mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO CHARLI A. KILEY
John W. Hickenlooper (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-11-15

I rise today to honor a great American and a U.S. Air Force civil servant, Ms. Charli Kiley. prgtoken Charli distinguished herself through her outstanding service as the office manager and scheduler for the U.S. Air Force's Senate Legislative Liaison office. For the last 13 years, Charli delivered exceptional service through her professionalism, attention to detail, and continued commitment to serving this Nation as a civil servant. Total service included, Charli honorably served a combined 38 years in the U.S. Air Force and civil service. prgtoken Throughout her career, Charli demonstrated exceptional work ethic. As a bipartisan volunteer, Charli was responsible for escorting guests for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to two Presidential inaugurations. In 2022, Charli directly supported a bicameral congressional delegation in support of the Reagan National Defense Forum, as well as the unveiling of the Department of Defense's newest bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider. prgtoken As the manager and scheduler for the Air Force Senate Legislative Liaison office from April 2010 to June 2023, Charli performed her duties well and without reservation supporting the 111th Congress through the 118th Congress. Her subject matter expertise, professional relationships, and in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of Capitol Hill directly strengthened and improved our national security. Charli was singularly responsible for scheduling thousands of engagements between Congress and the Department of the Air Force. These engagements helped U.S. Senators and staffers understand defense equities and their impact on national security. Due to her direct input and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensured the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded. Additionally, Charli's efforts helped establish the U.S. Space Force, she assisted with the confirmation of eight Air Force Secretaries, three Air Force Chiefs of Staff, two Chiefs of Space Operations, and gained the Department of the Air Force support for multiple National Defense Strategies. Last, Charli helped train nine incoming Senate Legislative Liaison division chiefs, nine deputy division chiefs, and dozens of action officers, ensuring seamless transitions, office continuity, and efficient performance. prgtoken After serving in this crucial role for the past 13 years and becoming a fixture on Capitol Hill, Ms. Charli Kiley will be retiring and moving to the great State of Colorado. Charli has given her all in service to our Nation. I am thankful for her service, her work with my office, and her work with the Senate on issues of vital importance to this great Nation. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept our country safe and strong.
REMEMBERING HERBERT "BERTIE" BOWMAN
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-11-15

today I rise to honor and pay tribute to Herbert ``Bertie'' Bowman who passed away on October 25, 2023, at the age of 92 after a remarkable life and over six decades of service to the U.S. Senate. prgtoken As has been noted by my colleague Senator Cardin, Bertie was the embodiment of the American Dream. Bertie began his Capitol Hill career by sweeping steps of the Capitol after running away from his South Carolina home, where his family members were sharecroppers, following a chance encounter with then-Senator Burnet Maybank in a Summerton, SC, general store. Senator Maybank invited Bertie--then only 13 years old-- to come see him in Washington sometime, and that is just what he did. prgtoken A week later, Bertie hopped on a train bound for Union Station and ended up in the Senator's office. The Senator gave him his first job-- to sweep the Capitol steps for $2 a week--and from there, he went on to build a reputation on Capitol Hill as someone who could do it all. According to his memoir, Bertie's mother gave him the best career advice anyone could ask for. She said, ``Be patient and do what you're supposed to do.'' prgtoken Over his many decades in the Senate, one job led to another, and Bertie eventually got a clerical position with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1966. He left the Senate in 1990 to run prgtoken his own chauffeur service, but he returned to the Foreign Relations Committee a decade later as hearing coordinator--a job he held until his nineties. prgtoken Through it all, Bertie exhibited the decency and courtesy that led him to befriend all those who knew him. prgtoken I want to honor Bertie Bowman for his lifelong dedication and service to this institution and to our democracy and to thank him for setting the example of civility to which we all should aspire.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-11-15

I rise today to celebrate a historic milestone for this body and for our country. Last week, as many people know, we confirmed the 150th Federal judge nominated by President and the 100th woman nominated to the Federal Bench, all in just the first 3 years of the Presidency. prgtoken More women have been confirmed to the Federal Bench under President than under any President in the history of our country in their first term. It is a testament to the seriousness with which President and Senate have taken to not only our role in strengthening the Federal judiciary with highly qualified candidates, but to do so while building the Federal Bench to better reflect the diverse nation that it serves. prgtoken Today, I want to take a moment to recognize three women recently confirmed by the Senate who I am confident will now serve with distinction. prgtoken First, last week, the Senate confirmed Judge Kenly Kiya Kato to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judge Kato was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. prgtoken One of her earliest jobs out of law school was in the Central District Federal Public Defender's Office, where she represented hundreds of clients at the district and circuit court level, helping to realize the constitutional right to counsel regardless of income. prgtoken After nearly two decades of work in California, in 2014, she was appointed to be Federal magistrate judge. prgtoken As the daughter of Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II, Judge Kato understands personally the importance of equal justice under the law. Time and again, she has demonstrated her commitment to equal justice as a magistrate judge--a commitment I am confident she will now continue on the U.S. District Court for the Central District. prgtoken Last week, we also confirmed Monica Ramirez Almadani to the U.S. District Court for the Central District. Born in Los Angeles as the proud daughter of immigrants from Mexico, Ms. Ramirez Almadani is a product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. She went on to earn her A.B. from Harvard University and her J.D. from Stanford Law School. prgtoken From the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project to the Immigrants Rights Clinic at the U.C. Irvine School of Law, from the California Department of Justice to the U.S. Department of Justice, throughout her career, she has gathered extensive experience across a wide spectrum of civil and criminal law. prgtoken Since 2021, she served as president and CEO of Public Counsel, the largest provider of pro bono legal services in the country. prgtoken Whether defending low-income immigrant clients or in her capacity representing the U.S. Government at the Department of Justice, she has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. prgtoken And now I am confide
TRIBUTE TO BOB CABANA
Mark Kelly (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2023-11-15

this week, NASA Associate Administrator, former astronaut, and my friend Colonel Robert Cabana announced his retirement, effective December 31, after more than 38 years of public service to NASA. In his current capacity as Associate Administrator, Colonel Cabana served as the Agency's highest ranking civil servant, third highest ranking NASA official, and the senior adviser to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. Colonel Cabana's legacy, among many things, includes a significant contribution to the Nation's human spaceflight program and decades of energetic leadership at the Agency. On a personal level, he played an important leadership role within the astronaut corps, including as chief of NASA's Astronaut Office when I was as an astronaut and during my selection and early years at NASA. I am honored to congratulate Bob on his retirement and thank him for his many years of service. prgtoken Born in Minneapolis, Bob graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, became a naval aviator, and graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981. During his military career, he logged over 7,000 hours in more than 50 different kinds of aircraft. He retired as a colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2000. prgtoken Bob was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1985 and went on to log 38 days in space during four shuttle missions. He piloted the Space Shuttle Discovery on missions STS-41 in 1990 and STS-53 in 1992. During STS-53, the crew conducted microgravity research experiments that helped pave the way for future operations aboard the International Space Station. He commanded Columbia's STS-65 mission in 1994, and in 1998, his final flight, he commanded Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-88, which was the first International Space Station assembly mission. prgtoken The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes and conducting groundbreaking science since November 2000 thanks to the contributions by Bob during STS-88. While at the Johnson Space Center, he served as the lead astronaut in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, Mission Control Spacecraft Communicator-- CAPCOM--and as the director of Flight Crew Operations Directorate. prgtoken He went on to serve as the Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center, the Center Director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, and then the Center Director at the Kennedy Space Center in 2007, where he led its transition from retirement of the space shuttle to a multi-user spaceport once again launching NASA astronauts to low Earth orbit and, for the first time, doing so with commercial partners. He served for more than a decade at the Kennedy Space Center until Senator Nelson called him up to headquarters in 2021. prgtoken And as Associate Administrator of the Agency, Bob has led NASA's 10 Center Directors, as well as the Mission Directorate Associate Administrators at NASA Head
INTRODUCTION OF THE FOSTERING FAMILY COHESION NATIONWIDE ACT
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2023-11-15

I rise today to introduce the Fostering Family Cohesion Nationwide Act. The legislation makes Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child support enforcement, and foster care programs available everywhere else in our Nation also available in the Northern Mariana Islands. prgtoken My district is the only jurisdiction ineligible for such programs under Title IV of the Social Security Act. In every other part of the United States, these programs help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency, promote joint parental responsibility, and provide safe foster care placements for children who cannot remain in their homes. prgtoken The continued exclusion of our islands is not only inequitable, but also violates the agreement negotiated in the covenant that established the current political relationship between the Marianas and the United States. Section 703 of P.L. 94-241 provides that the United States will make available to the Marianas the full range of federal programs and services available to the other territories. And by failing to remedy the Marianas' exclusion from programs under Title IV, Congress is reneging on its promise and perpetuating the unequal treatment of Americans residing in U.S. territories. prgtoken My bill, the Fostering Family Cohesion Nationwide Act, makes this long overdue correction, and upholds our nation's statutory obligation to the people of the Marianas. Each child's right to a safe, nurturing, and permanent family must be safeguarded no matter where they grow up in the United States. prgtoken s who joined me in introducing this bipartisan legislation--Mr. Moylan, Ms. Radewagen, Ms. Plaskett, and Mr. Case.
CELEBRATING THE NATIONAL CORN-TO-ETHANOL RESEARCH CENTER'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Nikki Budzinski (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-11-15

today, I recognize an important anniversary for a cutting-edge research center located in my district. For more than 20 years, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville has been a pillar in the biotechnology industry and a leading research institution in the United States. prgtoken Born in the research title of the 1996 farm bill, with a $14 million Federal appropriation the following year, NCERC has been a good investment not just in my district, but in the broader bioeconomy in America. prgtoken NCERC's work has culminated in more than 80 technologies that are now in the commercial marketplace, generating over $7 billion of annual revenue and thousands of direct and indirect jobs. prgtoken With a return on investment of $5.40 for every dollar of public funding received, NCERC leverages every investment to create public- private partnerships that make a cleaner, low carbon, more sustainable future a reality. prgtoken , I hope everyone will join me in celebrating the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center.
HONORING MS. LORRAINE EGAN
Bill Foster (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-11-15

I rise today to celebrate a Crystal Lake, Illinois native, Lorraine Egan, for her service in the United States Navy. prgtoken Following the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Lorraine proclaimed that she would be ``joining the Navy,'' following in the footsteps of her father who had served in WWI. On December 8, just the day after the attack, her father took her to the Navy's recruitment center. Lorraine entered the Navy as part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program, and in her words ``learned to be tough in a gentle way,'' which she said was necessary to push back against some of the men who were less supportive of women being in the military. She was among the first 200 women to join the Navy. prgtoken The Navy sent Lorraine to Hunter College in New York where she attended nursing school before being sent to complete basic training at Naval Station Great Lakes in Lake County, Illinois. Lorraine was then deployed to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and was involved in surgeries and delivering babies, parts of the job she loved the most. Her daughter notes that Lorraine enjoyed almost every aspect of the job, recalling that ``she just loved all the work.'' prgtoken Former service members call her an inspiration. as not only did she have to pave the path for women to join the military, but ``she had to figure out the path . . and bring the stones.'' At 101 years old, Lorraine encourages young women she meets to join the military as it pays for their education, instills a strong work ethic, and teaches people to be thoughtful and care about others. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating Lorraine Egan for her service to this country, and her bravery to trailblaze a path for women to serve our Nation. I offer her good health and the hope that she continues to spread the lessons she has learned over her life.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5893, COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024; AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5961, NO FUNDS FOR IRANIAN TERRORISM ACT
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-11-15

the balance of my time. prgtoken I think I am beginning to understand the logic of the gentleman from Kentucky. He thinks that we have an open process as long as amendments that he agrees with are made in order, but any amendments that he doesn't agree with it is okay to block them. prgtoken I don't have any problem with some of the crummy amendments that the gentleman and the s have made in order that, in my opinion, are really bad for this country. We will have those debates, and we will vote on them. I have no problem with that. prgtoken I don't know why my friends are afraid to have a debate on women's reproductive rights, whether or not we should protect a woman's right to choose, whether we should protect a woman's right to abortion in this country. They blocked it. They added language in that curtails women's rights, but they won't allow an amendment so we can have those 10 minutes of debate. prgtoken I don't know why the gentleman is afraid to have a debate on whether or not we should end bigotry against the LGBTQ+ community. If they believe that it is okay to continue prejudice and discrimination against that community, they can vote ``no'' on our amendment. Let's have the debate. prgtoken On climate change or even on--we have a different position on assault weapons. The gentleman can offer his amendment. We have a different amendment. Why is it that the amendment that we offered is blocked? prgtoken It is just a strange view of the world when you come up here and say we have a very fair and open process here. We block all your amendments, but we are making all the amendments that we agree with basically in order. I don't really think that is a fair process. prgtoken , House s are a minority party that is masquerading as a majority party. I say that because I think my friends on the other side don't want to actually be in charge anymore. It is easier to be in the minority when you are a . They think all you have to do is vote ``no'' on everything. prgtoken It is harder to be in the majority. It is especially hard because the Party no longer represents a coherent political ideology that seeks to solve problems or govern. They just want to scream and yell about how this place is broken--when they are the ones that broke it. prgtoken They want to use crisis and scandal to mask their own selfishness and sedition, and to cover up their own incompetence and ineffectiveness. The American people see through it. They know this majority is a disaster--a national embarrassment. They have normalized dysfunction. prgtoken We have Members of Congress literally assaulting each other in the hallways. They are threatening to punch people in committee hearings. They are getting into fights on the House floor and having their supporters threaten each other's families with violence. That is the truth. prgtoken They have wasted away their majorit
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-11-15

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Josh Gottheimer (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-11-15

. Mr. Chair, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 659, ``no'' on rollcall No. 660, ``no'' on rollcall No. 661, ``no'' on rollcall No. 662, ``no'' on rollcall No. 663, ``no'' on rollcall No. 664, ``no'' on rollcall No. 665, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 666, ``no'' on rollcall No. 667, ``no'' on rollcall No. 668, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 669, ``no'' on rollcall No. 670, ``no'' on rollcall No. 671, ``no'' on rollcall No. 672, ``no'' on rollcall No. 673, ``no'' on rollcall No. 674, and ``no'' on rollcall No. 675.
RECOGNIZING THE 39TH ANNIVERSARY OF NOVEMBER 1984
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-11-15

I rise today to join my Sikh friends in Pennsylvania and around the world to recognize the 39th anniversary of November 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India. November 1984 marks one of the darkest chapters in modern Sikh history. Sikhism traces its nearly 600 years of history to the Punjab region of India. The Sikh community has a rich history in our country, with emigration dating back 100 years. With nearly 30 million followers globally and a thriving community here in the United States, Sikhism is one of the world's major religions. prgtoken Today we are here to remember the violence which occurred in November 1984, after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the capital territory of Delhi and most major cities of India. These killings lasted for days, and it is estimated that thousands of Sikh men, women, and children were brutally murdered in their homes and on the streets as a proud co-chair of the Congressional Sikh Caucus, remembering this heartbreaking violence that targeted Sikhs across India in 1984 is an important and historic step towards justice, accountability, and reconciliation and to prevent future such occurrences.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT OBJECTION
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-11-15

I am announcing my intent to object to any unanimous consent request to proceed to S.1490, the Kids Online Safety Act. prgtoken I agree with the sponsors of this bill that social media and online games can have a negative impact on the mental health of minors. However, this bill makes the mistake of empowering State attorneys general already enforcing bans on LGBTQ information and prosecuting individuals for helping others receive abortion healthcare. Armed with this bill, all a State attorney general would need to do is link the content they want to scrub from the internet with causing ``anxiety'' or ``depression'' and demonstrate that the platform allowed minors to access such content. For everyone except the largest platforms, the act of being served with the complaint, no matter how specious, would be enough incentive to take down the content in question. Sadly, some deep-pocketed groups that promote anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ policies are cheerleading the bill for this reason. prgtoken Until the bill is amended to foreclose the ability of State attorneys general to wage war on important reproductive and LGBTQ content, I will object to any unanimous consent request in relation to this legislation.
HONORING LINDA KAY MITROVICH
Juan Vargas (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-11-15

today, I rise to honor Linda Kay Mitrovich, a beloved friend, leader and mentor. prgtoken Linda was born on May 18, 1947, in Whittier. California. She was a dedicated public servant. She served on the Poway City Council and was Deputy Mayor from 1986 through 1990. prgtoken She committed her life to the betterment of others and took on many important causes, including environmental protection and Native American sovereignty. prgtoken She played a significant role in creating the first Wildlife Corridor in California. the Coal Canyon Wildlife Reserve, which supported the ecological well-being of over twenty-two million people in Southern California. Linda also created the first national conference on Native American Sovereignty in 2000. prgtoken The California State Legislature also recognized her accomplishments by naming her Woman of the Year in 1988 and 1991. prgtoken Linda's legacy is remembered through her husband and five children, and her memory is cherished by those fortunate enough to have met her.