mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE ART ASSOCIATION OF NAPA VALLEY
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-3-21

I rise today to honor the Art Association of Napa Valley as this all-volunteer arts organization celebrates its 75th Anniversary. prgtoken Founded in 1948, the Art Association of Napa Valley is a nonprofit arts organization, with a mission to foster a more inclusive environment for all individuals through the arts and to support local artists of all ages and backgrounds. Many in Napa Valley have come to know the Arts Association of Napa Valley through their art exhibits and their several facilities. Some of the most notable facilities they have to offer include their downtown Art Gallery, the art center on Berens Street, and a newly opened clay and glass center on Jefferson Street. prgtoken Throughout the decades, the Art Association of Napa Valley has contributed greatly to its community through its constant advocacy for the arts. The organization has also been a pioneer in starting art festivals for the community, with its first one dating back to the 1950s. Today, the organization participates in the Arts in April festival, a valley wide celebration honoring the arts. prgtoken The Art Association of Napa Valley's philanthropic activities include providing scholarships for talented students who are pursuing an art career, organizing local art exhibits to display and market creations, and providing classes for those who wish to explore their artistic talents. Additionally, many students who have benefitted from the contributions of the Art Association of Napa Valley have pursued advanced degrees in the arts, with several earning a Master of Fine Arts degree. prgtoken , it is clear that the Art Association of Napa Valley has not only contributed immensely to highlighting Napa Valley's unique artistic community, but also has uplifted and encouraged students to fulfill their artistic ambitions. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor here today the work of the Art Association of Napa Valley as it celebrates its 75th Anniversary of artistic advocacy.
AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-3-21

on the AUMFs, today, the Senate begins debate on a resolution formally repealing the Iraq AUMFs of 2002 and 1991, bringing us another step closer to ending these war authorities and putting these conflicts behind us for good. prgtoken I want to note last week's vote on cloture--68 to 27. That is a clear sign of bipartisan support in this Chamber. I hope s will work with us to keep this bill moving forward, because AUMF repeal in the Senate is now a matter of when, not of if. It is my hope that we can finish our work on repealing these AUMFs as soon as possible. prgtoken We will have a reasonable amendment process. That said, given last week's strong vote, there is no reason to drag this out. I am encouraged that, in the House, Members from both sides of the aisle seem to be open to taking action once the Senate passes this resolution, and there are Members of the Senate leadership who seem very strongly for the bill. That is a very good sign. prgtoken As always, s here in the Senate, on both sides of the aisle, for supporting this legislation, particularly Senators Kaine and Young, who did an amazing job in rounding up support. This has been a dream of Senator Kaine's for a long time, and now it is coming closer to reality. And I want to thank Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch and all of the cosponsors of the legislation. prgtoken There is no justification anymore for allowing these Iraq authorizations to remain on the books. Every year they remain in place is another year a future administration can abuse them to ensnare us in another conflict in the Middle East. The American people don't want that. They are tired of endless wars in the Middle East. We owe it to our servicemembers and our veterans, as well as their families and communities impacted by the war, to repeal these AUMFs as soon as we can.
RECOGNIZING 22 YEARS OF SERVICE OF COCONUT CREEK COMMISSIONER BECKY TOOLEY
Jared Moskowitz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2023-3-21

I rise today to recognize the 22 years of service by Coconut Creek Commissioner, Becky Tooley. prgtoken Born in 1948 in Newark, Ohio, Mayor Tooley has a long history of service to the community of Coconut Creek. Before her election to the Coconut Creek City Commission, she served on the City's Environmental Board and the Planning and Zoning Board. prgtoken Her public service continues beyond city government, mentoring the youth of Coconut Creek at the Atlantic Technical Center and Coconut Creek High School. She also serves on the Boards of numerous community organizations, including the Coconut Creek Woman's Club, Alzheimer's Family Center Board of Trustees, Northwest Medical Center, Coconut Creek ic Club, the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 157, and the board of the Broward League of Cities. prgtoken , I ask that you join me in recognizing Mayor Becky Tooley for her outstanding service to the people of Coconut Creek in Florida's 23rd Congressional District.
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-3-21

before the Senator leaves the floor, I just want everyone to note that what the Senate just heard was Senator Hassan--vintage Senator Hassan--saying repeatedly: Let us find a way to move forward in a bipartisan way. And through example after example, she cited the progress. It has always been that, even before the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken I was the author of the Healthy Americans Act, the first bipartisan universal coverage bill in the history of the Senate--14 Senators, 7 and 7 s--because we learned the lesson Senator Hassan has described and took it into the Affordable Care Act. So for her wonderful remarks. And for people who are paying attention, this is what we get in the Senate Finance Committee every single time Senator Hassan is in the house. prgtoken , the landscape of American healthcare is shifting dramatically in the 13 years since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. prgtoken I believe many find it hard to even recall the day when an American could be denied health insurance because of preexisting medical conditions, but we ought to remember the history. Those were the days when healthcare was for the healthy and the wealthy. The insurance companies, under the law, could just clobber--clobber--somebody prgtoken with a preexisting condition. You were basically on your own. prgtoken And, apropos of the implications to the economy, I have talked to the President of the Senate often about encouraging innovation enterprise. When we discriminated against people with preexisting conditions, the big problem we saw was job loss. When somebody had the opportunity to be mobile and to move somewhere else, they weren't able to do it because they were tethered to their position because they had coverage, and they couldn't get it if they moved on. Now, tens of millions of Americans have health and financial security thanks to 39 States--39 States--that have moved beyond just ending the discrimination against those with preexisting conditions to expanding Medicaid coverage. prgtoken The Affordable Care Act was also, we should remember, passed in a moment of great need. The recession--the great recession--caused massive economic damage and layoffs across the country. Millions lost the employer-provided health insurance they had. More than 50 million Americans lacked any form of health insurance coverage, and there was no backstop for them. prgtoken At that time, you basically were literally on your own. If you were sick and you were faced with providing for your family, you could lose virtually everything in those tragic kind of days when people didn't realize the importance of the changes that needed to be made. prgtoken It is now clear, for example, how important the Medicaid safety net truly is. The number of uninsured Americans has been cut in half. In addition to Medicaid, the individual marketplace hit record enrollment with 16 mi
CELEBRATING JOHN GIBBONS' SERVICE AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOR THE BELLEROSE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Anthony D’Esposito (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-3-21

I rise today to honor the heroic accomplishments and career of John Gibbons. prgtoken A lifelong resident of Nassau County, Mr. Gibbons grew up in the Floral Park Bellerose community, graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School. He then moved to Bellerose Village in 2001. Mr. Gibbons is a family man, raising 4 kids: Anthony, Olivia, Katherine, and Elizabeth. In June, Mr. Gibbons will celebrate 30 years of marriage with his wife, Lori. On top of being a decorated fireman, John has worked in the banking and finance industries for nearly 3 decades. prgtoken John Gibbons has been a member of the Bellerose Volunteer Fire Department for 21 years on Long Island. John has risen through the ranks throughout his time there, holding many different positions because of his character and dedication to serving his community. prgtoken Mr. Gibbons has held both corporate officer positions and Firematic officer positions. During his time in the corporate office of the Bellerose Fire Department, Mr. Gibbons held the positions of Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President. While working as a Firematic officer, Mr. Gibbons served in all Firematic officer positions: 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief, and is now serving as Chief of the Department. prgtoken While bravely serving the Bellerose community, Mr. Gibbons managed different programs and initiatives vital to the Department. While Mr. Gibbons was a Captain, John organized, supervised, and conducted 40 fire drills within a year. These drills incorporated all phases of firefighter training, preparing each firefighter for the next incident. As Chief of the Department, John is Incident Commander for all Fire Emergencies; in addition, John is the Incident Commander for 4 weeks of training at the Nassau County Fire Academy for Bellerose firefighters. prgtoken As an Ex-Chief of the Island Park Fire Department, I understand the importance of Mr. Gibbons' contributions to the Bellerose Fire Department and the surrounding community. John's long career is inspiring to other firefighters and his neighbors, but more importantly, John embodies the characteristics of an excellent fireman. prgtoken On behalf of New York's 4th District, I am esteemed to recognize his astounding career and his brave service as a firefighter. I wish John a bright, healthy, and exciting future.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-3-21

my State, the great State of Texas, shares 1,200 miles of common border with America's southern neighbor. Along the border, you will see big cities, small towns, rural farms, and ranches. You will find successful businesses that depend on free- flowing, legitimate trade and travel with our southern neighbor. You will meet countless people who are proud of the strong ties our country has with Mexico and many who have relatives on both sides of the border. These influences can be seen throughout our State, from the names of cities, like San Antonio, to the food we eat, to the music we enjoy and the diversity of people in our communities. prgtoken A strong U.S.-Mexico relationship has been a boon to Texas, but it is also vital to the rest of the country. Mexico is our second largest trading partner for both imports and exports. It is a major market for American energy, machinery, chemicals, and agricultural products. We import everything from transportation equipment to avocados. It is not uncommon for certain products, such as automobiles, to cross the border multiple times throughout the production process before eventually making their way to consumers in the United States. prgtoken A strong relationship with Mexico is important to our economy, but Mexico isn't just a trading partner. It is not just about the economics between our countries. Mexico is also a necessary and vital security partner because our countries share, in total, a 2,000-mile border and work together to protect the safety and security of our communities on both sides of the border. It is critical that we work in a complementary fashion. prgtoken The United States has supported Mexico's efforts to counter cartel violence and root out corruption in its judicial system. Mexico, in turn, has worked with the United States to ensure orderly migration and stop illicit drugs from coming into our country. Obviously, what we are doing is not nearly enough on either side of the border. prgtoken Over the years, our security cooperation has promoted safety and security in both countries. As the American people are seeing every day, the Mexican Government is, unfortunately, failing to meet its side of the responsibilities. We can see that because people coming through Mexico, coming to the United States, have come in unprecedented numbers, which is a devastating humanitarian and public safety crisis. Then there are things like fentanyl and other dangerous drugs that are being manufactured in clandestine labs in Mexico and smuggled across our border every day. prgtoken Of course, these same criminal organizations are terrorizing law- abiding citizens in Mexico through their violence and their territorial disputes. Earlier this month, an out-of-control cartel violence incident harmed American citizens who were visiting Mexico. Four Americans were caught in a deadly shootout and kidnapped, and two of those individuals were killed. prgtoken In
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-3-21

on a lighter note than the majority leader's, I would like to talk about something a little different. prgtoken A couple of weekends ago, Americans across the country lost an hour of sleep to ``spring forward'' and reset their clocks for what we call daylight savings time. I am willing to bet losing that hour might have caused some friends back home in Alabama to have been late for church that day. prgtoken But the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year has many more consequences than the inconvenience of running behind, and Congress should make this year the last time we ever change our clocks by passing the Sunshine Protection Act. prgtoken Over the past 2 years, I have received many, many calls from people across Alabama to make daylight savings time permanent. Many Alabamians, including parents, seniors, farmers, citizens, and mental health professionals, have all reached out to my office in support of days of more sunshine in the evening--but not just Alabamians. Millions--I mean, millions--of Americans are ready to end the outdated practice of springing forward and falling back. prgtoken The idea of daylight savings time was originally known as wartime, W- A-R. It was first introduced as a temporary measure to conserve energy and better utilize resources during World War I. Now, nearly 100 years later, Americans' energy consumption has rapidly, rapidly changed. While adjustments to our clocks might have made sense when it first began, it does not make sense for modern times today. prgtoken That is why I joined Senator Marco Rubio and a bipartisan group of my colleagues to reintroduce the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight savings time permanent. The bill would provide an extra hour of sunlight in the afternoon, which would be most notable during the dark and cold winter months. prgtoken Many studies have proven that extra sunlight in the evening can lead to improvements in mental health, physical fitness, economic growth, and overall well-being. It is a simple way we could positively impact the day-to-day life of all Americans and finally get something done that a lot of people really care about. prgtoken Shifting clocks can disrupt sleep patterns, but a permanent daylight savings time will help Americans maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Studies have suggested that the disruption of sleep patterns associated with the shift in time has increased the risks of cardiovascular disease and physical injuries. Northwestern Medicine found that the ``fall back'' and ``spring forward'' comes with a 9-percent spike in fatal car accidents and a 24-percent higher risk of heart attacks. prgtoken Additionally, the long-term effects linked to daylight saving time include weight gain, headaches, and depression. The time switch in the fall increases seasonal affective disorder every year. prgtoken A study published in 2017 found that the transition from daylight saving time to standard t
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-3-21

this month, during this year's first open hearing for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, national security and military leaders gave a worldwide threat assessment of our country and of our way of life. prgtoken They described threats to our homeland, to our key allies, to our trading routes, to data privacy, and to our infrastructure, including crucial space assets. prgtoken There was a common theme in the concerns that we heard from our military and national security leaders; but, also, from what I have heard, these things are confirmed by Kansans and Americans. prgtoken The People's Republic of China is our greatest foreign threat to democracy, to our peace, and to our prosperity. At no time--this is not just a throwaway line. At no time in my life have I been more concerned about the enormity of the challenges our country faces. prgtoken The Chinese Communist Party, led by President Xi Jinping--the most powerful leader of the CCP since Chairman Mao--is on a determined, calculated mission to overtake the United States in fields that will shape the 21st century. prgtoken Beijing is intent that rather than the United States of America influencing world events in a way that favors and bends toward our principles of a free and open world, they want China's authoritarian model and they want the world bent their way. prgtoken China and its supporters would have the world move away from the principles that have advanced global prosperity and toward the basic belief that underwrites an autocratic authority, where the weaker are destined to be ruled by the stronger. prgtoken We have seen this with China's political, economic, and direct provision of nonlethal support to Russia, as Russia wages an unprovoked war on Ukraine. prgtoken China operates the world's most advanced techno-surveillance state that consolidates its power by monitoring, controlling, and subjecting their people. And China is engaged in an ambitious, expansive plan to export this model and the means of accomplishing it beyond their borders. prgtoken The threat is to us and to those like us and to the rest of the world. They want media, Big Tech, sports teams, and businesses to toe the CCP line, to be ignorant of--or at least silent on--the gross violations of basic human decency against the Uighurs, against Hong Kong, and elsewhere across their country in response to COVID. prgtoken The CCP pursues a world, including America, under the thumb of their power. prgtoken In a speech in April of 2020, Xi noted his intentions to increase global supply chain dependencies on China, with an aim of controlling key supply chains and being able to then use those supply chain dependencies to threaten and to, ultimately, cut off foreign countries during a crisis. prgtoken As of the latest worldwide threat assessment, China produces 40 percent of the world's key vaccines and medical ingredients; and by 2025, it is estimated that it is on track to
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF DICK MANN
Mark Alford (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-3-21

it is my distinct honor to recognize a true American Patriot, Mr. Dick Mann of Webster County, Missouri. prgtoken Mr. Mann began his career of public service in the United States Marine Corps, where he served in active duty from 1968 to 1974. From then until 1992, he served in the Army Reserves as a medic in a preventative medicine unit. prgtoken He continued his service to his community while serving as an Environmental Public Health Specialist and Emergency Planner from 2007 to 2013 for the Webster County Health Unit. In these roles, Dick was responsible for food and drinking water safety and quality, developing response and mitigation plans for large scale public health emergencies, and child daycare facility safety for Webster County residents. Since 2015, Dick has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Webster County Health Unit. prgtoken Additionally, Mr. Mann has served as a community mentor for families struggling with addiction, the American Red Cross representative for Webster County, and as a member of the Local Emergency Planning & Disaster Management Committee. prgtoken I stand here today to congratulate Dick Mann on his retirement, to extend my gratitude for his many years of exceptional service to our community and to our great Nation, and to wish him the best of luck in his next endeavor.
RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PASCO-HERNANDO STATE COLLEGE
Gus M. Bilirakis (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-3-21

I rise to recognize the 50th anniversary of Pasco-Hernando State College. Pasco-Hernando State College combines high-tech educational facilities and state-of-the-art programs with a focus on teaching for student success. With six convenient locations, students can expect personalized attention, small class sizes, highly credentialed faculty, and tuition and fees that are among the most affordable in the State of Florida. The Associate in Arts (AA) degree program provides a solid foundation in the arts and sciences. Successful completion of PHSC's AA degree guarantees seamless transfer to one of Florida's public universities or state colleges at the junior level. PHSC provides training for more than 30 high demand careers in business, health, industry and technology, and public service through new bachelor's degree, Associate in Science degree and certificate programs. PHSC, offers educational opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. Their ``Open Door'' policy welcomes all high school graduates and GED recipients. Under the skillful leadership of Dr. Tim Beard, PHSC has a team of highly dedicated professionals working to provide students with valuable career preparation and education advancement opportunities. We are grateful for their efforts.