mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-7-20

I rise to oppose this amendment, and I want to tell my colleagues why. prgtoken This amendment creates the illusion of solving our problem, while having very little political impact and likely doing more harm than good. prgtoken It is a legitimate worry to consider the amount of U.S. oil under our lands that goes and is shipped to China because in 2022, the United States did export over 83 million barrels of oil to China. That was a new record. It was a new record in part because 10 years ago, we didn't ship any oil overseas because we had a national security policy to keep U.S. oil here. But lobbying by the oil industry changed that policy, and so today, we are sending 83 million barrels of oil a year to China. prgtoken This amendment doesn't really change that because--do you want to know how much of that comes from the SPR? Less than 2 million barrels, 1 to 2 percent. So you are still going to have 80 million-plus barrels of oil from the private sector being sent to China every year. prgtoken ExxonMobil alone made $60 billion in profits last year, much of that off sales of oil to China. This amendment allows for the oil industry to keep making those billions off of selling oil to China, only stripping out sales from the SPR. That is a great deal for the oil industry, but it gets better. prgtoken When President sold oil from the SPR last year, it helped cut the cost of a gallon of gasoline by up to 30 cents. That hurt oil industry profits. So, of course, the oil industry wants policies that restrict the sale of oil from the SPR, while letting them sell oil to whomever they want, including China. prgtoken This amendment claims to solve a problem while mainly having the result of padding and protecting oil industry profits, and I would urge opposition.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. CAROL WEYLAND CONNER
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-7-20

I rise today to honor the life and lasting contributions of Dr. Carol Weyland Conner. Passing away at the age of 80, Dr. Conner leaves behind an indelible legacy of service to California and the Contra Costa community. prgtoken Dr. Conner was born in 1942, on a Pawnee American Indian Reservation in Oklahoma to 2 educators. Her family later moved to Minnesota and to Visalia, California, where she graduated as the valedictorian of her high school. This was only the start of Dr. Conner's journey in education and community service. She studied English literature at the University of California, Berkeley; French Literature at Sorbonne in Paris; medieval studies at Johns Hopkins University; and earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Catholic University. prgtoken Driven by her passion for service, Dr. Conner served her community as a Volunteer Counselor with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity and as a Clinical Psychologist assisting Walnut Creek residents for over 25 years. Dr. Conner's commitment to her community and California was also expressed through her efforts to develop new models of volunteer community service. prgtoken Dr. Conner's innovation left a lasting impact on food rescue programming. In 2013, Dr. Conner founded the White Pony Express, an organization which provides fresh, high-quality food and clothing to 90 local nonprofits. This critical nonprofit has evolved into l of the largest food rescue programs in California, delivering 18 million meals since its founding. prgtoken Dr. Conner's commitment to California was not only expressed through her leadership of the White Pony Express, but also in her founding of the Following Francis program. Through Following Francis, Dr. Conner worked to provide underserved communities with quality clothes, shoes, groceries, books, educational tools, and more. As a result of Dr. Conner's diligence and dedication, Following Francis now serves Myrtle Beach, District of Columbia, Los Angeles, and Bay Area communities. prgtoken In addition to her community leadership, Dr. Conner exemplified the spirit of altruism and prgtoken innovation in all areas of her life. Her vital work serving communities across America has helped provide the resources and services necessary to give children and families the opportunity to thrive. Dr. Conner duly received the Jefferson Award from San Francisco CBS television station KPIX, the Threads of Hope Award from Diablo Magazine, and was named a Hometown Hero by the Contra Costa Times. In 2019, the California AARP awarded Dr. Conner with the prestigious Andrus Award for Community Service, for her lifelong dedication to serving the people of California. prgtoken Dr. Conner's enduring spirit will live on in her stepchildren, grandchildren, niece, grandniece, grandnephew, and the communities she dedicated her life to serving. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Dr. Conner's loved ones. I know that they, along with the
TRIBUTE TO TRICIA ENGLE
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-7-20

yesterday was the last work day for Tricia Engle, our beloved assistant ic secretary. Tricia is leaving the Senate after 26 years of devoted service. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her and wish her well as she embarks on the next adventure in her life. prgtoken If Tricia were a Senator, she would rank ninth in Senate seniority, in-between Senator Collins and Leader Schumer. She arrived here in July 1997, shortly after graduating from South Dakota State University. She started in the Senate as a staff assistant for her home State Senator, then-ic Leader Tom Daschle. Within a few months, she went to work in the ic cloakroom and then became a floor assistant for Leaders Daschle, Reid, and Schumer before becoming assistant secretary in 2019. prgtoken The Senate, as we all know, is not the most ``family-friendly'' institution, but Tricia has managed to raise two fine boys, William and Garrison, while working here. And she managed to earn her M.A. and M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School in 2010, an extraordinary accomplishment when you consider the long hours and unpredictability of the Senate schedule. prgtoken Tricia knows Senate rules and procedure as well as anyone and has been indispensable to me and so many other Senators. Our landmark legislation such as the Affordable Care Act, COVID-19 pandemic relief, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and so many other bills have Tricia's fingerprints on them. Day after day, month after month, year after year, Tricia has been in the cloakroom, on the floor, or in the well, deftly negotiating unanimous consent agreements, figuring out how to get amendments up or cleared, and working with her counterparts to help the Senate function. Through it all--from all-night votearamas to the January 6 insurrection--Tricia has been cool, calm and collected, never losing her temper even in the most heated moments, always offering the best advice any Senator or staffer could ask for with regard to Senate procedure and precedents. She is always friendly, quick to help, and reassuring. prgtoken We Senators are the focus of public attention, but there are so many staffers like Tricia who make the Senate run. They work hard and mostly anonymously, driven by a strong sense of public service and love for our country and this institution. I have said many times that our Federal workforce, which includes congressional staff, is one of our Nation's most important--and least appreciated--assets. It consists of people like Tricia. I am grateful for her wise counsel and friendship over the years. I am also grateful to her family for allowing Tricia to be part of the Senate family for the last 26 years. She leaves us universally well-liked, respected, and accomplished--a testament to her many fine qualities. Senators and staff--s and -- will miss her,
Climate Change (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-7-20

before we begin, I would like to thank Paige Rodrigues, who first came to my office 5 years ago and has been working tirelessly over all of that time, working to protect the people of Massachusetts and the people of our country and our entire planet from the effects of climate change and environmental threats to our country and to our planet. prgtoken She is heading off to law school, and we will miss her. We will miss her brilliant work and her continual devotion to building a better world for everyone, because this world is under immediate threat. prgtoken Earlier this month, we experienced what might have been Earth's hottest day in 125,000 years. You heard that right: the hottest day in 125,000 years. And we are living through it right now. In Phoenix, AZ, the temperature has been 110 degrees or higher for nearly 3 weeks in a row. prgtoken The water off of the coast of Florida is now nearing 100 degrees. The water is boiling in our oceans off of our coastlines. prgtoken On July 15, nearly one in three Americans was living under an extreme heat alert. We are living under a heat dome right now in our Nation. prgtoken The forest fires in Canada are sending fumes down across our country. It is like an exhaust pipe from an automobile just sending these toxic fumes down across our country day after day, week after week, from Canada, from their forest fires right above us. prgtoken This year, we have experienced 17 of the hottest days ever recorded. This is nothing short of a public health crisis in our country. Extreme heat causes heat stroke, pregnancy risk, and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths every year in our country. And this extreme heat isn't a coincidence; it is the climate crisis announcing its arrival. prgtoken We did this. We did this to ourselves. Humankind's greed and negligence--America's greed and negligence--is creating a literal hell on Earth, right now. We are living through it. We took a first step last year to pass climate and clean energy legislation that will inch us closer to salvation, but it will not save us. We must take bolder action to stop the climate crisis and secure a livable future, and we also need to act with urgency to protect the people who, right now, face extreme heat risk as a result of extreme heat in our country. prgtoken We have a moral and a planetary obligation to the American people to deliver the resources communities need to combat extreme heat, especially the frontline communities where the effects of heat are worsened by unjust racial and economic divides. prgtoken We have to listen to the young people in our country. They are warning us. They are saying that they have been let down, that their generation has been left with this crisis, that not enough has been done, and that the preceding generation just enjoyed all the benefits of industrialization. And now this generation of young people who are organizing, who are lifting their voices, who a
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Ruben Gallego (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2023-7-20

yesterday I missed a vote on Amendment No. 10 to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, H.R. 3935, because of the birth of my child. Had I been present on the House Floor, I would have voted AYE. The amendment strikes Section 546, which weakens the current training requirements for people applying for airline transport certificates. The 1500 Hours of Pilot Training Time Rule is a critical piece of aviation safety for both passengers and crew. Allowing for additional simulator time in lieu of real-world, in-flight experience unnecessarily degrades air safety standards. For that reason, I oppose Section 546 and support Amendment No. 10.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2023-7-20

I rise in support of the bipartisan amendment sponsored by my friends and colleagues, Senators Cruz, Fetterman, Ernst, and myself. prgtoken Let me just say about this--this is something that we own. The people of America own the SPR. It is ours. We don't own the oil from the private sector, unless we want to nationalize everything. I don't think we do. prgtoken With that being said, I appreciate my good friend and colleague from Connecticut, and I am happy to work on all of the things that we are talking about here. prgtoken What we have in front of us right now is the ability to finally say that the strategic oil reserves that the people of the United States own will not be compromised, especially by people who don't have our same values and would use it against us. We have seen the horrible effects of the Ukraine war when Putin basically weaponized energy. He weaponized oil. We can't allow that to happen. prgtoken Here is the other thing about it: Following Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the United States ramped up production and exports to help meet global demand that had been devastating to the world. China, on the other hand, stockpiled oil and held back refinery production. While China was stockpiling, one of its state-owned companies purchased over 1.4 million barrels from the United States of America, the people of our great country, from our own stock reserves. That is what we are trying to stop. prgtoken I am happy to work on all the other things. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We have something in front of us right now that can stop this outrageous, basically raiding of our own stock supplies. prgtoken So I really, really urge the adoption of this amendment. prgtoken I will tell you this: This amendment has tremendous and bipartisan support in Congress. We have over 20 bipartisan Senators who support us. In the House, it passed unanimously--unanimously-- and s. So please don't mess up our bipartisan record right now. Please vote to support this amendment. Vote on Amendment No. 926
OUR NEIGHBORS JUST WANT TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-7-20

I introduced the Cumulative Impacts Act to protect frontline communities by requiring the EPA to consider cumulative impacts of pollution and deny permits unless they can demonstrate that no harm will be done to the community, especially public health. prgtoken It is ridiculous that our current permitting processes do not account for all nearby sources of pollution. prgtoken From southwest Detroit to Dearborn's South End, which is home to an extreme concentration of corporate polluters, and sits directly across the road from schools, homes, and playgrounds. Our kids are being taught that this is normal. It is not normal, . prgtoken From 48217 to Poletown and Beniteau and the east side of Detroit, our neighbors across Detroit are forced to breathe emissions from dozens of corporate polluters like Marathon Oil, U.S. Ecology, Stellantis, Cleveland Cliffs, and so much more, all of whom routinely violate their permits because it is cheaper than following the law. prgtoken Where pollution occurs is a policy choice, . It is environmental racism. prgtoken Forcing regulators to analyze the cumulative impacts of pollution and deny permits for facilities that endanger public health would be a revolutionary, transformative change for our neighbors who just want to breathe clean air.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-7-20

I am honored to follow Senator Klobuchar in advocating for the Afghan Adjustment Act, which we strongly hope and believe will be an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken I just want to begin where she finished in talking about the American troops who depended on these Afghan allies who now are at risk. prgtoken I know firsthand about the translators and guards and others who served, putting their lives on the line, because like many of my colleagues, I visited Afghanistan. I saw them at work. Now, in Connecticut, I have had the privilege of calling many of them my friends, and their families--dear friends. I also know firsthand because my son Matthew, who was a Marine Corps infantry officer in Afghanistan, had a translator whom he succeeded in bringing back to this country but only because he was a lawyer, and he knew how to navigate the intricate and challenging rules that applied. It took him 2 years--2 years--to bring back the man who helped him survive his time in combat there. prgtoken Senator Klobuchar is absolutely right. It is a promise. Great nations keep their promises. These individuals are among our most loyal friends. The test is that they put targets on their backs from the Taliban. They knew they and their families would be at risk if the Taliban ever took over. Now the Taliban has done it, and they cannot return nor can their families. prgtoken So I want to thank all of my colleagues--the bipartisan group--who strongly support this amendment; but I also want to thank our veterans who literally camped out in the swamp, outside the Capitol, for days, weeks, hoping at the end of the last session that we would adopt this measure. Our veterans are standing strong behind our allies--Afghan allies--who they know put their lives on the line for them, who they know put their families at risk for them. prgtoken I am grateful to our veterans' groups, the USOs, the kinds of allies that we have individually and all around the country, who have said they are going to make it a priority to make sure we treat fairly these Afghan allies. prgtoken We should give them permanent status--a path to permanent status--in this country rather than the temporary, uncertain status that they have right now. prgtoken .
CONGRATULATING JAYLA ATKINSON
Emilia Strong Sykes (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-7-20

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Jayla Atkinson, a junior from Stow-Munroe Falls City High School as the champion of the week for Ohio's 13th Congressional District. prgtoken Jayla recently won the Division I State title in the 800-meter race with a winning time of 2 minutes 10.74 seconds. prgtoken Jayla's win highlights the importance of perseverance and the will to win because last year, Jayla finished second in the 800-meter State meet, but she did not quit. prgtoken After a year of training, hard work, and dedication, Jayla came back stronger than ever, bringing the Division I State title back to Ohio's 13th District. prgtoken Jayla is truly an exceptional athlete, and her achievements made her family, teammates, coaches, and community proud. prgtoken Madam , once again, I congratulate Jayla Atkinson on her Division I State title and wish her the best of luck in her future competitions. I thank her for making the birthplace of champions proud.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-7-20

first, I want to thank Senator Blumenthal for his comments. prgtoken I thank Senator Klobuchar, who has been dogged on this issue of Afghan refugees, and I thank her for her leadership on this. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Lee, who is allowing me to take a moment in the middle of a very important issue that we are still discussing today. I thank him for his courtesy in allowing me to take a moment of personal privilege to speak about someone who has been with me for a long time but who is moving on to other opportunities; and I appreciate his family and friends in the Galleries who want to have an opportunity to salute him. Tribute to Matthew Williams prgtoken , I have a phenomenal member of my staff who has been a critical part of my team for a long time, Matthew Williams. We are excited for his new opportunities, but we are still not sure we are going to let him go because he has been so incredibly important to my success over a lot of years. prgtoken All the way back to 2006, as a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, he joined my Senate campaign as a press assistant. Matthew Williams did such a great job that I hired him as a staff assistant in my East Lansing office. Over the next 17 years, Matt took on so many different roles and did each one of them so successfully--from press assistant to press secretary to my regional manager in Detroit to deputy communications director to now my staff director of the Senate ic Policy and Communications Committee. He is the best communications director on Capitol Hill, for sure. He has been a part of my team for so long that the last time, I think, Matt quit a job was when he was in college--at Joe's Crab Shack. prgtoken His time with me has taken him from Michigan to DC, back to Michigan, and now back to DC. Along the way, he married Amber, his wonderful wife, and they have since added two wonderful boys to their family, Max and Ben. I think Max is with us today. When Matt is not in the office, there is a pretty good chance he is at a school event or at a Little League game. prgtoken Over the years, he has spoken with a lot of reporters, has planned a lot of press conferences, has taken a lot of my calls, and has never passed up the opportunity to remind me which Michigan university he thinks is better. He is wrong, of course. I think the Presiding Officer actually would agree with Matt on this, but he is wrong. Yet he has been right on so many things over the years that I have been able to overlook his love for all things Wolverine. prgtoken One of the first things you will notice about Matt is his positivity, his good-natured smile, and his wonderful sense of humor. It is partly what makes him such a great leader. He is also a great team player who is unfailingly levelheaded and reasonable. It takes a lot to get Matt Williams flustered. He is also incredibly knowledgeable about our State and t