mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-7-11

as NATO's Washington summit draws to a close today, there is clearly tremendous resolve among many of our allies to make the transatlantic alliance fit for purpose for another 75 years. But a strong and effective NATO has always required strong and effective American leadership, and here at home, there is reason for cautious optimism that support for leadership on collective defense is widespread. prgtoken Last month, the Reagan Institute released the findings of its latest poll on the American people's views of global issues. Here is what it found: A majority of Americans support ``a more engaged U.S. foreign policy'' and hold favorable views of the NATO alliance and support lethal assistance to Ukraine. Despite the media spending years amplifying views from the fringes of our politics, a majority of s believe that ``U.S. involvement in international events'' benefits America. prgtoken When asked recently whether peace, prosperity, and security were products of American leadership and sacrifice--listen to this--more s than actually agreed with that. prgtoken Here is the kicker: They are not just telling this to pollsters; they are actually demonstrating it at the ballot box. By massive, double- digit margins, primary voters have picked candidates who supported the national security supplemental earlier this spring. Let me say that again. Not a single incumbent who voted to help America's friends resist authoritarian aggression and rebuild the arsenal of democracy lost their primary. Not one lost their primary. Across the country, voters rejected fringe candidates who peddled isolationist pablum and voted instead for American leadership. prgtoken The way Johnson put it earlier this week, he has had people come up to him at events in 31 different States in recent months to say the same thing: We are glad Congress delivered the supplemental. prgtoken So, , it can often seem like the loudest voices in Washington are the ones that bemoan the responsibilities of American leadership while enjoying the peace and prosperity it underwrites, but these voices are increasingly estranged from the views of most Americans. The American people know instinctively that leadership on the world stage isn't some handout to allies and partners; it is an investment--an investment--in our own security. They know this leadership is what preserves the U.S.-led order that has underpinned peace and prosperity for decades. Now they just need a President who is willing to exercise that leadership. prgtoken For years, the American people watched the administration dither and wring its hands over fears that standing with a sovereign democracy might invite escalation from a tyrant who was already conducting a full-scale war of conquest. Since last fall, they have heard the President insist in one breath that America's commitment to a close ally was ironcl
POISON CONTROL CENTERS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2024
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-11

it is no secret that, in recent years, the Supreme Court has become a political target for our friends across the aisle, the . I still remember a time--maybe it was a quaint period during our Nation's history--when Robert Jackson, former Supreme Court Justice, said: The Supreme Court is not final because it is always right. It is right because it is always final. prgtoken The point is, there has to be someplace, somewhere in the U.S. Government, where decisions are made on something other than a political basis. We know that in Congress--the political branches of government--we run for office; we stand for reelection. The voters can agree with us or disagree with us based upon our actions, and we will then be held accountable at the ballot box. The same is true for the President of the United States, the head of the executive branch. prgtoken But the judicial branch is supposed to be different. Judges don't stand for election. They can't be removed from office for virtually anything other than impeachable behavior, which is rare indeed, and Congress can't reduce their pay during their tenure in office. All of these are designed to preserve the independence of the judiciary. prgtoken Justice Scalia, during his lifetime, liked to observe that constitutions are simply words on paper, and he pointed out that the Soviet Union--the former Soviet Union--had one of the best constitutions on paper that existed at the time. But the difference between the Soviet Union and the United States is that we have an independent judiciary--unelected, unaccountable at the ballot box, but who continue, during their good behavior, as members of the court who have to make hard decisions. Their decisions are supposed to be made not on public opinion polls, not on votes cast at the ballot box, not on what is most popular but what conforms with the Constitution and laws of the United States. They have to literally call balls and strikes. prgtoken But some of our ic colleagues have decided that, when they don't like those decisions made by this independent judiciary, the best tactic is to attack the Judges and to thereby claim that, somehow, they are just another political branch--an unelected political branch--but nothing could be farther from the truth. prgtoken As evidence of their attempt to politicize the courts, I would point to the time that five of our ic colleagues threatened to ``restructure the Court'' if it didn't deliver their preferred outcome in a case involving the Second Amendment. prgtoken There was a time when some of our colleagues said: We need to pack the Court with more judges because we don't like the ones that currently sit on the Court, and we want a different outcome in the Court's decision. prgtoken And then there was the time when 15 of our ic colleagues recommended slashing the Court's budget unless it implemented a preferred code of ethics dictated by the legis
CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2024-7-11

I rise today to speak about the Nation's 250th anniversary, which we will celebrate in 2026. prgtoken As we prepare for this momentous occasion, I am proud to have joined more than 100 of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on the America250 Caucus. This caucus has been instrumental in helping guide and shape this celebration. prgtoken As part of the work on this caucus, I was proud to recently cosponsor legislation with my Pennsylvania colleagues, Congressman Brendan Boyle and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, to authorize a joint commemorative session of Congress on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. prgtoken This would only be the third time since 1800 that a session of Congress would be held outside of Washington, D.C. prgtoken Now that we are officially less than 2 years away from this celebration, I urge my colleagues to join the America250 Caucus and help support these efforts.
War Powers (Executive Session)
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2024-7-11

the Senator from Arizona, I want to speak just briefly about the vote that we just cast but, more than the vote, the topic that it represents. prgtoken The pier constructed to deliver aid to Gaza is a failure, was a failure, and it was a very expensive failure, and it has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. It was an idea poorly conceived and poorly executed. It is unsustainable to maintain, and it is not fulfilling its purpose. It should be dismantled, and there are already plans underway to eliminate the pier after remaining aid has been distributed or removed. prgtoken Our U.S. forces, as they were in this instance, were called upon to deliver aid to areas of the world that are plagued by violence or areas that are hostile to the United States. And my complaint about the planning is nothing to distract from my admiration and respect for those who serve our country, and that continues in those individuals in the military who have served in the effort to try to provide aid to the people of Gaza. prgtoken But this is not an isolated instance in which the United States and its military are asked to serve. The United States has previously assisted Iran after a devastating earthquake. This year U.S. forces delivered aid to Haiti, which is racked with gang violence. The capabilities of the U.S. military and the generosity of the American people to help innocent victims, no matter who they are or what government rules over them, is a testament to America's goodness and to American power. prgtoken The point I want to make is the War Powers Resolution allows Congress to remove forces ``engaged in hostilities without specific authorization.'' I want to caution my colleagues against utilizing these authorities and setting a precedent that Congress can or should intervene any time we simply don't like the entity, the people, who are receiving the aid. prgtoken I wholeheartedly respect Congress's ability to utilize war powers when appropriate. There is no greater responsibility we have than deciding when to send our sons and daughters to take part in a war. This decision should not and must not be allowed to reside with the President, with the executive branch alone. Yet, too often, it is exactly what we do, ignoring our obligations as Members of Congress. prgtoken The Framers of our Nation determined that war is to be declared by Congress. And in too many instances and way too often, we fail to live up to our constitutional responsibilities. prgtoken I believe there are many more opportunities more pressing and more damaging to our troops than just this failure of the pier, where Congress could and should intervene. At this moment, for example, the U.S. sailors are engaged in kinetic activities against the Houthis without any such authorization. Just like the Gaza pier, the administration has placed servicemembers in harm's way without any strategy for success, at significant cost to t
RECOGNIZING L&J INDUSTRIES, INC.
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2024-7-11

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize L&J Industries of Charles City, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken L&J Welding was founded in 1965 by James Garden as a welding and repair shop in Charles City. In 1986, James's son Chris started his career at L&J Welding after graduating with a degree in business from North Iowa Area Community College. In 1989, L&J Welding changed its name to L&J Industries, and James continued to grow the business with the support of his wife Lillian. They passed the torch to their son and daughter-in-law Chris and Lisa Garden in 2003. prgtoken L&J Industries renovated their space in 2018 and converted it into an employee breakroom while simultaneously expanding their manufacturing plant. Today, they are known for manufacturing ``Free-Flow Floor Supports'' for grain bins both domestically and abroad. prgtoken L&J Industries is a three-generation, family-owned-and-operated business with Chris and Lisa's children Jacie and Brady joining the team in 2022. The Garden family has been instrumental in connecting L&J Industries to the Charles City community and ensuring they remain in the same location on Cleveland Avenue. prgtoken In 2002, it had been 37 years since James Garden founded L&J Industries when he sadly passed away. Prior to founding L&J Industries, James served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was an active member of VFW Post 4335. James Garden is succeeded by his wonderful family who continue his legacy of leadership, hard work, and service to his country and community. prgtoken The Garden family is actively involved in the Charles City and Floyd County communities. For example, Chris is a member of the Charles City Rotary Club that leads the planning of the Santa's Shining Lights Show to provide the community with holiday festivities, and Lisa served on the board of The Learning Center, as well as a spokesperson for their fundraising. The city recognized their efforts, and in September 2010, L&J Industries received the Renew Rural Iowa Entrepreneur Award from the Iowa Farm Bureau. prgtoken Three generations of the Garden family exemplify the American dream. I want to congratulate the family and the entire team at L&J Industries for their continued commitment to the Charles City community. As they move forward and continue to provide quality manufacturing services for the agriculture industry, the next generation of the Gardens will be inspired to uphold the values of the family business and take it to new heights.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
Jake Ellzey (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-11

the first job of any government, municipal, State, Federal, is to protect her citizens. prgtoken I begin this speech by saying we are not protecting our citizens, particularly on the southern border of which Texas is the front line in a battle to protect our people. prgtoken We are losing 200 Americans every day to fentanyl poisoning, the compounds of which are coming from China, manufactured by the cartels, and killing wartime numbers of Americans. In World War II, we lost 305 Americans every day fighting tyranny overseas. Today, we are losing 300 Americans every day to fentanyl poisoning and drug overdose. We must start there. prgtoken As many of you know, from time to time, I address the House floor with my version of a speech that my childhood pastor would give every Sunday called ``Joys and Concerns''. prgtoken During this, he would highlight some of the remarkable things that people would accomplish in our district. He would also take this time to bring up prayer requests, and in that moment we, as a congregation, would unite in prayer for community and those in need. prgtoken Today, before we discuss some of my district's outstanding accomplishments, I will talk about something that we must unite on as a country and as a people, and I will talk about a very important experience that I had just this last week. prgtoken We just returned from a weeklong trip to the Baltics, and during that visit, my colleagues and I met with senior leadership from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, in the Baltics, to discuss critical security issues and the daily threats that come with being Putin's neighbor. They are the neighbor of Russia and Belarus, a vassal of Russia, and they are Russia's neighbor to the West. They share a front line. prgtoken One diplomat said it best: Ukraine isn't just fighting for us; Ukraine is fighting instead of us, because his people understand what life looked like under Russian rule or Soviet rule, which these days looks very much the same. prgtoken They understand the brutality, the oppression, and the attempts to wipe away their way of life. While in Lithuania, we visited the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. The museum is housed in the former KGB headquarters and during World War II, the Gestapo of the Nazis. prgtoken The basement was the prison and execution room, and it is still perfectly preserved, as if the KGB just got up and left one day. They immediately turned it into a museum. Over 1,000 people were murdered in that very basement with bullet shots to the head. Countless more withstood brutal interrogation and torture, the pictures of which won't be shown here. prgtoken I stood in the execution room where blood stains the ground and bullet holes are still visible on the walls. Bodies were discarded up the chute and out the window and hidden in mass graves, and political prisoners were held there as recently as 1987. prgtoken This is who we are dealing with, a KGB thug ruling Russ
TRIBUTE TO DR. LAURENCE B. ALEXANDER
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2024-7-11

I rise today to recognize Dr. Laurence B. Alexander for his exceptional and transformative leadership as his tenure as the ninth chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff comes to a close. prgtoken Dr. Alexander set ambitious goals for UAPB when he arrived on campus, and as a result of his steadfast and unwavering pursuit of excellence, the school has met or exceeded many of those aspirations. Over the past 11 years with Dr. Alexander at the helm, UAPB experienced its largest increase in graduation rates in over a decade. From 2016 to today, UAPB's 6-year graduation rate has increased from 23 percent to 40 percent, an increase of almost 75 percent. UAPB also experienced its highest retention rates in the school's history at 77 percent. Under his leadership, UAPB achieved recognition as a Top-25 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. News and World Report and rose to the 15th ranked institution in the Washington Monthly ranking of Bachelor's Colleges. Dr. Alexander's hand in that success has been very clear to the surrounding community. He was recognized in 2017 by the Arkansas Business Journal Influencer in Education, featured as one of the Arkansas Business 200 Most Influential Leaders by Arkansas Business Publishing Group in 2018, and recognized nationally as one of the HBCU Campaign Fund's 10 Most Dominant HBCU Leaders in 2019. prgtoken His strategic vision has brought millions in additional grant funding and research dollars to the university and attracted world-class scientists and researchers, paving the way for UAPB to be recognized as a national leader in nanotechnology, biomedicine, agriculture, aquaculture, biotechnology, nutrition, water, and farm management. prgtoken As an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, UAPB has continued to fulfill its mission to promote education in agriculture, Arkansas' largest industry. With the average age of today's farmer being over 57 years old, it is schools like UAPB, with leaders like Dr. Alexander, that are helping develop the next generation of agriculturalists who will make critical advancements to meet the needs of today's producers. prgtoken Along with advancing UAPB's high-quality teaching and nursing programs and promoting the stellar Reserve Officers Training Corps program, Dr. Alexander has been instrumental in establishing new agricultural engineering, hospitality management, and master of business administration programs. UAPB is empowering students with real skills they can use to serve their communities and address some of Arkansas' greatest needs. prgtoken Dr. Alexander's impact reaches well beyond the city of Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, and even Arkansas State lines. He became the first leader of an 1890 Land-Grant Institution to be appointed to serve as chair of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development, which advises the U.S. Agency for International Development on how to leverag
AMERICA NEEDS SALTY ELECTIONS
Nathaniel Moran (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-11

I rise today to congratulate the House for passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act led by fellow Texan Representative Chip Roy. prgtoken Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution establishes Congress' role in Federal elections. While it is limited in this role, Congress does have an obligation to ensure that only citizens vote in Federal elections. prgtoken Today, this legislation is more critical than ever. Preservation of our Republic necessitates free, fair, and honest elections. prgtoken As I have said a number of times as county judge in Texas, what we need are SALTY elections--secure, accurate, legal, transparent elections--with you, the American citizen, involved every step of the way. prgtoken Right now, in America, there is growing distrust in election results because of growing abuses and documented instances of election fraud. Yet, there are continuing efforts to allow illegal immigrants to participate in our Federal elections when it is already against the law. This is incomprehensible to me. prgtoken The SAVE Act makes commonsense reforms to preserve integrity in our elections by requiring proof of citizenship when individuals register to vote, and it will remove noncitizens from voter rolls. prgtoken By passing the SAVE Act, the House has taken an important step to ensure every single American vote counts with full measure. I applaud Congressman Roy for bringing this action.
CELEBRATING NEW PRAIRIE BASEBALL
Rudy Yakym III (Republican, IN) \u2014 2024-7-11

I rise to celebrate excellence in athletics and to highlight a very special group of Hoosiers. prgtoken A year ago, the New Prairie High School girls softball team won the 3A State championship, marking the Cougars first-ever State title in any sport. prgtoken Apparently, the boys didn't want to be shown up by the girls because last month the New Prairie baseball team also won the 3A State title for their first title in program history. prgtoken In their 7-2 win over the Brebeuf Jesuit Braves, the Cougars were carried by a stellar and outstanding performance from starting pitcher Tyson Greenwood. prgtoken All season long, the Cougars counted on the bat of sophomore sensation Reed Robinson whose 43 RBIs were the second most in all of Indiana. prgtoken Congratulations to Cougars Head Coach Mark Schellinger and all the young men on an incredible season and for bringing another State title back to Indiana's Second District. prgtoken , I thank them for making the New Prairie community very proud. prgtoken May God bless them, and go Cougars.
SECURE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2024-7-11

yesterday, the House passed the SAVE Act to prevent noncitizens from voting in American elections. prgtoken Unfortunately, this has become a dire necessity to secure our elections after the President and his administration have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter our country. Not only are our elections at risk of interference from this influx of illegal immigrants, but so is our national security. prgtoken More than 350 individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watch list were found trying to cross our southern border. Surely there are many more who have successfully made their way through the border. prgtoken , what will it take for the President, his administration, impeached Secretary Mayorkas, and congressional to wake up to this impending disaster? prgtoken I hope it doesn't come to that. prgtoken For the sake of all Tennesseans, I will stand firm to support policies that secure our borders.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2025
Keith Self (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-11

I rise today to offer my amendment to the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill that will prohibit electric vehicle charging on the U.S. Capitol Grounds. prgtoken Imagine how ridiculous it would sound if we told the American people that Members of Congress and their staff could get unlimited gasoline for their cars for just $27 a month. prgtoken It would be outrageous. Nonetheless, that is what is happening inside the Capitol parking garages, but only for electric vehicles. prgtoken For $27 a month, Members and their D.C. staffers are plugging in their Teslas and Priuses, draining my constituents' tax dollars who are paying full price for their gasoline back at home. This is especially egregious in light of the fact that huge subsidies for EV purchases already exist. prgtoken The bottom line is this: It is a free market. The Federal Government should not be picking winners and losers. If you choose to purchase an electric vehicle with all of those subsidies, then you should pay for it and be prepared for higher costs. Americans should not be subsidizing the vehicle choices of D.C. elites. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .