mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-12-14

I rise today to ask the Senate to confirm Ron Keohane to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. prgtoken In this role, Mr. Keohane will be the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense on all matters relating to the civilian and military personnel policies. He is extremely well-qualified for this role, previously serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. prgtoken We need someone with Mr. Keohane's sense of experience to oversee and develop policies to support our servicemembers and their families, as well as to oversee our DOD schools. Strong leadership is also essential to address our military recruiting crisis. prgtoken I recently held a hearing in my subcommittee, which the Senator from North Carolina attended, that identified a long list of areas where our military services can continue to step up to inspire more young people to serve. They need someone like Mr. Keohane to make sure that the services actually follow through. prgtoken No one is disputing Mr. Keohane's qualifications. The Senate Armed Services Committee voted unanimously to advance his nomination. The only reason that Mr. Keohane's nomination has not already been approved is because prgtoken the Senator from North Carolina is willing to play politics with our national defense. prgtoken As we all know by now, the Senator from North Carolina disagrees with the Department of Defense's policy to help members of the military and their families access healthcare, specifically reproductive healthcare. Senators claim they wanted a vote on DOD's policy on abortion; but just this week, they lost a vote to move forward toward overturning that policy. So if they can't get it on a straight-up vote, they are now blocking Mr. Keohane out of spite. prgtoken Last week, after months of undermining our national security, the Senator from Alabama backed down with nothing to show for his nearly yearlong blockade of promotions for hundreds of senior military officials--nothing to show, that is, except for the long-term damage he inflicted on our military personnel, on their families, and on our military readiness. prgtoken So now the Senator from North Carolina is stopping well-qualified nominees. He has no specific objection to this nominee. In fact, the Senator serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee that unanimously advanced Mr. Keohane's nomination. But the Senator from North Carolina now blocks the confirmation of Mr. Keohane. prgtoken We need leaders at the Department of Defense. Blocking these confirmations is corrosive to our national security. prgtoken Our Nation cannot continue to hold key national security officials hostage. We must put the safety and well-being of our servicemembers first. Our greatest strength as a nation is our people, and we need a confirmed leader like Mr. Keohane to make sure that our servicemembers have everything the
FAREWELL TO SPEAKER EMERITUS KEVIN McCARTHY
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-12-14

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , we spend a lot of time in this House focusing on that which we disagree on. I think if we spent more time focusing on what we have been able to do together and agree on, we would be a better House. prgtoken So I rise not to talk about the disagreements that the and I had, we had many differences, we are of different parties, and we had different perspectives, but I rise and thank McCarthy for that on which we could agree, because when we could agree, he took that opportunity to act upon that agreement. prgtoken It was good for the House, it was good for the country, and it was good for me. prgtoken So I thank Kevin for what we agreed upon and what we were able to do together here and abroad to try to bring us together, try to lift us up, and try to make sure that when we could work together we did work together. prgtoken It is an example that we ought to follow because it was a positive example. prgtoken , I thank Mr. Calvert for giving me the opportunity to come to this floor as a former majority leader, as a partisan , to say and recognize the work that McCarthy did to try to, when we could, move forward in agreement in a positive, constructive way. Good luck and Godspeed.
First Step Act (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-12-14

5 years ago, Congress came together to pass the First Step Act, the most important criminal justice reform legislation in a generation. I am happy to come to the floor today with my colleague and friend Senator Booker of New Jersey and celebrate this momentous anniversary. prgtoken The First Step Act passed the House and Senate by overwhelming bipartisan majorities and was supported by a broad coalition from across the political spectrum, including former President , who signed it into law. I was proud to champion this landmark legislation with the help of Senators Booker, Grassley, and Lee. It took months of bipartisan negotiation and painful compromise, but the net result was a historic victory that significantly improved our system of justice. prgtoken I am thankful for the tireless efforts of many dedicated advocates who never gave up hope that this law could be passed. It was a dramatic change to finally acknowledge that just being tough on the so-called war on drugs was not enough. prgtoken I often think back to my early days in the House of Representatives, during the 1980s, when the crack epidemic was devastating America. I vividly remember, in 1986, when the Nation reeled from the news that a Maryland basketball player named Len Bias had died from a heart attack induced by cocaine. All of the evidence points to it having been powder cocaine. Somehow, his death, nevertheless, became a public symbol of the crack epidemic. prgtoken Members of Congress were desperate to do something to stop the despair caused by drugs in our communities and to punish the dealers who were trafficking this new, highly addictive product. So we passed legislation, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, that established mandatory minimum sentences for distribution of specific quantities of prgtoken drugs. We thought we would clearly deter people from selling drugs by imposing tougher--tougher--sentences for larger quantities. prgtoken The law imposed much tougher sentences for crack cocaine offenses than for powder cocaine offenses. An individual would receive a minimum--minimum--5-year Federal prison sentence for selling just 5 grams of crack, the same sentence provided for selling 500 grams of powder cocaine. At the time, we believed this 100-to-1 hit between sentences for crack and powder cocaine was the right thing to do. We were so frightened by the impact that crack was having in America. prgtoken But it became clear over the next 30 years that we were terribly, terribly wrong. Instead of the price of crack going up, after the law was passed because of reduced supply, the opposite occurred. The price went down. Even though we were locking up more people than ever for drug offenses, primarily African Americans, the amount of drugs on our streets and the number of addicts was increasing. prgtoken Years after the law passed, I met a young African American from Alton, IL, who told me the story of his sister Eugenia
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2023-12-14

today I rise to recognize the life of Harvey James Munford, an exemplary Nevadan that served his State as an educator and coach for 36 years and as an elected State assemblyman for over a decade. Mr. Munford peacefully passed away at the age of 83 on October 26, 2023, at his Las Vegas, NV, home. prgtoken Mr. Munford led a remarkable life with many professional and personal achievements. As the first African American to attend Montana State University Billings, Mr. Munford showed exceptional courage while paving the way for other African Americans to follow in his footsteps. Mr. Munford attended college on a basketball scholarship, but he never neglected his studies and earned a bachelor's degree in biology and physical education. He went on to earn a master's degree in political science and guidance and counseling, also at MSU Billings. In 1994, Mr. Munford was honored with an induction into the MSU Billings Athletic Hall of Fame. prgtoken Mr. Munford's athletic talent extended far beyond college, as he played professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers and was drafted for professional football by the Los Angeles Rams. However, Mr. Munford's passion for education caused him to relocate to Las Vegas, where he served as an educator for the Clark County School District, College of Southern Nevada, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During his decades-long career in the Clark County School District, Mr. Munford had the opportunity to accompany over 200 students to Washington, DC, to explore the Nation's Capital and experience firsthand how the Federal Government works. prgtoken After officially retiring as an educator, Mr. Munford became a public servant and was an elected State assemblyman for Clark County District 6, where he served from 2004 to 2016. During his time as a legislator, Mr. Munford was a passionate civil rights and education advocate. He helped pass numerous bills, including multicultural education and the passage of Juneteenth as an official holiday in the State of Nevada. It is evident Mr. Munford's work in the State assembly was guided by his desire to have a positive lasting impact on the lives of all Nevadans. prgtoken Beyond Mr. Munford's extensive professional achievements, he was a dedicated family man. Mr. Munford was married to his wife Viviana for 29 years and had five children and stepchildren, in addition to 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mr. Munford was also a talented organist and equine trainer, and he enjoyed watching old Western movies, historical documentaries, and sports. prgtoken Mr. Munford was a husband, father, grandfather, educator, civil servant, civil rights activist, athlete, and Nevadan. Mr. Munford left a positive lasting impact on the lives of many Nevadans, and I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering Mr. Munford for his significant impact in the State. I celebrate Mr. Munford's legacy, and I extend my deepest condolences to
Order of Business (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-12-14

. Now, , over the last few days, negotiations on a path forward to getting a national security supplemental done have made good progress. As I have said, if we believe something is important and urgent, we should stay and get the job done. That is certainly the case with the supplemental. It is important. It is urgent. prgtoken I spoke with Leader McConnell this morning about the plan for next week and making sure the Senate continues to do our work. prgtoken So, for the information of all Senators, after we finish today, the Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate , and Senate s time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement. It will then take some time to turn that framework into text. prgtoken To prevent unnecessary delays, I intend to move to reconsider the shell for the supplemental, as a vehicle, to move an agreement forward. The plan is for the Senate to act as soon as we are ready to move forward on the supplemental. prgtoken Members need to be here next week. We have to get this done. Our colleagues who have said action on the border is so urgent should have no problem with continuing to work next week. We hope to come to an agreement. But no matter what, Members should be aware that we will vote on a supplemental proposal next week. prgtoken , it is not easy to reach an agreement on something this complicated. This might be one of the most difficult things we have ever had to work through. But we all know that so much--so much--hangs on our success. We know the world is watching. We know autocrats like Putin and Xi are prgtoken hoping for us to fail. So we need to try, with everything we have, to get the job done. prgtoken I will update Senators when more information about schedule becomes available. Nomination of Jerry Edwards, Jr.
Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 1042 (Executive Session)
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2023-12-14

just briefly, I want to correct one thing that was said. prgtoken Because of the 117th Congress, when we all worked together, today we are producing more energy than ever in the history of the United States. We are producing 4.6 billion barrels of oil this year, 37 trillion cubic feet of gas, 13.5 billion cubic feet a day of LNG. In 2016, we didn't do anything. prgtoken So what we have done with all of the bills--the bipartisan infrastructure bill; the IRA bill, or the Inflation Reduction Act--is forced this administration to start taking seriously U.S. energy independence and security. They cannot just move them in one direction. It is a balanced approach, and it is working. prgtoken This is the part, now, that we need to shut down. We should not be relying on foreign supply chains, unreliable foreign countries of concern. You have China, you have Russia, you have North Korea, and you have Iran--four of the most notorious. To depend on anything that comes from those four countries that we need for our building blocks is a sin. prgtoken That is the only thing I am saying on the hold you have here. There are going to be other things that we can work together on to make sure that we all--I think you have them on this. I don't know if that is a No. 1 priority. They just didn't have any objection because they knew it was something that should be done. We are all for it. prgtoken You are using it because you need something else, and we are committing to help you on something else. This is desperately needed for our country. It really is. We have to center the market because, if not, they won't get invested. They just won't move. If they think Russians can dump enriched uranium, HALEU, on us, they will continue to do it, and it basically stymies the market for anyone that is investing the amount of money that needs to be invested to get our enrichment program up and running. That is really what the concerns are. prgtoken And we already have an NDAA. We would like for it--as far as the money, we are prepared to make sure that we have the necessary resources. But we can't do it unless we ban that because, if we don't ban it, people will, in this marketplace, buy wherever they can, the cheapest they possibly can. And, I guarantee, Russia needs the money for their war machine, and they will keep dumping and dumping on us. prgtoken So I would hope you would reconsider, sir. That is all I can ask. But I am committed to helping you. But this is the wrong one, I believe, to use. prgtoken .
CONGRESS' FAILURE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR OUR ALLIES
Jake Auchincloss (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-12-14

I rise today to call attention to Congress' failure to show support for our allies abroad before leaving town for the holidays and ask that this body return to vote as soon as possible to secure the additional national security funding President is requesting. prgtoken This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a trip to the United States to lobby directly for the aid his nation needs as they continue to fight on the front lines of the free world. prgtoken While addressing U.S. officers at the National Defense University, President Zelenskyy said: You can count on Ukraine, and we hope just as much to be able to count on you. Putin must lose. prgtoken He is right. Putin must lose. The world is not only watching how we respond to Ukraine right now but whether or not we will stand with our ally Israel, the only liberal democracy in the Middle East, and whether or not we are prepared to buttress Taiwan as they face increased hostility from the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken As our allies are looking to us for support, our adversaries are waiting with bated breath to see if we will fail to meet this moment in history. This week, the wasted the House's time on a baseless impeachment inquiry, but he still can't put a bill on the floor to fund our democratic allies. prgtoken We cannot hand a Christmas present to Putin, Hamas, or Xi Jinping. We must press President 's request for supplemental foreign aid. If that means coming back from the holidays early to vote on it, so be it.
WELCOMING THE GUEST CHAPLAIN
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-12-14

I rise to commemorate the special occasion of having our Navy chaplain, Rear Admiral Todd, appear to give the invocation, and I do so noticing a ministerial hat trick in our Presider and our Senate Chaplain and our Navy chaplain all being on the floor as we open the session on this wonderful Thursday. prgtoken The Navy Chaplain Corps was created on November 29, 1775, with an order by the Continental Congress that there would be divine services on the ships of the U.S. Navy, and that was 248 years ago. prgtoken And often in the Senate, around the anniversary of the establishment of the Navy chaplaincy, the Navy chaplain is invited to come and open a Senate session. We are a little bit after November 29, but it is a very nice occasion to welcome Admiral Todd here. prgtoken Admiral Todd is a special individual. All chiefs of Navy chaplains are special, as we know from our own Senate Chaplain Reverend Black, but--get this--here is a little bit about Admiral Todd's career: He is a native of Seattle. He joined the Navy Reserves in 1986 and then was a reservist at the same time as he was pastoring churches. He superseded to Active Duty in 1994 and has been in the Navy chaplaincy business since then--a distinguished career. prgtoken But here is a mark that he holds that I am not sure anyone has or ever will hold. He has been the chief chaplain not only of the Navy but the 10th chaplain of the U.S. Coast Guard and the 20th chaplain of the U.S. Marine Corps before becoming the 28th chaplain of the U.S. Navy-- truly a servant whose service has spread far and wide to incorporate not only those who are in our military but also our civilians--and especially their families. prgtoken So this is a special occasion and a good one that we should do annually to allow the Navy chaplain to open the Senate session in memory of this 248-year tradition. But in particular, I want to express my gratitude to Admiral Todd for the great service that he has provided to thousands and thousands of our sailors, of our marines, of our coasties, and their families. prgtoken .
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-12-14

this explanation reflects the status of negotiations and disposition of issues reached between the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. prgtoken The explanation shall have the same effect with respect to the implementation of this act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a conference committee. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that the explanatory statement for the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 be printed into the Record.
REMEMBERING THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES
Donald G. Davis (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2023-12-14

I met with families of Israeli hostages because it was important to hear their stories. While listening, there was deep pain and even moments of tears. These families continue carrying burdens no one should have to bear. prgtoken It has been over 2 months. These families are missing their loved ones and expressed a strong desire that we continue prioritizing their return. There are significant concerns about the rapidly deteriorating conditions of those who are still held captive. While life seems to continue for so many right now, empty seats remain at their tables. prgtoken Personally, I take this moment to thank those working around the clock for their safe return. Your tireless work provides unwavering hope. prgtoken The resilience of the families is a testament to the human spirit.
WORKING TO SUPPORT AMERICA
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-12-14

I rise today to praise President and my ic colleagues for our work to support the American people this year. prgtoken We are building bridges and paving new roads across this country. We broke ground on the new Hudson River tunnel to boost travel and the economy. prgtoken We are lowering prices on insulin and other lifesaving medications. prgtoken We are improving education. prgtoken We are protecting voting rights. prgtoken We are fighting for reproductive rights for all women. prgtoken We are creating jobs and investing in new semiconductor chip technology to protect American innovations. prgtoken The American people told us that this is what they want done. We are doing them. prgtoken s threw out the House for the first time in U.S. history and worked for their reckless political agenda instead of the American people. prgtoken work for America. s work for themselves.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-12-14

I am pleased to join Senator Van Hollen in introducing legislation to honor my friend and former colleague, the late Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, for his ceaseless efforts to preserve Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD. Senator Sarbanes worked tirelessly to honor the site and elevate the history of the War of 1812 in the national consciousness throughout his career. This legislation acknowledges his long-term advocacy for the preservation of the site and the improvement of the visitor experience by designating the visitor and education center the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center. prgtoken I first got to know Senator Sarbanes when he first ran for public office in 1966. We both were elected to the Maryland General Assembly that year, and we became good friends. Delegate Sarbanes at that point made a name for himself on the House Judiciary Committee in the Maryland General Assembly and was a rising star from his first day in the Maryland General Assembly. He shortly thereafter ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served three terms with a very distinguished record. His service in the House occurred during the Watergate scandal. Representative Sarbanes was on the Judiciary Committee and was given the responsibility of the first Article of Impeachment against President Nixon. That article dealt with obstruction of justice. It was the key article against President Nixon on impeachment, and it is very telling that a relatively young and junior Member of the House of Representatives was entrusted with pursuing and presenting it. It was because of his work ethic, his commitment to scholarship, and his understanding of legal issues that he was entrusted with such an awesome responsibility. prgtoken Paul Sarbanes then served five terms in the U.S. Senate, the longest term for any Senator in Maryland's history, which Senator Barbara Mikulski ties 10 years later. Paul Sarbanes was known as a Senator's Senator for his integrity and for his principled commitment to public service. He was a Rhodes Scholar who chose to serve the public rather than using his skills in the private sector for his own personal gain. His entire life was devoted to public service. What a legacy he has left us by his incredible public service. In 2002, the Enron scandal hit America, and Senator Sarbanes, then chairing the Banking Committee, teamed up with House Financial Services Committee Chair Michael Oxley ass the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. Then-President called the Sarbanes-Oxley bill ``the most far-reaching reforms of American business practices since the time of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.'' From Watergate to Enron and beyond, Paul Sarbanes stepped into the breach and he delivered on behalf of the American people. It is a fitting tribute to name the Visitor Center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine after a true American hero: Paul S. Sarbanes.