mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Business Before the Senate (Executive Session)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-7-12

. I come to the floor to talk about one of the greatest citizens, leaders, and public servants in the history of my State, Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr who died June 28. prgtoken We held services for him in Greenwich on Monday, and I want to celebrate him for a moment with my colleagues, because they don't make them like Lowell Weicker any longer. prgtoken Lowell Weicker served virtually every capacity you could helping to lead our State. He was a first selectman. He was a State representative. He was a Congressman. He was a Senator here in this Chamber, and he was a Governor. But throughout his long, storied tenure as an elected official--for most of that time a , as Governor an Independent--he led a life that was led by one simple axiom: Do what is right. prgtoken He put his principles, his convictions, and what he thought was right for our State above every other political consideration--certainly above party. He bucked his party here over and over and over again. His autobiography was titled ``Maverick.'' But he also made decisions for the betterment of the State that ran directly contrary to his own political interests. And I will talk about the most famous of those decisions, those calls that he made, in a moment, when he was Governor. prgtoken I got to know Lowell Weicker only in the last decade of his life, and I am sorry for that because he played a very big role in my decision to pursue public service as a vocation. prgtoken Lowell Weicker was born in Paris. He was raised on Park Avenue in Manhattan and Oyster Bay on Long Island. He followed his father's footsteps through prep school, to college at Yale. He graduated Yale in 1953, University of Virginia Law School in 1958. He served 2 years in the Army as an artillery officer. prgtoken He began his political career as a local representative serving his town of Greenwich. He was a State representative, and then he was first selectman. He ran first for Congress in 1968. He unseated a three-term representing Fairfield County. And from that first race, you could see that Lowell Weicker was going to be a different kind of political leader. prgtoken He ran to the left of his ic opponent on the issue of Vietnam. He ran for Congress as a who opposed President Nixon's war. And as Congressman, he staked out a series of contrary positions to his party, earning him, early on, the reputation of someone who was just going to do what he thought was right over and over and over. Later in life, he said: There is going to be this crucial moment in your career. The question is whether you mature or whether you are going to be an ideologue. Lowell Weicker was never an ideologue. And there is no question of whether he matured. He was proud of the fact that he changed his stance on issues over the course of his career. prgtoken When he got to Congress, he supported prayer in schools. He ended up as a Senator, here, successfully leading the
HONORING GICELA ALEMAN
Colin Z. Allred (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-7-12

on May 6, our north Texas community was left scarred by the shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets. Nine people were killed, and seven others were injured. prgtoken Today, I rise to talk about the bravery and service of Gicela Aleman, a nurse and unsung hero, who that day was shopping at the outlet mall with her daughter. prgtoken After the gunman opened fire, he severely wounded Preeti Patel, a woman who was visiting family in north Texas and, like so many others, was just trying to do some shopping. prgtoken Amidst the chaos and violence, Gicela sprang into action. Using her training as a nurse, she grabbed Preeti and tried to slow her bleeding. After seeing that ambulances were struggling to get through security, she called the hospital and drove Preeti in her car with her daughter to the hospital in time to save her life. prgtoken Preeti is alive today because of Gicela, an amazing story that deserves a hero's praise. She and her daughter should not have had to be heroes that day, but they were and are. We thank them for representing the best of north Texas.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-7-12

4 minutes. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I agree with Chairman Rogers. This is a very strong bipartisan bill and it reflects the process that we go through every year in passing the National Defense Authorization Act. We had a great markup in committee. It was a bipartisan process. We considered at least a thousand different amendments and ideas that were brought to us by members from across the committee. We had very good debates in those amendments, and we came out with what I think is an excellent bipartisan product. prgtoken , I thank Chairman Rogers in his first year as chairman. He has done an outstanding job of being inclusive of all of us and producing a great bill. prgtoken , I thank the staff. The members sort of throw the ideas out there and the staff are the ones that have to sort through them and turn them into amendments and negotiate to try to get it done. We are blessed with an outstanding staff on the Armed Services Committee. I very much appreciate their support. prgtoken , I will start by emphasizing one of the last points that Chairman Rogers made on accountability and efficiency within the military. prgtoken The Department of Defense is a very large bureaucracy. We will never completely eliminate any wasteful decision, but we are absolutely focused on doing the best we can, and this bill reflects that to try to make sure that we are getting our money's worth for the systems and programs that we are funding. I think the chairman has done a great job of leading on that. prgtoken , we are working toward getting a full audit of the Pentagon. We are auditing piece by piece and empowering the Inspector General to make sure that we do a better job of spending the taxpayers' dollars. prgtoken Overall, the NDAA weaves three basic things into it. Number one, and most importantly, is support for the men and women who serve in our military and their families. Without this bill, crucial programs will be lost that provide that support. We offer bonuses and other incentive pay. We increased the basic housing allowance. There are all kinds of issues that go toward the basic necessities that men and women in the military and their families need to support them that doesn't happen without this legislation. prgtoken We have mentioned, and I mention again, the importance of recruitment and retention. That is one of the biggest issues. Are we supporting the servicemembers and their families? prgtoken This bill is the opportunity that we, as Members of Congress, have to make sure that we are doing that as a body. prgtoken The second big issue is modernizing the military. The chairman mentioned this, as well. On the modern battlefield, technology and new innovations are crucial. It is changing constantly and needs to be updated. The Pentagon historically has not been great at fielding new technologies quickly. We put a variety of different provisions
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF RICHARD RAVITCH
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-7-12

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the amazing life and, as The New York Times put it, the outsized career of Richard Ravitch, who passed away 2 weeks ago. prgtoken A lawyer, a builder, a public servant extraordinaire, Lieutenant Governor of New York, he ran the subway system. The Times' obituary labeled Dick ``the rescuer of New York.'' As someone who had a chance to work with him, I can attest he was that and much, much more. prgtoken He was a tireless student of government. He sought to understand its inner workings, and he would be quick to share his insights with others. His was a strong voice for thoughtful, sound, creative policy. prgtoken Those skills are what enabled him to work to rescue the subway in a dire time in New York, to improve municipal finance in that city, unscramble New York State finances, and help Detroit and Puerto Rico navigate bankruptcy. prgtoken He was a respected, successful businessman; pioneered integrated public housing. He was an adviser to organized labor, involved with Major League Baseball, and, along with his friend, Paul Volcker, an outspoken advocate for public finance and sound State and local budgeting. prgtoken Well into his eighties, he was still teaching at Yale Law School. He seemed to know everyone and have a story or two that involved each. He displayed a vast memory and boundless energy. prgtoken He was a practitioner of the political arts at the highest level. He spent his final months keenly focused on the upcoming election for Congress. He invested untold hours and significant resources helping men and women make their way politically. Dick was a proud member of the governing wing of the ic Party. prgtoken He never ceased to amaze me with the breadth of his interest, expertise, and skill. He was a master woodworker, and his Central Park apartment was filled with amazing pieces that he had crafted. prgtoken Dick took great pride in his family, his sons, Michael and Joey. His marriage to Kathy Doyle brought three stepdaughters into the family. There were 13 grandchildren, a tremendous source of pride and joy to Dick. prgtoken I was lucky to call him a friend and mentor. His biography, ``So Much to Do'' should be required reading for everyone who would be a public servant, an elected official, indeed, anyone who takes their citizenship seriously. prgtoken Even though it was written a decade ago, anyone who cares about government and the civic fabric has much to learn from Dick's life story and his many accomplishments. prgtoken I, along with countless others, benefited immensely from Dick's friendship, mentorship, and wisdom. His passing is a significant loss to New York City, New York State, and, I would say, for the country. prgtoken But his life, indeed, was a blessing. The lessons he left us and the leaders he helped shape will carry on his legacy for generations to come.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-7-12

I thank Ranking Member Smith and Chairman Rogers for their support of my bipartisan amendment to require the Department of Defense to track whether their equipment is made in the United States. I was surprised that the Department of Defense does not know whether essential weapons equipment today have component parts that are made overseas and what percentage are made overseas. prgtoken We have a problem in this country in terms of our industrial base. Of the top 15 steel companies in the world, 9 of them are in China. Not one is in the United States. We just realized, in terms of artillery to Ukraine, that we don't have enough conventional artillery, forcing us to be considering cluster bombs. prgtoken We need to build our industrial base, and to do that, we need to figure out where the Department of Defense is getting weapons and the component parts, what are essential weapons and essential supply chains, and how we can ensure that those essential supply chains are made in the United States of America. prgtoken This bipartisan amendment will help us get that information and that data. prgtoken , again, I thank Ranking Member Smith and Chairman Rogers for including this in the NDAA.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2670, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-7-12

the balance of my time. prgtoken , this is more ridiculous infighting and wasting more time. That is what this is. They are bickering on everything, from spending levels to whose bill gets on the floor when. It distracts from the other very real work that Congress has the opportunity to do here. prgtoken We should also be working to protect our constituents from gun violence. There were more than 17 mass shootings this past Fourth of July weekend that killed dozens of Americans, but s are too busy fighting with s. prgtoken We should also pass bills to keep pollutants from clogging up our air and toxins from ruining our water, but s are too busy fighting with s. prgtoken We should also do more to stop the opioid crisis and provide support for those struggling with their mental health, but s are too busy fighting with s. prgtoken We should also make sure that every American has access to quality healthcare, the chance to receive a good education, or even the basic rights to housing and food, but s are too busy fighting with s. prgtoken There is so, so much we should be doing, including passing this bipartisan defense budget, but leadership is busy trying to cater to every whim of the MAGA circus. prgtoken I will say it again, Kevin McCarthy may be the ringleader, but the clowns have taken over. It is no way to govern, and it continues to set a deeply dangerous precedent for how this body conducts business moving forward, including with the appropriations process. prgtoken , let me explain why we are here right now, and why we are in this situation. prgtoken We have passed a defense bill by huge margins every year for the past 63 years. Yet here we are with this stalling of moving the full bill forward because a small group of people who call themselves the Freedom Caucus have basically said that they will block passage of this bill if the leadership doesn't cave to every one of their demands. prgtoken They call themselves the Freedom Caucus. That seems like a strange name. I mean, are they for the freedom for people to read whatever books they want in the library? No. prgtoken Are they for the freedom of women to be able to control their own bodies? No. prgtoken Are they for the freedom for people to love who they want in this country? No. prgtoken Are they for the freedom to protect people from gun violence in this country as we see the number of incidents involving guns in this country rise at this alarming rate? No. prgtoken I think the only thing they are pro-freedom about is the freedom to harass the leadership, the freedom to extort the leadership to cave to their ideas that, by the way, are deeply unpopular not only in this Chamber, that is sadly controlled by the s, but views and ideas that are deeply unpopular throughout this country. prgtoken , and I get it. They
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Patrick Ryan (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-7-12

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in support of the NDAA as it was reported out of committee under the strong bipartisan leadership of Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith. prgtoken I proudly served two combat tours in Iraq and sadly and personally know the human cost of conflict. The landscape we face is as serious as ever, from a land war in Europe to the significant threats from China. prgtoken This body has a crucial decision in front of us, one that will have ramifications for my two young boys and for many generations of Americans to come. Will we choose to be patriots, continuing the 60- plus year precedent of coming together in a bipartisan manner as Americans to keep our Nation safe? Or will we give in and give up, ceding the ground of our democracy to a small group of extremists willing to hijack our Nation's security for their own narrow, selfish political gain? prgtoken So many of the foundational challenges our military faces, from declining trust in the institution to significant recruiting challenges for all of our services, can and must be directly attributed to this introduction of inherently partisan, divisive rhetoric into what should be a sober and bipartisan discussion. prgtoken If I hear one more colleague, especially one who never served a day in uniform, use the W word--which I won't use here on the floor--then struggle to define what the heck they even mean by it, I am going to lose it. prgtoken Every time I hear that, I think about the faces of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and guardians currently in harm's way as we speak. I think about the 4,000 young cadets I have the privilege of representing at West Point. I have only been here a little less than a year, but in my time, I have never had a single military family, veteran, or servicemember ever bring up the issue of wokeness in the military. Zero times, never. prgtoken What they do bring up over and over, our veterans and military families, is that they are proud of their service that they have done and the service they are doing. They are proud of our military today. They are proud of our work to make it better, and they are prgtoken proud of our country. It is our job to remind them here in Congress that we are proud of them and that we will have their backs. prgtoken Our men and women in uniform deserve that 5.2 percent pay raise. Our female servicemembers deserve access to quality reproductive healthcare. A diverse force, critical to solving diverse problems, deserves to be welcomed into our ranks. These men and women in uniform deserve Senate-confirmed senior leaders--something that one of these extremists is currently standing in the way of. prgtoken We must rise above this division. We must come together as a Congress, as Americans, as patriots to do the right thing. I trust that we will ultimately do so.
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2023
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-7-12

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m Thursday, July 13; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Kotagal nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Thursday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
TRANSIT BUS MONTH FOR THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-7-12

I rise today to celebrate July as Transit Bus Month for the Federal Transit Administration. prgtoken Every day, Americans use buses to travel around their communities. Thanks to the administration, now they will be cleaner and more efficient. prgtoken The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $1.7 billion to improve bus transit across the country, and it will fund 1,800 zero-emission buses to increase efficiency and decrease pollution. prgtoken In July, the FTA is highlighting examples of how this law is helping Americans. One example is the $47 million grant I helped secure for New Jersey Transit. This grant will install charging equipment for electric buses and modernize the Hilton Bus Garage in Maplewood, New Jersey. It will help New Jersey Transit use 100 new electric buses more efficiently throughout my district. This is part of my commitment to help New Jersey achieve a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040 and reduce pollution for safer communities across the State.
Vermont Floods (Executive Session)
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2023-7-12

I would like to address the Senate. prgtoken Today was an inspiring day but also a sad day. Vermont, in the past few days, has suffered a severe flood from a storm that in some places dropped 9 inches of rain. It tumbled down off the mountains into our streams, flooded those streams and rivers, and overflowed into our villages and some of our major cities. prgtoken To my right, we are looking at a depiction of downtown Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. Here, we are seeing damage in what is called the Northeast Kingdom to infrastructure. There are scenes like this everywhere. prgtoken Senator Sanders, Congresswoman Balint, and the entire Vermont delegation with me toured Vermont with the Governor of Vermont, Phil Scott, and with our FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell. It was an inspiring day because we saw firsthand the extraordinary response of our government. prgtoken President immediately declared a state of emergency that unleashed the ability of FEMA to provide resources. We saw our Governor and our first responders in Vermont, our National Guard, our medical personnel--our first responders who did so much to rescue people and animals. prgtoken We saw Vermont volunteers who were along the Main Street of Mont- pelier when Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Balint and I were there coming out of their homes to help folks whose businesses had been devastated. prgtoken We saw the press, the Vermont press, reporting constantly and giving detailed information about every location in Vermont that was underwater, giving an update in a report about how things were coming and where people could help. prgtoken By the way, it is just a testament to the vital importance of local journalism. We are grateful as well for the hard work that our news organizations and the reporters did, oftentimes putting themselves in some significant peril. That was very inspiring. prgtoken What is sad is that the damage of these storms and this particular storm is just overwhelming. Meeting homeowners in Barre who--one man we spoke to had lived in his home, a very modest home but very beautifully taken care of, where he raised his child and where he tended his garden. He had 4 feet of water in his basement, and that was the good news because the water had been up to his first floor. He was desperately trying to get the water out to try to get the place in a position where it was not going to have mold in his lifelong home, which means so much to him and will be repaired. prgtoken We saw a woman who lived in a mobile home. All of us know that when these weather catastrophes occur, it is oftentimes the people with the least who suffer the most. She came out of her mobile home and walked across a steep, mud-drenched field in Barre, VT, toward us and the Governor with a little pail that represented toys of her children, and she really had no place to go. Her mom had suffered flood damage as well, and they were huddling toge