mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Introductory Statement on S. 2162
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to speak about the STREAM Act, Support to Rehydrate the Environment, Agriculture and Municipalities Act, which I am introducing today alongside my cosponsors, Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema. This bill is intended to help Western States upgrade their water infrastructure in preparation for the severe droughts and weather whiplash that we have seen the past few years and that will worsen significantly with climate change. prgtoken If we don't take action now, it is only going to get worse. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists project that climate change will cause a 54-percent drop in the Sierras' snowpack within the next 20 to 40 years and a 79-percent drop by the end of the century. This change alone could be devastating for California because we absolutely depend on this snowpack. The Sierra snowpack provides 30 percent of our water supply and is our biggest reservoir. prgtoken For these reasons and others, we need an ``all of the above'' water strategy, including increased water supply; incentivizing projects that build in environmental benefits and drinking water for disadvantaged communities, and investing in separate environmental restoration efforts. prgtoken The bill I am introducing today helps meet this challenge in four fundamental ways: prgtoken No. 1, it authorizes significant water supply funding that, in combination with the bipartisan infrastructure law, would provide California with 1.04 million additional acre-feet of water per year on average, enough water for over 6 million people. prgtoken No. 2, it provides additional financial incentives for water supply projects that include environmental benefits and drinking water for disadvantaged communities. prgtoken No. 3, it reforms the congressional review process to more quickly approve water supply projects; prgtoken No. 4, it significantly invests not only in water supply projects but also in environmental restoration to help imperiled species adapt to climate change. prgtoken The recent drought in the West from 2020 to 2022 illustrates why this bill is so desperately needed. prgtoken In 2021, the drought caused the California agriculture industry to shrink by an estimated 8,745 jobs and incur $1.2 billion in direct costs, according to a report prepared for the California Department of Food and Agriculture by researchers at the University of California at Merced. Reduced water deliveries resulted in 395,000 acres of cropland left dry and unplanted. prgtoken Counting ``spillover effects'' in the broader economy, the U.C. Merced analysis found the total impacts were more than 14,600 lost jobs, both full time and part time, and $1.7 billion in gross revenue losses. prgtoken In both 2021 and 2022, homes in significant parts of the State were at risk of running dry. In 2021, large parts of Marin and Sonoma Counties and the Mendocino coast came very close to losing all water supply. In 2022, much of Los A
RECOGNIZING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIENNA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise to recognize the Vienna Elementary School of Vienna, Virginia on its 150th Anniversary. prgtoken Vienna Elementary has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating school in the Fairfax County Public Schools system. It is also in one of the oldest buildings still operating. The school serves nearly 400 children between kindergarten and 6th grade. prgtoken The faculty and staff at Vienna Elementary strive to instill a world- class education in both academic and social domains for all students, equipping them with the skills to succeed in the 21st century. They cultivate values, attitudes, knowledge, and capabilities to nurture good citizenship in a safe, diverse, and instructionally rich environment. The students at Vienna Elementary benefit from a rich legacy of instruction focused on meaningful and practical applications to students' futures. prgtoken From the PTA to local business and nonprofit organizations partnerships, Vienna Elementary is deeply ingrained in our community. The school hosts annual events like Bingo Night, a Holiday Shop, a 5K Fun Race, the GRACE Arts Program, which brings volunteer docents into every classroom to connect art and art history with the curriculum, ensuring a holistic and enriching education for the next generation. prgtoken To commemorate this momentous occasion, community members will gather to enjoy cake, games, and activities for children and adults alike. The ``birthday party'' will also include acknowledgments of the school's history, including roots in segregation. prgtoken While we hope that all who attend will be able to enjoy, it is now more important than ever to acknowledge the systemic injustices that have pervaded our country's history. Our children have a right to know how we got to this point if we are going to task them with creating a brighter future. prgtoken Vienna is one of the most culturally rich and promising localities in Virginia's Eleventh Congressional District, and I am proud to represent this community and this school. They have striven for greatness and instilled a drive in their students to accomplish great things and to work towards a future in which we can all take pride. prgtoken , this school is a testament to the hard work of Virginia's teachers, parents, administrators, and everyone else who contributes to the education and experience of our youngest and most promising neighbors. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Vienna Elementary School for 150 years of dedicated service to Virginia's students.
CONDEMNING THE USE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FACILITIES TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR ALIENS WHO ARE NOT ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES
Delia C. Ramirez (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-6-22

. Madam , today I stand here opposing the GOP's hateful resolution to condemn the use of schools as shelter for immigrants. For years, schools have sheltered people during emergencies, and we know people in our own districts who have had to go into these places because of climate crisis, hurricanes, tornadoes, and the list goes on. prgtoken Well, sanctuary cities like Chicago and New York are in emergencies created by Governors who continue to dehumanize asylum seekers and cruelly bus them to sanctuary cities like Chicago. prgtoken This resolution does nothing to solve the crisis, and it certainly isn't protecting our children's education. It is just another way to criminalize asylum seekers. prgtoken Now, I believe to my core that seeking asylum is not a crime. In fact, welcoming them into our arms, regardless of their origin or their status, is a biblical teaching, a humane act, and it is part of our Nation's fabric and our Nation's values. prgtoken How can we say we care about families or that you are the party of families and values? How can you say you care about children and then threaten to cut funding for their schools if they dare to shelter children who are seeking asylum? prgtoken That is hypocritical. There is dissidence there, and we should look up that description in the dictionary. It is time we end this senseless war against immigrants and stand up for what is right and for what is just. prgtoken Madam , I will absolutely be voting ``no'' on this resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to do the same.
HONORING BILLIE JOHNSON ON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to honor Billie Johnson, a Founder and CEO of the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio in our district. Mrs. Johnson is retiring after 49\1/2\ years at the helm of the agency she helped create. Her legacy is writ large and there is a special tribute to her today as her colleagues, peers and our region honor her. prgtoken Mrs. Johnson is a pioneer in the aging network. Her accomplishments are legion and boundless. Under her leadership, the Area Office on Aging has grown from a small divisional office into a comprehensive regional agency serving nearly 200,000 older adults in ten counties with a staff of nearly 200, along with 2,000 senior volunteers, 180 service providers, advisors and professional Board Members. The Area Office on Aging is considered one of the premier Area Agencies on Aging in the United States. Nationally recognized for its work, the agency has received eleven national achievement and innovation awards. prgtoken Mrs. Johnson has helped open community centres in neighbourhoods, facilitated countless meals delivered, provided seniors with needed counselling, expanded services, including seniors and veterans housing, health care, and gained access to tens of thousands of our seniors and new mothers to the Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The Area Office on Aging has helped hundreds of thousands of people in Northwestern Ohio and taught others how to be leaders in their own communities. Everyone here today knows Billie Johnson's commendable record of public service. prgtoken During her tenure with the agency, Mrs. Johnson led the effort to develop three, wholly owned subsidiary corporations. These separate corporations provide apartment living for low-income senior citizens in Northwest Ohio. She also organized the agency's Foundation Board and has been instrumental in developing a senior campus of 46 acres that provides a full continuum of care for older adults. prgtoken Mrs. Johnson is a recognized leader in the field of aging and has served on numerous national boards and state committees. She has been a speaker and presenter nationally and internationally on aging and women's issues. She has twice been a presenter at the World Conference on Women. She is also a leader in our community and serves on many local civic boards and foundations. prgtoken Billie Johnson leaves a legacy unmatched. She is a treasure to those who are privileged to know her and a mentor to many. Our community has been graced abundantly by her efforts. prgtoken After 49\1/2\ years as the President and CEO of the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, retirement is surely deserved. We all acknowledge the profound impact Billie Johnson has had on the millions of lives she touched in our corner of the world. Knowing her retirement is near, we wish her days be shared with those she loves doing what she most enjoys.
Juneteenth (Executive Session)
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-6-22

earlier this week, we commemorated the 158th Juneteenth, which celebrates the liberation of the last remaining enslaved Black Americans at the end of the Civil War. On this date in 1865, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in a Confederate outpost in Galveston, TX, where he delivered the news to 250,000 still- enslaved Texans that all slaves were free. prgtoken Though President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the final emancipation of African-American slaves was not reached until 2 years later, with the end of the Civil War and then ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. prgtoken African-American communities have celebrated Juneteenth as Emancipation Day as far back as 1886 in Texas, but it was not until June 2021 that Congress voted to make Juneteenth a Federal holiday, which President signed into law. prgtoken Maryland has had its own complicated history when it comes to the abolition of slavery. Indeed, President Lincoln limited the application of the Emancipation Proclamation only to States that had seceded from the Union during the Civil War. Maryland itself was divided on the issue of slavery in the Civil War. prgtoken According to the 1860 census numbers taken before the Civil War, Maryland's population contained almost an equal number of free and enslaved African Americans. Slavery had deep roots in Southern Maryland and Eastern Shore. As described by the University of Maryland historian Ira Berlin, the ``Free State'' even saw cases of its own households divided, where brothers were fighting in battle on different sides of the Civil War. prgtoken Baltimore was growing into a center of trade and industry. It was populated by a mostly free workforce, with one of the largest urban populations of free Blacks in the United States, larger than in Philadelphia or New York, Professor Berlin said. And it was the political epicenter of the Maryland abolition movement, with a leading newspaper, the Baltimore American, instrumental in the push to end slavery. prgtoken But outside the city, in the vast agricultural areas of Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, slavery was a way of life, much as it was in the rest of the White South, where tobacco was giving way to labor-intensive crops such as cotton, rice, and sugar. prgtoken Professor Berlin goes on to say: Southern Maryland was certainly a southern state; it is agriculture, plantations . . . in some ways it is not much different from Mississippi, both in size and in their lucrative nature. Slaveholders' determination to maintain their human property was a crucial element in the white southern culture. prgtoken Let me just go on and point out, other large swaths of Maryland, from Prince George's to Montgomery County, north to Frederick and west, were also pro-slavery, although Frederick itself was a divided community. prgtoken After the Civil War broke out, Presi
CONDEMNING THE USE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL FACILITIES TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR ALIENS WHO ARE NOT ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES
Brandon Williams (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-6-22

. Madam , for the past 2 years, every State has become a border State, and each has felt the pressures of illegal immigration. This past month, 10,000 migrants have illegally entered our country per day. prgtoken A nation's borders mark the boundaries of its laws and sovereignty. This violation of both our laws and our sovereignty must stop. prgtoken Representative Miller-Meeks and I brought forward H. Res. 461 because it is necessary and urgent. Our resolution sends a clear and decisive message that everyone in this Chamber and across the country must hear: Congress will not tolerate officials at the State and local level using taxpayer-funded schools and facilities to play cleanup for President and the Progressive left's broken border policies. prgtoken In my State of New York, our Governor offered up State-funded college campuses to house illegal immigrants. In New York City, Mayor Adams proposed repurposing public school gyms to house them. prgtoken During this last school year, 5,500 migrant students strained New York City's public school resources. Time and time again, we are seeing classrooms overflowing and understaffed and our school taxes ever rising. This problem is not just in New York. It spans across each and every community in our Union. prgtoken This resolution makes three distinct points. First, housing illegal immigrants in our schools diverts critical resources away from students. prgtoken Second, housing adult, unvetted, illegal immigrants in our public schools poses a safety risk to our children. prgtoken Third, schools are not to be the sacrificial lamb for the failed progressive policies of this administration. prgtoken Just last week, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle repeatedly justified the housing of illegal immigrants in public schools, comparing it to the response to natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires.
HONORING NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILWAY ON THEIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to recognize the Northern Central Railway of York, in New Freedom, PA and congratulate them on their 10th anniversary. prgtoken The Northern Central Railway seeks to educate the public on the historic nature of Pennsylvania's railways. The organization was originally titled ``Steam Into History'' but changed after the program decided to add diesel equipment to their exhibits. Friends Bill Simpson and Reed Anderson created the program as a way to bring their community together and share their love of trains. Through the help of generous local support, they were able to bring their dream to life. prgtoken Over the last 10 years, the Northern Central Railway has hosted more than 144,000 visitors from forty-eight states and fifteen countries. Exhibits include a Civil War-era steam locomotive, themed train rides, and ``visits'' from historical figures. I am proud to represent a district which includes non-profit organizations such as Northern Central Railway, who work hard to educate our community on Pennsylvania's rich history. While Bill and Reed have sadly passed away, their legacy lives on through the continued success of Northern Central Railway. I wish the Railway nothing but continued success.
FARM BILL IMPACT SERIES
Tracey Mann (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-6-22

I rise today to deliver the 21st installment of my farm bill impact series to highlight the tireless work of Kansas wheat farmers. Kansas is known as the wheat State, and our State's wheat farmers are feeding the world with their lifesaving commodity. With more than 15,000 wheat farms across the State and 5 million acres of wheat in the Big First District alone, our State leads the Nation in wheat production. prgtoken Wheat harvest is underway in Kansas, which begins in the southern part of our State and moves north over the next few weeks. As we speak, Kansas farmers are working tirelessly in the face of record-breaking drought to produce wheat, which is a staple for families in our country and all over the world. This year's drought and market conditions have caused Kansas producers to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since World War I. Over the past 5 years, Kansas wheat farmers have harvested an average of 44 bushels per acre, but this year, USDA predicts that farmers will harvest roughly 29 bushels per acre. That is a 35 percent decrease. prgtoken , I thank Kansas wheat farmers and all our American farmers for working tirelessly to keep our country's food secure and self-determining as a Nation.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-6-22

I want to spend a few minutes talking about Senator Marshall's and my legislation to overturn President 's squid-brained idea with respect to pistol braces. prgtoken The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, , as you well know, gives private citizens the right to possess a firearm, including a pistol, and to use it lawfully. That is not a right of government; that is a right that each of us has as Americans. prgtoken Justice Scalia said it pretty well in DC v. Heller: The American people have considered the handgun to be the quintessential self-defense weapon. prgtoken So many people who are opposed to the Second Amendment--they say they are not opposed to the Second Amendment. They say they just want to regulate guns. They don't. They want to abolish guns. And many of them wouldn't know a gun from a J.Crew catalogue. This is a handgun. This is what we are talking about. prgtoken Our Second Amendment right is not unlimited. We know that. It is subject to reasonable--reasonable--restriction by government, consistent with the Constitution and the country's ``historical tradition of firearm regulation.'' Those aren't my words; those are the Supreme Court's words. I am quoting New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen by the U.S. Supreme Court. For example, in many States, you can't own a bazooka. That is a reasonable restriction. Your right to own a gun can also be restricted if you suffer from mental illness. That is what we have concluded as a society as a reasonable restriction. prgtoken The issue today is very simple. It is whether President 's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' new rule, in effect, banning or, at a minimum, severely restricting pistol braces is a reasonable restriction under the Constitution. That is what we are discussing today. prgtoken Trigger warning: This is a pistol brace. I know it is scary. This is a pistol brace. It fits on your forearm like this. Here it is right here. To the pistol brace is added another piece that grips the handgun. That is what we are talking about here. prgtoken A pistol brace is also known--this scary piece of equipment here is also known as a stabilizing brace or an arm brace. It is a simple device. It is mounted to the rear of the pistol. It is designed to anchor the pistol to the shooter's arm, right here--it goes on the forearm--so the shooter can shoot the pistol with one hand. prgtoken Now, why is that important? Because some Americans don't have two hands or the use of two hands or two arms. Pistol braces were invented to help handicapped people, particularly handicapped veterans, who don't have the use of both of their arms. prgtoken You don't have to be a handicapped person to use a pistol brace. Some studies have shown that there are as many as 40 million pistol braces in the United States that President wants to outlaw--not 4 million, 40 million--and most of them--I would s
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-6-22

in reserving the right to object, I will object to this bill and to the process by which we have reached this point. prgtoken Several of my colleagues and I are studying this matter. This is a highly complicated, 70-page agreement. It only passed out of the House last night. It has only been on the Senate floor for barely a day. We were supposed to have 15 minutes ago gone to a joint meeting of Congress. The Senate should not be ramming through such agreements at the very last minute without our having had the time to review them. There is more than enough time for Senators and their aides, over the next 2 weeks of recess, to review this 70-page, complicated agreement and then address it in the month of July. prgtoken So I object.