mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NOMINATION OF ANTONY JOHN BLINKEN
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-1-26

as we move through the first full week of the administration, the Senate will continue the important work of confirming President 's Cabinet. prgtoken Today, the Senate will hold a confirmation vote for Tony Blinken to be the next Secretary of State. Mr. Blinken is just the right person to rebuild and reassert America's national security prerogatives on the global stage and reestablish the first instrument of American power: diplomacy. prgtoken For 4 years, the failed diplomacy of the administration weakened our alliances, strengthened and emboldened our adversaries, and tarnished America's reputation abroad. We must reaffirm our commitment to NATO and other critical alliances around the world. We must hold Russia accountable for its malicious interference in democracies. We must confront China's economic, political, and human rights abuses. And we must work with the family of nations to combat the existential threat of climate change. prgtoken Once confirmed, Mr. Blinken will also inherit a State Department workforce in desperate need of a leader who knows that everyone on the team plays a critical role in advancing America's interests abroad. Under President , our Nation's diplomats and State Department civilians were relegated to the sidelines, and too many positions in the State Department were left vacant or relegated to irrelevance. prgtoken None of this will be easy, but I am confident that Mr. Blinken is exactly the right person for the job. I look forward to seeing this Chamber confirm his nomination later today. prgtoken After that, both parties must keep working together to confirm the rest of President 's outstanding Cabinet. We are off to a decent pace with the confirmations of the President's Secretaries of Defense, Treasury, and Director of National Intelligence. I appreciate the leader's cooperation and hope it will continue because our country needs that. prgtoken That pace must continue this week with the confirmation of the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Transportation. After that, we need a Health and Human Services Secretary installed to oversee the public health response to COVID; an Education Secretary to facilitate the safe reopening of the schools, guided by the science; and a Secretary of HUD to help America's struggling families stay in their homes during this horrible economic crisis. The Senate is working at an encouraging pace, and we will not let up.
CONFIRMATION OF ANTONY JOHN BLINKEN
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-1-26

I rise today in strong support of the nomination of Antony J. Blinken to be U.S. Secretary of State. prgtoken Mr. Blinken has decades of experience in foreign policy, beginning in the early 1990s as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for European and Canadian Affairs. He has since risen to senior foreign policy positions on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch, including as ic Staff Director on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and as Principal Deputy National Security Adviser and Deputy Secretary of State in the administration. I have had occasion to work with him over the years and can testify to his professionalism, diligence, and good judgment. prgtoken Mr. Blinken faces an enormous task. The last 4 years have been rife with chaos, division, and ineffective unilateralism. Under the so- called slogan of ``America First,'' President turned his back on allies and emboldened our adversaries, leaving the United States weakened, vulnerable, and alone. Mr. Blinken must not only reverse the damage done by President ; he must reinvigorate U.S. leadership in a manner that meets the challenges we face today--from the existential threat of climate change, to a more aggressive and confrontational China. prgtoken To begin, Mr. Blinken must restore our alliances, rebuild our global partnerships, expand our commercial ties, and rejoin the critical international agreements and organizations recklessly abandoned by President . Already President has reversed 's Muslim ban, rejoined the Paris climate accords, and recommitted to the World Health Organization. In the coming months, Mr. Blinken must work with our allies to develop a united front to counter the threats posed by adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran. He must reaffirm our commitment to NATO. He must reestablish U.S. leadership in providing development and humanitarian assistance around the world, reasserting U.S. values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. prgtoken As importantly, Mr. Blinken must restore the State Department itself. The administration routinely undermined and smeared our dedicated career foreign and civil service officers. Rebuilding the morale of our talented public servants will be imperative for the successful execution of our foreign policy. prgtoken Given the breadth of his knowledge and experience, I am confident Mr. Blinken is the right person to meet America's foreign policy challenges, and I support his confirmation as U.S. Secretary of State.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION ON JANUARY 25, 2021
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-1-26

I rise today to introduce the ``Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act''. prgtoken I'm pleased to be joined today by Senators Schumer, Blumenthal, and Markey in reintroducing this bill. prgtoken Nearly one year ago today, on January 26, 2020, a helicopter carrying nine Californians flew into foggy weather and crashed minutes later. Los Angeles and the world soon learned that among the crash victims were basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. prgtoken After the crash, we soon learned the names and stories of John, Alyssa, and Keri Altobelli; Sarah and Payton Chester; Christina Mauser; and Ara Zobayan. These were spirited friends and family members connected by their love of sport, traveling to a weekend basketball tournament. prgtoken The sudden and shocking nature of the accident touched many, and the public remembrances in Los Angeles and around the world to honor the victims are proof that their memories will not soon be forgotten. prgtoken But this tragedy is one that could have been averted. A preliminary report and investigatory documents released by the National Transportation Safety Board indicate the helicopter was flying through thick clouds and fog, yet was not equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system. This technology provides pilots with real-time, inflight warning signals and an image of surrounding terrain. prgtoken Since 2006, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that all new and existing helicopters capable of carrying six or more passengers be equipped with terrain awareness and warning system technology. However, FAA has only required these warning systems for air ambulances. prgtoken Nevertheless, this technology has become standard on new helicopters from Airbus, Bell, Leonardo, and Sikorsky since December 2018. But older helicopters remain vulnerable. prgtoken Our bill also requires crash-resistant flight data and voice recorders. Otherwise known as black boxes, this technology is important for when accidents do happen and mistakes are made. It would allow agencies like the NTSB to have a better understanding of the incident and provide more information to the FAA to prevent future accidents. prgtoken It is clear that additional steps are needed to ensure that helicopters can fly safely, both for the sake of passengers and those on the ground. prgtoken Our bill offers a common-sense approach to preventing further accidents like this one. It would simply direct the FAA to implement the NTSB's recommendations to require terrain awareness and warning systems and flight data and voice recorders on all helicopters carrying six or more passengers. prgtoken I appreciate the hard work of the National Transportation Safety Board in developing these important recommendations, and it is long past time that the FAA heeds its call. prgtoken My thoughts continue to be with the victims and their
NOMINATION OF ANTONY JOHN BLINKEN
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-1-27

yesterday afternoon we confirmed another one of President 's Cabinet nominees. Antony Blinken has led an impressive career in the public sector and is well versed in both the vast responsibilities of the State Department, as well as the diplomatic challenges we will face in the months and years ahead, the most important of which is China, but it is not China alone. prgtoken While Mr. Blinken and I have policy differences--some of them very serious--I have confidence in his ability to represent our Nation on the global stage. It is important for a new President, whether they be a or a , to have qualified, Senate-confirmed officials in their Cabinet without delay. prgtoken Over the past week, we have worked to confirm nominees for some of the most critical Federal Departments and Agencies. The Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury, as well as the Director of National Intelligence, have each been confirmed by the Senate with broad bipartisan support. And we will continue to process more of the President's nominees in the days ahead. prgtoken Four years ago, our ic colleagues approached President 's nominees with a grab bag of antics, including everything from intentional delays to brazen theatrics. In most cases, this behavior wasn't a reflection on the nominee or their qualifications, but of our colleagues' antipathy toward President . prgtoken Clearly we are adopting a different approach, and I hope it is one that will deescalate these battles and one that will serve the national interest rather than harm it. prgtoken Throughout my time in the Senate, I have tried to evaluate nominees based on their qualifications, their integrity, and their ability to carry out the responsibilities for the job they have been nominated for, and I will continue to either support or oppose nominees based on those merits and those criteria, not based on the party of the President
ROE V. WADE
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-1-27

last Friday, we observed the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade--the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy. It is a somber day every year, as we contemplate the millions of lives lost to abortion since the Roe v. Wade decision. prgtoken Gallup has been polling on abortion for decades, and if you look at the polling on the issue, one thing becomes clear: The majority of Americans do not believe in unrestricted abortion. Some believe that abortion should be completely illegal. Some believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances. But the majority of Americans do not believe in unrestricted abortion. prgtoken Why is that? Why, despite the best efforts of the far left, do the majority of Americans think there should be at least some restrictions on abortion? I suspect the answer is that every person knows on some level that when we are talking about abortion, we are talking about a baby, a human being. It is not rocket science; it is biology 101. Human moms and dads have human babies. Take one look at an ultrasound, at a baby girl sucking her thumb or a baby boy kicking his feet, and it is pretty hard to argue that is just a clump of cells. prgtoken I believe that is why, despite years of fierce abortion advocacy from the far left, the majority of Americans do not believe in unrestricted abortion, because they know--they know--the unborn child is a human being, and they know a human being deserves to be protected even when they are small and weak and vulnerable--especially when they are small and weak and vulnerable. prgtoken The truth is, advocates of abortion are fighting an uphill battle. It doesn't always feel like that. After all, they have a lot of support from the entertainment industry and magazines and media outlets and ic politicians. The pro-abortion left has a lot of money. They have won too many victories, and too many babies have been killed. But despite their money and platform and advantage, in 48 years, advocates for abortion have not won their fight. They have not managed to convince anywhere close to a majority of Americans that abortion is an unqualified good and should be available unrestricted and on demand, and that is because, for all their advantages, they are fighting an unwinnable battle because they are fighting against reality, they are fighting against truth, they are fighting against science, and they are fighting against the knowledge that is written on every human heart, a truth that gets obscured but is hard to completely erase, and that is, every human being has value and deserves to be protected. prgtoken Last week, I came down to the floor to praise President 's call for unity, and I suggested that one way he could show that commitment was by prgtoken nominating individuals for key posts who represent a majority of Americans instead of the far-left wing of his party. I think several of the Preside
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-1-27

the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 became public law on January 1, 2021, and included reforms to the U.S. Agency for Global Media outlined in section 1299Q. The FY21 consolidated appropriations act became public law on December 27, 2020, and included language that would have delayed those reforms had they already been in law, but they were not. Reserving any concerns about the lawfulness of insulating Senate-confirmed officers from removal, I believe it is Congress's intent that these two provisions should not be understood concurrently and that the reforms outlined in section 1299Q shall take effect on the date of enactment of the fiscal year 2021 NDAA.
ADVICE AND CONSENT
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-1-27

the Senate is focused on one of its constitutional roles right now, which is meeting with and discussing with the new administration's Cabinet--our advice and consent role. The consent role, obviously, is confirmation votes here on the floor of the U.S. Senate, which we are doing a number of these on the floor and in committee. But there is also the advice role, given to us by the Founding Fathers. On the advice, we are providing whether we vote for some of these nominees or not to the Cabinet. It is a big part of the Senate's role. So I am going to take a minute to provide a little bit of advice to some of the new, incoming team. prgtoken Now, look, we are seeing it particularly in the foreign policy realm. A lot of the team has actually come from the - team-- maybe too many. You worry about stale thinking, because when they were in power 4 years ago, or a little bit over 4 years ago, there are a lot of things that have changed in the world--particularly on foreign policy, a lot that has happened in the world. So you need fresh views, but we are where we are. prgtoken But an example of this kind of stale thinking that I was shocked to see recently at the White House is the use of the term ``strategic patience'' as a foreign policy concept. Now, this was the phrase the administration used to describe its policy toward North Korea, and I think most people would recognize-- and s-- that that was not a very successful policy, a pretty failed policy. prgtoken Now, granted, North Korea is difficult. There is no doubt. But the policy that was known as strategic patience was the policy that enabled the North Korea rogue regime to massively build up a nuclear arsenal. So kind of like leading from behind, the administration's term ``strategic patience'' became synonymous with a passive and even weak foreign policy approach as it related to North Korea, certainly. prgtoken So I was very surprised yesterday to hear the White House Press Secretary trot out this term again, ``strategic patience,'' but this time when talking about the administration's policy with regard to China. prgtoken Now, this is almost certainly music to China's ears--the leadership of China--because it is kind of a subtle green light to Xi Jinping and the other authoritarians in China of its failure to uphold promise after promise to the United States--something I refer to as ``promise fatigue'' that we have here--or continuing to call itself a developing country, when it is not, or continuing its attempts to dominate the South China Sea with the militarization of that important strategic sea lane, or continuation of intellectual property theft, or all the challenges that we have with China. The idea that we are going to have strategic patience, I think, sends a signal to the Chinese that we don't take these issues urgently, and that is the wrong message. These are urg
March For Life (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-1-27

one of the best presentations I have heard in a long time was just a couple of hours ago by James Lankford. What he was talking about, I have never heard a presentation more heartfelt prgtoken and compassionate than he did on the unborn, and I couldn't touch that. But there are a couple of things I wanted to add that perhaps were not on his--he didn't have time to get around to. prgtoken It is really important that we recognize celebrating this March for Life that is taking place. It is something that has happened each year for a long time now. I have always enjoyed being a part of it. We have large groups of people coming up from Oklahoma. prgtoken However, it is virtual this year as everything else is. It is more important than ever under this new administration and its radical abortion practices and the personnel that have been suggested to be part of the administration. So it is going to be maybe a greater fight than it has been in the past. prgtoken In light of that, I am introducing a bill I have introduced before, but we have never been able to get it passed. It is called Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act, which will prohibit abortions being sought because the unborn baby has Down syndrome. prgtoken All abortion is tragic, but this population has been specifically targeted. In the United States--it just turned out this way, and there is no law that influences it--in the United States, approximately 67 percent of the unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted. All lives have inherent worth regardless of their chromosome count. I think we all understand that. prgtoken But my fight does not stop there. I am also joining my colleagues in introducing several pro-life bills as we prepare for March for Life, including Senator Sasse's. He has a bill that is the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. His bill ensures that a baby who survives an abortion will receive the same treatment as any child naturally born at the same age. prgtoken People don't realize this, but babies who have been in an attempted abortion and they survive the abortion, they don't get the medical treatment that they normally would get, which this bill directly addresses. This has been going on for a long time. I have a feeling that we have an opportunity. The numbers are changing in our direction in terms of the unborn and have been for some time. prgtoken Now, my wife Kay and I have been married 60 years. We have 20 kids and grandkids, so I know something about babies. I know something about babies who are born. And I looked up and I saw--because of the great presentation that Senator Lankford gave, I was looking for some material I had used in the past. prgtoken It was 28 years ago that I came down here to tell the story about Ana Rosa Rodriguez. This is what I said. I was in the House at that time. This was in the House Record, and this is what I said at that time. I said: Mr. Chairma
NOMINATIONS
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-1-27

yesterday, we confirmed Antony Blinken, our new Secretary of State. Like the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Treasury, it was another big, bipartisan vote here in the Senate. prgtoken Four years ago, Senate subjected mainstream nominees to lead State and Treasury to a full gauntlet of partisan delay tactics. They forced cloture votes. Those were nearly party-line. So were the final votes. Neither got on the job until February. But this President's mainstream nominees to key posts are receiving fair consideration and a timely process. prgtoken s have no shortage of substantive policy differences with the new administration. We will be discussing them with Secretaries Austin, Yellen, and Blinken in the course of normal committee oversight. prgtoken But unlike what took place 4 years ago, s are not gratuitously delaying people who are mainstream and qualified whom the new President has asked to serve in key posts. If we find somebody unfit, unqualified, or outside the mainstream, you bet we will oppose them. prgtoken But I have just spent 4 years arguing that Presidents deserve some latitude to assemble their team. I meant it, and I mean it now. prgtoken With my vote to confirm Mr. Blinken, I wanted to reinforce the need for a true bipartisan consensus on the core objectives of our foreign policy. prgtoken Yesterday, while discussing the legislative filibuster, I talked about the chaos that would ensue if every domestic policy swung wildly back and forth with every election. The same goes for our foreign affairs. American statesmen should make commitments and issue threats that can endure beyond their terms in office. prgtoken To be clear, Presidents bear the primary responsibility for foreign policy, and I am not suggesting different leaders should not have different ideas. But they will be more successful and their legacies more enduring if they make the effort to build bipartisan support among Congress and the American people. prgtoken Neither America nor our allies will like the world that results if the world's leading Nation starts over like an Etch A Sketch every 4 years. prgtoken For starters, in several important areas, the new administration should build on bipartisan consensus that actually already exists. prgtoken Let's start with China. The administration helped build a long prgtoken overdue awakening to the reality that we are in strategic competition with the PRC, that Beijing will not magically conform itself to the so- called international community, and that these challenges demand fast and serious action from the United States and from our friends. President and his new Cabinet must keep working with Congress to continue building a whole-of-government, whole-of-economy approach to checking China. prgtoken We need Secretary Austin to keep focus on modernizing our forces, deterring Chinese threat