mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CATAWBA INDIAN NATION LANDS ACT
G. K. Butterfield (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2021-11-1

. Madam , let me first thank Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for her friendship and leadership, and thank her for yielding time to me this afternoon. prgtoken Madam , I rise in support of H.R. 1619, the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act. prgtoken A few moments ago, Congressman Clyburn made reference to the fact that 1619 was a very significant number. What he was referring to, Madam , was that it was the year 1619 that the first slaves arrived in America--the first African slaves, I might say, arrived in America. prgtoken It is very interesting that this bill bears that number, but I am in full support of this legislation. prgtoken Madam , this is good, bipartisan legislation. You can see that it has support on both sides of the aisle. It will ratify actions taken by the Department of the Interior that placed 17 acres of land in North Carolina that are within the Catawba's service area, as defined by Congress in 1993, that land was placed into trust for the benefit of the Tribe. prgtoken This bill would enable the Catawba Indian Nation to secure economic self-sufficiency as envisioned by Congress in passing the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1987. It will generate millions of dollars in economic development and create thousands of jobs in North Carolina, where few jobs currently exist. prgtoken That, Madam , is why I have such a deep interest in this legislation, because of the economic impact. prgtoken The Catawba Nation has already signed an agreement. I need to make prgtoken sure the record is clear about that. The Catawba Nation has already signed an agreement with our Governor, Governor Roy Cooper, and they have the support of the local community. prgtoken Madam , I respectfully urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.
CATAWBA INDIAN NATION LANDS ACT
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2021-11-1

. Madam , I rise today to call upon this august body for a favorable vote on H.R. 1619. That is a very interesting number for this legislation. This legislation is known as the Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act. prgtoken The Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act clarifies that the Catawba Indian Nation is subject to the well-established rules and regulations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on their modern and ancestral lands in the State of North Carolina. prgtoken This legislation will clarify the Tribe's 1993 Land Claims Settlement Act and reaffirm recent action taken by the Department of the Interior to take land into trust for the Tribe. prgtoken Most importantly, this bipartisan legislation is a very significant step toward rectifying historic injustices that have been perpetrated against the Catawba Indian Nation. prgtoken Like, in many other instances of current effects of historical inequities, the Catawba Nation experiences high unemployment and poverty rates causing many of its citizens to rely upon Federal and State governments for basic social services. prgtoken The enactment of this legislation is critical to helping the Catawba Indian Nation secure economic self-sufficiency as Congress originally intended when it passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. prgtoken Madam , I respectfully ask my colleagues for a favorable vote on this Act.
Nomination of Toby J. Heytens (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-11-1

today, the Senate will vote to confirm Toby Heytens to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. prgtoken He is an accomplished appellate advocate, with a depth of experience and a fair-mindedness that would make him an asset to the Fourth Circuit. He started as a clerk on the Third Circuit, completed a prestigious fellowship at the Justice Department's Office of the Solicitor General, and then he clerked for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Not a bad resume. prgtoken After a few years in private practice, Mr. Heytens rejoined the Justice Department as an assistant to the Solicitor General. Most recently, he was Solicitor General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. prgtoken He is a distinguished academic--taught at Cornell Law School, joined the faculty at UVA Law School, codirected the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. prgtoken Mr. Heytens has personally argued 10 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court--there aren't many people who can say that--and handled the briefing in more than 50 other cases before the Court, and the breadth of these cases is impressive. prgtoken With such credentials, it is not surprising he enjoys the strong support of Senators Kaine and Warner. prgtoken He has been unanimously rated ``well qualified'' by the American Bar Association, and his nomination is supported by leaders in the legal community, including three former Solicitors General under President . prgtoken He is a dedicated public servant. I will be voting for him, and I hope my colleagues will join me.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-11-1

first of all, let me thank both Mr. Horsford and Ms. Moore for one of the important colloquies that I have heard on the floor of this body, and that is to be able to speak to people who are prgtoken working hard every day, who are single parents, who work with their minds and their hands. prgtoken I am glad to hear that we did not limit who would be able to receive these benefits, and we also crafted the vitality and the vigorous efforts of the Congressional Black Caucus. prgtoken As I close, , I would like to just reiterate what Members, including the leadership of our chair, Chairwoman Joyce Beatty, Congresswoman Adams, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, Congressman Evans, obviously Mr. Horsford and Ms. Moore, what they all have said, if I might. And that is, let me reiterate that each piece of Build Back Better is a piece that is vital for the lives of Americans and African Americans. prgtoken For example, $550 more in Pell grants for more than 5 million students. Then HBCUs, again, $10 billion. Seniors who have never had hearing aids, only 30 percent of seniors over the age of 70 who could benefit from hearing aids have ever had them. Medicare in this Build Back Better will include that extra benefit. Many of us have seen the caricatures of our seniors on television and elsewhere trying to hear. That is not anything that is funny, but it has been made light of. I want to give every senior an opportunity to hear. prgtoken At the same time, I want to emphasize the importance of childcare. We are telling the story. Only 26.8 percent of Black 3- to 4-year-old children are enrolled in publicly funded preschool, with the average cost of preschool for those without access $8,600. We are going to stop it with this. prgtoken We are not going to be the trillion-dollar tax cut to the top 1 percent and putting a deep dive into our deficit. We are going to put a deep investment into the American people, particularly those people of color. prgtoken I think it is extremely important that we talk about children and healthcare. prgtoken , how much time do we have remaining?
OLD PASCUA COMMUNITY LAND ACQUISITION ACT
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2021-11-1

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 4881, the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act, introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), the Natural Resources Committee Chair, will direct the Secretary of the Interior to take approximately 30 acres of land into trust for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. prgtoken The Pascua Yaqui Tribe is located in southern Arizona, near the city of Tucson, and has approximately 22,000 enrolled Tribal members, with a 2,216-acre reservation. prgtoken Before the Federal recognition of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Yaqui leaders, local leaders, and others worked together to establish a home for Tribal citizens. In 1921 these efforts led to the formal Pascua Village in Tucson, Arizona. prgtoken Before the formal Federal recognition and the establishment of a reservation in 1978, former Congressman Mo Udall of Arizona introduced a bill to establish 202 acres of land southwest of Tucson to the Pascua Yaqui Association. prgtoken While many families relocated to this new land base, many other families remained in the Pascua Village, known as Old Pascua. With the growing city of Tucson and the geographic distance from the formal reservation, the Tribe has worked to ensure the Tribal members living within the Pascua Village have remained cared for, including working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to designate Old Pascua as near- reservation lands. prgtoken Earlier this year, the Tribe entered into a State-negotiated compact with the State of Arizona to provide gaming activities in the Old Pascua community. The Secretary of the Interior approved the compact in May 2021. prgtoken Further, the Tribe signed an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Tucson to transfer a parcel of land within Tucson into trust for the benefit of the Tribe. prgtoken This bill ensures the Old Pascua community remains intact with the Tribe's homelands, and the bill will allow the Tribe to conduct gaming activities, expand economic development opportunities, and engage in cultural practices on their historic land. prgtoken I am pleased to cosponsor H.R. 4881, which is a bipartisan bill, with support from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the city of Tucson, the State of Arizona, and the Arizona delegation. I support the Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill. prgtoken Madam , .
Nomination of Beth Robinson (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2021-11-1

the Senate today is going to vote on the confirmation of Vermont's own Justice Beth Robinson, a vote to confirm her to serve as a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken As an advocate, Beth Robinson has been rightfully hailed as a tireless champion for equal rights and equal justice, but more importantly, her record as a Vermont Supreme Court justice clearly demonstrates her fairness, her impartiality, and loyalty to the rule of law above all else. prgtoken We Vermonters overwhelmingly support her nomination, including elected officials--both s and --the entire Vermont Supreme Court, and the Vermont Bar Association; they overwhelmingly support her. prgtoken Justice Robinson will fill Vermont's seat on the Second Circuit, and I believe she is the best, strongest candidate for this position. She deserves bipartisan support in this Senate, as she got last week on a vote. prgtoken Beth Robinson was appointed to the Vermont Supreme Court by Governor Peter Shumlin in November 2011. To give you some idea of the bipartisan support she has had over the years, the Vermont Senate, s and , have to vote on her nomination, and they voted unanimously to have her on the Vermont Supreme Court. prgtoken All current Vermont Supreme Court justices, appointed by both ic and Governors, have signed a letter supporting her nomination to the Second Circuit. For the past decade, she has served on the court honorably. She has also participated in nearly 1,800 decisions. prgtoken Now, I am a member of the Vermont bar, and I pay attention to what happens, and I see her tenure as being a display of a commitment to the rule of law. Her unwavering, decade-long dedication as a jurist and her loyalty to the law above all else has made Beth Robinson an outstanding Vermont Supreme Court justice. No Vermonter doubts she will carry that approach to justice with her in the Second Circuit. prgtoken Let me talk a little bit about before she was on the bench. Prior to the time on the bench, Justice Robinson dedicated her legal career to pursuing liberty and justice for all. She spent the beginning of her legal career defending workers' rights and advancing discrimination cases. It was during this time that she worked pro bono as cocounsel to the plaintiffs in the case Baker v. State that challenged Vermont's then-protection on same-sex marriage. prgtoken She successfully litigated this landmark decision in which the Vermont Supreme Court upheld equal protections for same-sex couples and actually led Vermont to become the first State in the Union to enact civil unions in the country. prgtoken As a litigator, her work served as a blueprint for LGBTQ advocacy across the country. She successfully represented an employee at the University of Vermont, who sought recognition of his Canadian marriage to a same-sex partner for health insurance purposes; another, a couple seeki
Remembering John Amara F. Walters (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-11-1

I think all Senators can agree that we would not be able to deliver results for the people in our States and for our country if it were not for our extraordinary staff, who work with us each and every day. They are there with us in the trenches, fighting for the constituents we pledge to serve, and defending the Constitution of the United States. prgtoken It is for that reason that I am confident my colleagues will agree with me when I say congressional staff is more than just a collection of individuals; it is a family. And it is that truth that makes my presence on the Senate floor this evening all the more difficult, because my office, our family, has lost a beloved member. prgtoken John Amara F. Walters, a legislative aide in my office, passed away on the morning of October 2, at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. He died in the arms of his beloved mother, Kimberley, who joins us this evening in the gallery. John was 29 years old. prgtoken On behalf of myself, our office, and the people of Maryland, I want to take a little time not only to express our profound grief at the loss of a dear friend and amazing human being, but also to tell a little bit of John's story to this Senate and to the Nation, and to pay tribute to his life, to honor all that he gave us, and to celebrate all that he gave to the world. prgtoken John Amara F. Walters was born on Friday, February 9, 1992, in Adrian, MI, to John A.M. Walters and Kimberley H. Davis Walters. He came from a long line of patriots and leaders, including his grandfather, who defended the United States in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman. prgtoken And John caught the political bug early. At age 6--yes, you all heard that right, aged 6 years old--John started working on local political campaigns. In his early years, he participated in three Presidential elections and traveled across Michigan and the country to serve communities in need. In high school, he interned for the late great Michigan Senator, Carl Levin. John was also a committed member of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute's Pathways to Freedom program. prgtoken He excelled inside the classroom--first graduating from Adrian High School in 2010, and then going on to study at the District of Columbia's own Howard University, where he earned his BA in psychology in 2015 magna cum laude. I should add he was a loyal Howard alum and proud Bison and a favorite son of the university's. prgtoken The last time I met face-to-face--in the pre-COVID days--with the president of Howard University, Wayne Frederick, John was with me, and I told Dr. Frederick how proud we were of John's exemplary work, and Dr. Frederick was proud too. prgtoken John did all of this at a young age and more, and he achieved these things despite having a lifelong battle with sickle cell anemia--an illness that often struck him with fatigue and pain. But that didn't stop John. He refused to be defined by his il
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Steven Horsford (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-11-1

I want to thank my coanchor, my distinguished colleague Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for her tremendous leadership and for anchoring this Special Order hour, and, of course, our chairwoman, Joyce Beatty, for her tremendous leadership in leading the Congressional Black Caucus, which represents more than 17 million Black constituents across this great country. We represent not only Black Americans, but all Americans, diverse Americans. And what those Americans have been telling me in my district back home in Nevada's Fourth District, it is time for us to build back better and to do it in a more equitable and inclusive way. prgtoken Tonight, we are here to bring attention to the fact that we are standing at a crossroads of history. With the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the Build Back Better Act, Congress has the opportunity to finally rebuild our economy to deliver huge tax cuts to the middle class and to lower the cost of living for families on everything from childcare to healthcare. prgtoken The question is: Will our colleagues on the other side of the aisle work with us to deliver these important investments on behalf of the American people? Now, we have seen transformative legislation like this before when Congress worked to rebuild the American society in the wake of the Great Depression, but never, and I mean never, have people of color benefited like they could under the Build Back Better Act. prgtoken I think it is our majority whip, Jim Clyburn, who has talked about the history of these other measures and how they actually left entire communities out. They left women out. They left communities of color out, and we are still dealing with the systemic issues of being left out of those policies for far too long. prgtoken So I want to again thank our leadership because it wasn't just this bill and the drafting of this bill and, yes, President wrote this bill, he wrote it with the support of his team at the White House, but with a whole lot of good input from colleagues over here in the Capitol, including here in the Congressional Black Caucus. prgtoken I know that there are colleagues of mine who have been working on key elements of this bill for a very long time. I know that they, like myself, are ready to act on behalf of the American people. prgtoken So I look forward to having a little bit of a colloquy with my colleague from Wisconsin. I believe that it is so important, Mr that we talk about what is in this bill. For far too long, people have been focused about a top-line number, about the process, about the personalities here on Capitol Hill and whether certain factions are with the bill or working on the bill. With all due respect, I want to talk about policy and the policy that affects people, the people in my district, in Nevada's Fourth District, and the people all across this country. prgtoken Why? Because the Build Back Better Act will cut childcare costs. For families t
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-11-1

. Finally, , I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Tuesday, November 2; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Davidson nomination; further, that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 11 a.m the Senate vote on cloture on the Davidson, , and Coleman nominations in the order listed; and that following the cloture vote on the Coleman nomination, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that at 2:20 p.m the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Prieto and Nayak nominations, in the order listed; that at 5:15 p.m the Senate vote on confirmation of the Davidson nomination if cloture has been invoked; and that upon disposition of the Davidson nomination, the Senate resume consideration of the nomination. prgtoken Finally, if any nominations are confirmed during Tuesday's session, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
TRIBUTE TO MICHIGAN'S VETERANS
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-11-1

I rise today to honor all of the brave Michigan veterans who have served in our Nation's military. prgtoken When the scourge of slavery threatened to tear our Nation in two, Michiganders selflessly marched to war. When fascism rose in Europe, Michiganders built an Arsenal of Democracy and kept freedom alive. And when terrorists attacked our own country 20 years ago, Michiganders stood up and signed up. Over and over again, Michigan men and women have served our country to protect our freedoms. prgtoken These veterans all fought different battles and had different missions. But all of them were patriots. All of them--and their families--made incredible sacrifices. And all of them were willing to lay down their own lives to protect their fellow Americans and this Nation we love. prgtoken Perhaps there's no better Michigan example of this than Charles S. Kettles. Charles was born in Ypsilanti in 1930 and fell in love with flying while attending Edison Institute High School in Dearborn. Aviation was in his blood; his dad was a military pilot. prgtoken In 1951, Charles was drafted into the Army. He attended Army Aviation School and served tours in Korea, Japan, and Thailand. He retired from Active Duty in 1956 and continued to serve in the Army Reserves. prgtoken During the Vietnam war, the Army was in desperate need of helicopter pilots. So in 1963, Charlie volunteered for active duty and learned to fly the UH-1D, ``Huey.'' prgtoken Those skills would save lives on May 15, 1967. Then-Major Kettles volunteered to lead a flight of six Hueys on a rescue mission. prgtoken Charles's helicopter came under fire, but he kept on flying. After the second rescue flight, his helicopter was leaking fuel, and his gunner was severely wounded. He found a helicopter that wasn't leaking and went back to rescue the stranded men. prgtoken On the way back to the base, he learned that eight troops had been left behind. Without a second thought, he returned to the landing zone. prgtoken His helicopter was hit by gunfire and a mortar round. Yet somehow, Charles made it back to the landing zone, picked up the stranded troops, and brought them safely back to the base. In total, he saved 44 lives that day. prgtoken Typically, the Medal of Honor must be awarded within 5 years of the heroic act. But this kind of heroism has no expiration date. In 2015, I introduced legislation with Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to allow Charles to receive the Medal of Honor. In 2016, he did. prgtoken And earlier this year, it was an incredible honor to be there when the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor was renamed after Charles. Lieutenant Colonel Kettles saved lives back in 1967, and the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center is saving lives today. ``We got the 44 out,'' he said during his Medal of Honor ceremony in 2016. ``None of those names appear on the wall in Washington. There's nothing mor