mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CLARK COUNTY MUSEUM
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-4-11

I rise today to honor the 50th anniversary of the oldest and largest museum in the Las Vegas Valley. prgtoken On April 20, 2018, the Clark County Museum will celebrate 50 years of engaging visitors, and creating a deeper understanding and enjoyment of history and culture. prgtoken The first public museum in the Las Vegas Valley, in the last fifty years the Clark County Museum has moved, changed names, and become a pre-eminent location for learning about the history of Southern Nevada. It now has a collection of more than 1 million artifacts, and has become a true reflection of the story of Southern Nevadans. prgtoken I am a proud supporter of the important work museums are doing in our districts. That is why I requested robust funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) Office of Museum Services (OMS) from House appropriators and was pleased to see it included in this year's spending package. prgtoken I want to congratulate the Clark County Museum on reaching this impressive milestone. Thank the museum staff and supporters for their contributions to help preserve Southern Nevada's history and culture, and I look forward to seeing all that they accomplish in the next 50 years.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-4-11

today I wish to recognize the important contributions of the Sikh community in New Jersey and across the country. New Jersey is enriched by the diversity of its residents who have promoted a climate of social tolerance and intellectual pluralism that has sustained our State throughout its history. Since first immigrating to the United States from Punjab, India, over 100 years ago, the Sikh community has played a critical role in enhancing and contributing to New Jersey and our Nation. prgtoken This month, Sikhs in New Jersey and across the country will celebrate their most significant annual event, Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year; providing the Sikh community the time to remember history, celebrate collectively, and recommit to their religious traditions. prgtoken The New Jersey Sikh community has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. Every Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship, has a Langar, a free community kitchen that serves all visitors regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. The Langar instills the notion of equality and the brotherhood for all. Every November, the New Jersey Sikh community expands on this tradition and organizes the ``Let's Share a Meal'' event that distributes meals to homeless shelters in the area. In 2017, 275 Sikh community members prepared, packed, and delivered meals to 84 shelters over 2 days. This served more than 15,000 New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania residents. prgtoken New Jersey also recently welcomed three Sikh Americans as new public officials. On January 1, 2018, Ravi Bhalla became Hoboken's 30th mayor and the State's first Sikh mayor. Bhalla had previously served two terms on Hoboken's city council. Although Bhalla experienced periodic hateful attacks during his mayoral campaign, voters resoundingly rejected such divisive rhetoric when they elected him mayor. prgtoken In addition to electing its first Sikh mayor, New Jersey also elected Balvir Singh as a member of the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders, making him the first Sikh American to win a countywide election in New Jersey. Singh, who served for nearly 2 years as a member of the Burlington Township Board of Education, was sworn into office on January 3, 2018. prgtoken New Jersey is also home to the Nation's first Sikh State attorney general, Gurbir Grewal. Grewal had previously served as the Bergen County prosecutor. The State Senate unanimously approved his appointment by a 29-0 vote on January 16. Grewal will enforce the law in a manner that protects all New Jersey residents. prgtoken The broad support that these three individuals garnered is a testament to New Jersey's culture of inclusion of individuals of all ethnicities and religious backgrounds. prgtoken However, we know that Sikh Americans across the country continue to endure discrimination and hateful attacks, from school bullying to verbal assaults to violence. prgtoken I invite my coll
HONORING THE SESQUICENTENNIAL OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONNECTICUT'S NAVY INSTALLATION
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-4-11

today, April 11, 2018, is a special day in southeastern Connecticut. It marks the 150th anniversary of when the State of Connecticut and the city of New London conveyed a deed of gift to the U.S. Navy that today still stands as the Naval Submarine Base New London, which has had a glorious, distinguished career in terms of our national defense. prgtoken Again, on that date in 1867, when the deed was signed and given to Gideon Welles, who was the Secretary of the Navy at the time, himself a native of the State of Connecticut, Glastonbury, Connecticut, it was the result, again, of an effort by one of my predecessors, Congressman Augustus Brandegee, who got an authorization and an appropriation through the Naval Appropriations bill in 1867 that set up this conveyance. prgtoken Congressman Brandegee was a distinguished Member of this body. He was a strong supporter of abolition. He voted in favor of the 13th Amendment, and he was somebody who was a frequent friend of President Lincoln at the time. They rode horseback together in the morning, and he was a very strong ally of the President. prgtoken After that deed of gift was signed, the Navy base was a coaling station that provided a way station for Navy ships in New England waters to again get refueled. It also was a place that Civil War Navy ships were stored in the wake of that conflict. prgtoken Again, fast-forward to 1915. That is when the Navy actually designated that base as a submarine base. It was a timely event because, very shortly thereafter, with the U.S. involvement in World War I where U-boat activity, obviously, was the driving force for why the U.S. got into that conflict, the submarine base in New London became a critical part of our effort in terms of that conflict. prgtoken Moving forward, even from 1915 when the first G-boat subs arrived at the Navy base in World War II, as Admiral Nimitz, who headed up our efforts particularly in the South Pacific, stated frequently in the wake of Pearl Harbor: It was, in fact, the submarine force that really held the line against the Japanese onslaught that took place in that area. prgtoken The Groton base was a site where a lot of the submarines that were part of that conflict actually took on that struggle; again, tragic and catastrophic losses. Nonetheless, I think most historians, particularly in the Pacific region, will affirm it was, in fact, the submarine force that was critical in terms of holding the line, particularly in 1942 and early 1943. prgtoken After World War II, the Groton base played another huge role in our national defense with the development of the nuclear Navy. Admiral Hyman Rickover developed the USS Nautilus, which was launched in the 1950s. That all took place in Groton and New London, Connecticut. Electric Boat was the shipyard where the Nautilus was built. prgtoken Today, our submarine force is completely nuclear powered. We have 15 attack submarines at the Groton-New London base
HONORING THE LIFE OF RHONDA LeROCQUE
Ruben J. Kihuen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2018-4-11

. Madam , today I rise to remember the life of Rhonda LeRocque. Rhonda attended the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas on October 1. prgtoken Rhonda was married to her husband, Jason, for 21 years, with whom she had a 6-year-old daughter, Ali. prgtoken Rhonda and Jason were very active in their church and enjoyed participating in humanitarian projects together. One of their biggest projects was when they traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild homes. prgtoken Rhonda worked for a design firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but dreamed of opening up her own catering business. She loved skiing, cooking, and baking, but nothing could surpass her love for her family. She is remembered for being a selfless and joyful woman who had a strong faith. prgtoken I would like to extend my condolences to Rhonda LeRocque's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas, the State of Nevada, and the whole country grieve with you.
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EQUAL PAY DAY
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2018-4-11

I rise today in strong support of Equal Pay Day. prgtoken The Equal Pay Act became law more than 50 years ago, and today women comprise almost half of the American workforce. They serve in our hospitals, schools, and our factories. They are executives at major corporations. They are doctors, they are lawyers, and they serve in countless other occupations that make our economy one of the greatest in the world. prgtoken Yet, women are still disadvantaged by the gender wage gap. They are compensated at only 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man. prgtoken This must not continue. It is unjust, it prevents a fair and productive economy, and is something that we need to close, this gap. Closing the wage gap is an economic imperative.
Venezuela (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-4-11

last week, I spent 4 days in Venezuela. I had never been there before. I was given an opportunity to get a visa to go to the country, and I jumped at the opportunity. Venezuela, of course, on the north end of the South American continent, is a constant source of concern in the United States and the region, and I wanted to see for myself what was happening. No doubt, many are aware that Venezuela has been suffering devastating economic and democratic backsliding, but what I found was a country that is on the edge of collapse, facing overlapping economic, humanitarian, and political crises. prgtoken On the economic side, Venezuela has so many positive things. It is rich in natural beauty, oil, minerals, and human talent, but it has seen its economy run into the ground by mindless price controls, multiple exchange rates, and gross mismanagement. Inflation is rampant and expected to reach 13,000 percent this year, leading to what some call ``a race for survival.'' prgtoken Imagine walking down the main street of Caracas and seeing long lines at every ATM. Why are they there? Because each day, the residents of Venezuela must go to the ATM machine with their credit card or debit card and take out the maximum withdrawal allowed. It is hundreds of thousands of Bolivars, which sound like more money than you could possibly need, but it translates into 20 cents--waiting an hour at an ATM machine for 20 cents' worth of currency so that you can ride the bus back and forth to work. That is what life is like in the capital of Venezuela. prgtoken They have universally discredited and arbitrary price controls that are eerily reminiscent of the failed policies in Cuba and the Soviet Union. They have decimated local production and left basic goods unavailable or unaffordable. prgtoken I went down the main street in Caracas and saw many shops but no customers. Basic goods were available--shampoo or diapers, for example--but they cost the equivalent of 2 or 3 months of salary. We stopped and did a translation at one store that isn't under price controls, and we found that a pound of hamburger costs $4, which doesn't sound bad, except that that is the minimum monthly wage in Venezuela--for a pound of hamburger. People waited in long lines. prgtoken Rampant inflation--hyperinflation, really--has made actual cash scarce, and near worthless when it can actually be found. I have never visited a country where I never touched their currency. They warned me against it. They said: If you buy things here, as a tourist, you are going to pay 20 times what local people pay. They have exchange rates that are bizarre and change by the minute. These people live with this every single day. prgtoken The government of Maduro stages raids into formal grocery stores to impose arbitrary price controls, leaving the owners unable to stock their shelves or run a functioning business. If there is a rumor that there are eggs for sale some
INEQUALITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL AMERICANS
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-4-11

I want to thank the gentleman, and I want to thank him for his commitment and passion to this issue, and for organizing this effort tonight, and to join with him and our colleague from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison) to focus on the issue of income inequality. prgtoken And for those of us who serve in this institution, we have a moral obligation, a moral responsibility, to help those who are in punishing poverty. prgtoken It was more than 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson and a bipartisan Congress worked together to create the social safety net. And that social safety net is representative of the values of this great country where it says that it is not every man or woman for himself or herself, but it is our shared responsibility for one another, our accountability for one another, and particularly in times of need. prgtoken Their priority--their priority--bipartisan Members of this institution, was to lift families out of poverty. prgtoken Their tools? prgtoken Programs to help end hunger, creating good-paying jobs, provide affordable healthcare, guarantee a quality education for all of our children. prgtoken But, unfortunately, and I will be specific here, we have an administration, prgtoken we have a President, and we have a of this body, Mr. Ryan, who are not fighting a war on poverty. They are fighting a war on working families and the poor. prgtoken President and Ryan do not value the beneficiaries of these programs. They do not value these people's lives, unless they happen to have an estate or a corporate spending account. They want corporations and the wealthiest Americans to see bigger profits, even if the poor suffer greater pain. prgtoken s have repeatedly gone after the nutrition programs, the food stamp program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; programs that help people bounce back from tough times and to retire with dignity after a life of hard work. prgtoken When I did research for a book that was published last year, ``The Least Among Us: Waging the Battle for the Vulnerable,'' what I found is, when it came to nutrition programs, who were the people who were engaged and involved? prgtoken Bob Dole, from Kansas. George McGovern, . prgtoken When you looked at the child tax credits, was for a child tax credit, as well as Jay Rockefeller. and s who came together on these issues for refundable tax credits for families to help lift them out of poverty. prgtoken When you take a look at a whole variety, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, while there may have been differences in the Chamber as they debated them, but when it came to the vote, they were passed on a bipartisan basis because, it is my view, that the folks who served there understood why they were elected and what this institution is about and how it provides opportunity for people in this country. prgtoken That is what our job is here, is to provide opportunity for th
RECOGNIZING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF TARTAN DAY
Robert A. Brady (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2018-4-11

today I rise to honor the 20th anniversary of Tartan day on April 6th along with the many accomplishments of Scottish Americans in my district. prgtoken I am a proud member of the Friends of Scotland Caucus and am well aware of the deep history of Scottish immigrants in Philadelphia. As Scotland witnessed a tumultuous 18th century, Scots turned to Philadelphia to pursue a better life. During early settlements, Philadelphia was largely used as a gateway to the United States. Demand for a unifying organization grew and consequently, the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia was formed in 1747 by twenty-five Scottish gentlemen to help Scottish immigrants adjust to life in the New World. This impressive organization gets its name form Scotland's patron saint and is the oldest charitable membership organization in North America. prgtoken Throughout the subsequent two and a half centuries, the Scots have used their talent and hard work to the service of this country. A monument was constructed on October 8, 2011 in Philadelphia to commemorate Scottish immigration and depicts the importance of Scots to the success of the United States. I am proud that this monument serves as a symbol of the American Dream in my district. prgtoken Established in 1988 by a U.S. Senate Resolution, Tartan day serves to recognize the achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States. In Philadelphia, a ceremony, facilitated by the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia, was held on April 7 to honor the occasion. prgtoken , please join me in recognizing the vigintennial of Tartan day and the years of service Scottish immigrants have brought not only to Philadelphia but to this country.
INEQUALITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL AMERICANS
Keith Ellison (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2018-4-11

. Madam , I definitely want to thank the gentleman for the important information he has shared with us tonight. Folks who are tuned in definitely, I believe, are interested in this topic. In fact, it is the thing that most people think about. prgtoken As I am here tonight, I would say, Madam , that we just celebrated, or shall I say we just memorialized the loss of Martin Luther King, which it was his 50th anniversary of his passing, of his assassination back on April 4. And just recently, this is the year that we passed the fair housing law in 1968, so it has been 50 years. prgtoken A lot of people, when they think of King, they think, oh, he helped African Americans defeat Jim Crow segregation, and that is true. That is one way to look at it. prgtoken But when he died, he was marching with sanitation workers who were paid so little they could not make ends meet. They weren't allowed to go into adequate shelter when it was raining, so two of them, one day, happened to go into the back of the garbage truck. The garbage truck had a malfunction, and those two men were crushed in the garbage truck, and so that initiated a strike which Martin Luther King came and joined two times, it being the last fight he was ever in. prgtoken Why do I bring up this point? Because we think of America as being more evolved since that time. We think, oh, we have got voting rights; we have gotten rid of discrimination. It is illegal now. prgtoken But I will tell you what. Despite the fact that we still are battling for racial equality, we have absolutely slipped backwards in the fight for economic empowerment for working people, no matter what their color. prgtoken In 1968, the Federal minimum wage, if it had been adjusted for inflation, would be about $11.62. But as the gentleman just mentioned, it is now $7.25. And the server minimum wage, the tip minimum wage is $2.13. People don't believe me when I say that, but it is $2.13. prgtoken How can it be legal to pay a server $2.13? They say, oh, they make it up in tips. Do they? What if their tips aren't given to them? What if there is wage theft, which happens all the time? prgtoken I want to thank the gentleman from California for mentioning that in 1968, the average CEO got paid about 20 times more than the average worker. Today, it is above 300 percent, 300 times. So the inequality has dramatically not just enriched the rich, it has made working and middle class and the working poor suffer. prgtoken There are--and this is a shocking statistic. There has been a 60 percent growth in people living under the Federal poverty guideline since 1968. That is wrong, and this tax bill that we just passed will do nothing other than make it all that much worse. prgtoken It is a cruel irony that, in the face of this spread, this gap that working people are experiencing relative to their richer fellow Americans, that we would say, oh, you know what we need to do? Give the rich people even more money.
STRESS TEST IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2017
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-4-11

this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. prgtoken , we have talked at length about how H.R. 4293 is a bill for Wall Street megabanks to line their pockets while reducing safeguards that better protect the Main Street economy from another financial crisis. While I deeply disagree with the bill's approach, I offer this motion to recommit, not in a manner that sends the bill to the committee and kills the bill, but rather to attempt to improve the bill before the House votes on final passage of the measure. prgtoken We all know megabanks have been given a free ride in Washington for far too long when it comes to repeated, egregious offenses. They just get a fine--the equivalent of a slap on the wrist--for harming consumers. prgtoken Since 2010, megabanks have racked up over $160 billion worth of fines, yet they keep breaking the law. prgtoken We have talked about Wells Fargo's growing list of illegal actions that have harmed millions of consumers. Sure they have been fined, but these fines, even $1 billion in fines, are just the cost of doing business for a company that made over $22 billion in profit in 2017. This soft enforcement approach is just increasing their operational risk and losses, which, at the end of the day, will impact not only all of their consumers, but the broader economy as well. prgtoken I hope s and can all agree that any megabank that engages in a pattern or practice of unsafe or unsound banking practices and other egregious violations that has resulted in profound consumer harm in the last 10 years is not entitled to any benefit of regulatory relief provided under this bill, especially regulatory relief that would eliminate the type of oversight that makes sure our economy stays safe. So my amendment would exclude a megabank like Wells Fargo that has fraudulently opened millions of accounts without their customers' consent, enrolled consumers in life insurance policies without their consent, and forced nearly 1 million Americans to purchase auto insurance they didn't need. prgtoken Since 2016, I have been calling for Wells Fargo to face real penalties. I introduced H.R. 3937, the Megabank Accountability and Consequences Act, to compel the Federal bank regulators to fully utilize existing authorities to stop megabanks from repeatedly flouting the law and harming millions of consumers. So I was glad to see Janet Yellen, on her last day at the Fed, take bold action to cap the bank's size until it cleans up its act. prgtoken We must do more to send a strong message to all megabanks that there will be real consequences for their bad actions that mislead, abuse, or deceive its customers. H.R. 4293, in its current form, would send the opposite message to recidivist megabanks and undermine the hard work we have done since the 2007-2009 finan