mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Border Security (Executive Session)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-11-6

there has been a lot of conversation about this body--quite frankly, around the Nation--about border security. Rightfully so. It has been top of mind for a lot of cities, States, for a lot of families, school districts, businesses, especially along the border States as they have had a disproportionately large number of people who have come, many of them from all over the world, many of them non-Spanish speakers, not from Central America and South America but literally from everywhere. prgtoken The Wall Street Journal had a piece just this weekend where it detailed how hundreds of thousands of migrants from all over the world are making their way to the southwest border which is causing a surge in apprehensions, but it is especially people from Asia and Africa. prgtoken Human smuggling networks, it says, are widening their reach around the globe. Arrests at the Southwest border of migrants from China, India and other distant countries, including Mauritania and Senegal, tripled to 214,000 during the fiscal year that ended in September. prgtoken That was up from 70,000 just the year before. That is tripling that number. prgtoken What is happening is on our southern border, the cartels are finding it more profitable to be able to move people in from farther. So they are organizing flights for people to go through seven or eight countries to be able to then arrive in Mexico, and they are moving them through in what they affectionately call ``donkey flights'' to be able to reach farther for the cartels to be able to make more and to exploit our laws. prgtoken America has always been open to people and immigration. We are a nation of legal immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. And what we are finding at this stage is those laws are being exploited and being exploited dramatically. Let me give you just an example. There has been no change in the asylum law since 2010, but, in 2010, we had 21,000 people request asylum on our southern border for the year-- 21,000 the entire year of 2010. That wasn't an anomaly. That was about a normal amount of people requesting asylum on our southwest border. Now, we have that many requests of asylum on our southwest border every 3 days. So it has gone from 21,000 in a year to now every 3 days. prgtoken Everyone knows this is an issue. Last week, Secretary Mayorkas was in front of the Homeland Security Committee, and I asked him about this in a public hearing. I asked him whether there were policy changes that were needed. prgtoken His answer was very direct. He said: Yes, policy changes are needed. prgtoken I asked him specifically on reforming the asylum system, knowing that it has been exploited. His exact answer was: The asylum system needs to be reformed from top to bottom. prgtoken I asked him about the issue of withholding of removal, which now about 55 percent of the people who were released into the country were act
REMEMBERING KELLY AND NOAH ROSEBERRY
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-11-6

I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the family of Kelly M. Roseberry and Noah Ryan Roseberry, who tragically passed away on October 28, 2023. prgtoken Born and raised in a military family, Kelly touched countless lives with her bright, infectious personality and appreciation for service and sacrifice. After earning her doctorate of physical therapy, Kelly underwent training at Quantico Officers Candidate School, Landstuhl Hospital in Germany, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where she specialized in care for injured servicemembers, often providing care within 24 hours of their lifechanging injuries. prgtoken Kelly then worked for 7 years as a physical therapist and amputee specialist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Walter Reed National Medical Center. She accompanied a countless number of people through devastating injury and helped them to walk, run, and pick up their children again. Kelly devoted her life to helping those who needed it most. We need more people like Kelly. I know that her memory will live on in the colleagues she worked alongside, the patients whose lives she changed, and in people she has never met that are inspired by her selfless years of service. prgtoken Kelly leaves behind her husband Chris, and their beautiful daughter Emma Grace. Their second child Noah Ryan passed on with Kelly. prgtoken I once again offer my sincerest sympathies to the Roseberry and McGaughey families.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Ayanna Pressley (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-11-6

. Mr. Chair, I oppose this legislation for the draconian cuts and dangerous provisions included in it, but also for the critical funding priorities that were excluded. prgtoken With this appropriations bill, s callously stripped community project funding for The Pryde, an affordable LGBTQ+ senior housing development in the Massachusetts Seventh. prgtoken It would seem for my colleagues across the aisle that the word ``freedom'' is selectively applied. It does not apply to my bodily autonomy. It does not apply to intellectual freedom for women, African Americans, or our LGBTQ siblings when it comes to our books, and it does not apply to the freedom to love whom you love. prgtoken This project satisfies the committee's requirements and would meet a critical need in my district at a time when mortgages are skyrocketing and one-third of LGBTQ seniors are living in poverty, and many are forced to recloset themselves in order to age in community in their twilight years. Unconscionable. prgtoken s are choosing homophobia over housing, profits over people, cruelty over compassion. Their actions to target, attack, and dehumanize our LGBTQ siblings are nothing more than a show of contempt. prgtoken While The Pryde has a pathway for other Federal funding, this act of policy violence contributes to the physical violence that far too many LGBTQ folks experience. prgtoken As the vice chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families, I want my LGBTQ constituents and siblings in the movement to know they deserve safe and affordable housing, they deserve to be seen and loved, and I will never stop fighting for them.
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-11-6

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken This is America's subway. This is America's Metro. Millions of people from throughout this country come here and enjoy Metro's convenience while seeing the Federal Government, seeing their National Capital, and visiting all of us. That is why this is important to Congress, because it is America's subway. That is why, very frankly, Bill Lehman, many years ago, referred to it as America's subway and why the Federal Government would invest in its operations. prgtoken I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. Obviously, a lot of people from my district ride Metro and come to work for the Federal Government, and thousands of Federal employees rely on it to get to their work serving the American people. prgtoken Metro is especially crucial now when many of the Federal workers are returning to the office after the pandemic, which I heard in the Rules Committee we want them to do. I agree with that. Indeed, in just the last 2 months, Federal employee ridership has reached its highest point since the pandemic began. prgtoken This is not just a local subway. This is the subway that all of our constituents use when they come to our city, the city of our Nation. prgtoken We depend on Metro and Metro depends on us. That is why Congress pledged to invest $150 million in Metro capital improvements through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and why over the years we have invested in Metro's operations and well-being. prgtoken We need to honor that historic commitment. This amendment would break that promise. This money is--I am sure one of my colleagues or maybe all of my colleagues have told--matched many times over, as you would expect, by the local governments, all the local governments, and Washington D.C as I am sure its Representative, who does such an extraordinary job, Eleanor Holmes Norton, pointed out. prgtoken I understand the author of this amendment wants to cut spending in many, many places. This is one that he has chosen, but I think it is a bad choice. I think that every and every who invites his constituents or her constituents to come to Washington, who invites their employees to be here on time and for many hours of the day and night, to consider strongly opposing this amendment with an overwhelming vote, a bipartisan vote, because Metro has been a bipartisan effort. prgtoken I have worked on Metro since I came here with Frank Wolf. Frank Wolf was a from Virginia. We were essentially joined at the hip in fighting for Metro, not as a Metro or ic Metro, but for the Nation's Metro. prgtoken Reject this amendment. Keep our word and our investment in the subway that serves all of our citizens.
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT LOCATION ACT
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-11-6

let me first thank my colleague from Puerto Rico, as well as the chairman and the ranking member for their support, their partnership, and their leadership in helping facilitate this bill in its journey to the House floor today. I thank them all for eloquently articulating the reasons why I am such a strong supporter of this legislation and why I decided to introduce it with a broad coalition of lawmakers. prgtoken I would be remiss if I didn't also say a word of gratitude to Representative Debbie Lesko, who has been my partner on this bill, as well as Senators Baldwin, Blackburn, and Bennet who are leading the bicameral legislation in the Senate, the companion bill. prgtoken This bill, as you have heard, , is a simple bill but a profoundly important bill. It is bipartisan, and it is bicameral. prgtoken Now, by way of background, and as the chairman articulated, I was proud to work on legislation in the 116th Congress that authorized the construction of the Women's Suffrage National Monument on Federal lands here in Washington, D.C. prgtoken We secured the first outdoor statue in honor of the brave women behind the women's suffrage movement, a monument that will honor the contributions made by a diverse group of women in the fight for women's suffrage. prgtoken This bipartisan legislation passed both chambers and was signed into law. This effort, , has been locally led from the start, driven by constituents in my Congressional District back home in Colorado, and in my view, a prime example of what we can accomplish when we display and demonstrate Colorado's ingenuity and passion and put it to good work. prgtoken In the years since, the sponsors of the monument have been hard at work to determine the best location for it to be placed within Washington, D.C. prgtoken As the chairman stated, the decision was that women's history deserves to have a place on our National Mall. prgtoken Right now, as the chairman articulated, of the 40 monuments on The National Mall, there are none dedicated and committed to women's history. prgtoken This proposed placement has broad support, including from all of our Nation's living First Ladies who serve as honorary chairs of the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation. prgtoken Placing a monument, as you know, , specifically on our National Mall, does require an additional act of Congress, which is the legislation before us today. prgtoken This legislation simply allows the monument to be placed on the Reserve area of The National Mall. As the chairman articulated, it will be privately funded. It will not cost the Federal Government a dime. prgtoken I might just add on a more personal note, I, like many of my colleagues, am a father. I have a 5-year-old daughter and a 5-month-old son. prgtoken My daughter, Natalie, had her first trip to Washington, D.C when she was prgtoken just a few months old. She joined me here on the floor in January of 2019 when I was sworn into office
CLARIFYING JURISDICTION WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN BUREAU OF RECLAMATION PUMPED STORAGE DEVELOPMENT
Raúl M. Grijalva (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2023-11-6

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 1607, introduced by my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert) and co-led by Representative Greg Stanton, also from Arizona. prgtoken This bill would reserve certain lands in Arizona to the United States for use as part of the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project. The Salt River Project was first authorized in 1903 and provides water and power to over 2 million people in central Arizona today. prgtoken Under this legislation, the reserved lands will be used for development, generation, and transmission of electrical power and energy to assist the Salt River Project in expanding pumped storage hydropower facilities to meet increasing energy demands. prgtoken s from Arizona, Representatives Schweikert and Stanton for introducing and promoting this legislation. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and .
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-11-6

. Mr. Chair, can I just point out the absurdity of where we are right now? Let's have two White guys talk about racial equality and equity, but here goes. prgtoken Instead of focusing on investing in affordable housing and the safe, efficient transportation infrastructure that powers our economy, we are discussing several harmful anti-equality amendments that have no place in this bill and are frankly a distraction. prgtoken The Diversity Council and related groups that my colleague objects to include several affinity employee resource groups that provide opportunities, resources, advocacy for fairness, and peer support for HUD employees that are part of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups such as people with disabilities, women, and veterans. prgtoken We may not like the fact that those inequalities still exist, but they do. It does no one any good to hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil. The existence of these groups is not divisive. Instead, it promotes inclusion. prgtoken I don't know why some of my colleagues are so afraid of the word ``equity'' or why they would stand in the way of efforts to ensure that the needs of disabled, women, and veteran employees are met so they are all treated equally and fairly. prgtoken It is and always will be a movement toward a more perfect union. There was never anything in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence, or anything else you can go down the street and read in another building, that tells us that we will ever have this accomplished. Instead, it is easier to say it is divisive, it is not necessary, it denies truth, or it denies history. That in itself is destructive. prgtoken This amendment is unnecessary. It is divisive, offensive, and a deep distraction. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
HONORING ROBYN TEPLITZKY, MSW FOR HER INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-11-6

it is with great pleasure that I rise today to join the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven in honoring Robyn Teplitzky, MSW for her invaluable contributions to our community. Robyn has dedicated a lifetime to serving the needs of others and in doing so has left an indelible mark on our community. prgtoken Robyn has devoted countless hours to a multitude of Jewish organizations and service agencies. I, like so many who know her, have always found myself in awe of her energy, dedication and ability to devote so much of herself to the community. Robyn grew up in Hamden, Connecticut and even as a young adult exhibited a unique commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. She was an active member of Temple Beth Shalom, United Synagogue Youth, and the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. It was through this lens that she developed strong leadership skills and found her passion for social work. She spent many hours on community service projects. One particularly impactful experience was providing volunteer assistance at the Jewish Home for the Aged as the organization navigated a work stoppage. She was part of a true community endeavor to support both the residents and staff. Robyn went on to attend the University of Miami Florida where she majored in social services and Jewish studies. After earning her bachelor's degree, she went on to secure her master's degree in social work at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. prgtoken Following the completion of her studies, she returned to New Haven to begin her career. Robyn's first job was with the Jewish Community Center and her career has seen her participate in every aspect of the Greater New Haven Jewish Federation, an organization which she continues to work closely with today as the Interim Director for Women's Philanthropy. For more than a decade she served as the Director of Annual Giving and as Diversity Coordinator at Hamden Hall Country Day School and later became the Senior Director of the Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence for the Jewish Federation of America. She is also the founder of RKT Consulting Group and works with nonprofit organizations as a consultant and executive coach. She is also currently serving as the Interim Development Director for inSIGHT Through Education, a Holocaust education program in South Florida. prgtoken Robyn has a deep love for and connection to Israel and she has devoted many hours to coordinating trips to Israel on behalf of the Jewish Federation. This past spring, she was instrumental in coordinating a mission to Israel for a group of members from the New Haven and Hartford Jewish Federations. Looking back today, I am sure that those who joined the mission are grateful to have had such a meaningful experience. prgtoken Robyn and the work she has undertaken throughout her life are a reflection of her Jewish faith. Service to the community, cultivating giving in others, pr
Ukraine (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-11-6

7 weeks ago, on September 21, the U.S. Senate, on a bipartisan basis, gathered with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the Old Senate Chamber. We don't often use that Chamber. It is often used for incidents that become embedded in history, and this was one of them. It was a historic moment. prgtoken Many things were said about the courage of the Ukrainian people and the heroism of the troops fighting Russian President Vladimir Putin's unjust war, but I recall one particular plea made by President Zelenskyy--and he repeated it. So it was clear he wanted us to remember. I will stress here what he said: Without the continued financial support of the United States and NATO, we will lose this war. prgtoken He was unequivocal. prgtoken Secretary of Defense Austin told me clearly at last week's Senate Appropriations Committee hearing that he agreed with Zelenskyy. prgtoken Secretary of State Blinken added that such assistance is critical in thwarting not just Putin but aggressors around the world who are watching and gauging our sustained commitment. prgtoken I agree completely. Looking at the world today, I do not believe it is a stretch to say that freedom is currently under siege and fighting for its future. Right now, several democracies across the globe are fighting against tyrannical powers--in some cases, autocratic governments; in others, terrorist organizations--that seek to undermine the global order. But this much is clear: ic values are under siege, and the United States and our generation have a responsibility to act. prgtoken Two weeks ago, President requested $106 billion in supplemental funding for national security. This includes money to help supply Ukraine with weapons to continue its valiant fight against Russian aggression. It includes money to help Israel defend itself against Hamas, which, on October 7, perpetrated the largest attack against Jewish people than on any single day since the Holocaust. And, importantly, it also includes billions of dollars to support humanitarian needs across those conflict zones around the world, including the crisis in Gaza, because, as important as it is to support nations like Ukraine in their struggle against tyranny, it is equally as important to support innocent citizens who so often become collateral damage and bear the brunt of suffering during periods of conflict. prgtoken At the Appropriations Committee hearing last week, Secretaries Blinken and Austin underscored the necessity of this funding request. They made clear that it is critical to deliver the urgent national security priorities as laid out in the President's request. prgtoken These challenges facing the world are interrelated. So it is important that we deliver aid in one unified package that speaks to America's values abroad. prgtoken I asked Secretaries Blinken and Austin about the recent visit by the terrorist organization Hamas leadership to--believe i
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Glenn Ivey (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-11-6

. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to the Perry amendment. This amendment would cut $150 million in Federal capital funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. prgtoken The Perry amendment would undermine a successful Federal-State-local partnership which provides Metro with $150 million in Federal funding for urgent capital projects. This funding is matched 100 percent with $150 million from Metro compact members, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. The $300 million annual investment is critical to improving the safety and reliability of the system. prgtoken Continued bipartisan support for America's transit agency will ensure WMATA progress on restoring aging infrastructure and maintaining a safe and reliable system for visitors from across the United States. prgtoken This annual capital funding program was created by Congressman Tom Davis as part of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. This program has received prgtoken broad bipartisan support for more than a decade, and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reauthorized the program until 2030. prgtoken Funding for the Federal Government's FY 2024 contribution to Metro is included in this bill on the House floor this week and was in the T-HUD bill that recently passed the Senate by a vote of 82-15. prgtoken The funding enjoys such consistent and longstanding support in Congress because the Federal Government is both a stakeholder in the system and a chief beneficiary of this annual capital funding contribution. prgtoken Metro is a $40 billion asset to the national capital region and is essential to the operation of the Federal Government. More than one- third of all Metro stations are located on Federal property serving Federal facilities. prgtoken Unlike other transportation networks in the Nation, the Metro system serves a distinct vital national security role for the Federal Government, providing transportation to the Pentagon, Homeland Security, and the FBI offices. Metro transports thousands of Federal employees to work each day, and that number is increasing as Metro helps Federal agencies increase in-person work. prgtoken Metro recently saw its highest rate of Federal employee ridership since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.