mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Food and Drug Administration (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-1-10

having experienced legislative efforts of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it would be a surprise to many people to learn that many Members come to the floor to address issues of personal importance to them, something that happened in their lives that motivates them to take up an issue, introduce a bill, try to create a new law. prgtoken That happened to me in the House of Representatives many, many years ago when I first confronted the tobacco issue. I lost my father to lung cancer when I was 14 years old, and it was a profound experience, as you might guess, in my life. prgtoken And I remembered what he went through in the last 100 days of his life, fighting lung cancer and, eventually, succumbing to it. prgtoken And so I took on the tobacco issue in the House of Representatives on a personal basis as well as a public basis, trying to reduce the power which the Big Tobacco lobby had in the House of Representatives. And when I arrived there in 1982, they were the most powerful lobby in Washington. prgtoken We were warned as new Members of Congress on both sides--ic and --don't touch the tobacco issue. It is an issue that is very important for us to maintain our majority, and you shouldn't bring it up. prgtoken Well, I ignored that advice and introduced several ideas on reducing the power of the tobacco lobby on Capitol Hill. The one issue that I pursued with success had a profound impact on this country--much more than I ever imagined. I introduced the first bill, successful bill, in the House of Representatives to ban smoking on airplanes. prgtoken It seems so obvious today that it would be a fiction to suggest that there is a smoking and nonsmoking section prgtoken on an airplane. We know that those people who were smoking were generating secondhand smoke, which was dangerous as well. prgtoken Well, with an amazing bipartisan majority, we passed my bill to ban smoking on airplanes. It was taken up by Senator Frank Lautenberg here in the U.S. Senate successfully, signed into law, and the rest is history, as they say. prgtoken What we did not anticipate was that this law, in and of itself, was going to be a tipping point. People thought and said: Wait a minute, if secondhand smoke is dangerous in an airplane, why wouldn't it be dangerous in a bus? on a train? in an office? in a hospital? in a place of work? in a restaurant? And the next thing you know, we saw a dramatic change over the years in the attitude towards smoking. prgtoken New Members of Congress historically, before that was passed, would head to the stationery shop as soon as they were elected to buy an ashtray to put on the coffee table in their office for those visitors who wanted to smoke while they were meeting with the Senators and Congressmen. That is unthinkable today. I am not even sure they sell the ashtrays anymore. They used to be embossed with a big Congressional seal. prgtoken Things started
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. JOE SOBOTA
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-1-10

I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Joe Sobota. Over the course of his career, Joe spent over 40 years in public service primarily advocating for the best interests of American small businesses. Joe worked under four different chairs of the House Small Business Committee from 1978 to 1998. While working on the committee, he gained a reputation for his consummate professionalism and exhaustive knowledge of Small Business Administration programs. Joe had a wide range of responsibilities, including SBA oversight and budget activities, acting as liaison between the agency's authorizing and appropriations chairs, and serving as the committee's expert on disaster assistance issues. As the top on the committee for over two decades, I know just how vital the work of staffers like Joe is and recognize his positive impact on American entrepreneurs during his time in the House. prgtoken After leaving Congress, Joe joined the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy in March 1998. At Advocacy, his primary responsibility was addressing the issues facing millions of veteran entrepreneurs nationwide. He has a great deal of reverence for veterans who continued to serve their communities by starting a small business, and it showed in his work. Much of Joe's tenure at Advocacy was dedicated to overseeing the implementation of the landmark Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999. His work to help achieve the goals of this vital legislation helped provide much needed counseling and training to millions of veteran small business owners across the country. prgtoken Colleagues in government will remember Joe as a dedicated public servant whose work on behalf of small businesses helped support the dreams of countless American entrepreneurs. His impact and commitment to small businesses will not be soon forgotten. My thoughts are with his family and all who were fortunate enough to know him. May he rest in peace.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-1-10

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
Nomination of S. Kato Crews (Executive Session)
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2024-1-10

I am delighted the Presiding Officer is in the Chair for this conversation about Judge Kato Crews. prgtoken Today, I rise in strong support of President 's nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Judge Kato Crews. prgtoken Judge Crews is a true son of Colorado. He was born in Pueblo, in the high desert, in the southern part of our State. His family didn't have a lot while he was growing up, but his parents worked hard and always put their kids first. prgtoken Since he was in middle school, Judge Crews knew he wanted to become a lawyer. His dad was a solo practitioner in Pueblo, and although Judge Crews didn't really know what his father did for work, he knew that he was helping people and that he had the respect of the community. prgtoken Judge Crews attended public high school in Rye, CO, which is a small town in the San Isabel foothills, where he was the only African- American male in his entire school. He earned a B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado and then a J.D. from the University of Arizona, where he served on the law review, where he made the dean's list, and offered pro bono services to survivors of domestic violence. prgtoken After law school, Judge Crews returned to Colorado to serve as an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, where he investigated and prosecuted charges of unfair labor practices. prgtoken He spent the next 17 years after that in private practice--first at a large firm in Denver, where he made partner, and later at a smaller firm that he founded with colleagues. In private practice, Judge Crews focused on civil litigation and employment law, representing both workers and employers. He tried approximately 18 cases before Federal courts, State courts, and administrative agencies, serving as chief or sole counsel in jury trials, bench trials, and administrative proceedings. prgtoken For the last 5 years, he has served as a magistrate judge for the Federal District of Colorado. In this role, he has performed most tasks expected of a district court judge on the Federal bench, from handling evidentiary proceedings to all matters before, during, and after trial. prgtoken During his time on the bench, Judge Crews saw how pro se litigants often struggled to advocate for themselves. He also saw younger lawyers who were eager for courtroom experience. So he founded a program to connect the two, giving young lawyers in Colorado, for the first time, valuable time in court and pro se litigants free help to navigate certain proceedings that these young lawyers were capable of handling. prgtoken That is just one example of Judge Crews going the extra mile and of his commitment to making the legal system more accessible--a lifelong commitment to making the legal system more accessible to litigants, to future lawyers, and to the community it serves, most importantly. prgtoken As Colorado's first African-American magistrate, Judge Crews spends
PROTECT AND ENHANCE SOCIAL SECURITY
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2024-1-10

I rise today with my brothers and sisters on behalf of more than 124,000 of my constituents in north Jersey in the Ninth District who rely on Social Security each and every month. They rely on it. prgtoken To some, as in the entire country, that is their only means of income, of survival. That is how Social Security was established in the 1930s and implemented a few years later. prgtoken Social Security is one of America's greatest success stories. I remember the first time I ran for Congress in 1996. I walked into a room prepared to deal with housing codes and public housing, but the only questions folks asked me: ``Where do you stand on Social Security?'' ``Do you want to privatize Social Security?'' prgtoken Social Security is a success story. After nearly 90 years, it still stands as a monument to decency and dignity and the birthright of hardworking Americans, yet throughout its storied history, Mr. Larson, it has been under attack. Even in 1935, it was the subject of attacks and lies from day one. prgtoken The Study Committee, which represents three-quarters of House s, proposed slashing Social Security benefits by $718 billion. The GOP leadership wants to create a so-called fiscal commission in our government funding bill. That is a wolf in sheep's clothing. prgtoken I am proud to join my friend and colleague, Congressman John Larson, in a letter opposing this cynical ploy to slash Social Security and Medicare. prgtoken Without aggressive action, Social Security lurches toward insolvency. Congress has a sacred responsibility to fight for its future. The same question asked 26 years ago is asked of me today. That is why I am standing with Mr. Larson on his Social Security 2100 Act, to ensure the long-term strength and solvency of Social Security. prgtoken The Social Security 2100 Act provides paid-for benefit enhancements while not raising taxes on middle-class families. It is a no-brainer. prgtoken Our bill ends the painful 5-month disability waiting period. Who can justify that in this day and age? prgtoken It would ensure Americans suffering with permanent disorders like Huntington's disease get the help they need without red tape or delay. prgtoken The bill eliminates the windfall elimination provisions so that firefighters, police officers, teachers, and others get the full benefits that they have earned. prgtoken With the Social Security 2100 Act, we are fighting for our seniors who have worked their entire lives and rely on Social Security to make ends meet. We are fighting for working families so that no one who pays into the system over a lifetime ever retires in poverty. prgtoken We must get this done for the American people, . There are no excuses.
Nomination of S. Kato Crews (Executive Session)
John W. Hickenlooper (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2024-1-10

today, the Senate will consider President 's nominee, Judge Kato Crews, for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, as our senior Senator so ably represented. prgtoken I am not a lawyer, so I bring a slightly different perspective, but I do recognize the experience and sensibilities that Senator Bennet brings to this. I would argue that there is no one else in the Senate who has spent as much time really looking at our legal system and examining it from a variety of different perspectives and who really understands what it means to serve on our Federal courts. prgtoken Judge Crews came before us and comes before this body with broad and well-earned bipartisan support thanks to a career dedicated to the people of Colorado. His experience, his intellect, and his integrity set him apart. They make him an ideal candidate for the Federal judiciary and will make him a judge for all of Colorado. prgtoken As Senator Bennet mentioned, he comes from a part of Colorado, Pueblo, in the south-central part of the State, which sometimes has been neglected in these types of appointments. Judge Crews will bring that valuable experience from southern Colorado, but he also understands the whole State. prgtoken In addition to the more than 20 years of legal experience that he brings to the bench, Judge Crews has also served as a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado since 2018-- the same court to which he has been nominated. prgtoken As Senator Bennet mentioned, he also has a tremendous commitment to pro bono work. He founded the Federal Limited Appearance Program, which is a volunteer program that provides people with free representation when they first engage with our legal system. For many people, this can be an unknown and scary time for them--really, for any citizen. This program lends a helping hand and helps people deal with that anxiety. prgtoken Judge Crews's experience in community service has earned him enthusiastic support from members of the Colorado legal community up and down the list--former colleagues, labor leaders, elected officials. In supporting his nomination, a group of attorneys who has appeared as opposing counsel in Judge Crews's courtroom wrote: Not one of us questions Magistrate Judge Crews's intellect, integrity, respect for the law, and the profession we share. prgtoken They then added: He has embodied what all hope to see in a judicial officer--fairness and impartiality. prgtoken I could not agree more. prgtoken Kato has my full and wholehearted support. He is exactly the type of person who needs to be on the bench, who needs to join the court. prgtoken In May, the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Judge Crews's nomination to the floor, and now I want to wholeheartedly encourage all of my colleagues in the Senate to support his confirmation. prgtoken This is a proud day for Colorado. Colorado should b
PROTECT AND ENHANCE SOCIAL SECURITY
Norma J. Torres (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-1-10

I thank Representative Larson for bringing us together. prgtoken Extremist s are once again pushing to end Social Security as we know it, a critical program that supports 67 million people nationwide, 93,000 of them in my district. prgtoken Make no mistake, cutting Social Security will not help the average American, but instead, it will line the pockets of wealthy corporations while seniors and children suffer. prgtoken Americans work and pay their entire lives to access Social Security. It is their lifeline. Every single day, , I hear from Inland Empire residents asking to protect and expand Social Security. prgtoken Just in 2022, when we gave an 8.7 percent COLA increase--which was, by the way, the largest increase since the Reagan era--my constituents were delighted to have this increase. prgtoken This is what we must focus on, increasing benefits for the poor citizens that have paid into this program. They are not asking for a handout. They are asking for a program to be reaffirmed, and that is why I support the Social Security 2100 Act.
OFAC LICENSURE FOR INVESTIGATORS ACT
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2024-1-10

. Madam , I say to the gentleman that I would. I think that is a very fair question to ask. Let me just assure you that it is also my intent, as the sponsor of this bill, that the term ``nominal'' in this context should not be interpreted to be more than the $10 as you referenced, and I certainly understand why that concern came up. As you know, this bill is intended to enhance our efforts to stop terrorist financing. The kind of investigation that this bill is trying to allow for doesn't need more than a few dollars--or nominal, not to exceed $10--to be effective. We have seen this before, so I am very comfortable assuring you that we would define it as $10 or less. prgtoken I thank the gentleman for clarifying this. I, too, want to put on the record that it would be defined as the $10 mark, and I certainly thank the gentleman for his support on this legislation.
Government Funding (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-1-10

as Congress approaches the January 19 funding deadline--less than 10 days away--both parties in both Chambers must work together quickly to ensure we avoid a government shutdown. prgtoken Congressional leaders agree that a shutdown would be a terrible way to start the year. Johnson and I are on the same page on that. A shutdown will hurt the economy, halt a lot of work of Congress and government, and endanger services that millions of Americans rely on. prgtoken If reasonable Members on both sides continue working together, we can ensure a shutdown is avoided. We took a big step last Sunday towards our goal when Johnson and I announced funding level top lines, and appropriators right now are hard at work drafting the 12 appropriations bills. It is good news that all four of the appropriators, the four corners, want to do this--Senator Murray, Senator Collins, and Congressmembers Granger and DeLauro. I am hopeful that if we stay the course, we can avoid a shutdown even with the tight deadline. prgtoken Now I want to return to a point I made yesterday about some of my colleagues in the House. As everyone knows, this is a period of divided government. Like it or not, it means that compromise is a necessity, and nobody is going to get everything they want in any negotiation. And, of course, the President is a , and the Senate has a ic majority. Anyone who wants to get anything done knows that there has to be a compromise between the ic President, the ic majority in the Senate, and the majority in the House--of course taking into account our colleagues in the Senate and ic colleagues in the House. prgtoken But right now, there are 30 or so hard-right s in the House who labor under the illusion that they can bully everyone else into submission to get their narrow, hard-right agenda enacted into law. That is what they are trying to do in the appropriations process. There is only one word to describe the hard right's tactics: Bullying. Bullying. They want to bully their own conference, bully the , bully the Congress, and bully the country into accepting their extremist views. prgtoken It is easy to see why the hard right spends so much time trying to bully the rest of Congress: They have little leverage otherwise because their views are wildly out of the mainstream. These 30 or so chaos agents do not represent the views of most Americans. They don't even represent the views of a great number of s. They are MAGA radicals, extremists whose benchmark for success is paralysis, gridlock, chaos. They think a shutdown will help their party and help the country, but virtually no one else agrees. They are on an island. prgtoken But here is the thing: This kind of bullying almost never works. The hard right's bullying didn't work when we avoided default, it didn't work when we avoided shutdowns last year, and it is n
SOCIAL SECURITY: A PROMISE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-1-10

much has been said about the challenges we face at the border and immigration in America. We must fix this broken immigration system. We had an opportunity in 2013, and s and must come together to protect our border, to protect it from human trafficking and from the movement of illicit drugs. prgtoken With commonsense action, I believe we can come together to do this. I will continue to work with my colleagues so that we can fix our broken immigration system and secure our border. That is what needs to be done.
IN SUPPORT OF SOCIAL SECURITY
Seth Magaziner (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2024-1-10

I rise in support of the Social Security 2100 bill, and I thank Representative Larson for introducing it. prgtoken Social Security is a promise. It is a promise that if you work hard and do the right thing and pay into the system during your career, you will be able to retire with dignity in this country. prgtoken Unfortunately, too many of my colleagues are obsessed with trying to cut and undermine this vital program. They say there is not enough money in the trust fund, while many of them voted for $10 trillion of tax cuts that went primarily to the wealthy and to the biggest corporations just a few years ago. They could find $10 trillion for tax cuts for the people at the top, but then they claim they can't find any money to shore up the Social Security system. prgtoken Here is the truth: We can increase cost-of-living adjustments, increase benefits of Social Security, and extend the life of the trust fund indefinitely by just asking the people at the very top to pay their fair share. That is what this bill does. It asks the Elon Musks and Jeff Bezoses of the world to pay a fair share into the trust fund so that working people can retire in dignity.
HONORING THE LATE DR. JIMMY BELL
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2024-1-10

I rise today to honor the life and service of Dr. Jimmy Bell. prgtoken Dr. Jimmy Bell was born on January 4, 1944, in Indianola, MS, and graduated from Gentry High School in 1963. He later began his professional career at Mississippi Valley State University and later transitioned to Jackson State University. prgtoken He created the National Coalition of Community Researchers, Inc. at Jackson State University and started the Jackson State University Center for the Study of Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Intervention (CSJDPI). In addition, he was a founding member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ). prgtoken Dr. Bell was known as a professor, researcher, and music connoisseur. His love for music allowed him to educate and mentor many up-and-coming jazz and blues musicians and established his own local jazz venue, THE JAZZ GALLERY, which was housed in the basement of the now historic site of the Summers Hotel. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Dr. Jimmy Bell for his dedication to education and love for music.
A SECRET FISCAL COMMISSION
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-1-10

thank you for allowing us this opportunity. prgtoken Is it really true, ? Perhaps Mr. Larson has told me that the s intend to put together some sort of a fiscal commission specifically designed to go after Social Security, to cut the benefits, and to really jeopardize the well-being of seniors now and future seniors? Could that possibly be correct? prgtoken Apparently it is. A secret fiscal commission. There is another way of doing it. prgtoken , Mr. Larson has put together a proposal that would guarantee Social Security solvency for years to come. It would require that the super wealthy have to pay their fair share. prgtoken What is wrong with that? Nothing that I can think of. prgtoken We can also actually increase the annual COLA by going to the fair COLA bill which was introduced by--wow, my bill. Mr. Larson, you have that in your bill. Good for you. Good for the seniors. Good for the future of America. prgtoken We can do this correctly, , if Mr. Larson's bill, Social Security 2100, would actually become law.