mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WARREN COUNTY TAX HOLIDAY
Steve Chabot (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , inflation is at the highest level that we have seen in decades and rising. The cost of buying a home is up. The cost to fill your gas tank is up. The cost to feed your family is up. Even the cost of buying Christmas presents for your children or grandchildren is up. prgtoken While the pandemic certainly bears some blame, the failed policies of the administration have made things considerably worse. His administration and his allies here in Congress have spent trillions of dollars that we don't have, which inevitably will lead to higher taxes and higher prices for items that hardworking Americans buy every day. prgtoken Despite the bad news nationally, one county in my congressional district actually has good news for its residents. Warren County Commissioners Tom Grossmann, Shannon Jones, and David Young announced recently that they would not be collecting property taxes from their residents this year. The commissioners are able to do this by exercising fiscal responsibility, as we ought to do here in the House, and putting aside money for a rainy day, rather than spending money that they didn't have. prgtoken Kudos to the Warren County commissioners for giving their taxpayers a little extra holiday cheer this year.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-12-2

I rise today in tribute to Rev. Melvin Girton, the dean of pastors, a servant of God, and a great Hoosier. His death on October 29 has left a terrible absence, one that cannot be filled. For over half a century, from 1964 to 2015, Dr. Girton was pastor at the Christ Missionary Baptist Church--the same Indianapolis church home where he was baptized as a young boy. prgtoken The number of years Dr. Girton shepherded his flock is astonishing. The number of lives he touched and bettered among and beyond is incalculable. He made his church a family. He walked with his congregants through their lives, their challenges, and in difficult times, he reminded them to look up because brighter days were ahead. When one of his congregants needed surgery, she arrived at the hospital to find Dr. Girton waiting there to reassure her everything would be all right. And it was. He was a member of their families. He blessed their marriages, welcomed their children, and even taught them to buy cars and homes. And he prepared and opened the doors for countless other pastors to follow him. prgtoken Dr. Girton was also a great lover of history, which is fitting since he made a great deal of it himself. During the civil rights struggle, he led from the pulpit, on the picket lines, during the marches to the Governor's mansion, and he worked with Hoosiers from all walks of life. His work made great strides for equality and pushed Americans to realize our founding promise. prgtoken There was a time when Indianapolis's restaurants and theaters were segregated, its neighborhoods closed to Black citizens. If rising generations of Hoosiers have no memory of this shame, it is because men like Dr. Girton ended it. He fought to open up the city's businesses, to make access to housing equal. prgtoken On April 4, 1968, Dr. Girton sat all night with Robert F. Kennedy in his Indianapolis hotel room after the Senator told a heartbroken crowd of Martin Luther King, Jr's, murder. The next day, he organized a memorial to Dr. King at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at the city's center. Indianapolis is one of the few metropolitan areas in America that did not erupt in violence after Dr. King's death. Senator Kennedy's beautiful and conciliatory speech is often credited for this, but the work of Dr. Girton and other city leaders played just as important a part. prgtoken Long after the civil rights movement, he preached kindness and love and labored to advance opportunity. He served as vice president for the Indianapolis branch of the NAACP. He was twice the vice president of the Billy Graham Crusade and regularly hosted the Emancipation Proclamation service, an annual celebration of that document of freedom. prgtoken Always searching for ways to help his neighbors, in the late 1990s, Dr. Girton transformed a boarded-up Indianapolis strip mall into a community center, providing job training, employment opportunities, a laundromat, a sen
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for that update. prgtoken As it relates to the debt ceiling, we had a discussion a few weeks ago relating to the debt ceiling. Would there be a bipartisan negotiation? We haven't had that so far. Is there anticipation that there would be a plan to try to engage both sides in a negotiation on the debt ceiling, or is this something that we are just going to have to wait to see next week?
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-12-2

I am here on the Senate floor today to talk, once again, about the so-called Build Back Better legislation that the are trying to force through this system on a purely partisan basis under what is called reconciliation. prgtoken I strongly believe that this massive tax-and-spend bill is the wrong way to go. I think it is irresponsible, particularly at a time of high inflation, uncertain economic growth--driven a lot by the uncertainties around the new COVID concerns--and record levels of debt. prgtoken This is the ninth consecutive week that the Senate has been in session that I have come to the Senate floor to talk about specific reasons I believe the Build Back Better legislation is a bad deal for America. prgtoken As we have talked about before, this massive new spending bill represents the largest amount of spending of any legislation ever passed by the U.S. Congress. Now, the official score is something like $1.7 trillion. You could argue that the one that passed in March, the $1.9 trillion, was the largest one, and that this is the second largest one. prgtoken In fact, when you look at what is in it, a lot of the spending is, in effect, camouflaged, as has been said by the folks at Penn Wharton, who analyzed this. When you take into account the programs that are relatively popular and unlikely ever to be ended--like the child tax credit--or that are likely to continue, they are sunsetted in this legislation. prgtoken If they weren't sunsetted, the cost of the bill would go from about $1.75 trillion to about $4.5 trillion. One analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has it a little higher than that, but let's say it is $4.5 trillion. That would be, by far, the largest piece of legislation that would have ever passed the U.S. Congress. prgtoken Much of that spending is what is called stimulus spending--adding to the demand side of the economy, adding to inflation. Remember, inflation is demand chasing supply. If there is not enough supply and there is more demand, you have inflation. That is what many of us predicted would happen with the $1.9 trillion legislation. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. prgtoken So, once again, at a time of devastating high inflation already, record debt, and so much uncertainty on COVID and the possible need for more Federal resources there with regard to COVID, massive new spending--it seems to me right now--is the wrong thing to do. prgtoken On the revenue side, the massive tax increases are also irresponsible, in my view, and not well thought out. prgtoken Today, I would like to focus on one new tax increase proposal in particular, and this is the ' plan to propose a new 15-percent minimum tax on the domestic side. They call it the minimum book tax. It is not a tax on books; it is a tax on companies and on workers and on pensions, which we will talk about, based on the financial statement. It is not based on i
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Continued
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-12-2

two-thirds of Americans are worried about inflation. About half of the middle class and 70 percent of low- income families just told Gallup that rising prices have been a personal hardship for their households. That is why 67 percent of the American people say that Washington needs to ``cut back on spending and printing money,'' but here in Washington, are bound and determined to do just the opposite. They want to try the crazy strategy of inflating their way out of inflation--another massive, reckless taxing-and-spending spree. prgtoken Even the most generous estimates, when the CBO has to swallow all-- all--of the ' accounting gimmicks at face value, still say their proposal would entail $800 billion in new deficit spending over the next 5 years alone--over just 5 years. Outside experts who are allowed to reject the ' obvious budget gimmicks find the real cost--the real cost--of their bill would actually be close to $5 trillion. That is with a ``t''--trillion dollars. After a decade, it would increase deficits by $2.8 trillion, but the reckless pricetag, actually, isn't the only problem. prgtoken What is remarkable is that the want to spend all these trillions but not leave citizens with any impressive, enduring national project in return. There is no Hoover Dam, Interstate Highway System, or Moon landing on the other side of their mountains of borrowed money--nothing like that. It is just a giant catalog of socialist mediocrity: new entitlements here, new transfer programs there, new ways to let bureaucrats run families' lives, and shameless--shameless-- goodies for specific interest groups that support the political left--a giant, muddled mess that would leave families with fewer childcare choices and higher costs, with fewer new prescription drugs and cures, with higher prices for less reliable energy. It is, literally, a reckless taxing-and-spending spree that hurts American families and actually--believe it or not--helps China. prgtoken There are a lot of big, sweeping, radical changes in their proposal that would change families' lives dramatically and entirely for the worse. But in between the sweeping wish-fulfillment for people who call themselves ``democratic socialists,'' there is also a remarkable amount of just pure waste, absurd--literally absurd--little giveaways, and interest group goodies. A billion here, a billion there, and hope the American people won't notice if it is buried in enough bureaucratic gibberish. prgtoken Here are just a few examples. prgtoken This bill would supply billions of dollars to help colleges and universities indoctrinate college students with even more leftwing propaganda and billions more to give them made-up Potemkin jobs in a make-work program they are calling a Civilian Climate Corps--this at a time when industries already cannot find workers. prgtoken Their bill would set aside multiple billions of dollars t
HONORING THE ANDREWS BAND DIRECTOR AND BUS DRIVER
August Pfluger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to offer sympathy and prayer to the community of Andrews, as well as the families of Darin Johns and Marc Boswell, who were tragically killed in a bus crash while traveling with the Andrews High School Band to a Mustangs playoff game two weeks ago. prgtoken Darin Johns was the beloved band director for Andrews High School. In the weeks since the accident, we have seen an outpouring of testimonies about Mr. Johns from former students, friends, colleagues, and other band directors across the entire state of Texas. prgtoken As I learn more about the life that Mr. Johns led, I am continually encouraged by the quality of service that he gave to his community and the quantity of people whose lives he touched. prgtoken Mr. Johns was an active member of the Andrews community who dedicated his life to his faith, loved his wife Karen and family and friends deeply, and invested in his natural talent and deep love of music. He was a gifted musician who could play almost any instrument he touched. In his free time, he played in a Christian band and directed the church praise band as an active member of the Calvary Baptist Church. prgtoken Mr. Johns deepest passion was encouraging the younger generations. For over 30 years, he taught others to love music as a high school band director. Over his impressive tenure, Mr. Johns led three different high school marching bands to the State Marching Contest. He lent all his time and energy to building up the dreams and talents of those around him. prgtoken I also want to recognize Marc Boswell, a humble and beloved Andrews public servant, who also tragically passed away in the bus crash. prgtoken Marc devoted his life to Andrews--as a high school math teacher, employee of the Andrews school district, involved community leader, and beloved friend, father, husband, and son. After retiring, Mr. Boswell stayed busy running stats for the Andrews football team, timing the swim team meets, and driving buses for Andrews ISD sports and extra- curricular activities. prgtoken He was known for his servant heart, incredible work ethic, infectious smiles, and deep love for his wife Carol and his children and grandchildren. prgtoken Andrews ISD and our communities across West Texas are mourning the loss of these two incredible men. prgtoken Camille and I are sending our support and prayers to Andrews, to the families of Mr. Johns and Mr. Boswell, as well as the loved ones of Nathan Haile, who was also killed in the crash.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN KAZAKHSTAN
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , the global competition for ideas between the community of democracies and the People's Republic of China (PRC) is nowhere more apparent than in Kazakhstan, where the PRC has steadily increased its influence in the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The PRC wants Kazakh oil, cheap Kazakh labor, and most importantly, Kazakh government help silencing predominantly-Muslim Central Asian peoples, whose reports of genocide on their kinsmen in Xinjiang are inconvenient and embarrassing to the PRC. prgtoken While pursuing their goals in Kazakhstan, the PRC pushes its authoritarian governance model, a growing contempt for human rights, and assistance with mass surveillance tools. And too many Kazakh leaders have proven to be all-too-willing accomplices. prgtoken Perhaps most troubling is the PRC's pressure on Kazakhstan to keep Kazakhs, Uyghurs, Kyrgyz and other Central Asians silent about the genocide and other gross violations of human rights in Xinjiang. On July 13, 2021, Gulzira Auelkhan, an ethnic Kazakh from the PRC who had emigrated to Kazakhstan but returned to China, gave heartbreaking testimony at the hearing I chaired at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission about her experience as a survivor of China's concentration camps. prgtoken Ms. Auelkhan testified that while she was in the camp, Chinese authorities subjected her to physical, mental, and spiritual torture. One particularly disturbing story was that Chinese authorities inserted needles under her fingernails for attempting to cheat on a Chinese language exam. She also testified that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) runs a forced prostitution system inside these camps, where Chinese men routinely rape the female prisoners. prgtoken While Chinese authorities released her due to pressure from a Radio Free Asia story that revealed her plight, Gulzira's troubles only increased upon her return to Kazakhstan. Instead of sympathy, Kazakh officials intimidated her, and pressured her family to stop speaking out about the horrors she experienced in Xinjiang. Her refusal to stay silent resulted in her having to flee to the United States in search of a place where she could speak freely about the Chinese concentration camps, and how Kazakhstan rejected her. prgtoken The fact that Kazakhstan enables China's genocide in Xinjiang arises from Kazakhstan's dependence upon PRC's massive monetary investments, including in the Belt and Road Initiative, and the malfeasance of kleptocratic Kazakh officials. prgtoken Some of these corrupt officials reportedly have ties with the Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), a Kazakh-based company that three billionaire Kazakh businessmen and the Kazakh government founded. ENRC shares ties with members of the former president's family, particularly Timur Kulibayev, who was part of a questionable pipeline deal brokered with Chinese entities. The company has also been investigated by the UK's Serious Fraud
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF DAVE FOSTER
Diana Harshbarger (Republican, TN) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , I rise to recognize Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dave Foster who is retiring as the superintendent of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site and the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville, Tennessee. prgtoken Before joining the National Park Service in 2009, he served twenty- one years in the United States Marine Corps with deployments to Kuwait, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa in support of the global war on terrorism. While in the military, he held leadership assignments at the company and battalion levels and retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel. prgtoken Dave began his National Park Service career as a subject-to-furlough maintenance worker at the Blue Ridge Parkway and has since served as a maintenance worker, utility systems operator, maintenance supervisor and facility manager on the Parkway. In 2014, he was selected by his peers to receive the class leadership award upon graduation from the Facility Manager Leaders Program. He attributes his success to the professional and dedicated teams he has worked with both at the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Andrew Johnson Historical Site. He said, ``as a veteran, I am especially humbled by the privilege of overseeing one of the final resting places for our nation's heroes.'' prgtoken Born in western North Carolina, Dave holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of South Carolina and a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. He and his wife Terri reside in Bedford, VA, and they have two children: Autumn and Brian. prgtoken Madam , Dave Foster, has served our country faithfully, first as a Marine across the world and later as an exemplary employee and leader in our National Park Service. I thank him for his service and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement in January of 2022.
RECOGNIZING FBI SPECIAL AGENT BRENDAN J. O'LEARY
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to commemorate and honor the service of newly retired FBI Special Agent (SA) Brendan J. O'Leary. SA O'Leary dedicated 22 years of his life to the FBI and served his country with distinction. Brendan was born and raised in Chicago and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his law degree from the John Marshall--UIC School of Law. Prior to joining the FBI, Brendan served honorably as an Assistant State's Attorney with the Cook County State's Attorney's office prosecuting criminal cases. After being selected into the FBI, SA O'Leary spent most of his career in the Chicago Field office investigating and overseeing public corruption cases, prgtoken In 1999, SA O'Leary began his FBI career in the Las Vegas Division where he quickly established himself as a competent and hardworking agent. He was immediately assigned to a significant public corruption investigation in which business owners were bribing elected county commissioners and other public officials in return for official acts intended to hamper investigations of their businesses. The case was named ``Operation G-Sting'' and it ended up being the largest and most comprehensive public corruption case in the history of Nevada. In 2004, after a successful assignment in Las Vegas, SA O'Leary transferred to the Chicago Division and was assigned to a public corruption squad, where he used his experience to address the systemic corruption in the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois. prgtoken In 2012, SA O'Leary became the Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) for WC-2. As the SSA, he oversaw a number of high-profile public corruption investigations. These investigations included cases involving members of the U.S. Congress, the Illinois State Legislature, the Chicago City Council, and other local politicians. Over the last two years, he was the acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge over the White-Collar Branch, and not only oversaw several cases involving complex financial crimes, health care fraud, and money laundering investigations, but also very significant ongoing public corruption investigations. Throughout all of this, SA O'Leary continued to take an active role in cases, utilizing his experience and insight. He advocated on behalf of agents and programs and represented the FBI in a professional and intelligent manner when speaking to community groups or at school events. SA O'Leary not only had a passion for the public corruption program, but always followed the path of righteousness when fighting for the citizens of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and the United States of America. Agent O'Leary established a reputation for his relentless pursuit of justice and holding elected officials and government employees accountable under the rule of law. prgtoken Throughout the course of his 22 years, SA O'Leary was a reliable and steady leader who set a standard for excelle
RECOGNIZING SPECIALIST LUCAS SCHMITZ'S SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Michelle Fischbach (Republican, MN) \u2014 2021-12-2

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of Retired Specialist Lucas Schmitz who sustained severe injuries while heroically serving the United States as part of the Minnesota Army National Guard. prgtoken Specialist Schmitz has spent his life serving others. In 2005, Schmitz was deployed to Iraq with the Minnesota Army National Guard as an Infantryman with the Second Combined Arms Battalion of the 34th Infantry Division. On July 25, 2006, the vehicle that Specialist Schmitz's was riding in hit an IED, forcing them to vacate it. While running to the next vehicle, Specialist Schmitz was injured by stepping on a second IED and tragically lost his right leg. prgtoken Upon his medical discharge from the Minnesota Army National Guard, Schmitz moved back to his hometown of Perham, Minnesota where he now lives with his wife, Tina, and three children. He has continued with his commitment to helping others by teaching special education at Perham Public Schools. Surrounded by the support of his family and community, Schmitz will receive a new home from the organization Homes For Our Troops that is specifically designed to accommodate the needs resulting from his injuries. prgtoken I am eternally grateful for Specialist Schmitz's dedication to our Nation, and the sacrifices the men and women in the military make every day as they risk their lives to keep us safe. On behalf of Minnesota and the prgtoken United States House of Representatives, I thank him for his service.