mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Xavier Becerra (Executive Calendar)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2021-3-17

it appears that President arrived at the White House prepared and willing to grant himself and his administration a mandate that American voters didn't agree to give him. prgtoken His party lost ground in the House, split the Senate, and maintained their trailing minority of governorships, but they seem to ignore that. In his first 50 days, he signed 34 Executive orders--more than anyone in history. He dismantled existing immigration controls, threatened protections for small businesses against the radical climate agenda, and destroyed thousands of jobs and the potential for greater energy security promised by the Keystone XL Pipeline project. prgtoken Meanwhile, my ic colleagues got busy laying the groundwork to transform not only the Senate into a majoritarian institution but also to radically transform the country. They used budget reconciliation to ram through a $1.9 trillion bailout bill without a single vote--the largest spending bill in our Nation's history--and now they are reversing their own positions on the filibuster to avoid debate on radical immigration reform, the Equality Act, and an already infamous bill that would federalize elections. They just don't want to talk about these things--just do it. prgtoken The more people learn about what the White House is up to the more questions they have for those of us who represent them. prgtoken Some of my ic friends in Tennessee say to me: I may have voted for , but I did not vote for this. prgtoken They do not want to radically change the country. They do not want to be tied to legislation that has a nice-sounding name but that does the exact opposite of what the administration would have you believe that it would accomplish. prgtoken They have noticed that the President's Cabinet picks have come to their confirmation hearings ready and willing to move the goalposts away from the Constitution and the rule of law in order to accommodate their radical agenda. prgtoken Last week, this body voted to discharge from committee Xavier Becerra's nomination to the Health and Human Services Secretary position. I voted no, and I will vote no on his confirmation as well, not only because he is unqualified and has no experience in healthcare--Middle Tennessee has more than 100,000 individuals who are employed in the healthcare industry, and all, all are more qualified in healthcare than Xavier Becerra--and not only because his radical views shock just about everyone who speaks to me about him. Oh, yes, it was a topic of conversation at church on Sunday but also because, time and again, he has abused his power and weaponized the full force of the government against people whose deeply held, personal, political, and religious views don't align with his own: submit, conform, or else. prgtoken It is in the nature of our job as legislators to recognize that, yes, elections do have consequences and that,
MANAGING THE CRISIS ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-17

as co-chair of the House Border Security Caucus, I very much appreciate the opportunity to come to the floor with the Study Committee to talk about the most pressing issue our Nation is facing today, right now; and, sadly, it was entirely avoidable. prgtoken There are no ifs, ands, or buts. The crisis on our southern border is a direct result of President 's failed immigration and border security policies--miserably failed. prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have predictably done what they do best: Blamed President and his administration. prgtoken But anyone with a pulse can see that this border crisis started the very day that President was sworn in. On his first day in office, stopped construction of the border wall, ended the national emergency declaration on the southern border. He stopped the migrant protection protocol so asylum-seekers would have to wait in Mexico. prgtoken And rather than utilizing the title 42 health restrictions to protect Americans during this pandemic, and his administration are releasing COVID-positive illegal aliens into Texas to worsen the pandemic and fan out across this country. prgtoken He would go on to stop deportation, stop enforcing immigration laws, bring back ``catch and release,'' and end the hard-won changes that President had initiated to control our southern border. prgtoken He has specifically said that Americans will not be prioritized-- repeat: Will not be prioritized--over illegal immigrants for access to COVID-19 vaccines, and promised citizenship to millions upon millions of migrants here illegally, which does nothing but incentivize more illegal crossings. All of this in less than 2 months. prgtoken Who on earth is surprised that there is a massive border crisis? prgtoken Yes, President owns this border crisis. The truly sad reality is this isn't 's first rodeo. When he was vice president, he saw surges on the border, and he knows full well what exactly that means. prgtoken He saw children being used and recycled by smugglers. He saw women and children physically abused, raped, and even murdered by the cartels, who fully control our southern border now, empowered by President . He even saw American families torn apart after a loved one was killed by a dangerous criminal illegal alien. prgtoken He should know better. And you know what? He does know better. Unfortunately, he is controlled by politics and his radical leftwing base, and he won't turn back now. prgtoken The American people deserve to know that President is taking advantage of them through this crisis. And while the American people were locked down for a year because of the pandemic, illegal aliens roamed free. While they worked hard, paid their taxes, and saved just to get by, illegal immigrants cost them billions every year with free education and healthcare. prgtoken My great State of Texas and the other border States
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2021-3-17

as we observe National Women's History Month throughout March, it gives me great pleasure to recognize one of North Dakota's own history makers. Margaret Huettl from Minot has become my State's first female Eagle Scout and is a member of the inaugural class of young women to receive this high honor across the United States. prgtoken Margaret is a member of Scout Troop 5401 of the Northern Lights Council. A recent graduate of Minot High School, Margaret is currently studying biology education at Minot State University. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, which limited many Scouting group activities over the past year, she continued pressing on toward her goal of completing the merit badges necessary to earn the award. For her Eagle Scout project, she spent 238 hours building a pit for gaga ball, which is a variation of dodgeball, for outdoor activities at her home church, Zion Lutheran. prgtoken She said earning the 21 merit badges, along with completing her project and the other requirements for the Eagle Scout Award, helped her further develop leadership, time management, and communication skills. She intends to continue her involvement with Troop 5401, transitioning to an adult leader this year. prgtoken I congratulate Margaret on achieving this award through hard work and persistence and a being a trailblazer for other young women who have an interest in the Scouting program. With only 6 percent of all scouts attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, she now will be recognized alongside the 2.5 million prgtoken others who have earned this prestigious award since it was created in 1911. She will learn, as have other Eagle Scouts, that throughout her life, this accomplishment will bring her recognition as being a person of the highest caliber and character. I fully expect to hear much more from Margaret in the future as she excels in academic, professional, and personal endeavors.
Sunshine Week (Executive Calendar)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-3-17

it has been a year now since the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. It put the world into an unprecedented global lockdown, and we are still in the dark about how the pandemic even began. prgtoken Folks, this isn't entirely an accident. The virus emerged in one of the world's most closed societies, ruled by a ruthless authoritarian regime with no tolerance for truth or transparency. And, even today, after 2\1/2\ million people around the world have died, the Communist Party of China refuses to fully cooperate with efforts to learn how COVID-19 made the cross-species jump from bats to humans. Finding the source isn't about assigning blame; it is about understanding the cause and preventing a similar occurrence from happening again. prgtoken Here is what we do know: COVID appeared in the vicinity of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a laboratory where studies were being conducted on bat coronaviruses. After the outbreak began, Chinese officials ordered the destruction of coronavirus samples. In the months just prior to the first case of the new pathogen being publicly identified, researchers at this state-run lab reportedly became sick with COVID- like symptoms. prgtoken Years ago, U.S. officials who visited the institute sent warnings back to the State Department that studies were being conducted on dangerous coronaviruses from bats that could be transmitted to humans in a lab which had ``serious'' safety problems. prgtoken Some of that research was even being subsidized by U.S. taxpayer dollars, including a study published less than 2 years before the pandemic that found the first evidence that humans could be infected with coronaviruses from bats. You heard that correctly, folks. Your tax dollars were paying for dangerous studies on coronaviruses in a lab in China that our own government officials had warned was unsafe. prgtoken This all raises many questions, the first being, How much were we actually paying for this endeavor? And that should be relatively easy for anyone to discover since a law renewed by Congress every single year requires all projects supported by the Department of Health and Human Services to include a pricetag disclosing the cost paid by taxpayers. But noticeably absent on the study from the Wuhan Institute: the cost. prgtoken A review of numerous other projects supported by HHS found that cost information was missing from all of them--all of them. Covering up information that the public has a right to know about might be how things work in Communist China, but it isn't how it should work here in America. prgtoken This isn't China, folks. Our laws aren't optional, especially for those who are supposed to be enforcing them. prgtoken Maybe we can't force China to be forthcoming, but we should be able to expect our own government to be open and transparent. That is why I am asking the HHS Office of Inspector General to launch an investigation to compel the Depart
RECOGNIZING MS. NANCY DOLAN
Kay Granger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Ms. Nancy Dolan, a key member of the Senior Executive Service of the Department of the Air Force, upon her promotion and departure as the Deputy Director of the Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison. As Deputy Director, Nancy is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and resourcing the Legislative Liaison Directorate. She develops and executes the Department of the Air Force's legislative program and ensures the Department of the Air Force provides a consistent and cohesive message through congressional engagements, inquiries, and correspondence. She works with Members of Congress, congressional staff, and senior Department of the Air Force leaders on legislative issues that affect Department programs, policies, and weapon systems. She will be deeply missed by all after three and a half years of exceptional service. prgtoken Nancy is a native of New York and is a graduate from Cornell University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Engineering. Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Dolan served as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Concepts and Assessments, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements. Ms. Dolan was responsible for developing and synchronizing Air Force strategy and strategic planning efforts and assessing alignment of planning products with strategic guidance. She supported the Chief of Staff of the Air Force with U.S. and Allied Strategic Studies Group, led Air Force transformation by developing, exploring, and advocating joint and combined force employment concepts, and executed the CSAF's Title 10 Futures Capabilities and unified engagement wargames. prgtoken Nancy also previously served as the Staff Director in the U.S. Congress for the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, where she was responsible for the operations of four subcommittees. She coordinated the work of the Full Committee minority to provide and update the legislative and fiscal authorizations for the Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken Madam , on behalf of a grateful Nation, we wish Ms. Dolan the best of luck in her new role as the Deputy Director of Staff, Secretary of the Air Force. I extend our deepest appreciation to Ms. Nancy Dolan for her dedicated service to the Department of the Air Force, the U.S. Congress, and to our Nation.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021
Ann Wagner (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I believe we have a sacred responsibility to protect and empower women, end abuse and assault, and hold perpetrators of violence against women accountable for their crimes. prgtoken However, we need to be sure that our efforts are effective. The Department of Justice inspector general has consistently revealed fraudulent and wasteful uses of VAWA grant funds. Congress should demand accountability so that every dollar marked for helping victims and preventing violence against women actually goes to help the most vulnerable. prgtoken My commonsense amendment would prevent those who commit fraud and misuse from receiving VAWA funds. Madam , they are stealing from the victims that they are supposed to be helping by these efforts and should face the consequences. prgtoken and s should agree that this amendment will advance prevention efforts and victim services. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my amendment. prgtoken Madam , however, I want to take this opportunity to touch on something that is even more important. I am ashamed that would bring this legislation to the floor without my amendment that would allow sex trafficking victims to receive grant funding through the Creating Hope Through Outreach, Options, Services, and Education for Children and Youth program. prgtoken My amendment was removed, stripped in a partisan fashion from VAWA this Congress, stripping vital prgtoken sex trafficking funding for victims and children. prgtoken Also not allowed, Madam , was my amendment that bans the horrors of sex-selection abortions that have killed millions of girls around the world and right here in the United States. It is an unthinkable tragedy that little girls are targeted for death even before they are born solely because of their sex, and I am grieved that would not allow a vote on this basis to protect unborn girls. prgtoken These two amendments are at the very core of what it means to protect women and girls, and I am outraged that have chosen to move forward in a partisan manner without these critical provisions. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and .
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2021
Michelle Fischbach (Republican, MN) \u2014 2021-3-17

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken The Violence Against Women Act was first signed into law almost 30 years ago with wide bipartisan support. The law recognizes that Federal laws covering domestic violence could help ease overburdened State and local criminal justice systems. It was narrowly defined and not controversial. Since its passage, it has been reauthorized on a bipartisan basis. prgtoken Unfortunately, in recent years, have politicized the law, straying further and further away from its original intent. This bill, H.R. 1620, is a continuation of the ' politicization, expanding and altering the fundamental nature of the Violence Against Women Act. prgtoken The most significant change in this reauthorization effort is that it erases important distinctions between women and men. It replaces violence against ``women'' with ``a person of any gender,'' extending the law's protections well-past the narrowly defined and necessary protection for women. prgtoken This rewriting of the Violence Against Women Act not only undermines the original intent of this legislation, but also jeopardizes the safety and well-being of women at risk. It does more to advance the ' progressive agenda than it does to protect women. prgtoken It is not just VAWA. The ' entire radical agenda hurts women. Calls to defund, dismantle, and rethink local law enforcement hurt at-risk women. Never-ending government lockdowns that require battered and abused women to stay in violent households hurt women. A southern border open to dangerous drug cartels and human traffickers caused by President 's border crisis hurts women. In fact, the ' open border policies incentivize women to make the dangerous trip to the U.S.-Mexico border on which one-third of women report being sexually abused. prgtoken Those are not the only problems with this legislation. H.R. 1620 also threatens Americans' constitutional right to religious freedom. The bill denies faith-based exemptions for VAWA grant recipients, prohibiting religious organizations from running shelters and legal aid centers on the basis of their sincerely held religious beliefs. The ' culture war could actually force faith-based centers for abused women to close. prgtoken H.R. 1620 also expands the definition of domestic violence to include economic and emotional duress, pulling funding away from combating the severity of violent crimes. prgtoken This legislation disregards the well-being of women by promoting lofty concepts, such as restorative justice approaches to crimes against women, which are unproven and could force a woman to confront her abuser. prgtoken know that these are unnecessary additions that jeopardize the bipartisan reauthorization, so why are they choosing to proceed? Why are they putting forward this bill--with no hearings, no markups in this Congress--at the expense of women's safet
TRIBUTE TO WALTER FRANK YORK
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-3-17

on Monday, March 15, the community of Ashland, KS, celebrated the career of someone who dedicated nearly 45 years to the Stockgrowers State Bank. Walter Frank York has called Ashland home since the day he was born. His parents, Russell and Marjorie, brought him up in a modest home on a farmer's income during the 1950s and 1960s. Frank, as he came to be called by his family and friends, went on to study finance at Kansas State University, but the Vietnam war draft up-ended his plans before graduation. prgtoken Frank ultimately did not serve due to a back injury incurred while playing football for Ashland High, but the draft experience took him to Eagle County, CO, where he used his education to assist his sister with a new business that she was operating in Vail Village near the well- known ski resort. While taking on this challenge in Colorado, he finished his degree at CU Boulder, despite his long-lasting love for the K-State Wildcats. After earning his degree, his route led back home when he applied for a vacant position at a bank in Ashland. His first day at Stockgrowers State Bank was March 15, 1976. prgtoken Working as a loans officer, Frank added a sense of small-town care for each of his customers over the years. After all, he would frequently see his customers at church, at the grocery store, and at Friday night sporting events in Ashland and surrounding communities in southwest Kansas. In 2007, he earned the title of executive vice president after years of loyally helping customers. One recent highlight from his career was being awarded as a recipient of the Pioneer Award in early 2020, which is given annually by the Kansas Ag Bankers division of the Kansas Bankers Association. When he achieved the award, one customer of his remarked to the Kansas Ag Bankers: ``Frank just makes it simple to do business and helps keep me connected to the Ashland community.'' In return, Frank likes to share that his clients and colleagues became ``family'' to him. Being surrounded by good people in an enjoyable community helped keep Frank at Stockgrowers for the entirety of his banking career. prgtoken I would be remiss if I did not speak of community involvement while sharing about Frank York. Whether it was being involved in his children's Boy Scouts troop, coaching local youth baseball programs in the summer, announcing football games for Ashland High, broadcasting SPIAA League high school basketball tournaments, or serving on the board of organizations near and far in Kansas, Frank has done it all. He currently serves on the board for KJIL Great Plains Christian Radio, in addition to the Kansas Leadership Center's board, and serves as president of the alumni board for his K-State chapter of Delta Upsilon fraternity. prgtoken I have had the joy of getting to know Frank on a more personal level in this past decade, as his son Tyler joined my staff after earning his degree at K-State. Frank lives in th
REMEMBERING LARRY ``CLIZ'' CLISBY
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-3-17

today I wish to honor and recognize the distinguished legacy of Larry ``Cliz'' Clisby, who passed away on February 27, 2021, at the age of 74 after a valiant fight against cancer. Famously known across the State of Indiana as the legendary Voice of the Boilermakers, he will forever be remembered for his unmatched play-by-play commentary of Purdue basketball and his trademark ``Bullseye!'' calls during crunch time. prgtoken Born and raised in Ohio, Larry graduated from Warren Howland High School and Kent State University. Shortly after college and service in the U.S. Army, Larry started his broadcasting career in Paducah, KY. However, his time in Paducah was brief, as he moved to West Lafayette, IN, to work for WLFI-TV in the sports department in 1977. During his early career in the Lafayette area, Larry called high school basketball games and assisted during Purdue sports broadcasts. It wasn't until 1982 that Larry became the full-time radio announcer for the Boilermakers. prgtoken Over the course of nearly 40 years, Larry called a total of 1,890 Purdue men's basketball games, including dozens of high-profile Indiana vs. Purdue rivalry games. Since the 1980s, Larry was involved in many of Purdue's historic moments, including one Big Ten Tournament title, nine Big Ten Championship Seasons, 28 NCAA Tournaments, and three Elite Eight appearances. In 2018, he was inducted into the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame, and he received one of Indiana's highest honors, the Sagamore of the Wabash, from Governor Eric Holcomb in 2020. prgtoken From the Purdue sports staff to the team players, everyone saw Larry as a true, dedicated Boilermaker and not just a typical play-by-play announcer. Throughout his career, Larry devoted his charisma, talents, and life to the Lafayette community, and I believe his work will serve as a benchmark for those who aspire to join the field of sports radio. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sympathies to Larry's wife, Michelle; his children, Chad and Carly; his sister, Carol; his stepchildren and grandchildren; and all of his family and friends as they mourn his loss. And to Larry's Purdue University family, I wish his beloved Boilermakers many, many ``Bullseye!'' moments in the years to come.