hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Page H2070] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. NICKEL: just over a week ago, I spoke on the House floor in support of a bipartisan debt ceiling framework proposed by the Problem Solvers Caucus. Unfortunately, rather than taking up this framework, or one that can actually get signed into law, the majority advanced a partisan framework that will leave working families, seniors, and veterans behind. According to the Joint Economic Committee, this partisan proposal could slash education funding for 143,000 students, cut funding for 44,000 veterans, jeopardize 17,000 families living below the poverty level, threaten housing access for 35,000, roll back investments in the Triangle's new, innovative technologies that support good-paying jobs. That is just in North Carolina's 13th Congressional District alone. I support fiscal responsibility, but this proposal is anything but responsible. Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come to the table in good faith because the stakes are too high. Let's have a reasonable and responsible conversation to avoid defaulting on the debt.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Page H2070] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. OGLES: today I rise to recognize and honor the bravery of one man, Mr. Robert Aitken, the first printer for the Journals of Congress. Prior to the American Revolution, all Bibles entering America were imported from Britain. Shortly after America declared its independence, Mr. Aitken petitioned the Continental Congress to approve a version of the Bible for use in schools.  =========================== NOTE ===========================  On April 27, 2023, on page H2070, in the second column, the following appeared: Shortly after America declared its independence, Mr. Aitkin petitioned the Continental Congress to approve a The online version has been corrected to read: Shortly after America declared its independence, Mr. Aitken petitioned the Continental Congress to approve a  ========================= END NOTE =========================  This text became the first Bible printed in English in North America and the first Bible approved and recommended by the American Congress. Our Founders keenly understood the importance of religious liberty, and I remain thankful for their integrity in recognizing the Holy Scriptures as a document worth protecting. Accordingly, I include in the Record the Aitken Bible to ensure that this document is made public to the American people throughout history. It can be found at: https://americanbibleproject.org/bible.  =========================== NOTE ===========================  On April 27, 2023, on page H2070, in the second column, the following appeared: Accordingly, I include in the Record the Aitkin Bible to ensure that this document is made public to the Amer- The online version has been corrected to read: Accordingly, I include in the Record the Aitken Bible to ensure that this document is made public to the Amer-  ========================= END NOTE =========================  I commend the excellence of Robert Aitken and his pursuit of virtue in the public square.  =========================== NOTE ===========================  On April 27, 2023, on page H2070, in the third column, the following appeared: I commend the excellence of Robert Aitkin and his pursuit of virtue in the public square. The online version has been corrected to read:I commend the excellence of Robert Aitken and his pursuit of virtue in the public square.  ========================= END NOTE =========================
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2069-H2070] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. KILDEE: I was unable to attend votes due to a medical procedure. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 201. Stated against:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2069-H2070] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. PETERS: due to a long-standing family obligation, planned well before the congressional schedule was available, I could not be present for votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 201.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GAETZ: in this piece, it highlights five countries-- Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, and Gambia--where the very people who led the coups were the very people who received this training from the United States. I would note that any comparison here to Afghanistan is sorely misplaced. This legislation provides one year to remove 900 people. That is far different than unwinding the double helix that was our multidecade engagement with Afghanistan. I agree with the sentiment that my colleague Mr. James stated, that our friends must trust us and our enemies must fear us. But what I have observed, after 20 years of American war in the Middle East and in North Africa, is that our enemies often mock us when we try to be the world's policeman and the world's piggy bank. That should not be the goal of our country. We should not be engaged in nation-building in Somalia, the Middle East, or elsewhere. These 900 U.S. troops have no end state. They are engaging in largely police force operations. I suggest they should come home, and a vote for this resolution would do that. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. JAMES: I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague, Mr. Gaetz. He makes a series of great points. The greatest, I believe, is our military cannot be used to fight an ideology. Unlimited war without checking by Congress is unconstitutional, and we must come up with a better solution, which is why the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and me, as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, recognizes that the DOD doesn't exist in a vacuum. We recognize that the State Department and USAID are present in building civilian leaders and institutions. We understand these institutions must work together with different mandates, and we are not shooting our way out of Somalia. We must provide additional ways to fix the problem. I agree we cannot fight ideology with military. I look forward to working with all sides to figure out exactly how we can strengthen our ties to make sure that we have partners and move from aid to trade with a long-term partner. We had a rousing speech from the President of South Korea just an hour ago where he mentioned the great aid that the United States taxpayers and the great investment that we have made over decades and years in South Korea. Now as a shining example, they are the 10th most wealthy country in the world because of America, our great generosity, and because we are exceptional. I think we have a remarkable opportunity to do that and show that America truly should be the first choice and first option for folks around the world. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Zinke).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. ZINKE: I rise in opposition, but I agree with my distinguished colleague from Florida that Congress has an obligation to review it. Congress should not abdicate our responsibility. We should ask the tough questions. Ultimately, we should provide the funding necessary and the resources to win. That is our job, and I agree with you 100 percent. But as a commander, they are doing more than just guarding an embassy. A force structure of 900 may seem like a large footprint, but those of us who remember Black Hawk Down would suggest otherwise. A force requires medevac. Those medevacs require people that service those aircraft. In case we get in trouble, we need a quick reaction force, a force large enough to defend our troops. I, like my colleagues, know that if you were to put any American servicemen in harm's way, you want to ensure we have the adequate force to make sure they are recovered safely. They also have to be fed and have communications. In order to have an effective force, you need a footprint that can do its mission. I also agree that we should have a plan. Before we unplug our obligations, we should know what unplugging it does and when, and also we should have a plan on what our obligations are. So much of this discussion is a discussion among similar views. We do have an obligation for freedom. We have a commitment to democracy that when we provide a force to defend that democracy, and it is American force and our allies, that we provide them with a force package that can win. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to oppose this well-intended resolution. I do ask that we work as a body to uphold our duty as Congress to make sure that the authorizations we give the executive are both appropriate, timely, and do so to win.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Ms. OMAR: I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 30, the Somalia war powers resolution. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the chairman, a real debate about U.S. policy in Somalia and in Africa is long overdue. It is debate that should include a serious discussion of our long-term strategy for supporting stability and self-governance. It should include clear-eyed analysis of U.S. counterterrorism policies, including air strikes and drones, and the consistent problem of civilian casualties of U.S. operations. Congress is also overdue for a debate about the expansive use of the 2001 AUMF, which the executive branch claims includes operations in Somalia. Mr. Speaker, the resolution before the House today does not address these significant issues. It is a narrow question of the withdrawal of a few hundred troops. Given President Hassan's renewed efforts to eradicate Al-Shabaab, the resolution does include a long enough timeline to ensure that operations that we are partnering with can be ended responsibly. While we should not mistake this poorly crafted resolution for an honest assessment of U.S. policy in Somalia, it is important that we support the question before us. Mr. Speaker, I and many Somali Americans support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. GAETZ: I can assure the gentleman from New York that we will have a more fulsome discussion regarding the continent of Africa because the next in our legislative series may very well be Niger. We will have that opportunity, as well. To my colleague from Minnesota, I think she really hits the nail on the head that the partnerships between the existing government in Somalia and the clans that exist throughout the country is the essential glue to resist the violence and destabilization that we see from Al-Shabaab. It is my belief that the government's entrees to those groups to get them to not side with Al-Shabaab are not facilitated by extensive U.S. presence. I just don't believe that to get one group of Somalis to stop killing another group of Somalis that the essential ingredient is us. It may be other African influencers to a positive extent, but there is great wisdom in what the gentlewoman shared regarding the utility of those partnerships and relationships. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mills).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. MILLS: I thank the gentleman for yielding those 2 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I want to approach a couple of things here. We keep talking about the idea that our presence and these 900 people in Somalia are somehow leading to a stabilization effort. However, the reality is this: When was our actual presence required for stabilization as opposed to counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operational tactics? We talk about the threats, but the real threat is China, which is existential to all of us. We allow them to go into Ghana, into the Ashanti belt, and completely pillage resources with no U.S. response. Where were our 900 troops that were there to help with this stabilization when our greatest adversary was there robbing and pillaging? By the way, where are we with regard to: If we are there to fight and combat Al-Shabaab, then why are we not taking a greater presence when it comes to the oil resource protection in Lake Turkana out in Kenya? It is a place I know very well because I spent time in Nairobi and also in Karen. We continue to try to act as if we are stabilizers, but do we not remember what took place in Libya, where we actually helped with supporting the destabilization that now has led to the Misrata militia, the Sirte militia, and further economic turmoil? Mr. Speaker, you can't point to a single agenda, whether it was Afghanistan, Iraq, or Somalia, or whether it was Libyan support--you can't point to a single one where our presence has actually led to greater stability. What it has led to is more U.S. lives being lost, more economic deficiency for America, and more of us trying to be the world's police and creating more adversaries and enemies throughout the world stage. Again, I continue to ask the same question to every one of my colleagues on the left and the right: How does our presence actually strengthen us from stabilization, provide us stronger allies, and give us the actual economic strength that we need to outpace China, which is our greatest existential threat? How does this 2001 AUMF that is being misused and abused for an open, carte blanche of warfare support America's goals?
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2056-H2069] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. MEEKS: I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. I, again, oppose this resolution because it is not an effective or constitutionally sound approach to resolving the war powers questions in Somalia that many of us here are, in fact, looking to address. This resolution will harm U.S. interests in the Horn of Africa and make the American people less safe. Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues who are serious about asserting Congress' constitutional role on issues of war and peace: I have some encouragement from this debate that we will have further debates talking about Congress' responsibility. I look forward to joining with the gentleman from Florida where I heard him talk about how climate change is affecting many of the areas on the continent. I look forward to working with him in that regard. I look forward to working with him and hope that we can get the Speaker to bring over the repeal of the AUMF of 2002 that the Senate recently has voted on that we passed 2 years ago in the 117th Congress. I will come out of here looking at some areas on which we can work collectively. I urge the gentleman to join me to talk and work so that we can repeal and replace the 2001 AUMF with a narrower and time-bound scope. The issues we are discussing here today are pressing and relevant, but there is a better approach. I look forward to undertaking that approach with both of my colleagues on the floor and all of my colleagues on a bipartisan basis and hope that we will have this conversation and work closely together. Let me also make a correction. I gave credit to General Kelly on the statement of if we don't put more money into diplomacy, we have got to spend more on bullets. That was General James Mattis. I want to make sure I give proper credit to the proper person in our military. Let's work together. I think we have a real window of opportunity. The President of South Korea, who just gave a wonderful speech here, talked about how we won World War II and the Korean war together with our allies, saving democracies, putting our values first. Let's do it. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this resolution, and let's work together in a bipartisan manner, particularly to help the continent of Africa, and I yield back the balance of my time.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E376] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mrs. HARSHBARGER: I rise today to honor my constituent MSG. (Ret.) Carl Wayne Nichols for his distinguished service in the U.S. Army. Hailing from Butler, Tennessee, MSG. Nichols began his service in 1970, during which he toured Vietnam as a member of the 173rd Airborne. MSG. Nichols continued his service as a member of Operation Desert Storm, and later in Indianapolis, Indiana. Join me in thanking him for his service.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E376] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. BERGMAN: it is my honor to recognize Traverse City's outgoing City Manager, Marty Colburn, for his exceptional work since taking the position in 2015. Throughout his time as Traverse City's City Manager, Marty has displayed exceptional professionalism and gained the respect of many in his community. In nearly eight years as City Manager, Marty has overseen the completion of multiple community projects that have benefited the city and the livelihoods of its residents. From the long-anticipated Boardman Lake Loop Trail to affordable housing projects, Marty has pushed many initiatives over the finish line for the health and well- being of all community members. Marty's accomplishments are deserving of respect and have had an indelible impact on Traverse City and the surrounding region. The relationships he has forged with local townships and communities will continue to have positive effects for years to come. Marty deserves praise for his time as City Manager and his continued devotion to the community he served. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Marty Colburn for nearly eight years of service as Traverse City's City Manager. On behalf of Michigan's First District, I extend my gratitude to Marty and his family and wish them the best in their future endeavors.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E376] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. KILDEE: I was unable to attend votes due to a medical procedure. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 195 (PQ-H. Res. 327), NAY on Roll Call No 196 (H. Res. 327), and YEA on Roll Call No. 197 (H.R. 1353).
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E376] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. BLUMENAUER: yesterday Representative Dave Joyce and I introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act, or the SAFE Banking Act. This legislation would prevent federal interference in the relationship between a depository institution and a cannabis or cannabis-associated business. This legislation will also protect these businesses' employees are eligible for federal loans and other banking services like employees of any other legal business. U.S. cannabis laws are broken, including those that prevent state- legal cannabis businesses from accessing banking services and force regulated businesses to operate fully in cash. To date, 38 states have enacted medical marijuana programs, including 21 states that have also decriminalized broader adult use. However, the conflict between state regulation and federal prohibition prevents many financial institutions, including community development financial institutions, minority depository institutions, and credit unions, from serving cannabis and cannabis-related businesses and their employees. Denying state-legal medical and adult-use cannabis businesses, particularly small and locally owned businesses, access to banking services is untenable. Without access to bank accounts, credit cards, and checks, state-legal cannabis and cannabis-related businesses are forced to operate in cash, leaving them vulnerable to a dangerous and deadly pattern of violent robberies. The SAFE Banking Act will finally allow state regulated cannabis and related businesses to access banking services. This legislation will save lives and livelihoods. The House has passed the SAFE Banking Act on a bipartisan basis seven times. I am delighted that the Senate is joining us in making it a priority. I look forward to working with our co-leads and our colleagues in the House and Senate to enact this legislation and end the harmful prohibition on banking services for state-legal cannabis businesses.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E375-E376] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-27
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mrs. HARSHBARGER: I rise today to honor my constituent Army Specialist Bobby L. McClure of Sevierville, Tennesseefor his distinguished service from May 1966 through May 1968. In December 1966, Specialist McClure arrived in Vietnam where he served the 231st Signal Detachment attached to the 220th Aviation Company, which provided close air support missions in support of the Marines in Phu Bai near Hue. Specifically, Specialist McClure maintained and fixed aircraft navigation and radio equipment for the 220th Aviation Company. After completing his military enlistment, Specialist McClure worked for Hewlett-Packard in Colorado and Maryland, before he returned to his hometown of Sevierville in 1976.