mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Lisa C. McClain (Republican, MI) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I think what we need, again, is a little truth, transparency, and consistency. prgtoken I will share, as a mother of four, I resent the fact that you tell me that I don't care about children. In fact, when you have soft-on-crime policies, I need my Second Amendment right to protect my own children because the soft-on-crime policies don't help. prgtoken During these debates, on these unconstitutional--you know the thing we all took an oath to uphold--gun bills, the have been making the claim, well, if you can't buy alcohol or cigarettes, you shouldn't be able to buy an AR-15. prgtoken All right. Let's stick with that concept. Here is a concept: Apply it throughout every form. But let's talk about a couple of things that the feel you are mature enough to do under the age of 18. Because, once again, their standards clearly aren't consistent. What a concept, to be consistent. prgtoken believe that under the age of 18, you should be able to get an abortion. While you are at it, don't even talk to your parents about it. prgtoken Under the age of 18, think you should be able to change your sex without notifying parents. prgtoken At 18, you can vote. prgtoken At 18, you can join the military and lay your life on the line for this country. prgtoken And I bet they think that the 18-year-old Buffalo shooter is actually mature enough to be charged as an adult, right? prgtoken So, again, let's have some consistency in our standards.
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , Alexis de Tocqueville said that the defining trait of socialism is ``a profound opposition to personal liberty and scorn for individual reason, a complete contempt for the individual.'' prgtoken Socialists are hostile to our Bill of Rights specifically because it protects the individual against the State by guaranteeing our most fundamental rights and the means to defend them, and the guarantee that we can't be deprived of them except through due process of law. prgtoken You have the right to have your day in court, to face your accuser, to present evidence on your behalf, to contest the charges brought against you. prgtoken Now, if someone is adjudged to be dangerously mentally ill, of course they should not have access to firearms or to any other weapons. They shouldn't be on the street where they can do harm at all. They should be confined, during the course of their illness, so they can be treated and not endanger themselves or others. prgtoken We already have commitment procedures that address this in concert with our Constitution. In that process, you appear before a judge, you can know the charges, you can face your accuser, you can plead your case, and you can present evidence on your own behalf in open court. prgtoken But not under this bill. Under this bill, an anonymous accuser, including a jilted date or an ex-roommate, can trigger a secret proceeding that you don't even know is happening until the police show up at your door to strip you of your Second Amendment right to self- defense, and the burden then falls on you to try and restore it. prgtoken And it won't stop here. The left has already branded speech they disagree with as dangerous. prgtoken But they are right about one thing. This is an extreme risk bill. It is an extreme risk to our most fundamental individual rights as Americans.
REALITY TV PROGRAMMING TONIGHT
Scott Perry (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I thank the gentleman from Texas. He is absolutely right. prgtoken Look, I don't think it is a mystery that many of us on this side of the aisle have no love for the FBI Director. It would be my choice to remove him immediately and get somebody effective that would do the job and restore the dignity of the FBI. But that having been said, he said there was no insurrection. He said there was no collusion. prgtoken And as you already probably know--or maybe you don't--you won't find out tonight--the President of the United States at that time ordered 20,000 troops to be authorized to come to protect the Capitol days in advance. prgtoken And as I said the day after, on January 7, I asked: What did the know and when did she know it? But we are not going to find that out, Madam . We are never going to know watching this show trial. This is something from a Third World country, where we use the instruments of Federal power to prevail upon and against our political adversary. That is what is happening right now. prgtoken What did the know and when did she know it? And what about the 20,000 troops that were authorized by the President of the United States in advance but never asked for by the of the House--and as a matter of fact, declined by the Mayor of Washington, D.C. prgtoken Madam , this is not the Mayor's city. This is not the Mayor's capital of the United States. This is the American people's capital. She has a duty and she failed in that duty. And now this sham organization called a committee here, where the Vice President is also the ranking member--not chosen by the minority. They just made it up. They could have chosen anybody off the street and said, that is who the ranking member is. And that is what they did because the verdict is already in for them. prgtoken They already know. They already know what the outcome is for them. There is no due process here. There is no fairness here. There is no other side of the story here. There is just a prosecution where you stand there with your mouth taped shut. You can't call any witnesses. You can't have your attorney. Then they would like to convict people and send them away forever and never be heard from again. And that is what this is; the silencing of the American people. prgtoken Madam , from Georgia (Mrs. Greene).
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I thank Mr. Jordan for yielding. prgtoken You know, we have heard some revealing things this week. It was just a few moments ago our colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Cohen, lectured us that the Old Testament doesn't mention the word ``guns'' and so we shouldn't claim that this is a fundamental freedom. You know, as usual, he misunderstands the point of Scripture and the Constitution. prgtoken Here is the thing: As Americans, we respect and we protect the unalienable, God-given right to self-protection and to the protection of innocent lives around us. prgtoken President said--among other outrageous things this week we have heard, President said that he wanted to ban 9-millimeter handguns. That is one of the most widely owned handguns by law-abiding citizens in this country. prgtoken Mr. Cicilline of Rhode Island, now infamously in our committee hearing, exclaimed, ``Spare me the'' B.S.--that is not what he said-- ``Spare me the'' B.S. ``about constitutional rights.'' That is pretty revealing. prgtoken Mr. Jones, in the same hearing, just a few moments later, he said that if don't get their way on their gun control wish list, that they will abolish the filibuster and pack the Supreme Court. They are saying the quiet parts out loud. prgtoken See, that wish list that they have includes taking away guns from Americans without the constitutionally required due process of law, which is exactly what this bill would do. It would allow the courts to take guns away from people without notice and without even the right to appear in the hearing to defend themselves in court. prgtoken Now, the other side is going to tell you, and you will hear in the argument here, hey, there is due process. Don't worry about it, they will say, because people subjected to this process, they can just go to court and they can petition to get their firearms back. prgtoken But I will let my colleagues in on something that every first-year law student learns: Due process after the fact is no due process at all. prgtoken Now, the other side is also going to argue here--get ready for it-- they are going to claim that they have come up with a reasonable compromise by just making these gun confiscation orders temporary. They will say it is only going to last 14 days. They won't tell you that these orders can be renewed indefinitely. prgtoken My colleagues are going to tell you that this bill will save lives. But if you look at the objective studies, the comprehensive studies on this, you will find that the red flag laws in all these States have had no significant effect on the rates of murder, suicide, or the number of people killed in mass public shootings. prgtoken If this bill passes, people may have their information added to the national crime databases, even though they committed no crime. In what version of America do we think that is okay? prgtoken The claim s don't care about gun violence. But
SALEM AMERICAN LEGION BAND
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , last month, I had the pleasure of attending the 75th birthday celebration of the Salem American Legion Band. The Salem American Legion Band was started in 1947 by World War II veterans. Today, the band is comprised of young musicians, both veterans and non-veterans, from all over Salem County, as well as neighboring South Jersey counties. The Salem American Legion Band performs two major concerts each year. In May, they have their Spring Veterans Concert, where they honor and recognize our nation's veterans for their service. Then, in the winter, the band hosts their Christmas concert. In addition to their semi-annual concerts, the American Legion Band performs at various events around the South Jersey area. Congratulations to the band on their 75th year and thank you to our veterans for their brave service. God Bless the Salem American Legion Band, and God Bless our United States of America.
HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2021-- Resumed
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-6-9

over the last couple of weeks, many of us have spent a lot of time thinking about the horrific shootings in Uvalde, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and elsewhere. prgtoken Unfortunately, these are familiar scenes that we have seen before, and we would like to try to find a way to reduce the likelihood of their reoccurrence in the future if there is anything we can do here in the Senate to make that possible. So I have been working particularly with Senator Murphy, who was my partner on the Fix NICS bill that we passed in 2018. prgtoken Senator Murphy comes from a blue State, Connecticut; I come from a red State, Texas. Yet, in that example, we were able to take the horrible events of Sutherland Springs, where innocent parishioners were gunned down at a small Baptist church outside of San Antonio, and take out of that tragedy something good, which is a bill we call Fix NICS, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. prgtoken Since that was signed into law, 11\1/2\ million new records have been uploaded into the background check system, and I believe that has saved lives. prgtoken You will recall, in that case, the shooter was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, but, unfortunately, he had a troubled history: felony convictions, domestic violence, mental health adjudications. None of that was in the background check system. It should have been, and it would have disqualified him had it been known. But he did what so often happens; he lied, and then he bought--the lie and buy--and tragedy ensued. We were all sickened by these shootings, and we are hyperaware of the public interest. prgtoken The most common refrain I hear is: Do something. Do something. Unfortunately, it gets a little less specific after that what exactly should be done, and that is where the hard work begins. prgtoken But, as before, I am optimistic that we can find something that protects the rights of law-abiding citizens under our Constitution, under the Second Amendment, who, I believe, are not a prgtoken threat to public safety, and focus on people with criminal records, people with mental health challenges, like young Salvador Ramos in Uvalde, TX; like Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook. prgtoken The profile is pretty well established--young, alienated, disaffected, mentally challenged boys who lack access to treatment which will help them manage their mental illness and who descend into a pit of despair, ultimately resulting in their desire not only to harm themselves but to take other people with them. That profile is well established in the scientific literature. And the New York Times did an excellent piece a couple of weeks ago on that profile. So I think that gives us a little bit of a roadmap for the sorts of things we might do to deal with that. prgtoken What makes this more challenging than, for example, the Fix NICS bill after Sutherland Springs is that was a singular point of failure. Here, we see multiple points of failure, and
CONGRATULATING MATTHEW MARCUM ON HIS WIN AT THE IHSA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN TRACK AND FIELD
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Matthew Marcum, a Senior from Rock Falls Township High School, who won the Illinois High School Association's Class 2A State Champion in the 300-meter hurdles, running a 39.59 at the state final. prgtoken Although Matthew began the race for the championship on the wrong foot, he managed to finish his final year at Rock Falls as a State Champion. He posted the fastest time in IHSA's Class 2A State Boys Track & Field prelims at 39.73 seconds for the 300-meter hurdles. Matthew had qualified for state finals in the 300 hurdles last year as well, placing sixth in a very tight race. After reaching the state final again as a senior, he was determined to go out on top. In this year's 2A State Championship, he ran even faster, running a 39.59 on his way to a state championship. As a former athlete, I appreciate the fortitude Matthew displayed to achieve his dream of being a state champion and commend him for his determination and attitude. Matthew is an example of the importance of dedication and a strong work ethic. I am proud there is such young talent in our community, and to see him represent Rock Falls so well throughout the state. prgtoken It is because of student leaders such as Matthew that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally congratulate Matthew Marcum a 2A State Champion in the 300-meter hurdles.
HONORING THE MEMORY OF DAVID LeBLANC
Chris Pappas (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I rise to pay tribute to David LeBlanc of Nottingham, New Hampshire, who passed away on this day 6 years ago. prgtoken A lifelong New Hampshire resident, David was born and raised in Manchester and worked in the line department at Public Service of New Hampshire for over 30 years. prgtoken He was an avid runner, whose legacy lives on through the Greater Manchester Running Club, which he founded with his wife, Cheryl, in 1980. prgtoken David honorably served the State and his country as a member of the New Hampshire Army National Guard. Today, he will be reinterred at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, something that is only possible because we changed the law this year. prgtoken I was proud to sponsor this legislation that ensures all of our veterans, including members of the National Guard and Reserves, can be laid to rest in State veterans cemeteries. prgtoken The National Guard and Reserves are a critical component of our military and sacrifice so much to keep us safe. prgtoken As we honor the memory of David LeBlanc, let us honor the service of all of our veterans and ensure they are not forgotten.
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for bringing his superior knowledge of our Constitution and the law of the land to bear in this important debate for the children. prgtoken Yesterday, as we had the debate on so many other pieces of legislation which passed with bipartisan support, we said it was of the children, by the children, and for the children. ``Of them'' because they are suffering. ``By them'' because they are testifying in the Congress of the United States, apparently to no avail to some in the Congress, but making an emotional appeal of the facts of their case to the American people, and again, all of it for the children. prgtoken The Protecting Our Kids Act, I thank the chairman for bringing that to the floor. The legislation passed yesterday. It has strong steps to save lives, whether it is raising the age to purchase weapons of war, outlawing bump stocks and high-capacity magazines designed for mass murder, cracking down on gun trafficking and ghost guns, and strengthening safe storage requirements, to name just a few. prgtoken Today, the House builds on this progress by passing our Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, another lifesaving measure aimed at preventing the next tragic shooting before it is too late. prgtoken Too often, what we know is that those who pose a risk of gun violence show early warning signs: a menacing message online, a troubled message to a loved one. Yet, in too many communities across the country, concerned family members, friends, and law enforcement have no legal pathway to get deadly weapons out of the hands of these troubled individuals. prgtoken Under the leadership of Congresswoman Lucy McBath, the House will pass a bill empowering family members and law enforcement to seek a Federal court order to temporarily remove access to a gun from individuals who pose a threat to themselves and to others. prgtoken Thanks to the leadership of Congressman Salud Carbajal, this legislation will include incentives to encourage more States to adopt extreme risk protection order laws of their own. The incentives exist in many States, but not all. prgtoken Doing so will not only protect from mass shootings but also from the quiet daily massacre by suicide and gun crimes. These so-called red flag laws by some are saving lives in the 19 States and, as was mentioned, the District of Columbia, where they have been enacted. The statistics show that. prgtoken The American people are overwhelmingly for this lifesaving measure. Recent polling shows 8 in 10 Americans support it. prgtoken Madam , as you know, and you have experienced it in your State, gun violence in our Nation has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks. People keep saying again and again and again that we have gun violence. I would say it is not again and again and again; it is always. It is not one after another; it is ongoing, whether it is mass murders that are high profile or every night in c
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , all government officials must be held accountable, especially those entrusted with the power to interpret our country's laws. prgtoken Repeated scandals and lax ethics requirements for Federal judges are eroding Americans' confidence in the impartiality of our courts. prgtoken When judges and Justices preside over cases that affect their individual stock portfolios or don't disclose their connections to special interests, they jeopardize the rule of law. prgtoken The American people should not have to question if cases are being decided fairly. We need stronger ethics rules to prevent these abuses of power from happening again. prgtoken I am backing legislation that will root out corruption, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency in all three branches of the Federal Government. prgtoken To restore public trust in our institutions, we must hold government officials to the highest ethical standards. No one is above the law.
FEDERAL EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER ACT OF 2021
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-6-9

. Madam , I include in the Record a June 7, 2022, Washington Post article titled ``No, red-flag gun laws don't violate due process rights.'' [From the Washington Post] No, Red-Flag Gun Laws Don't Violate Due Process Rights prgtoken such laws, also known as `extreme-risk protection orders,' are popular and are embraced by some republican politicians. but some gun-rights activists say they violate the fifth and fourteenth amendments. (Perspective by Joseph Blocher and Jake Charles, June 7, 2022) ``Red flag'' laws, which allow guns to be temporarily taken from people who pose a risk of harm to themselves or others, are one of the few gun-safety regulations that currently have bipartisan support. ``Tm generally inclined to think some kind of red-flag law is a good idea,'' Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said last week, after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Key senators have told reporters it's possible an agreement could be reached this week on legislation that would include a provision incentivizing more states to pass such laws. There is strong popular support for red-flag laws--also known as extreme-risk laws--in both parties, and more than a dozen states have adopted them in the past few years alone (bringing the total to 19 plus the District of Columbia). Social science research suggests that they work, most strikingly in preventing gun suicides. So what prevents their wider adoption, including at the federal level? Some gun-rights advocates and their allies in Congress say they violate the due process clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. ``Depriving citizens of Life, Liberty, or Property, without Due Process, is a clear violation of our Constitution,'' Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) tweeted last week. ``Every member of Congress swears an oath to `support and defend' the Constitution. Voting for, or introducing, Red Flag Laws is a blatant violation of that oath.'' But such criticisms are off base. Politicians considering red-flag laws, whether in Congress or state legislatures, should do so based on an accurate understanding of what the Constitution requires. It indeed guarantees ``due process of law'' whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of ``life, liberty, or property.'' But the basic design of existing extreme-risk laws is fully consistent with constitutional commands, as we showed in a recent law review article. In the states where they exist, here's how red-flag laws work: A limited set of people--law enforcement officers, family or household members, and sometimes others--can petition a judge to issue an ``extreme-risk protection order'' (ERPO) requiring a person to temporarily surrender his or her firearms and refrain from acquir