mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-12-15

reserving the right to object, first, let me thank the Senator from Florida and the Senator from Oregon for the really important work that they have done on the underlying legislation. prgtoken It is of critical importance that this Senate stand together, s and , against the ongoing genocide that is occurring in China today. prgtoken And I will say that, despite all the news about division in this Chamber, the coming together around China policies, the coming together between parties over the course of 2021 with respect to the threat that China presents to the United States and the global world order and the threat they present to human rights, both domestically and externally, I think, is important. prgtoken I support the underlying legislation, but I also want to make sure that we have the personnel in place that can effectuate the policy. Good policy occurs when the Congress steps up and hands the executive branch a tool that they can use, but we need craftsmen who can effectuate that tool set. prgtoken Pending on the calendar today, I would argue, are over a dozen nominees who would be in charge of implementing policy in and around China: the Assistant Secretary for International Organizations; the Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs; the Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration; Ambassadors to Bangladesh, Brunei, Japan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam--all pending on the calendar today. prgtoken But perhaps the three most important nominees who will implement the policy that Senator Rubio and Senator Wyden are bringing forward today are these: first, the nominee to be the Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns; the nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, who would oversee this new policy, Ramin Toloui; and, lastly, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, obviously critical to the plight of the Uighurs, Rashad Hussain. prgtoken In particular, Ambassador Burns is uniquely qualified for this post, having been Ambassador to NATO and Ambassador to Greece. At his hearing, he made clear how he would view the Chinese behavior in Xinjiang Province. He said the PRC's genocide, its abuse in Tibet, its smothering of Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms, and its bullying of Taiwan are unjust and must stop. prgtoken Having an ambassador in China in place, having an Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, and having an ambassador working every single day on international religious freedom, hand in hand with this new legislation, gives the tools and the legislative authority necessary to get the United States moving toward the right side of human rights in China. prgtoken So with that, I would ask the Senator from Florida to modify his request to include the following request. prgtoken I would ask unanimous consent that, notwithstanding rule XXII, if applicable, at a time to be determined by the majori
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Resumed
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2021-12-15

the House came together with the Senate to raise the debt limit, which I think was good because another closedown of our government would have been disastrous. So I am proud, as President pro tempore, to sign the joint resolution that raises the debt limit, and that will go now to the President. The signed it, I have signed it, and now the President will be able to sign the bill. I was very, very proud to do that.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Resumed
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-15

on NDAA, for the past six decades, Congress has worked on a bipartisan basis to pass an annual Defense bill without fail. After today, this year will be no different. prgtoken Later this morning, the Senate will hold a vote to pass NDAA legislation for fiscal year 2022 that has been negotiated on a bipartisan, bicameral basis. After it is approved by this Chamber, the bill will go to the President's desk for his signature. prgtoken With so many priorities to balance, s for working hard over these last few months, both in committee and on the floor, to get NDAA done. I want to particularly recognize my colleague Chairman Reed for his work shepherding this important process through. Build Back Better Act prgtoken , now, for a Build Back Better update, this week, also continue working on getting the Senate into a position where we can vote on the President's Build Back Better legislation. We are also continuing to hold conversations, as Senate , on the urgent work of advancing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. prgtoken There is universal view in our caucus that we need to pass legislation to protect our democracy. What the legislatures are doing--on a purely partisan basis--is undermining, destroying our democracy. prgtoken We believe that we can restore the Senate to work the way it is supposed to and at the same time deal with voting rights. And that is what we are aiming to do. Judicial Nominations prgtoken , now, on judicial nominations, in addition to our legislative agenda, the Senate is also making good progress this week on confirming more of President 's nominees, both to his administration and the Federal bench. prgtoken Today, we will vote to confirm two more of the President's judicial nominees, and it is possible I will file cloture on more today. At the district prgtoken level, we will confirm Samantha Elliott to serve as district judge for the District of New Hampshire. And we will also vote on the confirmation of Jennifer Sung to sit as a circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. prgtoken Throughout her career, Ms. Sung has proven herself to be an exceptional and impartial adjudicator, a valiant advocate for working Americans, and I am confident she will be an excellent judge who adds to the personal and professional diversity of the Ninth Circuit. prgtoken For much of her time in private practice, Ms. Sung dedicated herself to representing workers in disputes against unscrupulous employers. The folks she has fought for over her career haven't been privileged individuals. On the contrary, they have been everyday working Americans: low-income workers, minority workers, and largely underserved communities--folks who just want a fair shake. prgtoken As a member of the Oregon Employment Relations
Kentucky (Executive Calendar)
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-12-15

, my colleague from Kentucky talks about money as though it were going to go to the Taliban, as if it were going to an entity that no longer exists. In fact, that money is necessary to terminate contracts, to fulfill obligations, not only under the contracts but to our allies, the Afghan at-risk allies who sought to fulfill our mission. We have a moral imperative, and we have, arguably, a legal obligation. prgtoken That money is not just sitting there. It is not fungible. But put aside the merits of that argument, we have also a moral and strategic interest to our ally Israel to replenish its defenses at a time when it depends on our assistance to defend itself, to provide that Iron Dome that saves lives of innocent civilians who otherwise would have perished as a result of those 4,400 rockets launched by Hamas and possibly led to escalating contention and conflict in that region. prgtoken So it is a win-win, in fact, for us to replenish the Iron Dome without conditioning it in any way on other funds. Therefore, I will not modify my request.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Resumed
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-12-15

I rise to express my support for the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. I am pleased, as we all are, that we will be voting soon on passage. prgtoken I would like to thank Ranking Member Inhofe for his leadership and his thoughtfulness on this bill. He has been an excellent partner throughout this whole process. prgtoken Our Nation faces an enormous range of security challenges, and it is more important than ever that we provide our military men and women with the support they need to keep Americans safe. prgtoken To that end, this bill makes great progress. It addresses a broad range of pressing issues, from strategic competition with China and Russia, to disruptive technologies like hypersonics, AI, and quantum computing, to modernizing our ships, aircraft, and vehicles. It provides our servicemembers with the resources and support they need to defend our Nation, while at the same taking care of their families. prgtoken Importantly, this bill authorizes a well-deserved 2.7-percent pay raise for both military members and the DOD civilian workforce. It also increases parental leave to 12 weeks for all servicemembers and creates a new 2-week bereavement leave benefit for both military and Federal civilian employees. prgtoken I want to especially note that this bill includes historic, sweeping reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and how the military investigates and prosecutes sexual assault and other offenses, including murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and many other crimes. Just as my Senate colleagues, the President's Independent Review Commission, and survivors advocate groups have called for, this bill takes prosecutorial power away from the chain of command for these cases. Our bill creates ``special trial counsel,'' highly specialized prosecutors who will have exclusive, binding, and final decision-making authority over whether to prosecute these offenses. This is a sea change for the military justice system, and I am grateful to my colleagues in both Chambers and on both sides of the aisle for working together to achieve this historic reform for the well-being of our military women and men. prgtoken Indeed, we listened to survivors, advocates, and experts because we owe it to our servicemembers to get this policy right. The world is as dangerous and complex as it has ever been. We depend on the military to answer the call in these challenging times, and we owe it to them to ensure the policies we enact on this matter and others preserves this Nation's military power and cohesion. I respect those who might see this matter differently, but this bill makes our country and our troops more secure because we listened to advocates and experts to reach a compromise with the House of Representatives. prgtoken This year's defense bill also makes excellent progress toward meeting the challenges of long-term strategic competition with China and Russia. It invests in the pe
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-12-15

. The first State. The first State to ratify the Constitution before anyone else did. It made Delaware the first State and the only State for a whole week. prgtoken Jack Markell was a great Governor. I would like to say he is one of the two best Governors we have ever had. As a former Governor, you know what I am talking about. prgtoken , I rise today to ask unanimous consent to confirm Delaware's own Jack Markell as Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development better known as the OECD. prgtoken I have had the privilege of knowing Jack for over two decades as a steadfast Governor--a brilliant Governor, actually--of the State of Delaware, chairman of the National Governors Association, and as a prudent State treasurer for our State; someone who had a great career in the world of business, most recently as a compassionate Coordinator for Operation Allies, leading the national effort to resettle Afghan refugees across the United States. prgtoken Jack is someone whom I deeply respect as a public servant and whom I admire as a father, as a husband, and as a son. prgtoken After being referred out of committee by voice vote, he is someone whom Senators from both sides of the aisle trust to serve as a steward for American interests abroad. prgtoken I am confident Jack will serve the United States with great distinction as our top diplomat to the OECD, and I am honored to introduce him, if you will, here today on the Senate floor. prgtoken There are some people who might not know just what the OECD does and the important role it plays keeping our world leaders informed and their economies thriving. prgtoken Somebody asked me what is my favorite part of my job, and I tell them it is helping people. They ask: How do you like to help people? prgtoken I say I like to help make sure they have a job, to make sure people have a job and can support themselves and their family. That is about one of the best things you can do for them. prgtoken The predecessor for the OECD--the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation--was founded in the rubble of World War II to help European nations to serve and disburse funds received from the Marshall Plan and to lift up the economies of the world. prgtoken A little over a decade later, the organization was restructured. It was restructured to open up beyond the borders of Europe. In 1961, what we now know as the OECD was formed as a ``North Star,'' if you will, for global economic research, publishing data and forecasts for economic stability in this interconnected world that we live in. prgtoken Today, some 38 countries--38 democratic nations dedicated to free market principles--send Ambassadors to Paris every year to help lift up the economies of the world once more. It is a gathering place to seek out and to share solutions to economic problems and challenges and to strengthen our global leadership status. prgtoken Yet, for the last 4 years, not only ha
Chinese Political Prisoners (Executive Calendar)
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-12-15

in 1948, the world came together to adopt the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights to declare with one voice that every single person on Earth is ``born free and equal in dignity and rights.'' They declared that ``no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile''; that ``everyone has the right to freedom of thought'' and everyone has a right to ``freedom of opinion and expression.'' prgtoken This is Yu Wensheng, a human rights lawyer based in Beijing. His rights are being denied to him because he is arbitrarily detained after being arrested for exercising freedom of expression and freedom of opinion. prgtoken Yu has a history of ruffling feathers in Beijing. He is known for criticizing the Communist Party, for supporting the ``Yellow Umbrella'' movement for rights in Hong Kong, and for taking on politically sensitive cases. Beijing has retaliated by destroying his legal career and making it impossible for him to practice law. prgtoken Yu Wensheng has been in Chinese custody since January of 2018 because he dared to publish an open letter calling for political reforms, such as holding fair elections. prgtoken The day after he published that letter calling for fair elections, law enforcement officers, including police and armored vehicles, confronted him while he was walking his son to school and forced him into a police vehicle on suspicion of ``picking quarrels and provoking troubles.'' Police had no regard for his son's safety at that moment. Authorities later added the charge of ``inciting subversion,'' a charge often used against human rights advocates and typically carrying a sentence of up to 5 years. prgtoken Two years would go by before Yu was allowed to speak to his wife; 2 years before he was allowed to speak to his son; 2 years before he was allowed to meet with his defense lawyers. During those 2 years, he was secretly tried and convicted. In June of 2020, he was sentenced to 4 years in prison--all without any defense lawyers present, without his family being even informed. prgtoken He suffered greatly during this incarceration. He was beaten up by a group of inmates and sustained injuries to his head. His right hand suffered nerve damage--damage that occurred in a previous detention-- and is now shaking so violently, he can barely use it. He has had to learn to write with his left hand. prgtoken His appeals have been denied. He was sent to serve his sentence in a prison 600 miles away from Beijing despite repeated requests from his wife that he serve out his sentence closer to home so his family could visit. prgtoken That type of action is the exact opposite of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, that declaration that no one should be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile. This man was subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, and exile simply for expressing the opinion that there should be fair elections. He is not alone. prgtoken Today, I will a
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2021-12-15

it is my honor to recognize Dr. Barbara Damron's countless contributions in service to New Mexico over the course of her career as she transitions from her position as the chief government relations officer for the University of New Mexico, including the central campus, the health sciences center, and all branch campuses. prgtoken For more than three decades, Dr. Damron has built an impressive resume of experiences as an education leader, a healthcare executive, a college professor, an international consultant, an advanced practice nurse, and a cancer scientist. In addition to her work at the University of New Mexico, she has served as the New Mexico Higher Education Department Cabinet Secretary and as the State Higher Education Executive Officer, where she oversaw all of our State's 28 institutions of higher education, 4 Tribal colleges, and over 190 private and proprietary postsecondary schools. prgtoken Dr. Damron led the Common Course Numbering System, which aligned all lower division courses among institutions of higher education throughout New Mexico. As cabinet secretary, Dr. Damron demonstrated her responsiveness to and collaboration with communities in our State. Dr. Damron has also chaired the New Mexico Education Trust Board and New Mexico's 529 college savings plan and served as a commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission and of the Education Commission of the States. prgtoken I appreciate Dr. Damron's deep engagement with my office as she worked to help bring the University of New Mexico's impressive talent and resources to bear against the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities. I will always be grateful for both Dr. Damron's incredible management skills and the sense of humor she has always brought to her work. prgtoken I am pleased that Dr. Damron will keep serving New Mexicans as an educator by continuing to teach students in the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center's College of Nursing. I am confident that her commitment to the success of our State's students and educators will never end. And I congratulate her on this next chapter of her career.
40TH ANNIVERSARY OF S. RES. 268
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-12-15

I rise today to take note of the enduring support by the American people and by this body for the cause of democracy and human rights in Poland. prgtoken It is difficult to acknowledge so much time has passed, but it was 40 years ago this week, on December 13, 1981, that the Soviet-backed communist government and General Wojciech Jaruzelski declared a state of war in Poland. People called it ``martial law;'' in fact, it was quite literally a war declared by a government on its own people. prgtoken The U.S. Senate, led by the late statesman and Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, acted quickly to adopt S. Res. 268. On December 15, on the last day of the first session of the 97th Congress, this body adopted by vote of 95 to 0, S. Res. 268, ``on the imposition of martial law in Poland.'' prgtoken The resolution declared that: ``it is the clear and unassailable right of the Polish people collectively to determine their own future'' prgtoken It also directed that: ``the President and his Administration should consult intensively with our allies to develop a concerted and sustained response to the threat to the democratization process in Poland.'' prgtoken By 1989, thanks to continuing support for the people of Poland that this Senate expressed 40 years ago today, democracy prevailed in Poland. prgtoken Only two Members of today's Senate were present and voting on December 15, 1981, and I want to express my appreciation, these many years later, for their support for the resolution: Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, then in his very first year in the Senate, and Senator Patrick Leahy, then already in his second term in the Senate. prgtoken The trade union Solidarity had emerged on August 31, 1980, at the Gdansk Shipyard when the communist government of Poland signed the agreement allowing for its existence. Lech Walesa and others soon formed a broad anti-Soviet social movement ranging from people associated with the Catholic Church to members of the anti-Soviet left. Polish nationalism, together with pro-American liberalism, played an important part in the development of Solidarity in the 1980s. Solidarity advocated nonviolence in its members' activities. In September 1981, Solidarity's first national congress elected Walesa as its president and adopted a republican program, the ``Self-governing Republic''. prgtoken The first resolution adopted by Solidarnosc, at its First Congress in 1981, expressed a vision for the world, one based on the principle of its name. It stated: The ultimate goal of Solidarity is to create dignified conditions of life in an economically and politically sovereign Poland. By this, we mean a life free from poverty, exploitation, fear and lies, in a democratically and legally organized society. prgtoken By December, the government in Warsaw and its backers in Moscow decided that they had enough of an ass