mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE OF SPECIALIST BISHOP EVANS
Tony Gonzales (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor and recognize Texas National Guard Specialist Bishop Evans. Bishop Evans is a hero. He is a name that we all should learn, should know, and should be speaking. prgtoken Bishop Evans, this young gentleman, was a National Guardsman. He was stationed in Eagle Pass, Texas. He selflessly gave his life trying to save people. He didn't care what nationality they were. He didn't care the circumstances. prgtoken When the situation arose and two people fell or jumped into the river, he immediately took off his body armor. He immediately jumped into the river, and he tried to save these people, and he lost his life doing it. prgtoken This is something that here in D.C. we should be talking about. The whole country should be talking about Specialist Bishop Evans. The man is a hero. prgtoken There are many men and women that serve that are just like this, that when the time comes, it is a fight-or-flight moment and they are rushing to the fire; they are not running away from it. prgtoken I give my condolences to Specialist Evans, his grandparents, Jo Ann and Dannie Johnson, in Arlington, Texas. Their grandson meant everything to them, and they are going to have a funeral this weekend. prgtoken I celebrate this man's life. I celebrate what he stands for. I celebrate everything that he has done. He is a patriot. He served our country. He served in Kuwait. He served in Iraq. prgtoken This man, when duty called, he answered the call. And here he was, stationed in Eagle Pass, Texas, in my district, in Texas 23, and he jumped into the river. He didn't have to do that. He lost his life doing that. prgtoken This border crisis has impacted everybody, all parts, all walks of life, Texas. Every State in America has become sucked up into this crisis, and this gentleman here gave his life. He is a hero that we all should remember. Bishop Evans is a hero that we should all remember. prgtoken Please say a prayer for his family. I was raised by my grandparents. He was raised by his grandparents. Not all families are traditional families, per se. And his grandparents, they lost a part of them when they lost Specialist Bishop Evans.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-4-28

let me start by expressing my gratitude to the Senator from Wyoming, Senator Barrasso, for laying out the nature of the border crisis that we are experiencing and have experienced at the highest levels in 20 years, during the year and a half--or year and a quarter, I guess, of the administration. prgtoken But I want to come to the floor and talk about an aspect of the border crisis that has not been sufficiently discussed or noticed, and that is the connection between the flood of illegal drugs coming across the border--not just with the 100,000 drug overdose deaths we experienced in America last year, but also with crime and gangs and guns in every community across the United States, from Maine to Texas, from Virginia to California. prgtoken A Gallup poll published earlier this month found that 80 percent of Americans are worried about crime and violence. It seems like there is a new headline every day about acts of violence in cities across our country. prgtoken Two weeks ago, for example, a gunman set off smoke grenades and opened fire on a crowded New York City subway car. Chicago just experienced its most violent weekend this year, with 8 people murdered and 42 others shot. prgtoken Earlier this month, a gang shootout in Sacramento killed 6 and wounded 12. The American people aren't just noticing this trend; they are demanding solutions. Rising crime rates have caused many leaders to change their tune on this idea, this crazy idea called ``defund the police.'' prgtoken New York City, Oakland, and Baltimore are among the cities to reverse their previous cuts in police funding. And that is for a very simple reason. It is because defunding the police is dangerous. prgtoken There is no question that law enforcement plays an important role in stopping crime, but we have to remember that this crime surge is tied to far more than just police departments. I am reminded of a quote by H. L. Mencken: For every complex problem, there's a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong. prgtoken So when looking at the factors that fuel this upsurge of violence and crime in our cities across the country, we can't ignore a big contributor of that, which is the crisis occurring along our southern border. Some of the numbers are familiar to all of us. For example, Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 200,000 migrants along the southern border last month prgtoken alone, the highest number in more than two decades. prgtoken The total number of migrant encounters over the last 12 months exceeds 2.2 million. You might be tempted to ask what in the world is going on; why are things changing? I want to make one thing clear, though. I am in no way suggesting that all of these individuals coming across the border are dangerous criminals. Many of them are economic migrants looking for a better life. Something we all understand. prgtoken But there are definitely people coming across the border w
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-4-28

last week, my beautiful mother Mary Jo Morgan Wedgeworth passed out of this world and into the arms of our Lord. She left with all those who were blessed to know her a lifetime of wonderful memories and a legacy of love, friendship, and service. prgtoken My mother was a lifelong resident of Laurel, MS. During her youth, she was the 1944 winner of the National 4-H Club Girl Achievement award and the President's Trophy. This was awarded to her at the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. She continued to be an active participant in Mississippi 4-H Club programs, serving in numerous leadership roles and always serving as a local 4-H club leader. She served on the Mississippi 4-H Club board and as president of the Mississippi Extension Service Homemakers and FCE Club. prgtoken She was a member of First Baptist Church and active in women's programs and Sunday school. She especially loved providing beautiful flower arrangements made with cuttings from her garden for church events. prgtoken She was active in the Mississippi Council of Garden Clubs, where she served as president, and the Deep South Garden Club Council as a nationally accredited flower show judge and in the Waynesboro Drive Garden Club. She was known for her entertaining and educational programs on flower-arranging, gardening, and recycling. In prgtoken 1987, she was honored by Keep America Beautiful with the lifetime achievement award for her exceptional efforts to keep our Nation beautiful. Some of her efforts included working to develop the Avenue of Magnolias at each of Mississippi's interstate State-line entrances and also the garden club wildflower program. prgtoken In 1976, she was honored with the Mississippi Volunteer Activist award for the thousands of hours she gave in volunteer service to her community. Indeed, her community activism began early with organizing victory gardens to support America's efforts during World War II. prgtoken She was active in the Jones County Party, holding various offices and serving as chairman of both the Jones County Women and the Mississippi Federation of Women. prgtoken She was a docent for the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, where she so enjoyed giving tours and teaching children about the collections at the museum. For decades, she served on the board of the Red Cross and always had helping hands to assist victims of hurricanes and disasters who sought shelter from the storm. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she and my father Hilman welcomed and served meals to hundreds who fled to the Red Cross shelter in Laurel. prgtoken Throughout her long life, my mother strung together more than a few pearls of wisdom for the benefit of her 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren, but the one that rests at the top of my mind is this: ``Leave things in better shape than you found them.'' Whether it was through the flowers in her garden or the gentle e
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S. 3522, UKRAINE DEMOCRACY DEFENSE LEND- LEASE ACT OF 2022; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-4-28

let me just be clear. We are not going down several roads. We are going down one road with this argument and that is the southern border. prgtoken I am willing to bet that this vote will pass, the underlying bill will pass with over a two-thirds vote. We could have tried to run this on Tuesday. Even if it did fail, we could have been here running it today. prgtoken We have delayed this when we have serious business to discuss, particularly the southern border. And that is what we are debating; the fact that the legislative business for today should include the crisis at the southern border. prgtoken , I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), my good friend, and a good pharmacist, to talk more about the crisis at the southern border.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2022-4-28

I could hardly hear you, but thank you very much for that recognition. prgtoken I am about to talk about an issue that the man in the Chair, the good Senator from New Jersey, I know is passionate about. It is certainly something that I know Montanans are passionate about, and, quite frankly, it is what I do every day when I am not in this body, and that is, talk about rural America and talk about the issues that are facing working families and communities across our State, across our country, those issues being inflation and rising costs and market consolidation and depopulation and drought. prgtoken Last year about this time, I made a quick trip to the town of Great Falls, which is about 75 miles away from my prgtoken farm, to pick up some tires, and I was shocked about not only the price but the availability. Prices had gone up, and availability was--well, they were high in demand, and there wasn't a lot of inventory. prgtoken When I got back home, almost the same moment in time, I got a call from my equipment dealer--and this was the first time this has ever happened to me in my 44 years on the farm--and the equipment dealer said: We are going to have harvest in about 60 to 90 days, and if you have any repairs that you need to be done on your combine, we need to know what those are today so we can get the parts ordered. Otherwise, we can't guarantee you those parts will be here. prgtoken That was the second shock about the supply chain issues that I was dealt with. prgtoken So when I came back here to DC, I rang the alarm about the rising costs that were occurring in rural America and impacting producers in rural America caused by this pandemic. I had a manufacturer in my office a few weeks ago saying how this pandemic has made it so they can't supply America with what they were making. He said: You know, during the pandemic, we told folks to go home, and the 40- and 50-year- olds have forgotten to come back. prgtoken So, quite frankly, this pandemic has created some challenges in business, in manufacturing, and in agriculture that we need to be paying attention to. prgtoken Then we have Putin's war in Ukraine, which has made things worse, particularly in the areas of energy and, from a farm standpoint, fertilizer. It has also put a strain on our family farms across this country, which, by the way, have already spent years under the gun where things have not been that cheery. prgtoken Even before the pandemic upended supply chains and the global economy, we had the previous administration's unnecessary, needless, and, quite frankly, stupid trade wars, which disrupted critical ag markets for the family farmers across this Nation and the family farm ranchers across this Nation who depend upon trade to make ends meet. In the years since, we have seen the price of grain rise because this administration has done a much better job on trade policy than the last one, but the fact is, we have also seen inc
Introductory Statement on S. 4113
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-4-28

I rise today to introduce the Sexual Harassment Independent Investigations and Prosecution Act, also known as the SHIIP Act, which addresses longstanding systemic problems in the way that the military investigates and prosecutes sexual harassment. I thank Senators Booker, Gillibrand, and Feinstein for being original cosponsors and Representative Speier for introducing this important legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. prgtoken It has been 2 years since Army SPC Vanessa Guillen was murdered after she reported being sexually harassed by another servicemember. Her tragic death was the catalyst to an investigation that led the Independent Review Commission to recommend key changes to the way the Department of Defense handles sexual assault and sexual harassment. Some of these changes, including the codification of sexual harassment as a crime, were established last year through the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Others, unfortunately, were left out. prgtoken We must continue to build on the important work of the Independent Review Commission and the steps taken in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act for the sake of our servicemembers. This includes codifying the requirement that any sexual harassment or assault complaint to be reviewed by a third-party investigator outside the chain of command. This change is essential to restoring the trust between soldiers and their superiors. Servicemembers would no longer have to fear their voices being stifled or dismissed altogether. prgtoken That is why I am introducing the SHIIP Act to require that all complaints of sexual assault and harassment be reviewed by a specially trained investigator outside the chain of command. The provisions in this legislation will move prosecutorial decisions on sexual harassment cases to the new special trial counsel, created by the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, and require that independent sexual harassment investigators be outside the chain of command and trained to investigate sexual harassment. These changes are essential to ensure servicemembers feel safe reporting any misconduct and that their complaints are investigated properly. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to pass the SHIIP Act as another step forward toward restoring faith in the military justice system.
MARKING BIRTHDAY OF THE 11TH PANCHEN LAMA
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-4-28

this week, we mark the 33rd birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama. Born in central Tibet, at the age of six he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, one of the most important figures in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, and a senior figure across all of Tibet. prgtoken In May of 1995, just 3 days after he was recognized, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family were taken away by the Chinese Government. Disappeared. Kidnapped. prgtoken For 27 years, Tibetan Buddhists have asked of his well-being. For 27 years, Chinese authorities have refused to provide proof of life. The most they have said is that he is well and wants to be left alone. prgtoken Tibetans deserve an answer. The world deserves to know. prgtoken Gedhun Choekyi Nyima remains one of the world's longest-held prisoners of conscience. prgtoken His enforced disappearance is an egregious example of the Chinese Government's violation of the religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists, who have the right to choose their own religious leaders, including the Dalai Lama, without government interference. prgtoken In honor of his birthday, I again call on the Chinese Government to free the true Panchen Lama immediately and to uphold its international obligation to respect the religious freedom of all persons.
QUESTIONING REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP
Ted Lieu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-4-28

under the American Rescue Plan passed by and signed by President , more than 7.4 million jobs were created in the first 14 months of the administration, the most in U.S. history. prgtoken During that time, unemployment dropped to its lowest in over 50 years. are building a better America for the people. prgtoken What are s doing? I don't know. But I do know that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene recently stated that the Catholic Church is controlled by Satan. She has not yet apologized for her bigoted remark. prgtoken Congressman Madison Cawthorn tried to board a plane with a gun for a second time. What has leadership done? Nothing.
Introductory Statement on S. 4120
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-4-28

I am pleased to be joined by Senators Capito, Van Hollen, and Murkowski in introducing the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research, STAR, Reauthorization Act of 2022. This legislation is an extension of ongoing bipartisan efforts in the Senate over the past decade to get us closer to the goal of hopefully one day curing cancers in children, adolescents, and young adults. Representatives McCaul, Speier, Butterfield, and Kelly are introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives. prgtoken I first started working on this issue after meeting the Haight family from Warwick, RI, in June of 2004. Nancy and Vincent lost their son, Ben, when he was just 9 years old to neuroblastoma, a very aggressive tumor in the brain. The heart-wrenching story of Ben Haight highlights the importance of this legislation. It is my hope that one day Ben's story, and thousands of other children like him, will be one of survival. With the strong support of families like the Haights, I introduced bipartisan legislation that eventually was signed into law in 2008 as the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act--the first effort to provide increased research and improved treatment options for childhood cancers. prgtoken Over the last several years, I have also had the pleasure of getting to know Grace Carey and her parents, Rebekah Ham and Russell Carey, of Providence, RI. Grace was diagnosed with brain cancer at 5 years old and stands as a proud survivor of childhood cancer. Grace and her family are powerful advocates in the fight against childhood cancer, having worked with the St. Baldrick's Foundation to support the original Childhood Cancer STAR Act, which I introduced in 2015 with Senator Capito and was signed into law in 2018. prgtoken The STAR Act took the next needed steps to advance pediatric cancer research and child-focused cancer treatments, while also improving childhood cancer surveillance and providing resources for survivors and those impacted by childhood cancer. prgtoken If a treatment is working, doctors elsewhere should know immediately. The same should happen if a treatment isn't working or if other major medical events occur during the course of a particular treatment. It is critical that doctors, nurses, and other providers are able to effectively communicate information about the disease, the treatment process, and what other health and development impacts children can expect to experience. As such, the STAR Act helped build a comprehensive children's cancer biorepository for researchers and improved surveillance of childhood cancer cases. Our reauthorization will build on these efforts and aims to make the biorepository easier for researchers to use, improving access to biospecimens. prgtoken In addition, we must do more to ensure that children survive cancer and any late effects so they can live a long, healthy, and productive life. The STAR Act enh
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-4-28

. Madam , I rise to place in the Record a statement from Pelosi styled, ``Pelosi Statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day.'' Among the many things said that I agree with is this statement: ``This occasion serves as a reminder of the profound danger posed by hateful violence when met with indifference.'' Hateful violence when met with indifference. Pelosi Statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day ``On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we pause to reflect on the unfathomable evils of the Shoah. As we mourn the six million Jews and countless others murdered across Europe, we also honor the survivors who have bravely shared their stories so that such atrocities may never be repeated. More than seven decades later, we remain outraged by the Nazis' barbaric crimes and unwavering in our commitment to fulfilling humanity's sacred promise: Never Again. ``This occasion serves as a reminder of the profound danger posed by hateful violence when met with indifference. In 2020, I had the solemn privilege of leading a Congressional delegation to Poland and Israel to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, bearing witness to hate's destructive consequences. The epidemic of antisemitism still remains today, threatening Jewish communities both at home and around the world. Shadows of these same dark forces have reached into more communities, from the surge of bigoted violence across the country to crimes against humanity being perpetrated abroad, including against Ukraine. ``Our nation must never fail to call out and defeat these perilous threats wherever and whenever they arise. In 1943, my father Thomas D'Alesandro appealed to `the American sense of justice and decency' as he implored the Roosevelt Administration to take action against the horrors of the Holocaust. Today, driven by those fundamental American values, the Congress is working to preserve our collective memories of the past, educate the next generation and speak out against all of hate's vile manifestations. Congressional action has helped forge a safer, more just society: from combating antisemitism by strengthening Holocaust education resources and establishing Congressionally mandated Days of Remembrance to fighting hate-fueled violence by enacting the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Today, joining with House colleagues to honor those murdered in the Shoah, I recalled the moving words inscribed on San Francisco's Holocaust Memorial: `In remembrance is the secret of redemption.' Let us reflect on that truth as we seek to find redemption in a future of dignity and justice for all. May we never forget the horrors inflicted on so many innocent souls, and may we never relent
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, MAY 2, 2022
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-4-28

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m. Monday, May 2, and that following the prayer and pledge, prgtoken the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Frost nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m.