mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Border Security (Executive Calendar)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-4-27

I was listening intently to the Senator from Texas, who is certainly familiar with the problems on the border. It happens that I spent 30 years down there as a builder and developer many years ago. I got to know the border people. They are trying to do a great job down there against some pretty impossible odds. prgtoken You know, one thing I always think about is, it has nothing to do with Central American citizens or Mexicans; it is the people from the Middle East, terrorists from all over. Open borders don't work. So I applaud him for his efforts on that Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 prgtoken , this week we have a real opportunity before us to pass the bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021. prgtoken If you listen only to the national media, you would think that Congress can't get together on much of anything, but this bill is a real example of how that is not always the case. The reason is simple: Everyone agrees that we need clean, safe, drinking water and to support State and local projects to protect water quality. prgtoken There are tangible benefits for communities too. Just consider what the bill does for my State of Oklahoma. First, it will increase the Federal funding for local projects by over $315 million in the next 5 years, an increase of 123 percent. prgtoken More than that, the State retains the control to direct funds to projects they have identified. It is called local support. It is kind of a unique concept. It demonstrates clearly that we who are representing an area know more about the area than people who don't represent the area. prgtoken This will increase funding for local projects. It will also provide needed resources to help Oklahoma achieve its comprehensive water plan, meeting its goal of using no more freshwater in 2060 than was used in 2010. prgtoken I am proud to cosponsor this bill because it not only recognizes that urban and rural communities have different water infrastructure needs, but it also provides specific benefits to rural States like my State of Oklahoma. prgtoken A month ago, the Water Quality Division director of the State of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Shellie Chard, testified before the EPW Committee to highlight the challenges facing rural water systems and the innovation that they are using in rural States and communities to ensure safe and affordable drinking prgtoken water. She highlighted the need for assistance to small, rural States in complying with government regulations, and this bill does that by giving small and rural States access to Federal funding and assistance in complying with government regulations that are often more burdensome and overbearing for them. prgtoken The bill also empowers rural communities to work with technical experts at nonprofit entities and State agencies to implement best practices and more efficiently comply with th
NOMINATION OF COLIN HACKETT KAHL (Executive Calendar)
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-4-27

I rise today to speak about Colin Kahl, the President's nominee to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. prgtoken The most basic responsibility of our government and our military is to protect the national security of the American people, which requires helping our allies and constraining our enemies. The Pentagon's policy chief is responsible for those evaluations. prgtoken Unfortunately, I have come to believe that Colin Kahl's judgment is irreparably marred by obsessive animosity toward Israel. I can think of no other way to explain his years of consistently wrong views regarding the Middle East--and not just wrong but impulsive and reckless. prgtoken He has repeatedly spilled out his conspiracy theories and attacks on Twitter and other public venues. He views the world through a cracked lens. prgtoken And I challenge my ic colleagues to explain one simple thing: What other explanation, other than animosity to the world's only Jewish state, could possibly account for all of these staggeringly wrong judgments? prgtoken I would like to begin with a topic the Senate has been united on: our opposition to anti-Semitism and to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. prgtoken In 2019, this body came together unanimously to pass a resolution that I authored, along with ic Senator Tim Kaine, condemning anti-Semitism as a unique form of bigotry that distorts people's judgments. prgtoken Recently, a top adviser to the Ayatollah Khomeini acknowledged what the world long knew--that in 2018, in an operation right out of a Hollywood action movie, Israel seized Iran's national nuclear archive. The archive proved that Iran had been keeping nuclear weapons blueprints and materials on the shelf. The nuclear deal, of which Kahl was a principle architect, had been flawed from the start. prgtoken Kahl responded to the news of the raid by suggesting on Twitter the archive was fabricated by Israel, with the aim of dragging American boys and girls into another Middle East war. This was a pernicious, anti-Sematic conspiracy theory, a blood libel, not just pernicious but wrong. prgtoken That was not the only time Kahl leveled troubling conspiracy theories about Israel and Iran. He suggested on Twitter that 's policies regarding the Iran deal and Jerusalem were linked to donations from Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson. This is not the judgment of anyone who should be anywhere near power or policy. prgtoken Another decision the administration made was to move our Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. There was an active debate within the administration. I leaned in vigorously with the President, and the President agreed with the view I articulated; that we should say to our friends and our enemies that we stand unshakably with the nation of Israel. prgtoken Kahl spent years fighting against that move, fighting against moving our Embassy. According to reports from 2012, Kahl was personally responsible
LETTER FROM CHAIRPERSON LOFGREN TO SPEAKER PELOSI ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE ELECTION CONTEST IN IOWA'S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I include the following letter in the Record: House of Representatives, Committee on House Administration, Washington, DC, April 28, 2021. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, of the House, Washington, DC. Dear Pelosi: I hereby report to the House the disposition of the election contest in Iowa's Second Congressional District. Contestant Rita Hart properly filed a notice of contest under the Federal Contested Election Act (FCEA) on December 22, 2020. Contestee Mariannette Miller- Meeks filed a motion to dismiss on January 21, 2021. On February 19, 2021, the Committee adopted a resolution to establish procedures in contested election cases properly filed under the FCEA in the 117th Congress. After reviewing additional filings from the parties, including a response to the Contestee's motion filed by the Contestant and a reply filed by the Contestee, the Committee on House Administration voted on March 10, 2021, to postpone disposition of the motion to dismiss. On March 31, 2021, Contestant Hart announced she would withdraw her contest. A letter of withdrawal from Contestant Rita Hart, mailed on March 31, 2021, was transmitted to the Committee on House Administration by the Clerk of the House on April 8, 2021. After a review of House and Committee precedent in contested elections cases in which the contestant withdraws, I have determined no further House or Committee action is required to dismiss the contest. The contestant's letter of withdrawal was entered into the record of the Committee on House Administration's Markup on April 28, 2021, and the Committee will take no further action on this contest.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-4-28

now, as we approach the 100-day mark of this new Congress, the Senate is about to take its first major step in fighting climate change. In a moment, the Senate will vote on reinstating commonsense rules to reduce methane emissions. It will be the first time the Senate ic majority has used the Congressional Review Act, and it is no mistake that we have chosen to use the law first and foremost on the subject of climate change. prgtoken Under this ic majority, the Senate will be a place where we take decisive, ambitious, and effective action against climate change. Of course, reducing methane emissions is not the only thing we need to do to fight climate change, but it is a very significant and large first step. prgtoken Methane accounts for roughly a quarter of all the human-caused global warming that has transpired since the Industrial Revolution. Restoring these methane-reducing rules will be one of the most significant climate actions that the Senate has taken in more than a decade. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote yes and commend Senators Heinrich, King, and Markey for their great work on this issue. prgtoken .
Workers Memorial Day (Executive Session)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-4-28

today we mark Workers Memorial Day, when we honor and remember workers who have laid down their lives on the job. prgtoken I have worn on my lapel since I was in the House, a pin depicting a canary in a bird cage given to me at a Workers Memorial Day rally in Lorain, OH, in the late 1990s. prgtoken This pin depicts a canary going down in the mine. It suggests the mine worker taking a canary down in the mines. If the canary died from lack of oxygen or from toxic gas, the mine worker got out of the mines. He had no union strong enough to protect him and no government that cared enough to protect him in those days. prgtoken To me, this pin represents the role of government to support the middle class and those who aspire to the middle class. It represents the progress we have made and the society we continue to fight for every day here. prgtoken We know the story. Coal miners took the canary down into the mines. Throughout the 20th century, we have worked to change that. We passed workers safety laws and overtime pay. We banned child labor. We passed clean air and safe drinking water laws. We enacted Social Security and Medicare and workers' rights and women's rights and civil rights. prgtoken But despite that progress over the last year, too many workers have felt a whole lot like those miners. They have felt like they are on their own. prgtoken A moment ago, I mentioned a grocery store worker in Cincinnati, who said: ``They tell me I am essential, but I feel expendable.'' prgtoken That grocery store worker and thousands of others have been on the frontlines of this pandemic, risking their lives so Americans could keep food on their table and get their packages delivered. They were changing linens in hospitals and driving buses and stocking shelves in supermarkets. prgtoken Then workers go home at night and are anxious that they might spread the virus and infect their family. prgtoken We know that hundreds of thousands of workers have been exposed to the virus on the job. Thousands have died. It is hard to get an exact count of how many because the previous administration didn't bother to keep track. prgtoken We know that food and commercial workers reported last summer that more than 16,000 grocery store workers have been exposed, more than 100 have died. We know those numbers keep going up. prgtoken The National Nurses United has recorded at least 3,200 healthcare workers have died. In meatpacking plants, the toll has been horrific. prgtoken Last summer, 16,000 workers had been infected; the vast majority of them Black and Brown workers. More than 230 died. prgtoken And yet all of last year, the administration and too many large corporations failed to protect their workers. The corporate lawyers that ran the Labor Department from the top down refused to issue workplace safety requirements prgtoken Corporations ran a lot of feel-good TV ads saying thank you to essential workers, claiming these worker
IN HONOR OF NATIONAL ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Marie Newman (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise to celebrate April as Arab American Heritage Month and honor the outstanding contributions that Arab Americans have made to this country. prgtoken For over a century, Arab Americans have been an integral part of virtually every aspect of American society, including medicine, law, business, education, technology, government, military service, and culture. The incredible contributions and heritage of Arab Americans have helped us build a better nation. prgtoken Men and women of Arab descent have strengthened their communities through involvement in community service and public life and by sharing their rich culture and traditions with neighbors and friends. In Illinois' Third District, which has one of the largest concentrations of Palestinian, Jordanian, and Syrian Americans in the country, the Arab American community is a fundamental part of our civic life and culture. prgtoken Unfortunately, Arab Americans continue to face misconceptions, bigotry, and anti-Arab hate. These civil rights abuses, and instances of harmful stereotyping and bullying, must be combatted through education, awareness, and legislation. prgtoken Arab Americans join all Americans in the desire to see a peaceful and diverse society, where every individual is treated equally and feels safe; we must continue to work towards a future where every American is able to live free from discrimination. prgtoken I am proud to celebrate the extraordinary contributions Arab Americans have made to this country, and I am deeply honored to recognize National Arab American Heritage month this April.
RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT COLONEL MATTHEW D. GORSUCH
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Lieutenant Colonel Matthew D. Gorsuch of the U.S. Air Force, upon his departure from the Department of the Air Force Directorate of Legislative Liaison. Assigned as a Liaison Officer to the U.S. House of Representatives, Lieutenant Colonel Gorsuch served as a critical bridge between key senior leaders within the Department of Defense, to include the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Chief of Space Operations and 147 assigned Members of Congress, to include the and the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Over these past two years, he led international travel for four congressional delegations, including bi-lateral engagements with state leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Poland, strengthening bonds with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. His actions reinforced Federal priorities for both the fiscal years 2020 and 2021 National Defense Authorization Acts. He will be deeply missed after exceptional years of service. prgtoken Lieutenant Colonel Gorsuch is a native of Leoti, Kansas, and is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's of Business Administration. He is a 2018 graduated Defense Legislative Fellow. prgtoken Lieutenant Colonel Gorsuch began his career in 2003 at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot, and has since held numerous Special Operations assignments, flying the MC-130H Combat Talon II at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. Trusted for his tactical acumen, he was assigned as a Combat Air Advisor in the 711th Special Operations Squadron, the very same squadron he is departing the Legislative Liaison to Command. His extensive background in aviation has been critical to our work in strengthening, recapitalizing, and building our Nation's air and space forces. prgtoken This moment is bittersweet, as we are deeply saddened to see Matt go. However, we are excited for what awaits him, wish him luck as he commands his prior unit, and look forward to seeing what his future holds. prgtoken Madam , on behalf of the U.S. Congress and a grateful Nation, I extend our deepest appreciation to Lieutenant Colonel Gorsuch for his dedicated service to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. House of Representatives, and to our Nation.
DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to join thousands of organizations and individuals around the country in observation of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Ten years ago, a mother who lost her daughter to a distracted driving crash successfully petitioned this body to have April officially designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the impact of distracted driving on our roadways. prgtoken Research shows that using electronic devices increases cognitive distraction. This can be deadly on the road, where a split-second distraction can cause a crash. Approximately 3,142 people died in distraction affected driving crashes in 2019--that's eight people every day dying from a completely preventable cause--and this number is widely believed to be undercounted. prgtoken During the COVID-19 pandemic, the roads have become much more dangerous. Motor vehicle deaths in 2020 are estimated to be the highest in 13 years, despite dramatic drops in miles driven Americans stayed home. While it's too early to have a full understanding of what caused this increase in the number of people dying in crashes, distraction certainly played a part. prgtoken Recognizing these dangerous trends, I'm proud to be the leader of the SAFE TO DRIVE Act with my colleagues Mike Gallagher and Steve Cohen. SAFE TO DRIVE incentivizes states to pass laws eliminating distraction on our roadways. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting passage of this legislation. prgtoken I encourage all motorists to commit to driving attentively and safely, without the distraction of cell phones or other devices. I also hope my colleagues will join me this month in raising awareness about this important issue. Do it for all of our constituents. Their lives are more valuable than any call, email, or text.
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF MICHAEL SPELLMAN
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor the outstanding 34-year career in public safety of the City of Groton Police Chief Michael Spellman. Chief Spellman recently announced his retirement, after serving the public as a member of law enforcement in various capacities including resident state trooper for 25 years, followed by a stint as a detective in the statewide narcotics squad, and culminating in his appointment to the Chief of the Groton force. Throughout that long tenure he upheld the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and compassion, never losing focus on his mission ``to protect and serve.'' prgtoken A lifelong proud resident of the Pawcatuck section of Stonington, Michael is a proud alumnus of Stonington High School where he was involved in student government, a multi-sport Varsity letterman, and an honorable mention as an Offensive Guard on the 1980 New Haven Register All State Team. Michael demonstrated his leadership skills early in life and took his talents to Central Connecticut State University where he would earn his B.A. in political science and public administration. prgtoken After earning his degree, Michael decided to dedicate himself to working on the front lines to protect the public as a law enforcement officer. In 1987, Michael graduated from the 96th Training Troop of The Connecticut State Police--the rest, they say, is history. Starting his career as a state trooper at Troop E in Montville, Michael served the community as a state police officer in East Lyme, Danielson, and Meriden. While simultaneously working as prgtoken a state trooper--Michael was also active in several community coalitions including the Quality-of-Life Task Force, The Women's Center of Northeast Connecticut Community Partnership Team, the statewide Casino Unit, among many other organizations. His hard work and dedication was rewarded when he was named State Police Troop Commander in Colchester, where he took command over 100 sworn and civilian employees providing primary law enforcement for 11 municipalities and a population of over 100,000. Between 2010 and 2014, Michael briefly departed the realm of public service to join the private sector as a security consultant. Heeding the call back to public service, however, Michael joined Groton's local force as a patrol officer in 2014. As was expected with his extensive background--he climbed the ranks to Chief in 2017, going on to work as a critical asset in furthering Groton City Police Department's mission to ensure the safety and protection of our citizens. prgtoken In his time as Chief of Groton Police Michael transformed the impact and culture of the local police force. His community policing style connected the department and members of the public in a way that allowed officers to work in tandem with citizens to tackle issues together. Under Michael's leadership the department also underwent an era of modernization, including joining the state radio system
Biden Administration (Executive Session)
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-4-28

. I am deeply grateful to my colleague and friend, the Senator from Arkansas, for bringing this to the floor of the U.S. Senate. prgtoken There is an urgency he described that I agree with. One hundred Senators here, and not one State has not been touched, devastatingly, by the fentanyl epidemic. These analogs present a crisis to our country. Lives are at stake so I share his sense of urgency. prgtoken I am hoping we can work together to find a way to stop, as he put it, these cartels and these drug labs from wreaking such havoc on our country. I believe that together we can find a solution. In fact, there has been constructive talk across the Capitol--bipartisan talk about finding a way to come to some kind of accord. prgtoken In addition to that, I am hopeful that there are other bills out there that have the same ambition, the same goal, the same sense of urgency that I believe should be part of the discussion; for example, policies like the ones in the STOP Fentanyl Act, which I understand Senator Markey will be introducing in the Senate very soon. I believe we should have time in the Judiciary Committee to work on a longer term solution that cannot just deal with the international cartels, not just deal with these horrific drug labs but also empower people who are addicted to begin not to be punished simply with the criminal justice system but to find ways to provide treatment and support to people who are struggling with addictions to this horrific drug. prgtoken So with that, I would like to object.