mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HISTORICAL INJUSTICES
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2024-3-8

and still I rise; and I rise as a liberated , unbought, unbossed, and unafraid. I rise in the spirit of Shirley Chisholm, who coined the notion of being unbought, unbossed, and unafraid. I rise as a proud scion of the enslaved Africans whose lives were sacrificed for more than 240 years to make America great. prgtoken Their lives were sacrificed because America at that time desired to have a caste system, a system wherein persons were born into this caste, would live, die, and be buried as a part of the caste. Not a class. Caste is hereditary. A class is a socioeconomic circumstance. prgtoken There was this desire to have persons be a part of the caste, and persons of African ancestry were selected because they were identifiable, and they wanted an identifiable caste. They wanted this caste to be subservient, immediately agreeing to whatever the master said, and they wanted them to be powerless. They were exactly that: A powerless, subservient, identifiable caste for more than 240 years. prgtoken , I still love my country, notwithstanding its history. I love it because I believe in the ideals that have been expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Those ideals give me hope. I believe that America still has much to achieve, but I believe that America can still dream big and accomplish great things. It is my hope that we will at some point achieve the ideals extolled in the Pledge of Allegiance--liberty and justice for all; the ideal of government by the people for the people; the notion that we can have a country wherein all persons are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. These are the things that I believe we can achieve. prgtoken I believe that we ought to honor the persons who were enslaved. I honor victims of great, horrific tragedies. I honor the victims of the Holocaust. There is nothing to be compared to the Holocaust. There is nothing to be compared to the enslavement of millions of people for 240 years. These are two horrific incidents in history, two circumstances. prgtoken I believe that we ought to respect and acknowledge that the Holocaust occurred and that it has had an impact not only on the people of that time but on the people of this time. prgtoken I also believe we ought to acknowledge that enslavement occurred. There are people who don't want to acknowledge slavery in this country. They want to say that it was involuntary relocation. This is a fact. Well, it wasn't. It was murder. It was rape. It was robbery. It was kidnapping. It was all of these horrific things, including lynching. It was an horrific, horrible circumstance that was imposed upon people. prgtoken I think we should honor both the Holocaust and what we call slavery, the enslavement of persons of African ancestry, because these persons of African ancestry built the Capitol. We know of the great things that they did: built the
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2024-3-8

my colleague from Missouri says this is a good government amendment, but this, in fact, is not a good government amendment. prgtoken The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided millions of dollars to connect all Americans to high-speed, reliable, affordable internet. prgtoken The IIJA provided an administrative set-aside of 2 percent to get these grants out the door quickly and responsibly. What we are hearing now is that the Commerce Department has projected that this falls short of what is needed to successfully implement and oversee these programs. So we increased that 2 percent to 2.7 percent to cover the shortfall that helps States. prgtoken Now, the NTIA has grants on the Middle Mile Program that affect 38 projects in 35 States and Puerto Rico. And I am going to read for my colleagues across the aisle, who are objecting to this 2.7 percent, the States that are affected if these programs get cut, and their grants will get cut: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Missouri--
HONORING THE LIFE OF MS. KAREN HOSLER
Dean Phillips (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2024-3-8

I rise today to honor the life of Karen Hosler, a distinguished Baltimore Sun correspondent whose beats included Congress and the White House. Karen died on February 1 of this year, and it is an understatement to say that Karen lived life to its absolute fullest during her 75 years on this earth. prgtoken Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to meet Karen, but I wish that I had. Those that worked with and knew her said, ``Karen always brightened up a room with her cheerfulness, her wonderful laughter, her joy for life and her deep commitment to first-rate journalism done the right way . . . She loved reporting on politics, be it Annapolis city government, the governor and General Assembly or the White House and Congress. prgtoken Ms. Hosler earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1970 from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she was on the staff of The Diamondback, the campus newspaper. After college, she got her start right here in Congress working as a press aide to U.S. Senator Charles Mathias and then began covering politics for The Bowie Blade and Prince George's News. She then joined the staff in the early 1970s of what was then known as The Evening Capital in Annapolis, where she covered government, including the General Assembly and Anne Arundel County elections. prgtoken Those that knew her in the newsroom describe her as ``. . . sassy, brassy and bold . . . She had the perfect reporter's combination of skepticism of what the government officials she was covering was telling her and empathy for the people she covered . . . She asked the questions that got right to the heart of things.'' prgtoken She then joined The Arundel Sun in 1977, and then went back to Annapolis, where she covered politics and state government. From 1980 to 1983, she was the paper's state political reporter and from 1983 to 1988 its Maryland correspondent. prgtoken In 1988, she was named White House correspondent where she covered the administrations of Presidents Ronald W. Reagan, George H.W. and Bill Clinton. prgtoken In 2002, my colleague, Representative Steny Hoyer, included in the Congressional Record that Ms. Hosler was ``always a tough interrogator of a politician. She asked the hard questions that we didn't always like to answer, but she always got it out of us. She took her responsibility as a reporter very seriously and her readers were better off for it.'' prgtoken As if her professional accomplishments were not enough, Karen completed 12 marathons including the Boston, New York and Marine Corps marathons and brought her love of running to Washington. In fact, she even ran with President Bill Clinton and described the President as ``a whole lot faster than he looks.'' prgtoken In 1993, Karen became the congressional correspondent for The Sun until 1998, and its deputy Washington bureau chief from 1999 until 2002. prgtoken From 2008 until retiring in 2020, she was a WYPR talk show host, re
EXPANDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL ACT OF 2023
Stephen F. Lynch (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-3-8

. Madam Chair, in the interest of investor protection, my amendment would prevent H.R. 2799 from taking effect unless the Securities and Exchange Commission certifies to Congress that this misguided legislation will not increase the amount of fraud in our financial system. prgtoken Importantly, this certification would be based on SEC consultation with our State securities regulators. prgtoken As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion, I am strongly supportive of reducing barriers to capital market participation in a manner that maximizes investor protection, regulatory oversight, and responsible capital formation. Unfortunately, this bill removes basic protections and promotes reckless deregulation at the expense of all three. prgtoken Not surprisingly, our State securities regulators are overwhelmingly opposed to the so-called Expanding Access to Capital Act because it would preempt critical State laws that are in place to protect retail investors against fraud and other financial misconduct. prgtoken In my own State of Massachusetts, our longtime Secretary of the Commonwealth and chief securities regulator, Bill Galvin, reports this bill would significantly undermine the State's ability to regulate financial middlemen such as finders and private placement brokers and that these financial intermediaries regularly promote private investments that are both high risk and nonliquid. prgtoken By providing these individuals with a virtual safe harbor from registration and other important investor protection requirements, H.R. 2799 will weaken oversight and enforcement in this area. According to Secretary Galvin, finders will be ``invisible to regulators and market observers until problems arise.'' prgtoken The Massachusetts Securities Division has, in fact, commenced several recent enforcement actions related to finder misconduct, including the solicitation of fraudulent promissory notes to further a Ponzi scheme and the use of scam investment tactics to raise small business capital for businesses that never materialized. These schemes have cost Massachusetts investors millions of dollars. prgtoken Similarly, the North American Securities Administrators Association, which is on the front line of investor protections across our country, strongly opposes this legislation on the grounds that it would make it impossible for State securities regulators to promote responsible capital formation and protect investors in the States. prgtoken Under existing investor protection statutes and registration requirements, regulators are able to directly engage with small business owners and entrepreneurs to educate them on responsible options for raising capital, help them avoid compliance mistakes, and deter fraud that will harm investors and businesses alike. prgtoken The bill before us, however, would undermine these efforts by obscuring finders and other middlemen from the lines of s
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2024-3-11

. Madam , it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor the CBC's Special Order hour with Member Jonathan Jackson from the great Chicago, Illinois. prgtoken For the next 60 minutes, we have the chance to speak directly to the American people on issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the constituents we represent, and all Americans--the health and well-being of Americans, American Black men and boys. prgtoken Madam , from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), my honorable colleague.
SAVE OUR SEAS 2.0 AMENDMENTS ACT
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2024-3-11

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. prgtoken Marine debris is a serious problem. Unfortunately, much of marine debris is made up of plastic pollution. The ocean is littered with plastic bottles, straws, grocery bags, cigarette butts, fishing gear, and abandoned vehicles. Additionally, there are tiny pieces of plastic, microplastics, that make their way into marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth, and, in some cases, killing marine mammals and threatening fisheries. prgtoken We still don't know how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade completely. Estimates range from 500 years to never. A 2020 study from The Pew Charitable Trusts found that, every year, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic garbage enter the ocean, harming marine life and destroying ecosystems. prgtoken If we do nothing to minimize ocean plastic pollution, it will nearly quadruple by 2040. We need to fundamentally change our reliance on plastics. Not only do they pollute the ocean, but they also exacerbate the climate crisis. The fossil fuel and plastics industries are connected, and plastics contribute to industrial emissions in the United States. prgtoken A global challenge of this magnitude cannot be solved with a single bill. We should not limit our action to removing existing plastic from the ocean, and we cannot recycle our way out of plastic waste that ends up on our shores. prgtoken We need comprehensive action, but today, we have the opportunity to build on our strong, bipartisan foundation of bicameral efforts to strengthen the NOAA Marine Debris Program and enhance the work of the Marine Debris Foundation. prgtoken The bipartisan SOS 2.0 Act, which I worked on and authored with the late Congressman Don Young and Senators Sullivan and Whitehouse, is the most comprehensive legislation Congress has prgtoken passed to address marine debris that threatens coastal communities and ecosystems. prgtoken The bill created a Marine Debris Foundation to support NOAA's work; advanced the removal and prevention of debris, including plastic waste; and established a pilot program to provide incentives for the proper disposal of marine debris collected at sea. prgtoken Despite these important policies, current law does not effectively permit NOAA through the Marine Debris Program to assist and collaborate with foreign governments, international organizations, Tribal groups, and other organizations that may have the specific skills required to achieve the Marine Debris Act's goals. prgtoken As co-chairs of the House Oceans Caucus, Representative Gonzalez- Colon and I introduced the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act. This bill would amend the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and the Marine Debris Act to provide NOAA with greater flexibility to deliver Federal resources and enter into cooperative agreements to conduct marine debris prevention and c
WE MUST SHOW OUR HUMANITY
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2024-3-11

. Madam , in the bitter cold, one might wonder what the conditions of the soldiers in Ukraine are, young soldiers who are fighting for democracy. prgtoken You would also wonder why this body of Members has not been able to resolve the crisis at the border in a way that is humane and is dealing with the southern border with the right kind of personnel and the right kind of funding. All of this was offered. prgtoken There are hostages still being held, but what is most of a crisis are the children in Gaza who are dying and the fact that we are leaving this week without providing the funding that is necessary, the humanitarian funding, helping Doctors Without Borders, trying to make sure that ships are delivering the amount of resources that are necessary. People are dying, but most of all, our babies are dying. prgtoken It is urgent that the of the House provides funding legislation, some of which was already presented by the President of the United States, to move forward on saving lives, helping the soldiers fighting for democracy, children trying to live, and families trying to live. prgtoken Enough is enough. We must show our humanity.
THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT EMERGENCIES ACT
Dina Titus (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2024-3-11

today's disasters are more frequent, cause more damage, and have longer recovery times. Through my role as Ranking Member of the T&I Subcommittee that oversees FEMA and as a co-founder of the Disaster Equity and Building Resilience Caucus, we know that, unfortunately, in the aftermath of these events, individuals with disabilities find themselves at an increased risk of institutionalization, injury, and death. prgtoken I am proud to have joined Rep. Molinaro in introducing the Think Differently About Emergencies Act which will help identify needed improvements to the emergency management landscape so we can ensure that no one gets left behind in the wake of a major disaster. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
RUSSIA
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2024-3-11

an article in the February 29 New York Times, entitled ``5 Convicts Familiar With Navalny's Prison Confirm Hellish Conditions,'' describes the horrifyingly cruel treatment of political prisoners in Russia. Anyone who reads the article could easily mistakenly assume that they were reading about the shocking ways that prisoners were dehumanized, brutalized, starved, and murdered in the Middle Ages, except this is 2024. prgtoken What the article describes is not new, but it has received renewed attention since the murder, on February 16, of Aleksei Navalny, who bravely challenged Putin's corrupt and ruthless crusade to destroy any semblance of democracy and freedom in Russia today. prgtoken I want to quote a few passages from the article for the benefit of those who have not read it: Locked in an Arctic prison, Aleksei A. Navalny is likely to have spent his final days in some of the most inhumane conditions within Russia's extensive penitentiary system, according to five men who have served sentences in the same penal colony as the Russian opposition leader. The men described in phone interviews unbearable cold, repulsive food, unsanitary conditions, and beatings in Penal Colony No. 3 of the remote Yamalo-Nenets region, where Mr. Navalny arrived in December to serve out the remainder of his 19-year prison sentence. The former inmates said the conditions were especially brutal in the solitary cells where Mr. Navalny is believed to have been confined on the day he was pronounced dead. But what made the prison, known as IK-3 or the Troika, dreaded even by Russia's hardened inmates was the exceptional psychological pressure and loneliness, they said. It was a system devised to break the human spirit, by making survival depend on total and unconditional obedience to the will of guards. ``It was complete and utter annihilation,'' said a former inmate named Konstantin, who spent time in the prison's solitary confinement cells. ``When I think about it, I still break into cold sweat,'' he said, adding that he has struggled with mental illness since his release. Set in the tundra, the Troika is built to hold about 1,000 prisoners in some of the most remote, strict and harsh conditions in Russia, which former convicts say can cross into torture. ``You had to make peace with the fact that no one will help you, that you're on your own,'' Aleksandr added. prgtoken The article includes a photograph of a sign at the entrance to the penal colony, reminiscent of Auschwitz, with the words ``Happiness not far off.'' According to a former inmate, ``You could spend 10 years there, and not see and not know anything about anyone else.'' When asked about the convicts' reaction to Mr. Navalny's death, he said: ``No one gives a damn a
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-3-11

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and , Representative Frederica Wilson from the great State of Florida, for conceptualizing, dreaming up, thinking up, and putting into play not only the opportunity for a discussion, but the tremendous work and the great record she has achieved on behalf of African-American boys and men as she continues to represent her entire district. prgtoken I trust that those who are watching are in good health and good spirits because our country is facing one of its most difficult periods in the history of America. There is tremendous friction, anxieties, different approaches to doing things, and I think about that every day as I try and represent the 759,000 individuals who live in the very diverse area called the Seventh Congressional District of Illinois. prgtoken Some of the wealthiest people in America live along the Gold Coast, the Magnificent Mile. Some of the most disadvantaged individuals live on the south and west sides of Chicago, areas that were devastated during the period of movement action, especially after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. prgtoken As an elected official, I try to balance the concerns of all these different individuals, all of their hopes, their aspirations, recognizing their issues, their problems, and their concerns. While I represent every aspect of the district--Chinatown; what used to be called Jewtown; Little Italy, an Italian community; Ukrainian Village, a Ukrainian community; a large African-American community; suburban areas--lots of issues, lots of problems, tremendous needs, lots of hopes and aspirations. prgtoken African-American males are at the forefront of these issues and these problems for many various reasons that I won't even attempt to really characterize or go into. Oftentimes, prgtoken when you look at quality of life and those things that are indicators of quality of life, the most disproportionate number of individuals incarcerated, African-American males; the individuals who drop out of school without graduating, African-American males; the unemployed. We brag about less than 4 percent unemployment in our country, but the highest level of unemployment is African-American males. prgtoken Something has to be done beyond the average, beyond the norm. We need programs, but we really need to keep working on reducing poverty. Many of these individuals live in poverty-stricken areas, poverty-stricken homes, single-parent homes, areas where the schools are not as good as they might be in other areas. prgtoken Therefore, we need special consideration, special treatment. We need to make sure that low-income families can get a real child tax credit like we enacted for the year 2021 where individuals who earned $75,000 or less were able to achieve for their children under 6 $300 a month. That helped a great deal. Of course, if they were 6 and over, under 17, it was $250. That helped a great dea