mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
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John James (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-4-27

. Roger, my brother. Go Army. prgtoken , it is in similar fashion that I approach this body out of respect for American life and our servicemembers, even as I watched the situation unfold in Sudan with shock nearly 2 weeks ago when rival forces started fighting in the streets of Khartoum. prgtoken It caught our entire diplomatic establishment by surprise, despite the many risks of trying to get the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to integrate into one structure. prgtoken The fighting has been relentless, and except for a brief window in which we withdrew our diplomats, every cease-fire has failed to truly hold. There are pockets of less violence today in Khartoum, but that is because thousands upon thousands have already fled the bloodshed. prgtoken I want to commend the bravery of our brothers and sisters and their professionalism, those military servicemembers who conducted a successful extraction of our embassy personnel, flying missions in Chinooks over 800 miles through the night and accomplishing their mission flawlessly. It was a remarkable success. prgtoken I am glad that our diplomats are now out of harm's way, but there remains much more work to be done. Unfortunately, that work is not being conducted with the competency and urgency that the situation in Sudan demands. prgtoken Congress was told thousands of American civilians are still in Sudan, but the Department of State, as this administration has shown a penchant for, has left them behind to fend for themselves. prgtoken This policy that is furthered by this administration not only leaves Americans abroad vulnerable, but as targets to those who would hurt and kill us. This Department of State is proving time and time again that they are unable to perform their duties confidently. We must look into this as a body in Congress. prgtoken Right now, the Department of State is unable to provide an update of how many Americans have contacted the department for assistance. They either can't or they won't. In either case, they will be held to account. prgtoken The Department of State refuses to be honest and transparent about the structure of the task force, the number of consular offices answering the need of Americans on the ground, or to describe how those Americans waiting to get out are being assisted besides updates on the next foreign flight or vessel. prgtoken There are French planes assisting their citizens, there are Chinese ships assisting their citizens, and there is silence for the cries of American citizens in Sudan being ignored. In a world where we cannot shoot our way out of conflicts exclusively, we need our diplomats to show up and with a plan that will have the full support of Congress. prgtoken , our President came to this Chamber mere months ago and told us repeatedly that he wanted to finish the job. It is not clear, after seeing what is happening in Afghanistan and seeing what is happening at our borders and seeing what is
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Mike Garcia (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-4-27

I rise today to encourage support for my bill, H.R. 1627, the Sergeant Steve Owen Defending Our Defenders Act. It is critical legislation that would make the murdering of a police officer a Federal felony punishable by only life in prison or the death penalty. prgtoken For those of you who do not know Sergeant Steve Owen, he was a Los Angeles County Sheriff in the Antelope Valley in my district, a hero in our community, a family man who was brutally murdered in broad daylight on the streets of Lancaster back in 2016 by a vicious criminal who was out on parole. prgtoken Sergeant Steve Owen's death is unfortunately becoming a common story in this day and age. In fact, in 2021, we saw a 60 percent increase in murder of law enforcement officers. This is due to the defund the police movement and soft-on-crime policies from elected officials from the far left, D.A.s who have been hired by Soros to be soft on violent criminals, and it has severely handicapped our police officers' ability to do their jobs and, in some cases, to go home safely at the end of their shift. prgtoken This bill, named in honor of Sergeant Steve Owen, is all too necessary right now as our police officers face increased rates of crime against them. It is critical that we pass this legislation to ensure that our law enforcement officers have the protection necessary to do their jobs effectively and go home to their families. prgtoken This should not be a tough bill to support for either s or . The men and women who protect us every day deserve to know that we have their back. They give us a security blanket in our communities as elected officials, we should give them a meaningful deterrence to any criminal who is willing to do them harm. We must do more to take care of our heroic law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line on a daily basis to keep our communities safe. prgtoken , from Michigan (Mr. James), my good friend and West Point grad.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2023-4-27

I thank Senator Cardin for his leadership on this issue, not only in this Congress but in the previous Congresses when we have attempted to advance this very important measure. prgtoken What we have in front of us right now is S.J. Res. 4, an amendment to add the Equal Rights Amendment to our Constitution. It is pretty simple. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. It is as simple as that. That is it. That is the full substance of the Equal Rights Amendment. We refer to it as the ERA. prgtoken I think most people in this country believe that it is already a part of the Constitution, that it is already a protection under it. prgtoken Justice Scalia stated more than a decade ago now: Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn't. prgtoken A little bit of the history here: The ERA was first proposed back in 1923, 3 years after ratification of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote, fully 100 years removed from where we are today. Now, 50 years later, the ERA finally passed Congress, was signed by President Carter in 1972. prgtoken There was a 7-year deadline for ratification. Thirty-five States moved quickly, including the State of Alaska, within that deadline. It was extended once, in 1982, to give the remaining States some more time to consider it. But momentum waned as other things took precedent. prgtoken The ERA didn't go away, though. Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia became the 36th, the 37th, and the 38th States to ratify it between 2017 and 2020. And so where we are today is there are 38 States that have ratified the ERA. That meets the threshold of the three-quarters of the States that are needed to ratify a constitutional amendment, but that can't happen because of a technicality because the preamble of the ERA contains an outdated deadline for ratification. prgtoken And that is where our simple resolution comes in. It removes that arbitrary deadline to reflect what has actually happened instead of what Congress thought was going to happen some decades ago. It would affirm the Equal Rights Amendment has been ratified by 38 States, met the threshold to be made part of the Constitution, and allow that to finally occur. prgtoken Now, some have suggested that the ERA is no longer needed. We have certainly made great strides as women since 1923, but there is a lot more that needs to be done. Women are a majority of the U.S. population but continue to be underrepresented in elected office, in the courts, in the business world, and in so many other areas. prgtoken There remains, of course, a pay gap. We know of this. We hear the statistics all the time--a pay gap between men and women: 18 cents on the dollar according to the GAO--and that gap is wider across industries and within certain groups, to
HONORING NADINE ELMGREN ON HER RETIREMENT AND 42 YEARS OF SERVICE IN MONTESSORI EDUCATION
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-4-27

it is my honor to recognize Nadine Elmgren for 42 years of service as a Montessori Educator. Of her 42 years in Montessori Education, Nadine spent 35 years in The Children's House, acting as the Young Children's Community Guide, Primary Classroom Guide, Teacher Mentor, and Elementary Classroom Guide. Her undeniable drive to support her students and the community is applaudable, and she has had an immense impact on the lives of those she has worked with throughout her extensive career. prgtoken Upon graduating from Marylhurst College with a bachelor's degree in education, Nadine began her certification process for Montessori Education. She has continually strived to be an example for her students, as well as a reliable and trustworthy influence during their formative and perhaps most important years in school. Nadine has demonstrated what it truly means to be an exemplary educator, contributing to the academic and social growth of countless children throughout her time in Montessori Education. prgtoken Prioritizing the success and wellbeing of her students, Nadine has personally sacrificed much in her endeavor to change her students' lives for the better and to prepare them for their bright futures. It is a loss for the region that Michigan's First District will be without Nadine when school starts next fall, but her retirement is the culmination of years of hard work and an unwavering dedication to putting her students above herself. She deserves our gratitude for her tireless efforts to help those around her and the community in its entirety. prgtoken , it is my honor to recognize Nadine Elmgren for her decades of service to the Montessori Education system, including 35 years at The Children's House. She has led by example for her career and has been truly cherished by her coworkers and students alike. On behalf of Michigan's First District, I extend my gratitude to Nadine and her family and wish them the best in their future endeavors.
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF BUD STACK
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-4-27

I rise today to celebrate the life of Bud Stack, a decorated military veteran, loving father, and servant to his community. prgtoken A native of North Carolina, Bud joined the U.S. Navy, where he became a career pilot and officer and graduated from George Washington University. He served in Vietnam as an A-6 pilot based on an aircraft carrier and received many military honors for his service. prgtoken After retiring from the U.S. Navy, he worked with Grumman Aeronautics, Saudi Arabia Civil Air Safety, and later returned to Savannah with Gulfstream and FlightSafety International. prgtoken Always dedicated to his family, Bud made frequent trips to Brazil, where his sons lived and grew up. prgtoken Bud shared his love for Christ with stints in the nursery and as a Sunday school teacher at Bull Street Baptist Church. He also assisted in the college ministry, as well as ministering through meals to the elderly. He participated in several mission trips, with one to Israel being particularly special. prgtoken My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Bud will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
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Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-4-27

for yielding. prgtoken , President is waging a war on America's workforce. First, he made the anti-worker PRO Act a legislative priority. prgtoken Then his Department of Labor proposed a rule to extinguish opportunities for workers who want to be independent contractors. prgtoken Now his handpicked nominee, Julie Su, has barely made it through the -controlled Senate HELP Committee on a party-line vote, paving the way for her to head the agency overseeing our Nation's workforce. prgtoken As California's Secretary of Labor, Su was the architect and chief enforcer of AB 5, a bill that mirrors current Federal anti-worker proposals like the PRO Act and DOL's proposed rule. prgtoken Nearly 80 percent of independent contractors prefer their current status to traditional employment. AB 5 forced many independent contractors to be reclassified or lose work opportunities. Many Californians lost their livelihoods. Most rejected the bill through a Statewide referendum. prgtoken AB 5 sank in such spectacular fashion that over 100 industry exemptions were created; from recording artists and song writers to dog walkers and home cleaners. prgtoken This is the policy that tacitly endorsed by supporting Julie Su for Secretary of Labor. I have talked at length with independent contract workers whose livelihoods are put in peril by Julie Su. prgtoken Let me explain her nomination and confirmation from their perspective. In the eyes of truckers, Su places 350,000 owner-operator jobs at risk. Truckers worked tirelessly to keep our economy afloat during the pandemic. This is their repayment? prgtoken In the eyes of journalists, Julie Su's confirmation tells them the independence of freelancing is not valuable to their industry. prgtoken In the eyes of tutors, Su is a slap in the face for those who helped save students from falling through the cracks during the pandemic. prgtoken Many tutors are independent contractors, and two of every three are women. They wouldn't have a place in Su's workforce. prgtoken In the eyes of every worker who files a 1099 on tax day, Julie Su is an assault on their way of life. prgtoken Many Members have rightly criticized Julie Su for her long track record of incompetence, like how she lost $31 billion to unemployment fraud in California. prgtoken has already proven he will staff his Cabinet with woefully unqualified and incompetent Secretaries. Look at Mayor Pete. prgtoken I am worried about Su being an activist for 's pro-union boss and anti-worker agenda. It is no wonder that industry groups lined up against her confirmation in a rare display of agreement in Washington. prgtoken Her destiny might be out of the House's hands, but I can end with a promise. As chairwoman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I promise to conduct robust oversight of the Labor Department or the department of any radical who threatens our Nation's workforce. prgtoken We wi
Opioid Epidemic (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-4-27

as everyone in America knows, fentanyl is ravaging communities across the country. It is killing more than 70,000 people a year in the United States alone, making it the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 49. prgtoken The fentanyl epidemic does not discriminate. It kills old people, young people, rich people, poor people, people from major urban areas, and people from the countryside. One of the most alarming trends of what we are seeing is the rise of fentanyl-related deaths among teenagers. In 2021, 77 percent of all teenage overdose deaths involved fentanyl, the synthetic opioid. prgtoken We continue to hear and read of heartbreaking stories of teens who overdosed in their bedrooms or in a car or at school. Sadly, this is a recurring nightmare in communities across Texas which have experienced a wave of overdoses among teens. prgtoken Last fall, I sat down with a number of people in Dallas to learn more about the community-wide effort to fight fentanyl. I heard from parents who lost their children, as well as law enforcement officials, local elected leaders, healthcare professionals, and school administrators. prgtoken I learned that most of the time, these teenagers think they are buying something that is relatively innocuous--Xanax or Percocet--only to find out that it is a counterfeit pill made to look like a prescription drug that is laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl. prgtoken And it doesn't take much. If you look at the end of your pencil, the piece of lead sticking out of the end of your pencil, that amount of fentanyl can kill you. prgtoken People will frequently refer to these not necessarily as overdoses but poisonings, because in most cases, the victims have no idea that they are taking a lethal dose of fentanyl. That was the case for Patricia Hammad's daughter, Cassandra, who died from a fentanyl overdose 2 years ago. Patricia told me that Cassandra took the pill because she thought it was a Xanax, but, actually, it contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. prgtoken I heard a similar story from parents in Hays County when I visited there in February at a high school. Darren and Shannon McConville lost their son Kevin to fentanyl last summer. Darren told me that Kevin took a pill to help him sleep at night, and that that pill cost him his life. prgtoken Earlier this week, I heard more heartbreaking stories from folks in Carrollton, TX, outside of Dallas. Lilia Astudillo told me about her 14-year-old son Jose, who loved playing sports and spending time with his brothers and sisters. One night, Jose took a pill that he thought would help him calm down before he went to bed. When Lilia went to wake her son up for school the next morning, it was too late. Her happy and talented son had died. prgtoken I also heard from another brave parent, Ryan Vaughn, who told me about his 16-year-old daughter Sienna. She was a cheerleader at Plano High School, and she loved go
MS. RENEE ATKINSON NAMED SOUTH CAROLINA'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Russell Fry (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-4-27

I rise today to congratulate Ms. Renee Atkinson of Aynor High School for being named South Carolina's Teacher of the Year. prgtoken Aynor High School and the entire Horry County School District are blessed to have such a dedicated public servant who has touched the lives of so many of our children in her 20-year teaching career. prgtoken Not only is she exceptional in the classroom, but she devotes time to helping other teachers in Horry County learn and grow. prgtoken Our country's future relies on great teachers like Ms. Atkinson who mold and shape the lives of our young adults. I thank her for her passion and service to our community. prgtoken , we appreciate the mark she has left on her students, our community, and the great State of South Carolina. This is a much- deserved recognition. prgtoken Congratulations to Ms. Atkinson.
REMEMBERING ULYSSES S. GRANT
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-4-27

201 years ago today, a great American hero was born. Ulysses S. Grant rose from humble beginnings to stand next to Washington and Eisenhower, as one of America's truly indispensable generals. William Tecumseh Sherman once remarked that ``Grant is the greatest soldier of our time if not of all time.'' This great defender of the Republic won our bloodiest war and crushed the darkest forces of disunion. He was an unshakable pillar of strength, upon which this Nation's future rested time and again. prgtoken Virtually no one foresaw Grant's rise to greatness before the Civil War. Although he had graduated from West Point and distinguished himself as a soldier in the Mexican-American War, he had stumbled from one failure to another in private life. When the Confederates attacked Fort Sumner, that all changed. He redonned his army uniform and marched into the history books. prgtoken For the first 3 years of the Civil War, Grant fought on the western front, winning several of the Union's early victories while commanders in the East dithered. After Grant's first great victory, his Confederate counterpart sued for peace and asked what terms he would give them. Grant firmly responded that he would accept, ``no terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender.'' This earned him the nickname ``Unconditional Surrender Grant'' and resulted in the largest capture of enemy troops in the history of Western Hemisphere up to that time. prgtoken Grant waged a relentless form of warfare. He knew that ``the art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can and as often as you can, and keep moving on.'' Grant's warrior spirit famously moved President Lincoln to declare that ``I can't spare this man--he fights.'' When Grant's enemies spread the rumor that he was an alcoholic and should be dismissed, Lincoln wryly responded that ``if he could find out what brand of whiskey Grant drank, he would send a barrel of it to all the other commanders.'' prgtoken Grant displayed his famous determination and grit during the brutal battle of Shiloh, one of the bloodiest episodes of the Civil War. In the first day of fighting, Grant's army was mauled by Confederate forces under the command of Alfred Sidney Johnston, the Confederacy's most capable general at the time. General Sherman approached Grant that rainy night beneath a great oak tree and said, ``well, Grant, we've had the devil's own day, haven't we?'' Grant replied between puffs of his ubiquitous cigar, ``Yes. Lick em tomorrow though.'' He made good on this promise, threw back the Confederate forces, and won the carnage- filled battle. Sidney Johnston was killed in the fighting and Confederate President Jefferson Davis later wrote that ``it was the turning point of our fate.'' This story remains so legendary in the Army that it was commonplace for young officers in the Iraq war to conclude a hard