mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MAHSA AMINI HUMAN RIGHTS AND SECURITY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-9-14

I rise today to speak on H.R. 589, the Mahsa Amini Human Rights Security Accountability (MAHSA) Act. prgtoken This bill would require the President of the United States to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain individuals and entities affiliated with Iran. prgtoken Additionally, this bill would impose requirements that the President periodically make determinations about whether certain existing sanctions apply to specified persons and impose the applicable sanctions, including determinations concerning: (1) the Supreme Leader of Iran and any official in the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran; (2) the President of Iran and any official in the Office of the President of Iran; and (3) any entity overseen by the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran which is complicit in supporting human rights abuses or terrorism. prgtoken Iran currently faces widespread unrest because of various human rights violations. prgtoken In 2022, security forces killed more than 500 persons, including at least 69 children, and arrested more than 19,000 protesters, including children, according to the nongovernmental organization Human Rights Activists News Agency. prgtoken Some of those arrested faced the death penalty, including children. prgtoken The government also routinely disrupted access to the internet and communications applications to prevent the free flow of information and to attempt to interrupt or diminish participation in protests. prgtoken Iran and its people deserve peace. prgtoken This bill has been built on positive intentions that seek to solve an important and pressing issue.
FIVE-POINT PLAN TO ADDRESS BIG MONEY IN CONGRESS
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-9-14

. Madam , the American people are frustrated and exhausted with the corruption and role of big money in the Halls of Congress. That is why I am introducing a five-point plan. prgtoken First, ban all PAC and lobbyist money to congressional campaigns. I don't take a dime of it. prgtoken Second, ban completely stock trading and Members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists. Activists like Unusual Whales, Quiver Quantitative, and the leaders at CREW have been mobilizing for this. prgtoken Third, term limits for Members of Congress. prgtoken Fourth, term limits for Supreme Court Justices. prgtoken Fifth, an ethics code for Supreme Court Justices. prgtoken This is common sense. The people demand it. It is time we give them back their government and reform in Washington. We should have bipartisan support for this five-point plan.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-9-14

I hope my colleagues will join me, as I know the Senator from Michigan, the Presiding Officer, does, in standing in solidarity with thousands of UAW workers in Ohio and Michigan and around the country who demand that automakers--a simple demand really--respect the work they do to make these companies successful. There is still time, the rest of the day and, really, beyond this, for the Big Three to avert a strike, which we know is always a last resort for workers. prgtoken My wife is the daughter of a utility worker in Ashtabula, in the far northeast corner of the State. She, first of all, credits her dad's union card with saving her life. She was 16 years old and had an asthma attack, I believe at school, and was picked up in an ambulance and taken to the Cleveland Clinic and spent more than a week there-- something she could not afford without her dad's union card and her dad's healthcare benefits from the utility workers union and from that company. prgtoken She also said that, twice during her growing up, the union struck because their backs were against the wall; they thought they had no choice. She acknowledges that the workers never really recover the lost wages from a strike. prgtoken These UAW members in Michigan and Ohio, in Toledo, in Cincinnati, in Dayton, and all over our State and in other States, they want to be on the job. They don't want to strike. They don't want to be on the picket line. But when companies refuse to recognize the work they do, workers are backed into a corner. prgtoken It is why union cards matter. A union card means workers can stand together for fair pay and benefits, for better working conditions, for safer workplaces, for control over their schedules, for a voice in their company, and a voice in their community--because, to be clear, autoworkers surely are the engines behind these companies' success. GM, Ford, and Stellantis--people around the country know Stellantis as the old Chrysler--the Big Three wouldn't be making a dime, of course, in profits without the workers who actually make their cars and trucks. prgtoken Remember, autoworkers--this is the most important thing. Autoworkers stood up and made sacrifices a decade ago, especially at GM and Chrysler--Stellantis--because those companies were in trouble. And taxpayers stood up, and government stood, finally, on the side of those companies, and the workers made sacrifices to help the American auto industry when times were tough. prgtoken Who remembers the depths of the recession? UAW workers stood behind the Big Three when a whole lot of politicians in this town wanted to abandon these companies. Now that times are good, all that workers are asking for is their fair share. prgtoken Let's be clear, times now are very, very good for these companies and very, very, very good for these CEOs. We know auto executives--I don't know how many. But I know auto executives in all three companies--many, many of the
TRIBUTE TO WAYNE "COACH" GORDON
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-9-14

over the August recess, the North Lawndale community on the West Side of Chicago witnessed the end of an era. Founding pastor of the Lawndale Community Church, the Reverend Doctor Wayne ``Coach'' Gordon passed the torch to the church's new lead pastor, Pastor Jonathan Brooks, or as the congregation affectionately knows him, Pastor J. prgtoken Pastor Gordon first heard the call to serve when he was a junior in high school in Fort Dodge, IA. The call came so clear that he woke his mother in the middle of the night to share his newfound purpose and let her know that he was ready to forgo his studies and get started immediately. His mother heard him out and arranged for him to meet with the local pastor. That call set in motion a lifetime of service and selfless commitment to helping others. prgtoken He listened to his mother and finished his studies. In 1971, he graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School. He attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, where he played football. From there, he attended the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he later would go on to obtain his doctorate in ministry from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. prgtoken By 1975, Pastor Gordon had moved to North Lawndale, a predominantly Black community that at the time was ranked the 15th poorest neighborhood in the United States. He took a job as a teacher and coach at Farragut High School. Pastor Gordon, a White guy from Iowa teaching and coaching in a predominantly Black community, immediately stood out. His players and students called him ``Coach,'' a nickname that has stuck with him to this day. prgtoken In 1977, Pastor Gordon would marry the woman of his dreams, his lovely wife Anne. On their first night together in North Lawndale, their home was broken into. Unfortunately, this would not be the only time. Many would question what the couple was thinking. Why would they want to continue to live in such a dangerous neighborhood? prgtoken But as one of his mentors, the late-Reverend Tom Skinner would say, Pastor Gordon and Anne ``continued to continue.'' They refused to live amongst their neighbors in fear. When others saw a dangerous neighborhood stricken by poverty, violence, and drug addiction, Pastor Gordon and Anne saw a community desperate for opportunity. Many turned their back on North Lawndale, but Pastor Gordon and Anne would not do the same. They heeded their call to help and made the conscious choice to live where they served--and they wasted no time getting to work. prgtoken They set up a Bible study through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The Farragut High students enjoyed it so much that they talked Pastor Gordon and Anne into starting their very own church. While it took some convincing, Pastor Gordon agreed, and the Lawndale Christian Community Church began its mission of building a better North Lawndale. prgtoken He assembled the congregation before a blackboard and asked what were the to
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-9-14

I want to thank my good friend the Senator from Oklahoma, who is also a member of the Intelligence Committee, a subject of which I am going to speak to, and I appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to go first. prgtoken Today, , I rise to say a few words about someone who has been an essential part of the Senate community for many, many years. prgtoken I am proud to note that earlier this week--as a matter of fact, on Tuesday evening--with the support from the Senator from Oklahoma, the Senate unanimously confirmed the nomination of Mike Casey to serve as Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. We know, at a time when the United States is facing tremendous foreign intelligence and security threats, it is important to have a Senate- confirmed leader as the head of the NCSC, which is charged with protecting against insider threats, supply chain risks, and other counterintelligence issues. prgtoken The truth is, the position has been vacant since the end of the last administration. So, as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am glad that we will finally now have a Senate-confirmed leader in place to lead the efforts to protect against foreign threats, to protect U.S. critical infrastructure, to advance the counterintelligence and security mission, and--maybe most importantly--to be on constant call of the Senate Intelligence staff to make sure that efforts to reform security clearances is at the top of the agenda. prgtoken But while I recognize that this is a great step for our country and our national security, it is a real loss to me personally, to members on both sides of the aisle on the Intelligence Committee, and to our staff, because we are losing Mike Casey, who has been the staff director for the last 8 years. And while he doesn't look Medicare- eligible, the truth is, he has been working up here for 28 years, starting in the House of Representatives and, eventually, joining the staff of the House Armed Services Committee before Senator Feinstein brought him over to the upper Chamber as staff director for the Senate Intel Committee in 2016. prgtoken I have worked extraordinarily closely with Mike over my years as a member of the committee but particularly when I bumped up to the position of vice chair. I think a lot about our kind of bonding and, in many ways, I think of the committee's bonding when, under the able leadership of then-chairman Richard Burr, the committee took on the responsibility of the investigation into the outside interference of the 2016 national elections. Our staff and, at that point, the majority committee's staff worked so seamlessly together. prgtoken While we got a lot of grief from folks all across the political spectrum--and a lot of this was due to Mike Casey--one of the things that I was most proud of was, as a variety of people came before the committee to testify on what could have been, otherwise, a totally
HONORING THE LEGENDARY GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON
Gabe Vasquez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2023-9-14

today, I join the Representatives of New Mexico to honor the legendary Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. prgtoken I want to highlight what his work means for the Latino community. Bill's lasting legacy of advocacy for millions of Latinos and his work on the national political stage has made all the difference in all of our lives. prgtoken As one of the most influential Mexican Americans in history, Bill devoted his life to improving the lives of New Mexicans, Latinos, and Americans at home and abroad. His unwavering commitment to the betterment of the Latino community and the Nation has left an undeniable impact. As one of the most powerful Latinos in politics this Nation has seen, he has made many of our pathways to public service possible. This year, we are celebrating the largest number of members in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. prgtoken We thank Bill for his work for New Mexico, the United States, and the world. As Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, we will honor his commitment to public service every day. ``Go with God, Bill''; ``Que estes con Dios, Bill.''
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-9-14

yesterday, Senators from both sides of the aisle participated in one of the most informative and historic discussions ever held in the Congress. prgtoken Many of us came out of our first AI Insight Forum exhilarated. The debate was illuminating; the discussions, candid and unvarnished, and direct. prgtoken I want to thank Senators Rounds, Heinrich, and Young for joining me in leading the discussion. They helped make yesterday an all-out success. prgtoken I want to thank every Senator who attended. We had great turnout. I am told about 70 Senators from both parties attended, and I think we all left with a greater understanding and appreciation of AI's importance and complexity. prgtoken By the end of the day, everyone in the room did reach a consensus on a few important points. prgtoken First, Congress must play a role--must play a role--in regulating AI. One of the most striking moments at the forum was when I asked all of the participants--the critics, the experts, the developers alike--to raise their hands if they agreed that government had to be involved, and we had universal support. Not one person had their hand down. prgtoken Second, most everyone agreed that the government must also play a role promoting what we call transformational innovation. Bill Gates talked about AI's potential for combating hunger worldwide. Eric Schmidt talked about the way AI could help doctors do their job. Senator Rounds, in a touching moment, talked about losing his wife to cancer, which hit home to a lot of people in the room, as it does with millions and millions of Americans. And it led to a conversation about how AI can be used one day to model never-before-seen drugs to do the unthinkable: cure cancer. prgtoken But at the same time and with equal vehemence--maybe even more--we had a consensus on the need for guardrails for a sustainable innovation, because just as AI can be used to design cancer cures, it could also, if things went wrong, be used to make terrible bioweapons or other dangers. prgtoken I think everyone at the forum agreed that if we don't do anything on AI, then the lowest common denominator can occur: Racial bias that is in our society would be enshrined in AI; massive job displacement and even more unthinkable doomsday scenarios. So we talked about the need for not only transformational innovation that does the positive but for sustainable innovation, where the government installs guardrails to minimize these risks. prgtoken It is called sustainable because AI won't be able to go forward if we don't have guardrails to prevent the very serious downsides. And we agreed that only the government can fill the hole of creating and enforcing these guardrails, because even if a good number of private companies do the responsible thing and regulate themselves, there will always be outlier companies that don't, and that brings the lowest common denominator way down. prgtoken Finally, there was a cons
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-9-14

I urge all of our colleagues who have come to me and to the Senator from Maine to talk about the need for regular order to vote yes now on this motion to proceed. I will have more to say about what we all need to do to keep this process moving, but this vote is important if we want to make sure that Senators will have the opportunity to speak out for their values and their constituents. prgtoken So I urge a yes vote on the motion to proceed, and let's get going on an agreement, as soon as possible, so Senators can vote and debate and act on amendments. That is what regular order is, and that is what everyone has told me is exactly what they want and what I have been hearing all year from Senators on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken Let's keep up the bipartisanship. Let's get to work. Vote on Motion
HONORING BOB KNAPP
Brittany Pettersen (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-9-14

I rise today to recognize the outstanding contributions and tireless dedication of Mr. Bob Knapp, a distinguished individual, devoted advocate, and community leader in Colorado. prgtoken Mr. Knapp has exemplified exceptional commitment to his community and has been an integral part of various organizations dedicated to improving the lives of retired Americans, advancing the cause of democracy, and promoting the rights of American workers. prgtoken Mr. Knapp's contributions include co-founding the Colorado Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans. For 2 decades, he served as its Secretary, working to ensure the needs and concerns of retired Americans were addressed and advocating for policies that enhanced their quality of life. prgtoken Perhaps one of Mr. Knapp's most remarkable achievements is his service on the AFL-CIO Executive Board for over 30 years. His long- standing commitment to the AFL-CIO has been marked by strong leadership and dedication to American workers. prgtoken Throughout the past 20 years, Mr. Knapp has provided strong leadership, demonstrating an ability to keep everyone on track and focused on achieving their goals. His dedication and his tireless efforts on behalf of the community are an inspiration to us all. prgtoken In recognition of his outstanding service and important contributions, I extend a heartfelt thank you and congratulations to Bob Knapp on behalf of Colorado's 7th Congressional District. His legacy will inspire generations to come.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1435, PRESERVING CHOICE IN VEHICLE PURCHASES ACT
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2023-9-14

I think it is important to recognize that there are health benefits from the Clean Air Act, but there are also benefits to our manufacturing sector, as well. prgtoken H.R. 1435 completely ignores the benefits of EV production. They are completely going to be undermining the importance of manufacturing in the United States, what we need in the United States. Why would we want the industry to move to other countries when we can make it here in America? prgtoken , I want to go back to the reason why so many of us have stood up today in opposition to this rule and have stood up in opposition to this rule for what it does not do. It does not address the looming crisis that the extreme s and, apparently, the entire Conference--because they are all moving toward that. My colleagues on the other side could meet and work with us, but no. Once again, they want to shut it down. prgtoken It is our duty to govern. Under leadership, we have not seen any governing happening. We have not passed the appropriations bills that America needs to keep our government open. prgtoken Would that be acceptable in any other arena? It would not be acceptable in my State of New Mexico to allow a party to actually just shut down our government. That would be reprehensible. It should be reprehensible here, as well. prgtoken The s cannot escape that this is their playbook. They do it over and over again. When they hold the gavel in this House, they shut down the government. prgtoken For what? For extreme demands that we have already discussed, demands that attack women and their ability to make choices about their own reproductive healthcare in consultation with their own faith, with their own family and those they love, and not with their Congressperson but with their doctors. prgtoken For what? Because they don't want to, and they are protecting their millionaire friends and the big corporations. They do not want to make sure that they pay their fair share of taxes, so they prefer to shut down the government, a government that serves the American people in so many different ways. prgtoken Our ic voices that are coming to this Chamber, that are coming to the people's House from districts as diverse and beautiful as mine, know that we must bring their voices to this table, to this House, and say to keep it open and keep offering the services that protect us, that keep us safe, that make sure that our education is broad and has help where it is needed, that our Native American communities that we serve continue to receive the healthcare and law enforcement that we need, that we make sure that our Department of Justice is doing its job--because it is--and that we do all that work so our railroads are safe and our food is safe. prgtoken We must do all that work to make sure our government is kept open. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to oppose today's rule, and
HONORING THE SERVICES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF JAMES HAIRSTON III AND TRINA HAIRSTON, LEAD PASTORS OF ALL NATIONS WORSHIP ASSEMBLY
Glenn Ivey (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-9-14

I rise today to honor the services and accomplishments of James Hairston III and Trina Hairston, the Lead Pastors of All Nations Worship Assembly Washington, D.C. prgtoken Both natives of Bridgeport, Connecticut came to being the Lead Pastors in January of 2019 of All Nations Worship Assembly Washington, D.C. At the start of launching, they hosted live-streaming Bible Study sessions and live worship services called ``Preaching to the Choir'' to draw the local community closer to God. Within the last four years, they have built a culture of outreach, discipleship, and fellowship for the local Prince George's County communities. As Lead Pastors, they have purposed in their heart to cultivate the community through love, prayer, and teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. prgtoken We recognize that Pastors James Hairston III and Trina Hairston as a force within the Prince George's County community. Their passion has been powerful by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through prayer, love, outreach, discipleship, and fellowship into the lives of underserved and disadvantaged communities. Their commitment to God has both led Pastor James Hairston III and Trina Hairston to be great faith-based pillar within Prince George's County. prgtoken On behalf of Maryland 4th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Lead Pastors James Hairston III and Trina Hairston for their exemplary accomplishments, dedication to public service, and trailblazing leadership.
SUPPORTING AUTOWORKERS
Summer L. Lee (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-9-14

. Madam , I rise today on behalf of the United Auto Workers powering the Big Three and all workers on the front lines in the fight for a future with fair pay, dignity, and the right to benefit from the profits of their hard work currently being hoarded by corporate CEOs. prgtoken In 2022, Ford's CEO raked in $21 million, Chrysler's made $24 million, and GM's made $29 million. Right now, the maximum pay for Big Three UAW workers is $66,000. You can't even see the line because that is how little they are paid in comparison to their corporate bosses. prgtoken It would take a UAW employee making the maximum salary almost 440 years to make what the CEO of General Motors makes in 1 year. Yet, these CEOs lie that their workers threaten our economy. prgtoken Let me be clear: Any company that can afford 40 percent raises for CEOs already raking in millions can afford 40 percent raises for their workers, who our clean energy economy depends on. These workers don't threaten our economy, but CEOs do. prgtoken To the Big Three, pay those workers what you owe them. Don't act like you forgot. prgtoken Solidarity forever.