mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TALKING DEBT AND DEFICITS
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-1-14

. Madam , I would ask the gentleman, does he agree with me that when we are talking about this kind of disruption, that this is not a partisan problem, that this is a problem of this body not sitting down and rolling up its sleeves to try to address using innovation and finding how to break through and not getting into the trap of this town where the power brokers make all the decisions and the lobbyists are driving a lot of what we are doing so powerful insurance companies or powerful government entities are making decisions for you instead of you and your doctor, and technology and innovation?
IMPEACHMENT TIMELINE
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-1-14

. Madam , Pelosi and the House rushed through the weakest impeachment in American history. Devoid of any evidence of wrongdoing by President , Pelosi and her Caucus allowed their hatred of President to triumph at all costs. prgtoken Now House are demanding the Senate hold a trial dictated by their terms, including witness testimony they failed to obtain themselves. prgtoken Since House want more witnesses, I will gladly offer some names for the Senate to consider. prgtoken How about Joe and Hunter ? Together, they peddled the influence of the Vice President's office for Hunter 's personal financial gain. It is plainly on video. prgtoken How about Adam Schiff? He spent 2 years severely misleading the American people about Russian collusion, held secret hearings at the Capitol basement, and was caught redhanded coordinating with the alleged whistleblower. prgtoken Ah, yes, why don't we hear from the alleged whistleblower? Reports indicate he worked for , coordinated with Adam Schiff, and has deep anti- views. President deserves to face his secret ic accuser. prgtoken How did we end up in this impeachment mess? The simple truth is the abuse of the FISA court to spy on the campaign. prgtoken Yes, you heard it: the weaponization of the Federal Government against the people. This is the insidious inbreeding of the swamp, corruption, plain and simple. The President and others are victims of a crime. prgtoken It is said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and look what is happening with the FISA court now. Just this week, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court appointed David Kris, an -era DOJ lawyer, to review the abuse of the FISA court, a person who is already engaged in FISA denialism. prgtoken Yes, let me be clear, perfectly clear: A FISA abuse denier is now in charge of tackling the FISA abuse. I guess, America, only in the Washington, D.C swamp.
REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF GEORGIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE JAY POWELL
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-1-14

I rise today to remember the life of Georgia State Representative Jay Powell, who passed away in late November at the age of 67. prgtoken At the time of his passing, Representative Powell had served in the Georgia General Assembly for 10 years and had dedicated his time in public service to helping the rural areas of our State. His colleagues remember him as a straightforward talker and remember that, if he said he was going to do something, he did it. prgtoken A testament to his honest character, during his tenure, he rose to be one of the most powerful members of the assembly as the chairman of the Rules Committee. There, he played a large part in deciding which bills came up for a vote. prgtoken One of his most important priorities included introducing a bill that would require small fees collected by the State, like police fines, to be spent exactly where taxpayers are told they would be spent. prgtoken Representative Powell is going to be deeply missed in Georgia and throughout rural Georgia. His family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time. Recognizing Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Newberg
TALKING DEBT AND DEFICITS
David Schweikert (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-1-14

. Madam , I enjoyed it. prgtoken Madam , there is a path. Will we step up and understand that the path turns out to be complicated? We are going to make some of our constituencies just elated with the opportunity to change. We are also going to terrify some of our constituencies. prgtoken There is a way to get there, and believe it or not, it is technology. It is not technology. It is not ic technology. It turns out it is math, and the math will always win. prgtoken Madam , .
Impeachment (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-1-14

on January 20, 2017, at 12:19 p.m the Washington Post ran a story with this headline: ``The campaign to impeach President has begun.'' had been President for only 19 minutes when that headline ran. prgtoken As we have since learned, it has been made abundantly clear that many of our ic colleagues simply don't recognize the President as having been legitimately elected, and they have been doing everything they can to remove him from office since he was first elected in 2016. prgtoken This has now taken a new form, that of impeachment--an impeachment that occurred 27 days ago when the House voted for two Articles of Impeachment. Their impeachment inquiry lasted 12 weeks, but it became clear that Pelosi and Chairman Schiff and Chairman Nadler were in a big hurry to get those Articles of Impeachment voted out of the House before the holidays. In the end, only the voted for these partisan Articles of Impeachment. Then the and the in the House declared victory. prgtoken That is when the breakneck pace of the impeachment process came to a screeching halt. It appears Pelosi got cold feet when she realized the President would be afforded a fair trial in the Senate. That was not good enough for her. When we offered President the same terms that President Clinton received during his trial, that wasn't good enough for Pelosi, for she wanted guarantees from the Senate. The of the House flatly refused to send the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate in order for her to somehow gain leverage over Senate trial procedures--a responsibility that falls far outside her job description. She was seeking assurances from the majority leader that he would redo the House's shoddy investigative work--something that is not part of our job description under the Constitution. prgtoken After weeks of holding the articles hostage with nothing to show for it, the has, apparently, finally caved. In holding the articles, she managed to accomplish something all too uncommon these days: she brought together s and from both Chambers. Unfortunately, for the , this bipartisan, bicameral chorus of voices stood in firm opposition to her decision to withhold the articles. prgtoken Last week, she finally announced that she would be sending over the articles this week, and it now looks like a vote is scheduled for Wednesday, tomorrow, where impeachment managers will be identified, and the process of sending it to the Senate will begin in earnest. In a letter to her House colleagues on Friday, Pelosi indicated she would be sending the articles this week, and it looks like we are rapidly closing on the start of that trial. prgtoken As the majority leader has made clear from the beginning, this should be a far cry from the partisan impeachment process we saw in the House. We simply don't want to repeat the circuslike, partisan rush to impeachment tha
FREEDOM PROTESTS
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-1-14

we are in the wake of another global event or happening, if you will. No matter what it is, we always have people who come in on the back side and, as I say, are a bunch of armchair quarterbacks and Monday morning quarterbacks, and they are trying to put their spin on what should have been done and what wasn't done. I think that is probably a pretty good analogy when we think about the football game that took place last night. prgtoken What ought to be a serious discussion about national security or human rights inevitably devolves into a political argument about who should be allowed to score the most points off the blood and bravery of people who are fighting half a world away. Here is a suggestion for each of us: In times of conflict or unrest, instead of looking to the pundits and listening to a lot of pundits, why don't we look to the people themselves who are involved in these conflicts? prgtoken After the U.S. strike that took out Qasem Soleimani, armchair quarterbacks calling plays for the left picked up on what the propaganda arm of the Iranian regime was selling. Bear in mind, I just said the propaganda arm. After Tehran downed its own jet though, shouldn't the conversation have pivoted to the outraged protests prgtoken not against Americans but against the Iranian Government? After all, those protests were fueled not by the act of one man but by months of domestic turmoil and decades of brutal repression by the Iranian regime against the people of Iran. Of course, it didn't pivot. The false narrative of the mad American President prevailed, even as the people of Iran railed against the brutality of the ayatollahs and the inexplicable recklessness of their own military. They were saying one thing, and the media said something else. prgtoken In a stunning display of bravery, the people of Iran risked their lives--yes, they are risking their lives. In November, 304 got shot taking to the streets. The Revolutionary Guard brought about by Soleimani were shooting this week at people who were protesting and begging--begging for a little bit of freedom. It is amazing to me that it doesn't get acknowledged. prgtoken The decisive elimination of Soleimani exposed the regime's extreme vulnerability on the global stage, and I think the ayatollahs in Iran know this. This is why we saw them respond with threats against America at large. It is why they strong-armed the Iraqi Parliament into its foolish stand against American troops, why they arrested the United Kingdom's Ambassador for attending a peace vigil, and why they violently retaliated against civilian speech. They know they are losing this argument. Tehran failed at silencing dissent. Their goal is to convince the rest of the world to ignore the protests of the Iranian people. prgtoken Authoritarianism is not bound to one particular region or ideology. As we saw last year, the repressive behavior of Communist China backfired on officials
HONORING FALLEN OFFICER PAUL DUNN
Ross Spano (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-1-14

I rise today to honor one of Lakeland Police Department's finest. Officer Paul Dunn was a United States Marine Corps veteran and worked in law enforcement prgtoken for over 20 years. He started with Lakeland P.D. in 2013 and epitomized courage and sacrifice. prgtoken Officer Dunn sadly passed away following a tragic on-duty traffic crash on January 9. He leaves behind a devoted wife, who is a detective with Lakeland P.D. and five children. prgtoken This is the second officer Lakeland P.D. has lost over a 5-week period, and their losses have a wide impact on the surrounding communities. Yet the thin blue line that Officer Dunn was a part of continues to serve, continues to protect, and continues to allow us peace of mind. prgtoken I am grateful for him and for all of those who don the uniform with dignity, fairness, and justice. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. prgtoken , our prayers are with the family of Officer Dunn. He was treasured in our community.
RECOGNIZING CHRISTINE KUSTELSKI
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2020-1-14

I rise today to recognize Rivers of Hope, a community-coordinated response to domestic violence. prgtoken In the summer of 1989, a group of neighbors concerned about an increase in domestic violence banded together to create Rivers of Hope to provide victims with care and support from their community. prgtoken Today, Rivers of Hope has expanded its scope of service, offering legal advocacy, education, support groups, referrals, and a 24/7 free and confidential crisis line for victims of domestic violence. The organization also operates a youth program and a criminal justice intervention program. prgtoken In addition, Rivers of Hope has grown beyond the neighbors who founded the organization to now include corporate professionals, business leaders, public servants, public servants from Wright and Sherburne Counties, and other community leaders. prgtoken I thank everyone who offers their time and effort to Rivers of Hope, making it the vital resource for victims in our communities. We are grateful for their dedication to making the Sixth Congressional District a better place to live and a safe place for everyone.
IN RECOGNITION OF MS. KATIE MAZZOLA
Robert J. Wittman (Republican, VA) \u2014 2020-1-14

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of Katie Mazzola and her service to Virginia's First District. prgtoken Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in National Security from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. While at Tech, Katie served in the Corps of Cadets where she quickly climbed the ranks, culminating in Executive Officer who was in charge of over 200 cadets. Katie also served as a Division Leader for the Coast Guard Auxiliary University Programs, commanding 22 units nationwide. Following a knee injury, Katie's plans to commission into the Coast Guard were changed. Ever the servant leader, she knew she wanted to continue to serve our great nation. prgtoken Katie began her service in my office as an intern in the summer and winter of 2016 before becoming my Staff Assistant in May 2017. During her years serving Virginia's First District, Katie has been on the front line of my office in many roles, including hiring and training our D.C. interns, coordinating tours, assisting my staff and me, managing our constituent services database, responding to over 36,000 pieces of constituent mail, and assisting with my proactive constituent outreach. Katie has also been responsible for a legislative portfolio including health, labor, education, workforce development, family values, women's issues, and religious issues. Katie has been my lead staffer on the Congressional Public Health Caucus of which I am a Co- Chair. Additionally, Katie successfully created my CTE Task Force, shedding light on the importance of CTE and STEM programs as a way to cultivate the skillsets needed for students to succeed in today's workforce. In addition to her official duties, Katie has never missed an opportunity to update my office on the most recent Virginia Tech game--Go Hokies. prgtoken Since her first day in my office, Katie has always upheld the values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty in service to the people of the First District. Her commitment to servant leadership, constituent services, and integrity are without equal. I have no doubt that Katie will continue to excel as she begins this new chapter--her best and brightest years are still ahead. prgtoken Madam , I ask you to join me in recognizing Katie Mazzola for her dedicated service to Virginia's First District. May God bless Katie as she continues her career in public service.
TAIWAN
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-1-14

as President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, I want to recognize democracy working in Taiwan. prgtoken On Saturday, the 23 million proud people of Taiwan exercised their democratic right to select their own leaders. I congratulate President Tsai on her reelection. I would also like to take this moment to congratulate all Taiwanese for being a shining light amidst dark times in other parts of East Asia. All of us remember what has been going on in Hong Kong for the last several months as they try to exercise just rights that the Chinese Government gave them in 1997, when they signed an agreement with the British Government turning back Hong Kong to China, and they would have the rights for the next 50 years to have the same democratic principles they had under the British Empire. prgtoken Despite continued intimidation by the Chinese Communist Party across the Taiwan Strait, this proud island stood up to protect its democracy and sovereignty. That is exemplified by the election Saturday. prgtoken Let us all congratulate the people of Taiwan for their remarkable accomplishment and continue to work in this Chamber to strengthen U.S.- Taiwan relations. prgtoken .
IMPEACHMENT
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-1-14

tomorrow will be 4 weeks--4 weeks-- since House impeached the President of the United States with purely partisan support. prgtoken Pelosi and Chairman Schiff did not wait to fill out the factual record. They did not even wait to see their own subpoenas through the legal system. They plowed ahead for two reasons: They said impeachment was too urgent to wait--too urgent to wait--and they said they had already proven their case. prgtoken But since then, House have spent 4 weeks contradicting both of those claims. They spent 4 weeks demonstrating through their actions that impeachment is actually not that urgent--not that urgent--and they do not actually have much confidence in their case. prgtoken An arbitrary 4-week delay does not show urgency. These demands for the Senate to precommit to reopening the House investigation do not show confidence. There is a reason why the House inquiry that led to President Nixon's resignation took 14 months of hearings in addition to the separate special prosecutor. There is a reason why the Clinton impeachment inquiry drew on years of prior investigation and mountains of testimony from firsthand fact witnesses. That is because both of those Houses of Representatives knew they had to prove their case-- prove their case before submitting it to the Senate for judgment. prgtoken Both situations involved legal battles over executive privilege and extensive litigation, both times not after a trial had been handed to the Senate but beforehand. When the cases were actually being compiled, there were mountains of evidence, mountains of testimony, and long legal battles over privilege. None of this discovery took place over here in the Senate. prgtoken The Constitution gives the sole power of impeachment to the House. If the House majority wants to impeach a President, the ball is in their court, but they have to do the work. They have to prove their case. Nothing--nothing in our history or our Constitution says a House majority can pass what amounts to a half-baked censure resolution and then insist that the Senate fill in the blanks. There is no constitutional exception for a House majority with a short attention span. prgtoken I think everyone knows this process has not been some earnest, factfinding mission with House following each thread wherever it leads. The of the House did not reluctantly decide to impeach after pouring over secondhand impressions of prgtoken civil servants. This was a predetermined political conclusion. Members of her conference had been publicly promising it literally for years. prgtoken That is why the investigation stopped long before the House had come anywhere near proving what they allege. They pulled the plug early because the facts were never the point. They were never the point. The point was to check a political box. prgtoken For goodness' sake, the very morning after the House's historic vote, Pelosi l
IRAN
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-1-14

as we go back through the calendar just a few months and get some context of what has been building for a while, in May of 2019, four different vessels that were traveling just outside of the Gulf of Oman were hit by mines laid by Iranian leadership. In June, just a month later, two different vessels hit Iranian mines. Those mines weren't just placed in the water flippantly; they were actually placed on the ship. In June of 2019, a U.S. Navy surveillance drone was flying through the Strait of Hormuz in international airspace and was downed by an Iranian missile attack. prgtoken As we continue to move forward, we tracked an increase in Iranian activity in cyber attacks across the United States, but at the same time, individuals within our military bases in Iraq were facing more and more of a push against them in not just an external conversation, an actual kinetic attack. prgtoken Our supply lines in the fall of last year, as trucks that were leaving from Baghdad and driving down to Kuwait for our supply lines there, were increasingly facing improvised explosive devices, something we had not seen in a long time. Those explosive devices were created and placed by Shia militias with materials provided by Iran. prgtoken Then, in October, there were multiple attacks on our facility in Baghdad. In November, there were multiple attacks again on our facility in Baghdad. In December, there were multiple attacks again, each time increasing with more and more attacks. prgtoken We hear that term ``attack,'' and it seems almost flippant, but we realize, for the thousands of Americans who work in that area of that diplomatic mission that is there in Iraq, there is a day that happens-- it could be the middle of the night, it could be the middle of the afternoon, but a moment happens, month after month, week after week, and sometimes within that, day after day--where the sirens go off, and everyone on campus runs into a bomb shelter, and then the explosions begin around the grounds. prgtoken These were not just random attacks. These were designed kinetic rocket attacks coming into our Embassy that built up toward an attack on the U.S. Embassy on December 31, where thousands of people broke through the outer section, setting fires to the building, attacking the facility, smashing prgtoken against the glass, trying to get into the next layer that they were not able to penetrate--into the inner layer in the Embassy. But thousands and thousands of rioters were moving toward the base. prgtoken As calm was restored on the outside and a security perimeter was established on the outside, they could read what was written on the walls, spray-painted now on the Embassy: ``Soleimani is our leader.'' prgtoken I was interested in talking to a friend of mine just a couple of weekends ago, and he made an interesting comment to me. He said: I didn't know who Qasem Soleimani was. I had never heard that name before, and then I went
TRIBUTE TO NORMA KAEHLER
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-1-14

I am pleased to recognize Mrs. Norma Kaehler on the occasion of her retirement. Norma has been a hero of the aviation community for more than two decades. Most recently, she served as the managing director for government and corporate affairs at American Airlines Group. prgtoken Not many may remember this, but Norma got her start on Capitol Hill working for Senator Mack Mattingly of Georgia, and she never forgot that taking care of constituents is our No. 1 priority around here. She has always worked on behalf of the employees of American Airlines on Capitol Hill, tens of thousands of airline pilots, mechanics and maintenance personnel, flight attendants, gate agents, and everyone in the back office--all responsible for ensuring planes depart and land on time--have benefited from her advocacy on their behalf. I can personally attest to this during her tireless advocacy of legislation I sponsored that protected the retirement benefits of American Airline employees after the 2013 merger. prgtoken In the course of her career, Norma Kaehler has worked for multiple airlines: Trans World Airlines, American Airlines, and American Airlines Group; and she played a major role in every FAA reauthorization bill enacted by Congress. Through it all, Norma remained an unflappable, passionate advocate for aviation. I know I join her family and American Airlines in thanking Norma for her years of service and contributions to the aviation community. prgtoken Congratulations on your retirement. We will miss you around here.