mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 447, NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACT OF 2021; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. CON. RES. 11, CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021; AND FOR OTHER...
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2021-2-2

I apologize for missing the votes on February 2, 2021, regarding the passage of the previous question and rule providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 11 and H.R. 447. I missed these votes because I was with my son as he signed his offer to play collegiate football. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 19, and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 20. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Axne (Stevens) Barragan (Beyer) Bowman (Clark (MA)) Buchanan (Arrington) Cardenas (Gomez) Carson (Butterfield) Cartwright (Doyle, Michael F.) Cohen (Beyer) Cooper (Clark (MA)) DeSaulnier (Matsui) DesJarlais (Kustoff) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Dingell (Stevens) Fallon (Nehls) Fleischmann (Kustoff) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Gallego (Gomez) Gonzalez, Vicente (Gomez) Gottheimer (Panetta) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Hastings (Wasserman Schultz) Hayes (Courtney) Houlahan (Wild) Jayapal (Clark (MA)) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Jones (Jacobs (CA)) Keating (Clark (MA)) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Kuster (Clark (MA)) Langevin (Courtney) Larson (CT) (Courtney) Lawrence (Kildee) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lieu (Beyer) Lofgren (Jeffries) Long (Wagner) Lowenthal (Beyer) Lynch (Clark (MA)) Maloney, Carolyn B. (Jeffries) McEachin (Wexton) Meeks (Jeffries) Meng (Clark (MA)) Mfume (Brown) Moulton (Beyer) Nadler (Jeffries) Napolitano (Correa) Ocasio-Cortez (Garcia (IL)) Payne (Wasserman Schultz) Porter (Wexton) Price (NC) (Butterfield) Roybal-Allard (Correa) Ruiz (Aguilar) Rush (Underwood) Speier (Scanlon) Suozzi (Panetta) Titus (Connolly) Tonko (Pallone) Torres (NY) (Auchincloss) Trahan (McGovern) Vargas (Correa) Vela (Gomez) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Adams)
SETTING FORTH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-2-2

I come to the floor to bring up the point that there must be equal attention to the dangers of extremism, whether it is extremism of the right or extremism of the left. prgtoken We have all been horrified by the senseless criminal acts that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 of this year. A violent mob was able to overrun Capitol Police and quickly gain access to the area where a joint session of Congress was being held. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died as a result of this attack. prgtoken I hope that together, s and , we can get to the bottom of what occurred on that day and ensure that it never happens again prgtoken In the spirit of collaboration, I must direct everyone's attention to something that has occurred to me, and that is the need to condemn all political violence regardless of ideology. Like many Americans, I have been deeply troubled by the rioting, looting, anti-police attacks, and deaths that have occurred this summer. prgtoken While many very legitimately protested the death of George Floyd in a peaceful manner, consistent with their rights under the First Amendment, thousands of others did not do it in a peaceful manner and probably did it for a lot of other reasons than just George Floyd's death. One of the most upsetting aspects of the violence of this summer has been how it has targeted innocent law enforcement officers. Over 700 officers were injured between May 27 and June 8, 2020. This number is likely underreported as nearly 300 of those injuries occurred only in New York City. prgtoken Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli testified at a hearing in front of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution that there had been 277 Federal officer injuries at the Federal courthouse in Portland, adding further to that total previously given to you. Officers were assaulted nightly there for months--slashed, hard objects thrown at them, struck with objects like hammers and baseball bats, even blinded by lasers. prgtoken In another offensive, 60 Secret Service officers were injured during a sustained attack on the White House, which caused then-President to be taken to a secure bunker. The church across the street from the White House was lit on fire as part of that continued assault. Over 300 people were charged federally for their roles in these weeks and months of violence. Eighty of those charges related to the use of arson and explosives. Others involved assaults on officers and the destruction of government property. prgtoken However, the nationwide riots, which broke out in nearly every major city in the country, were predominantly State offenses. At least 14,000 people were arrested in 49 cities. At least 25 people died in violence related to the riots. Property Claim Services--a company that tracks insurance claims relating to riots and civil disorders--estimates that the insurance losses from the su
RECOGNIZING THE BICENTENNIAL OF FRANKLIN ACADEMY
Trent Kelly (Republican, MS) \u2014 2021-2-2

. Madam , I rise today in celebration of the Bicentennial of Franklin Academy in Columbus, Mississippi--the state's first Public School. In its two hundred years, Franklin Academy has had a profound impact on education in our state. prgtoken In December of 1821, construction was completed on the first schoolhouse. A 20x30 foot wood framed structure was erected to house the first classes, and in 1835 a second structure was built to separate the boys and girls. In 1866, a fourteen-room, three-story building became the new home of Franklin Academy. An adjoining chapel allowed for religious services and education. prgtoken In November of 1909 President Taft visited Franklin Academy as a stop on a national tour. Nine years later, the school adapted to elementary students when Stephen D. Lee High School was completed. It wasn't until 1939 that the current two-story building was constructed under the Public Works Administration. prgtoken Franklin Academy was integrated in September of 1965. It has since been named a Mississippi landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. prgtoken I commend all current and former faculty, staff, and administration at Franklin Academy for preserving educational excellence and continuously striving for the best quality education for our young people.
MORNING BUSINESS
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-2-2

I voted to confirm the nomination of Pete Buttigieg to be Secretary of the Department of Transportation. As a former mayor, Secretary Buttigieg understands that infrastructure in a state of good repair is crucial to economic growth. For too long, American infrastructure has gone without proper investment, while we simultaneously engage in a two-decade-long adventure to remake and rebuild the Middle East. Rather than increase gas taxes, I hope to work with Secretary Buttigieg and the rest of the administration to put an end to endless wars, stop building infrastructure in Afghanistan, and start building infrastructure in America.
SETTING FORTH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2021-2-2

I come to the floor today to discuss the urgent need to get our kids back in school. Kids deserve to be back in school. prgtoken Last week, the White House Chief of Staff was on television. He was interviewed. The interviewer asked him why so many public schools remain closed. His answer--amazingly, astonishingly--was ``money.'' prgtoken If I may, the record is very clear. s supported more money for schools since last summer--a full $105 billion to get our kids back to school. In fact, the Senate s' targeted coronavirus bill included more money from schools than Pelosi included in her bloated, liberal wish list. prgtoken For months, Senate obstructed, delayed, and dragged their feet. For months, played politics with coronavirus relief. In all that time, families across America suffered. prgtoken It wasn't until the end of December that finally agreed to pass legislation to reopen the schools, and it included $82 billion-- less than s had offered the last summer. prgtoken Well, the ink is now barely dry on the overall relief bill at the end of last year. It was a $900 billion relief bill. So here we are, just 1 month later, and the new administration says that there is no money to reopen schools. prgtoken The White House Chief of Staff goes on television with a supposedly new idea. The idea is that ``we, as a country, should make the investments to make it safe'' to get back to school--astonishing, because we did that. prgtoken If the administration really wants their schools to reopen, they ought to be talking to the teachers unions. They should talk to the leaders of the teachers unions based in Fairfax County, VA, just a few miles from here. You know, it is one of the largest school districts in America. Fairfax County teachers demanded a vaccine before they would go back to the classroom. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed, they got the vaccine. Yet they still refused to go back to the classroom, which, of course, means that the students aren't in the classroom either. prgtoken In Chicago, the teachers union is threatening to go on strike rather than to go back into the classroom, which, of course, means the students don't get to back into the classroom either. prgtoken In Washington, DC, the teachers union would rather go to court than to the classroom, which means that students don't get to go back to the classroom either. prgtoken Similar stories are taking place all across America. The union bosses might think this is just a big game. The truth is, this is doing terrible things to our children. prgtoken Our teachers do incredible work. Many are working harder than ever in the virtual setting. Many want to go back to the classroom. Yet, because of the union bosses who pull the strings, our kids are being denied access to in-person learning by our amazing teachers. prgtoken On Wednesday, the New York Times said it was ``breaking news''
ADD1TIONAL STATEMENTS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2021-2-2

today I have the honor of recognizing Sarah Moyer of Yellowstone County for serving her community in a time of need. prgtoken When schools were shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of children who rely on school for getting their meals were sent home. Sarah saw the need to feed her community and did not hesitate to jump in. Her business, Project Lunch, started to make healthy lunches available to anyone in need. By the end of the summer, Sarah and her volunteers had delivered over 21,800 lunches right to the front doors of Montanans--a truly remarkable act of service for her neighbors. prgtoken Her dedication to her fellow Montanans does not stop there. Heading into 2021, Sarah opened a pay-what-you-can restaurant in downtown Billings that employs Montanans who are struggling to find employment elsewhere. The community rallied behind Sarah and donated time, equipment, and resources to help get this restaurant started. Her goal for this project is to create a place for folks to give back and support their neighbors. Sarah has brought her community together, inspired volunteers, helped those in need, and started a legacy of service. prgtoken I am thankful for Sarah's dedication and heart for the Billings community. She has truly shown us all what it means to put service above self.
SETTING FORTH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-2-2

I am here on the floor today to talk about the way forward for this new Congress and the new administration. prgtoken Specifically, this afternoon, we are talking about the budget resolution that the ic side has proposed. There was a vote today to begin to proceed on that. My understanding is that by the end of this week, we will have a number of amendments about the budget, and this all goes toward a process called reconciliation. If the two budgets are agreed upon, that would enable us--with 50 votes rather than the normal 60 votes--to take on a really important issue, which is the issue of how we should address the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken But, to me, this is an even bigger question. It is a question about how we are going to proceed, as a Congress, working with this new administration. If you recall, the Senate is now a 50-50 split. That is as closely divided as you can possibly be. There are 50 Senators on this side and 50 Senators on that side. The House is more closely divided than it has been in years. And, significantly, the American people are more divided than they have been in years. prgtoken I think the American people, as a general matter--not everybody, but I think the American people are looking for us to deal with these divisions here in the country by working together to try to get something done, by working together to help heal the wounds that are out there. prgtoken As for me, one Senator, I am very interested in helping President make good on the pledge that he made on the steps of the Capitol. On the west steps, just that way in the U.S. Capitol, on Inauguration Day, January 20, the President said that he wanted to bring our country together. He wanted to help heal those wounds. He wanted us to work across the aisle. He wanted to go back to an era here where we actually sat down, debated things, worked them out together, and, therefore, helped bring our country together. prgtoken I hope, with regard to the COVID-19 discussions, that s and will agree to keep working on charting the Federal response to the ongoing healthcare and economic crisis in a bipartisan way. It is the one area where we have done it. prgtoken Yet when you think of all the division in all of the times when we haven't been able to find agreement on things around here, one place we have been able to find agreement has been with regard to COVID-19. Specifically, we have passed five different bills--five bills--with big majorities, bipartisan majorities. One was actually by unanimous consent. prgtoken The most recent one was just 5 weeks ago or less, at the end of the year, when Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-relief package in an entirely bipartisan way. And $900 billion, by the way, makes that the second most expensive legislative package that Congress has ever passed--$900 billion. The first one was the CARES Act, which also related to the coronavirus pande
HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF SERGEANT JON MEADOR
Beth Van Duyne (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-2-2

. Madam , I rise today to thank Sergeant Jon Meador for his service with the Grapevine Police Department and to congratulate him on his retirement. His 30 years of law enforcement service is incredibly deserving of recognition, and, on behalf of the North Texans he has dedicated his career to serving and protecting, I am proud to extend my sincere appreciation for his selfless service before the House of Representatives. prgtoken I was impressed to hear of Sergeant Meador's background prior to joining law enforcement, specifically his experience in the banking industry that he utilized to investigate financial crimes in conjunction with the FBI, ICE, and the Secret Service. The courage and dedication he has displayed during his many years of service in law enforcement is admirable and the law enforcement community is better for having the benefit of his service and knowledge. prgtoken In these unprecedented times, I know it is a source of comfort for North Texans to have law enforcement officers like Sergeant Meador working tirelessly to serve and protect us. It has always been my view that public service is among the most admirable of callings, one that demands the very best among us tackle monumental challenges in the name of selfless service to others. Sergeant Meador's incredible service to the public will be remembered by many in Grapevine and I join them in congratulating him on not only heeding the call to serve, but for doing so with the devotion and passion he has exhibited for the past three decades. prgtoken It is my honor to congratulate Sergeant Meador on his successful career and retirement.
SETTING FORTH THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET FOR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-2-2

relations between the United States and Russia are more precarious today than at any other time since the Cold War. From Russian-backed mercenaries fighting in the Middle East to the Kremlin's attempt to poison Putin's critics like Alexei Navalny using a nerve agent, the actions of Russia are growing more and more aggressive. That is especially true when it comes to actions against the United States and our allies. prgtoken We know Russia made a clear attempt to interfere with the 2016 election and delegitimize our democratic processes, like our elections. Through everything from highly coordinated disinformation campaigns to targeted attacks on voting systems, it sought to undermine and potentially change the result of a democratic election. prgtoken Of course, it is not just our voting systems that have come under attack. Moscow has launched massive cyber attacks against private companies and government agencies alike, the latest being the SolarWinds hack. Last year, Russia attempted to steal coronavirus vaccine research from the United States and our closest allies. prgtoken The administration has responded to these mounting threats in an unlikely way--by giving Russia exactly what it wants. Sure, I know there were some press reports about a conversation between President and President Putin, but then again, that is all it was--words, not action. prgtoken This Friday is the expiration date for the New START treaty--the only remaining bilateral strategic nuclear agreement between the United States and Russia. Since New START entered force a decade ago, there has been no lack of criticism about its shortcomings. For example, here on the Senate floor last week, I outlined some of the main issues with New START, including the fact that it only placed limits on strategic nuclear weapons, leaving room open for an endless arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons, which were particularly of interest to Russia in a potential land war in Europe. The new Senator from Tennessee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Bill Hagerty, has echoed that concern as well. prgtoken But it is not just s who acknowledge the need for a new approach. Victoria Nuland is an experienced and accomplished diplomat with more than three decades of experience, and she has been nominated by President for a high-ranking position in the State Department. In an opinion piece she wrote last year, she wrote that the United States ``should not grant Moscow what it wants most: a free rollover of New START without any negotiations to address Russia's recent investments in short- and medium-range nuclear weapons systems and new conventional weapons.'' In other words, Russia is building new weapons that will not be included in the New START negotiations, but they should be. prgtoken The President didn't take the advice of Ambassador Nuland, obviously. He didn't advocate for new limits on tactical weapons or these ne
BURMA
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-2-2

. Now, on another matter, the United States and democratic countries around the world are anxiously watching events in Burma. I have had an interest in Burma for many years, since I chaired the Appropriations Subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations. prgtoken Just last November, here on the floor, I cautiously celebrated Burma's recent elections. I warned that its military remained a toxic influence and an obstacle to democratic progress. prgtoken Sure enough, the world was horrified over the weekend when Burma's military rounded up the country's civilian political leadership, including Aung San Suu Kyi and civil society leaders. The military was afraid the popular support of the new government would yield the constitutional economic reforms they long opposed. So they tried to simply claim control for themselves. prgtoken I spoke with President and Secretary Blinken yesterday about the situation in Burma. The new administration deserves credit for approaching the situation in a way that is bipartisan and coordinated with Congress. prgtoken The world is watching. I hope and expect the United States will quickly make the obvious legal determination that this is a military coup and impose significant costs on the military for its attack on democracy. We already have sanctions in place against key military officials in that country, and Congress has already given the executive branch the authorities it actually needs to swiftly apply even more sanctions to the military and its infiltration into Burma's economy. prgtoken But we will also need the help of our friends and allies to effectively pressure the junta. It is time for freedom-loving nations to stand up for democracy and impose their own meaningful costs on the military junta. prgtoken The Chinese Communist Party's state news organ dismissively called the events in Burma a ``major cabinet reshuffle.'' A ``cabinet reshuffle''? That is a joke and the free world knows it. This is a military coup and an attack on democracy--plain and simple. prgtoken There are two paths before Burma. It can continue to grow into a modern, democratic country connected to the global economy or remain a corrupt, impoverished authoritarian backwater in the shadow of the People's Republic of China. prgtoken The people of Burma have said which they prefer. They have spoken at the ballot box. The threat of force must not be allowed to silence their choice.