mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2022-9-19

today, I rise to honor the enduring legacy of an outstanding Utahn. As the autumn sun sunk below the mountains surrounding Southern Utah University's sprawling athletic fields, the men's teams had finished their practice for the day. Only under the night sky could one group of young, ambitious, and dedicated women finally take to the empty field, dressed in worn, plain PE uniforms with hand-stitched numbers. In the collegiate sporting era of the 1970s, these female athletes had no access to new equipment or team budgets, let alone scholarships or institutional support. But they did have a leader. Kathryn Berg, of Heber City, UT, proudly led this group of woman athletes as their coach, mentor, friend, and lifelong advocate for gender equality across all sports at the university and the State of Utah. Today, a return visit to SUU must rekindle mixed emotions for Kathryn, both for the enormous strides made for gender equality by virtue for her accomplishments as its associate athletic director and the work still required in pursuit of that goal. The field bears her name. prgtoken Despite her decorated career, measured in both awards and the boundless admiration of others, Kathryn Berg would be embarrassed to have the spotlight shone on her life and achievements. That is because she spent her over 33-year career elevating others into such a position. The athletes, families, and individuals who know Kathryn describe her as a humble servant to others, who worked overtime to provide opportunities for girls and women to participate in sports. To accomplish this, she educated herself in sports she knew little about by becoming an expert in the rules and regulations of each sport, took classes, and earned certifications at her own expense. She even became a certified gymnastics judge so she could be a better gymnastics coach. This enabled her athletes to reach their peak athletic and academic performances. An athlete herself, Kathryn played basketball and tennis at Wasatch High School before earning a B.A. and M.A. from Brigham Young University, followed by a doctorate from the University of Utah. She taught and coached at Richfield High School, Lincoln Junior High, and Orem Junior High, respectively, before arriving for a new challenge at Southern Utah University. prgtoken At SUU, she served as administrator for all women's sports, including softball, basketball, gymnastics, track and field, volleyball, cheerleading, and synchronized swimming. In Cedar City, she continued to face down the perennial obstacles halting progress for female athletic programs. With no available budget, Kathryn and her athletes had to fundraise for their right to take to the fields and courts. Kathryn stitched together uniforms, spent her own money, and drove the team bus herself. With few female coaching mentors around, she instead learned as she went despite hearing ``no'' to most every request. As a direct result of h
Department of Justice (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-9-19

when Attorney General Garland went through the confirmation process for his current job as Attorney General of the United States, he made a solemn pledge to keep politics out of the Justice Department. I, for one, was encouraged by his statement, having seen the disastrous politicization of the Justice Department under former Attorneys General Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch. prgtoken Attorney General Garland said this. He said: I will never make a decision in the Department based on politics or partisanship. prgtoken I took him at his word. I hoped we wouldn't see a return to the days when people saw double standards play out in the Justice Department based on who happened to be in office, who happened to be investigated. But, clearly, under Attorney General Garland's leadership, the Department of Justice has pointed its arrows toward concerned parents, for example, who are exercising their First Amendment rights to prgtoken speak up about their children's education. Attorney General Garland has sued the State of Georgia and the State of Texas, for example, claiming that ballot integrity measures that are within the prerogative of the States to pass were somehow suppressing the public's right to vote. prgtoken We are going to start voting in about 50 days from now. That is the main election date. In Texas, we will start voting a full 2 weeks before that date, where, without any reason whatsoever, you can show up and vote in person, 2 full weeks before the general election. Yet Attorney General Garland spins the false narrative that somehow the State of Texas is suppressing people's right to vote. prgtoken And then Attorney General Garland I think shocked everybody by authorizing an unprecedented search warrant on a former President and a current political rival when less intrusive means and methods would have produced the same documents that they claimed to be after. prgtoken Time and time again, the Department of Justice under Merrick Garland has taken aggressive actions that are viewed by the administration as politically advantageous. For everybody else, though, it is a different story, that double standard. When Supreme Court Justices are receiving death threats, including the interdiction of a deranged man who was out to kill Justice Kavanaugh here in the Nation's Capital, the Attorney General did not respond by taking appropriate steps to prevent that violence. In fact, he fanned the flames. Instead of protecting the Justices, he chose to criticize them and encouraged what amounts to irresponsible conduct on the part of people on the left. prgtoken And now I am concerned about the Department's double standard in the handling of the Hunter investigation. The public reports are that the President's son has been under investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware for a long time now. There is a lot, of course, we don't know, but reported lea
IN RECOGNITION OF SCHREIBER FOODS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-9-19

. Madam , today I rise to recognize Schreiber Foods on achieving the Guinness World Records title for the largest macaroni and cheese. prgtoken The company's achievement was part of the 50th anniversary celebration of their production plant in Logan, Utah. It took the Schreiber Foods team 3 hours and 26 minutes to cook the recipe, finishing with a super-sized macaroni and cheese weighing in at 2,151 kg. They invited the public to eat the thousands of servings of the mac 'n cheese and partnered with a local food pantry to donate the remaining food. For over 30 years, Schreiber Foods has shared their delicious dairy products with consumers across the globe. Founded in 1945, Schreiber foods began as a small cheese production plant, located in an old brewery building in Green Bay, WI. Since its founding, they have grown to become one of the largest privately held dairy production companies in the world, with more than 30 locations spread across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Through their expansion, Schreiber Foods has also become one of the leading suppliers of cheese to fast-food restaurant chains, supplying cheese slices to 17 of the top 20 hamburger chains. prgtoken Although Schreiber Foods has come a long way from its modest beginnings, their commitment to integrity and quality products hasn't been left behind. From day one, the company followed the ``16 ounces to the pound'' philosophy, stating that one pound of cheese would weigh no more, and no less than 16 oz. Today, Schreiber still uses ``16 ounces to the pound'' as a basis for two characteristics of their company: unquestionable integrity and an ongoing commitment to quality. I commend Schreiber Foods for their commitment to customer satisfaction that has led to their continued success for over 30 years. prgtoken Madam , it is my honor to congratulate Schreiber Foods on achieving the Guinness World Records title for the largest macaroni and cheese and for their ongoing commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
Inflation (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-19

. Last week, the American people received yet another absolutely crushing--crushing--inflation report. More than a year after Washington ' policies set off the worst overall inflation in 40 years, the prices of some of the most essential items for working families are skyrocketing at their fastest rates in a generation. prgtoken Electricity costs are rising faster than they have since 1981, and grocery inflation has eclipsed a high from 1979. Parents trying to put food on the table are now contending with annual price hikes of 16.2 percent for a loaf of bread, 17 percent for a gallon of milk, and 40 percent more for a dozen eggs. prgtoken Now, the very same day this painful news broke, just a few hours later, Washington threw a party for themselves on the White House lawn, celebrating their economic policies. prgtoken You really can't make this stuff up. prgtoken The official numbers had just confirmed that American families have seen the single worst year for both food and electricity inflation since the fallout from Jimmy Carter. And the ' response was to throw themselves a party--a party--for spending hundreds of billions of dollars more, raising taxes, and making working-class Americans pay off the loans of doctors and lawyers. prgtoken You might think the administration couldn't possibly get any more out of touch. You would think that kind of display would have to take the cake. But alas, last night, on ``60 Minutes,'' President gave an almost comically out-of-touch interview on the inflation crisis. prgtoken The President argued--with a straight face--that the American people ought to be grateful for last month's terrible inflation report because it could have been even worse. Here was a quote: Guess where we are? We're in a position where, in the last several months, [inflation] hasn't spiked. prgtoken Struggling Americans are supposed to be grateful that we have plateaued at a steady ongoing inflation rate of more than 8 percent? The President wants a round of applause for steadily clocking month after month after month of the worst inflation in 40 years? prgtoken The inflation rate plateauing does not mean that prices themselves have leveled off. It means that prices are prgtoken still steadily climbing all the time, at a historically fast pace, the worst in a generation. prgtoken Month after month after month, ' policy failures are continuing to add inflation on top of inflation. The inflation rate plateauing above 8 percent does not mean that families are catching a break. It means exactly the opposite. It means that families are continuing to see prices go up and up and up all the time. prgtoken Simply surviving, just getting by, in Washington ' economy costs 8.3 percent more than it did a year ago, but remember, the 12- month numbers now dramatically understate the damage the have done because it only looks back 1 year, when Dem
UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022
W. Gregory Steube (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-9-19

. Madam , I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 438. members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Baird (Bucshon) Bass (Correa) Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Blumenauer (Beyer) Boebert (Gaetz) Butterfield (Beyer) Conway (Valadao) Crenshaw (Ellzey) DeFazio (Pallone) DesJarlais (Fleischmann) Duncan (Norman) Gallego (Correa) Gomez (Evans) Granger (Gonzales, Tony (TX)) Jacobs (NY) (Tenney) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Jones (Beyer) Khanna (Jeffries) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) LaMalfa (Ellzey) Lamb (Pallone) Lawrence (Pallone) McEachin (Beyer) Meeks (Jeffries) Meng (Kuster) Napolitano (Correa) Nehls (Babin) Newman (Beyer) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Pallone) Rodgers (WA) (Moore (UT)) Rogers (KY) (Reschenthaler) Rush (Bowman) Ryan (OH) (Correa) Sanchez (Pallone) Scott, Austin (Cammack) Sewell (Cicilline) Sires (Pallone) Stansbury (Pallone) Stewart (Owens) Thompson (PA) (Keller) Vargas (Correa) Welch (Pallone)
Restoring Law and Order Act (Executive Session)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-9-19

. As I have talked on this floor through the past few years, I have talked about visiting each of the 95 counties in our great State of Tennessee every year. And when I am there, I spend much of the time talking with local leaders, small business owners, families, citizens who call Tennessee home. And I have seen firsthand what the agenda has done to them over these past 2 years. prgtoken The out-of-control spending that started almost immediately after took power and the inflation it caused has made life too expensive to afford for many individuals. The open border policy that did indeed start on day 1 of this administration overwhelmed Border Patrol and turned every Tennessee town, just like towns all across this country, into a border town. prgtoken The ' obsession with environmental radicalism and the Green New Deal destroyed thousands of jobs, and as a bonus, this has sent gas and energy prices soaring. prgtoken They ignored our broken-down supply chains, and now economic development in rural and depressed areas has stalled out. I wish I could chalk all this up to gross incompetence, but after 2 years, I know and Tennesseans know there is a lot more to that story. and the know what they are doing. They know it is wrong, and they are doing it anyway. prgtoken One of the most frightening consequences of 's reckless abuse of power is the rise in violent crime. The left's ``defund the police'' movement gained traction before and his ic allies took power here in Washington, DC, but it was their decision to let it fester and undermine local law enforcement. prgtoken Instead of abiding by their duty to keep Americans safe, they have made heroes out of criminals and turned police officers into villains. prgtoken The results have been disastrous. Compared to mid-2019, America's largest cities have seen a 50-percent increase in homicides and a 36- percent increase in aggravated assaults. prgtoken Cities that caved to the radical left's demands to gut the police department have seen crime rates rise even higher. prgtoken The people of Memphis have had a front-row seat to this violence. I would implore my colleagues to listen to them, rather than to the anti- police activists making their phones ring, because they--they--are the ones who are paying the price for this little experiment. prgtoken Ask them how they felt as they watched a shooting spree play out live on social media. I won't use the perpetrator's name here on the floor of the Senate, but he is accused of murdering three people, wounding three others, and committing not one but two carjackings. prgtoken Ask them how they felt when they found out what happened to the wife, prgtoken mother, and teacher who never came back from her morning run. A monster with a long criminal record--again, whose name I will not use here--is charged with her brutal abduction and murder. And then ask them how they would fe
DESIGNATION OF THE KOL ISRAEL FOUNDATION HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AS A NATIONAL MEMORIAL
Jerry L. Carl (Republican, AL) \u2014 2022-9-19

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , H.R. 7618, offered by Representative Brown, would designate the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Museum at Zion Memorial Park in Bedford Heights, Ohio, a national memorial. prgtoken This memorial was dedicated in May 1961 and honors the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. It is one of the first Holocaust commemorative works in the United States, and it is surrounded by walls with the names of those who died in the Holocaust, along with the survivors who later passed away. prgtoken The memorial also includes the ashes of Jewish martyrs killed by Nazis from three concentration camps buried at its base. prgtoken I hope the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial will continue to bring peace and comfort to the families and the community who lost loved ones during the Holocaust. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and .
CORRUPTION, OVERTHROWING RULE OF LAW, AND RUINING UKRAINE: PUTIN'S TRIFECTA ACT
Ann Wagner (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-9-19

such time as I may consume for closing. prgtoken , in the months leading up to February 24, many of us called for the administration to impose severe sanctions before-- let me underscore ``before''--Russian troops amassing on Ukraine's border invaded. These sanctions, we argued, would make crystal clear to Putin and his cronies that they would be held accountable for launching this renewed invasion. prgtoken Unfortunately, the administration chose not to heed this warning, sacrificing a final opportunity to deter the war raging today. prgtoken While the administration has since worked with allies and partners to cut off funding to Putin's war machine, it cannot rest in its efforts to target all those in Russia complicit in the Kremlin's crimes at home and abroad. Thus, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill to ensure Putin's enablers face real consequences. prgtoken , .
LITTLE MANATEE WILD AND SCENIC RIVER ACT
Vern Buchanan (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-9-19

. Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 4358, bipartisan legislation I introduced last July with my fellow Floridian Rep. Darren Soto, regarding the Little Manatee River. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with us in voting in support of this bill. prgtoken The Little Manatee Wild and Scenic River Act authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to study whether it's appropriate to add an approximately 51-mile-long segment of the Little Manatee River, from its source in southeastern Hillsborough County to the point at which the river enters Tampa Bay, to its Wild and Scenic River System. prgtoken For my part, I strongly support both passage of this bill today and of subsequently adding the Little Manatee River to the NPS' Wild and Scenic River program in the future. Passage of the bill before us today begins that journey and I have been very pleased to work with my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee toward realizing that goal. prgtoken Adding this river to the Wild and Scenic River program in the future will help ensure the Little Manatee will remain available for a full range of recreational activities for Floridians, like canoeing, kayaking, boating and fishing. prgtoken In Florida, protecting our precious natural resources has always been a top priority. Florida's Suncoast is blessed with an abundance of natural treasures like Sarasota Bay, Emerson Point Preserve and Myakka River State Park. prgtoken I want all of my colleagues to know that adding the Little Manatee River to the Wild and Scenic River program enjoys strong local support as well. Both the Hillsborough County Commission and the Manatee County Commission have approved resolutions supporting this designation. prgtoken Of particular note, Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Stacy White has been a leader in the effort to add the Little Manatee River to the Wild and Scenic River program. He has been a champion of this effort from day one and an invaluable partner for me in my efforts at the federal level. prgtoken Protecting and enhancing water quality for all of Southwest Florida has always been one of my highest priorities in Congress. prgtoken Approving this bill today will move us forward in our efforts to help ensure a vibrant, clean and healthy environment in my home state of Florida. It's both an important element in our quality of life and a vital part of our economic well-being because millions of people visit Florida every year. prgtoken Madam , I want to thank the bipartisan leadership of the Natural Resources Committee for working with me to bring H.R. 4358 to the floor today. prgtoken Again, I urge all of my colleagues in the House to join with me in voting for this bill.
AMERICA MUST RESTORE FISCAL SANITY
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-9-19

. Madam , I thank my friend from Kentucky, who truly is an expert on fiscal policy and truly understands the situation that we are in, in our country. prgtoken We just simply cannot afford to continue down this path and expect that there will not be consequences: consequences for us and, if not for us, certainly for future generations. At the least, we are mortgaging the future of our kids and our grandkids, and it is completely irresponsible. prgtoken We just came back, all of us, to our districts. I can tell you, I spent most of the weekend out talking to people across the district, and they are very prgtoken concerned about the impact of this President's policies and the policies of this Congress on their daily lives. I have constituents who are choosing each week whether they can buy groceries or whether they can buy gas for the car. prgtoken I spoke just recently to one constituent who had been out of the workforce for about 10 years. This individual, by the way, had 13 kids, which I thought was amazing, but he had been out of the workforce for 13 years and just took a job because he can no longer make ends meet because of the policies of this President and the rising prices that have been created by the policies of this administration. prgtoken They are angry that the President had a White House party to celebrate the passage of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act. This celebration, of course, just recently was broadcast amid a backdrop of the plummeting stock market and upon the news just that morning of another month of record-high inflation. prgtoken No matter how the President wants to talk about it, no matter how want to talk about it, Madam , he says that inflation has leveled off, but we are still at 8.5 percent above what prices were just 12 months ago. That is something we haven't seen in our country for about 40 years. This was after and the President were saying this would be transitory inflation. prgtoken You would think if we are in a hole, at some point, we would stop digging. Instead, the President and congressional , while they are patting themselves on the back, continue to spend taxpayer dollars. prgtoken Just last night, President was on ``60 Minutes,'' arguing that he deserves some credit, again, for his fiscal policies while inflation is at another 40-year high. prgtoken The President speaks fiscal responsibility, yet every action that he takes only balloons our debt and balloons our deficits. It is far past time for his wasteful inflationary spending agenda to come to an end. The American people, the constituents in my district, can no longer afford the policies of this administration. prgtoken Tonight, for the next 45, 50 minutes or so, I am proud to welcome some of my colleagues, including fellow members of the House Budget Committee and others who share the deep concerns that were just outlined by Congressman Barr. You will be hearing fr