mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN MEMORY OF FRED WILLIAM PATTERSON
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-3-7

. Madam , I rise today to honor the memory of Fred Patterson. To those close to Fred, he was known as a man with two careers. While his career as an advertising salesman and publisher paid the bills, he was passionate about impacting his community. It is through his hard work and leadership that Denton transformed into a cosmopolitan competitor with Dallas and Fort Worth. prgtoken On December 25, 1929, Fred was born in Decatur, Texas not too far from our beloved community of Denton. After graduating from the University of Texas in 1952, he eventually moved to Denton, where he joined the sales service department at Moore Business Forms. In 1958, he began work advertising for the Denton Record-Chronicle and that same year he married the love of his life, Patsy. By 1986, Fred and Patsy were the co-owners of the Record Chronicle. prgtoken Throughout the 1990s, the Pattersons oversaw the renovation for the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. Personally, I am grateful for this facility because it provided the space I needed in August of 2009, to hold my largest townhall to-date. prgtoken Fred very much appreciated the arts and history. So much so that he raised over $500,000 to move and restore the Bayless-Selby house Museum to the Denton County Historical Park he was also instrumental in founding. Beyond his love for the arts and history, Fred loved his community. He served as chair of the committee that established Denton's television Channel 2 and was vice president of the Friends of WRR radio station. prgtoken Denton was more than where he and Patsy lived and raised their two sons Bill and Riley. It was his home, and service to his community was truly his second career.
RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE ROBERT R. TUCK VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 912
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-3-7

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the centennial of the Robert R. Tuck Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 912 in Baytown, Texas. prgtoken VFW Post 912 was first organized on March 9, 1922, by Fred E. Simpson, John L. Bartlett, and Grover K. Edge. This Post, the second oldest VFW post in Texas, was named in honor of the first Baytown citizen killed in action during World War I, Robert R. Tuck. Their initial meetings were held in tents and buildings owned by the then- Humble Oil and Refining Company. The oil industry was flourishing across the region, and many veterans moved there to work following World War I. The Post has had many outstanding commanders over the years. One such individual was George L. Kenne, a member who served as the Post Commander in 1937. He was the second most decorated soldier in World War I. prgtoken In July of 1941, almost two decades after being organized, the Post finally established its first permanent location. They began hosting fundraisers consisting of dances and raffles with fifty-cent admission per civilian and a quarter per service member. This tradition would continue to the present day. prgtoken The Post moved one more time before settling into its current location in 1977. After receiving significant flood damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the Post used reserve funds and fundraiser revenue to resume operations within just six months. prgtoken Over the last century, the locations and members of VFW Post 912 have changed, but their mission to serve the needs of veterans and their families has not. They have hosted fundraisers and been a part of many important programs throughout the years, such as the VFW Buddy Poppy program, which aids disabled and disadvantaged veterans. The red poppy flowers assembled within the program symbolize the bloodshed in World War I and are given out before Memorial Day each year. prgtoken The Post also hosts ``turkey shoot'' fundraisers in which its members and community supporters shoot at targets to win frozen turkeys, hams, or bacon. prgtoken VFW Post 912 has been a steadfast servant of the Baytown community. Along with a local Boy Scout troop, Post members would raise the American flag at local football games before the Junior ROTC took over the duty in 1979. Today, members ensure flags are placed on the graves of local veterans for Memorial Day. Over the decades, the Post has sponsored a baseball team, a local Boy Scout Troop, a beauty pageant, a marble tournament, a Voice of Democracy contest, a writing contest for high school students, and a bowling team. They have also given out numerous scholarships to local high school students and entertained patients at Houston's Michael E. DeBakey Veteran Affairs Medical Center. prgtoken Madam , I would like to congratulate the members of the Robert R. Tuck, VFW Post 912 on their centennial and thank them for their unwavering service to their nation and community. May God continue to bless ou
SHADOW WOLVES ENHANCEMENT ACT
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2022-3-7

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5681, the Shadow Wolves Enhancement Act. prgtoken This bill authorizes adjustments to the job classifications of officers assigned to the Homeland Security Investigations unit operating in the Tohono O'odham Nation, also known as the Shadow Wolves. prgtoken The Shadow Wolves are the Department of Homeland Security's only tracking unit that is entirely composed of Native Americans. The Shadow Wolves were established by congressional mandate in 1974 to combat rampant smuggling that was occurring from Mexico into the United States through the Tohono O'odham Nation. prgtoken For the past 40 years, the Shadow Wolves have been patrolling a 76- mile stretch of the border, utilizing a combination of high-tech equipment and the traditional art of tracking passed down from generation to generation on the Nation. prgtoken The Shadow Wolves take their name from the way the unit operates, like a wolf pack, relying mostly on their ability to track. They use a technique called cutting for sign, which closely observes and analyzes any physical evidence left by smugglers. I was fortunate enough to personally observe this impressive technique during my visit to Arizona last year. prgtoken The Shadow Wolves' professionalism, skill, dedication, and presence have proven critical for border security and are essential in building Tribal stakeholder trust and engagement. prgtoken And for an elite unit, their operations couldn't be more impressive. Between 2010 and 2020, Shadow Wolves' efforts led to 437 criminal arrests, and the seizure of over 117,000 pounds of narcotics, 45 weapons, 251 vehicles, and over $800,000 in U.S. currency. prgtoken In recent years, the Shadow Wolves' mission has evolved from tracking into more investigative work. Unfortunately, the current hiring authority for the Shadow Wolves' program does not allow current Shadow Wolves to be reclassified at the appropriate level for investigative work, even if they have all the prerequisite experience. prgtoken Further, this lack of authority has led to pay inequities and limited upward mobility for current Shadow Wolves officers. Without the passage of this critical legislation, the entire Shadow Wolves program is at risk of becoming nonoperational as current officers retire. prgtoken My bill, the Shadow Wolves Enhancement Act, allows current Shadow Wolves to be reclassified as GS-1811 special agents upon the successful completion of training. It also addresses pay equity for current Shadow Wolves and allows new Native American applicants to be added to the unit. prgtoken This bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a strategy to retain existing Shadow Wolves and expand comparable units along the international land borders both north and south of our country with the approval of appropriate Tribal governments. prgtoken Every day, the Shadow Wolve
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-3-7

the eyes of the American people and the entire world are fixed on Eastern Europe. Vladimir Putin is continuing his unjustifiable invasion of a sovereign country and his unprovoked killing of innocent people. prgtoken Over the weekend, Senators were honored to speak electronically with Ukraine's brave leader, President Zelenskyy. His courageous leadership has helped rally freedom-loving people the world over to the Ukrainians' cause. One of his main pleas was that America and our partners continue providing Ukraine with additional military assistance and to do so very quickly. Long before the invasion began, I was on this floor warning the administration that we could not let assistance be trickled out at the speed of bureaucracy. I certainly hope that lesson has finally been learned. Iran prgtoken But even while one foreign policy nightmare plays out in Eastern Europe, inexplicably, the administration is reportedly poised to announce a giant, gratuitous capitulation to our principal adversary in the Middle East as well. prgtoken The nature of the administration's approach to Tehran thus far has concerned not just s but Members of both parties. prgtoken Our ic colleague, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, recently exhorted the administration and our partners to ``exert more pressure on Iran to counter its nuclear program, its missile program, and its dangerous behavior around the Middle East, including attacks on American personnel and [American] assets.'' prgtoken I would note that Senator Menendez also stressed the importance of building bipartisan support for any new deal which the President's team wants to cook up with the Iranians. This is the same message I conveyed to the President and his top advisers at the beginning of the administration. If he wants his policy or his deal to endure beyond his Presidency, he must bring s on board. prgtoken Regrettably, President appears to have ignored this good advice. Reports indicate a sequel--a sequel--to the bad 2015 nuclear deal may be imminent. Yet the administration has laid zero bipartisan framework. prgtoken Rumors of this impending deal--because rumors are all that Congress has--suggest it would be an enormous step in the wrong direction. It appears not to be a longer and stronger deal than the JCPOA, as was promised, but a weaker and shorter deal. It appears prgtoken not to safeguard and increase our leverage over Tehran and its Revolutionary Guard but instead to breezily, sort of, sign our leverage away. prgtoken President appears to want to give Tehran enduring sanctions relief now in exchange for limited and short-term curbs on their nuclear program. A reminder of how bad President 's Iran deal was is the fact that these restrictions will begin to expire as soon as next year. That will put more pressure on Western negotiato
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-3-7

like most of my colleagues, I spent the weekend monitoring the war in Ukraine. I took the opportunity to join the video conference with President Zelenskyy. I don't know how anyone could have hung up from that call confused about Vladimir Putin's intentions with Ukraine. Indeed, I think we saw that Vladimir Putin has ill intent for anyone who opposes him. prgtoken What is happening in Ukraine is not a ``special military operation,'' as Putin likes to say; it is an all-out war. Putin has caused a massive humanitarian and human rights crisis, and even though the world is collapsing around him, he has given no indication of pulling back. prgtoken The sanctions imposed by the free world have had a devastating impact on Russia's economy. The ruble just crashed to a record low. The United States just instituted a ban on Russian flights over our airspace. Sports organizations, entertainers, and private corporations are all avoiding Russia like the plague. prgtoken If Putin's goal was to transform Russia into another ``hermit kingdom,'' he is well on his way to making that dream a reality. The very idea seems insane, but remember, Vladimir Putin may be a madman, but he is a madman who is very intentional in what he is doing. He is reading the terrain, and he sees that the world's foremost superpower is too busy worrying about optics to do the one thing that would send Russia's economy back to the stone age. prgtoken Putin sent his army to invade Ukraine on February 24. The Ukrainian people have endured 11 days of savagery, and we still have not imposed meaningful sanctions on the Russian energy sector. But now, the entire world knows that Putin is using energy as a weapon. prgtoken Russia is now the U.S.'s third largest supplier of crude oil. The European Union gets about 40 percent of its gas imports and more than a quarter of its oil from Russia. We are feeling the pain every time we put gas in our cars, but looking at oil prices is still a bright spot in Putin's day. prgtoken Russia is really a great big oil depot with an army, and he knows that much of the world is depending on Russian oil. He is financing his war with every single tank of U.S. gas at a time. Every time you pull up to fill up your tank, this is what is happening. As long as refuses to tear us free from our entanglement with Russian energy, he is complicit with every single barrel of oil that he buys. prgtoken Energy is the most powerful economic weapon that Putin has at his disposal. It is his currency. The only way to neutralize it is to cut off the revenue stream. We must sanction the Russian energy sector, and we must do it now. We must end the purchasing of Russian oil. It is important to our partners in Ukraine and to our own Nation's security. prgtoken Last year, made the unilateral decision to destroy energy independence in the United States when he canceled the Keystone Pipeline and banned new oil and gas l
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2022-3-8

the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs works closely with congressional leaders and staff on a variety of issues, including legislative proposals, hearings, briefings, requests for information, and general topics. It is essential that the nominee is willing to work with both and s in a bipartisan fashion. prgtoken Elizabeth Watson is currently the executive director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center--director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center--hardly a springboard of bipartisanship. prgtoken During the previous administration, Ms. Watson retweeted posts such as ``White supremacists don't belong in the White House,'' referring to President . prgtoken Her past actions have cast doubt on her ability to be impartial and her willingness to work in a bipartisan manner. prgtoken My concerns with this nominee are not unique, and there are many other Members that have concerns as well. There should be a vote on this nominee. prgtoken Therefore, I object.
EMMETT TILL ANTILYNCHING ACT
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2022-3-8

for the last 4 years I have worked hard with my friends across the aisle on antilynching legislation, legislation that has failed in this body 200 times. We passed it in 2019 under leadership in this Senate, only for it to fall apart in the House. prgtoken Well, after more than a century of failed attempts, both Chambers of Congress have finally passed this historic piece of legislation. I am proud to say we did the right thing not for s or , but for Americans who have watched their government fall short too many times. prgtoken While we cannot erase our Nation's past, today, we have taken a significant step toward a better future for all. This long overdue piece of legislation sends a clear message: We will not tolerate hatred and violence against our fellow Americans.
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF 2022--Continued
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-3-8

reserving the right to object, here is what I believe: We need to do everything possible to protect Medicare recipients and stop bankrupting our essential programs. prgtoken Senator Johnson has told me repeatedly that he has been asking for years. The Postal Service says they are putting all this money into Medicare, and he has had a simple request: How much money is the Postal Service paying for Medicare, and what are the recipients at the Postal Service receiving in benefits? No one can ever give an answer. prgtoken I asked for a CBO score. They said this is going to cost at least $6 billion, and it is going to increase our deficit by at least $5 billion. prgtoken So we have an unfunded program in the Postal Service, and we are going to move it and hurt our Medicare recipients. prgtoken My amendment--and I was told that this would not cost Medicare anything, so my amendment is pretty simple: whatever the incremental costs to Medicare are should be paid by the Postal Service. I mean, it is the Postal Service retirees; they are the ones who ought to pay for it. prgtoken So I don't understand why we wouldn't want to do this. I was told it was not going to cost anything. prgtoken By the way, the CBO score that is out there already says it is going to increase our deficit, and it is going to put our Medicare Program in worse shape. They can only give us numbers for the first 10 years. After 10 years, the numbers are going to be worse than the numbers I told you about. prgtoken So what I don't get is, one, why didn't we vote on this in the committee? Why didn't we have an opportunity to do an amendment there? Why don't we have an amendment vote on this on the floor? It is common sense. prgtoken I would think all of us would want to make sure we are not going to bankrupt Medicare, and all of us want to make sure that if it is going to cost Medicare anything, the Postal Service should pay for it. prgtoken .
TAKING PUTIN'S WORDS AND DEEDS SERIOUSLY
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2022-3-8

. In fact, you can pretty much go to Vegas and bet your money on the opposite of what this man says. If he is able to do something like this, one, he is a coward, and two, he is a monster. prgtoken During his more than two decades of ruling Russia, Putin has displayed a callous disregard for human life. As part of Putin's war on Chechnya, he ordered the destruction of Chechnya's capital Grozny. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in this brutal assault. prgtoken In 2008, Putin waged another war, this time in Georgia, another part of prgtoken the former Soviet Union. The Georgian President during Putin's assault in 2008 had this to say in The Wall Street Journal, and, Congressman Roy, I want you to really hear this because it is so unbelievable how similar what the Georgian President said in 2008 is to the game plan that Putin has orchestrated in Ukraine.
POSTAL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF 2022--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2022-3-8

it is unfortunate that we are not able to vote on this. It is a simple measure, and contrary to the characterization by my friend and distinguished colleague, the Senator from Michigan, this is a simple transparency measure. prgtoken Look, the fact that there are people within the Postal Service reviewing the contracts doesn't solve the underlying problem. What we want is transparency. What we want to know is that the Postal Service isn't setting up contracts that are sweetheart deals to some companies, allowing them to be enriched on the backs of the American taxpayer and the consumer who uses the Postal Service. It is not too much to ask. prgtoken So it is unfortunate that we can't. All I want is a vote on that. We ought to be able to vote on it. It makes me wonder: What are they afraid of? What is the Postal Service so afraid of? What is the harm that can come from the American people knowing how these things operate? What is the harm that can come from striking a provision that is vague and ripe with opportunities for abuse--strike that and replace it with transparency provisions? We would all be better off. So that is unfortunate. prgtoken I do think we ought to consider that and also another amendment. Unanimous Consent Request--Amendment No. 4937 prgtoken , to that end, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and call up amendment No. 4937; further, that the amendment be reported by number, that there be 2 minutes of debate equally divided on the amendment, and that the Senate then vote on adoption of the amendment with no intervening action or debate.
CONDEMNING THE HEINOUS TERRORIST ATTACK ON CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL IN COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS
Pat Fallon (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-3-8

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this January 15, 2022, tragedy struck a community in my home State of Texas. A terrorist held four people hostage at a Jewish synagogue for 11 hours. We are immensely grateful that each hostage ultimately escaped unharmed, though the psychological scars are real for the victims and lasting for the community. prgtoken This act of terrorism has no place in our society. prgtoken Today, my colleagues, in the strongest terms and means possible, firmly and fiercely condemn the terrorist's acts and condemn those who target any Americans, and in this instance our Jewish brothers and sisters. prgtoken Early in the morning on Saturday, January 15, 2022, the Congregation Beth Israel near Fort Worth, Texas, was targeted. prgtoken At this synagogue, worshipers welcomed the attacker inside. The rabbi even made him tea. The worshipers faced Jerusalem and began to pray. The attacker then pulled out his weapon, and an 11-hour standoff ensued. prgtoken That Saturday, America held its breath. We prayed for the safe return of loved ones and family members. prgtoken No one in America should ever face this kind of fear and terror and evil. prgtoken The worshipers at Congregation Beth Israel showed remarkable courage when faced with evil in their own house of worship. prgtoken And all Americans rose to the occasion when our sisters and brothers faced this kind of adversity. The four hostages, including the rabbi, battled their attacker. Later, the hostages were able to escape, and the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team secured the synagogue. prgtoken Americans, as one, rushed in to support Congregation Beth Israel. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Americans of all faiths and others prayed for the Texas community and for those victims this past January. prgtoken Our hearts go out to the families of this congregation that they had to endure such an unjust evil that this terrorist caused. Thank God they escaped. prgtoken Today, we support the community of Colleyville, Texas. Today, we support Congregation Beth Israel. And today, we support the brave survivors of this heinous attack. prgtoken We applaud the bravery of Congregation Beth Israel, the survivors, and our heroes in blue, Texas law enforcement. prgtoken As patriotic freedom-loving Americans, we condemn the evil and the darkness of anti-Semitism. And we will fight hate and bigotry and anti- Semitism. prgtoken , .
RECOGNIZING NICK PERBIX OF ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2022-3-8

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Nick Perbix of Elk River, Minnesota, for his participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Nick represented the United States as a defenseman on our men's ice hockey team. He carries on a legacy of talented Minnesotans who share this sport with the world. prgtoken I am proud to count such an amazing athlete among my constituents in the Sixth District. I congratulate Nick and thank him for representing our great state and country at the 2022 Winter Olympics.