. Even though Cynthia was hurt, she did not give up. She fought for her rights. Cynthia was fired from her plant for organizing a union to win safer working conditions for herself and her coworkers. prgtoken Incredibly, the National Labor Relations Act has no civil penalties that deter employers from violating workers' rights. Importantly, the PRO Act addresses this by establishing meaningful penalties for companies that violate their employees' rights. This important legislation cements into law the principle that workers deserve the right to negotiate for a fair share of the wealth, wealth that their hard work, sweat, and tears helps to create for this Nation. prgtoken This bill makes every American man's, woman's, and child's life better. Make no mistake, anyone who has gotten a livable wage, equal pay for equal work, and a safe working environment should thank unions and support the PRO Act. Anyone who grew up in a middle-class home and is fighting to build a middle-class home for their own children should thank unions and support the PRO Act. Anyone who believes in growing wages, providing healthcare for all people, and protecting workers' rights should thank unions and support the PRO Act. Anyone who knows we should protect the right to organize and institute financial penalties on companies that interfere should thank unions and support the PRO Act. prgtoken Every single Member of Congress, and s, House and Senate, represents working people, and this is a working people's bill. prgtoken Simply put, if you claim to fight for and support the interests of working people, you must support the PRO Act. prgtoken I ask all of my colleagues, and s, to support the working people of America and support the PRO Act.
RECOGNIZING NACHA, ONE OF THE 2020 BEST PLACES TO WORK IN VIRGINIA
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Madam , on behalf of myself and my colleague, Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-11), I rise to recognize Nacha, and to congratulate them on their recent designation as one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia by the Virginia Business and Best Companies Group. Determined by a statewide survey competition, the annual list honors the best places of employment in Virginia. A testament to their commitment to success in this area, this is the second consecutive year Nacha has been named to the list. Nacha's designation as one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia is a fitting acknowledgement of their many contributions to Virginia's economy, workforce, and business community. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Nacha proudly employs 66 Virginians, prgtoken and three of their 43 Direct Members are based in the Commonwealth: Navy Federal Credit Union, Capital One, and ePayResources. Nacha serves as trustee of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network, enabling payments such as direct deposit and direct payment via ACH. Today, Nacha's work is more important than ever, as more than 80 percent of U.S. workers now receive their regular pay using Direct Deposit via ACH, and consumers now pay 800 million bills each month with Direct Payment via ACH. 24.7 billion ACH payments, valued at a total of $55.8 trillion, moved across the ACH Network in 2019 alone, the fifth straight year to see a gain of more than one billion payments. Rep. Wexton and I are thrilled to recognize Nacha's commitment to creating and fostering an award-winning work environment in Northern Virginia, and we commend them on their efforts to strengthen the ACH Network. We are proud to represent in Congress many employees of one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia. Madam , I urge my colleagues to join us in recognizing Nacha's successes, and in congratulating them on the well-deserved honor of being named one of the 2020 Best Places to Work in Virginia.
HONORING RUDY CAMPBELL
Greg Stanton (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Madam , I rise to honor the life and legacy of Rudy Campbell, former mayor of Tempe, who passed away on February 3, 2020 at the age of 96. Arizonans will remember him as a dedicated man who committed his life to serving his country and making Tempe a better place to work and live. Deeply committed to his community, Mayor Campbell had a long and storied history of public service. prgtoken Born in Oklahoma to migrant farmworkers, Campbell learned the early value and dignity of hard work. He forged his own path and worked every day to provide his parents and sister with the support they needed to succeed in their own lives. After serving in World War II, Campbell came to Arizona and made Tempe his home. He settled down to work and raised his family in Tempe with his wife, Greta. They had two children, four grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren together over their 76-year marriage. prgtoken Campbell took on many leadership roles throughout his decades of public service in the Tempe community. He served as President of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Arizona Highway Commission, and a member of the Tempe City Council. A champion of public education, Campbell advocated for accessible and affordable higher education for all during his service on the Arizona Board of Regents. In 1966, Campbell made history by becoming the first Mayor elected by the people of Tempe. His tenure leading the city served as a model for future mayors and will continue to inspire generations of leaders in Tempe and across Arizona. prgtoken As Mayor, Campbell worked tirelessly to expand and transform Tempe's infrastructure. Campbell modernized Tempe's roads, highways, and bridges, leading the way for industry and accelerating economic growth in the region. His contributions to the city were invaluable and laid the foundation for modern-day Tempe. prgtoken His service as mayor and in the community led to the City of Tempe naming a park in his honor. Today, Campbell Park is a beloved place in our local community and a testament to his lifetime achievement. His legacy will continue to live on for years to come. prgtoken I thank Mayor Campbell for his service and Godspeed
EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S HARMFUL ACTIONS TOWARDS MEDICAID
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2020-2-6

I adamantly oppose Tennessee's proposal to block grant its version of Medicaid, TennCare, and the Administration's proposal for all states to have the opportunity to restrict Medicaid funding. This proposal would harm Americans most in need across the country. We should not be encouraging states to limit resources and cap budgets. In Tennessee, one in ten people have no health insurance. When this is the case, we should be expanding options for affordable health care options. Instead, this Administration has relentlessly attacked Medicaid and the people who depend on its support to stay healthy. The fact is, the majority of non-disabled, non-elderly adults on Medicaid are working hard and rely on Medicaid to help get the basic health care that they need. I am proud to support H. Res. 826 and will continue to fight for access to health care for all Americans. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
COMMEMORATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE POSITIVE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Madam , I rise today to acknowledge The Positive Community magazine on its 20th anniversary. prgtoken The Positive Community started as an idea of two broadcasting professionals, Adrian Council, Sr and Jean Nash Wells. They were tired of all of the negative press about African Americans. They wanted to create a publication that focused on the good news coming from these communities. prgtoken They started with a newsletter and distributed it to churches and community centers. It became so popular that they turned it into a magazine. Today, The Positive Community magazine and its website highlights great events and people from our African American culture. prgtoken I applaud their efforts and encourage more people to read it. It is time to hear more positive stories from African Americans in their communities.
PROTECTING NATION'S WORKFORCE AGAINST EROSION OF THEIR RIGHTS
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-6

. Madam , I rise to express my strong support for H.R. 2474, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. prgtoken For over 3 years, the administration has waged an assault on organized labor, limiting unions' ability to fairly represent the American workforce while undermining safeguards that protect against discrimination and unsafe working conditions. prgtoken This bill will protect our Nation's workforce against this erosion of their rights. The PRO Act introduces meaningful, enforceable penalties for companies that violate workers' rights to unionize, streamlines access to justice for workers who suffer retaliation, facilitates collective bargaining, and increases transparency in labor relations. prgtoken Our Nation was not built by gold or silver but was built by labor. Protecting the rights of workers to organize strengthens our workforce, our economy, and our Nation. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important bill.