mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF GERRY ECKENRODE
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I rise to congratulate Delone Catholic High School Squirettes basketball coach Gerry Eckenrode on his 500th victory as head coach. prgtoken Coach Eckenrode began his tenure with Delone's girls' basketball team as head coach during the 1999-2000 season. Under his leadership, Delone Catholic has won four state championships, four district championships, and 14 division titles. His teams have excelled, winning at least 18 games per season. Coach Eckenrode has coached five of the school's 1,000-point scorers. Additionally, he has a robust legacy of mentoring new coaches. prgtoken Congratulations to Coach Gerry Eckenrode and the entire Delone Catholic girls' basketball community on this remarkable achievement. As he continues to lead the Delone Catholic Squirettes, I wish Coach Eckenrode and his team all the best.
IMPEACHMENT
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-3-1

I would like to submit this statement for the record regarding the impeachment trial of former President . The statement reflects my thoughts on this complicated constitutional matter and its implications for future impeachments. prgtoken In 1787, the Articles of Confederation were failing, and our young Nation was struggling to address the many challenges it was being confronted with in its infancy. A collection of independent States, the newly formed country experienced much difficulty with the regulation of trade and commerce, foreign affairs, and other basic domestic civil issues. With calls for disunion multiplying, delegates to the Constitutional Convention met to deliberate and forge a new government and with it an Executive to help centralize the powers necessary to form a strong republic. Having just shed the bonds of the British Monarchy and its infringements upon the liberties the delegates so desperately wanted to protect, there was much skepticism toward this idea. In order to abate these concerns, the Constitution's Framers provided for a means of removing an Executive, a Presidential impeachment. prgtoken After much debate over particular wording, article II, section 4 of the Constitution adopted by the delegates reads: ``The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.'' prgtoken This is the fundamental impeachment provision contained in the Constitution and provides the primary evidence as to why the lone Article passed out of the House as well as the subsequent trial in the Senate, was unconstitutional. As this section shows, impeachment refers to ``the President'' and other officials, and it provides that that they shall be ``removed from Office.'' Donald J. is no longer the President of the United States and therefore can no longer be removed from office. He is a private citizen. prgtoken Further evidence that is no longer the President and therefore that this trial is unconstitutional can be found within the Senate's impeachment authority: Article 1, section 3 provides that ``When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside.'' Chief Justice John Roberts did not preside over the impeachment trial, and instead that role was filled by the senior Senator from Vermont, Patrick Leahy. In a statement, Senator Leahy himself stated that the President pro tempore of the Senate ``has historically presided over Senate impeachment trials of non- presidents.'' These facts demonstrate that Chief Justice Roberts declined to preside over the trial because he did not believe that he had a constitutional role and that Senator Leahy acknowledged that was no longer an officeholder. Finally, article 1, section 3 provides, ``Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not ext
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021
Victoria Spartz (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-3-1

I rise in opposition to H.R. 1319. This $1.9 trillion spending package is being considered without meaningful debate and without input. While more than 200 amendments were proposed, only accepted two. prgtoken I personally authored five commonsense amendments to improve government transparency and accountability, assist juvenile justice and foster care systems, and address concerns with standardized testing. All of them were unanimously rejected by . prgtoken We must take action to address the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, but this bill does not address the concerns of everyday Americans. It addresses the desires of the Majority. It also does not address small business struggles. Instead, it adds more regulations on businesses already suffering from the pandemic. prgtoken Less than nine percent of the $1.9 trillion authorized in this bill goes to defeating COVID-19. Under this package, taxpayers will have to finance the wish list of the Majority passed under the guise of relief. prgtoken ' partisanship stands in the way of meaningful discussions about how to best prgtoken serve our constituents. The American people need Congressional action to crush COVID-19. While there are portions of this bill I could support, I cannot support it in its current form.
MAIDEN SPEECH
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-3-1

I rise today to speak on the Senate floor for the first time as a U.S. Senator from the great State of Alabama. prgtoken I want to share some thoughts on how we can work together as a team to improve the lives of our constituents and to provide more opportunity for the next generation of Americans, but before I begin, I want to take a moment to thank the people of Alabama. prgtoken For the last 2 years, I have traveled the State, from Mobile to Muscle Shoals, from the Wiregrass to Lake Guntersville, and many places in between. I talked to folks from all walks of life. Mostly, I listened, which is something we can all do better. I listened to people's hopes, and I listened to their concerns. I heard what they thought was going right in our country and State and what they thought was going wrong, and even after being a football coach my entire career, working day and night, running for the Senate was still the hardest thing I have ever done, but I enjoyed every minute. prgtoken In the end, I asked the people of Alabama to trust me with the responsibility of representing them here in Washington, and they did. It is humbling. It is an opportunity to serve my country that I respect, cherish, and will always honor. My staff and I will work hard every day to live up to that trust. prgtoken Like the Presiding Officer, my constituents sent me to Washington to represent them and to help make their lives better. I recognize we all have our differences, but we are all on the same team. We have got an offense and a defense, but at the end of the day, we are still on the same team. One of the things we can do together as a team is to create more opportunity for more people. In my view, that starts with education. prgtoken I have been an educator, a coach, and a mentor to young people for 40 years. I recruited 18- to 19-year-olds from all over the country and all walks of life. I saw how they lived. I was a father figure to hundreds of young men who had one or no parents. I coached young people from all backgrounds--rich, poor, and everybody in between. I mentored young people of all races, religions, and economic backgrounds. prgtoken As someone who has had a chance to travel across the country and this globe for my career, I have seen how other people live. One thing I have learned is that education is the key to freedom--the key to freedom--the freedom to live the life you want. I have seen firsthand how education can give you a leg up and a way out. It is a way to achieve the American dream. When we empower our young people with a quality education, we give them the gift of an opportunity, the greatest gift our country can give our citizens. And what I found out as a coach is that, when people are given an opportunity to better themselves, they usually take it. prgtoken I think I can safely say I have been in more public schools than any Senator ever. Too often, I have found that we are failing our young
RECOGNIZING CONTINUOUS COMPOSITES
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2021-3-1

as a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. Today, I am pleased to honor Continuous Composites, Inc in Coeur d'Alene as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for March 2021. prgtoken Continuous Composites is a technology company developing composite additive manufacturing solutions cofounded by Ken Tyler, John Swallow, and Tyler Alvarado in 2015. The company owns the world's earliest granted patents on Continuous Fiber 3D Printing--CF3D--a revolutionary, automated manufacturing process that utilizes high-performance continuous fibers, e.g carbon fiber, glass fiber, optical fibers, with ``snap curing'' thermoset resins to produce lightweight, high- performance composite parts on-demand. Historically, composites have been limited to high-end products, including military applications, where the advantages of high-performance, low-weight materials outweigh costly conventional manufacturing processes. CF3D is reshaping composites manufacturing at exponentially reduced costs and lead times while providing users with a much greater degree of design freedom. The company has an extraordinary opportunity to change how industrial businesses and the Department of Defense innovate and manufacture throughout the entire product life cycle, from design and prototyping to serial production and sustainment. Continuous Composites' novel approach to 3-D printing has garnered interest from many industry leaders, national laboratories, and government agencies resulting in strategic partnerships and multimillion dollar equity investments. Continuous Composites' CF3D technology is directly aligned with the United States of America's national defense strategy, which has led to significant engagement from the Air Force Research Laboratory. prgtoken Since its founding, Continuous Composites has been rapidly hiring numerous engineers and business professionals, attracting talent from across the country to Coeur d'Alene. Last September, Alvarado and Swallow announced the remodel and opening of a 7,500-square-foot manufacturing demonstration facility on their campus in downtown Coeur d'Alene. This historic building is now being used for advanced research, development, and commercialization of CF3D. The expansion will provide high-paying, in-demand jobs of the future to the Coeur d'Alene community. prgtoken Continuous Composites is an outstanding example of a small, trailblazing Idaho business that is leading the way in technological innovation. Congratulations to Tyler, John, Ken, and the whole Continuous Composites team for your outstanding achievements. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.
TRANSFORMING POLICE AND HOLDING BAD ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor the American Red Cross for celebrating 140 years of service. prgtoken Since their founding by Clara Barton in 1881, the American Red Cross has been paramount in preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies. prgtoken As an organization, they aspire to turn compassion into action so that countless individuals affected by disaster receive care, shelter, and hope. They are part of the world's largest volunteer network found in nearly 200 countries. The American Red Cross developed the first nationwide civilian blood program in the 1940s, and they still provide more than 40 percent of the blood products in this country. prgtoken As we continue to navigate this health crisis, they remain steadfast in their commitment to delivering much-needed services to communities across the Nation. I am extremely grateful for the work the American Red Cross has done to uplift those in need.
IMPEACHMENT
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-3-1

the impeachment trial of former President marked the third time in 1 year that the Senate has had to confront significant constitutional and institutional questions with consequences that will undoubtedly reverberate into the future. As always, I am guided by the Constitution, historical precedent, and ``a deep responsibility to future times,'' as stated by Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, our Nation's first great constitutional scholar, two centuries ago. This is what has informed me during last year's impeachment, the electorial college certification in January, and now another impeachment. prgtoken This has been a disheartening episode for a divided America. Make no mistake: I condemn the horrific violence that engulfed the Capitol on January 6. All those who undertook violence on that day should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I also condemn former President 's poor judgment in calling a rally on that day, and his actions and inactions when it turned into a riot. His blatant disregard for his own Vice President, , who was fulfilling his constitutional duty at the Capitol, infuriates me. I will never forget the brave men and women of law enforcement--some of whom lost their lives and were seriously injured--who carried out their patriotic duty to protect members of Congress that day. prgtoken However horrible the violence was--and how angry I have been about it--I believe that it is imperative, for the future of our democracy, to examine closely the totality of the precedents, impeachment proceedings, and evidence, and to be as dispassionate and impartial as possible in this case. prgtoken That is why I cast my vote, on February 13, 2021, to acquit former President on the single Article of Impeachment, ``incitement of insurrection.'' prgtoken The primary purpose of impeachment in our constitutional system is to remove an official from office--to, according to Justice Story, divest an official ``of his political capacity.'' The House's single Article of Impeachment emphasized this need to remove President from office. Regarding this case before the Senate, President had already been removed from office by a vote of the American people this past November. Thus, pursuing impeachment in this case creates a troubling precedent in which former officials--private citizens--can face impeachment and conviction. prgtoken Therefore, the fundamental issue in this impeachment trial is not removal from office but whether the Senate has or should accept jurisdiction to try, convict, and disqualify , a private citizen, from any future elected office based on the House's single article of impeachment--incitement of insurrection. prgtoken The House and Senate have never before claimed or exercised such impeachment jurisdiction over a former President. I do not believe that the Constitution empowers the Senate to have such impe
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1, FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1280, GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-1

I thank Ranking Member Cole for yielding me the time. prgtoken , H.R. 1, which should more appropriately be titled, the for the politicians act, is nothing more than a top-down Federal power grab that nationalizes our elections and empowers the ic party to permanently hold on to their majority. prgtoken Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution gives States the primary role in establishing election law and in administering elections. prgtoken H.R. 1 upends this constitutional balance by forcing States to permanently expand mail-in voting, legalize ballot harvesting, and disregard voter ID laws. Even more alarming, this bill allows for the first-ever Federal funding of campaigns, creating a 6 to 1 government match to small-dollar donors. This means that for every $200 donated, the Federal Government would contribute $1,200. Additionally, certain voters will be given publicly funded vouchers to donate to candidates of their choice. prgtoken H.R. 1 also stifles free speech and empowers President 's IRS to target conservative organizations and deny them their tax-exempt status. prgtoken Last, but certainly not least, H.R. 1 increases vulnerability for foreign election interference at a time when we should be increasingly more vigilant about hostile regimes seeking to undermine our democracy. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and ``no'' on H.R. 1.
RECOGNIZING JUSTICE GIORDANO
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Miss Justice Giordano from Cambria County, Pennsylvania. prgtoken Justice, a 17-year-old junior at Portage Area High School, has been selected by the Pennsylvania Chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions to serve as an ambassador for the upcoming year. prgtoken Students Against Destructive Decisions, often referred to as SADD, is the Nation's premier youth health and safety organization. The organization's mission is to empower young people to successfully confront the risks and pressures that challenge them throughout their daily lives. Justice will play an integral role in achieving that mission and raising awareness across the Commonwealth. Most recently, Justice has shifted her focus to the dangers of vaping and electronic cigarettes. prgtoken Justice's school principal had nothing but great things to say about her. He said, ``Justice is a leader among her peers, and she strives to make positive decisions while making those around her better. We are very proud of Justice here at Portage Area.'' prgtoken Madam , I am confident Justice's positive attitude and dedication to helping fellow students will help her excel in this exciting new role. prgtoken Congratulations, Justice.
FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021
Stephanie I. Bice (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-3-2

. Madam , I rise in opposition to the package of en bloc amendments. These amendments continue to go down a path that is partisan and unnecessary. prgtoken I also strongly oppose the underlying bill, H.R. 1, the so-called For the People Act. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 1 would retract the hard work that States such as Oklahoma have done to improve our election laws. prgtoken When I served in the Oklahoma State Legislature, we implemented requirements to ensure the security of our elections in our State. However, H.R. 1 includes a Federal mandate that would take away the ability of States to oversee and manage their own elections. prgtoken Madam , I include in the Record a letter from Paul Ziriax, the secretary of the Oklahoma State Election Board, in which he raises serious concerns that H.R. 1 would supersede most of Oklahoma's election laws. Oklahoma State Election Board, Oklahoma City, OK, February 25, 2021. Hon. Jim Inhofe, United States Senator. Hon. James Lankford, United States Senator. Hon. Kevin Hern, United States Representative, District 1. Hon. Markwayne Mullin, United States Representative, District 2. Hon. Frank Lucas, United States Representative, District 3. Hon. Tom Cole, United States Representative, District 4. Hon. Stephanie Bice, United States Representative, District 5. To the Honorable Members of the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation: As Oklahoma's chief election official, I am writing to make you aware of my concerns regarding H.R. 1, as introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, and its U.S. Senate companion, S. 1. H.R. 1's election administration component would result in an unnecessary federal takeover of election administration policy across the nation. One sponsor's stated goal of this legislation is to ``overcome rampant voter suppression''--yet I have seen no evidence of such rampant ``suppression'' here in our state. H.R. 1 would supersede most of Oklahoma's election administration and election integrity laws, making our elections less secure, more complicated to administer, and much more expensive to conduct. Although H.R. 1 claims to only apply to ``federal'' elections, almost all elections here could be affected because Oklahoma's state and county elections are held on the same dates as federal elections. Although the concerns with H.R. 1 are too numerous to provide an exhaustive list in this letter, there are some fairly amazing levels of micromanagement of elections in this legislation: from requiring ``self-sealing'' return envelopes, to setting the number of days of ``early'' voting, to mandating that new state voting systems be capable of ``ranked choice'' elections, to dictating how close voting locations must be to public tr
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED
Rodney Davis (Republican, IL) \u2014 2021-3-2

. Madam , today I rise to recognize a great accomplishment--the 90th anniversary of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. In my role as ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, I've had the great opportunity to learn about the many services the Library of Congress provides--not only Congress, but to all Americans. One of its most notable and inspiring is the National Library Service, or NLS, an institution committed to serving readers with disabilities with the mission of ensuring ``that all may read''. prgtoken The history of the NLS began in 1897, with the seventh Librarian of Congress, John Russell Young, established a reading room for the blind that included more than 500 books and music items in raised characters. By 1913, Congress began to require that one copy of each book be made in raised characters and available at the Library of Congress for educational use, but the collection had its limits, as it was only available to visit in-person. prgtoken In 1930, Representative Ruth Pratt of New York and Senator Reed Smoot of Utah led a movement to make the collection more accessible across the country, leading to the passage of the Pratt-Smoot Act, which, on March 3, 1931, created what we know today as the National Library Service. In the 90 years since then, the NLS has expanded its service to reach children and individuals with additional types of physical and reading disabilities through not only books, but the world's largest accessible music materials collection. prgtoken But this 90th anniversary isn't only a celebration of the NLS, it is a celebration of the prgtoken central role local libraries play in connecting constituents across our entire country to its collection. In my own state, NLS and the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service provide service to nearly 10,000 individuals and institutions in Illinois. This includes more than 1,000 individual patrons and institutions in my district. prgtoken Madam , the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled is one of those magical programs that exemplify the good our government can do for all Americans, especially our sisters and brothers with disabilities. Today, I give them my congratulations on their 90th anniversary, my appreciation of their commitment to access and literacy, and my thanks for all they do.