mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I rise today in strong support of the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. Before the Emanuel church shooting, before the Uvalde, El Paso, and Parkland shootings and so many others, shooters showed warning signs or even flat out said what they were going to do. prgtoken Before many die by suicide by gun, they show warning signs that they may be a danger to themselves. prgtoken In these situations, there is often evidence that something terrible is going to happen. We know it, we can even articulate it, but we are often powerless to stop it. prgtoken This bill remedies this situation. This bill would help prevent individuals who pose an imminent threat to themselves or others from accessing firearms, by allowing law enforcement and family members to file a court petition in Federal court to temporarily--temporarily-- block dangerous individuals' access to guns. prgtoken Despite the claim that this bill invades due process, this is absolutely false. It is a thinly veiled attempt to prevent any and all regulations of firearms in this country. As the chairman has said, it has been found constitutional. There is a hearing before the seizure with a judge, with witnesses, testimony under oath, affidavits. The judge makes a finding. It happens all the time in domestic violence cases. prgtoken These guns can only be taken away for a temporary period after a hearing with a judge, who determines on balance that it is necessary to do so for the safety of the gun owner or the community. prgtoken This bill is so common sense. It has historically been bipartisan. The last President supported it, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham in the Senate. prgtoken I thank Congresswoman McBath. Our colleagues this morning have been talking about their passion for the Second Amendment, their devotion to the right to bear arms. If only for a moment they showed the same devotion, the same commitment to preserving the life of young people, the right to live a life free from gun violence, to go to a movie theater or church or synagogue and not worry prgtoken about their life and their liberty because they are gunned down by someone who shouldn't have a firearm. prgtoken This is absolutely the most commonsense proposal that will come before Congress on guns. Keep them out of the hands of people who are dangerous to themselves and others. For God's sake, vote for this bill.
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I thank the chairman for yielding, and let me personally on this floor--I have said it many times--offer my sympathy to Lucy McBath for the pain that she continues to live with for the loss of her son. prgtoken Let me say to my friends, your arguments could not be more absurd. Over these last 2 days, I have heard welfare prgtoken state; I am a person of faith as all who profess such, challenging whether or not we have faith; speaking about the absurdity of not understanding the Constitution; disrespecting the democratic system that we have; that there will be an outrageous attack on individuals with the red flag laws. prgtoken You are just simply wrong. My plea is to the American people because you can force people who masquerade as believing that it is a shame for children to die, but yet do nothing. This is the side of doing absolutely nothing but casting aspersions and challenging what is right. prgtoken Red flag laws are right. Why? Indiana passed it in 2005, and in years since, the State's firearms suicide rate has gone down 7.5 percent. They work. A little boy, 16 years old, in New York was getting ready to shoot up his students, had shotguns at home. An order was put forward, and he admitted that not having the guns in the home was helpful and the order helped him. prgtoken Is there no desire to do something in the name of those who died wrongly in Buffalo? Is there no desire? prgtoken Are you not in any way aware of Zaire, a mother's child trying to work in a job and was severely injured? prgtoken Are you not aware of Amerie, 10 years old, who died and bled out as she called 911? prgtoken Madam , I include in the Record two lists of victims from the Uvalde school shooting and the Buffalo supermarket shooting. the 21 victims of the uvalde school shooting Makenna Lee Elrod, 10; Layla Salazar, 11; Maranda Mathis, 11; Nevaeh Bravo, 10; Jose Manuel Flores Jr 10; Xavier Lopez, 10; Tess Marie Mata, 10; Rojelio Torres, 10; Eliahna ``Ellie'' Amyah Garcia, 9; Eliahna A. Torres, 10; Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; Jackie Cazares, 9; Uziyah Garcia;, 9; Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10; Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10; Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10 ; Irma Garcia, 48; Eva Mireles, 44; Amerie Jo Garza, 10; Alexandria ``Lexi'' Aniyah Rubio, 10; and Alithia Ramirez, 10. the 10 people killed in buffalo, ny Roberta A. Drury of Buffalo, N.Y age 32; Margus D. Morrison of Buffalo, N.Y age 52; Andre Mackneil of Auburn, N.Y age 53; Aaron Salter of Lockport, N.Y, age 55; Geraldine Talley of Buffalo, N.Y age 62; Celestine Chaney of Buffalo, N.Y age 65; Heyward Patterson of Buffalo, N.Y age 67; Katherine Massey of Buffalo, N.Y age 72; Pearl Young of Buffalo, N.Y age 77; and Ruth W
MORNING BUSINESS
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-6-9

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-6-9

I rise to introduce the Cesar E. Chavez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Act. prgtoken This legislation would establish the Cesar E. Chavez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park in California and Arizona to preserve the nationally significant sites associated with Cesar Chavez and the farm worker movement. prgtoken In 2008, with strong bipartisan support, Congress enacted legislation directing the National Park Service to conduct a special resource study of sites that are significant to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement in the Western United States. The National Park Service evaluated over 100 sites that were significant to Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement in thy stern United States and found that five sites were ``nationally significant.'' Importantly, the Park Service wrote that these nationally significant sites depict a distinct and important aspect of American history associated with civil rights and labor movements that are not adequately represented or protected elsewhere. While the Park Service provided five management alternatives to protect these special places, they ultimately recommended that Congress establish a national historic park that would include several nationally significant sites. prgtoken In 2012, President established the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument. The property is in Keene, CA and is known as Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz. In his Presidential Proclamation, President said: ``This site marks the extraordinary achievements and contributions to the history of the United States made by Cesar Chavez and the farm worker movement that he led with great vision and fortitude. La Paz reflects his conviction that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.'' prgtoken While this was a critical step forward, the National Monument leaves out many nationally significant sites and leaves many important stories untold. The creation of a national historical park, as originally recommended by the Park Service, would allow the National Park Service to tell the full story of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement for the benefit of all Americans. prgtoken This legislation would establish the Forty Acres in Delano, CA; the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, which includes La Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz, in Keene, CA; and the Santa Rita Center in Phoenix, AZ, as part of a new Cesar E. Chavez and Farmworker Movement National Historical Park. These sites contain nationally significant resources associated with Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement and would be preserved and protected as part of the National Park System. prgtoken This legislation would also establish a new National Historic Trail that would commemorate the 1966 Delano to Sacramento March, a major milestone event in the farm labor movement. According to the Special Resource Study, ``More than one hundred men and women set out from Delano on
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-6-9

this week, the Senate has worked towards passing the largest expansion of healthcare benefits for our veterans in a very long time. Millions of veterans today face the flabbergasting indignity. They served our country valiantly, were exposed to toxic chemicals in the line of duty but cannot get the healthcare benefits they need because of outdated rules at the VA. prgtoken This needs to change, and the PACT Act would provide the fix. Many on both sides want to get this bill done as soon as we can. We cannot have dilatory or destructive amendments to the PACT Act because it is too important for our veterans' well-being. prgtoken To that end, have spent the day working with s on a list of amendments, and these negotiations are ongoing. But while we work on an agreement and to keep the process moving, I will be filing cloture so we can take the next step towards passing the PACT Act next week. We hope to get an agreement--and we are making good progress there--so we hope to get an agreement before that, but the legislative process must move forward. prgtoken So for the sake of our veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice serving our Nation and defending our freedom, there is no reason we can't pass the PACT Act ASAP. Our discussions continue with our colleagues in an effort to get that done, and I am hopeful that we will succeed. Amendment No. 5076
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , and still I rise. I rise today to address the indication that what we are doing is meaningless. prgtoken Meaningless to ban bump stocks. Well, tell that to the 60 people who were murdered at the Mandalay hotel where a gunman fired more than a thousand rounds in short order. prgtoken Meaningless to raise the age to 21 to purchase an assault weapon. Explain that the ghosts of the 10 people who were killed at Tops grocery store. Make it clear to those 19 babies who were murdered at an elementary school in Texas. prgtoken Meaningless? Tell that to the lives of those that have been lost. No, it is not meaningless. prgtoken Madam , I tell my dear friends that what we are doing right now is more than common sense. It is just good sense to prevent people from killing other people.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-9

I rise today to honor Chicago's very own WGN Radio for reaching its milestone 100th birthday this year. prgtoken In a century's time, WGN has reported on so much of our Nation's history. The station is synonymous with Chicago's vibrant sports history and has defined time and again what it means to have a vision and work to see it through. prgtoken WGN, which stands for ``World's Greatest Newspaper'' and pays homage to the Chicago's Tribune's 20th century slogan, comes from humble beginnings. prgtoken Starting with a single staff member in 1922, WGN went on to cover some of the past century's defining moments and solidify a legacy of storytelling and determination. prgtoken In 1942, it was WGN who interrupted their broadcast of a Bears game to report for the next 257 hours and 35 minutes on the attack on Pearl Harbor. prgtoken On 9/11, WGN was there, focusing on Chicago's reaction to the events on that tragic September morning. prgtoken As an Illinoisan, I am proud that WGN has consistently shown up during some of our country's darkest days. But they have been with us through many of our brightest moments too. prgtoken WGN went from broadcasting its very first sports game--a match between the Cubs and White Sox--go Cubs--in 1924, to Wayne Larrivee, Dick Butkus, and Jim Hart broadcasting the Chicago Bears' legendary Super Bowl XX win to 2010's triumphant cries as the station's broadcasters described Patrick Kane scoring the winning goal in overtime, earning the Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup for the first time in 50 years. prgtoken WGN has not just been telling our stories for the last 100 years, but they have become a vital member of our community. prgtoken Judy Markey and Kathy O'Malley's beloved afternoon talk show, and making Mary Sandberg Boyle the station's first woman general manager in 2019, or bringing the voices like Orion Samuelson and Bob Collins to our days--WGN is embedded in the hearts of so many Chicagoans. prgtoken WGN's legacy isn't just about radio. It is about community. It is about being proud of where you have come from and where you are going. prgtoken So here is to 100 more years of WGN, and many more to come. prgtoken . prgtoken .
HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2021-- Resumed
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-9

this evening, the Select Committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol will hold its first public hearing. prgtoken For more than 10 months, the January 6 Select Committee has labored diligently to discover and document the truth about the day we nearly lost our democracy. This evening, the committee will begin to lay out publicly, for the first time, the coordinated plan in place to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential election and prevent the peaceful transition of power to a new administration in America. Those are incredible words that I have just spoken, but they reflect the reality of January 6, 2021. prgtoken Among the witnesses will be Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, one of the more than 140 Capitol and Metropolitan police officers who was injured when the mob attacked the Capitol. prgtoken To Officer Edwards and all of the police officers who defended American democracy that day and who continue to protect this Capitol every day, we owe more than our thanks. prgtoken January 6 revealed to the world how fragile democracy can be, even in America. Keeping our democracy requires vigilance and truth. Often, it requires sacrifice, and there must be a willingness to accept that truth. It is regrettable--no, it is shameful--that our colleagues in the Senate filibustered the creation of an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate what happened on January 6. prgtoken I recall that moment, and I am sure the Presiding Officer does as well. It was slightly after 2 o'clock, just a few minutes after 2 o'clock. Vice President was presiding over the U.S. Senate as we went through the orderly, constitutional process of counting the electoral votes. I looked up from my chair to see the Secret Service come in and physically remove--quickly remove--the Vice President from that chair. The events that unfolded in the next few minutes were hard to imagine could ever occur in the United States of America. We were told to sit safely in our chairs, in that this was a secure Chamber, and be prepared for other staffers from around the Capitol to join us. Not 10 minutes later, a member of the Capitol Police stood before us and said: As quickly as possible, evacuate this Chamber. prgtoken It is hard to imagine this in the United States of America. We have seen the videos. We know what happened. There is no doubt as to what happened that day and what an impression it must have left on the rest of the world. What would we think, at this moment in time, if a mob with battering rams beat down the doors of Parliament and entered the House of Commons and the House of Lords? Would we not say on this side of the ocean, my God, what has happened to the United Kingdom? Can this government survive? Can that country survive? The same questions were being asked about America because of that insurrectionist mob on January 6. prgtoken The proposal was made--and it was
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-6-9

this June marks 53 years since the attack on the Stonewall Inn and 52 years since the first pride parade was held in New York City. The Stonewall riots are widely recognized as the catalyst for the resurgence of the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex--LGBTQI+--rights, and they were the first in a series of landmark events that would define the LGBTQ experience of the late 20th century. prgtoken From the UpStairs Lounge arson attack to the devastating AIDS crisis, the community persevered through many harrowing ordeals. During this month, we recognize not only the struggles of the LGBTQ community but the triumphs, both big and small. prgtoken Not nearly as well known, the UpStairs Lounge arson attack took place nearly 4 years after the Stonewall riots, on June 24, 1973. Patrons of the New Orleans bar, which primarily served as a safe meeting space for blue-collar gay men, noticed a fire in the front stairwell just before 8 p.m. The fire spread rapidly, forcing patrons to flee to the rooftop and out the barred windows to escape. Unfortunately, this was not enough. Twenty-eight people lost their lives in the blaze, and four more succumbed to their injuries in the following days. This horrendous act would go on to become the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community until the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, which claimed the lives of 49 individuals. Both of these attacks took place during Pride Month, a month that celebrates love, acceptance, and community. prgtoken The celebration of Pride Month also allows members of the LGBTQ community to reassert their rights to openly be their true selves and say: ``We are here. We are not going away.'' This message is especially important now, as the Supreme Court prepares to vote on potentially overriding Roe v. Wade, the decision that protects an individual's right to privacy and control over their own bodies. Justice Samuel Alito's reasoning in this argument, though not final, threatens an entire line of rights that the Court has inferred from the text of the Constitution over decades, including foundational protections for the LGBTQ people such as marriage equality, established in the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision. prgtoken I am an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, S. 393, which would safeguard and protect equal rights for the LGBTQ individuals in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, Federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. I am also the lead sponsor of the resolution to eliminate the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would strengthen the constitutional foundation for pro-LGBTQ legislation like the Equality Act. prgtoken I strongly oppose action by the Supreme Court to take away the rights of Americans by overturning Roe or Obergefell or other cases like Griswold v. Connecticut, which guarantees the rights of families to hav
CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-6-13

. Madam , we stand here listening. We stand here revisiting our history. We stand here thinking about our ancestors. prgtoken As members of the Congressional Black Caucus 50-plus-1-years-old, we understand that the fight must continue. prgtoken We understand when we walk in these hallowed Halls of justice that we carry that torch--that torch, freedom, that torch, justice and liberty for all. It is that responsibility that we acknowledge. prgtoken It is that responsibility when I think about the 173 Black people in the history of this Congress who have served out of some 12,000 people who have served in these Halls--173 Black people. prgtoken When I think about being the ninth Black woman to serve as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I think of the other women: the sojourners and the truth tellers who served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. prgtoken I think of people like Congresswoman Karen Bass, whom I followed. prgtoken I think about Congresswoman, and now Secretary of HUD, Marcia Fudge. prgtoken I think about Congresswoman Maxine Waters--who is one of six Black Members of Congress--serving as chair of the Financial Services Committee. prgtoken I think about Congresswoman Barbara Lee from California who is always out in the forefront and reminding us of the words of Shirley Chisholm. prgtoken I think about Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, another colleague from the great State of Texas. She is a woman who reminds us about equality and justice and reminds us about the value of collaboration and standing together in unity. She is the founder of the Tri-Caucus. She is another fighter for justice, someone who mentors us and stands back and gives us enough room so we can lead and follow in her footsteps. prgtoken There are so many strong, Black women in the Congressional Black Caucus. prgtoken Then there are the men. There are 29 Members who are female and 29 Members who are male serving now in the Congressional Black Caucus. prgtoken So tonight, Madam , I say, thank you. The two most powerful words that one can say. I say thank you to our chair of our Special Order hour, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. prgtoken As we begin to bring this night to a close, I am reminded of so many things that great leaders have said. Someone said that liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth. prgtoken We have begun to take root as members of the Congressional Black Caucus. And we, too, have that same rapid growth of all the things in this Chamber we have brought to the floor, in this Chamber that we have voted out and sent to the Senate and to the White House to be signed into law. So often people will come up to us on the great streets of America, and they will say: Tell me, what is it that the Congressional Black Caucus is doing? prgtoken But, Madam , I say no more. No more will you question who we are. Because our power and our message of Black excellence, of lifting up and elevating our mess