mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BRING BACK AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Thomas P. Tiffany (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , 2 weeks ago, we were here and heard about how President was going to use every tool at his disposal, every tool, to combat skyrocketing energy costs. prgtoken Now, this is the same administration that told us the border was secure. That was about a year ago, a little less than a year ago. The border was secure. And we just saw in the last month, once again, record numbers of people coming in illegally to our country across the southern border. prgtoken Of course, as the gentleman from Louisiana just said, inflation was ``transitory,'' and we are starting to hear that his chief economic adviser is saying maybe it is not so transitory. We are seeing record numbers now, this month, in regard to inflation. prgtoken Well, it all started January 20, 2021, with the shutdown of the Keystone pipeline and all the other actions that were taken to limit production here in America. prgtoken We saw what is turning out to be a foreign policy disaster, the okay of the Nord Stream pipeline that is delivering natural gas to Western Europe, something the previous administration would never do. prgtoken This is all part of the green fantasy here in America that has become America's nightmare. prgtoken Back home in my district, it is $2.85 a gallon to heat your home with propane right now. Propane is used by about a third of the homeowners in the district that I live in. They paid $1.50 in August 2021. They paid $0.80 a gallon in August 2020. That is what they are facing. prgtoken President came to my district right after the State of the Union speech, came to Superior, Wisconsin. Once again, we were anxious to hear how he is going to use every tool, every tool possible, to provide energy for America. prgtoken But we didn't hear a thing about rerouting the pipeline through northern Wisconsin that is held up because a permit is not issued by the Governor of Wisconsin and his Department of Natural Resources. prgtoken We didn't hear a single thing about Line 5 that goes through the Straits of Mackinac--the Governor of Michigan shut down that permit last year--a major throughput to Canada and the entire Midwest. prgtoken We didn't hear a word about rebuilding the refinery in Superior, which we hope is complete soon. He was there on an infrastructure tour. That refinery produces all kinds of asphalt. Don't you think that would be a really good time--infrastructure, asphalt--to talk about rebuilding that refinery? prgtoken Finally, he didn't say a thing about a natural gas plant that is proposed for Superior, Wisconsin, nearly a billion-dollar investment to produce clean electricity with natural gas. prgtoken We didn't hear a word about producing more fertilizer for those farmers to grow our crops. We didn't hear a word about that. prgtoken This President does not understand security. Job security, thousands of jobs--two of the major pipeline manufacturers in the United States are right in Wisconsin. We didn't hear a thing abou
Nomination of Julie Rebecca Rubin (Executive Calendar)
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-3-16

I rise today in support of the confirmation of Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Julie Rubin to be a U.S. district judge for the District of Maryland. I recommended Judge Rubin, along with Senator Van Hollen, to President , and we strongly support her nomination. prgtoken Judge Rubin has been nominated to fill the vacancy created when Judge Ellen Hollander, appointed by President in 2011, announced her intentions to take senior status. prgtoken President nominated Judge Rubin for this position on December 3 of last year, and the Judiciary Committee held her confirmation hearing on December 15. Judge Rubin was favorably reported by the Judiciary Committee on January 20 of this year by a bipartisan vote. prgtoken She received a unanimous ``well qualified'' rating from the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which is the organization's highest rating. The ABA assesses the nominee's professional competency, integrity, and judicial temperament. prgtoken Shortly after the November 2020 Presidential elections, I worked with Senator Van Hollen to establish the judicial selection committee in Maryland. We used an open application process with public advertisement and communicated closely with State, local, and specialty bar associations in Maryland. In particular, we sought out highly qualified and diverse applicants. Our committee interviewed everyone who submitted an application, which involved several dozen interviews. Senator Van Hollen and I personally interviewed several finalists before recommending names to the White House. prgtoken Born in Baltimore, Judge Rubin received her B.A. cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 1995 and her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1998. prgtoken She worked at Astrachan Gunst, handling intellectual property and employment law matters in both Federal and State court. prgtoken Judge Rubin was appointed by the Governor of Maryland in 2012 as a Baltimore City circuit judge and was elected in 2014 by the people of Baltimore to a 15-year term. prgtoken The circuit court is the State trial court of general jurisdiction in Maryland, covering both civil and criminal cases, and is the exclusive court for jury trials, including felony trials--similar jurisdiction to what the Federal district court handles. So she has that experience. prgtoken Judge Rubin brings tremendous experience to the courtroom as a sitting Baltimore City circuit judge for nearly a decade. She has handled a substantial and diverse caseload in our State court in Baltimore, having served in the civil, family, criminal, and general trial divisions, as well as serving on special assignments to the asbestos docket. She previously served as a supervisory judge of alternative dispute resolutions. She estimates that she has presided over about 1,000 criminal and civil cases that have gone to verdict or judgment, including both bench and jury t
IN RECOGNITION OF TEMPLE ISRAEL OF SCRANTON'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Matt Cartwright (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , today I honor Temple Israel of Scranton and its congregation who will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Temple's founding June 10-12, 2022. The congregation was organized in July 1921, but the celebration to mark this joyous occasion was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken On July 14, 1921, a group of Jews gathered at the YMCA in response to urging by their peers to establish a modern synagogue in the City of Scranton. The result of that founders meeting was Temple Israel, a synagogue that ``would comply with the thoughts of the American Jew and would be conducted in accordance with the best traditions of Judaism.'' On September 21, 1921, Rabbi Alfred H. Kahn was installed as the first rabbi. During the final months of 1921, a Hebrew School was organized, the Temple was granted its charter, and the constitution and by-laws of the Temple were adopted. prgtoken On April 11, 1923, plans to build a new Temple began, and a committee to oversee the process was formed with Isadore Finkelstein as chairman. Over the next three years, the committee drafted a report, raised funds, approved architectural plans, and hired contractors. On May 18, 1926, they broke ground for the new Temple, and on September 11, 1927, Rabbi Max Arzt dedicated the Temple in the afternoon and an evening banquet followed. The celebrations continued throughout the week with a Hebrew School Night, Ladies' Auxiliary Night, Open House Night, the Dedication Ball, and culminated with religious services on Friday and Saturday. prgtoken Rabbi Arzt, who served Temple Israel from 1924 to 1939 before joining the faculty of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, was not the only prominent clergy member to lead the congregation. Other distinguished clergy include Rabbis Simon Shoop and David Geffen and Cantor William S. Horn, who served 50 years as cantor and youth instructor for the Temple Israel Junior Congregation and Hebrew School, which educated thousands of Scranton's Jewish youths over the past 100 years. prgtoken Today, Temple Israel remains the only Conservative Synagogue in Lackawanna County and boasts a vibrant and welcoming congregation in the heart of the City of Scranton. Rabbi Miriam Spitzer, one of the first female rabbis, and Cantor Vladimir Aronzon, who has served for more than two decades, are the Temple's current clergy. They, along with the dedicated volunteers who serve as officers and on the board of directors, work tirelessly to foster an environment and community to meet the spiritual, educational, and social needs of their members. prgtoken I am honored to join with Rabbi Spitzer and the entire Temple Israel congregation in celebrating 100 years of worship in the City of Scranton. Temple Israel has been an essential part of the Scranton community and Lackawanna County at large as a center for Jewish thought, learning, and worship. This multigenerational congregation that celebrates d
SALUTING THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , this morning, Members of Congress, and s, House and Senate, had the high privilege and distinct honor of hearing directly from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. prgtoken In the face of Russia's cruel and unprovoked invasion, the President's fearless, heroic leadership has rallied his Nation and inspired the entire world. prgtoken Our Members were very moved by his powerful remarks today, as well as the heart-wrenching footage he shared showing Putin's inhumane terror, brutally committing war crimes against children. prgtoken As President Zelenskyy said: ``Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided . . . Russia has attacked not just us, not just our land, not just our cities. It went on a brutal offensive against our values--basic human values.'' prgtoken Indeed, all are in awe of the extraordinary courage and determination of the Ukrainian people as they defend democracy, not only at home but democracy around the world. prgtoken It is with great respect for the Ukrainian people, and in recognition of the grave threat that Russian aggression poses to the free world, that Congress secured $13.6 billion in humanitarian, security, and economic assistance for Ukraine in the government funding law that President signed yesterday. prgtoken But more needs to be done for the refugees and for the protection of the people. I hope that all of this can be done in a bipartisan way. prgtoken So I join my colleague in saluting the people of Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. That means ``Glory to Ukraine.'' Glory to the heroes of Ukraine. prgtoken Madam , and in coordination with the Administration and our Allies, we have taken strong, bipartisan action to cripple and isolate the Russian economy: prgtoken Strangling its banks and taking on the oligarchs funding this war; prgtoken Banning the import of oil and energy products into the United States, cutting off the lifeblood of the Russian economy; prgtoken Taking first steps to remove Russia from the WTO; and prgtoken Reauthorizing Global Magnitsky so we can impose further sanctions. prgtoken This week, the House will take our latest, most intense action yet: revoking the privilege of permanent normal trade relations from Russia. prgtoken It is my hope that, when it comes to the floor, this legislation receives overwhelming bipartisan support, worthy of the valor and heroism of the Ukrainian people.
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
Julia Brownley (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , last week marked the 1-year anniversary of the passage of the American Rescue Plan. prgtoken The American Rescue Plan was the bold and necessary action we needed to take to put us on the path of economic recovery. This was the boost our country needed to get shots in arms, Americans back to work, and money back in the pockets of working families. prgtoken Despite unprecedented challenges, the administration has led our Nation to record economic growth, including the largest job creation in American history. In President 's first year, over 7.4 million jobs were added to the economy. Also, growth is up, wages are up, and unemployment is down. But we know we still face inflationary times. prgtoken President and are also acting to fix supply chains and taking strong steps to boost competition, strengthen U.S. manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and lower everyday costs. We are working towards building a better America and delivering for America's working families.
Ukraine (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-3-16

in conclusion, let me just thank Senator Graham. He has been an extraordinary leader on the Munich Security delegation year after year, and I think he has a ``McCainian'' view of our foreign policy needs. prgtoken I would close by saying, if there is a lesson from Ukraine, it is that oligarchs can throw out a dictator if you put pressure on them. So the kleptocracy initiative is important strategically in Ukraine, and it also puts in motion forces that can diminish kleptocracy and corruption around the world in a way that enhances our rule of law and national security. prgtoken The press has tended to buy into the narrative of defeat but not entirely. prgtoken Sudarsan Raghavan went to the front for the Washington Post, and he reported back this: To be sure, most military analysts and Western officials still predict that Russian forces will eventually encircle Kyiv and push into the capital, possibly aided by airstrikes. While this could prove true, it's far from clear whether Russia will prevail. prgtoken That leaves open the important planning option of victory for Ukraine. prgtoken Then, when bad news comes, sometimes it is just not the whole story. The BBC reported the bad news that Russian forces were already inside the city of Irpin. Well, there is a little bit more to the story than that. prgtoken A Ukrainian army officer said that Ukrainian forces were waiting for civilians to evacuate Irpin before ``we start to clear the city of Russians.'' They don't have enough provisions--food, water. They don't have a lot of gasoline. They will get tired, and then we will go and drive them out. prgtoken Well, it appears that that counteroffensive is underway right now, as we speak. prgtoken As I close, I think all of our hearts and prayers go to the Ukrainian troops, who are trying to drive those Russians out of Irpin and out of Ukraine. prgtoken .
Ukraine (Executive Calendar)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-3-16

over the course of just 3 days, the world lost three talented, tenacious journalists to Vladimir Putin's war crimes and brutal invasion of Ukraine. prgtoken Brent Renaud was a Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker who was working to tell the stories of Putin's war when he was fatally shot in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin on Sunday. prgtoken Then, on Monday, two more journalists with FOX News lost their lives when their vehicle came under fire just outside of Kyiv. A cameraman and veteran war reporter, Pierre Zakrzewski, was killed. He had been reporting in Ukraine since February. prgtoken We also lost Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra ``Sasha'' Kuvshynova, who was serving as a consultant for FOX's team in Ukraine. She was just 24 years old. prgtoken Their colleague, correspondent Benjamin Hall, was also injured, and he remains in the hospital. prgtoken Journalists know they face danger when they report from war zones. They put themselves in harm's way to tell the world the true stories that we need to hear. prgtoken Today, the Presiding Officer from Minnesota joined me and dozens and dozens of others to see the video, the pictures, and the photos of the war in Ukraine, which were shown to us by President Zelenskyy. Those pictures--many of them--were taken by very courageous journalists who risked their own lives. They bring us the unvarnished truth, unfiltered by government propaganda, at the times when we need it most. They are committed to basic ideals of truth, accuracy, and transparency--so committed that they put their lives on the line to make sure the world knows what is happening. Their commitment to these ideals only makes their deaths that much more tragic. prgtoken Today, three families and so many colleagues are grieving for these three journalists, grieving losses that cannot be replaced. They shouldn't have to. prgtoken This war was started by a man with no regard for the freedom of the press or basic human rights; a man who is a former KGB agent and has open contempt and hostility toward real reporters, toward real journalism, toward free speech; a man who presides over a regime wherein journalists are killed with impunity. prgtoken According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 28 journalists have been killed in Russia since Putin came to power 20 years ago, and 10 are currently in prison simply for telling the truth, for doing their jobs. According to Reporters Without Borders, Russia ranks 150 out of 199 countries for press freedom. They are actually behind Afghanistan and South Sudan and the ic Republic of the Congo. prgtoken Last October, the United States and 18 other countries issued a statement, warning of ``the Russian government's intensifying harassment of independent journalists and media outlets in Russia.'' prgtoken In 2020, the Russian Government began labeling many outside journalists as ``media foreign agents''--a term reminiscent of the worst of the Cold
UKRAINE
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-3-16

I rise to bring attention to the need to support the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia's invasion. Over the weekend, I took part in a Senate delegation to Poland alongside my colleagues Senator Rob Portman, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Senator Roger Wicker. We met with Ukrainian refugees--women, children, grandparents--some who were carrying their whole lives on their backs. prgtoken Three weeks ago, Ukrainians were thinking about their jobs, their plans, and their dreams. Now, so much of that is in shambles. Women have been figuring out how to get their older parents and young children to safety across the border while their brothers and husbands take up arms. The most heartbreaking conversations I had were with children who didn't know if they had a future. prgtoken Seeing the cost of this invasion up close has only strengthened my resolve to stand with Ukraine, both with humanitarian aid for refugees and military support. With advanced weapons from the United States and allies, Ukraine's Territorial Defense has been more effective in stifling Russia's invasion than most imagined. Vladimir Putin thought he would be greeted with rose petals--instead it was Molotov cocktails. And 21 days later, Kyiv still stands. prgtoken I was proud to join the bipartisan Senate majority in allocating $13.6 billion for aid to Ukraine, but more support is needed. Over the past few weeks, Russian aircraft have been behind brutal assaults on residential neighborhoods, religious institutions, and hospitals in Ukraine. Ukraine needs more air defense support. Drones, Stingers, and Javelins have proven to be highly effective in taking down Russian aircraft and tanks, so we must continue to provide that critical weaponry and more. prgtoken In the face of this devastation, Poland has shown that it is a country with a big heart, taking in more than 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees. For perspective, Poland is a country of 38 million. Since they have opened their doors, the country's population has grown by over 4 percent. In Warsaw alone, the population has increased by 11 percent. Poles are meeting refugees at the border and welcoming them into their communities--even into their own homes. prgtoken The Polish people don't have to imagine what it is like to live through a full-scale invasion. Their history is marked by invasions by Prussia, the Habsburgs, the Nazis, and yes, Russia. Poland is also well aware of its 332-mile border with Ukraine. Last week, Russian missiles struck 15 miles from Poland's border. The Polish border guards I spoke with said they could literally feel the earth shake. As Putin's war inches westward, we must affirm our commitment to our NATO ally from a military and humanitarian standpoint. prgtoken During our trip, Senator Portman, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Wicker, and I had the honor of meeting with the 82nd Airborne. They briefed us on everything that is being done to help Ukrainian ref
Nomination of C.S. Eliot Kang (Executive Calendar)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-3-16

I would like to ask the Senator from Florida, through the Chair, does the Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia at USAID have anything to do with PAHO? prgtoken Does the Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation have anything to do with PAHO? prgtoken I guess the Senator doesn't want to engage in a colloquy. prgtoken , it is amazing to me. My colleagues who get up and applaud Zelenskyy, my colleagues who come to the Senate floor and talk about both the need to help Ukraine and the humanitarian realities that are compounding every day--and yet here we are with four pertinent, key positions that could help in regard to each and every one of those elements, and on some unrelated issue, not Ukraine, not even Europe, not about proliferation, not about humanitarian response, no, there is a wholesale objection. prgtoken Now, if you wanted to pick your objection and target it, that might make sense, but I am deeply troubled that the junior Senator from Florida is once again obstructing the Senate's responsibility to provide advice and consent on Presidential nominations, not only preventing us from fulfilling our constitutional duties, but in this case, moreover, he is singlehandedly undermining the ability of the U.S. Government to respond fully to Russia's brutal invasion. In doing so, he seeks to singlehandedly damage our ability to ensure a coordinated international effort to sanction Putin, his cronies, sectors of the Russian Government. prgtoken He is undercutting the U.S. Government's ability to support the Ukrainian people and our allies. He is undercutting our ability to provide and coordinate the humanitarian assistance for 3 million Ukrainians who have left and millions more who are inside the country and need help. It is mind-boggling--mind boggling. Get up, (applauds) and then come to the floor and object to the very things that can make it happen. Mind-boggling. prgtoken Now, let me address the issue that the junior Senator from Florida has raised here today--the Cuban regime's trafficking of doctors and medical personnel. Simply put, the Diaz-Canel regime, like the Castro regime before it, does subject Cuban doctors to forced labor schemes abroad while pocketing the doctors' wages in profit-making schemes that generate billions of dollars annually. prgtoken Now, I have been working on this issue since before my colleague ever held public office. I have engaged multiple administrations on this issue. I have actually authored legislation and resolutions on the subject. So my track record for standing up for Cuban doctors who are trafficked by the Cuban regime eclipses that of any other Member of Congress, period. But, my God, as passionate as I am about that issue-- no one would be more passionate prgtoken than me--it is not right to hold up everything we are trying to do on Ukraine. prgtoken This is a global emergency. The fate of not only Ukr