mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DC CRIMINAL CODE
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-3-7

I was on the plane--Southwest Airlines to be specific--this particular Monday, flying up from Oklahoma City to Washington, DC, to be able to come here to the office, begin to do a week of work. prgtoken The plane was absolutely filled with people coming in that also work in DC in different Agencies, lots of tourist groups that are actually coming up, groups of students that are here. All kinds of folks were on the plane because they were coming to Washington, DC, because it is the Nation's Capital. It is the Nation's Capital and the spot where the entire world--every diplomat from every country--comes to Washington, DC, to be able to meet with Members of the Senate, Members of the House, the President, and the Executive team. They come to be able to interact because this is the central point of the government of the United States. They expect to come and to be able to see the White House, be able to see the Capitol, be able to tour around phenomenal Smithsonian institutions and be able to see that. prgtoken This is what they also see when they come to Washington, DC, now. That is the common view that is also around the city because, in the last few years, since the ``defund the police'' movement took over the city council, the city council in Washington, DC, did several things. prgtoken They took out student resource officers in schools, saying that SROs--the student resource officers in schools--they were what they called a pipeline from school to prison. So to solve the issues around schools, they just stopped enforcing in the schools. And do you know what has happened? Crime has gone up around schools, and problems have continued in schools. prgtoken Crime has gone up 25 percent just in the last year in Washington, DC--just in the last year. So far, in 2023, according to the Metropolitan Police Department--now, remember, we are in March of 2023. So far in 2023, there has already been 38 homicides in this city, 215 assaults with a dangerous weapon, 298 robberies, 164 burglaries, 1,182 motor vehicle thefts, and from last year to this year, arson is already up 300 percent in Washington, DC. And this has become the common sight around the city. prgtoken What in the world is going on? In the middle of rampant increase in crime in Washington, DC, the DC City Council's response to this in an overwhelming vote was to reduce penalties for felonies and to be able to say that if you commit a misdemeanor, then you actually have to have a jury trial as well, knowing full well that would clog up the courts, and basically misdemeanors would never be heard, and so they just wouldn't happen. No one would actually get a misdemeanor record in Washington, DC. prgtoken So their plan to end this rampant increase in crime is just not to enforce the law, and if you were caught, you would get out faster, to get back to the street to be able to commit crimes again. prgtoken Listen, there are amazing people who live in
Introductory Statement on S. 691
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-3-7

there is one foreign leader for whom the ic Party seems to reserve special scorn. Leading have called him a reactionary, a racist, an ethnonationalist. They have accused him of committing war crimes and of leading an apartheid state. President has called him extreme and has said they don't agree on a damn thing. Strong words. prgtoken Who is this monster, you may ask. Were the talking about Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping or, perhaps, Ayatollah Khamenei? No. They were referring to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest serving Prime Minister and one of America's best friends. prgtoken Once again, these have proven their party's tendency to coddle our enemies and condemn our friends. But the don't stop at mere words. They are working right now to undermine Bibi and his government. prgtoken Yesterday, the Washington Free Beacon reported that the State Department is funneling your tax dollars to Netanyahu's domestic opponents. Since 2020, the State has sent more than $38,000 to something known as the Movement for Quality Government, for so-called democracy education. prgtoken So what is the Movement for Quality Government, and how good is this democracy education? prgtoken This movement is an activist group that is fomenting unrest against the Israeli Government and demanding Netanyahu's resignation. In recent days, leftwing demonstrators associated with this group have protested the government's proposed judicial reforms. Last week, hundreds of protesters harassed Netanyahu's wife, forcing police to intervene and escort her to safety. prgtoken Far from staying neutral in Israel's domestic affairs, Secretary of State Tony Blinken lectured Netanyahu about the judicial reforms to his face, tacitly siding with the demonstrators. Some ic Senators have also condemned the reform proposals, which is awfully rich coming from who have voted to shred this Senate's ancient rules to pack our Supreme Court and to rewrite our founding documents. I guess, when American liberals want to change the courts, it is the only way to save democracy; but when Israeli conservatives want to, it is a threat to democracy. Go figure. prgtoken The State Department doesn't even deny it is funneling money to these leftwing activities, by the way, which is troubling because it is a clear violation of the usual State Department policy against funding foreign partisan organizations. prgtoken Not only is this U.S.-funded organization subverting a foreign government, it is subverting the government of one of our closest allies. Secretary Blinken should immediately apologize to the Prime Minister of Israel, demand your money back, and open an investigation into how this happened. But then again, I suspect we already know how this happened. After all, the ic Party has been meddling in Israeli democracy to undermine Benjamin Netanyahu for more than a quarter cent
Crime (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-3-7

1 month ago, the administration published an official statement opposing s' bill to block a disastrous new soft-on-crime law right here in our Nation's Capital. The administration was on the record against it. prgtoken Then the overwhelming majority of House voted against our commonsense resolution when it passed the House. The proposition behind our bill is simple. It goes like this: The answer to skyrocketing violent crime in the District of Columbia is not--not--to reduce criminal penalties even further. On what planet should this even need to be said in the first place? prgtoken The murder rate in Washington is 34 percent higher today than it was at this time last year. Auto thefts are up 110 percent right here in the Nation's Capital. Longtime DC residents are locking their car doors at every red light. Tourists visiting their own capital are worried about walking the streets. prgtoken Just yesterday, the chief of the Metropolitan Police lamented that the average homicide suspect that his department encounters has already been arrested--listen to this--11 times before, 11 times. prgtoken Here is what the police chief said: What we've got to do--if we really want to see homicides go down--is keep bad guys with guns in jail. Because when they're in jail, they can't be in communities shooting people. prgtoken That is the police chief here in the Nation's Capital. prgtoken But the radical politicians who run the city tried to do exactly the opposite. The liberal city council cooked up a soft-on-crime overhaul of the Criminal Code that would have made it even easier for repeat offenders to get back out on the streets. It would have brought the mandatory minimum sentences for crimes like robbery and carjacking down even lower than they already are. And it would have gummed up an already backlogged and dysfunctional criminal justice system by massively expanding jury trials--listen to this--for misdemeanors. It is like these local have never met a single criminal they actually want locked up behind bars. It is truly remarkable. prgtoken This is exactly why our laws give Congress the final say--the final say--over how our Nation's Capital is governed because we can't have the craziness and dysfunction of a few local politicians jeopardizing the basic public safety in the Federal district that houses our national government. So s wrote a resolution to overturn this nonsense. prgtoken But bear in mind, this limited resolution would not even toughen criminal penalties. At this point, we are talking about keeping things where they are and stopping even further--even further--backsliding. prgtoken The first step is to use this legal tool to stop the unhinged local politicians from making the totally unacceptable status quo even worse. But even so, this is a bridge too far for the vast majority of Washington . prgtoken Just a month
COMMENDING MONTANA'S LUPPOLD/BUCKINGHAM RANCH FOR 150 YEARS OF FAMILY OWNERSHIP
Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr. (Republican, MT) \u2014 2023-3-7

Montana's family-owned ranches are synonymous with the strength of our economy and the vitality of our communities. prgtoken That is why I'm so pleased to hear that the Montana Historical Society is honoring the Luppold/Buckingham Ranch in Meagher County for 150 years of family ownership. prgtoken Moving to Montana after his service in the Civil War, William Luppold established a small 160-acre ranch in 1866. By the time of his death in 1916, William had transformed the plot into a highly profitable cattle ranch of nearly 2,000 acres. prgtoken William Luppold's success is a testament to the natural abundance of our great state and the perseverance of his family. Successive generations have built upon William's vision by diversifying the ranch's business and leasing land to their neighbors. prgtoken The ranch passed to William's favorite niece, Emilia McStravick, and her daughter Gertrude, who retained ownership of the property for nearly 50 years before passing it on to Gertrude's nephew Frederick Buckingham in 1985. prgtoken Frederick would continue to carry on the family legacy for nearly three decades until his passing in 2018. Today, Frederick's niece Megan Shroyer and her husband Rodger own and operate the ranch on behalf of four generations that came before them. prgtoken Although the Luppolds and Buckinghams have seen tremendous success, the family acknowledges that maintaining such a sprawling property hasn't always been easy. Like many hard-working Montanans, their fortitude and dedication have paid dividends over the past two and half centuries, making the Luppold/Buckingham Ranch an enduring sign of Montana's prosperity. prgtoken I am proud that the Montana Historical Society sees fit to bestow this honor on the Luppold/Buckingham Ranch, and it is my pleasure to acknowledge the entire family in the United States House of Representatives.
DC CRIMINAL CODE
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today to discuss the staggering crime problem plaguing the Nation's Capital and an outrageous attempt to unleash even more of it on residents and visitors alike. prgtoken The DC City Council unanimously voted last year to substantially weaken its criminal code, including by eliminating life sentences and most mandatory minimums for any crime but first-degree murder. prgtoken It is also lowering maximum penalties for some violent offenses like carjacking and robberies. These so-called reforms weren't just opposed by s; they were even a bridge too far for the District's ic Mayor who vetoed the legislation, only to see that overruled by the City Council by a 12 to 1 margin. prgtoken DC is experiencing a wave of the very crimes this proposal is going soft on. There have been 99 carjackings so far this year. Thirty-eight homicides have occurred in 2023, and 203 murders took place in the city last year--the second consecutive year its total surpassed 200. prgtoken This preposterous answer to DC's public safety crisis was also rejected by the Washington Post editorial board, prgtoken which said the city could become more dangerous while even further tying the hands of police and prosecutors if this effort were to succeed. prgtoken Let's be clear, only in an overwhelmingly liberal city, with years of support from liberal lawmakers at the Federal level, would something like this ill-conceived crime spree incentive be possible. It is just bad policy. It is also unbelievably insensitive and disrespectful to victims on the receiving end of heinous and violent crimes. prgtoken There is no justice in downplaying crime. There also can be no pretense of keeping the public safe and upholding the law and order when leaders refuse to demand true accountability from those who brazenly break the law. prgtoken How should these victims react to these senseless proposals that delegitimize their suffering and the consequences that they will provoke? prgtoken Unlike our ic colleagues, s won't make excuses for criminals, and we won't sit back and allow far-left ideology to gut the criminal justice system of civility to deter and punish unlawful, violent behavior. prgtoken For too long, our friends on the other side of the aisle have used, frankly, irresponsible rhetoric about crime and policing that would inevitably lead to ideas as bad as this or worse. From ``defund the police'' to ``reimagining justice,'' there has been no shortage of liberal slogans and agendas to undermine the rule of law and minimize crime's societal impacts. prgtoken in Washington, including President , have only poured fuel to the fire. Many have openly embraced these absurd concepts, including the 173 House who refused to overturn the DC Council and stand up on the side of common sense. prgtoken Let's not forget the ultimate irony in all of this, which is the fact that for the last 2 yea
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE AND LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS OF PHILIP INNES ESCHBACH, JR., ``THE COLONEL''
Bill Posey (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise to recognize a true southern gentleman and patriot of great distinction, Mr. Philip Innes Eschbach, Jr affectionately known as ``The Colonel''. prgtoken During World War II, Mr. Eschbach was stationed in Dijon, France, where, despite the odds of survival, he piloted a B-26 Martin Marauder on 56 bomber flights against the Axis in Italy and France. prgtoken During the war he received the French Croix de Guerre. More recently, on May 4, 2013, he was further personally honored by the French government for his heroic deeds in the liberation of their country when they made him an honorary commandant. His daughter, Mary, coordinated his itinerary, and his son, Phil, accompanied him on his trip back to France for the festivities. prgtoken After the war, Mr. Eschbach earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Florida. He became active in community affairs and began teaching school. Katie, I, and many others were fortunate enough to have him as an English teacher before he went on to teach in high school and college. prgtoken He never shared any of his war experiences with his students, and they were unknown to me, until he wrote his memoirs in 2004 in a book titled, THE KICKING MULES. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing this hero, dedicated teacher, friend, and role model to so many, congratulations for completing another mission--his upcoming 100th orbit around the Sun. prgtoken Happy Birthday to the Colonel.
Introductory Statement on S. 683
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise to introduce the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act. prgtoken This legislation would expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to include approximately 3,925 acres of adjacent public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. prgtoken In 2015, President established the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, proclaiming that ``once covered by ocean waters, it is a landscape shaped by geologic forces of staggering power overlain with bountiful but fragile biodiversity. Anchored in the north by Snow Mountain's remote forests and in the south by scenic Berryessa Mountain, this area stretches through unbroken wildlands and important wildlife corridors, a mosaic of native grasslands, picturesque oak woodlands, rare wetlands, and wild chaparral . . . This dramatic and diverse landscape is a biological hotspot providing refuge for rare plant and animal species and showcasing the human history of north- central California.'' prgtoken The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is managed jointly by the Bureau of Land Management, BLM, and the U.S. Forest Service, USFS, and provides for unparalleled outdoor recreational opportunities, is home to rich biodiversity, and contains lands that are culturally significant to over two dozen federally recognized Tribes. This legislation would add over 3,900 acres of adjacent, BLM-administered land to the existing national monument. prgtoken This expansion would include portions of the land known previously as Walker Ridge in Lake County, CA. Importantly, the legislation renames ``Walker Ridge'' to ``Condor Ridge'', which is translated from Molok Luyuk in the indigenous Patwin language. For thousands of years, these sacred lands have been central to Tribal origin stories, and Condor Ridge is an area that retains deep cultural significance to the Patwin people and over two dozen Native American Tribes. The legislation also directs the BLM and USFS to complete the management plan for the national monument and to consult with federally recognized Tribes to do so. prgtoken I am proud that this legislation would better enable federally recognized Tribes to be involved in the day- prgtoken to-day management of the national monument. This essential, landmark component of the legislation would enable Tribal communities to share their rich history and ecological knowledge to better conserve and care for these lands. prgtoken With the protections provided by this legislation, the abundant natural resources and the rich history on Molok Luyuk will be preserved for our children and future generations. By requiring the Federal Agencies to finally develop a management plan and by allowing for Tribal governments to be involved in the management of the monument, the bill would improve the health of these lands to benefit both people and biodiversity. prgtoken I thank Senator Feinstein for introducing this legislation with me, an
STANDING WITH ORGANIZED LABOR
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today in support of H.R. 20, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023, legislation that honors the name and tireless advocacy of my friend who passed away all too soon. prgtoken Throughout my career in public office, I have been proud to stand with organized labor and American workers. Unions are the backbone of the northwest Indiana economy, and we must do all we can to fight for the right to collectively bargain. prgtoken The PRO Act improves the ability for all workers to form a union and improve their ability to collectively bargain for fair wages, safe working conditions, access to healthcare benefits, and a secure retirement. prgtoken I appreciate the continued leadership of Ranking Member Bobby Scott and my colleagues on the Education and Workforce Committee, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in standing with our workers in supporting the PRO Act.
Nomination of Arun Subramanian (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-3-7

today, the Senate will vote to confirm Arun Subramanian to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. prgtoken Mr. Subramanian attended Case Western Reserve University and Columbia Law School. After graduating, he went on to clerk at all levels of the Federal judiciary--first for Judge Dennis Jacobs on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, then for Judge Gerard E. Lynch on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and finally for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken Mr. Subramanian then entered private practice in Manhattan, where he has focused on complex civil litigation. His work has covered a wide variety of issue areas, including State and Federal false claims, commercial and employment contract disputes, tort actions, securities, antitrust, fraud, and patent litigation. Mr. Subramanian has also dedicated hundreds of hours to his pro bono work, and he also coordinates his law firm's pro bono activities. prgtoken He was unanimously rated ``well qualified'' by the ABA and received a bipartisan vote in committee. In addition, he has the strong support of his home State Senators--Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Gillibrand--and his Supreme Court co-clerks. His fellow clerks emphasized that they had witnessed Mr. Subramanian's ``collegial, candid, and fair-minded temperament.'' prgtoken Given his significant litigation experience and strong ties to the Southern District of New York, Mr. Subramanian will make an excellent addition to the District Court bench. I strongly support his nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Nomination of Patrice H. Kunesh (Executive Calendar)
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-3-7

I rise today in support of the nomination of Patrice Kunesh to be the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services. prgtoken Ms. Kunesh is a descendant of the Standing Rock Lakota and a distinguished lawyer, advocate, and thought leader. She currently works at the Native American Rights Fund, but her career spans from being counsel for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe to being the director of the Center for Indian Country Development at the Minneapolis Federal Reserve--all in the service of Native communities. Ms. Kunesh also served as the Deputy Solicitor at the Department of the Interior and as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at the USDA. prgtoken The Administration for Native Americans at HHS helps Native communities, including Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives, with financial support and technical assistance for Native language preservation, prgtoken economic development, and self-sufficiency. prgtoken I know that Patrice is up to the task. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and deeply connected to Tribal leaders and Native communities. She knows how the Federal Government works and how we can best fulfill our trust and treaty responsibilities in Indian Country. prgtoken Patrice's nomination is supported by the National Congress of American Indians and numerous Tribal nations. Most importantly, filling this role at HHS is essential to meeting our responsibilities to Tribal nations and Native communities. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote yes on Patrice Kunesh's nomination. prgtoken . prgtoken .