mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WISHING GORDON FOWLER A HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-9-26

today I rise to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Per Mar, the recipient of the prestigious 2023 Business of the Year award at the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce annual meeting. prgtoken Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, Per Mar was opened in 1953 by John and Eleanor Duffy and has grown into a premier family-owned security company in the Quad Cities and throughout Iowa. prgtoken This achievement is a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence by Per Mar's employees, led by president and CEO Brian Duffy. prgtoken What truly sets Per Mar apart is their unwavering commitment to their employees, a philosophy that has been passed down through generations. By prioritizing their workforce, Per Mar ensures that their customers receive exceptional service, resulting in the company's continued growth and success. prgtoken Per Mar's journey from humble beginnings to being named Business of the Year is a remarkable testament to the power of determination, dedication, and community support. prgtoken Congratulations to Per Mar on this well-deserved honor. prgtoken I also wish my sister-in-law, Susan Branthoover, a very happy birthday. Happy birthday, Susan.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-9-26

in March of 2021, I came to the floor and spoke about Xavier Becerra's abysmal record before voting to confirm him as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Here is what I pointed out to my colleagues: He had no meaningful experience in public health, no meaningful experience in running a large-scale logistical operation, and a career's worth of hostility toward basic constitutional rights. My colleagues across the aisle didn't listen on this, and now his record as Secretary is worse than anyone could have imagined or predicted. prgtoken My colleagues who helped confirm him entrusted him with the lives of some of the world's most vulnerable children. Unaccompanied minors who are apprehended by Border Patrol are transferred to the care of Health and Human Services. This is clearly a big job considering that the border crisis has led to over 300,000 encounters with unaccompanied children at our Nation's southern border. I am sure that these precious children thought they would finally be safe under the care of Health and Human Services and the sponsors they were ultimately going to be released to. prgtoken But Secretary Becerra proved what we already knew; that he was not up to the challenge of such a large Department with such expansive authority and that he had no experience that was relative. prgtoken Without explanation, HHS loosened the vetting requirements for sponsors, eliminating certain background checks and reviews of the children's files. Since then, HHS has lost contact with more than 85,000 of these children. prgtoken Back in February, the New York Times released a horrific expose showing how these children have since been trafficked and exploited for labor--and these are only the stories of the children that the reporters could find. prgtoken Think about the enormity of the situation: 85,000 children. They cannot locate them. They do not know who is in charge of them. They do not know if they are dead or alive. They do not know if they are working in a processing plant or a manufacturing plant, or if they are being trafficked for sex, or if they are in a labor gang, because they cannot find these children. prgtoken And they decided to loosen the vetting requirements: Vetting takes too long. We need to speed up the process. prgtoken That is the mess that we find coming from Health and Human Services and its Secretary, Chief Officer Becerra. prgtoken If you have any doubt that Mr. Becerra has direct knowledge of this crisis, look no further than his own words. That same New York Times report referenced an audio recording taken during a staff meeting with the Office of Refugee Resettlement. That is a department within Health and Human Services. prgtoken When Becerra was admonishing his staff about their lack of speed in vetting sponsors and discharging these children into their care, he said: If Henry Ford had seen this in his plants, he would have never become famous a
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Josh Brecheen (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-9-26

. Mr. Chair, I had someone say to me one time that governing should be pretty easy. However much government you want ought to be the amount of government you are willing to pay for. prgtoken The problem is, on the Federal Government level, we are not paying for it. We are asking our kids and our grandkids to pay for all of this. prgtoken For every dollar we are spending right now, we are asking our children to pick up 30 percent of the tab. prgtoken The question is: When will we start being responsible, looking out for the blessing of liberty for our children and our grandkids? prgtoken This is a 6.5 percent reduction. The underlying bill, if adopted, leaves $850 million in NRCS. prgtoken We are addicted to overspending in this Nation. Fiscal sanity is crying out. Future generations are crying out to start somewhere. I am asking my colleagues to start here with me. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-9-26

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week it is my privilege to recognize Dunlap Livestock Auction of Dunlap, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken The Schaben family's involvement in Dunlap Livestock Auction began in 1948 under Jim Schaben, Sr who served as manager of the livestock auction. Two years later, in 1950, Jim Schaben, Sr purchased Dunlap Livestock Auction with his wife Ruth. Jim is a 1945 graduate of the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Indiana following his honorable service in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. The current facility was completed in 1974 and was passed on to his sons Jay, Jim Jr and Jon. Jim Sr. passed away in 2013 at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy of service, generosity, and auctioneering excellence. prgtoken Today, the Schaben family still owns and operates Dunlap Livestock Auction and has grown to include multiple generations of the family. In addition to livestock, they also offer home and estate, farm machinery, gun, and real estate auctions serving clients throughout Iowa and the Midwest. The Schaben family has continually advocated for the cattle industry. In 2021, Jon Schaben testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of the Iowa Cattlemen's Association, an organization of which he is a member. prgtoken In 2023, Dunlap Livestock Auction celebrated its 73rd business anniversary of being operated by the Schaben family. prgtoken Dunlap Livestock Auction and the Schaben family are a staple of the on County and Dunlap community. Jim Sr. served in the Iowa Senate from 1967 until 1975 on the Agriculture Committee. Jim Sr. and Ruth donated 80 acres of land in the 1970s to on County, which now bears the name Schaben Park. Dunlap Livestock Auction has also been recognized for its work. In 2020, they won the Iowa Beef Industry Council's Beef Quality Assurance Iowa Marketer Award. In 2022, Will Epperly represented Dunlap Livestock Auction and won the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. Jon Schaben won the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in 2003. prgtoken Dunlap Livestock Auction's commitment to providing livestock auctioneering services in Western Iowa is clear. I want to congratulate the Schaben family and the entire team at Dunlap Livestock Auction for their continued dedication to providing auctioneering services to Iowans. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Andy Harris (Republican, MD) \u2014 2023-9-26

. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for putting forth this amendment. It is common sense. Able-bodied people ought to work. That is the bottom line. prgtoken There are two things about this program. One is that my colleague on the other side of the aisle says you never know, the economy could get bad. Now, this is only a 1-year amendment. We are only discussing the next fiscal year. prgtoken The President has said this is a great economy. I don't know what we are worried about. The President has said this economy is great. So don't worry about this amendment. It shouldn't be a problem. prgtoken The other thing is that this is one of the greatest State scams in the country right now. States vie with each other as to who can get this waiver. Do you know what, Madam Chair? This is no cost to the State. We could solve this problem by just asking States to have a 20 percent copay. prgtoken Do you think food stamps are a great deal or SNAP is a great deal? Great. The Federal Government pays 80, you pay 20, just like Medicaid. That means States will have skin in the game, and they won't go for these scams.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Bob Good (Republican, VA) \u2014 2023-9-26

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken , here we are trying to fund our government for the year at a time when we have $33 trillion in national debt and we are on track for a $2 trillion deficit this year, and so we are literally borrowing some $2 trillion to fund the government this year. It is incumbent upon us to be careful with how we spend hard-earned taxpayer dollars. prgtoken , within that context, the administration continues to weaponize every level of the Federal Government, abusing their power to push their harmful leftist agenda on Federal employees and the American people. prgtoken Exhibit A would be the Department of Defense abortion travel policy which violates current law, but this harm that is being done to the American people by this administration manifests itself in other ways, as well. The administration continues pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies through all Federal agencies largely enforced by the Office of Civil Rights. prgtoken My amendment would reduce funding for the Office of Civil Rights within the USDA by 50 percent, permitting necessary functions to continue but sending a much-needed message on behalf of the American people that they cannot use their taxpayer dollars to implement their radical leftist agenda. prgtoken DEI initiatives promote hiring quotas rather than merit-based policies for selection and promotion. The Federal Government should be hiring and firing--now there is a concept for the Federal Government. prgtoken The Federal Government should be hiring and firing employees based on the quality of their performance or lack thereof, not based on the color of their skin or the gender they claim to be identifying as on whatever particular day. prgtoken My amendment cuts a little over $8 million. When we have $33 trillion in national debt and we are on track for a $2 trillion deficit, my amendment would cut a little over $8 million from the Department so that taxpayer dollars can be appropriately used rather than promoting the leftist radical agenda of the administration. prgtoken , .
SECURING GROWTH AND ROBUST LEADERSHIP IN AMERICAN AVIATION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
J.D. Vance (Republican, OH) \u2014 2023-9-27

. Senator Padilla, I would be happy to do that as I am the only person holding 266. As I have said repeatedly, I want these nominations to have a vote so as to be scrutinized by the full Senate, and I am the only Senator holding 266, Ms. McGrath. I am happy to release the hold there and have the--excuse me--not release the holds on the unanimous consent request but certainly to bring this before the full Senate for a vote.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-9-27

. Mr. Chair, I just reiterate, being at the border and talking to the members of the Border Patrol who are on the border every day, they feel the current situation is untenable and is allowing more people to cross the border than they should. prgtoken As far as the idea of simply climbing over a fence, I have yet to meet anybody on the border, be it Border Patrol agent, be it American law enforcement, be it people who have land on the border, who do not feel the wall is a good thing. prgtoken They all realize it is a wall system. It takes more than just a wall. They prefer if we describe it as a wall system, but they all feel we need additional barriers at the border to prevent this over 200,000 people a month streaming in here. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-9-27

. Madam Chair, today I will introduce an amendment that uses the Holman rule to slash the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's salary to no more than $1, and $1 is too much money. prgtoken Let's talk about the job description of the Secretary of Defense. That role oversees the Defense Department and acts as the principal defense policymaker and adviser to the President of the United States. prgtoken The Department of Defense's mission statement states: ``With our military tracing its roots back to pre-Revolutionary times, the Department has grown and evolved with our Nation. Our mission is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our Nation's security.'' prgtoken Secretary Austin has not fulfilled his job duties. As matter of fact, he is destroying our military. prgtoken During Secretary Austin's tenure, military recruitment has reached crisis levels of low recruitment. The numbers show that the Army expects to fall 15,000 recruits short of its annual recruiting goal this year. The Navy is expecting to be short 10,000 recruits. The Air Force is down another 3,000. prgtoken This cannot stand, especially with our government funding and fueling a war in Ukraine that is leading us undoubtedly to world war III. prgtoken Secretary Lloyd Austin failed America with his withdrawal from Afghanistan, making American forces leave in retreat and feeling like a failure. prgtoken Secretary Austin also forced more than 8,000 troops to be kicked out of prgtoken the military for refusing the COVID vaccine. prgtoken My amendment is a strong amendment, and many Americans agree. We do not want the United States military led by failure causing us to be weak. We need to pass my amendment. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
August Pfluger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-9-27

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to block any potential remain in Texas policy. prgtoken It appears are starting to realize the severity of the border crisis. On August 8, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to an influx of illegal aliens. I think the number was 7,500. The next day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that the illegal alien influx was ``not sustainable'' and would ``destroy New York City.'' prgtoken All it took for the President to realize there was a crisis at the border was a little complaining from his donors. They don't mind the border crisis as long as it stays far away from their blue State. prgtoken What is the President's solution? Instead of securing the border, the administration is considering instating a remain in Texas policy. You heard that right--not a policy to thwart illegal immigration but one that would punish Texas and force our State to be the sole provider for millions of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border every single year. prgtoken Liberal sanctuary cities, like New York, that openly obstruct Federal immigration laws and have policies in place to shield criminals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement should not be immune to the crisis at our collective southern border. prgtoken President 's remain in Texas policy must remain in the trash can. My amendment ends this administration's attempt to force Texans to bear the brunt of the immigration crisis. prgtoken Secure the border and vote ``yes'' on this amendment. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
CELEBRATING THE VILLAGE OF CHAMPLAIN'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-9-27

I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of the Village of Champlain in Clinton County, New York. prgtoken Champlain Township was one of the first municipalities in Clinton County when the county was created by the New York State Legislature on March 7, 1788. The Town's earliest settlers were veterans of the Revolutionary War who had been granted tracts of land for their service to New York and the fledgling United States, a majority of them French- Canadian families who had been denationalized for joining the War on the side of the colonists. prgtoken The Village of Champlain was officially incorporated on September 23, 1873, followed by an additional election reaffirming the incorporation in 1875. Early industries in the Village included a paper mill, brickyards, woodworking and manufacturing, and multiple iron foundries, establishing the Village as a commercial center. Restaurants, parks, and fairgrounds created an early sense of community and local spirit, as did circulars such as The Herald of Freedom, an abolitionist publication and the first independent newspaper in the area. prgtoken Sitting on the banks of the Great Chazy River, the scenic beauty of this historic Village makes it a fixture of Upstate New York. It continues to be a destination within the North Country hosting many small businesses and a growing commercial sector. Visitors to the region will find the Champlain History Center, located on Elm Street, a valuable resource for understanding the unique history and culture of the Village and the surrounding area. prgtoken On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, I am honored to recognize and celebrate the 150-year legacy of the Village of Champlain, New York.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr. (Republican, MT) \u2014 2023-9-27

. Madam Chair, we don't have a single problem with this being an option. If any servicemembers want to go and get an experimental vaccination plugged into their arm, they are welcome to do so. prgtoken What we are saying is that the dollars that are going to be issued to the Department of Defense should not include any mandate for this experimental vaccination. prgtoken In August of 2022, The Washington Post reported that 58 percent of the deaths related to COVID-19 were among vaccinated or boosted persons. This raises serious questions about even the effectiveness of this vaccine. prgtoken I would also like to state that the COVID-19 vaccine requirements also continue to ignore natural immunity. As renowned Dr. Marty Makary testified in the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic this year, ``Over the past 3 years, over 200 studies have shown that natural immunity is at least as effective than vaccinated immunity. A recent Lancet review . . . natural immunity is at least as effective as vaccinated immunity, and probably better.'' prgtoken Madam Chair, .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-9-27

I would like to thank you, Chaplain Lundy, for coming all the way from Terre Haute. That is on kind of the west central side of our State, a pretty good trek out here. prgtoken You heard what the senior Senator from Indiana said. You have had a storied career in the military, but I think having a life led based upon strong faith, there is no substitute for it, serving there with the National Guard. prgtoken Indiana has the notoriety for having a lot of veterans in our own State, always coming to the call when there is a need, whether it is through the National Guard or through Active Duty. prgtoken You play such an important role because so often the troops who give the most, who serve, need the help of probably the Almighty more than any of us in that task. Thank you for doing that. Caring for that spiritual well-being, it is hard to imagine how that works in some instances. Again, doing it, you ought to feel good about the career you have made and spent, especially back home in Indiana. prgtoken We are a State where, I think, faith is the cornerstone of so much of what we do. Our families and our communities all intertwine. Every town, I think, needs that. Every State needs that. prgtoken Thank you, again, for doing this today, opened the Senate session in prayer, and for what you have done throughout your storied career. prgtoken Chaplain LUNDY. Thank you.
SECURING GROWTH AND ROBUST LEADERSHIP IN AMERICAN AVIATION ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-9-27

I am very frequently in complete agreement with my friend and colleague from Alaska. I do disagree with two words he just said. He said this was good, old-fashioned hostage-taking. There is nothing old-fashioned about this. This is brand new. Even the , as partisan as they have been, they haven't done this before. Ten years ago, every --even the most leftwing --agreed we should pay our service men and women. This hostage- taking is brand new. You want to see the face of vicious partisanship in Washington? You just did. prgtoken Now, I will point out also two things that are blazingly obvious. No. 1, last week, when the Senator from Washington objected to my legislation to pay our Coast Guard, to treat our coastguardsmen the same as other Active-Duty military, she stood up and gave a speech in which she said she supported that goal but the bill I introduced didn't mandate that it happen; it only said they had to be treated with parity, and that is why she objected. So Senator Sullivan and I came and introduced the bill she asked for that mandated that all of the military be paid. prgtoken She didn't explain her change of position, but what she did implicitly is say that every word she said last week was not true, that the reason she gave for objecting to my bill apparently was not the reason she was objecting to the bill because she just objected right here. prgtoken I have to say--listen--every Member of this body, every , when you go home to your State, when you meet with Active-Duty military, when you meet with the veterans, I guarantee you every Member of this body said: I support the troops. prgtoken Well, as long as leadership keeps doing what they just did, it ain't true that you support the troops. prgtoken I want to point out right now, there are some who might try to hide behind the skirts of their leadership and say: We didn't object. prgtoken There are no on this floor. Nobody is here with us. The Senator from Washington didn't even bother to stay and participate in the debate. That is how little she is interested in the merits of this issue. What she said--and I want you to hear the argument she gave. She said, now, the new reason she is objecting is she says she wants everyone to be paid, and if everyone can't be paid, then nobody will be paid. prgtoken Understand, she is telling the young marine stationed just a mile from North Korea, facing machine guns, that it is the position of Senate that they care more about paying IRS agents and EPA regulators and bureaucrats than they do about that young marine. Right now, there is a sailor in a nuclear submarine a mile underwater who may not even know it, but her paycheck is likely to disappear in 3 days. And Senate have said there is no difference. prgtoken You know what, the military is often referred to as the 1 percent. There is a difference--the men and wo