mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING WILLIAM ``BILL'' SPRINGER
Larry Bucshon (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor my dear friend, William ``Bill'' Springer, for his more than thirty years of work advocating for the betterment of his community. prgtoken A true son of Sullivan County, Indiana, Bill, his two sisters, and two brothers were raised in that community. Bill and his beloved wife, Rita, raised their two sons in Sullivan. He demonstrated his dedication to the youth of the community each year by his involvement in annual events like the Easter Egg Hunt at City Park and the annual Halloween Walk Around the Square. prgtoken In recent years, Bill has operated the Sullivan County Indiana News on social media, a source that his community has relied on for important local information. prgtoken Bill has been dedicated advocate for responsible government. He led his political party for thirty years and assisted with federal, state, and local campaigns. His tireless efforts have helped several people take on leadership roles in Sullivan County. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring William ``Bill'' Springer, a native son of Sullivan County dedicated to improving the lives and communities of his fellow Hoosiers
HONORING DR. KANIKA BOWEN-JALLOW
Van Taylor (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , today, I rise to recognize Dr. Kanika Bowen-Jallow, a respected pediatric surgeon at Cook Children's Pediatric Hospital in Prosper, Texas. prgtoken As a child, Kanika developed an early fascination for medicine, spending hours playing Operation and with her Playskool Doctor Kit. This desire to care for others would continue to grow, prompting her to diligently work towards her medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and later spending an additional nine years training to become a pediatric surgeon. Dr. Bowen-Jallow credits her success to the support of her loving family who encouraged her to pursue her education and realize her dreams. prgtoken Recently, the American Pediatric Surgical Association recognized Dr. Bowen-Jallow as the ninth Black female pediatric surgeon in the U.S. prgtoken Dr. Bowen-Jallow's dedication to providing the highest quality of care is evidenced by her involvement in a variety of professional organizations, including the American Pediatric Surgical Association, as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a number of national committees that address the need for excellent, comprehensive pediatric surgical care. Further, her research in the area of childhood obesity has earned her multiple recognitions from respected publications. Additionally, Dr. Bowen-Jallow consistently works to increase and promote diversity in medicine, serving tirelessly as a mentor to young people in communities of color. prgtoken As a highly esteemed surgeon, educator, mother, and wife, Dr. Kanika Bowen-Jallow recognizes the trust and faith placed in her by patients and their families and serves as a shining example of service before self. I encourage my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating Dr. Bowen-Jallow's many achievements in the area of medicine and wish her continued success as she serves as an inspiration to those around her.
HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Fredericksburg, Texas. Fredericksburg was founded on May 8, 1846, by Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach as the second prominent German settlement in the Texas Hill Country. Those brave settlers established a cordial relationship with the local Comanche tribes allowing the town to grow into what it is today. Now many years later, Fredericksburg has grown into the national spotlight for its wonderful attractions and rich German-Texan culture. prgtoken Sites throughout Fredericksburg are near and dear to my heart. I love to visit Luckenbach dance hall with my family and listen to local songwriters cover Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. I recommend visiting fields of bluebonnets and wildflowers in the spring and enjoying some world-famous peaches in the summer. While some of the buildings and faces have changed in Fredericksburg, the people are still the same hardworking, friendly Texans who helped mold the state. prgtoken Fredericksburg is full of American history. Giants like Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz call Fredericksburg home. Admiral Nimitz led American forces to victory in the battle of Midway, regarded as the most important battle in Naval History. The beautiful National Museum of the Pacific War, named in his honor, resides in downtown Fredericksburg. prgtoken Madam , it is my distinct honor to pay tribute to the many figures who helped shape the history of Fredericksburg. I want to extend my thanks to the Mayor and city leadership who have worked with me on important issues throughout my first two terms, and to groups like the Gillespie County Historical Society who work hard to preserve the history of the region. It is an immense privilege to serve those who will continue to shape the future of Fredericksburg, Texas for the next 175 years. prgtoken I hope my colleagues in the House of Representatives will join me in congratulating the town of Fredericksburg on this historic occasion.
SUPPORTING H.R. 1996
Warren Davidson (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I include in the Record the following letters of endorsement for H.R. 1996, the SAFE Banking Act of 2021. Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Medford, MA, March 17, 2021. RE SAFE Banking Act--Position: Support. Hon. Ed Perlmutter, Member of Congress, Washington, DC. Hon. Nydia M. Velazquez, Member of Congress Washington, DC. Hon. Steve Stivers, Member of Congress, Washington, DC. Hon. Warren Davidson, Member of Congress, Washington, DC. prgtoken Dear Representatives Perlmutter, Velazquez, Stivers, and Davidson: Thank you for the opportunity to once again participate in this historic discussion of the SAFE Banking Act. LEAP's previous executive director, Major Neill Franklin (Ret.), was honored to have testified in the subcommittee hearing in 2019 and we would like to affirm our ongoing support of this important bill. prgtoken I spent 21 years in law enforcement, and upon leaving, I continued to serve the public. My mission has always been, and will always be, to promote safety and justice. As the executive director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), a nonpartisan, nonprofit of police prosecutors, judges and other criminal justice professionals, I've helped ensure our mission is to mobilize the voice of law enforcement in support of policies that will make us all safer. prgtoken At a time when more than a dozen states have voted to regulate and control marijuana, and dozens more have implemented programs for medical marijuana, it is beyond time for the federal government to update the banking system to support these democratic choices. prgtoken When my predecessor testified in 2019, he told the story of a dispensary owner from Orange County, California, who was kidnapped, tortured, permanently mutilated, and left for dead. By the grace of God, he survived this despicable act of violence, but the conditions under which marijuana industry workers risk similar victimization persist. prgtoken The conditions persist because one of the fastest growing markets in the country has nowhere to legally put its money. When thieves know a business is operating in cash, it becomes a fairly simple matter to target the owners and employees. Suddenly, something as mundane as making a tax payment becomes a potentially lethal situation. prgtoken This lack of regulatory framework is precisely why voters have made the drug legal in some parts of the country. Underground markets enrich criminals at the expense of everyone's safety. We cannot simply acknowledge marijuana is now legal in some states or look the other way while it happens; we have to build a model for how to keep people safe while voters decide to move the industry above-ground. prgtoken Police agencies can access financial records more easily when the trans
CONGRATULATING SHERIFF TYSON STEPHENS ON HIS RETIREMENT
Rick W. Allen (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Sheriff Tyson Stephens, Emanuel County's longest-serving sheriff, on his recent retirement. prgtoken Sheriff Stephens first entered public service in 1982, and has spent his career ensuring the community is a safe place to live, work and raise a family. He has certainly made an impact on Emanuel County, and it will continue to be felt for years to come. prgtoken I know that his family has made many sacrifices over the past three decades, and it is time for him to enjoy this next chapter with his wife, children and grandchildren. I thank Sheriff Stephens for his service and commitment, and congratulations on his retirement.
RECOGNIZING GITANJALI RAO, COLORADO'S 4TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE WINNER
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Ms. Gitanjali Rao for being selected as Colorado's 4th District Congressional App Challenge Winner. With one in five pre-teens in the U.S. reporting being cyberbullied, cyberbullying others, or having seen cyberbullying, Ms. Rao's app ``Kindly'' serves as a preventative measure to help protect America's children from this unfortunately common harassment. prgtoken Ms. Rao, a student at STEM School Highlands Ranch and TIME's 2020 Kid of the Year, created the app ``Kindly'', a one-of-a-kind app that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to detect and prevent cyberbullying at an early stage. Ms. Rao's commitment to young people affected by cyberbullying is a credit to her. Her hard work and ingenuity are showcased through this thoughtful, innovative app. She has shown true leadership in her community, and her app will help defeat cyberbullying around the country. prgtoken On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I extend my best wishes to Ms. Rao. Madam , it is an honor to recognize Ms. Rao for her great accomplishments.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-4-28

I rise today to reintroduce the Justice for the Living victims of Lockerbie Act. This bill would create a process to seek justice for a group Pan American World Airways pilots who lost their careers and pensions following the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the subsequent bankruptcy and closure of Pan Am. prgtoken On December 21, 1988, the State of Libya committed an infamous act of terror by bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 innocent civilians. Despite Pan Am's greatly improved financial position in 1988, the media coverage of the terrorist attack wreaked havoc on Pan Am sales leading to its bankruptcy in 1991. prgtoken In 2008, the U.S. entered into the U.S.-Libya Humanitarian Settlement Agreement, in which Libya paid $ 1.5 billion to settle claims by U.S. citizens for Libyan-sponsored terrorism. After payments by the State Department to families of death victims from Lockerbie and the La Belle Disco bombing in Germany, compensation to other victims was to be determined by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. The Commission could only consider further claims referred to it by the State Department. prgtoken One of these claimants was a group of senior Pan Am pilots, most of whom were veterans, who were over the age of 50 and lost and livelihoods when Pan Am went bankrupt and closed. Due to the federally required retirement age of 60 at that time, and the airline industry's seniority system, they were unable to get new pilot jobs with other airlines. Two of these pilots reside in Maine--Ron Fitch of Poland Spring and Schafer Bean of Diamond Cove--and I have heard their stories and their pleas for justice on behalf of their own families and the others who suffered as a result of Libya's acts of terrorism. prgtoken Mr. Fitch served nearly ten years in the Air Force and flew rescue helicopters during the Vietnam War. Mr. Bean served in the Navy where he was stationed at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station during the 1960's. Both of these veterans told me that lost their jobs, pensions, health care, and savings as a result of the Pan Am bombing. prgtoken This group's initial lawsuit against Libya, which had been joined with the families of those who died at prgtoken Lockerbie, was dismissed by the courts due to sovereign immunity. Following the 2008 settlement agreement with Libya, the group of pilots approached the State Department in 2009 seeking the necessary referral to have their claims heard by the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. For more than four years the State Department failed to refer the group's claims to the Commission, but following bipartisan letters to then-Secretaries Clinton and Kerry signed by myself and more than 60 other members of Congress, the State Department finally referred the claims in 2013. prgtoken After an initial denial of claims in a preliminary ruling by the Commission in July 2016, the group of
Fentanyl (Executive Session)
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-4-28

. The content and conclusions of these meetings and working groups have not been disclosed or been made available to the public. prgtoken While privately worrying about the same issue I have been sounding the prgtoken alarm on for months, the administration continues to mislead the American public and ignore the threat of inflation. prgtoken Over the last 2 months, I have asked the National Economic Council about its plans to fight inflation and protect American families. prgtoken I have written a Federal Reserve member, asked him what can be done to help families who are seeing skyrocketing gas prices and increasing mortgage rates. prgtoken I have called on President and Federal Reserve Chair Powell to lay out their clear plan to address inflation and rising prices that threaten American families. I have yet to get a straightforward or acceptable response. I have yet to hear them acknowledge this very real threat or propose a solution to protect families. prgtoken So today Senator Braun and I are making a simple request that the administration share with the Senate all of its notes, memos, and reports regarding their discussions and plans to mitigate and prevent growing inflation. prgtoken Inflation is a very real threat to the well-being of already struggling families, and the last thing American families need is to be misled by this administration. prgtoken Right now, in Washington are living in a fantasyland where debt doesn't matter, spending has no consequences, inflation is impossible. prgtoken But the reality is that inflation does have consequences, and it is the duty of everyone here, especially the President of the United States, to be open and transparent with the American people about what is happening with inflation. prgtoken There is no reason the administration should be hiding this information. Americans deserve to know the consequences of massive government spending, and they deserve leadership that will show some fiscal responsibility when it comes to their taxpayer dollars. prgtoken I look forward to all my colleagues supporting this effort to increase transparency. prgtoken , as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 185, submitted earlier today. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.
Biden Administration (Executive Session)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2021-4-28

. First, , I would like to associate myself with the remarks of the Senator from Iowa, who did a magnificent job of pointing out what we are facing as a nation. And I admire her fortitude, her hard work, and her dedication as the vice chairman of the conference prgtoken , 99 days ago, took office. He took the oath of office. We were there. He gave an inaugural address. He said that ``with unity, we can do great things.'' He said that ``unity is the path forward.'' Well, that was the last example of unity and bipartisanship that we have seen from President . He has lost all credibility when it comes to bipartisanship or unity. prgtoken In just 99 days, President has already shown himself to be one of the most radical Presidents in American history. prgtoken When I am in Wyoming, as I am every weekend and have been over Easter, as well, traveling the State and talking to people, they ask about two specific issues; one is energy, and the second is the southern border. On these two specific issues, President has already done tremendous damage--damage to our country, damage to our people, damage to our economy. prgtoken Right after his inaugural address about unity, President drove to the White House, sat there, went in, and threw the unity speech out the window, and he drew a big target on the back of American energy, and he pulled the trigger. He shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline; he ended new fossil fuel projects on Federal lands; and he cut off traditional energy loans to developing nations that need our help and look to us for help. prgtoken Well, these steps aren't going to reduce carbon emission, but they will most certainly reduce jobs and wages for American energy workers. prgtoken Also, on his first day, President flipped on the big green light switch on our southern border. He sent out the word, laid out the welcome mat, and people from around the world came illegally to the United States. He stopped construction on the border wall, and he ended a policy that was successful. The policy was that known as the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy. prgtoken Now, the result wasn't just one crisis; it was two. It was a humanitarian crisis, and it was also a national security crisis. prgtoken It is a national security crisis because two-thirds of the Border Patrol agents--and I went to the border and went with a number of Senators and went on a midnight patrol with our border agents, and they told us that two-thirds of the Border Patrol agents are unable to do their jobs and keep us safe, unable to be there to enforce the law. And they said that, so far, people have come into the country illegally from 56 different nations. prgtoken The whole world knows the border is open. Our friends know it; our enemies know it; and this will make us less safe as a nation. prgtoken There is also a humanitarian crisis at the border caused by President
IN HONOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-4-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor Coach Craig Skinner and the members of the University of Kentucky Volleyball Team on winning the 2021 NCAA Division I National Championship. This is the first national title for this outstanding program, located in Lexington, Kentucky. prgtoken The Wildcats won the Southeastern Conference for the fourth straight year. Defeating Texas in the title game in Omaha, Nebraska, U.K. ended the season 24-1. These impressive student-athletes stayed focused throughout the 2021 season and earned the championship on April 24th. Madison Lilley was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and also the AVCA Player of the Year. prgtoken Coach Craig Skinner has led the Volleyball Team at the University of Kentucky since 2005. He was named the AVCA Coach of the Year and brought great excitement to the volleyball program. I thank him for his leadership and his dedication to these student-athletes. He has built an excellent program of which all Kentuckians can be proud. prgtoken Congratulations to Coach Skinner, the staff, and all the outstanding members of the 2021 NCAA Division I Volleyball National Championship team
Biden Administration (Executive Session)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-4-28

it has been nearly 100 days since President delivered his inaugural address, promising our Nation ``unity, not division.'' He called on all of us to ``listen to one another,'' noting that unity ``requires more than words.'' prgtoken I was there, and I was listening. I was hopeful that he actually meant what he said. But that very same day, as soon as he reached the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, President seemed to forget his own words as he began signing a record number of Executive orders. prgtoken With the stroke of a pen, he unilaterally created a new migrant crisis by reversing the previous administration's successful policies and ceasing construction of the wall. prgtoken He also killed thousands of jobs for American workers by canceling the XL Pipeline. And that was just his first day on the job. prgtoken Since then, the President and his ic allies in Congress have used a partisan process to fast-track trillions of dollars of new spending for their pricey pet projects. prgtoken Despite the President's call for us to listen to one another, the are planning to, once again, fast-track another $2.2 trillion package being sold as an ``infrastructure'' bill, even though it spends less on roads and bridges than it does on parts of the Socialist Green New Deal and other progressive priorities. prgtoken And then right after that, they want to ram through another $1 trillion for so-called human infrastructure. prgtoken The are threatening to end the right of Senators to debate by abolishing the filibuster so they can shove through their extreme agenda. This would fundamentally change the Senate, which has long been known as the world's--not just America's but the world's greatest deliberative body, in which every State has equal representation and every Senator is given a voice in our national conversations. prgtoken It is an interesting twist for the party that just a year ago proudly resisted nearly every effort put forth to address the problems facing our Nation. prgtoken For purely partisan political reasons, even filibustered-- yes, they filibustered--the JUSTICE Act that would have provided police reform following the deaths of George Floyd and others. prgtoken This week, the Nation will have the opportunity to hear from the author of that bill, my dear friend Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is delivering the response to the President's address this evening. No one better represents the type of positive leadership we need to unify our Nation than Tim. He truly is the perfect voice for the American dream. prgtoken Growing up in a poor, single-parent household, Tim's mother worked hard prgtoken to make ends meet. Despite some early challenges and setbacks, Tim successfully started his own business and was chosen, time and again, to serve in public office. prgtoken As a Senator, Tim is focused on creating opportunities for others by