mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO McAVOY LAYNE
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2023-9-21

today I rise to recognize the legacy of McAvoy Layne. Mr. Layne has dedicated 35 years of his life to promoting art and literature to audiences across Nevada. After more than 4,000 performances as one of the premier Mark Twain impersonators, Mr. Layne will share his legendary charm with audiences for one last time at Piper's Opera House, in historic Virginia City, NV, on September 30, 2023. prgtoken As a lifelong Nevadan, I always appreciate our State's history and those who tell and preserve it. Samuel Langhorne Clemens became Mark Twain while residing in Nevada between the years 1861 and 1864. It was in this 3-year span that Mark Twain's career set off, writing for ``Territorial Enterprise'' in Virginia City and inspiring the novel ``Roughing It,'' which helped introduce Nevada to the world. prgtoken McAvoy Layne moved to Tahoe's North Shore 40 years ago when he was offered a job at Diamond Peak Ski Resort. He has lived there ever since, and it was there he discovered his calling to impersonate and educate people about one of America's best-known authors, Mark Twain. prgtoken Mr. Layne began his career as a Twain impersonator at Piper's Opera House in Virginia City, NV, performing two shows a day, 6 days a week in the summer of 1988. Over the years, he specialized in school programs, visiting schools across the United States, Europe, and Russia. He would sometimes visit 10 schools a week, performing for students of all ages. Countless Nevadans can recall stories of Mr. Layne visiting their school as Mark Twain. prgtoken Highlights of Mr. Layne's career include winning the Nevada Award for Excellence in School and Library Service, playing the ghost of Samuel Clemens in the Biography Channel's episode on Mark Twain, and participating in the Discovery Channel's Cronkite Award-winning documentary, ``Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.'' prgtoken Mr. Layne is not just an actor but a writer, educator, storyteller, and a Nevada icon. September 30 will mark the end of an era as he takes the stage one last time in the place where it all began. It is important to ensure future generations understand Nevada's history, and I would like to thank Mr. Layne for his service in educating us about the legendary Samuel Clemens.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-9-21

I rise to introduce the Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2023. This bill would ensure that Middle Eastern and North African communities in the United States receive the Federal recognition they need to receive targeted public health resources. prgtoken Too often, Federal data collection overlooks people in MENA communities. This is true even at the Office of Minority Health, which is tasked with the important work of improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations. The office's definition of ``racial and ethnic minorities'' does not currently include a Middle Eastern or North African category, meaning that people in this community are often misidentified as White. As a result, the unique health concerns that Middle Easterners and North Africans face remain underreported and unaddressed. prgtoken This bureaucratic oversight has a tangible impact on individuals' abilities to live full and healthy lives. prgtoken The Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2023 would add a Middle Eastern and North African category to the definition of ``racial and ethnic minorities'' used by the Office of Minority Health. Additionally, it would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to use this data to conduct a comprehensive study of the unique patterns and health outcomes in MENA populations. prgtoken I want to thank Representative Tlaib for joining me in introducing this bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues to take this important step to reduce health disparities.
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 2721 (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-9-21

reserving the right to object, may I say that I appreciate that Senator Scott would like to accelerate disaster aid to his home State. But let me observe that disasters have taken place not only in Florida but in the Presiding Officer's home State of Hawaii, in Vermont, in New York, in Louisiana, and other States as well. prgtoken And in response to that, what President did was made a request to Congress in August to pass a comprehensive emergency supplemental that includes an increase in funding for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund. It also includes $45 million for the Department of Ag and $15 million for the Department of Interior to support more than 20,000 firefighters who are out there braving this explosion in new wildfires that are taking place across our country. prgtoken This is driven by climate change. Let's be clear about that. We have had 14 named storms so far in the 2023 hurricane season. If you look back at last year, weather-related damage in the United States topped 165 billion. We have had testimony in my Budget Committee from OMB that climate change will cost the Federal budget $2 trillion per year. prgtoken We cannot address this piecemeal, and we cannot address it only by providing disaster relief and not doing anything useful to head off these risks. Some of these are what economists call systemic risks. ``Systemic'' doesn't sound like it is a very big word, but what it means is the risk cascades out of the area where the economic harm is taking place to trash the whole economy. Just the way the 2008 mortgage meltdown didn't just trash the banks that had the bad mortgages, it took down the whole U.S. economy--that is predicted for coastal property value crash; that is predicted for a wildfire uninsurability crash; that is predicted for a carbon bubble crash. prgtoken And the insurance meltdown has already begun in Florida, in Louisiana, and in Texas. So the warning signs of another 2008-scale financial crisis are already flashing red. And behind those immediate warning signs looms the collapse of Earth's basic natural operating systems that science has predicted for decades and with real precision. prgtoken We need to do a lot more than just clean up. We do need to clean up the disasters, but we also need to get the predisaster preparation resources in because we know this is coming, and we know it is getting worse. And we absolutely need to head off the root cause of all of this, which is fossil fuel emissions choking our atmosphere with greenhouse gases, heating up the Earth, and causing us to spin out from basic conditions of habitability of the Earth that have existed for tens of thousands of years. prgtoken So what we should do is pass the continuing resolution with full funding for the President's supplemental request for FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, for the Department of Agriculture firefighter money, for the Department of Interior firefighter money, and while we a
RECOGNIZING TERRY ANNE MEEUWSEN WHO SHE LEADS AMERICA IS HONORING AS A CHRISTIAN WOMEN OF DISTINCTION RECIPIENT
Lisa C. McClain (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-9-22

I rise today to honor exceptional female leaders throughout our Nation who have recently been recognized as ``Christian Women of Distinction'' by She Leads America. prgtoken While I strive to lead by example for my constituents back home in Michigan, I understand that not everyone looks to Washington politics for role models. Thankfully, we do not need to look far to be inspired by individuals led by their strong faith, moral values, and unwavering dedication to their communities. Today, I am proud to honor some of the women who through their hard work and tireless dedication have brought great inspiration to many throughout the world. prgtoken As a United States Representative, it is both my sacred and constitutional obligation to remain steadfast in my commitment to the defense of religious freedom. Now more than ever, we must safeguard religious liberty to ensure that each of these women and those I serve never have to compromise their religious beliefs. prgtoken One of the women honored by She Leads America, Terry Anne Meeuwsen, is a trailblazer and recognized talent in Christian broadcasting. In 1973, Terry was crowned Miss America and has since used her singing and acting talents on television. For over 30 years, Terry has greeted millions of viewers from the Christian Broadcasting Network's studio in Virginia Beach. Terry is also an accomplished author, children's advocate, and inspiration to many. prgtoken , these women, including Terry, have left an indelible mark on countless lives. They are pioneers whose examples have--and will continue to--inspire many. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of them for their unwavering dedication. This honor is truly well- deserved.
VACATING ORDERING OF RECORDED VOTE ON ADOPTION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 712, PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4365, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024; H.R. 1130, UNLOCKING OUR DOMESTIC...
Nicholas A. Langworthy (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-9-22

. Madam , I ask unanimous consent that the ordering of a recorded vote on the question of reconsideration of the vote on adoption of House Resolution 712, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4365), making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1130) to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas; and providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res 684), condemning the actions of Governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, for subverting the Second Amendment to the Constitution and depriving the citizens of New Mexico of their right to bear arms be vacated to the end that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.
HONORING JEFFERSON COUNTY CHIEF DEPUTY CLERK AND RECORDER PEG PERL
Brittany Pettersen (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-9-22

I rise today to recognize Peg Perl, the Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder for Jefferson County. She was chosen by the U.S. Department of State's Office for ic Institutions and Human Rights to help oversee a recent Uzbekistan election in July 2023. Ms. Perl was stationed at an election site in Namangan, near the Kyrgyzstan border. She and her fellow delegates reviewed the set-up process, voting, counting, and reporting of results late into the night. Ms. Perl's commitment to service and democracy helped to ensure voting was accessible and protected during this election. prgtoken Ms. Perl has over 20 years of experience in election administration, voting rights, and government ethics at the national, state, and local levels. She helped design and enact Colorado's modern voting laws as well as many state and city campaign disclosure reforms while serving as Senior Counsel for the nonpartisan Colorado Ethics Watch. In 2017, she was named one of the Top Women Attorneys by Law Week Colorado. Prior to moving to Colorado in 2010, Ms. Perl served as a nonpartisan counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee and as a policy attorney with the Federal Election Commission. She has shown a lifelong dedication and devotion to the ideals of democracy, and today we recognize her commitment to service.
HONORING THE LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY OF JOHN "JACK" HARRINGTON COSTELLO, JR.
Lori Trahan (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-9-22

I rise today to honor the tremendous contributions and legacy of John ``Jack'' Harrington Costello, Jr a successful publisher and editor of the Lowell Sun and a beloved community leader who dedicated his life to the prosperity of my hometown, the city of Lowell and its community. He passed away peacefully on August 28, 2023. prgtoken Jack was born in Lowell in 1944. After graduating from Keith Academy in 1963, Jack would go on to study business at Boston College. He then attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island where he would later graduate and proudly serve his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1967 to 1970. prgtoken After the Navy, Jack returned to his hometown of Lowell where he embarked on a 3 decades-long professional career at his cherished family-founded local paper, The Lowell Sun. Jack got his start as a sports writer before quickly moving up through the ranks to sports editor, to editor, and ultimately taking his destined position as the Sun's publisher. He was known for his integrity, persistence, decisiveness, and ability to extract the best out of his employees and those around him. The Sun thrived under Jack's leadership due to his mission of keeping the paper hyperlocal, so residents were always informed of what was happening in their community. Over the span of his career, Jack carefully curated a local paper that was dedicated to delivering accurate and relevant news to the Greater Lowell area. prgtoken When he wasn't working tirelessly to ensure the Sun ran smoothly, Jack was involved in the revitalization of his hometown. His expertise and vision for the future of the City made him a trusted confidant to many business and political leaders over the years. He served as Chairman of the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, which welcomed many talented artists to perform at the venue under his stewardship. Jack also served as Chairman of the Tsongas Arena Commission and was instrumental in the arena's creation. In addition to these accomplishments, he is also responsible for helping to bring professional hockey and baseball teams to Lowell for the community to enjoy. Jack's contributions to Lowell have made a lasting impact on the city and will continue to be felt for generations to come. prgtoken Jack will be remembered for his love for his family and friends, his kindness to those around him, his distinguished professional career, and his immense pride in the City of Lowell. My heart goes out to Brenda, his loving wife of 54 years, his children, John III, Peter, Nicole, and Suzanne, and the entire Costello family during this difficult time. Jack's legacy will live on through his loving family and all of us who had the honor of knowing him.
STATE OF EDUCATION IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Stacey E. Plaskett (Democrat, VI) \u2014 2023-9-26

as we in Washington argue over the budget and the depletion of FEMA funds for rebuilding, children in the Virgin Islands are suffering from excessive heat in classrooms that has affected the academic calendar year of students in the territory. Excessive heat has literally contributed to substantial interruption of the learning at a critical part of the school year. prgtoken Students have been so deeply affected by these issues that they have taken to the streets on the island of St. Croix to protest what they believe to be the current administration's lack of maintenance of the school. Our students have embraced the spirit of protest that runs so strongly in the heritage of Virgin Islanders as a means of challenging the establishment. prgtoken A week ago, St. Croix teachers, led by a local arm of the AFT, executed a job action and staged a strike to call attention to a myriad of issues that continue to plague the schools in the territory--lack of AC units or fans amidst a heat wave, much-needed electrical upgrades, limited supplies, et cetera. The students themselves joined the teachers, and I am incredibly proud of the youth. prgtoken We need to put pressure on FEMA. We need to work collaboratively together to get these schools in the order they need to be for the children. Virgin Islanders must come together for our children.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Mark Pocan (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2023-9-26

. Mr. Chair, I am in disbelief over the ridiculously low spending levels proposed by the s in the Agriculture appropriations bill. They slashed funding to 2001 levels, funding from over 20 years ago. That is a 41 percent cut, $10 billion, to the people that feed America, our farmers. prgtoken I don't see how any Member of Congress who represents rural America can show this much disrespect to their constituents. Certainly no Member from Wisconsin. prgtoken Here are a few examples of what the bill does: prgtoken It zeroes out the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives completely, from $25 million to nothing. That is assistance for new and growing dairy businesses that want to get products like milk and specialty cheeses to market. prgtoken If you are an economically distressed farmer, of which, unfortunately, there are plenty, this strips assistance for 104,000 farm loan borrowers. prgtoken If you are a farmer who uses the Farm Service Agency for things like loans or disaster relief, this bill cuts FSA in addition to conservation programs like EQUIP that help farmers improve their operations and output. prgtoken If you get energy assistance as a farmer, good luck with that. The REAP fund will be cut by over $500 million, making your energy costs go up in rural America. prgtoken If you farm and supply food through international food programs, you are really out of luck because they cut it by $1.2 billion, a 69 percent cut. prgtoken With this level of cuts, I would assume this was a satire, a ``Saturday Night Live'' episode, but it is just another Tuesday night in the U.S. Congress where farmers apparently aren't valued by the House majority. prgtoken No one who claims to support rural America could write or vote for an agricultural funding bill this bad. No one. I, for one, won't be supporting this kind of disrespect to the farmers in my district.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-9-26

I want to join the leader, as well as the ic leader, with our hopes that we can still rescue the situation on Capitol Hill before the deadline. We have an impending government shutdown that is only 5 days away. prgtoken The House s on the other side of the Rotunda have not taken on their responsibility at this moment, and we are doing our best on a bipartisan basis to do the opposite. Extreme factions of the Party continue to list their demands for reckless cuts and partisan proposals in exchange for keeping the lights on in the Federal Government. In doing so, their radical agenda is holding the livelihood of the American people and the proper functioning of our government hostage. prgtoken House s' proposals, which some of their own Members don't even agree with, would cut millions of dollars from public health, childcare, education, food safety, law enforcement, housing, and more. These cuts would create uncertainty for hard-working families across the country, and they would put our national security and economic well-being at risk. prgtoken Instead of negotiating in good faith, House s are willing to put the country through the pain of a shutdown. Now, we have had shutdowns before. I remember them well--2013, 2018, and now the threat of one in 2023. It appears to be a 5-year cycle. The shutdowns in 2013 and 2018 reduced economic output and GDP growth by projections in the billions. They forced Federal employees to go without checks, to either work without pay or be furloughed, and that included our military at the time. Servicemembers would not be paid until Congress funds the government. That would mean missed paychecks and strained household budgets for the duration of a shutdown, until extreme MAGA s felt their demands had been met. prgtoken Take one Agency for example--the National Institutes of Health, the premier medical research Agency in the world. They would have to delay new clinical trials during a government shutdown, stalling critical medical research on diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. prgtoken A shutdown would halt training of 2,600 air traffic controllers at a time when our country desperately needs them, and the air traffic controllers already on the job would have to work without pay. How would you like to have the pressure of that job and in the back of your mind wonder if you are going to make your mortgage payment? That would potentially lead to delays, longer wait times for those traveling, as we have seen in past shutdowns. The same goes for TSA. prgtoken The shutdown would delay major infrastructure projects that were created by the bipartisan infrastructure bill. prgtoken It could jeopardize the benefits of more than 6 million American participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Children, and Infants, including 170,000 in my home State of Illinois. prgtoken Public housi
PROTECTING HUNTING HERITAGE AND EDUCATION ACT
Mark Takano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-9-26

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I will just point out again that the last speaker made the claim that it was a faulty interpretation by this administration. I would argue we sent a bill to the President that had a technical error. Let's place the onus of responsibility on a situation in which we had the choice of returning the bill back to the Senate with a technical correction, risking a potential derailment of a landmark bill. prgtoken The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represents a significant step forward in terms of gun safety in our country. I will remind my colleagues that this was in the wake of the Uvalde shootings in Texas and the Buffalo shootings. The American people were demanding action from this Congress. prgtoken I think the decision was made to not return the bill to the Senate with a technical fix but to send it to the President. The Senate, in my estimation, could have done a better job of making sure this language was clearer, but the administration has been enforcing the law according to the legislative text that we sent them. prgtoken I will take a moment to talk about how significant this bill has been for our kids. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act included authorization for a lot of funding to address the mental health crisis that our students are facing across the country. This is also a bipartisan concern. prgtoken I will let this body know that in my own district, I have seen the schools respond in a magnificent way. One school district has directly hired clinical social workers. Instead of having to refer students out to nonexistent therapists in the community, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is enabling us to expand this model where school districts directly hire clinical social workers. In fact, this one school district that I am talking about has a clinical social worker assigned to every school. This has made access to mental health much easier. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has made this happen. I will speak more on this as we continue the discussion. prgtoken , .
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-9-26

. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment. It is unnecessary and harmful. prgtoken While there is a global commodity shortage and conflict that fuels hunger around the world, this bill has already been cut by 14.15 percent. Further cuts will only cause further impacts to efforts to improve the food security and education of children around the world. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and .