mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-11-29

it would be a very disappointing moment if we would fail to invoke cloture. prgtoken This bill, from the very beginning, has been completely bipartisan and open to amendments. In the course, as Senator King eloquently remarked, of the committee hearing, we included over 100 amendments on a bipartisan basis. We came to the floor with a bill that passed our committee 23 to 3--overwhelmingly bipartisan. prgtoken We also brought to the floor a substitute amendment, including, approximately, 60 amendments that were also bipartisan. And then we had another series of nearly 20 amendments that was bipartisan, that would have been voted on, but they were objected to because several Members did not get their amendments. prgtoken Now, just to point out, the majority of those amendments aren't even within the jurisdiction of the Armed Services Committee. They don't relate directly to the men and women of the armed services. They might have foreign policy implications, but they are not something that is essential to the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken I can recall many times on this floor when the NDAA was brought up; both sides could not agree on amendments; we went through the process; we invoked cloture; we voted on the substitute bill; and we went off to conference. So this would not be the first occasion on which, ironically, a few people did not get their amendments. In fact, on previous occasions, there were many, many people who did not get their amendments. prgtoken And so, again, I go back to the point that we have produced a bipartisan piece of legislation. I commend the ranking member. We worked with closely the subcommittee chairs and the subcommittee ranking members. The staff has done a superb job. And we are here, just one procedural vote away from moving forward, and I think we should move forward for the benefit of the men and women of the armed services, as Senator King, again, so eloquently described. prgtoken I think the other factor, too, is that eventually we have to reconcile whatever we do or attempt to do with the prgtoken House of Representatives. Certainly, I think it gives us much more credibility, much more clout, and much more leverage when we have a strong bill that has passed on the floor of the Senate. prgtoken We are not talking about 100 amendments that we have to consider. We are talking about a handful of Senators who didn't get their way, even though many others were frustrated. I think, again, our duty is to move forward to pass this cloture vote this evening, then to move forward to final passage, and then to reconcile our differences with the House and come back with legislation. prgtoken At this point--and I think the ranking member would agree with me--as it stands right now, I would be proud to pass this legislation because it is bipartisan, it responds to the needs of the men and women of the Armed Forces, and it establishes robust resour
SWITZERLAND
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-11-29

I come to the floor today to talk about the unique partnership between the United States and Switzerland. I had the opportunity earlier this month to meet with President of Switzerland Guy Parmelin to discuss the U.S.-Switzerland partnership on apprenticeship and workforce training. Our meeting came on the heels of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing considering the nomination of Scott Miller to be the Ambassador to Switzerland. My questioning of Mr. Miller covered many topics, to include the recent decision by the government of Switzerland and Swiss voters to purchase Lockheed Martin F-35s as their next-generation fighter jet. prgtoken In the following weeks, I have received more information on the benefits of the F-35 and the incredible opportunity this security cooperation provides for both Switzerland and the United States. In fact, prior to making a selection, the Swiss Federal Council completed a comprehensive analysis and determined that the F-35 offered the highest benefit, at the lowest cost: $2 billion less than the next lowest bidder. prgtoken In making their choice, the Government of Switzerland and Swiss voters clearly recognized the value of the F-35, as well as the superior capabilities the F-35 offers. The deal has my enthusiastic support, and I appreciate our continued partnership with the Swiss Government and the Swiss people.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-11-29

I always laud and so appreciate the principled leadership of the senior Senator from Rhode Island, who never would have done what just happened on the floor when we were in the minority. Jack Reed is always there for the troops and always there for our national security, and I join my colleagues in showing our appreciation. I know the Presiding Officer from New Mexico thinks the same thing. Small Business Saturday prgtoken , this weekend, we celebrated Small Business Saturday for Ohioans. And people around the country showed their support for local businesses in their communities by shopping local for holiday gifts. prgtoken Small businesses and their workers drive this economy. There is always talk on this floor about small business, but the focus is rarely, in this body, actually on small business and their workers. They create jobs and economic growth in our communities and the heartland, in small towns and overlooked neighborhoods, places that often don't get a lot of outside investment. prgtoken The stakeholders in these businesses aren't nameless, faceless shareholders. They are our neighbors, our family members, the people you see at church and at the grocery store, and they are vital to our economic recovery. It is why we passed the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program last year. It is why and President expanded the American Rescue Plan. prgtoken Last week, I asked Ohioans on social media to tell us about their favorite local businesses to support this holiday shopping season-- businesses that go above and beyond to help their community. prgtoken This was a little bit, --and I have gone to the floor on this before, and you and I have talked about this--when I post on my website, ``What did the child tax credit mean to your family,'' and the effusive outpouring and excitement from so many people saying this should be the role of government. This is what really matters. That is what we found when we posted asking people to share your stories about favorite local businesses. I want to share a few of them. prgtoken Beth talked about Mootown Creamery in Berea. She said they are ``so involved in the community, never say no when help is needed.'' prgtoken Robin gave a shout-out. prgtoken And that is in northeast Ohio near Cleveland. prgtoken Robin gave a shout-out to Snazzies's in Oxford for local arts. That is in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati, the home of Miami University. prgtoken I would add that Berea is the home of Baldwin Wallace College too. prgtoken Sarah mentioned ``Sunset Bistro in Bowling Green. They not only support their local community, they are devoted to honoring our veterans''--another community with a big State university in northwest Ohio. prgtoken Heather wrote about Let's Eat Cake in Urbana. She said: ``Owner Tina is always doing something for the downtown business association and the greater community.'' <|
ALBERT ZONA
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2021-11-30

. Madam , I would like to recognize Albert Zona of Pleasantville, South Jersey. At the age of 18, Albert was drafted into the Army during World War II and was stationed in Japan. He was honorably discharged from the Army as a Sergeant in 1947. After he was discharged, Albert worked several full-time jobs as an auto mechanic until he was able to start his own business. He then opened his first service station at Edgewater Avenue and Main Street and was one of the eight original founding members of the Pleasantville Volunteer Fire Company, Station 2. Around 1952, Al moved his service station to Absecon and transferred from Pleasantville to Absecon Volunteer Fire Department. He then sold that service station in 1998, ending his career as a volunteer firefighter. Al should be proud of his accomplishments and service to the South Jersey community and to America. I thank Al for his service. God Bless Al and God Bless America.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2021-11-30

our Nation exists today in a time of relative peace, with limited and manageable active hostilities threatening U.S. national security. prgtoken On the horizon, the United States faces a militarily ambitious and formidable but not yet insurmountable opponent in China and in its quest for regional dominance in the Pacific. prgtoken Yet in the face of this new age of great power competition, U.S. grand strategy continues to operate with outdated goals and across all regions of the globe, lacking prioritization and desperately needing scale. prgtoken After the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and the corresponding diplomatic, military, and humanitarian disaster, one would think the instinct would be to jettison decades of military-industrial groupthink. prgtoken One would think the American people, and certainly our men and women in uniform, deserve a thorough, exhaustive review of what is working and the huge swaths of what is failing in our military and defense strategy, infrastructure, and planning. prgtoken One would think that Congress would reclaim powers assigned to it by the Constitution to make serious reforms to protect the security and prosperity of the United States. prgtoken One would think we would reform our procurement process and trim the bloated, perversely incentivized military-industrial complex. prgtoken One would think we would prioritize resources toward the largest and most imminently looming threats to U.S. national security. prgtoken One would think we would burden share with our allies where our security interests align. prgtoken One would think we, here in the U.S. Senate, would take specific steps to make sure that failures like the withdrawal from Afghanistan don't happen again, whether in the Middle East or in any other emerging theater of conflict. prgtoken Unfortunately, this year's National Defense Authorization Act fails to put the interests of U.S. citizens first. This is not the introspective or retrospective bill that the American people should be able to expect and largely continues the failed--the failed--policies of many decades past. The American people and the brave men and women of our military deserve better. prgtoken We are, thank heavens, in a time of peace, with limited active hostilities. Despite that, we remain intimately entangled in the affairs of too many nations abroad. Our troops and equipment scatter every region of the globe. We spend billions of dollars supporting, supplying, and training allies who, in many cases, contribute little to their own self-defense, let alone ours. prgtoken We face an ambitious opponent in China, as it seeks military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. There is no question that while Xi Jinping remains in power, the PLA and the PRC will not shy away from bold moves and the quest for regional hegemony. But the U.S. strategy should not presume unrestrained, offensive intervention; rather, targeted and scaled deterrenc
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS LEAVING YOU BEHIND
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-11-30

I rise today in support of all Americans who feel that they are being abandoned by the current administration. I share this sentiment. prgtoken To be clear, President is the President of now leaving you behind. He will leave you behind in Afghanistan. He will leave your job behind if you don't comply with his mandates. He will leave our borders behind in favor of illegal immigrants. He will leave our economy behind for China to surpass. He plain old leads from behind. prgtoken I propose we leave President 's dangerous policies behind before our children's futures are ultimately destroyed. It is time for our leaders to put America first by securing our border, keeping our Nation's promises to veterans and overseas allies, and in ending the senseless Washington spending addiction.
RESPECTING THE DIGNITY OF THE UNBORN
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-11-30

. Madam , as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, I stand before the House to proclaim strongly my commitment to being pro-life. prgtoken Three years ago Mississippi passed a law by an overwhelming majority to limit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with reasonable exceptions. The State legislature and then-Governor Phil Bryant supported this bill to protect the life of mothers and the dignity of the unborn. Abortion precedents established in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey have prevented States from passing laws to protect unborn babies before viability--the age at which a child could survive outside the womb. prgtoken Medical advancements like ultrasounds and prenatal surgeries have shown the humanity of the unborn which points to the value of life from the moment of conception. Unborn babies have a heartbeat as early as 5 weeks, and by 15 weeks they can taste, make facial expressions, and, of course, feel pain. prgtoken Confronted by a culture that continues to take human lives for granted, I applaud the State of Mississippi for their pro-life stance and their challenge of outdated precedent that prevents protections for the unborn. prgtoken Madam , I will always stand for life.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Continued
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-11-30

I want to start by thanking my colleagues for being willing to stand up and defend innocent human life. prgtoken I remember, recently, watching a young woman walk across one of the downtown bridges in Austin, TX, carrying a sign that read: ``Abortion-- any time, any reason.'' prgtoken That is what she was advocating for. I was shocked when I saw it because I thought even the most ardent advocates of abortion would not take that position of denying the humanity of this unborn child, but, apparently, that is what it has become here--48 years after the Supreme Court first created a right to abortion out of whole cloth as a constitutional right. prgtoken You look, in vain, in the Constitution of the United States, as well as in the amendments to the Constitution, for any reference at all to abortion. What you will find, if you read the Declaration of Independence, is a familiar statement to all of us. On July 4, 1776, the 13 States then that made up America wrote: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.'' prgtoken By the way, there is no asterisk--there is no footnote--that says, if you are an unborn human life, that you are denied this unalienable right to life. prgtoken Such noteworthy figures as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was probably one of the most aggressive advocates for abortion rights on the U.S. Supreme Court, later in life decried the fact that, by the Supreme Court's holding a right to abortion as a constitutional right, it denied the very sort of give-and-take debate by which our differences are resolved in the States and at the national level. prgtoken I would just like to point out some of the misinformation that you hear and read about Roe v. Wade. prgtoken If Roe v. Wade is no longer the precedent by which abortion rights are decided, it will not mean that abortion will not be available in many, if not all, of the States. What it will mean is that it will be decided, under our Federal system, on a State-by-State basis, prgtoken according to the decisions made by elected State leadership, including the legislature. prgtoken In 1973, Richard Nixon was inaugurated for the second time as President of the United States. Suffice it to say that a lot has happened since then--a lot. I think it is entirely appropriate that the U.S. Supreme Court revisits its precedents, including Roe v. Wade-- decided in 1973--and decide if that precedent has stood the test of time. prgtoken By the way, in serving on the Judiciary Committee, we frequently have nominees for the Supreme Court of the United States come before the committee, and many of my pro-choice colleagues will say: Do you agree, Judge or Future Judge, that Roe v. Wade is the precedent of the U.S. Supreme Court? prgtoken Of course, that is along with Casey and the other decisions t
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ENERGY CRISIS
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-11-30

President 's energy crisis is the Christmas gift that nobody asked for. prgtoken The national average for a gallon of gas reached $3.39 as of last Friday, the most Americans have paid at the pump since the - administration. prgtoken Home heating costs are projected to rise as much as 54 percent for some households this winter. House are even pushing a ``heat your home tax'' just in time for the holidays. prgtoken If Americans thought Thanksgiving cost an arm and a leg, just wait until President 's failed policies torpedo Christmas entirely. At this rate, the only things Americans will find under their Christmas trees and in their stockings are more bills, not presents. prgtoken , this lunacy must end.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Continued
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-11-30

. Madame President, LTC John Meyer joined my office as our defense fellow this past January. It is hard to overestimate in the months since just how much he has contributed. prgtoken Time and again, John has drawn on his rich background and his experiences in the Middle East, the Pacific, and with some of the Army's most elite units to inform our work on defense and national security. prgtoken More than that, he has consistently stepped up, even when he didn't have to, to help those in need--from veterans and servicemembers at home in Missouri to those affected by the bombing in Kabul over the summer. prgtoken For all of these reasons and more, it has been a real privilege to have John as a part of our team this year. We are going to miss him when he goes all too soon here, but I am confident he will continue to serve our Nation with the utmost distinction wherever his career takes him. prgtoken I want to take this opportunity, in light of all of that, to request floor privileges for John as a small gesture of my gratitude for his service to my office, to Missouri, and to our Nation. prgtoken .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Continued
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-11-30

I want to start by thanking the Senator from Nebraska for helping to bring to light the significance of the Dobbs Supreme Court case. prgtoken For some 30 years, I had the honor, the privilege of delivering a baby most every day of my life. Some 5,000 babies in residency and another 5,000 babies in private practice. Some days, I delivered none. Other days, it was one or two. There were days when I delivered 10, 11, 12 babies a day. prgtoken Some of those babies I could fit in the palm of my hand. Other babies--I delivered several babies over 15 pounds. prgtoken It has now been almost 4 years since I delivered my last baby, but I am still often asked: Do I miss obstetrics; and let me tell you, boy, do I miss it. prgtoken My favorite part of the whole process, as I recall, though, was after a hard, long labor, seeing that baby emerge from the mother, holding that baby in my hands and waiting for it to cry. Sometimes it was crying as it entered into this world, other times it took 5 seconds, sometimes 30 seconds, sometimes a minute or two would go by as we worked on the baby. But my favorite part of every pregnancy was taking that crying baby and handing it over to a new mom and dad. It was absolutely the most spiritual moment of my life--the closest I ever got to seeing what God was truly like, to see a newborn baby in the hands of its mom and dad, with this just total agape love--this unconditional love. It was just the honor of my life to experience that almost on a daily basis. prgtoken But today I want to talk about my favorite OB visit which came at 15 weeks, typically. At about 15 weeks after conception, moms would come in for maybe their third or fourth visit. My first question was always: Are you feeling the baby move? And the mom's eyes would light up. Maybe she had had a miscarriage before or maybe it was an infertile couple or maybe this was her third or fourth baby, but when I asked them: Are you feeling the baby move yet, her eyes would light up. prgtoken And mom would lie down on the bed, and I would put my hands on her abdomen and feel the size of her uterus to assess how big the baby was. And so often as I put my hands on her skin, I could feel the baby pushing back or kicking back. prgtoken And then we put the Doppler on the mom's abdomen and listened to the baby's heartbeat, and usually if there was a brother or sister in the room, that baby's big brother or big sister would squeal: Mommy, what is that noise? What is that noise? And almost every time, as I heard the sibling ask mom that question, you could hear the baby's heart rate increase with excitement. That baby inside the womb knew that was its brother or sister there that was talking, and it was excited to hear that voice. And the mom would respond: Darling, that is your little baby brother or sister. And as mom spoke, the baby's heart rate would slow back down to what it was before--that calming voice. prgtoken So that bri
AMERICAN CYBERSECURITY LITERACY ACT
Robert E. Latta (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-11-30

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise today in support of H.R. 4055, the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act, which was introduced by Representatives Kinzinger and Eshoo. prgtoken The Cybersecurity Solarium Commission identified cyber hygiene as a key challenge affecting our readiness as a country. As many cybersecurity professionals will attest, there are common steps that Americans can take to prevent disruption to networks and the theft of personal information. prgtoken This legislation directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign to educate Americans on cybersecurity risks and best practices to reduce those risks. By increasing awareness of the simple steps that can be taken every day, we can reduce cybersecurity incidents. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. prgtoken , again, this is a very important piece of legislation. I have had about seven different cybersecurity events with the FBI in my district for my constituents. One of the things that they have always stressed is good hygiene, and over 80 percent is good hygiene, to prevent these cybersecurity attacks. prgtoken , I urge support of this legislation, and .