mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF SENATOR PAT ENGEL
Adrian Smith (Republican, NE) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , today, I join Representative Mike Flood to honor the life and service of former Nebraska State Senator Pat Engel, whom we served alongside during our time in the Nebraska Legislature. prgtoken Born in South Sioux City, Nebraska, Pat was a man of faith who applied his sharp mind to a life of service to his community and never stopped serving. prgtoken After his early military career concluded with Active Duty as an Air Force intelligence officer stationed in Germany, he chose to return with his young family to South Sioux City. There, as a prolific volunteer, he earned a reputation for his good nature and compassion for others as he served on two local school boards, numerous volunteer organizations, and as Dakota County commissioner. prgtoken In his 16 years in the legislature, Pat defined what it is to be a public servant. He was well liked. He had a special gift to work and connect with anyone, and I will always remember his cheerful way, even when issues were difficult. He was known for bringing people together. prgtoken Pat and his wife, Dee, were married for almost 68 years and had five children. Family, community, and love for his home State meant the world to Pat. He will be missed.
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF CROWE PEELE
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2022-12-15

I rise today to celebrate the life of Crowe Peele, an NCAA boxing champion at LSU. prgtoken Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1934, Crowe made a name for himself in the Golden Gloves program where he was a four-time champion. He boxed twice in the National Golden Gloves Tournament in New York City and while in New York, Crowe lost two matches. Out of 64 pre- college bouts, these were his only two losses. prgtoken Crowe boxed for 2 years at LSU, winning Southeastern Conference and Sugar Bowl titles as a freshman in 1954 before repeating as conference champ in 1955. prgtoken During his sophomore year at LSU, Crowe won the top title in collegiate boxing, the NCAA Championship. This made him college boxing's premier heavyweight champion. prgtoken After winning the title, Crowe decided to leave amateur boxing and enter the professional arena. As a professional, Crowe had a record of 16-5, with wins in his first 14 fights and knockouts in his first 10. He fought on cards with Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore. prgtoken After his retirement from boxing, Crowe settled in Baton Rouge with his wife, Betty, and started a family while operating service stations around the city. prgtoken He is survived by four children, including his daughter, Nancy, who proudly continued her father's legacy of service, professionalism, and dedication here in the House of Representatives.
HONORING SANDHILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT DR. JOHN R. DEMPSEY FOR 33 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , I rise today to honor Sandhills Community College President Dr. John R. Dempsey for 33 years of leadership and service within our community. President Dempsey will retire at the end of the year. prgtoken President Dempsey began his career in education in 1974 as a professor and associate dean at The College of Charleston. He later served as President of Belmont Abbey College before becoming President of Sandhills Community College in 1989. His 33 year tenure is the longest at a single institution among all current community college presidents in North Carolina. prgtoken President Dempsey's robust background and skillful leadership has positively transformed Sandhills Community College to better support all in our community. His tactful fundraising improved the College's endowment from $1 million to $50 million, which currently stands as the second highest among community colleges in North Carolina. He instituted the Sandhills Promise program, which provides free tuition for two years to any student from Moore or Hoke County, and the Guarantors program, which provides financial assistance to established Sandhills students who come across unexpected financial troubles. Additionally, he further developed the College's Hoke Center satellite campus by improving its facilities and instituting the SandHoke Early College in coordination with Hoke County Schools. He has overseen numerous projects on Sandhills' main campus, including the conversion of the auditorium into the multi-venue Bradshaw Performing Arts Center. President Dempsey's work has also been crucial in ensuring that instructors at the College receive proper care. He established a hierarchical system of organization to distinguish professors and associate professors, and his colleagues have widely remarked on his commitment to and success in providing instructors with necessary resources and materials. For his outstanding service, President Dempsey has been awarded many civic honors and awards. Perhaps most impressively, he became the inaugural recipient of the United Way of Moore County's Cornerstone Award in 2004. prgtoken Such impressive accomplishments represent only a fraction of President Dempsey's impact on Sandhills Community College and our community more broadly. I would like to offer my most heartfelt appreciation to President Dempsey for his committed and impactful leadership, and I join our entire community in gratitude as we honor his extraordinary career. prgtoken Madam , please join me today in honoring Sandhills Community College President, Dr. John R. Dempsey for his career of exemplary leadership and service to his community.
JAMES M. INHOFE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Resumed
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2022-12-15

I am really working hard with my colleagues here--I see Senator Durbin has come to the floor--to make a law that we all know is the right thing to do. prgtoken In fact, in my 8 years in the U.S. Senate, I don't think I have ever been involved with a matter that more desperately cries out for a just resolution to a simple issue. And it is this: Do we, as the U.S. Senate, want to help sick U.S. Marines and their families, or do we want to allow a legislative bill that continues to further enrich trial lawyers in America? That is the question. That is the law I am working hard with many of my colleagues to make happen. prgtoken And I think everyone knows the answer. Everyone in this body knows what the right thing to do is. Every American watching knows what the right thing to do is, and that is to help the brave Marine Corps heroes and their families who have sacrificed for decades to serve our Nation. prgtoken I have spoken to many of my colleagues, many of my ic colleagues in particular, and I know in their hearts that they also recognize we need to fix this problem. prgtoken So what I am asking my colleagues to do, particularly my ic friends, is this: Help me fix it. prgtoken Now, I want to say something. You are going to need a little courage, like the marines that we are helping. You have a constituency that really does not like my legislation: the trial bar of America. We know they are very powerful. We know that most of my colleagues don't ever want to cross them, and they certainly don't want my bill to pass. prgtoken But, again, I ask my ic colleagues: Have courage. Do the right thing. Work with me on fixing this problem. prgtoken So what is the problem? prgtoken Well, I have spoken on the floor about this problem, usually in angry tones because it burns me up. And any American watching who understands this, almost immediately, it burns them up. And the marines and their families, it burns them up as well. prgtoken But to be honest, this afternoon I am really down here more in terms of sadness and disappointment rather than anger. But I am going to explain it once again, and if you are watching on TV or watching back at home, give a call to your Senator and say ``Hey. Fix this injustice.'' This is a real easy, easy issue to fix. Here is the problem. prgtoken We, a couple months ago, passed here the PACT Act, which was legislation to help military members who have been sickened by burn pits. This is an issue that I have been focused on my whole Senate career, starting with bipartisan legislation several years ago with Senator Manchin, Senator Klobuchar. So that was good. Important. Expensive, but important. prgtoken We have got to take care of our veterans and our military. To me, that is the No. 1 priority we should be doing here in the Senate, which is why a provision of the PACT Act--to provide compensation for marines who were sickened by contaminated water at Camp Leje
FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS ACT, 2023
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-12-15

last night, the Senate took the important step of unanimously, on a bipartisan basis, passing legislation to ban TikTok on all Government devices. prgtoken Now, this has been a longtime coming. I first introduced this piece of legislation almost 3 years ago. But last night's legislation is vitally important because never has the security threat to the American people from the Chinese Communist Party been more grave and never has the determination on the part of the Chinese Communist Party to leverage every possible asset, every possible platform to gather information--personal information--from the American people been more serious than it is now. That is why last night's action by this body is so critical. prgtoken Let's talk about TikTok for a moment, the most downloaded app in the world for the last 2 and 3 years running. Back in 2020, over 100 million Americans--100 million--used TikTok, and that was over 2 years ago. Since 2022, TikTok's average monthly users--and this year, every quarter of this year--has increased by 234 percent. It is incredible growth. You can see why. It is a fun app to use. prgtoken Here is what Americans don't know because TikTok doesn't want them to know. It is that the app runs continuously in the background of your phone or device. It collects your keystrokes. It has access to your email, access to your calendars, access to the notes and clipboard functions of your computer or iPhone or tablet or device. It, of course, tracks your geolocation. It is essentially an evidence- gathering, data-gathering machine that runs on your phone. prgtoken Can you turn it off? Can you stop it from doing these things? No, you can't, not if you want to use the app. prgtoken What is the connection to Beijing? Only this: that TikTok is owned by ByteDance. Under Chinese law that company must--must--provide all data to the Chinese Communist Party that the party wants upon its request. prgtoken We know that there are Chinese Communist Party members in TikTok leadership. We know that the Chinese Communist Party has held so-called training sessions for ByteDance and TikTok prgtoken employees. We know that this data--Americans' data--is available to the Chinese Communist Party, to Beijing, because of TikTok, and it is time we did something to protect American users. prgtoken We have been warned repeatedly by our own intelligence Agencies that TikTok is a security threat. Heck, the Director of the FBI has testified under oath that TikTok poses major security risks. That is why the Pentagon, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, TSA, the Navy, the Army, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the Marine Corps have already banned the use of TikTok on Government devices. The only sensible next step is for this Congress to act to make that ban across the board for all Federal devices. prgtoken Now TikTok has tried to get in on the act. They issued a statement this morning admitting
JAMES M. INHOFE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Resumed
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2022-12-15

certainly the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and I agree on so many goals when it comes to American energy. We both believe in American energy independence. We believe in affordable clean energy. We agree that we want to leave this world cleaner, healthier, and safer than we found it. But unfortunately I oppose his amendment and ask my colleagues to oppose it as well. prgtoken I am afraid this amendment will do more harm than good. It will give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission--FERC, as it is known--the power to socialize the cost of new high-voltage transmission lines. That is right--a huge shift of power will go from the States to the Federal Government. prgtoken Unelected bureaucrats would have the authority to make electric customers in mostly red States pay to deliver expensive and intermittent energy that fits the green energy dreams of blue States and in many cases causes rural America to pay for urban America's electricity. It would even give Federal regulators the authority to make residents of inland States pay for transmission lines that connect offshore wind farms to coastal States, such as California, New Jersey, and New York. It would allow these same regulators to make our residents pay for these transmission lines even if power on those lines would not serve them. prgtoken While this transportation of wind and solar electricity fits their social agenda, let me remind everyone that the prgtoken cost of transporting this electricity is approximately 10 times more than transporting enough clean natural gas to produce an equivalent amount of electricity. We need not only clean energy, we need affordable energy. prgtoken This is why attorneys general from across the Nation and the nonpartisan National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners strongly oppose this amendment. These expert public officials pleaded with us not to go down this road in September. They remain opposed to Senator Manchin's latest draft. prgtoken In a December 12, 2022, letter, the attorneys general state that they ``write to again express strong opposition to the renewed attempt to make sweeping changes to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's authority.'' They go on to say that the Manchin amendment ``guts states' traditional authority over energy and land use policies.'' prgtoken Let me say that again. They go on to say that the Manchin amendment ``guts states' traditional authority over energy and land use policies.'' prgtoken They tell us that the amendment does little, if anything, to address the concerns they raised in September. In their December letter, the public utility commissioners say Senator Manchin's legislation ``eliminates the last vestiges of states' electric transmission sitting jurisdiction.'' This is simply bad policy. prgtoken Another issue is the damage the amendment would do to the efforts to develop hydrogen as an energy source. It woul
CRISIS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-12-15

just a few minutes ago on this floor, we were admonished for not wrapping up our budget in time. That is a fair thing. We are supposed to take care of our budget. prgtoken Another thing we are not taking care of, and the American public ought to be appalled until we do, is the new news on the border. I talked to a prior expert down there and got even more terrifying information. prgtoken Now, first of all, in November, we had 73,000 what they call got- aways, people not even touched by the Border Patrol, breaking the previous all-time high by 24 percent in one month. prgtoken Isn't that something we ought to come back next week to take care of? prgtoken Not only that. I had suspected this, but apparently the Border Patrol is concerned about where the unaccompanied minors are winding up. These are minors who come here without their parents. All they have is an address. We don't confirm--or they believe we don't confirm--that parents or aunts or uncles or somebody is at that address or if they show up at a house and maybe there are 10 single males in the house, a young woman--we don't even know. prgtoken It is time this place began to do some committee hearings on where the unaccompanied children, who should be spun back around to their home country, wind up.
PUERTO RICO STATUS ACT
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , we have heard a lot about self- determination today, but let's put that to the smell test. prgtoken The options that the are presenting to the Puerto Rican people don't include the most obvious choice, to remain as a commonwealth. So if you prefer the status quo, you are completely out of luck. The have already decided you are not allowed to vote for that. That is not self-determination. That is rigging an election. prgtoken Now, if none of the three options the have chosen for you gets 50 percent, then there is a runoff, even if the option dropped was the clear second choice of voters. And a narrow, transient majority seems to be most likely, since the November 2020 plebiscite scored just 52.5 percent in favor of statehood, 47.5 percent opposed, with just 53 percent turning out to vote. Completely ignored is the right of all the American people to discuss and decide so momentous and irreversible a question as this. prgtoken Statehood would mean that in the next reapportionment, other States will lose a total of four seats in the House of Representatives in order to accommodate the Puerto Rican delegation. prgtoken Only about 20 percent of the population is fluent in English, which means that we would be admitting a State whose vast majority is isolated from the national political debate that is central to our democracy. prgtoken Nor will statehood solve Puerto Rico's economic problems. Residents would now have to pay all Federal income taxes from which they are currently exempt. The GAO estimates that would cost Puerto Rico 70 percent of its existing manufacturing base. There is not even a CBO estimate of the cost to American taxpayers of admitting a chronically mismanaged and utterly bankrupt State government. prgtoken The economy of Puerto Rico is expected to underperform the national economy, which is itself a disaster. For American taxpayers, it would mean a new State that has the lowest per capita income in the country and the largest per capita debt. Its labor participation rate is 40 percent, compared to 62 percent nationally. Forty-three percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Its academic performance would be the worst in the Nation. prgtoken So how does it benefit America to admit a State that would be the most indebted, uneducated, poorest, and least employed State in the Nation? prgtoken We don't get to consider that question, because under this bill, Congress gets no further say in the matter once Puerto Rico has voted. That makes it a blanket abrogation of the responsibility of Congress to make these decisions in the best interest of all of the people of the United States. prgtoken Whichever of the three options is chosen would be automatically enacted without any further debate or decision by Congress. It hands the constitutional authority reserved for the welfare of the entire Nation to the hands of what would be a narrow and transient majorit
RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF DAVID KANE
Joseph Sempolinski (Republican, NY) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and service of my constituent, David Kane. prgtoken Dave, who has lived a distinguished life, will be 93 in March 2023. prgtoken During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Military's 3rd Right Aviation Section on the 38th Parallel. prgtoken Dave continued his public service as a corrections officer in Dannemora, New York, and worked on the levees around Elmira, New York. prgtoken Dave is a loving husband to his wife, Beverly, and father to his daughter, Peggy. He is an outstanding citizen of New York's 23rd Congressional District and is worthy of praise.
Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis (Executive Session)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2022-12-15

it is another time for me to be back on this floor again to talk about an issue I have talked about before, but it is a little bit different this time. prgtoken I have brought to this floor several times and have asked for unanimous consent for a very, very simple bill called the Conscience Protection Act. The Conscience Protection Act is a bill that would protect religious liberty and freedom and conscience benefits for healthcare workers across the country. It is really not that controversial. In fact, let me show you how noncontroversial this really is. prgtoken When the church amendments, years ago--decades ago, even--were put in by Congress to be able to protect the conscience rights of individuals and entities that object to performing or assisting an abortion or a sterilization in violation of their religious belief and conscience, that passed this body 92 to 1. So 92 to 1, this body voted and said: Of course, we want to protect the rights of individuals and not have to be compelled to perform an abortion if it is against their moral faith. That seems normal. In a normal conversation everywhere else, that would be straightforward and simple--until now. prgtoken Here is what is happening now: A nurse who had told her employer that she did not want to perform an abortion, that she had a moral objection to that, worked in this hospital. One day, the hospital was running short on staff, and so they called her in, didn't tell her what the procedure was, and when she walks into the surgery area, the doctor looks at her and says: Don't hate me--meaning, we know full well what your belief is--but we are short-staffed, and we need another nurse; you are going to do this. The hospital informed her: You will lose your job if you don't do this right now, when everyone knew what her moral conviction was. prgtoken Now, the way that the law is set up, it is set up to say, for that person who had an entity deliberately violate her moral conscience, then the government steps in and presses against the employer and says: You can't do that. That is the way it is supposed to work. In fact, that is the way it was working until Xavier Becerra came in to HHS, looked at the case, and dropped it and said: You get no recourse-- because the administration is pro-abortion. It doesn't matter what your belief is; it is what the administration's belief is. prgtoken So the response to that is pretty straightforward: Allow an individual who has been harmed to have what is called a private right of action; that they don't have to wait for government to intervene on their behalf to have a private right of action so that an individual, if government doesn't intervene on their behalf, they can intervene. prgtoken I have brought that to this floor several times, and I have been told: That is controversial. That is divisive. Then this week, President signed the Respect for Marriage Act on the White House lawn with a spec