mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-10-25

government funding is set to run out in 23 days. We have a responsibility to keep the lights on and to avoid the disastrous effects of a shutdown. prgtoken We also need to make serious headway toward the full-year funding process the Nation actually deserves. This week, thanks to a lot of hard work from Senator Collins, Senator Murray, and our colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, the Senate will finally take an important step in the right direction. As we continue to review the President's request for urgent supplemental appropriations--and make necessary changes--Senate s stand ready to vote on a robust package of amendments to this full-year appropriations measure and pass it quickly out here on the floor. Israel prgtoken , now on another matter, it has been 18 days since the brutal terrorist attacks of October 7, 18 days since savages confronted the world with the depths of human depravity, since one of the oldest forms of hatred in human history reared its ugly head, since radical Islamic terrorists reminded us they pose a persistent threat to the civilized world. prgtoken In our shock, the West vowed solidarity. We pledged not to look away from the horrors Israel was grieving. We reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself, and we promised to stand with our ally as it fought back against pure evil. prgtoken But in the last 18 days, silence, amnesia, cowardice, and outright hate have begun to take their toll. All too quickly, the West's resolve has shown signs of weakness. prgtoken First, we saw the most elite corners of higher education rush to blame Israel for the deaths of its own children. We saw college administrators tie themselves in grotesque moral knots to avoid acknowledging reality, even in the face of alumni revolts. prgtoken Last night, for example, at George Washington University, here in the Nation's Capital, student activists projected anti-Semitic messages on the side of the campus building named for a pair of Jewish benefactors. They issued a call to ``free Palestine from the river to the sea.'' prgtoken For anyone unfamiliar with Israel's geography, that is a call for the destruction of the Jewish State. prgtoken But, just a few blocks away, the administration is in denial. After protestors in Time Square displayed the Nazi swastika and an Israeli student at Columbia University was beaten with a stick, the White House Press Secretary replied to a question about rising concerns of anti-Semitism that ``we have not seen any credible threats.'' That is the White House Press Secretary. Even more absurd was how, in the very next breath, without even uttering the word ``Jew,'' she pivoted abruptly to condemning Islamophobia. prgtoken Seriously, after thousands of Jews have been tortured and murdered, after hundreds have been taken hostage, after the sight of Jewish bodies paraded through Gaza was met with rejoicin
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-10-25

I think Senator Hoeven is absolutely right. If we don't secure our border, it would be a big mistake. prgtoken I just returned from Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt with a 10- person--5 and 5--Senate delegation. So the Senate is working. I am glad we have a of the House. But we had five s and five , and here is the takeaway. prgtoken This is happening in Israel now because Iran fears reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Building on the Abraham Accords that President was able to achieve, President has been working to try to get Saudi Arabia and Israel to have diplomatic ties and to recognize each other to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. That is a nightmare for Iran. For the region to come together, look forward; go to the light, not the darkness. prgtoken Here is what we have to decide as a country. Let's not let Iran win here. prgtoken To our Arab allies, to our friends in Turkey, this barbaric attack on Israel by Hamas is beyond what happened in the Holocaust. I have seen the photos. It is so vicious. It is so lacking any humanity. prgtoken Does it have a purpose? Yes. They filmed it so Israel had to go in. prgtoken The Ayatollah wants Israel to have to take action, hoping the world will turn on Israel, call for a cease-fire, and let time pass so that the moment to reconcile between Saudi Arabia and Israel passes. It is putting pressure on our allies in Jordan, in Egypt, and in Turkey by saying some pretty provocative things to our Arab allies, to our Turkish friends. prgtoken This attack by Hamas against Israel has to be dealt with by the destruction of Hamas. If you are in the region and you are expecting Israel not to go on the ground, that is not going to happen. You cannot destroy Hamas from the air. They are going in on the ground, and they are going to destroy Hamas to the best they can. prgtoken The goal then is to have a Palestinian plan that would give hope to the Palestinians who lost all hope and to continue the reconciliation process. As long as Hamas exists, there is no hope for peace. prgtoken It was mentioned in Turkey that Hamas is a liberator group. Hamas could care less about the Palestinian people. They want to destroy the Jewish people. If you don't believe me, listen to what they say. They are not trying to achieve a better life for the Palestinian people. They are trying to kill all the Jews. That is their charter, their religious nonsense. prgtoken To expect Israel not to go in is unrealistic. They are going to go in, and they are going to have our full support. The goal is to destroy Hamas without destroying the chance for peace. prgtoken I see an opportunity here, once Hamas has been dismantled, to bring the region together to get the Palestinian people a better life. The Iranian Ayatollah is the great Satan--not Israel, not the United States. He is a religious Nazi. He wants to purify Islam in his own image. He wants to destroy the J
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2023-10-25

we were here last week when I addressed the floor on this very issue that I want to talk about again because it is so absolutely critical to the world's security and our security, because violence is continuing to rage in Israel. We continue to hear the horrific and heartbreaking stories of Hamas's vicious attack on innocent Israeli civilians and families, and our own American citizens remain unaccounted for and are being held hostage by Hamas in the wake of their unjustifiable terrorist attack on the nation of Israel. prgtoken In this Chamber and in this country, our support for Israel and their right to defend themselves must be unwavering. We must stand with our ally and friend as they continue to withstand barbaric attacks from terrorist militant groups and threats from all directions. prgtoken There is absolutely no question that now is the time for American leadership. Our response needs to be united, and our response needs to meet the urgency of a moment just like this. As a world power, the United States of America has both the responsibility and the wherewithal to support our allies, especially as they come under attack by nefarious adversaries. It becomes vitally important that our Nation recognize this, that the American public hear the stories from those in Israel, and that we understand the brutal, inhumane, and devastating tactics that Hamas is deploying on the residents of the Jewish state. prgtoken Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with two American families who have members who are being held hostage in Gaza by the terrorist organization Hamas. These stories are gut-wrenching--one, a 3-year-old child; the other, a married couple--and bring to light what is truly happening in Israel right now. Elderly families were ripped from their homes, children taken from their parents, family members executed in front of their loved ones. prgtoken I am a mother myself and a grandmother, and I know everyone in this Chamber and everybody listening has members of their own family and loved ones they care about so deeply. So can we really imagine what that feels like? This is the reality that the Israeli people are facing every day. prgtoken These attacks need to be condemned and denounced in the strongest possible terms, and they have been, and it makes it all the more imperative that the United States provide the support it needs to stop and root out the evil Hamas. prgtoken It is impossible--impossible--to understate--or to overstate, even-- the outside role that Iran has played in these past 18 days since the initial attack. We know--we know--that Iran is financially supporting Hamas. We know in the strongest terms that Iran has helped reinforce Hamas's military strengths and capabilities and training. We know that Iran is backing Hezbollah, to the north in Lebanon, who stands at the ready to open a second front of this war along the Israel-Lebanon border. prgtoken We know that the I
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-10-25

let me start by saying that I am so pleased that we are finally--finally--voting on amendments to the three-bill package that Senator Murray and I, as well as the terrific members of our Appropriations Committee, have worked very hard to bring before the Senate. prgtoken This has been the result of many weeks--far too many weeks--of negotiations and would not have happened without the leadership of Chair Murray. prgtoken I also want to thank Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, our whip, John Thune, and the chairs and ranking members of the three subcommittees--Senators Heinrich and Hoeven, Senators Murray and Boozman, Senators Schatz and Senator Hyde-Smith--for their hard work. These are bills that really make a difference to the American people. prgtoken As our colleagues know, we are considering the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill; the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill; and also the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill. prgtoken So we finally are making progress, and I look forward to the robust-- no one could say that this is not a robust amendment process. prgtoken Again, my thanks to Chair Murray. It has been a great pleasure to work with her.
RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AND THE RECORD-SETTING VOLLEYBALL DAY IN NEBRASKA EVENT ON AUGUST 30, 2023
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-10-25

on August 30, Nebraska made history. Thousands of spectators streamed into Lincoln's Memorial Stadium for two women's volleyball matches: the first between the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Wayne State College and the second between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Omaha. prgtoken On Volleyball Day in Nebraska, we broke a world record. Our Nebraska team set the new record for attendance at a women's sporting event: 92,003 fans. Volleyball Day in Nebraska took months of preparation to pull off, but the University of Nebraska did it successfully. Our Nebraska colleges planned and worked hard in anticipation of this new record. It is a picture of Nebraska. We are a State that is defined by dedication, drive, and--most of all--by community. prgtoken Nebraskans showcased that dedication and drive as they came together to get as many people as possible in the stands. And when they got there, they supported and encouraged players and fans alike. Whether the spectators were Husker, Maverick, Lopers, or Wildcat fans, they showed sportsmanship and good will. prgtoken In response to Nebraska's exciting new record, we are passing a resolution today that would celebrate women's collegiate athletics in our home State. This resolution will recognize the historic Volleyball Day in Nebraska on a Federal level. prgtoken In addition to attendance at a women's sporting event, Volleyball Day in Nebraska broke several other records. The event exceeded the previous attendance record for NCAA women's volleyball. The new women's volleyball record of 92,003 fans in attendance is almost five times more than the old record of 18,755. The August 30 match also exceeded the attendance record for UNL's Memorial Stadium. prgtoken Our resolution specifically honors Nebraska's former coach Pat Sullivan, who started the University of Nebraska volleyball program in 1975. It also honors former coach Terry Pettit, who built the volleyball program from 1977 to 1999, and current coach John Cook, who has sustained excellence in this program since the year 2000. prgtoken And the team has sustained excellence ever since Volleyball Day in Nebraska. Our UNL women's volleyball team won the battle of the undefeated against Wisconsin this past weekend, and our team is now ranked No. 1. This Senate resolution celebrates a special day for women, for volleyball players, and for all Nebraskans. I am proud to bring well-deserved recognition to this unique accomplishment. As we often say, there is no place like Nebraska. prgtoken And I would yield the floor to my colleague from Nebraska, Senator Ricketts.
STANDING WITH ISRAEL AS IT DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST THE BARBARIC WAR LAUNCHED BY HAMAS AND OTHER TERRORISTS
Young Kim (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-10-25

I rise in strong support of this resolution to demonstrate that this House stands united with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists. prgtoken On October 7, we watched in horror as hundreds of terrorists poured across the Israel-Gaza border and massacred, kidnapped, and raped Israelis. It is abhorrent. This is at the hands of Hamas prgtoken and Hezbollah terrorist groups backed and funded by the Iran regime. They want to wipe Israel off the map. Thousands of rockets have fallen on Israel and continue falling as we speak. This has been the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. prgtoken I visited Israel last year, and I felt the constant threat of attack that the people of Israel face. It reminded me of my time growing up in South Korea as a young girl after the Korean war, and I felt that constant threat coming from North Korea. This is really personal to me. Hamas now holds around 200 hostages from Israel, the U.S and other countries around the world. prgtoken Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist aggression, bring its hostages home, and its right to exist. prgtoken , I thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Meeks for leading this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
STANDING WITH ISRAEL AS IT DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST THE BARBARIC WAR LAUNCHED BY HAMAS AND OTHER TERRORISTS
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2023-10-25

I thank the distinguished chairman and the ranking member for this extraordinarily important resolution. prgtoken , our great friend and ally Israel, with significant assistance from the United States, continues to respond to the cowardly Hamas invasion that includes Hamas' psychotic terrorist butchering of innocent civilians, rape, hostage-taking, the beheading of babies, and daily indiscriminate missile attacks that are reminiscent of Nazi buzz bombs and V-2 rockets. prgtoken Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu has said in the past that he would never allow a second Holocaust, nor should we. prgtoken Anti-Semitism is at the root of Hamas' violence against Israel and every Jewish man, woman, and child. Israel's right to defend itself from this brutal invasion is absolute. prgtoken Hamas' 1988 charter explicitly demands the absolute destruction of the State of Israel and proclaims: ``Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it. . . . '' prgtoken Article 7 of the Hamas charter demands the slaughter of all Jews and says: The Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him. prgtoken Article 13 explicitly rejects initiatives for peace and reconciliation and states, ``Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement.'' prgtoken In its 2017 charter, Hamas reiterated its goal of wiping Israel off the face of the Earth and said: ``There is no alternative to a fully sovereign Palestinian State on the entire national Palestinian soil, with Jerusalem as its capital.'' prgtoken Like the Nazis before them, Hamas and its chief terrorism sponsor, Iran, are committing genocide against the Jews. prgtoken The United States--and all people committed to human rights and the rule of law--must stand with Israel. That means our support and prayers and the weapons systems to defeat Hamas.
RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AND THE RECORD-SETTING VOLLEYBALL DAY IN NEBRASKA EVENT ON AUGUST 30, 2023
Pete Ricketts (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-10-25

I am here today to join my senior Senator to celebrate this historic achievement for our State of Nebraska and women's athletics. prgtoken Nebraskans, we love our sports. And we are particularly proud of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers. Today, I especially want to point out our pride in the UNL women's volleyball program. As my senior Senator just recognized, they are the No. 1 team in the Nation. We have had five national championships in volleyball in the State of Nebraska. It is the third most in the NCAA. That is also as many national championships as we have had for our college football team. The volleyball program has nine former Olympians. The Husker women have also played on the U.S. National Team. In fact, three of them are on that team right now. They are also pioneers in name, image, and likeness. prgtoken As my senior Senator pointed out, we just beat the previous No. 1, undefeated University of Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night in a five- set thriller that lived up to its billing as the match of the century. In 2022, our volleyball team led the Nation with an average attendance of 8,190 fans per game. We have had 314 consecutive sellouts in the regular season. And for the last nine consecutive seasons, we have led the Nation in attendance. prgtoken But earlier this year, Nebraskans helped the women's volleyball program reach a new height, a world record. It was Volleyball Day in Nebraska: 92,003 of the best fans in sports jammed into Memorial Stadium to watch four women's volleyball programs highlight their talent. The Wayne State College Wildcats took on the University of Nebraska at Kearney Lopers, and the prgtoken Omaha Mavericks took on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers. The eyes of the entire world were focused on Memorial Stadium. prgtoken Right in my home State of Nebraska, we had the most highly attended women's sporting event in the world ever. As Omaha World-Herald columnist Tom Shatel wrote: Volleyball Day in Nebraska may be the biggest Title IX statement of all time. prgtoken Volleyball Day demonstrated just how much progress we have made in providing equal opportunity to our daughters, granddaughters, and sisters in sports. Title IX was about leveling the playing field for women's athletics. And for over 50 years, it has done just that. And, of course, this is more than just about sports for many of these women. Athletics have been a pathway for scholarships, educational opportunities, and career pathways. prgtoken The University of Nebraska also prides itself in instilling life skills into its student athletes. The Huskers Women's Volleyball Program has been filled with remarkable student athletes in the truest sense of the word. They lead the Nation with 40 volleyball Academic All-Americans as part of a nation-leading 351 Academic All-Americans in all sports. They also have three NCAA volleyball Elite 90 award winners. prgtoken
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Kat Cammack (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-10-25

. Mr. Chair, I am confused. My colleague across the aisle said that this is a controversial poison pill. Just this year, this exact same language was passed off of this floor in this Chamber not just with support, but support. This is not a partisan issue. prgtoken Reasserting the will of the people, empowering the people that hired us to do this job, that is not a controversial issue, nor is it a poison pill. None of our constituents sent us to Washington to cede power to an unelected nameless, faceless bureaucrat somewhere in a basement in Washington. prgtoken I disagree tremendously that this piece of legislation, this amendment specifically, would be a poison pill to the very thing that we are trying to accomplish here, one of our critical appropriation bills. prgtoken I would also say that today, because of the administration's overreach and aggressive regulatory environment, we now spend more than $2 trillion a year in our economy on compliance and additional costs. prgtoken Families are paying more than $14,860 a year in additional regulatory costs and burdens on them. I don't know many families, certainly not in my district, that can afford an additional $14,860 a year in additional costs. prgtoken I agree with my colleague, however. It is time to get serious. When I say serious, it means reasserting our authority as Representatives of the people. This amendment does just that. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
ELECTION OF SPEAKER
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-10-25

. pro tempore, Mr. Clerk, colleagues, on behalf of the House Conference, I rise today to nominate the gentleman from Louisiana, Mike Johnson, as of the people's House. prgtoken We convene this esteemed body today at a time of great crisis across America, a time of unprecedented challenges in this hallowed Chamber, and a time when the very existence of our most precious ally, Israel, is under attack from forces of evil. prgtoken Yesterday, our dear colleague, our former Conference chair, the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, nominated prgtoken Mike Johnson in our Conference. She put it best when she said: ``Trust has been broken, and we have come to a standstill. How do we restore trust between Members, leadership, and ultimately between Congress and we the people?'' prgtoken Mrs. McMorris Rodgers noted that there is a sense that it cannot be business as usual. She said: ``Above the 's chair in the House Chamber is our Nation's motto, In God We Trust.'' prgtoken She went on to say: ``The times in which we are living demand boldness, unity, and transformational leadership that begins with trust in God and each other. Trust is when the magic happens. In the story of King David, we are reminded that man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'' prgtoken Today is the day that House s will humbly look in our hearts and elect Mike Johnson as of the people's House. prgtoken A man of deep faith, Mike epitomizes what it means to be a servant leader. A deeply respected constitutional lawyer, Mike has dedicated his life to preserving America's great principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. prgtoken Mike is a titan on the Judiciary Committee and a dedicated member of the House Armed Services Committee. As vice chair of our Conference, he has united all of our members to speak clearly and boldly on behalf of the American people. A friend to all and an enemy to none, Mike is strong, tough, and fair. Above all, Mike is kind. prgtoken At this very moment, this Conference knows that we live in perilous times and that the American people are hurting. Families are struggling under the pain of inflation caused by reckless, far-left spending, unable to afford groceries, heat, or gas. prgtoken We have an inhumane open border, with millions illegally smuggled and trafficked and tens of thousands of children lost in the chasm of the incompetence and negligence of the administration. prgtoken Israel is under attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists committing atrocities, with Israelis suffering the bloodiest days in modern memory. prgtoken Crime is skyrocketing on our streets, while there are vicious calls from the left to defund our great men and women in blue. prgtoken American energy production has been crushed by 's radical, failed far-left policies, causing seniors, farmers, and families to pay more