mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-5-17

one final matter. Tomorrow, President will visit an electric manufacturing facility in Michigan, where a major American auto company is set to unveil its new electric-- electric--pickup truck. prgtoken Tomorrow's announcement is a significant breakthrough. Because it is one of the bestselling cars in America, the success of an electric pickup could hasten our Nation's transition to a cleaner, brighter, and stronger transportation future. prgtoken And personally, I am very happy to see the administration put a spotlight on zero-emission vehicles. This is an issue I have been working on for a very long time, and something I am passionate about. No matter how you look at the data, there is no way that America can meet our targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions without looking at how we drive. Transportation accounts for nearly one-third of America's carbon outlook. And while the transition to electric vehicles is already underway, it is progressing too slowly. prgtoken That is why almost 2 years ago I developed and introduced an ambitious new proposal to rapidly phase out gas-powered vehicles and replace them with clean cars. All told, the object of the plan--called Clean Cars for America--is that by 2040, all vehicles on the road should be clean. I am delighted that President has put this proposal in his build back America infrastructure plan. prgtoken Through a mixture of credits and investments, it would make electric vehicles affordable for all Americans, provide incentives to trade in older gas vehicles, build the necessary charging infrastructure, and, very importantly, create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs in automaking, construction, and battery manufacturing. prgtoken What distinguishes this proposal is its ability to unite the environmental movement, the labor movement, and the large automakers. prgtoken Isn't that a great thing? We used to have the environmental proposals and work and union proposals conflict--no more because we are taking each other's needs into account. This bill has already earned the support of the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the League of Conservation Voters, the UAW, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and car manufacturers like Ford and General Motors are supportive as well. prgtoken So you have the whole span. Something like this should pass with a lot of votes, I hope. And I was very proud to see President put my Clean Cars for America proposal at the heart of his American jobs plan. prgtoken In recent weeks, the virtue of such a plan has been made apparent to millions of drivers and not just for climate-saving reasons. The gasoline shortages along the eastern seaboard, though temporary, revealed, once again, that electric vehicles can be more reliable. For EVs, the price and availability of fuel does not depend on the ebb and flow of fossil fuel discovery, the volatility of i
ENDLESS FRONTIER ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Resumed
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-5-17

I come to the floor this afternoon to talk about two issues of vital importance to the United States and the world. prgtoken First, I want to say a few words about the current violence paralyzing Israel and the Palestinian territories, but then I want to spend the bulk of my remarks on the future of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. prgtoken First, here in America, our hearts are breaking for Israelis and Palestinians. prgtoken The images are just bone-chilling--rockets and interceptors streaking across the night sky, parents huddled with their children as air raid sirens ring out, tragic images of innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children, injured or killed in the blasts. prgtoken For many Americans who are turning on the news this week, it might appear that the events of the last few days erupted almost overnight. While tensions are now reaching a fevered and deadly pitch, this cataclysm has been long in the making and no party, including the United States of America, has completely clean hands. prgtoken Zero-sum politics have driven both the decision making of the Netanyahu government and Palestinian leadership, to the extent that there is such a thing as Palestinian leadership. Those decisions have led us to this crisis. prgtoken Over and over, Prime Minister Netanyahu has pushed Israeli settlements further into territory historically considered reserved for a future Palestinian State. The Israeli Government, increasingly reliant on rightwing, zero-sum political constituencies for its survival, also stepped up campaigns to remove Palestinians from areas in East Jerusalem as a means to undermine the Palestinian claim to that section of the ancient city as the capital of a future state. prgtoken The spark that lit the match of the existing conflagration was the Israeli effort to remove Palestinian families from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah and replace them with Israeli settlers. prgtoken In February, the Israeli court ordered Palestinian families in that neighborhood to vacate their homes by May 2 or they would be forcibly removed. Protests began, spread to other cities in Israel with large Arab populations, while the Palestinian families awaited a final ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court. prgtoken As these protests spread and grew in size, Israeli police adopted some tactics that we have seen on display here in the United States--an overly securitized approach that only escalated rather than defused the tension. Those crackdowns led to more protests and more clashes and a cycle that continued and continued. prgtoken Then Israeli security forces stormed Islam's third holiest site in Jerusalem during Ramadan prayers. Now, the Israelis contend that they were responding to a rock thrown from Palestinians inside. The Palestinians argue it was the other way around. But whatever happened, at the end of that night, more than 330 Palestin
EL SALVADOR
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2021-5-17

I want to call attention to recent events in El Salvador which have caused international concern, including in the U.S. Congress. prgtoken I was a Senator in the 1980s, when social injustices and authoritarian regimes in El Salvador led to a brutal civil war that lasted 12 years. I traveled there during that period when the United States was supporting the Salvador Armed Forces, despite their history of corruption and collusion with death squads that carried out political assassinations with impunity. prgtoken Finally, in 1992, after tens of thousands of lives lost and atrocities including the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and six Jesuit priests and their housekeeper and her daughter by the Salvadoran Army, the two sides signed the Peace Accords that ended the war. Those Accords failed to solve the country's historical problems, and the leaders of the Arena and FMLN parties failed to put implementation of the Accords above their own corrupt, political ambitions, for which they ultimately lost the support of the Salvadoran people. But the Accords did establish the foundation for democracy, including a clear separation of powers with checks and balances as well as a limited constitutional role for the armed forces and the newly formed civilian police to avoid ever again being used for political purposes or repression. prgtoken I mention this history and the price in human suffering that was paid for the chance to build a peaceful, democratic society in El Salvador, at a time when key elements of the Peace Accords are under assault from within the government itself and President Nayib Bukele. prgtoken In February 2020, in a show of force designed to intimidate the Salvadoran Congress, which at that time his party did not control, President Bukele, accompanied by heavily armed soldiers, occupied the legislative chamber to demand passage of a law to pay for new equipment. Fifteen months later, after winning a supermajority in the Congress, he turned his attention to the judicial branch. prgtoken Under the Peace Accords, the Office of the Attorney General, formerly an appendage of the Executive that was used for repression and persecution of political opponents, became an independent institution, acting as a fourth branch of government and appointed by a majority of Congress to a 3-year term. Since the Congress is also elected for 3- year terms, every Congress gets to appoint an Attorney General. The President has no say in the matter. prgtoken The Attorney General can be removed by a majority of Congress for just cause and in accordance with due process. Attorney General Raul Melara's term was to end on January 6, 2022, just 7 months from now, and the newly elected Congress could have selected someone to replace him after prgtoken that date. However, on May 1, President Bukele's supermajority in Congress summarily removed Mr. Melara without cause and appointed a political loyalist as Melara
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-5-17

today it is my pleasure to honor William ``Bill'' Allen, Jr local business leader, community activist, author, and friend, for his tremendous contributions to Delaware and the growth and success of our communities. prgtoken If you have ever met Bill Allen, you will know he has a wonderful smile that will grab your attention when you walk in the room and will get you smiling as well. Bill is also serious about continuing to make important strides in inspiring and bettering our State. Throughout his extensive career in the collections solutions industry, Bill was often the first or most senior African American in his organizations. Bill consistently reached new levels and set important precedents, led change, and inspired young African Americans. The knowledge and experience Bill gained throughout his career in the collections solutions industry led him to start his own company, ALW Sourcing LLC, a collections and customer contact solutions business that he leads with a wealth of knowledge, entrepreneurship, and industry experience. prgtoken In 2000, Bill and his wife, Dr. Kim Allen, founded A Friend of the Family, Inc AFOF, a Delaware-based incubator for alternative learning programs. AFOF provides students with learning differences and behavioral challenges the tools and lessons necessary to overcome personal, environmental, and socioeconomic challenges. Under their leadership, the organization strengthens and empowers our community. The success of AFOF led Bill to be featured in Business Week, the Baltimore Business Journal, and JET Magazine. prgtoken He and Dr. Allen also teamed up to coauthor a book, ``It Flows Through Us,'' which describes how working hard and giving back can generate success and happiness. When writing the book, Bill focused on making it accessible to all people so that it could be used in the minority- and women-owned business enterprise revolution. He also participates in this revolution through the multiple seminars he conducts yearly to increase individuals' understanding of business, diversity, leadership, motivation, and success. Bill's knowledge initiatives empower and inspire people to make positive changes that will improve lives across communities. prgtoken Bill served as the board chair of the African American Empowerment Fund, AAEFD, at Delaware Community Foundation and as a board member for the nonprofit charity Friends of Hockessin Colored School #107, FOHCS. During his time as chair, he led the fund to provide $100,000 to the Hockessin Colored School #107, a historic school that played a role in a groundbreaking court case that became part of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education. A student at the school was a plaintiff in the 1952 Delaware Court of Chancery case Belton (Bulah) v. Gebhart, which was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court jointly with Brown v. Board. Thanks to the funding that Bill helped secure, the historic scho
INSIDER TRADING PROHIBITION ACT
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-5-18

I rise with my friend and colleague from Arkansas to acknowledge the work that has been put in by our colleague from Connecticut. This has been a long discussion that we have had various points where we have debated, and this is a positive thing. prgtoken , as you know, preventing fraud and abuse within our financial system and cracking down on bad actors for illegal insider trading is a nonpartisan priority. We all believe that this is a good thing. In fact, this kind of fraud and illegal activity hurts everyday Main Street investors. It also makes our capital markets less efficient, accurate, and fair to all investors. prgtoken Now, current law prohibits trading on material insider information in breach of a fiduciary duty under the antifraud provisions of the Federal securities laws. Let me just repeat that. Current law prohibits those activities. prgtoken The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice are the Federal agencies tasked with enforcing insider trading laws. Both agencies regularly use their authority to bring insider trading cases against these bad actors who violate our insider trading laws. prgtoken However, the bill we are discussing here today, H.R. 2655, is flawed and could potentially create even more confusion and uncertainty within the law of insider trading. It could expand liability for good-faith traders, which would weaken investor confidence, chill vital information-gathering, and hurt the efficiency of our markets. prgtoken I believe it is important to note that, once again, the SEC is not asking for this bill or, frankly, any other legislative help on this issue. That is, the cop on the beat is not saying we need additional tools. Moreover, have not identified a problem within the current body of law that inhibits the prosecution of bad actors who illegally trade on material, nonpublic information. Again, the regulators have the tools that they need. prgtoken and SEC chairs alike, with vastly different approaches to enforcement matters, have expressed concerns over Congress codifying a prohibition on insider trading into one single statute, as we are doing. Specifically, they voiced concerns that Congress would write a law that would be both overly broad, yet too narrow. Now, that is an odd phrase. prgtoken Former SEC Chair Mary Jo White, during 2015 testimony--by the way, she was President 's SEC chair--before our Financial Services Committee, when asked whether or not Congress should pursue an explicit statutory prohibition, stated: ``I think it is challenging to codify it clearly in a way that is both not too broad and retains the strength of the common law.'' prgtoken Additionally, former SEC Chair Jay Clayton voiced similar concerns that Congress could write an insider trading law that is both too broad and too narrow. prgtoken I want to commend the gentleman from Connecticut for his dedicated work over the years on
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2021-5-18

as another school year comes to a close, I want to recognize the students at one North Dakota school for their accomplishments in a remarkable program. Students in Linton operate my State's first and only high school radio station. KLHS AM 1620 is a full-fledged AM station that went live in 2017. Since then, it has given students hands-on experience in broadcasting, interviewing, and news writing. prgtoken KLHS and now KLPS play rock, oldies, and country music and feature local weather, news, and sports. It is all done by the students enrolled in the Linton High School radio broadcasting classes who write and produce all programs heard on the air. While mastering broadcasting, they also learn to operate a console board and other skills like speaking, articulation, production, script writing, and interviewing. prgtoken These Linton students have also attended the annual national conferences of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, and their accomplishments have been recognized with many awards. At this year's conference, the Linton students took home 20 Golden Microphone Awards, in categories such as best promotional event, most creative show, best station logo, best sports play-by-play, and best website. prgtoken I also want to salute the founder of the Linton High School program, longtime State radio veteran Jay Schmaltz. The idea for a high school broadcasting program originated after he became the supervisor of the Emmons County alternative education programs. Today, it is the most popoular elective class at the school and remains the only high school radio station in North Dakota. prgtoken , there are many good jobs in broadcasting in North Dakota and around the world. These Linton High School students are receiving a head start in the professional world of communications and will be able to apply the valuable skills they learn in many directions in their future professions. I commend Linton High School for offering such a valuable program and Jay Schmaltz for his dedication to its success, and I congratulate the Linton High School broadcasting students for recognizing the value of learning a skill that will benefit them the rest of their lives. I know we will be hearing much more from these broadcasting entrepreneurs for many years to come.
HONORING SEAMAN SECOND CLASS HOWARD SCOTT MAGERS
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-5-18

during Memorial Day weekend in my home community, a fleet of cars will depart a local funeral home and make the 25-mile trip to Merry Oaks United Methodist Church Cemetery in neighboring Smiths Grove, KY. This will be the final leg of a journey that began over 6,000 miles and nearly 80 years ago. prgtoken U.S. Navy Seaman 2nd Class Howard Scott Magers was one of the 429 crew members who perished aboard the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941. Scott was 18 years old. The tragedy of his death was made ore unbearable because he was buried in a mass grave alongside those of his shipmates who were also unable to be identified. prgtoken Thankfully, beginning in 2015, new dental, anthropological, and mitochondrial DNA analyses were employed to identify those who had fallen prgtoken at Pearl Harbor. As a result, the remains of Scott Magers will soon return to beautiful Barren County, KY where he grew up. Among those welcoming him home will be Betty Magers, who was only 11 when Scott said his goodbyes to family and friends and headed to basic training. prgtoken As on every Memorial Day, we want to honor those men and women who have lost their lives in the service of their country in our Armed Forces. But today, we remember one very specific young man, Howard Scott Magers, and, on behalf of all the other fallen, say to him, ``Welcome home. Fair winds and following seas.''
WE NEED FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Michael Cloud (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-5-18

I rise today to advocate for fiscal responsibility as Congress seeks to craft a budget. prgtoken This past year, our Nation has spent more than $7.6 trillion. That is more than the Federal Government spent in the first 200 years since our founding. With the Federal Government's debt already clocking in at $28 trillion and rising as I speak, we must face the reality that our grandchildren are going to foot this bill. prgtoken On May 12, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that inflation had grown by 4.2 percent over the last year. That is the largest 12- month increase since September 2008. Should we continue to spend at the rate that we are spending, our national debt, debt servicing, and costs for household items will continue to skyrocket, making life unaffordable for millions more. prgtoken This is not right. It is immoral for us to continue to fulfill the wants and needs of our generation by stealing opportunity from the next. We must do the hard work of meeting our country's needs responsibly. prgtoken The Study Committee has proposed such a budget, a conservative budget, one that provides a roadmap toward a better future for our country. This budget gets us back on track in just 5 years while eliminating the deficit and cutting taxes. This is a conservative budget, one that aims to strengthen our Nation and provide better governance. prgtoken I am pleased to report that the RSC budget includes four of my legislative proposals, including my bill to require the Congressional Budget Office to include the cost of debt servicing when preparing cost estimates for proposed legislation. Before legislation passes either the House or Senate, lawmakers should know how much it is going to cost, yet Congress routinely ignores the true cost and overstates the benefits of new spending. prgtoken The American people have to account for the cost of debt servicing in their prgtoken family budgets, and providing Congress with accurate cost estimates that include the cost of debt servicing is commonsense reform that would hold Congress to the same standard, forcing lawmakers to reckon with the actual cost of raising our national debt. prgtoken Additionally, this budget is pro-life. It includes my bill, the Women's Public Health and Safety Act, which would help prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortion providers. This legislation will empower States to end the bankrolling of abortion providers and free up funding for healthcare initiatives for those providers that actually put the well-being of women and babies first. prgtoken This budget is pro-Second Amendment. It includes my legislation to prohibit a natural disaster declaration from being used to impose gun or ammo controls. prgtoken Finally, this bill is fiscally responsible. It includes my legislation for a Federal sunset commission to monitor the effectiveness of government agencies and prevent wasteful inefficiencies and duplicative programming. <|p