mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5894, DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-11-14

I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding the customary 30 minutes, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken For the past 6 months, the majority, embroiled in chaos and dysfunction, has wasted valuable time. Because they are unable to perform the most basic job of Congress, working with Representatives from both parties and across the country to fund the government, they have brought us to the brink of a shutdown twice in the last 2 months. prgtoken Before that, they threatened to tank the global economy, and if their proposals pass this week, we will likely face new shutdown threats again in the new year. prgtoken This isn't serious governance. It is not serious or governance at all. They are playing politics with Americans' lives and our country's future. prgtoken It is outrageous that my constituents are yet again subjected to the uncertainty and fear that their paychecks won't come next week and that services they rely upon, like LIHEAP and WIC, will be interrupted. House s still refuse to come to the table where the majority of the American people are and work with us in a bipartisan way to pass the spending bills that Americans expect and deserve. prgtoken The Senate is doing it. Why can't the House? prgtoken Instead, House s continue to try to force the entire country to go along with their farcical and extremist approach to government funding. Unsurprisingly, they continue to fail, over and over again, on the House floor. Their proposals are so extreme that Members of their own party won't even vote for them. The MAGA majority may have new leadership, but it is the same old story. prgtoken They plan to kick the government funding can down the road, once again, so they can try to pass all 12 spending bills, which are now 2 months overdue, that cater to the most extreme and noisy fringe of the MAGA party. prgtoken These are bills that reject any bipartisan input, bills that contain harmful spending cuts that violate the Fiscal Responsibility Act's spending levels that were approved on a bipartisan basis and signed into law last spring, and these bills include poison pill policy riders to enshrine MAGA culture wars into law and force these extremist views upon every American. prgtoken There is no clearer example of that than the unacceptable spending bill they have brought to the House floor today. prgtoken The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill is supposed to help Americans access education, jobs, and healthcare. These are the foundations of our constituents' lives and livelihoods. prgtoken , I don't know about you, but they are three of the issues that I hear about the most when I have the opportunity to be back home rather than debating meaningless bills and amendments here on the House floor. Yet the majority has proposed legislation that slashes funding for existing programs supporting these parts of Americans' lives by a
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-11-14

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the amendments en bloc, and in support of the amendment with regard to the CDC ALS registry, which increases the funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, Registry. prgtoken I cannot talk about ALS without acknowledging the remarkable Ady Barkan, who died earlier this month. ALS is a cruel disease. Ady and Brian Wallach, who continues his own battle against ALS, are two of the amazing advocates who are changing the face of medical advocacy in this country. I support this amendment in their honor. prgtoken The ALS Registry collects and analyzes information about persons with ALS in the United States. It advances our understanding of the disease. With approximately 30,000 participants, the ALS Registry has provided crucial information to guide future research. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and .
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MRS. LINDA K. MITROVICH
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise today to honor the life and lasting contributions of Mrs. Linda K. Mitrovich. A critical member of the environmental community, Mrs. Mitrovich leaves behind an indelible legacy of service and dedication to environmental conservation, both within her community and around the world. prgtoken For over 30 years, Mrs. Mitrovich fought to protect our environment and ensure our beautiful natural landscapes are preserved for future generations. For 25 years, she served as President and Co-Founder of Solution Strategies, a firm that helps public- and private-sector clients create solutions and resolve conflicts for businesses, governments, communities, and the environment. Through her leadership in Solution Strategies, Mrs. Mitrovich was renowned for her unique ability to unite stakeholders with conflicting interests to achieve a common goal. Her unparalleled skills in policy negotiation. strategy development, and coalition building allowed her to accomplish critical milestones for the environmental community. prgtoken In 2013, Mrs. Mitrovich co-founded Preservation Ranch, LLC, an organization focused on supporting and furthering the goals of conservation programs that support local economies. Preservation Ranch later established a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, forming a groundbreaking pilot project that unites private and public lands under a conservation management program to directly benefit local communities. prgtoken In addition to Mrs. Mitrovich's work in the private sector, she was instrumental in the environmental regulation space at both the state and federal levels. Her experience in the environmental regulatory arena included work with some of our country's most essential environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. prgtoken While exhibiting critical leadership in the environmental field, Mrs. Mitrovich also played a pivotal role in her local community. She served as City Councilwoman and Deputy Mayor of Poway, California, and served on numerous governmental boards and committees overseeing water in San Diego County and the state of California. She was also a Trustee of Whittier College, where she received her Bachelor of Arts, and her service to her community was recognized by the California State Government when she was honored as Woman of the Year by the State Senate and State Assembly. prgtoken Mrs. Mitrovich's enduring spirit will live on in her family and the legacy of her work to preserve our environment. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Mrs. Mitrovich's loved ones. I know that they, along with the people of California's 8th Congressional District, join me in celebrating her life and legacy.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 6126
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2023-11-14

in reserving the right to object--and I will be pretty quick here--I have rarely seen such a cynical piece of legislation on the Senate floor. I have rarely seen it. prgtoken The point that Chris Van Hollen and Chris Murphy made, I think, is the first point, which is, when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. So whenever there is an opportunity to legislate-- even in the foreign policy space, even when we are in a global fight against fascism--the first thing that comes to the mind of many people on the other side of the aisle is, How can we make life easier for the wealthiest among us? Like it has literally got nothing to do with Israel aid or Ukraine aid or Indo Asia-Pacific security matters. Just, whenever you get a chance, throw in an opportunity to enrich the wealthiest among us who are already not paying their fair share of taxes. prgtoken So that is the frame, right? prgtoken This is where we start, which is, I have got an idea: We should cut taxes again. I have got an idea: Let's gut the IRS so that they don't have the ability to audit these billionaires, many of whom don't pay taxes in the first place. prgtoken So that is how you should understand this from the jump. prgtoken The second thing you should understand is, we really are in a global fight against fascism and authoritarianism. And if there is one thing that I think the last 2 or 3 years--frankly, the last 7 years--has taught us is: Believe what the authoritarians say they want to do. Believe Hamas when they say they want to wipe Israel off the map and that they are not done. Believe Putin when he says that the biggest mistake that the Soviet Union ever made was perestroika and glasnost and all of that. Believe him when he says that after he takes Ukraine, he will turn his eye to the Baltics. Believe all of these people. They do exactly what they have been saying they would do. And here we are hoping--hoping against hope--that maybe they don't mean it; that maybe their ambitions aren't so murderous. They do it every time. prgtoken And the idea that we would separate these two fights even though these people are aligned--these Fascists are aligned, this authoritarian movement is increasingly aligning itself perhaps because of the internet, perhaps because of globalization--but, whatever it is, there is an actual global Fascist, authoritarian movement, and they are on the march. And the idea that we would fund Israel's security needs and leave Ukraine behind because--what?--Ukraine is in Europe? because doesn't like Ukraine aid? because it is getting hard? because it is getting tiring? because it is getting expensive? Listen to those arguments. My God. This man wants to take Europe and has a plan to do so. prgtoken As Senator Bennet said--and this is a key point--God bless these Ukrainian fighters. They are the ones fighting and dying. They are the ones spilling blood to keep Europe peaceful, to esta
HONORING DR. W.N. REED'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY AS PASTOR OF NEW MOUNT MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2023-11-14

it is with great pleasure that I take this time to congratulate Reverend Dr. W.N. Reed on his 50th Anniversary as Pastor of New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana. For his fifty years of service and dedication to his congregation and to the community of Gary, Reverend Reed will be honored at a Pastoral Anniversary Celebration that will take place at New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, November 19, 2023. prgtoken Reverend Reed grew up in Brownsville, Tennessee, where he attended Carver High School. He went on to graduate from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee, and served in the United States Army before accepting the call to the ministry. Reverend Reed was ordained in 1963 at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Brownsville. While in Tennessee, he served as Pastor of Saint John Baptist Church in Dancyville, as well as Macedonia Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Brownsville. In 1973, Reverend Reed became Pastor of New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Gary, Indiana. Throughout his fifty years of leadership, the church has become a beacon of light and hope for the community of Gary and beyond. In 1998, the church added an administrative/education wing and a fellowship hall. Reverend Reed and the parishioners are proud of the church's thriving and active Sunday school programs, numerous ministries, and growing congregation. prgtoken During his tenure, Reverend Reed has given of his time and efforts to various organizations and endeavors including the Baptist Minsters Conference of Gary and Vicinity, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Convention of Indiana, New Era District Association, One Church One School Initiative, and the NAACP, to name a few. For his unwavering devotion to providing spiritual guidance and support to so many in need, Reverend Dr. W.N. Reed is worthy of the highest praise. prgtoken Reverend Reed's remarkable commitment to the church and to his community is exceeded only by his admiration for his amazing family. He and his wonderful wife, Rosetta, have raised two beloved sons. prgtoken , I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating Reverend Dr. W.N. Reed on his 50th Anniversary as Pastor of New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. For his lifetime of leadership and selfless service to others, he is truly an inspiration to us all.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 6126
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-11-14

reserving the right to object, we cannot prgtoken send the message to our allies or to the world that America only stands by some of its allies, that our word is only good some of the time. We also cannot send our adversaries the message that they can simply wait us out, allow us to become distracted, allow our resolve to waiver, and that the United States will eventually fail to respond to all of the pressing challenges we face. prgtoken Our adversaries are watching carefully to see if we will let Putin win, and the answer must emphatically be, absolutely not. I have said it before; I will say it many times again. We cannot just do half our job here. That is not just wrong, it is dangerous, and it is naive. prgtoken There are fundamental flaws in the arguments I have heard from my colleagues for splitting up this aid. Let's start with this one: the argument that somehow we haven't debated Ukraine aid, even though we have been debating this even longer than aid for Israel and even though we have already been forced to punt this aid to an ally in need before. prgtoken Ukraine can no more afford a delay than our allies in Israel. Ukraine is at a critical point in a brutal war to defend its sovereignty against Putin's bloody invasion. Abandoning Ukraine is the same as surrendering to Putin and sends a message that he can invade any democracy he would like with impunity. Fortunately, Members on both sides of the aisle do understand this, and clear, overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate have shown they support aid for Ukraine. prgtoken We absolutely cannot allow Ukraine aid to get left behind yet again when they are at a critical moment in their heroic fight to protect their homeland and their future as a sovereign democracy. prgtoken If my colleagues really wanted more debate on this, we had a robust debate last week, and there was a very strong showing from Senators who discussed at length why it is so important that we keep this aid together in one package. Here is the key point that was raised time and again in that debate: The global challenges we face are all connected, and they are all urgent. We have to be strategic enough to understand that. prgtoken Do you know who met with Putin last month? The leader of Hamas. Do you know who is watching how committed we are to our allies in Ukraine? The Government of China. prgtoken When it comes to the serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza, let's get something straight: Making sure people have food and water and medical care is not just the right and moral thing to do, it is also very clearly in our national interest, as it promotes long-term stability and security. prgtoken Hamas is hoping we ignore the humanitarian needs in Gaza. It is hoping it can drive more people to despair and then anger and then, ultimately, extremism. prgtoken In this critical moment, if we only respond to some of the challenges before us, not only will the ot
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 6126
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise today, alongside my colleagues, including Senator Coons and Senator Murray, to implore my colleagues to hold firm in their support of Ukraine. prgtoken I have sat here for the last hour and listened to these speeches and listened prgtoken to some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle--which, I know, does not reflect all of them--and this is what I came away with: the focus on ``Oh, you just want to go backward,'' the analogies to talking about past decisions in Munich and Vietnam. We all are students of history. I am focused on now. I am focused on what is happening now. prgtoken Like my colleagues here, I have strongly condemned the massacre, the terrorist attack by Hamas--and the democracy of Israel. We stand with Israel and the right to defend, but we also stand with the idea that we should continue to provide humanitarian relief in Gaza and around the world. prgtoken I think one of the ironies of the statement of our colleague from Ohio--and some of our other colleagues--was that he failed to mention that, actually, Israel has come out this week also supporting the humanitarian aid. So that is one thing that I think needs to get corrected. prgtoken The second, as we look at where we are now, he mentioned Vladimir Putin, called him ``a bad guy.'' Those were his words, ``a bad guy.'' I think it is a lot more than that. This is a tyrant. This is a ruler who has committed war crimes, who has downed passenger planes, who has invaded a democracy. Let's get the facts straight about Vladimir Putin. prgtoken The other thing is that, now, to not see this as connected is just plain wrong. What kind of drones was Russia using? Iranian drones. Who took the meeting with some of their senior officials from Russia? Who went there? Hamas. Hamas went to Russia after this terrorist attack. prgtoken When we stand for democracies in one place, we stand for democracies in other places. prgtoken Our colleague from Ohio referred to some of the President's requests as a ``hodgepodge''--a ``hodgepodge.'' I was thinking of that word and what is in this request and this budget: protection of a nuclear plant, the largest nuclear plant not just in Ukraine but in Europe. When his predecessor, Senator Portman, and I were in Ukraine, when we met with President Zelenskyy--where we actually talked about the strong support and the strong Ukrainian community in Ohio and in Minnesota--when we met with him, a major focus of ours was the nuclear plant because we didn't know how long the Ukrainians were able to hold the line to protect that plant from not just contamination in Ukraine but contamination all over Europe. That is what is in what our colleague has called a ``hodgepodge'' of a budget. prgtoken What else? Supporting NATO. I was just with the leader of Estonia--a small country, yes, but they have given over 1 percent of their military budget--of the budget of their country--to Ukraine. prgtoken Are we just goi
WORLD DIABETES DAY
Raphael G. Warnock (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-11-14

there are several important domestic and international matters before us that require our urgent attention, not least of which is the need to find a bipartisan path to keep the Federal Government open and fund it within the next 3 days to prevent a national economic calamity. prgtoken We have a lot of work to do. A lot of priorities vie for our attention. But today, on World Diabetes Day, I rise to address another pressing issue that I believe also requires our timely action. prgtoken I want to uplift the findings of my new bipartisan white paper, released today on this World Diabetes Day. It shines a light on the urgent need for Congress to finally address the high costs of insulin and pass Federal legislation to cap the costs of insulin for every American who needs it. prgtoken This report is issued jointly today from my office in collaboration with my partner in this work, my friend the Senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy. Senator Kennedy and I have been working to address the high costs of insulin because this is a problem that is particularly acute in our States. prgtoken Over 12 percent of adults in my home State of Georgia--12 percent-- are diabetic, but in Louisiana, that number climbs to over 14 percent, and many of these are people who cannot afford access to this lifesaving drug. prgtoken This is what we hear from the people in our States, but this new report, for the first time, takes a comprehensive look to learn more about who and where these people are. And what we found in our original analysis is that there are more than 800 counties across the country where you see the tragic convergence of high rates of diabetics coupled with high rates of uninsured people--high levels of diabetes, high levels of uninsured people. And we call these insulin deserts. These insulin deserts--some 813 counties across our country--are in the top half of counties across the country for both their percentage of individuals who are uninsured and who have diabetes--over 800 counties. And over 100 of these insulin desert counties are in my home State of Georgia. prgtoken Over 75 million nonelderly people live in insulin deserts. That includes more than 12 million Americans who are uninsured. In fact, among nonelderly individuals, insulin deserts have nearly double the percentage of uninsured residents as those who live in nondeserts. prgtoken So our analysis shows these insulin deserts are concentrated in the South and the Southeast. But it also shows that there are insulin deserts all over the country, concentrated in the South and in the Southeast, but you see them from Washington State to Texas, to North Dakota, to Florida, to New Jersey. In other words, this is a national problem. prgtoken And who are the people in these insulin deserts? Well, as compared to uninsured folks in other parts of the country, uninsured Americans who live in these places are, one, more likely to fall under the Fe