hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1153-S1154] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. DURBIN: this week, the Senate will vote to confirm Amy Solomon as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs--OJP--within the Department of Justice. Ms. Solomon is a devoted public servant whose policy expertise and commitment to the rule of law will servethe Justice Department and communities across America. She has spent nearly a decade working at OJP during the Obama and Biden administrations, and she has served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP since 2021. Throughout her career, Ms. Solomon has led efforts to lower recidivism, improve parole systems, and equip members of law enforcement with the tools they need to combat crime. Previously, she worked at Arnold Ventures and the Urban Institute, where she spearheaded policy research on policing, prisons, and crime-reduction programs. A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Ms. Solomon has distinguished herself--both inside and outside of government--as a foremost expert in creating a more efficient, evenhanded criminal justice system that protects our communities and our families. In a testament to her qualifications and temperament, Ms. Solomon has been endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Correctional Leaders Association, and several former OJP officials. After more than 5 years without a Senate-confirmed head of OJP, Ms. Solomon's confirmation is long overdue. With her years of experience within the Agency and her deep insights into our Nation's criminal justice system, she will be ready to lead OJP from day one. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for her confirmation.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1149-S1150] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. SCHUMER: preserving the full faith and credit of the United States is one of the most important responsibilities that Members of Congress face. It requires cooperation, bipartisanship, and leaders who can instill confidence and calm to markets and working families alike. But I cannot think of a worse message to send to the world than for Speaker McCarthy to travel all the way to New York, look Wall Street in the eye, and threaten that the United States will default on its debt unless Republicans get spending cuts first. Why the Speaker traveled all the way to New York to give a speech that offered nothing new in substance or concept but the same dangerous message--different than what we have done in the past--is beyond me. If Speaker McCarthy continues in this direction, the United States is likely headed toward default. But do you know what will avoid default? Republicans working with Democrats to avoid this crisis--all together--just as we did under Donald Trump. The Speaker has insisted for months on cuts, though he has failed to offer any clarity about what kind of cuts Republicans want. House GOP leadership is presenting their wish list to their Members at a closed meeting this morning. No one should confuse this wish list as anything more than a recycling of the same bad ideas we have heard about for weeks, and it is still not clear that Speaker McCarthy has the votes to even pass this. Indeed, a handful of House GOP Members insist they won't raise the debt ceiling for anything, not even a GOP wish list. One of the few specific items is the Speaker's laughable suggestion-- and it is laughable--that we avoid default for only a year, ensuring that this dangerous crisis repeats itself in 12 months. Why the Speaker thinks anyone--anyone--would agree to have another debt ceiling crisis next year is beyond me. Nobody is saying that there cannot be a conversation about what kind of cuts Republicans want, but it doesn't belong in this debate, plain and simple. It belongs in discussions over the budget that Congress has every year and not as a precondition to avoiding default. So let me make this easy for my Republican colleagues. Don't bother with partisan wish lists and unrealistic proposals that will never solve this debtdefault crisis. Instead, avoid default using the same approach we did under President Trump twice and under President Biden once: Democrats and Republicans, working together, without preconditions. If Republicans agree to that, there will be no default.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Page H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I move that the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 31 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I thank my colleagues for joining me tonight in this Special Order. I am honored to join together to celebrate April as Faith Month, and I am calling on people of faith to join in prayer and in celebration. As a Member of Congress, I am happy to reaffirm my commitment to the Judeo-Christian values and the freedom of religion on which our country was founded. In Congress, my colleagues and I will always fight to protect the right of all Americans to exercise their faith and maintain the freedom of religion. People of faith seek to be a positive force in their communities, especially in difficult circumstances. Religious organizations in America have a rich history of charitable engagement in helping the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, and they should be appreciated. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman (Mrs. Harshbarger), my friend and colleague from Tennessee.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. HARSHBARGER: I thank Representative Miller for yielding. I want to talk about faith. What is faith? Thankfully, the Bible contains a clear definition in Hebrews 11:1. It says: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. So faith is trusting in something you cannot explicitly prove. Trust is actually relying on the fact that something is true. This biblical definition of faith doesn't only apply to salvation, which is God's gift to us, but to the rest of our Christian life. We are to believe what the Bible says and we are to obey it. That is called living by faith. We are to believe the promises of God, we are to agree with the truth of God's word, and we are to be transformed by it. Hebrews 11:6 says: Because without faith, it is impossible to please God. Without faith, we cannot be saved. Without faith, the Christian life cannot be what God intends it to be. Without faith, I wouldn't be standing in this Chamber today representing the precious people of the First District of Tennessee. Without faith, I wouldn't be able to share a hopeful message with this great Nation that if God be for us, who shall be against us? Faith knows that no matter what the situation is in our life or someone else's life that the Lord is working within that situation for their good and His glory. Perfect faith is simply taking God at His word.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I thank Congresswoman Harshbarger for speaking. It has been a privilege to join with her weekly and with other members to pray for our country. Our Nation is in crisis because our society has turned away from God and has embraced a culture that now tells children that life has no value. This year, I launched the Congressional Family Caucus because I believe we have a moral obligation as servant representatives to save our American values and to defend the natural family as ordained by God, a husband and a wife committed to each other for life with their children. We need to defend the natural family from attempts by the radical left to erode this core foundation of our society. In Deuteronomy 6, in the context of the traditional family, in the home, we are to diligently instruct our children to love God and to obey His commandments. During Faith Month, I would like to recognize that a happy family is a blessing from God and is foundational to human flourishing. I will always proudly stand up for faith and for our families in Congress. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CLYDE: I thank my friend, Congresswoman Miller from Illinois, for leading on this important issue, this important Special Order, and for being a leader in defending religious freedom. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and celebration of Faith Month. During Faith Month, we celebrate the enduring power of the Bible as God's revelation to His creation, offering guidance and the promise of eternal life through the Gospel of His word. This sacred text has played a pivotal role in shaping the very fabric of our Nation, acting as a guard for liberty in the United States of America. Over 400 years ago, settlers fled religious persecution in search of the New World, and the Bible became the cornerstone of our Founding Fathers' vision for a free government. Their wise leadership wove the Word of God into the foundation and core principles of our Nation, ensuring unity and success for generations to come. Our Founders wisely and proudly proclaimed that our liberties are not bestowed by the government, but by our heavenly creator. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'' This includes the most pivotal liberties, outlined in the First Amendment, which preserves our unalienable right to religious liberty. Undoubtedly, this remains one of the most important foundations of our Nation, but I see little by little, day by day, these religious liberties are in danger of being canceled or abandoned because of persecution in government at all levels. We must not allow that to continue, and so we must defend all our God-given liberties from government overreach and we, in Congress, must lead on this issue. Today and every day, may we individually and unapologetically rejoice in our faith. As we move forward, let us continue to use God's word as the guiding light. Our government founded on faith and His divine plan will bring peace, freedom, and liberty to all who call this great Nation home.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I agree with Congressman Clyde that we do need to defend these core principles and our freedom to exercise our faith. This year during Faith Month, we celebrate and thank God for the historic victory of the end of Roe v. Wade. The end of Roe is the beginning of a new chapter where we can now embrace a culture of life with reverence for all of God's children. I applaud the Justices who stood bravely up to the radical abortion industry and defended life. I also applaud President Trump who gave the American people a Court that delivered a pro-life win for our Nation. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139 that we are fearfully and wonderfully created by God, knitted together in our mother's womb. This verse reminds us that every human life is created by God and has inherent worth and dignity at every stage of development. What a shame that today we are teaching our children that they are the result of cosmic dust and are here without purpose instead of intricately woven and designed and purposed by God. Defending life has been one of the most meaningful fights that I have contributed to during my time in Congress. I have had the opportunity to stand with pro-life colleagues from across the country by supporting the Life at Conception Act, the No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act, and cosponsoring the Protecting Life on College Campus Act. During Faith Month, I would like to recognize the incredible strides we have made for the pro-life movement over recent years. I will always defend the lives of the unborn. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I thank Congressman Allen for his words. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. FULCHER: today, I rise to commemorate Faith Month. As a member of the Christian faith, I see this month as a time to reflect on my own faith journey. As an American, it is time to celebrate the foundations of religious liberty that our country is built upon and the resulting prosperity that it has brought. Our country is home to over 150 million Christian believers. Now more than ever, these Americans are under threat as their beliefs are labeled bigoted, their places of worship are attacked, and their religious protections are diminished. Founding Father John Adams once said: ``Nothing is more dreaded than the national government meddling with religion.'' I agree. In a world increasingly hostile to people of faith, America must remain a refuge for those looking to worship God without fear of state reprisal. Proverbs 29:2 says: ``When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.'' Let us govern in a righteous manner and protect our fellow Americans' freedom to practice their faith as they choose.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1798-H1801] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mrs. MILLER : I thank the gentleman for his words and his testimony. To conclude, during Faith Month I hope that you will join me in praying for our Nation. Clearly, there has been an attack on our First Amendment right to exercise our freedom of religion and our faith beliefs. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that if you took instinct out of a beehive, you would have chaos. When you take God out of a society, you have chaos also. I will never be afraid to speak up in defense of our faith, our freedom, and for our children. We need to protect the American way of life. We have been criticized by radical leftists, and they are trying to remake America into a Communist, atheist experiment. Our Founders were men of faith, and there are many of us here in Congress that are men and women of faith also. We pray for our country. I encourage everybody to continue to pray for our great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1795-H1798] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GROTHMAN: this week Congress returned from 2 weeks working in our districts, and obviously, we heard quite a bit from our constituents back home. I would like to spend a little bit of time addressing issues that I think are on their minds. The first thing is we had another step toward the--I will call it the de-Christianization or dislike of people of faith. It was revealed within the last month and a half that a memo was leaked from the Richmond office of the FBI saying that they were concerned that conservative Catholics may be tied up with white supremacists, and we have to monitor them. I think this is one of the most offensive things up there. Now, first of all, their source for this was the Southern Poverty Law Center. I would ask anybody to Google the Southern Poverty Law Center and see the degree to which it has been used to enrich its founders and is a totally discredited source. I thought nobody outside of maybe a few journalists would trust it with anything, but apparently the FBI considers the Southern Poverty Law Center a legitimate source. Even more scary is that they are targeting conservative Catholics. Do you know why they are targeting conservative Catholics? Because they are sincere believers in their faith, and that scares the type of people who are running the country, or they are afraid they would be an obstacle in the type of country they want us to become. They do say that this was not up to their exact standards. In other words, what they are apologizing for is they got caught because there was somebody there who was a whistleblower who exposed the way the leadership in the FBI thought. I think all Americans--and I am not Catholic, but all Americans who take their faith seriously should be very alarmed at this. There have been many countries around the world which consider Christianity or religion their enemy. I thought one of the major reasons why the United States was different than these other countries is because we are supposed to be a moral and religious Nation. We are a Nation built for people who take their faith seriously. Now we find out the FBI thinks we ought to put informants in with groups of conservative Catholics to make sure they are not up to something untoward. I hope all Americans are appropriately concerned with the type of people we have being hired in the FBI. I hope all clergymen realize that if they can go after the conservative Catholics, the next thing they are going to do is go after you. The idea that they would think we should put informants in with conservative Catholic groups to make sure they are not doing something untoward is truly scary.  Working Toward Peace
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [House] [Pages H1790-H1795] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. CARTER : today could be the last tax day our country ever has. Let that sink in. Today could be the last tax day our country ever has.  Monday, April 15, 2024, could be just another spring day if Congress acts now and passes the only tax reform proposal to ever make it to The New York Times best seller list, the FairTax Act. H.R. 25, the FairTax Act is a simple, fair, and preferred alternative to our current tax system which puts bureaucrats before the basic needs of hardworking Americans. The bill would eliminate, as in do away with, the Federal income, the Federal payroll, the estate, and gift taxes, replacing them with a revenue neutral national 23 percent consumption tax. Mr. Speaker, nobody likes taxes, but given the choice between a payroll tax, an income tax, an estate tax, a gift tax, or a consumption tax, people would prefer a consumption tax because they are in control then. It would also eliminate the need for the IRS. It would eliminate tax day. No more tax day. How many people out there right now in this country are sweating as a result of today being tax day, or just sitting at home thinking, oh, if I can just get through this day? It would allow you to take home 100 percent of your paycheck so that you could control where your hard-earned dollars go. The best part about this is you don't need a law degree or a CPA license to understand it. It is simple. It is fair. It is preferred. For every dollar you pay for a new good or service, 23 cents will go to the Federal Government and 77 cents will go to the business. It is that simple. I agree, 23 percent is too high, but it is much better than what you are paying now. Have you ever looked at your paycheck? Have you ever looked at how much you get paid and how much you get to take home? It is ridiculous. No more, no less, no legal or financial expertise would be required. As I said, a 23 percent consumption tax is a lot. No one likes paying taxes, me included. I don't like paying taxes. I understand it and I am certainly willing to do my part, but I would surely prefer to have control over it instead of some unelected bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., as it is now, having control over it. What many consumers fail to realize and what Washington Democrats conveniently ignore is that today's sticker prices are already inflated to cover corporations' tax burdens. Every tax imposed on businesses, whether it is corporate, FICA, or other taxes is passed down to the consumer. You are already paying taxes every time you purchase a good or service. Under the FairTax Act you are only paying yours, not anyone else's. That is right. On the FairTax Act you will only be paying for what you consume. That is what a consumption tax does. Mr. Speaker, I am going to pause right now and then I will come back and finish what I have to say about this. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), my friend who wants to speak on this FairTax Act.