mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-1-21

I thank the chairman for his leadership. prgtoken , in history, there are many generals who are celebrated for logistical feats to win a war. Rare is a general who is celebrated for logistical feats to end a war. prgtoken General Austin presided over the most significant withdrawal of troops and equipment, over 150,000 troops from Iraq, successfully. He helped bring that conflict to an end. prgtoken General Austin helped us prevent getting into a catastrophic conflict in Syria. prgtoken Now, I don't think the American people are concerned about process arguments, about whether someone wore a uniform or didn't wear a uniform. What they want to know is the outcome. Is the leader going to help start new wars or end wars? General Austin, with Secretary Blinken and Jake Sullivan, is going to help end the war in Yemen. prgtoken They want to know: Is a leader going to turn a blind eye to White supremacy, or are they going to stand up for equality? General Austin will stand up for equality in our military. prgtoken Most importantly, they want to know: Is a leader going to circumvent the President of the United States, as certain civilian leaders have, or is the leader going to defer to the duly elected President of the United States? General Austin deferred to President , and he will absolutely defer to President . prgtoken The last point I hear my colleagues say is, well, he doesn't have expertise in China or India. Well, first of all, no one has expertise in every region of the world. No one is going to have a Ph.D. thesis about every country. prgtoken The important thing is that we do not need another leader who is going to saber rattle and get us into another cold war with China. We need someone who is going to be tough but who is going to have the wisdom and the judgment to defer to the national security team and the President and help create a constructive relationship. General Austin will do that. prgtoken , I proudly support his nomination for Secretary of Defense.
HONORING JOSEPH A. MYERS
Jared Huffman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-1-21

. Madam , I rise today, with my colleague Congressman Mike Thompson, in memory of Joseph A. Myers, who passed away on December 29, 2020. prgtoken Born January 16, 1940 in Cloverdale, Mr. Myers was a native Pomo Indian. He began his career as a law enforcement officer and was the first known California Indian to serve in the California Highway Patrol. He earned both his undergraduate degree and Juris Doctor from UC Berkley. prgtoken Mr. Myers became a revered leader in the Native American community and developed a reputation for working effectively to preserve Native American history through education and activism. He served as the Associate Director of the American Indian Lawyer Training Program where he mentored advocates on tribal law, and notably joined a lawsuit against the Bureau of Indian Affairs that successfully reversed the termination of 17 Rancheria communities in California. Mr. Myers later founded the National Indian Justice Center to help tribes strengthen governance capacity and improve the quality of life in Indian country. He was also a founding board member of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center. prgtoken Mr. Myers shared his knowledge of Native American issues at UC Berkley as a professor in the ethnic studies department. The University named the Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues as a tribute to Mr. Myers contributions to the community including the Native American students on campus. prgtoken Along with his hard work ethic and commitment to making a positive difference for others, Mr. Myers was known for his good sense of humor, compassion and wit. Although he is already greatly missed, there is no doubt his legacy will continue to be an inspiration for many. prgtoken Madam , I respectfully ask that you join Congressman Mike Thompson and me in expressing deep gratitude for Mr. Myers and his many years of selfless service to the Native American community and the entire North Coast, and in extending condolences to his family and many friends.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-1-21

I rise today to once again oppose a waiver to bypass U.S. law and allow a recently retired member of Armed Forces to serve as our Secretary of Defense. On the merits, I support the nomination of Lloyd Austin, and I believe that Mr. Austin is highly qualified for this role. However, the importance of civilian leadership at the Department of Defense is greater than any individual nominee. prgtoken The subordination of military authority to civil authority is a bedrock principle of our democracy. In 2017, when I voted against a waiver to allow James Mattis to serve as Secretary of Defense, I stressed that our Founders' emphasis on civilian leadership distinguished the young United States from the other nations of the time. I also noted that in enacting the exception for General Marshall in 1950, Congress expressly stated that: ``the authority granted by this Act is not to be construed as approval by the Congress of continuing appointments of military men to the office of Secretary of Defense in the future. It is hereby expressed as the sense of the Congress that after General Marshall leaves the office of secretary of defense, no additional appointments of military men to that office shall be approved.'' prgtoken I still believe that the 7-year waiting period is a valuable practice--one of many--that preserves our--Nation's long tradition of placing civilian authority above military authority. In 2017, I said ``should Congress vote to waive this law at this moment in time, I will review the nomination [. . .] on its individual merits.'' And I intend to apply my words then to my actions now and will consider Mr. Austin's nomination on its merits when it comes to the floor for a vote.
PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-1-21

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 335, a bill to provide Ret. General Lloyd Austin an exception to a limitation against appointments of persons as United States Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces. prgtoken It is incumbent upon Congress to consider a waiver for such persons who are deemed not far enough removed from active duty to head the Department of Defense. Previous exemptions through a waiver have only been granted twice in our nation's history, most recently in 2017. However, my colleagues and I in the Congressional Black Caucus find it altogether fitting and proper that Ret. General Lloyd Austin is the recipient of the third. prgtoken Ret. General Austin is an experienced leader, a brilliant strategist, and a decorated hero. He has seen war from the frontlines as a soldier, and from afar as a commander. He is not one that seeks the spotlight or controversy, but one who quietly, but confidently gets the job done-- earning him the nickname of ``invisible general.'' prgtoken , as the first African American to hold the title of Secretary of Defense, I am confident that Ret. General Austin would carry out the mission of the Department of Defense with the utmost sense of professionalism and civility. That is why I am proud to support his waiver today and look forward to his swift confirmation in the Senate.
PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-1-21

an additional 1 minute. prgtoken Mr. Austin will be the first African American nominated to be Secretary of Defense, which is enormously important in and of itself. prgtoken The military has a problem with diversity. They have an insufficient number of people of color who have been advanced to high positions, to general and general flag officers. It is enormously important that they address that. prgtoken In addition, in this country, we have an enormous problem right now with White supremacy. We also have a problem within our military ranks. prgtoken Now, let me be perfectly clear: I have 100 percent confidence in our military. But this is an issue that they do need to address, the rise of White supremacy and White nationalism within their ranks. Having a highly qualified African American be Secretary of Defense will be an enormous step toward addressing that problem. prgtoken So I believe 100 percent Mr. Austin has met the criteria to be granted this exclusion. prgtoken Lastly, I want to say, this law still matters because without this law we wouldn't have this process. We would not have the opportunity to question Mr. Austin in advance of his confirmation in the Senate. So the law has upheld its meaning and its role, to maintain civilian control of the military, by forcing this conversation. prgtoken , I urge all Members to vote in favor of the waiver for Lloyd Austin, and .
PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY
Jason Crow (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2021-1-21

this waiver vote is about our long history of civilian control of the military, a critical safeguard of our democracy. prgtoken But let's be really clear what this vote is not about. It is not about the rise of China or artificial intelligence or autonomous warfare or any of the other issues that I have heard people talk about that are really the purview of the Senate at this point in the process and President . It is also not about changing the law, because the law remains in effect and the limitation remains in effect. prgtoken The question before this body is whether there are specific extenuating circumstances in this moment in time to grant a waiver and whether the heart and mind of the nominee is consistent with the spirit of the law. prgtoken In the aftermath of January 6, we are reminded how deeply rooted racism exists in our country. Among those who stormed the Capitol were current and former military, a fact that highlights the national and domestic security threat of extremism in our military. prgtoken Secretary-designee Austin is uniquely qualified with his experience and his background to address this threat. He understands in a deeply personal way how to deal with it. He is a man who understands that our military is more than a formation of tanks, planes, and troops; that it is actually a standard bearer of our values, and we are stronger when we lead with our values and we channel the full strength of our diversity to meet our threats. prgtoken In addition to that, nobody can stand up here and say, as we are still under cyber attack by Russia and meeting so many other threats, that the extenuating circumstances of the time do not merit getting a nominee into this role immediately. That is why I rise in strong support of Lloyd Austin's nomination and waiver, and I will be working very hard to support him as our next Secretary of Defense.
CORONAVIRUS
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-1-21

I am happy to be standing here today on the Senate floor during an exciting week and one that really provides us with hope for the future. I welcome President and, of course, Vice President to their new roles and look forward to their leadership that they will provide in these difficult times. prgtoken We can never forget that America is still in the midst of a deadly pandemic. Tragically, we lost over 400,000 Americans. In my State of Illinois, we have seen more than 1 million COVID cases, and 18,398 of my neighbors and friends in Illinois have died due to this deadly virus. prgtoken As we continue to try to stop the spread of this pandemic, I am glad that the vaccine rollout has been able to help some in my State-- 537,000 people in Illinois have received vaccines. It is a refreshing and long overdue sight to have the President and White House fully engaged in addressing this pandemic with a focus on science and racial equity. prgtoken On his first day yesterday, President signed several important Executive actions, including instituting a mask mandate for all Federal facilities and buildings. prgtoken Secondly, he moved to rejoin the World Health Organization. This was one of the most confounding decisions by the administration. In the midst of a global pandemic, President opted to remove the United States from the World Health Organization, which was focusing on the spread of this pandemic and its impact on nations around the world. prgtoken Finally, President created an office to coordinate a national response to the pandemic. Today he is outlining a strong plan to provide a national strategy to liberate us from this threat. prgtoken I must say that I was disappointed in the transition when at first President refused to acknowledge that he lost the election, and then his Agencies dragged their feet when it came to informing the administration of the status quo in America. Thus, prgtoken today, we learn that we were not as prepared as we should have been when it came to distributing the vaccines that were being manufactured across this country. Now we almost have to start from zero to find a way to meet President 's challenge of 100 million Americans vaccinated in the first 100 days that he is in office. I pray that he is successful. We should do everything in our power on both sides of the aisle to give him the resources and the cooperation he needs. prgtoken The fact sheet of things that will be done by the administration on COVID-19 is lengthy and impressive. The President, on the first day, established a White House COVID-19 Response Office and Coordinator, as I mentioned, required mask wearing and social distancing in Federal facilities, and rejoined the World Health Organization. prgtoken Today, President also unveiled a national strategy to leverage Federal resources. It outlines detailed plans for a comprehensive vaccinati
INTRODUCTION OF THE HAWAI`I INVASIVE SPECIES PROTECTION ACT
Ed Case (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2021-1-21

. Madam , I rise today to join my colleague, Representative Kahele, in introducing our bill to protect one of the most unique and fragile environments on Earth, our Hawaii, from devastating invasive species. prgtoken Invasive species pose an especially grave threat to Hawaii's unique ecosystems, natural resources and agricultural communities, in part due to Hawaii's unique geography. Hawaii is the most isolated island chain and one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world. We are 2,282 miles from the Continental United States, 2,952 miles from Japan and 4,772 miles from Washington, DC, with no other islands in close proximity. We have within our constrained borders ten of the thirteen world climate zones, with ecosystems ranging from desert to tropical, where plants and animals that found their way to Hawaii evolved like nowhere else. A 2014 survey identified fully 9,975 endemic species in Hawaii. These species include the Hawaiian scarlet honeycreeper, the `i`iwi; the flowering evergreen; and the state mammal of Hawaii, the `Ilioholoikauaua (Hawaiian monk seal). prgtoken However, tragically, in large part due to invasive species, Hawaii has become the endangered species and extinction capital of the prgtoken world. Hawaii currently has 502 species listed as endangered, more than any other state and almost half of the total endangered species nationwide. Many of these species are critically endangered and face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Although we will never know the true number of species that have gone extinct in Hawaii, best estimates are that in the last 200 years alone, 28 bird, 72 snail, 74 insect and 97 plant species have gone extinct. prgtoken As one particularly poignant example, two years ago the Atlantic published an article, The Last of Its Kind, which chronicled the death of George the snail. He was the last achatinella apexfulva, a species of tree snail that is endemic to the island of O`ahu. This article calls attention to the alarming fact that snails in Hawaii are disappearing at an alarming rate, perhaps faster any animal on Earth right now, victims of various factors in part linked to invasive species. prgtoken The threat to our state tree, the `ohi`a lehua, is also illustrative of our growing crisis. Used for poi boards and outrigger canoes, the `ohi`a lehua is important to Hawaiian culture and the islands' watersheds. As the first tree to grow in new Hawaii lava flows, `ohi`a grows throughout the watershed creating new soil, stabilizing steep mountain ridges and comprises approximately 80 percent of Hawaii's native forests. However, rapid `ohi`a death, or ROD, caused by an invasive fungal pathogen, kills `ohi`a trees quickly, and threatens the stability of Hawaii's native forests. Since its discovery on the Big Island in 2014, ROD has spread to Kaua`i, Maui and O`ahu, and has killed hundreds of thousands of trees. prgtoken Hawaii's unique circumstances a
PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTION TO LIMITATION AGAINST APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WITHIN SEVEN YEARS OF RELIEF FROM ACTIVE DUTY
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-1-21

I rise today in full support of the waiver for General Lloyd Austin, to grant President his historic nomination for Secretary of Defense. prgtoken The concern of civilian control of the military and Department of Defense should not be lost in this waiver. There are valid concerns in granting second waivers so soon. The missed opportunity for the House-- the Chamber closest to the American citizens to hear from General Austin directly--is disappointing, but these are not normal times. The layers of security currently protecting the Capitol is a stark reminder that President , our servicemembers, and our Nation need top defense leadership in place expeditiously. prgtoken There is no question General Austin is a devoutly patriotic man. He has served our country with utter distinction and honor. His qualifications, experience, and perspective are what our Nation needs today. His service to our country extends over 4 decades. His talent and dedication to America's security shines in roles few Americans can fully comprehend. Yet again and again he stands before us, hat in hand, willing to serve the Stars and Stripes today. prgtoken The question is: Can he disconnect a potentially unconscious bias toward a military mindset? prgtoken As he assured the Senate and the American people throughout his confirmation hearing, there is no doubt he will. He has been honed in decisionmaking in the most difficult situations. In a matter of weeks, both the House Armed Services Committee and our Defense Appropriations Subcommittee will welcome a newly minted Secretary of Defense Austin. prgtoken Members can hear even more from him directly as to how he will lead as a civilian. Over my years as a defense appropriator, I have come to realize our military personnel are phenomenal at filling the roles they are assigned.
TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF ADOLPH FLOYD GONELLA
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-1-21

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and work of a distinguished American and a brother-friend, Adolph Floyd Gonella, Ph.D who was born on November 1, 1933 in San Mateo County, California, and passed away on January 4, 2021, at the age of 87. Floyd Gonella was the son of Amedeo and Margherita Gonella who were immigrants from Italy. His father was a farmer who raised cabbage and artichokes. Floyd's family lived humbly and he learned from them the value of hard work and service to others. He experienced anti-Italian discrimination during World War II when they were declared enemy aliens and placed under curfew as residents of a coastal county. This contributed to his empathy and passion for helping the disadvantaged among us. prgtoken Dr. Gonella earned his degree in education and several teaching certificates from San Francisco State where he was a star football player, and he earned a doctorate in education at the University of California, Berkeley. His distinguished career included service as an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University, and as Superintendent of the Jefferson Union High School District. He went on to be elected to three 4-year terms as the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools and was considered `Mr. Education' by everyone. prgtoken Dr. Gonella retired as County Superintendent of Schools in 2003 and stepped up to become Superintendent of East Palo Alto's bankrupt Ravenswood City School District. Working with city, school and community leaders he revitalized the district and brought it to fiscal and educational health. He then went on to the dysfunctional Vallejo City Unified School District where he and Superintendent Rick Damelio were successful in rescuing the district. In addition to assisting poorly performing school districts, Dr. Gonella and his wife, Margaret, created the Daly City Youth Health Center which has been providing services to low-income teens for thirty years. prgtoken Dr. Gonella earned many awards, including Coach of the Year in 1962 and the Fred Kiesel Distinguished Service Award. He served on the California Advisory Council on School Restructuring and was named Outstanding Alumnus by the San Francisco State Education Department. For three decades he served as Team Chair of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, frequently traveling to various Asian countries to accredit schools. He also led the Daly City Chamber of Commerce in an extensive membership drive. prgtoken Dr. Gonella gave generously of his time and considerable talents to the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council, the Criminal Justice Council, the San Mateo County AIDS Program Community Advisory Committee, the Junior Statesmen Foundation, the First 5 Commission, and the American Heart Association. In 2003, the County Office of Education honored him by naming its offices the Floyd Gonella Education Center. prgtoken Floyd Gonella was a decades-long friend and trusted advisor to