mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF SERVICE PAWS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , I rise to recognize Service Paws of Central Pennsylvania for its service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. prgtoken The volunteers at Service Paws of Central Pennsylvania have stepped up to alleviate burdens for individuals and families in the process of purchasing a service dog. Service Paws helps to offset this expense, which can range from between $4,000 to $35,000. prgtoken Service Paws of Central Pennsylvania, which is operated entirely by volunteers, now serves Pennsylvanians in 14 counties. prgtoken The Service Paws of Central Pennsylvania volunteers are incredible community leaders in Blair County and across our Commonwealth. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I thank them for their work to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians and wish them continued success in this mission.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021
Steve Chabot (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. prgtoken Protecting women and girls from violence and abuse and keeping them safe is deeply important to me and Members on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken Shortly before I was first elected to Congress back in 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Violence Against Women Act. It was the first iteration of a very good bill, which, if you can believe it, passed the House then by a voice vote. It was supported by all but four in the Senate. prgtoken When it was reauthorized in the year 2000, I supported it and voted for it, and in 2006, VAWA again had my full support. In fact, since I have been in Congress, I have voted nearly a dozen times, both in the Judiciary Committee or here on the floor, to renew or strengthen the provisions of VAWA in an effort to do what we all can do to protect women who have been or will in the future be subjects of domestic violence, abuse, or other forms of harassment. prgtoken Historically, this legislation has been a truly bipartisan effort. Sadly, the effort put forth today by the majority is anything but bipartisan. prgtoken What has happened between then and now? It seems to me that many on the left decided that they could use this critical legislation that is intended to protect women and girls from violence as a vehicle to promote their far-left political agenda. To me, this is a disturbing development, as the safety and well-being of all women and girls in this country is far too important to jeopardize with callous political calculations that could further divide the American people. prgtoken In fact, it is possible that passing this so-called VAWA reauthorization offered by the majority could result in some faith- based institutions shutting their shelter doors so that many women and girls who relied on their help, support, and protection wouldn't have that protection. prgtoken This legislation could force women seeking protection in shelters or incarcerated in prison to be housed alongside biological males, potentially subjecting those women to further psychological, mental, or physical harm. To me, it is unconscionable to be aware of these and other shortcomings of this legislation and simply ignore it. prgtoken What should we do? We should continue to improve VAWA as we did prior to 2013. We should continue to protect those vulnerable individuals in our society who rely on our help to protect them. And we should accomplish it in a bipartisan, bicameral manner, s and actually working together as we are capable of doing. prgtoken It is time we put politics and political agendas aside and reauthorize a Violence Against Women Act that continues to provide real protection for women and girls.
COOPERATE WITH CENTRAL AMERICA'S NORTHERN TRIANGLE
Jeff Fortenberry (Republican, NE) \u2014 2021-3-17

a hallmark of America is that we have opened our arms and have been a just and generous nation to people who are fleeing political violence elsewhere, who have been persecuted in their native lands, and who are coming here to seek a better way of life. But here is the problem, : chaos and disorder at our border undermine the ability of our country to extend that generosity. prgtoken A little-known fact about all of this is that for many years we have been working to get this question off of the one-yard line. But here we are again, seeing the trauma of unaccompanied children at our border and people receiving the wrong message that they can simply come here. prgtoken We spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to try to rebuild the conditions for the rule of law, to stop crime, and to give people economic opportunity. That is the right policy, and we had cooperative agreements with those countries to begin to halt the messaging that it is proper or appropriate to come here illegally. Of course, this feeds human trafficking and children being left alone. prgtoken It is unjust. We need to return to the previous policy in which we are cooperating with those countries.
Introductory Statement on S. 797
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-3-17

social media platforms have become a pretty significant part of Americans' lives. We use them to stay up to date on news from friends and family--something that has become especially essential during the pandemic--to communicate with relatives and friends, for entertainment, and as a shopping resource. Social media sites provide ways to network, to connect with like-minded individuals from fellow theater lovers to fellow basketball fans, to advocate for causes that we believe in, to conduct business, even to date, and more and more we rely on social media sites as a primary source of news and information, from Presidential election news to updates on COVID vaccinations. prgtoken Social media offers a lot of benefits and opportunities, but the increasing dominance of social media, particularly in the news and information space, has also raised concerns. Consumers have become increasingly troubled about the way their information is used by social media platforms and how these sites decide what news and information we see. And there are increasing numbers of anecdotes to suggest that some social media platforms are moderating content in a biased or political way. prgtoken Currently, content moderation on social media platforms is governed by section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which was enacted into law 25 years ago. Section 230 provides internet sites that host user-generated content--sites like YouTube or Twitter or Facebook--with immunity for the content that users post on their sites. So, for example, if somebody posts a video on YouTube that contains illegal content, YouTube isn't held legally responsible for that content. prgtoken Section 230 has been critical to the development of the internet as we know it today. Without section 230 protections, many of the sites we rely on for social connection or news or entertainment would never have come into being. prgtoken But as the internet and social media have grown and developed, it has also become clear that some changes need to be made. In particular, it has become increasingly clear that sites need to provide greater transparency when it comes to their content moderation practices and decisions. Social media sites are no longer just providing a platform for user-generated content as they did in their infancy. They are now making a lot of decisions about that content and carefully shaping our social media experience--what ads we see, what posts we see, what news stories we see. prgtoken Currently, Federal law does not require that social media sites be at all accountable to consumers for those content moderation decisions. That is why, today, I am introducing the Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency Act, or the PACT Act, along with my colleague Senator Schatz. Our bill would preserve the benefits of section 230, like the internet growth and widespread dissemination of free speech it has enabled, while increasing acc
NOMINATION OF KATHERINE C. TAI
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-3-17

fortunately, the Senate will first be confirming a thoroughly qualified nominee to be the new administration's top trade official. prgtoken Katherine Tai is just the kind of qualified and mainstream person who is positioned to serve President and the country quite well. That is why she received broad bipartisan support from the Finance Committee and why the vote to advance her nomination yesterday was 98 to 0. prgtoken I look forward to working with Ms. Tai to embrace trade and push back on abusive practices from China and other anticompetitive countries. prgtoken Trade is a huge strength of America. It drives job creation and economic growth. Just look at my home State, for example. Exports support more than 140,000 jobs in Kentucky. Hard-working Kentuckians supply nearly 200 countries with everything from agricultural goods to medicines, to aerospace parts and motor vehicles. prgtoken In the last Congress, we modernized our trade with our neighbors to the north and south through the USMCA. We gave Kentucky farmers, workers, and consumers a long-awaited boost. prgtoken But our job creators still face unfair barriers, including those targeting American spirits. The Bluegrass is proud to craft 95 percent of the world's bourbon, but, currently, tariffs put Kentucky distillers at a disadvantage in their largest export markets. prgtoken Ms. Tai should address these unfair international headwinds facing Kentuckians. I would encourage her to focus on expanding markets and reducing barriers for products and services from all 50 States. prgtoken Americans would welcome the growth in opportunity and prosperity. And, if you ask me, the whole world could benefit from a little more Kentucky bourbon
RECOGNIZING KACIE CORNETT ON BEING NAMED THE 2021 YOUTH FEMALE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR BY THE LAPEER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Lisa C. McClain (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , I rise to recognize Kacie Cornett on being named the 2021 Youth Female Citizen of the Year by the Lapeer Area Chamber of Commerce. Kacie has already logged 150 hours of volunteer work in this school year despite COVID restrictions. She is a volunteer at the Paradise Animal Rescue, works with middle school girls through the ``Grow to Glow'' program, participated in charity runs, and is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, Art Club, Photography Club, and the Dance Club. Through all of this, she has been able to maintain a 4.16 GPA, ranking her 9th in her class. I thank Kacie for her tireless dedication and selfless service to the Lapeer community.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-3-17

this is the time of year when people are calculating their taxes and filing their returns. There are inequities in our Tax Code, and the bill I am introducing today, the SALT Deduction Fairness Act, would help remedy one of these inequities. This bill would ensure that limits on State and local tax deductions, also known as SALT deductions, do not disproportionately and unfairly penalize married couples. prgtoken Currently, the amount in State and local taxes that both single and married filers may deduct from their annual income taxes is capped at $10,000. Single filers and married filers are treated the same, and married people who file their taxes separately are limited to $5,000 each. In other words, people would be better off not getting married when it comes to the SALT deduction. My bill removes this penalty by simply doubling the deduction to $20,000 for married filers. prgtoken This is the situation we have now: Two single people can both claim $10,000 worth of State and local income taxes as a deduction on their Federal returns, but if they get married, they can claim only $10,000 together. This is a classic example of a marriage tax penalty. prgtoken When the Senate considered the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, I worked to keep the SALT deduction in the Federal Tax Code because of the increased tax burden its elimination would have imposed on many Mainers who pay property taxes on their seasonal cottages as well as their homes, who remit annual excise taxes on their vehicles, and who are subject to State income taxes. prgtoken The SALT deduction has been in the Tax Code since 1913, when the Federal income tax was first established. It is intended to protect families from double taxation, from essentially paying a tax on a tax. prgtoken The Senate adopted my amendment, which paralleled that of the House, to retain the deduction for State and local taxes up to $10,000. This deduction is especially important to families living in high-tax States, like Maine, which has one of our Nation's highest State taxes and where many residents own second homes, like camps on Maine's beautiful lakes. Last year, an analysis by WalletHub found that Maine had the fourth highest overall tax burden behind only New York, Hawaii, and Vermont. Yet Maine's median household income ranked only 35th in the Nation and was approximately $6,800 below the U.S. median household income. So maintaining this deduction provides important tax relief for those Mainers who continue to itemize their deductions. Yet we can do better. We can make the SALT deduction fairer by eliminating the marriage penalty that limits a married couple to just $10,000; whereas, if they were not married, they could each claim $10,000. prgtoken According to the U.S. Census, there are more than 60 million married couples living in our Nation. Our Tax Code should be fair to them. We should not create a situation in which married couples would have
MANAGING THE CRISIS ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER
Dan Bishop (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-3-17

I thank the gentleman from Texas, my friend, Mr. Arrington, for hosting this Special Order, it is an extraordinarily important topic. prgtoken Here is another angle on it. Tomorrow, on the floor of this House, will pass two mass amnesty bills, H.R. 6 and H.R. 1603. Consider that at the very time are bringing these amnesty bills to the floor, what promises to be the largest surge of illegal immigration on the southern border in at least 20 years, is building toward an unknown climax. The administration has precipitated a humanitarian crisis so big that even they can no longer deny it. prgtoken Less than 2 months after terminating President 's declaration of an emergency on the border, Secretary Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security, has been constrained to send FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to facilitate the Nation's response to this crisis. prgtoken Today, in the Committee on Homeland Security, I asked Secretary Mayorkas about the deliberate and absurd rhetoric used by the administration: Come, but don't come now. prgtoken I was unable to secure from Secretary Mayorkas a straightforward acknowledgment that it is always wrong to incite migrants to enter the United States illegally. prgtoken And, amazingly, when I asked the Secretary whether he and the administration had been expected or were surprised by the crisis that is now blooming on the southern border, he was caught off guard. He said he had no expectation whatsoever. I couldn't believe it, and I don't think the American people can believe it. prgtoken Just like the administration's rhetoric, these bills signal economic migrants that if they make the dangerous trek through Central America and Mexico, they will be met with amnesty, taxpayer-funded healthcare, housing, and anything else you can think of. prgtoken Whether it is gutting the migrant protection protocols, otherwise known as ``remain in Mexico,'' and stopping border wall construction, the administration's message to migrants is clear: Come. Take your lives in your hands, brave the gangs, the coyotes, the smugglers, take the risk of sexual abuse. Come. prgtoken Today, the are augmenting that clear-as-day message with more promises of amnesty, and that will be the bills tomorrow, which everyone here know will fuel more illegal migration. prgtoken Let's face it, are committed to a regime of open borders, where any person from anywhere in the world has a right to enter the U.S. for any reason, even if that means migrants are assaulted or killed on their way to the border. And feel better about themselves. They assume a superior moral position by pursuing such a policy. prgtoken It is no wonder, but apparently no cause for reflection by the administration, that the CBP very recently apprehended four individuals on the terrorist watch list crossing the southwest border. Secretary Mayorkas admitted
MANAGING THE CRISIS ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2021-3-17

the party has historically been, and I believe is still today, the voice for those who have no voice. We value life and believe all people should be treated with dignity. prgtoken I appreciate the gentleman from Texas for leading this discussion tonight, for his compassion for people, and for his passion to serve Texas and America. prgtoken , tonight, I not only rise to address the growing crisis on our southern border, but to be a voice for the persecuted. In an interview aired this morning, President told migrants not to come to the United States, but still refused to recognize the situation as a crisis. Actions speak louder than words. It doesn't matter what you say when it doesn't match what you do. prgtoken Such a directive is pointless, considering there are no policy changes to de-motivate the migrant surge, the likes of which the United States hasn't seen in 20 years. Our facilities and agencies are being overwhelmed by the surge. prgtoken President offered an open invitation for parents to send their children across the border without fear of being turned away. The result is catastrophic. While there have been migrant surges in the past, there has never been such a prolific number of unaccompanied minors. prgtoken These policies are a driving incentive for parents to give their children to coyotes and traffickers who will abuse and use them, causing lifelong trauma. Over 500 children are crossing the border daily, including unaccompanied kids as young as 6 years old. These children are threatened and coerced by cartels to carry drugs over the border and exploited by sex traffickers. prgtoken One in three women--one in three women, , will be assaulted as they attempt to make the journey. prgtoken I just witnessed my colleagues from across the aisle spending an hour honoring women's history. What kind of history are the left's policies writing for these women? Young women, young women as young as 13 years old are being lured to Texas with the promise of a job in the service industry, and instead, are being sexually abused and trafficked. prgtoken What we are seeing now is but a fraction of what we could see in the coming months. This is the administration's responsibility, and President owes the American people answers. prgtoken But President is not alone. The majority party is neglecting their oversight responsibilities and aiding and abetting these dangerous actions. prgtoken I am calling on President and congressional --who I remind you are the majority in both Chambers--to take responsibility for the border crisis and work to fix it and to take responsibility for the trauma these children will endure on the journey across the border. prgtoken Customs and Border Protection has informed Congress that four people on the FBI's terrorist watch list were apprehended at the border. If four were caught, how many got through? What is their intent? prgtoken
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , I rise in opposition to the 39 amendments packed into one little grouping called en bloc. prgtoken The reason why I am opposed is that while some of these amendments are noble and worthwhile proposals on their own, they do not outweigh the underlying problems of the legislation or some of the truly bad amendments in this bloc. prgtoken These amendments include provisions that would further inject identity politics into the Violence Against Women Act, which we have heard over and over in this debate. There are studies about disparate impacts and measures that unnecessarily differentiate how we treat different groups of people. prgtoken This entire bloc of 39 amendments includes amendments that further encroach on the affairs of State and local governments by creating new grants and pilot programs and spending more of the American taxpayers' hard-earned dollars. prgtoken One amendment in this bloc is designed to incentivize States to legalize prostitution engaged in by minors to help sex trafficking victims. How does this make any sense? It doesn't. prgtoken Of course, we all want to stop sex trafficking, but this proposal has not been thought through and could have disastrous unintended consequences. I am going to say disastrous consequences. prgtoken We need to return the Violence Against Women Act to its original intent that Congress passed in an overwhelmingly bipartisan manner almost 30 years ago. prgtoken H.R. 1620 will expand and alter the fundamental nature of the Violence Against Women Act by imposing the trans agenda of putting biological men in women's shelters and prisons. It does more to advance the ' progressive agenda than it does to protect women who need protection. prgtoken Also concerning is the fact that this legislation did not undergo committee consideration. One would ask: Why not? prgtoken There has been no committee hearing for this bill or these en bloc amendments. Why not? prgtoken There has been no committee markup for this in Congress. Why not? prgtoken Rather than rushing to pass this bill, we should have taken the time to truly examine the issues and determine what, if any, additional resources, reviews, or studies are necessary. prgtoken We all stand in opposition to any violence against women. Unfortunately, the government lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increased amount of domestic violence, increased depression, increased suicide, and increased suffering. We have an urgent need to address violence against women--and we should at all times--but not like this, by changing this so radically and including biological men. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to oppose these amendments and the underlying bill, H.R. 1620.