mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONGRATULATING WILLIAM C. BAKER ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-3-8

. Madam , I rise today to ask the House to join me in recognizing William C. Baker for his thirty-nine years of environmental advocacy as President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Will has demonstrated a sincere passion for improving the health of the Bay and ensuring that its environmental resources are preserved for future generations. Will has been a good friend, and I've been proud to work closely with him throughout the years to fight for a cleaner and healthier Chesapeake Bay. prgtoken Since he first began his distinguished career with the CBF as an intern in 1976, Will worked relentlessly to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. Will became president in 1982, inheriting an immediate crisis: the 1982 Chesapeake Bay Study had just concluded that the Bay was dying. He spoke to the United States Senate, urging senators not only to maintain the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) presence on the Bay but to establish an office to coordinate and monitor restoration efforts among the states in its watershed. Thanks to prgtoken his advocacy and hard work, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, the EPA, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission together signed the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and committed jointly to clean up the Bay. prgtoken During Will's tenure as president, the CBF reached new heights of success. His work helped expand the CBF's membership to over 300,000 and inspired so many Marylanders to share his passion for preserving one of our nation's greatest natural treasures. He raised the CBF's national profile, and the Save the Bay movement received international attention. Under Will's leadership, the CBF received the 1992 Presidential Medal for Environmental Excellence--our nation's highest environmental honor--for its environmental education program. He was instrumental in the CBF's efforts to help restore the Bay's oyster population, which is critical not only to preserving a fragile ecosystem but also to sustaining and supporting one of the key aquaculture industries in our state. Although challenges remain, the CBF's efforts have greatly improved the Bay's health and continue to drive efforts forward today to ensure that generations of Marylanders and Americans will be able to treasure the Chesapeake in the future. prgtoken Madam , I offer Will my congratulations on retiring from public service after a career of great contribution to the well-being of Maryland's beloved Chesapeake Bay. I hope all of my colleagues will join me in recognizing William C. Baker as he celebrates this milestone and in wishing him all the best in the future.
SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
Haley M. Stevens (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-3-8

I rise today in awe of the courageous Ukrainian people defending their sovereign land, and in fierce condemnation of the sickening violence the Kremlin is inflicting upon them. prgtoken Our children are watching an attack on democracy and a grave violation of international law and global peace unfold, and we must continue to show them it will not be tolerated. prgtoken For over 3 years, the Kremlin has tried to intimidate America with the wrongful detention of my constituent, Paul Whelan. While we remain profoundly concerned about our citizens wrongfully detained in Russia, including Trevor Reed and now, Brittney Griner, we will never give up on our mission to bring them home and make President Putin pay. prgtoken Financially, economically, militarily, and strategically, the United States is battling for the Ukrainian people. prgtoken It is time to ban Russian oil. We prepared for this moment in close coordination with our allies, and the Kremlin will be held accountable. prgtoken Our country is united in praying for the safety and well-being of the Ukrainian people on the front lines, for nearly 2 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries, and for those who dwell within our own borders doing everything they can to support their family and friends back home. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in demanding Russia end its invasion of Ukraine, withdraw its military forces at once, and release political prisoners.
CONDEMNING THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2022-3-8

I proudly stand with my colleagues to condemn the terrorizing of our historically Black colleges and universities. prgtoken The cowards who made bomb threats to America's HBCUs sought to sow fear on the very campuses where Black scholars seek belonging, safety, and support. prgtoken They exploited the legacy of bombings long inflicted on Black communities, like those ignited in Jim Crow Florida at White businesses that served Blacks, at synagogues, and at the home of the brave civil rights pioneers, Harry and Harriet Moore. prgtoken They tried to light the same fires of hatred right outside Black bastions of higher learning, like Florida Memorial, Edward Waters, and Bethune-Cookman Universities. prgtoken On the first day of Black History Month in 2022--2022--over a dozen other HBCUs saw bomb threats and lockdowns. If Howard and Spelman aren't safe, they seem to warn, then neither is FAMU. prgtoken HBCUs were always scholarly havens when Whites shut Black students out, and they still mold strong Black leaders, celebrate Black culture, and nurture academic excellence. prgtoken Hatred cannot diminish that, and it will not, but only if we unite as one to affirm that racism and terror will not be tolerated on college campuses, especially our HBCUs. A threat to one, after all, is a threat to us all.
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF 2022--Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-3-8

I think one of the messages that the Senator from Missouri was trying to convey is ``do our job.'' One of our fundamental jobs is to review, vote on, and confirm or not confirm nominees to critical positions in the Department of Defense, and this effort has completely frustrated that goal of doing our job. prgtoken We have seen repeated blockage of nominees who are fully qualified, forcing votes--and the gentleman from Missouri is talking about we should have had votes this week--forcing votes because one or two people object. And, of course, the final outcome is 90 votes, 85 votes in favor of the nominee. prgtoken The will of the Senate was very clear: These people should be in their office, doing their jobs, helping us maintain our security, not subject to the whims and the will of one or two people. prgtoken The nominees I just referred to are three individuals nominated to critical positions within the Department of Defense. The Armed Services Committee held hearings on all three of these nominations months ago, and all three were reported out of the committee by voice vote. I am unaware of any objections to these nominees relating to their qualifications for the positions for which they have been nominated. prgtoken I need not remind my colleagues that with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a war of choice against a modern, functioning democracy, how critical it is to have people in place in the Department of Defense. prgtoken It is very difficult to complain about the policy of the administration when there has been a deliberate attempt for more than a year to delay critical nominees from taking their position in that Department. prgtoken And, more importantly, I think this is a trend that was observed by the Commission on the National Defense Strategy under President . It said: The implementation of the National Defense Strategy must feature empowered civilians fulfilling their statutory responsibilities, particularly regarding issues of force management. . . . Strong civilian oversight is an essential hallmark of civil-military relations codified in the Constitution and embraced throughout the nation's history. prgtoken What is frustrating that principle? Actions like today, where fully qualified individuals who pass by voice vote through the committee are held up. If there is a weakness--that has been identified by other sources in the National Defense Strategy at the Department of Defense-- it is in one case the lack of sufficient civilian leadership and continuity, and that is exactly what this action today will continue to foster. prgtoken For example, Mr. Ashish Vazirani was reported out of committee on December 8 and would become the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the No. 2 official in the Department in charge of military and civilian policy and the readiness of our Armed Forces. prgtoken Mr. Alex Wagner was reported out
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF LIEUTENANT PETER BLUME, JR.
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-3-8

. Madam , it is with profound sadness that I rise today in recognition of the loss of a champion of his community--Fire Police Lieutenant Peter Blume, Jr of Vernon, Connecticut. Pete, as he was known, tragically left this world, still active in his service as a first responder, on March 2, 2022, at the age of 53. A guardian to his fellow service members, Lieutenant Pete Blume has served with the Fire Police company for the last six years. He was known for his particularly infectious degree of optimism and was eating to all. prgtoken Born to Carolyn Bolk Blume and Peter Blume on December 24, 1968, in South Windsor, Pete was destined to live out his life as a source of energy within eastern Connecticut's communities. Upon graduating from South Windsor High, Pete went on to Eastern Connecticut State University where he achieved a degree in physical education in 1991. A true steward of the community, he devoted the next nearly 20 years of his life to teaching as an elementary school physical education teacher for Ashford and Union, Connecticut. He was deeply passionate toward the growth of our region's youngest generation, engaging with students as a youth program leader, the coach for the Ashford boys' basketball team and even by taking on the title of Chef Blume as a cook for Union's annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser. prgtoken Amidst his earlier days in teaching, Pete fostered a relationship with the love of his life, Wendy, who he married in 1996. It was through their relationship that Pete's love for raising children transformed him into quite the family man, with the birth of their two children Allison and Timothy. Together, the family moved to Vernon, Connecticut where the children became an inspiration to Pete, catalyzing an entirely new era of community involvement. It was throughout this new era that Pete grew in his already known love for youth sports, coaching and volunteering for his kids' teams in Vernon Little League, Vernon Soccer and Vernon Basketball. prgtoken Pete's involvement with the Town of Vernon did not stop with his coaching the next generation. As we all know, he took an interest in and joined the Vernon Fire Department as a fire police officer, becoming the man responsible for the safety of fellow first responders at the scene of an incident. Pete was the perfect man for the job--he was the kind of person who would give you the shut off his back if you needed it. As such, he was known for bringing an unmatched sense of diligence and care to the role, which he took incredibly seriously. For Pete, the safety of those who displayed similar care toward his own neighbors was paramount. He was most recently recognized for his diligence, becoming a lst Lieutenant with the Vernon Fire Police company which he again served with for more than six years. prgtoken Madam , we ask firefighters and their families to do an enormously important job across our community, our state, and our nation. S
CONDEMNING THE HEINOUS TERRORIST ATTACK ON CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL IN COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-3-8

as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and Homeland Security, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, the bipartisan Congressional International Religious Freedom Caucus, and the Helsinki Commission, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 881, a resolution that puts the House on record in condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack on Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas on January 15, 2022 and against anti- Semitism wherever this hate rears its ugly head. prgtoken On January 15, 2022, Malik Faisal Akram entered Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, taking four individuals hostage. prgtoken Britain's counterintelligence and security agency, MI5, investigated Mr. Akram in 2020, and he was listed as a subject of interest, but was later determined to no longer pose a threat. prgtoken Mr. Akram arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on December 29, 2021, staying in New York City for two days until taking a flight to Dallas, Texas. prgtoken Whereas it is reported Mr. Akram chose the synagogue because it appeared to be the closest gathering of Jewish people to a Federal prison where he demanded to see a woman who is in custody after being found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, prgtoken armed assault, using and carrying a firearm, and three counts of assault on United States officers and employees in Afghanistan. prgtoken The four hostages were held for nearly 11 hours, during that time Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker used the skills he learned by attending several security courses hosted by local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Secure Community Network. prgtoken Worshipers who were watching the service virtually contacted local law enforcement once they realized there was an incident underway at Congregation Beth Israel. prgtoken Thankfully, because of the swift response from local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers and emergency responders on the ground, no hostages were harmed during the hostage situation. prgtoken , nearly thirty years ago, as a young mother, I first visited Israel and the Holy Land, and I have returned many times since then to the region that gave birth to three of the world's great religions, civilizations, and cultures. prgtoken I have been a passionate supporter of the Mickey Leland Kibbutzim Internship program, which for nearly thirty years has enabled inner- city high school students who live or study in the 18th Congressional District the opportunity to spend a summer in Israel. prgtoken As a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I have traveled abroad on numerous occasions to participate in parliamentary diplomacy in support of OSCE and other European efforts to combat anti-Semitism, including legislation calling for increased security for the Jewish community, funds for civil society coalitions to combat hate, a
CONDEMNING THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-3-8

in January, 14 HBCUs received bomb threats. Even worse, on the first day of Black History Month, 18 HBCUs received bomb threats. That is more than 30 threats to our HBCUs in only 3 months. That is simply appalling and unacceptable. prgtoken The numbers show threats to HBCUs are rising. These threats have no place in our communities. These actions must stop now and should be condemned by Congress now. prgtoken As a proud graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, an HBCU institution, and a proud member of the HBCU Caucus, I am honored to cosponsor H. Con. Res. 70, which condemns these threats to our HBCUs. prgtoken Students deserve to be free from fear. College is for learning, not for bombing. I urge my colleagues to condemn these acts now and support this resolution.
HONORING REAR ADMIRAL RAYMOND CHARLES SMITH, JR.
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-8

. Madam , I rise today to honor Rear Admiral Raymond Charles Smith, Jr. in celebration of his outstanding career in the U.S. Navy. prgtoken Rear Admiral Raymond Charles Smith, Jr. was born and raised in Vallejo, California, graduating from St. Vincent's High School in 1961. Admiral Smith began his career in the Navy in 1962. Shortly after enlisting, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, which he graduated from in 1967. Later, in 1974, he earned a master's degree in Physical Oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. prgtoken Admiral Smith served as First Lieutenant on USS Floyd B. Parks for two years before participating in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training. After graduating from his SEAL Training in 1970, Admiral Smith served in a variety of positions on Underwater Demolition Team Thirteen, including as Ordinance Officer, Operations Officer, and Platoon Commander. prgtoken In August 1990, he deployed to the Arabian Gulf in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, where he led Naval Special Warfare Task Group Central during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Then in June 1992, he assumed command of Naval Special Warfare Command at Coronado, California, where he was responsible for over 2,300 SEALs and support personnel. From 1996 to 1998, Admiral Smith moved to Tampa, Florida, and served as both Director of Resources and the Deputy Commander-in- Chief of the Special Operations Command. He retired from active duty in 2001 after 34 years of service. prgtoken During his retirement, Admiral Smith devoted himself to his three passions: family, fitness, and community service. Admiral Smith was described as a great husband, father, and friend. He was married to his wife, Kathleen, for 54 years, with whom he had three sons: Raymond III, Nate, and Adam. Admiral Smith passed away peacefully at his home in Coronado, California, on February 6,2022. prgtoken Madam , it is evident that Rear Admiral Raymond Charles Smith, Jr. dedicated his life to military service and our country. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor him here today.
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF 2022--Continued
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-8

late last month, President announced the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. prgtoken As I said the day her nomination was announced, it is hard to think of a better jurist to replace highly regarded Justice Stephen Breyer. Over the past 10 days, we have all had a chance to learn about her record, and last week I met with her in my office. I would like to share what impressed me the most about her. prgtoken First is her breadth of experience. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she has worked in private legal practice. She served as a Federal public defender and served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission. She has clerked at every level of the Federal judiciary: for Judge Patti Saris on the District of Massachusetts, Judge Bruce Selya on the First Circuit, and Justice Breyer on the Supreme Court. That is an amazing resume. prgtoken She went on to serve as a Federal district court judge. Currently, she sits on the DC Circuit, often regarded as the second highest court in the land. And once confirmed, she will be only the second current Supreme Court Justice with experience as a trial court judge. prgtoken That means Judge Jackson will bring to the Court insights into the issues confronting Federal district courts every single day. And these same questions often make it to the Supreme Court for final review. prgtoken Second, I was impressed with her character and temperament. They are unimpeachable. During our conversation last week, we spoke about her family, her daughters, her upbringing, and the highlights of her career. I particularly enjoyed one story, which she has told before, about a letter that her daughter wrote to President a few years ago. In it, she asked the President to appoint her mother to the Supreme Court. Well, it may have taken a bit longer than Judge Jackson's daughter anticipated, I can only imagine how proud she is today. prgtoken My conversation with Judge Jackson also made clear that she has the exact temperament we need on the Court. She is personable, humble, approachable. That last attribute is particularly important for a Supreme Court Justice. prgtoken The Supreme Court should not be shrouded in secrecy and mystery. Its process and its decisions should be clear and easily understood for the people in the Court as well as for the American public. With Judge Jackson on the Court, we can trust that will be true. prgtoken Third, Judge Jackson is clearly--clearly--within the judicial mainstream. She has a record of evenhandedness and impartiality, guided by the Constitution, the law, and the facts of the case. She is not a partisan or an ideologue. She is independent in her thinking, and she will maintain the Court's proper role. prgtoken Don't take my word for it. Judges and lawyers from across the political spectrum have said the same thing. Consider the support Judge Jackson enjoys from David Levi, who was
CALLING FOR U.S. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-8

this week, the House will consider a bill to provide both humanitarian and military aid to the people of Ukraine. prgtoken We must fortify President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people from an unprovoked attack on an independent country. We must also protect ourselves. prgtoken Putin has weaponized oil and natural gas export profits, profits that he stole from the Russian people, parking oil profits throughout the world in oligarchs. prgtoken Right now, the United States imports 22 million barrels of Russian oil every single month. This is 60 percent of the money that Putin used to leverage his invasion, and it must stop. prgtoken Our country needs long-term energy independence. prgtoken There are 211 lithium-ion battery plants in the world 156 are in China, and just 12 are here in the United States. We need to get tough on China, but we need to get tougher on ourselves about China. prgtoken Everyone will benefit from an America that is producing electric vehicles and one that is truly energy independent. It is time to get serious about this. American jobs and national security are on the line.