mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
6/14/2017--A DAY OF INFAMY IN AMERICA
Jeff Duncan (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-6-13

I thank the gentleman for actually holding this Special Order to talk about what happened in 2017. prgtoken One year ago tomorrow marks the day we had baseball practice right before the game. It was the day before the game, and Ron DeSantis, now Governor of Florida, the Representative from that State, rode to practice with me. prgtoken That morning, we were on the field. I was starting shortstop. Ron was starting third baseman. As we did at every practice, we had infield practice and then we had batting practice. During batting practice, many of us were out there shagging balls. Ron was standing at third, I was standing at shortstop, and Ron said: ``When are you thinking about leaving, Jeff?'' He said: ``I have got a meeting I can get to if we could head on.'' I said: ``Well, you have done infield and batting practice, and I have.'' prgtoken Chairman Mike Conaway from Texas was in the batting cage batting, and I said: ``Let's let Chairman Conaway finish, and then we can go.'' prgtoken Conaway finished. We ran off the field. I ran around the pitcher's mound. Steve Scalise was at second base. I fist-bumped Steve as I went off the field and went to the dugout. Tom Rooney was at first base. Tom said: ``Duncan, what time is it?'' prgtoken I got my bag. I had a bag that I kept keys, phone and all that in. I came out told him what time it was. Tom had to leave, so he left, and he was the first one out of the gate. prgtoken Ron DeSantis went off the field, and then I went off the field. Out in the parking lot, I was stopped by a gentleman who said: ``Excuse me. Can you tell me who is practicing today, s or ?'' I said: ``This is the team practicing.'' He said: ``Thank you.'' prgtoken It turned out that was a shooter. I was face-to-face with him for a brief interlude before he left the parking lot to go into his van by the YMCA and load his weapons and get prepared to fire about 137 rounds at my colleagues who I left on the baseball field that morning as I drove back to the Capitol. prgtoken There were a lot of God winks in that event that morning. I can't thank anyone but my Lord and Savior for getting me off that field and away from danger. I would have been standing at shortstop. Ron DeSantis would have been at third base. Trent Kelly was the third prgtoken baseman after Ron left. The first shot was fired at Trent and hit a chain link fence. One-eighth of an inch definitely saved Trent's life. It rattled the gentleman, and I think it made him erratic and start shooting my colleagues, spraying bullets across the field that hit Steve Scalise, Zack Barth, and Matt Mika, and others. prgtoken It turns out that the gentleman had come from Illinois to the Washington area to assassinate s. He had a list in his pocket with six or eight names on it that he wanted to kill. My name was on that list. I was face-to-face with him. Thank God he wasn't prepared at that moment because he had ta
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Matt Gaetz (Republican, FL) \u2014 2024-6-13

I would object to the proposition that the House of Representatives has to outsource our thinking on the cluster munitions question to Ukraine. When did we substitute their judgment for ours? prgtoken I think that this notion that they are essential to warfighting is belied by the actual casualty numbers. If you believe that 95 percent of the people killed were children, not enemy combatants, which is what The New York Times is telling us, then I think that adoption of the amendment is appropriate. prgtoken We should not be in a race to the bottom for the weapons systems that are the least discriminate and most harmful to people who are not engaged in warfare. prgtoken , .
U.S. Supreme Court (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2024-6-13

made their latest move yesterday in their yearslong campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. Their failed attempt to gain unanimous consent on a so-called Supreme Court ethics bill was yet another attempt to bully the Court into ruling the way want. prgtoken With decisions in multiple controversial cases coming from the Supreme Court over the next few weeks, including today, I expect this was just the prelude to yet another dramatic temper tantrum if things don't go ' way. I say ``if things don't go ' way'' because it is a funny thing--when the Supreme Court decides things ' way, we hear a lot less about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. prgtoken Take the Court's decision in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association of America, Ltd in which most prgtoken of the Court's appointees sided with all of the Court's appointees to deliver a decision that supported. prgtoken Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, had this to say: With this decision, our nation's justices have decided to put consumers first and reject the baseless attacks led by extreme MAGA s and greedy payday lenders to hamstring the work of the CFPB and put consumers in harm's way. prgtoken Or take the Court's decision in Moore v. Harper, in which half of the Court's appointees sided with the Court's appointees to deliver a decision that was embraced by the leader here in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Here is what he had to say: Today, those who support democracy, fair elections, and the rule of law can stand a bit taller. Today's ruling reaffirms the longstanding precedent that respects our constitutional system of checks and balances. prgtoken Again, that is from the Senate leader. Funny how he didn't mention anything in that statement about how the Court had been captured by, in his words, ``the fanatical MAGA right.'' prgtoken I could go on, but all of this leads to one inevitable conclusion, and that is that, to , the only legitimate Court and the only legitimate Court decisions are the ones that line up with ' policy preferences. prgtoken It has become clear that are willing to do whatever it takes, up to and including intimidation, delegitimization, and Court packing, to ensure that the Court rules in line with where want it. prgtoken This isn't about ethics or legitimacy or concern for our democratic institutions, as would have you believe; this is about power. are apparently perfectly willing to undermine a fundamental part of our system of government for their political ends, because, let's be very clear, it is not the Supreme Court that is undermining the legitimacy of thi
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Cory Mills (Republican, FL) \u2014 2024-6-13

. Mr. Chair, I will start out by saying that I really admire and love my colleague from Hawaii. We have had many conversations together on the strengthening of our military, especially when it comes to Schofield Barracks and the rest, and the same is true with the ranking member, my colleague, Adam Smith. prgtoken I will say, however, for the record, I served in the United States military. As an Army combat veteran, I proudly served with people from Hawaii, people from Puerto Rico, and people from the Virgin Islands. I have seen the diversity which exists, and I think that the utilization of DEI and CRT is what has led to the creation of the recruitment deficit of 41,000 that we see today. prgtoken Our military is not supposed to be prioritizing the ideas of critical race theory or diversity, equity, inclusion. It should be about increased lethality, readiness, and being properly equipped. This is how we defeat our enemies. It is not through the ideas of trying to create division, and it is not through the ideas of pronoun training, where I can guarantee you that we cannot pronoun all of our enemies, but the he/him, they/them, and she/her is not going to make us a stronger military. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support Mrs. Anna Paulina Luna's amendment, and I ask that we understand that we are here to strengthen our military, not to divide it.
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2024-6-13

. Mr. Chair, for yielding. This amendment would have serious consequences to our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific as they face down China and North Korea. prgtoken Former INDOPACOM Commander Admiral highlighted that cluster munitions are essential in a potential conflict with North Korea. I would prgtoken point out China and Russia have not banned cluster munitions. We also should not wait until the fighting starts to transfer these weapons. prgtoken Deterrence depends on getting real and effective weapons like cluster munitions in place before a potential fight. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.
Nomination of Sarah Netburn (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-6-13

soon, the Judiciary Committee will consider promoting a magistrate in New York, Sarah Netburn, to the district court after a less-than-judicious committee process. prgtoken Judge Netburn's hearing was a contentious affair. You should go watch it. My friends the junior Senators from Louisiana and Texas had the judge dead to rights on her judicial activism from the bench. She was clearly prepared for their line of questioning, but by the end, she wilted under the withering fire from my colleagues. prgtoken That is when the acting chairwoman of the committee got involved. After s were finished questioning Judge Netburn, she invited the nominee to defend herself. Her defense, of course, flatly contradicted her written opinion as a judge. prgtoken Committee s rightly objected. It is one thing to give a nominee the chance to rehabilitate herself, but giving her the last word as she lied to the committee is a different matter entirely. After the nominee gave two different explanations for why she had engaged in political activism from the bench, committee blocked further questions and closed the hearing. prgtoken It sounds an awful lot like the way another nominee, Adeel Mangi, explained his policy views to liberal interest groups only after the committee was finished questioning him. Judge Netburn got the last word here. prgtoken As the junior Senator from Louisiana said, it looks an awful lot like a coverup. Apparently, it is not enough for Senate to rubberstamp radicals to the courts. They desperately don't want the American people to even know about it. prgtoken Well, it is not working. The Judiciary Committee has received almost 100 letters from liberals opposing Judge Netburn's activism. The cat is literally out of the bag. So I would urge my colleagues to pay attention to what happens in the Judiciary Committee as Judge Netburn's nomination moves forward.
6/14/2017--A DAY OF INFAMY IN AMERICA
Barry Loudermilk (Republican, GA) \u2014 2024-6-13

I thank my good friend for this moment. prgtoken , I think back to that day. At noon, when we gathered in this Chamber, I sat right over here in the front row. Paul Ryan went to the podium, and as was said already, he said that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. prgtoken As I look around the Chamber, not much has changed from that day to today. The carpet is the same. The chairs are the same. Some of the people are the same, but none of us who were on the field that day are the same. It has had an impact on all of us. prgtoken As you just heard Coach Williams tell his story, , we all have the same story but different perspectives. Some of it is that, physically, we were in different locations, as I was in a different location than Representative Wenstrup, who was in a different location than our coach, but we all experienced the same thing. prgtoken One thing that you will hear, , that is consistent are the miracles that happened that day. One of the things that this has had an impact on me, as we have all dealt with some level of traumatic stress afterward, but this has built my faith. prgtoken Hebrews 11:1 says that ``faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen.'' prgtoken None of us saw angels on the field deflecting bullets that day. None of us were there when an angel spoke to the groundskeeper the night before and impressed upon him to lock the gate on the third-base side of that field. Had he not called a groundskeeper at 9 o'clock the evening before our practice and had not chain-locked that gate, that shooter would have gotten on the field, and it would have been a different story. We didn't see the angels conducting the miracles, but the evidence was there. prgtoken I was standing at home plate. I had just put on a batting helmet, and I was waiting on my turn to step into the batter's box and take some live pitching. Rodney Davis was there ahead of us, and he was hitting. As I was standing there, I heard the distinct sound of the report of a firearm. prgtoken Now, where I live in Georgia, that is not unusual. When I am working in the backyard, I hear shots all the time of people sighting in their rifles, doing target practicing. I didn't think much about it at the moment, but then I realized I am not at home in Georgia, but I am in Alexandria, Virginia. Why am I hearing a gunshot? The next sound I heard was our third baseman, Trent Kelly, holler: ``He's got a gun. Run.'' prgtoken At that moment, I started running up the first baseline. Many of my colleagues, as you heard, went into the dugout, but, as one of the veterans, immediately my training kicked in, and I thought: This is not a great place to go in case the shooter gets on the field. However, to get off the field would expose me longer, but I decided to head past the dugout and go out the gate. prgtoken As I am running, I see the ground erupting on each side of me, and I realized that the
CONGRATULATING MICHAEL MCKEE
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2024-6-13

I rise today to congratulate Michael McKee on being the recipient of the 2024 John van Hengel Fellowship Award. prgtoken Feeding America presents this award to an executive of a partner food bank for excellence in leadership, local impact, national influence, and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief. prgtoken For over a decade, Michael has served as the CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, which distributes food to one of the largest regions in Virginia. He has overseen the food bank's tremendous growth, including expanded warehouse capacity, thousands of people served each month, and millions of pounds of food distributed each year. prgtoken During COVID, Michael ensured that vulnerable populations, such as children, seniors, and immigrants, continued to have access to nutritious food. More recently, his innovative partnerships include collaborating with Sentara RMH to launch a new online directory of food assistance resources and with the National Association of Letter Carriers in a successful Stamp Out Hunger campaign. prgtoken , I once again congratulate Michael for the national recognition of his efforts and tireless advocacy to end hunger in our part of Virginia. Congratulating Debbie Martin
250TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNION, MAINE
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2024-6-13

on July 19, 1774, a small band of rugged and courageous pioneers established a settlement in the Maine wilderness between the Medomak and Saint George rivers. They cleared the land, built cabins, endured hunger and cold, and, with backbreaking work, created a community. Today, it is a pleasure to join the people of Union, ME, in celebrating the 250th anniversary of a community that is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. Although part of a land grant made by the Plymouth Council in 1629, the territory remained unsettled for more than a century due to conflicting claims of jurisdiction by the English and French. When the hostilities ended, Dr. John Taylor of Massachusetts bought the land and led the settlement party. Originally called Taylor Town, it was renamed Sterlingtown in honor of a Revolutionary War hero and finally incorporated as Union to commemorate our new Nation. prgtoken Among the many illustrious natives of Union is John Langdon Sibley, scholar, author, and librarian of Harvard University. His history of his beloved hometown from its origin to 1850 is remarkable for its thoroughness, insight, and wit. ``By competent judges,'' he wrote, ``the soil of Union is considered as good as that of . . . the best farming towns in the State.'' The scenery provided by lush vegetation, hills, valleys, rivers, and streams ``affords a rich enjoyment to people of taste and admirers of nature.'' Although Mr. Sibley allows that the assertion from a neighboring town that ``people never die in Union'' is an exaggeration, he posits that the uncommonly pure water, brisk air circulation over the varied terrain, the vigorous agricultural work, and generally good habits are why inhabitants ``wear the hue of health'' and why visitors often remark ``that there was more female beauty in Union than in any other town in the county or State.'' prgtoken The work ethic of the townspeople and water power from the fast- moving rivers soon made Union a center of industry, with foundries, sawmills, grain mills, and factories manufacturing products ranging from carriages and farm equipment to footwear and musical instruments. Thousands of artifacts from those early days are preserved at the Matthews Museum of Maine Heritage, with a special section devoted to Dr. Augustin Thompson, the Union-born Civil War hero, physician, and inventor of Moxie, the patent nerve medicine that is now the official soft drink of the State of Maine. prgtoken Union cherishes its history. Next to the museum stands the Hodge School, the thoroughly restored one-room schoolhouse that served the town from 1864 to 1954. Established more than 150 years ago, the Union Fair celebrates the town's agricultural traditions. Laid out in 1790, the picturesque Union Common is the oldest public town common in Maine, with memorials to patriots and a bandstand listed on the National Register of Historic Places. prgtoken The people of Union
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-6-13

I oppose this amendment. Prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions, specifically in the context of Ukraine, would have disastrous impacts on the Ukrainian ability to push back war criminal Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine. prgtoken Russia is currently using every weapon in its arsenal, including cluster munitions, to murder civilians and hit civilian infrastructure. I have seen firsthand in Bucha, Ukraine, where families were forced from their homes, their hands tied behind their backs, and then the Putin troops shot members of the family in the head and buried them in the yard. We must fight back. prgtoken Additionally, in the Indo-Pacific, it has been reported by Admiral Harry that this is a deterrent to the dictatorship of Kim Jong- un of North Korea, and we know that is the largest artillery complex in the world facing the people of Seoul, Korea. prgtoken We are in a conflict we did not choose with dictators with rule of gun invading democracies with rule of law, threatening civilians, and it has always been clear that Ukraine is the first invasion of this current conflict. prgtoken With further promises by Putin to restore the Soviet Union by invading Georgia and Moldova, threatening Armenia, Estonia, and Poland, we know that we must support Ukraine. It is existential for Ukraine, and it is existential for the United States. prgtoken We can see that today, as Putin has sent nuclear warships to Cuba, 90 miles away from our border. We must stand together with the people of Ukraine and provide them the best equipment to stop the war criminal Putin.
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Andrew Ogles (Republican, TN) \u2014 2024-6-13

. Mr. Chair, again, I will just emphasize this amendment is based off of what we now know about COVID. We know the masks didn't work. There is no need for the Secretary of Defense to urge or mandate our military to wear masks on military installations. prgtoken This is about freedom. prgtoken This is about liberty. prgtoken This is about science. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and .
SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
Beth Van Duyne (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-6-13

. Mr. Chair, the balance of my time. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I would argue that this was an amendment that last year passed. It was taken out by the Senate. prgtoken It is necessary. All we are asking the Department to do is actually follow the law, which, under executive order currently, is trying to have them surpass. prgtoken For years, this has been an adoptive practice by both and s. What we are seeing is extreme measures taken by to show us exactly where their abortion stance is. prgtoken I was on the floor of this House last session when we voted for a bill that would allow taxpayer-funded dollars to be used for abortions up until the moment of birth. If that is not extreme, I don't know what is. prgtoken s are supporting women who find themselves in these positions. This is a defense bill. It should not be used to kill innocent lives and put women's lives at unnecessary risk, especially those who are supporting and fighting for this country and our values. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .