mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Supplemental Funding (Executive Session)
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-12-6

I am of the view that one of the most consequential votes that any Senator will make in their time in the U.S. Senate is one that we are facing now: the national security supplemental. I am here to encourage its passage--a national security supplemental to address the crisis at our southern border, to support Israel's right to exist, and to counter Russian, Chinese, and Iranian aggression. prgtoken Addressing these issues serves our national interests, and it is within the capacity of the Senate to mitigate these crises, to reduce the consequences of these crises with strong legislation, and to do it before the end of the year. prgtoken National security starts with border security, and I applaud my colleagues for working to find a consensus on an emergency supplemental for addressing the President's failed policies at our southern border. prgtoken It is time for Senate and the White House and s to continue their work, to get back to work, and to negotiate a bill that can pass the U.S. Senate. We must and we should show the American people that the Senate can be an institution that can come together in a responsible way to meet the most pressing challenges our Nation faces. prgtoken I saw a headline in the Wall Street Journal here recently: Does Congress even work these days? It is a call, a responsibility, that reminds us that we have serious and significant work to do together. Those pressing needs, those challenges we face, are support for Israel to defend itself against terrorism, resources for Ukraine, and policy changes to secure our southern border. prgtoken First, it is in our Nation's best interest to stand with our oldest ally in the Middle East, Israel. Hamas has stated its intent to wipe Israel off the map, even saying the terrorist attacks of October 7 were just the beginning. Now is not the time to waver in our support for Israel. We must provide Israel with the means to defend itself and destroy the terrorists. prgtoken The United States must also work to prevent escalation from Iran and other adversaries who may use this opportunity to escalate the war against Israel. Hezbollah, entrenched in Lebanon, to the north of Israel's border, will find no safe harbor if it attempts to intervene. Iran's leaders must know that the fury of the United States awaits if they become directly involved. We will stand against terrorism and its enablers and supporters. prgtoken Second, the success of Ukraine's defense against ongoing Russian invasion is vital to the national interests of the United States. The success of Ukraine is vital to the interests of our own country. Should Russia fully conquer Ukraine, which remains Putin's goal, more Russian forces would be spread across NATO's border, requiring more resources from the West--America and our allies in Europe--to be committed to defending those allies against further Russian aggression. I don't think we can m
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Eric Burlison (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-12-6

it was said by our friends on the other side of the aisle that this censure motion is profoundly stupid. What is profoundly stupid is an adult man, who has been elected as a Member of Congress, held to a high esteem, pulling a fire alarm like a child, like throwing a tantrum. What is worse is that he violated the law. He broke the law when he did it. prgtoken It wasn't just something to say, oh, I am sorry. He broke the law because he wanted to obstruct the meeting of this body, the vote of this body. The January 6 individuals have been talked about. If someone had done that on January 6, they would have been put in jail. The American people know it. prgtoken They see that there is a double standard. They see that this side of the aisle cleans up its House. The other side is going to let people who have committed crimes continue to sit in office. prgtoken The other side of the building is going to let someone who has taken bribes in the form of gold bars--apparently cash isn't good enough under inflation. For a ic Member of the Senate to take cash is not enough. You have to take gold. prgtoken We clean up, and we have a standard on this side of the aisle, and the American people know it. The standard on this side of the aisle is high. What is clear today is the standard on that side of the aisle is not.
Border Security (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-12-6

later today, the Senate will take a vote on whether or not to move to consideration of the national security supplemental bill. And make no mistake, this vote will fail. Not because s oppose supporting our national security interests overseas but because are refusing to take seriously the national security crisis here at home. prgtoken From the beginning, s have made it clear that any national security supplemental would have to address one of the biggest threats to our national security, the out-of-control illegal immigration at our southern border. prgtoken And when I say ``out of control,'' just look at the numbers. Yesterday, 12,000 people were apprehended at our southern border trying to come into our country illegally--not including the ``got-aways,'' not including the unknowns--over 12,000 people, which, I think, is an alltime, one-day high. Most ever. In history. prgtoken And think about that annualized. We are now talking about on the order of 4 million people annually coming across our southern border, being released into the country, coming across illegally. prgtoken When is this a crisis? This is a crisis. It is a humanitarian crisis. It has been that for a long time. But now--now it is a national security crisis because among those 12,000 people are some pretty unsavory characters. prgtoken There are people who are coming here for a better life, but there are a lot of people who are being apprehended now at our southern border. Some of whom are on the Terrorist Watchlist. prgtoken This is a crisis that needs to be dealt with, and it seems to be falling on deaf ears at the White House and among my colleagues here, ic colleagues in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken We have put forward meaningful ideas and solutions about how to deal with this, and yet crickets. Nobody seems to want to confront what is a major, major debacle at our southern border. prgtoken That is 12,000, one day--a new American record of people trying to come into this country illegally. Why? Because this administration doesn't seem to care or want to do anything about stopping or reducing that flow across our southern border. prgtoken It is a staggering number. And just to put it in perspective, Jeh Johnson, who was the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to President , once said that a thousand a day would overwhelm the system--a thousand a day. He went on to say: I can't even comprehend what 4,000 a day would look like. prgtoken Yesterday was 12,000. Now, if you sustain that rate, annualize that rate, as I said, you are talking about 4 million people annually being released into this country. prgtoken And you have heard from countless now, not just Members on my side of the aisle or overcrowded communities on the southern border or members of the Customs and Border Patrol who are underwhelmed and underresourced and undermanned down there to deal with this crisis. prgtoken But you ar
CHOICE IN AUTOMOBILE RETAIL SALES ACT OF 2023
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-12-6

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , once again, we are seeing President put Green New Deal priorities ahead of Pennsylvania families. By proposing to eliminate gas-powered cars from our roads, the administration is attempting to fundamentally change how Americans drive. prgtoken The proposed rule from the EPA assumes that battery electric vehicles will make up 60 percent of new cars in 2030 and almost two-thirds by 2032. The basic facts show us that this assumption is simply wrong and that attempting to ban the sale of internal combustion engine cars, internal combustion engine trucks, and internal combustion engine SUVs that families in Pennsylvania rely on is dangerous. prgtoken This legislation is a vital part of stopping the administration's far-left, Green New Deal agenda from being implemented. prgtoken In tandem with my legislation, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, the CARS Act would help to ensure that the Clean Air Act, which is a 51-year-old piece of legislation, is not manipulated to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles. prgtoken In the Energy and Commerce Committee, we have heard testimony from experts across the political spectrum, including members of the administration, who say that transitioning to EVs would be costly and ineffective. Just this month, we heard from more than 4,000 car dealers, including 70 from Pennsylvania, who say that transitioning to battery vehicles would be a disaster for drivers across our country. prgtoken More than 95 percent of Americans use gas-powered vehicles. Demanding that they transition to battery electric vehicles in the next decade would be disastrous for our economy, unsustainable for our electric grid, and devastating to American families. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and put a stop to President 's reckless use of agency rulemaking.
PERSECUTION OF THE BAHA'I F IRAN
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2023-12-6

I rise to call attention to the government of Iran's long, ongoing, and brutal campaign of terror against the Baha'i continues unabated. prgtoken Of course, the government of Iran is one of the most brutal, cruel, and repressive in the world, truly one of the ``worst of the worst.'' The victims of its terrorism abroad include entire countries threatened by the wars, proxy wars, and terrorism it directs, including in most Middle Eastern countries. prgtoken Within Iran, the regime terrorizes its own citizens--here we will remember the savage persecution of Christians, and the women blinded by the hanian Revolutionary Guard Corps in the protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini. To some degree everyone living in Iran is a victim of this government. Yet we must also specifically remember the Baha'i. prgtoken , the Baha'i religion initially developed in Persia. Iran is home to about 300,000 Baha'i--which makes it the largest prgtoken Baha'i community in any country in the world. The Baha'i International Community at the United Nations Office in Geneva published The Baha'i of Iran--A Persecuted Community, which revealed that since the current regime took power in 1981, over 200 Baha'i's have been executed, and more than 10,000 have been dismissed from government and university jobs on account of their religion. prgtoken In the last year, the persecution has intensified, resulting in grave human right violations. The number of arrests of Baha'i's has only increased, and even included that of a 90-year-old man who had previously served 10 years in prison. The Baha'i's center of faith is in the city of Haifa, Israel, which the Iranian government uses as a pretext to classify Baha'i's as Israeli spies and execute them for committing the spurious crimes of conspiring with the ``Zionist regime''. prgtoken Although the Iranian government persecutes all who are not Shi'a Muslims, since Baha'i are accused of heresy and group apostasy, they are singled out for particularly savage repression. The Iranian government has denied them access to universities and even in some cases, prohibited them from graduating high school, while also consistently denying Baha'i's the opportunity to open and own businesses. prgtoken In 1982, the Iranian government seized the Baha'i's cemeteries and holy places--and only over ten years later did it allocate them a 20,000-square-meter plot of land in which to bury their dead. As time has passed, that small parcel of land no longer suffices--and finding a place to bury loved ones has become a daunting task. Reportedly, government agents are stationed at the entrance of the cemetery to prevent visitation, and the government has taken control of the buildings used for burial ceremony activities. prgtoken In September 2023, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reported that ``Iranian authorities have arrested scores of Baha'i's across Iran, taken them to loc
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Tracey Mann (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-12-6

I thank all the Members for participating tonight. prgtoken When government grows, freedom shrinks. As conservatives in Congress, we must not compromise on freedom. Our sworn duty is to uphold the constitutional rights of all Americans, and I encourage all of my colleagues to remember the solemn oath that we all took to do so and support legislation that will aid us in that effort. prgtoken , from Utah (Mr. Moore), from the First Congressional District and the cohost of this Special Order, for his closing remarks.
Supplemental Funding (Executive Session)
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-12-6

I will just pick up where my colleague left off. prgtoken There are four parts to the supplemental appropriations sent over by President . One deals with Ukraine. And count me in for Ukraine. Robust aid to Ukraine really helps us here at home. Helping Israel--no- brainer--count me in. Beefing up Taiwan makes perfect sense. There was money in the supplemental for border security, but it really didn't address the problem we have. prgtoken And here is what I want the body to understand. Here is what happened yesterday. The FBI Director testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the level of threats we face as a nation. And he said: [W]hile there may have been times over the years where individual threats could have been higher here or there than where they might be right now, I've never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated, all at exactly the same time. prgtoken This was yesterday. prgtoken What did he say? Post October 7-- prgtoken The horrible attack on our friends in Israel-- [Y]ou've seen a veritable rogues' gallery of terrorist organizations calling for attacks against us. prgtoken He said that yesterday. [T]he threat level has gone to a whole other level since October 7. prgtoken This was what the FBI Director said yesterday. Are any of us listening? I see blinking lights everywhere I turn. prgtoken I asked him about blinking lights regarding 9/11. Apparently, they were blinking, and we missed them. prgtoken Do you see any blinking lights? prgtoken And he said: I see blinking lights everywhere I turn. prgtoken He said that yesterday. Now, why are s, apparently, more than anybody else, insisting that the supplemental package not only help Ukraine, not only help Israel and Taiwan but actually help us? We have got to change the policy because what we have got is not working. prgtoken Yesterday--yesterday--12,000 encounters at the border. The highest ever, yesterday. Two days before, 10,000 were marching in the wrong direction. prgtoken As these numbers go to new levels and historic levels, the FBI Director yesterday told us he has never seen more threats against our homeland than he does today. prgtoken And since October 7, every terrorist group in the world is calling for an attack on America. prgtoken I asked him about the border. He is very concerned about the status of the border. prgtoken So we are on track, if this continues, to have 3.6 million illegal encounters that we know of at the border. That is like beyond unsustainable. All-time highs every day. prgtoken From 2023 to 2020, the encounters at the border are up 368 percent. Why? Because the policies of the administration make people believe that if they get to our border, they stay in America and never leave. And if you don't change that, you are never going to fix the problem. prgtoken Six mill
DEFENDING EDUCATION TRANSPARENCY AND ENDING ROGUE REGIMES ENGAGING IN NEFARIOUS TRANSACTIONS ACT
Mike Carey (Republican, OH) \u2014 2023-12-6

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken I rise in support of my amendment and the underlying bill, the DETERRENT Act. prgtoken Foreign influence on our universities and colleges is a serious threat, and I am concerned foreign adversaries are targeting our Nation's students. prgtoken The DETERRENT Act ensures that we have transparency, accountability, and clarity in how foreign actors are involved with our universities and colleges. prgtoken My amendment will improve this important bill by revising a provision in the underlying legislation that creates a public, searchable database of staff or faculty who have disclosed gifts or contracts from foreign entities. prgtoken While I support transparency and accountability for our university faculty and staff to ensure foreign entities do not have undue influence over university research, policies, or instruction practices, it is important we balance that with the need to protect the privacy of an individual faculty or staff member at our institutions of higher education. prgtoken This commonsense amendment simply changes the underlying bill's public database by removing the personally identifiable information of faculty and staff who are listed in the database as a result of reporting gifts or contracts with foreign entities. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and .
CHOICE IN AUTOMOBILE RETAIL SALES ACT OF 2023
Andrew S. Clyde (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-12-6

. Madam , I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act, or CARS Act, that I proudly co-led with Representative Walberg. prgtoken This important legislation would prohibit the administration's EPA from finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing its radical proposed rule that seeks to eliminate gas-powered vehicles. Additionally, the CARS Act would restrict the EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act to promulgate similar rules moving forward. Hallelujah. prgtoken In April, President 's EPA proposed this radical rule that would set emission standards so high for light- and medium-duty vehicles that auto manufacturers would be forced to produce a higher percentage of electric vehicles just to comply. This is a de facto electric vehicle mandate on the American people. With this rule's implementation, the EPA projects that EVs could account for as much as 67 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2032, as compared to electric vehicle sales of only 6 percent last year. prgtoken From assaulting the American people's Second Amendment liberties to the online censoring of free speech, the administration is routinely abusing its power in order to further control Americans' everyday lives. With this new EPA rule, it is very clear that President is now coming for our combustion engine car keys in his war against our personal freedoms. prgtoken Restricting consumer choice in the name of the left's Green New Deal garbage agenda represents an illegitimate power grab that hardworking Americans simply cannot afford. prgtoken One thing is clear. The American people already burdened by soaring energy prices and record-high inflation cannot be further burdened by this disastrous EV mandate. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support the CARS Act, our commonsense legislation that would help save the American energy sector. It would protect both American consumers and auto manufacturers, and it would stop 's authoritarian government overreach in its tracks.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-12-6

I want to thank the Senator from Kansas for his continued effort to make sure we get Israel aid. prgtoken The United States must always stand with our great ally Israel and with the Jewish people. Israel is fighting against Iran-backed terrorists for its very existence. prgtoken Iran-backed Hamas terrorists have murdered thousands with the intention of destroying Israel and the Jewish people. Hamas terrorists have beheaded babies, burned them alive, raped and murdered young women. prgtoken We have seen the news reports of the sexual assaults committed by Hamas terrorists--all too graphic to speak of here, but here are some of the headlines. prgtoken ABC News: ``New signs emerge of `widespread' sexual crimes by Hamas, as Netanyahu alleges global indifference.'' prgtoken The Washington Post: ``Israel investigates an elusive, horrific enemy: Rape as a weapon of war.'' prgtoken The Jewish Chronicle: ``Hamas terror attack: Girls `raped next to their dead friends' at rave massacre.'' prgtoken We cannot turn a blind eye to these barbaric acts. The world must know what these animals did to innocent Jewish women and girls. prgtoken Just yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives, the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania were asked, under oath, if calling for the genocide of Jews violates their university's code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment. prgtoken A simple yes-or-no question. Their response? They could not even answer yes. prgtoken We have to really let that sink in. They couldn't say yes. The president of three Ivy League schools could not answer yes to that simple question. prgtoken It is clear that we need to use this moment to stand with Israel and the Jewish people. prgtoken The House took decisive action by passing this bill. They moved quickly, and the measure is fully paid for. This bill was blocked by the prgtoken once, but today the Senate can change that error and pass this bill right now. And I am proud to colead the companion bill in the Senate with the Senator from Kansas. prgtoken .
CHOICE IN AUTOMOBILE RETAIL SALES ACT OF 2023
Pete Stauber (Republican, MN) \u2014 2023-12-6

I rise today in support of H.R. 4468, the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act. prgtoken The out-of-touch government dictated EV mandates pushed by this administration are an attack on our way of life in northern Minnesota and across this country. prgtoken Many of my constituents not only can't afford an EV, they don't want to purchase an EV because they are not compatible with our daily lives. How are we supposed to reliably drive an EV when its battery has the potential to lose 50 percent of its range in Minnesota's subzero temperatures? prgtoken Let's not forget that the critical minerals used to make these EVs are sourced from Chinese Communist Party-controlled mines in places like the Congo and Indonesia--mines that have zero environmental standards, mines that have zero labor standards, and mines that use child slave labor. prgtoken Thanks to this administration's refusal to support responsible, domestic mining, their EV mandate will only increase our reliance on the Chinese Communist Party for critical minerals. prgtoken , I will remind you and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that the biggest copper nickel find is in northern Minnesota, the Duluth Complex--95 percent of our nickel reserve, over 88 percent of our cobalt, and a third of our copper and other platinum group metals that help make electric vehicles--and this administration just pulled the leases. prgtoken , I urge adoption of H.R. 4468.