mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ELIMINATE USELESS REPORTS ACT OF 2024--Continued
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today in defense of the mental health of children and teenagers in the United States of America. prgtoken Our young people today are facing a devastating mental health crisis. I have said these statistics on the floor before, but they bear repeating because they come from the Centers for Disease Control in our country: One in three high school girls in the United States seriously considered suicide in 2021 and at least one in ten high school girls attempted suicide that year; among LGBTQ youth, the number is more like one in five attempted suicide. That is staggering, and it is unacceptable that Big Tech has knowingly contributed to these disturbing numbers. prgtoken And let's just move on. Take it from the U.S. Surgeon General who, just a few weeks ago, referred to the young mental health crisis as an ``emergency'' and identified social media as an ``important contributor'' to that crisis. prgtoken Over the next week, the U.S. Senate has a chance, finally, to do something about it, to stand up to Big Tech's lobbying machine and put an end to the invasive targeting and tracking of young people online. prgtoken Today we have a procedural vote to move ahead on the Kids Online Safety Act, which includes my legislation partnering with Senator Cassidy, the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA 2.0. Our legislation cuts to the heart of this emergency by addressing Big Tech's financial incentives to keep kids and teens addicted to social media and allows kids, parents, and teens to say no to the endless tracking and targeting of young people online in our country, because as long as Big Tech can profit off of young people's addiction, they will find ways to do so. prgtoken And our job is to change those incentives, to change Big Tech's business model so that addicting kids and teens does not lead to fatter wallets and larger bonuses for Big Tech executives. The core problem facing children and teens is Big Tech's relentless and unyielding drive to accumulate more and more data on its users. prgtoken This data may seem vague and uncertain, but it is anything but vague and uncertain. It is a child's name, a child's email address, a child's location, their height, their weight, their health conditions, their fingerprints and facial scan, their likes, their dislikes, even their sexual orientation and gender identity. Why? Targeted advertising by Big Tech companies. prgtoken With more data, the platforms can develop more effective targeted ads; ads that are chosen to match the user's specific age, location, and interests; ads that are displayed at a certain time of day when the algorithm knows a user is most likely to click them; and soon, with the advent of artificial intelligence, perhaps ads that are even generated just for the individual user. That is the promise of AI. prgtoken All of this hyperpersonalized advertising requires huge amounts of data on an individual user. Data
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2024-7-25

good morning. prgtoken Last month, as some of us recall, marked the 80th year since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI bill, into law--80 years. prgtoken In the eight decades since the GI bill was enacted, it has helped millions of veterans, including myself, to pursue an education, to become homeowners, and to live the full American dream. The GI bill truly transformed not only our economy but a lot more than that. prgtoken I was glad to recently lead a bipartisan resolution recognizing the importance of this legislation with Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Jon Tester, and Senator John Boozman. As I have shared here many times before, the GI bill is often called the greatest legislation ever enacted in the history of the United States, including here in this Chamber. prgtoken First, the GI bill successfully enabled millions of servicemembers, including myself, to transition back to civilian life after serving our country at home and, in many cases, abroad. prgtoken Second, it uplifted millions of American families, and it reinvigorated our economy. prgtoken Third, it allowed for benefits awarded to our veterans to be passed on to their family members. prgtoken Fourth, it has paved the way for subsequent critical legislation that serves those who have served our country in times of war and in times of peace. prgtoken The effects of all four of these achievements are felt to this day, and I would like to take a few minutes, if I may at this time, to elaborate on the impact of each of those four. prgtoken First and foremost, the GI bill helped my parents' generation return to civilian life following World War II. This generation was well acquainted with hard times. Many of these folks had been raised during the previous world war and were just starting to rebuild their lives when the Great Depression ravaged the American economy, leaving one of every four Americans jobless. But despite hardship at home, these brave Americans answered the call to serve our Nation in World War II. One of those brave Americans was my father. prgtoken My father had been a chief petty officer in the Navy--a high school graduate from a West Virginia coal mining town. He and his brother and my brothers-in-law all served in World War II--several as chief petty officers in the Navy and others as sergeants in the Army or in the Marine Corps. prgtoken When the war was over, my dad came back to West Virginia and used the GI bill to learn how to fix wrecked cars. Most people don't think of the GI bill as something to be used to fix wrecked cars, but he did. That turned into a job for him in a place back in a West Virginia coal mining town. He fixed wrecked cars at Burleson Oldsmobile. prgtoken One day when he was working at Burleson Oldsmobile, having learned how to fix wrecked cars and do bodywork through the GI bill, he was visited by a claims adjuster from Nati
THANKING NETANYAHU FOR UNIFYING MESSAGE
Daniel Meuser (Republican, PA) \u2014 2024-7-25

Prime Minister Netanyahu's joint address yesterday sent a bipartisan message of patriotism, strength, and unity. It underscored our joint responsibility to uphold freedom, prosperity, and security for our citizens and the world. prgtoken On October 7, Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas. Babies were burned, women were raped, and people were murdered in the worst ways possible. Israel has the obligation to respond to these atrocities, ensuring Hamas is unable to perpetrate another attack on future generations of Israelis, which Hamas has promised to do. prgtoken In his address, Netanyahu praised the diplomatic progress achieved in the Middle East under the administration as well as the administration, the Abraham Accords chief among them. prgtoken The Prime Minister ended with a message of hope, hope that Israel and its partners can bring long-lasting peace to the region. prgtoken , I thank the Prime Minister for his unifying message and will continue to stand strongly with Israel as they fight to defeat Hamas, ensure hostages are released, and return peace and stability to the Middle East. prgtoken As the Consul General of Israel said to me just recently in reference to the hostages, and in the words of Moses, who stands atop this House Chamber, ``Let my people go.''
ISRAEL
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2024-7-25

we all had the opportunity yesterday to be able to hear Binyamin Netanyahu speak to a joint session of Congress. It is the fourth time Binyamin Netanyahu has spoken in Congress. prgtoken This particular invitation was different, though. During a time of war, it is much more heightened than it has been for a long time. He came in a very serious tone to be able to tell America and Americans: Thank you for standing with us as Israel. prgtoken And the second thing we heard from him over and over again is: Don't forget why we are in this war. prgtoken He introduced hostages that have been released. He introduced families whose loved ones are still hostages. He introduced members of the IDF who lost limbs or fought against terrorism. And he reminded Americans that more than 1,200 people died on October 7 of last year, and 253 people were taken hostage at that time. prgtoken This war would be over right now if Hamas would release their hostages. This is not a war that Israel started. There is a barrier and a fence between Israel and Gaza. Gaza was there; Israel was there. prgtoken But thousands of terrorists from Hamas crossed through that barrier early on Saturday morning on October 7, on a Jewish holiday, and slaughtered children in their beds, killed moms and dads, and carried out the worst act of terrorism that Israel has ever seen. So Israel is responding. prgtoken Prime Minister Netanyahu committed again that they will continue to fight until they bring every single one of those hostages home, even as they continue the negotiations to try to stop the war. prgtoken Currently, Israel is literally surrounded by enemies coming at them. It is something we lose track of in the United States. Israel now faces Hamas actively attacking them through terrorist actions and continuing to threaten, as Hamas leaders, even in the past month, have said that if given the opportunity, they would come back and do an October 7 all over again. They never relented. And they continue to put civilians between them and harm to try to protect the lives of the militants by using civilians as shields. prgtoken But many Americans forget that Hezbollah from the north in Lebanon continues to launch rockets consistently into Israel every day. And 80,000 Israelis currently are internally displaced inside Israel, fleeing from their own homes; and they have been away from their homes now for 10 months because 10 or more rockets a day are coming into northern Israel as they continue to launch at them over and over. prgtoken While American media has ignored that, the people of Israel cannot, because they live under that threat every single day. From the West Bank, there continues to be attacks that are happening on a weekly basis. From Syria, there continues to be attacks from Iranian-backed militants there. The same with Iraq. prgtoken And just in the past 2 weeks, Yemen has landed one of their attack drones inside a neighborhood in Tel A
ELIMINATE USELESS REPORTS ACT OF 2024--Continued
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2024-7-25

. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Cramer), the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven), the Senator from Louisiana (Mr. Kennedy), the Senator from Utah (Mr. Lee), the Senator from Wyoming (Ms. Lummis), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Rounds), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis), and the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Vance). Futher, if present and voting, the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Tillis) would have voted ``yea,'' the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Marshall) would have voted ``yea,'' and the Senator from North Dakota (Mr. Hoeven) would have voted ``yea.''
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to discuss the life and legacy of Jim Morris. Jim Morris is one of the most influential civic leaders in Indiana's history, and he passed away earlier this month. prgtoken I first met Jim Morris about 20 years ago. It was when I returned home to Indiana, after spending time in the military and after a brief stint as a staffer here on Capitol Hill. The only thing I remember about that initial meeting was that it wasn't particularly memorable. prgtoken Jim Morris wasn't the kind of man who would bowl you over with his charisma or his magnetism. This wasn't his style. It was never about him. But, over time, the weight of continuous heartfelt interactions with Jim could change a person. Indeed, you might say they changed an entire city. prgtoken Jim Morris died July 12. He was 81. He had a 60-year career of service, all prgtoken told, to the city of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, and even to the world. prgtoken Though Jim would bark at the title ``model,'' in my mind he was, in many ways, a model American citizen. prgtoken Jim grew up in Terre Haute. He attended Indiana University. It was there that he fell in love twice, once with the school itself and once with his beloved wife Jackie. And that endured. prgtoken In 1967, not long after graduation, he became chief of staff to a young mayor of Indianapolis named Richard Lugar. Since that moment, almost nothing great in our capital city happened without Jim's involvement. He helped launch a university in downtown Indianapolis, until recently known as IUPUI. He was involved with the building of the Indianapolis Zoo, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Indiana Pacers. They all had Jim's fingerprints on them. prgtoken Jim understood that the key to healthy organizations and healthy communities was to connect and empower others and ensure that seriousness of purpose was met with civil discourse. prgtoken In 2002, Jim took that approach global when he was appointed to lead the United Nations World Food Programme. He served as executive director of the program for 5 years, caring for and delivering aid to men, women, and children around the world who experienced a level of poverty that is difficult for us to imagine. prgtoken These monumental headline-grabbing accomplishments were only a part of who Jim Morris was, though. Indeed, his true legacy was far deeper, more personal, and, I dare say, more beautiful. prgtoken He always counseled friends to expand their work to its widest possible sphere of impact, to help more people, or--as he sometimes put it--to find someone who could use a boost. prgtoken He practiced what he preached. Indeed, countless Hoosiers have been affected by the small acts of altruism: funding local food banks, building neighborhood basketball courts, and similar generosities that we will never know about. prgtoken His servant's heart, no doubt, stemmed from his deep and abiding faith in God. He was an active member in the Second P
RECOGNIZING CONGRESSIONAL PATRIOT AWARD RECIPIENT ERIC FICK
Pat Fallon (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to recognize Mr. Eric Thomas Fick of Stafford, Virginia, and present him with the Congressional Patriot Award. Eric has dedicated himself to faithfully serving our community and country. prgtoken Eric was born at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington and grew up in an Air Force family. From a young age, he had always felt a connection to our servicemembers and wanted to serve our country. Eric attended the University of Notre Dame as a member of its Air Force ROTC program and graduated in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Air Force. Eric served in a variety of roles, including as a mechanical systems engineer for the F-16 fighter, logistics officer, flight test engineer, weapons testing officer, Air Force staff officer, and legislative liaison on Capitol Hill. He has commanded at the Squadron and Group level, and is a three-time Program Executive Officer, culminating with his last assignment from 2019 to 2022, when he was the Program Executive Officer and Director for the F-35 Lightning II Program. In this capacity, he oversaw the development, production, and sustainment of the most advanced fighter jet in the world for 3 U.S. Services, seven international partners, and seven foreign military sales customers. For his meritorious service, Eric received the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, and many more awards. prgtoken In 2022, Eric retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant General after 31 years of service. He currently serves as the President of Lyten Federal, a super materials applications company that is developing next-generation batteries to power cars, planes, and spacecraft while reducing global emissions. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Christine, his six children, and their two dogs. He also enjoys playing soccer, volleyball, and golf. Eric is an outstanding leader who has made a tremendous impact on the world around us. I am proud of the work he has accomplished, and I wish him continued success for many years to come. prgtoken It is an honor to bestow Eric with the Patriot Award for his exceptional service to our Nation.
ELIMINATE USELESS REPORTS ACT OF 2024--Continued
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-25

while there is no doubt our country has greatly benefited from the internet, for some families, it has come at a painful and even tragic cost. prgtoken Every parent I know is concerned about the online threats directed at our kids. Whether it is predators targeting children or online videos promoting self-harm, risky life choices, or undermining their lack of self-esteem, we all know someone who has had to grapple with the failure of Big Tech to take responsibility for the harms caused by its products. prgtoken Today, the Senate is beginning to put Big Tech on notice. The Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA 2.0, will both help keep children safer online and protect their privacy. prgtoken I want to thank Senators Blackburn, Blumenthal, Markey, and Cantwell for collaborating with me and my team over the past year to significantly improve both measures. prgtoken In KOSA, we added an express preemption provision that will help limit the litigation magnet from a patchwork of State laws. prgtoken We eliminated all FTC rulemaking authority, putting in place guardrails against government overreach. prgtoken Importantly, we also struck an important balanced approach on the obligation tech companies have with respect to determining whether a user online is a minor in both KOSA and COPPA 2.0. Instead of the current law's age-verification approach--an actual knowledge standard that has permitted prgtoken tech companies to rely on children absurdly claiming to have been born in 1882--tech companies will now have to bear more responsibility to enforce underage online accounts. This update is not a constructive knowledge standard, but it reflects, rather, a balance that puts greater responsibility on tech companies without imposing unfeasible requirements. prgtoken Nearly 30 years after the original COPPA's passage, the internet has changed, and I believe COPPA 2.0 meets the moment to update the current privacy issues effectively. prgtoken Congress should continue to build off the specific bipartisan provisions in COPPA 2.0 for children's privacy and enact a comprehensive data privacy bill. In the Commerce Committee, I intend to continue that work. prgtoken KOSA and COPPA 2.0 are important first steps in protecting children online, but we are not finished. More work remains to be done. prgtoken Senator Klobuchar and I have together introduced the Take It Down Act, which targets bad actors who use AI to create and publish on social media sites fake, explicit imagery of real people--often teenage girls. The Take It Down Act gives them the justice they deserve by criminalizing the spread of so-called revenge porn and requiring Big Tech to remove the images immediately upon notice by the victim. It also applies to fake images made using AI, deepfake images that we are seeing more and more becoming a plague targeting young people and in particular young wo
TRIBUTE TO ASHLI WATTS
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to recognize Ashli Watts, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and a leading voice in my home State's business community. prgtoken From an early age, Ashli had an affinity for public policy. Like me, she got her start in politics through a congressional internship on Capitol Hill. This early experience in our Nation's Capital cemented Ashli's interest in policy and public advocacy even further. Upon graduating from Campbellsville University, where she remains an active and involved alumna, Ashli went on to pursue her graduate degree in political science/public policy and administration at my alma mater, the University of Louisville. prgtoken Ashli put her public policy experience and education to good use on behalf of Kentucky's workers and job creators when she joined the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in 2012, our State's largest business association. Her hard work and yearslong dedication eventually earned her the top post at the chamber in 2019. prgtoken Not long after taking the helm, the coronavirus pandemic turned daily life in America upside down and our Nation's business community flat on its back. The health and economic crisis that unfolded wrought widespread destruction on Main Street America, shuttering businesses and forcing millions out of work. During this time of upheaval, Kentucky's job creators fortunately had a strong advocate in Ashli. As chamber president and CEO, she worked to ensure employers in my home State were informed and that their priorities were always heard in Frankfort and Washington. prgtoken Ashli has certainly wasted no time working hard to improve Kentucky's business landscape and has never shied away from an opportunity to help her home State. Her leadership on issues ranging from tax reform to supporting our workforce to navigating the regulatory environment has laid a solid foundation for the future success of Kentucky's many businesses. Just recently, I was pleased to see her appointment to chair the U.S. Chamber's Committee of 100, which represents the top 100 chamber leaders in the Nation. prgtoken As the chamber's first female president, Ashli has also used her platform to highlight other female leaders in the Commonwealth. She helped establish the chamber's first annual women's summit in 2020 to celebrate Kentuckians who are making a big impact at the local, State, and national levels. This yearly event has gained widespread recognition for its work to amplify the remarkable careers and accomplishments of Kentucky's women. prgtoken , Spectrum News recently published an article highlighting Ashli's impact on my home State. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the article be printed in the Record.