mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-25

. Madam , I join Vice President in condemning yesterday's anti-Israel, pro-Hamas demonstrations. prgtoken The demonstrators may not know that their leaders are funded by Iran and Qatar, which fund the organizations and the propaganda. These same leaders glorified October 7. They rejoiced at the death of every Israeli civilian. prgtoken They condemned Israel on October 7 before Israel had done anything to respond because their demonstrations were not about whether Israel should not respond. Their demonstrations were a glorification of the death brought by Hamas. prgtoken Now, the followers chant, ``From the river to the sea,'' but some of them don't even know which river, which sea. What they don't know is the background of that slogan, ``From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free.'' It is a declaration that every Jew who lives from the river to the sea should be killed or ethnically cleansed. prgtoken Since, as we saw in the 1930s, there is no country that wants to accept millions of Jewish refugees, that means they should all be killed. That is the chant that we hear, ``From the river to the sea.'' prgtoken Prior to October 7, we needed to see a two-state solution, and I hope we get there, but there is this effort to convey the life of those who lived in Gaza as being somehow equivalent to the Rohingya refugees, refugees living in camps in Bangladesh. prgtoken The fact is that those living in Gaza had longer life expectancies than the average person in the world, considerably longer than those living in Russia, roughly equal to those living in Saudi Arabia. All of that was destroyed on October 7. prgtoken Hamas knew exactly what they were doing. They conducted this attack for the purpose of the response because they know they cannot achieve their political objectives, which, remember, is to expel or kill every Jew from the river to the sea. prgtoken They can't possibly achieve those objectives unless they massively change world opinion. They know and have said on the record in their own comments that every death of a Palestinian civilian helps them achieve their ugly purpose. prgtoken That is why we had, in our great Capital, the waving of the Hamas flag while they burned the American flag. Make no mistake about it, those who hate Israel also hate America. We see our statues desecrated, and we see a call by the demonstrators for the final solution. At least a few of them understand that ``from the river to the sea'' means killing 7 million Jewish Israelis. Problems With Cryptocurrency
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-7-25

whether you are a parent or a grandparent or just have children around you whom you dearly love, there is one thing that is going on in every household that should give you concern--genuine concern--about the safety of your kids. It is this. Have you ever seen your kids staring into the screen and wondering what they are doing? Are they speaking to a friend? Are they playing a game? Are they looking up some information? You hope it is something that is innocent, but you are never sure. prgtoken What we found in the Senate Judiciary Committee is that many kids are lured into the programs and messages of these pieces of technology, and their lives are changed for the worse. prgtoken This afternoon, we are going to vote on moving two measures which move to protect kids from the abuses which happen on the internet. It is long overdue. prgtoken The Senate Judiciary Committee has five bills that we reported out with unanimous votes--that doesn't happen in the Senate Judiciary Committee; unanimous votes, all the and all the s-- to protect children from the abuses which occur. prgtoken I have a measure called Children's Sexual Abuse Material--CSAM--that says basically that if your child was exploited by the internet and you tell the social media platform that is broadcasting it to stop and desist and they refuse to do it, they are liable in civil court; they can be held liable by a lawsuit. That is a good way to enforce a provision to protect the children. In the meantime, we are moving with other measures, and I would like to speak about one that just passed this week. prgtoken We made a significant step earlier this week to address the problem of nonconsensual, sexually explicit deepfakes spreading online. Women and girls from all walks of life--from Taylor Swift, to Megan Thee Stallion, to high school girls in my home State of Illinois--have been victims of this form of image-based sexual abuse. Sadly, none of them have legal recourse against the perpetrators because the law is not keeping up with the technology. prgtoken Now this is starting to change. This week, the Senate passed my DEFIANCE Act, bipartisan legislation that will finally provide remedy for victims of nonconsensual, sexually explicit deepfakes. You have read about it in the newspapers when it comes to the celebrities, which I mentioned earlier. It happens every day across America. prgtoken This landmark legislation cannot become law soon enough. This form of image-based sexual abuse has skyrocketed in recent years. One researcher found that the number of nonconsensual, pornographic, deepfake videos available online has increased 900 percent since 2019. Another found that over 24 million people visited a group of just 34 websites dedicated to nonconsensual, deepfake pornography in September 2023 alone. In total, nonconsensual, deepfake, pornographic videos have been viewed almost 4 billion times--4 billion. prgtoken
ELIMINATE USELESS REPORTS ACT OF 2024--Continued
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today because the time to protect our kids from these online platforms is now, after decades of delay, thanks to our colleagues, Senators Blumenthal, Blackburn, Markey, and Cassidy, as well as Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Cruz, Judiciary Committee Chair Durbin and Leader Schumer, as well as Ranking Member Graham. I serve on both committees. I have been a strong proponent of these bills as well as others. prgtoken For too long, social media companies have turned a blind eye when children join their platforms and build algorithms that push harmful content out to kids. prgtoken What have we seen? A recent study from the Mayo Clinic showed us--the study found kids have difficulty sleeping, unrealistic expectations about their bodies or their lives, exposure to online predators, subject to cyber bullying. The result of this is tragic results for teens. prgtoken I am thinking of Devin Norring from Hastings, MN. I have gotten to know his mom Bridgette. Struggling with migraines, he bought what he thought was Percocet online on Snapchat, but it wasn't really Percocet. It was laced with fentanyl. Right off Snapchat, he got that pill. He died. prgtoken Alexander Neville, like Devin, purchased a pill online that turned out to be counterfeit made with fentanyl. It killed him. He was only 14. prgtoken Carson Bride ended his life 4 years ago after he was viciously cyber bullied by his high school classmates who were using Snapchat's anonymous app. Not so anonymous for Carson Bride. prgtoken I met with their moms. They have come to the Capitol. They are here today. It is time to get this done with no delay. Why do they even need to be here? Because there weren't safeguards and rules already in place. prgtoken Why didn't these companies act when they learned of the danger? Let's be clear. They knew of the danger. This is about profits over safety. prgtoken When that Boeing plane door fell out, what happened? We grounded the fleet. We made sure it was safe. Why haven't we been doing this here? prgtoken It is time to act. It has been 26 years since Congress passed any meaningful kids' online privacy legislation. I am so honored that the chair of the Judiciary Committee is here, Senator Durbin, who helped me and Senator Cornyn to get the SHIELD Act through this Chamber, which would prohibit the online distribution of explicit and intimate images, also known as revenge porn. prgtoken We just passed Senator Durbin's DEFIANCE Act, with Senator Hawley and Senator Graham and myself, to allow victims of explicit deepfakes to seek the justice that they deserve. prgtoken The Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act before us will expand existing laws to protect children online. It also goes further to ensure a safe online environment for children by creating a legal duty for social media companies to take all necessary steps to protect kids from harmful features and algorithms on their platforms. prgtoken I will never forge
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise in support of efforts to rein in deepfakes. This country, and especially our children, are in the middle of a mental health crisis. prgtoken In 2021, 22 percent of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide, including nearly one in three girls. It is reported that 10 percent of high school students actually attempted suicide, and these trends have been going in the wrong, tragic direction for years. prgtoken Now deepfakes are exacerbating these problems. Revenge porn wasn't a thing when I was in high school, but now AI allows anyone to create a pornographic image with the click of a button. prgtoken AI is also being used to improve our mental health response. Lifeline 988 volunteers are trained on artificial intelligence chatbots before interacting with individuals actually in crisis. prgtoken As the co-chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and Suicide Prevention Task Force chair, I have long been engaged in efforts to improve resources like 988 and their ability to address the mental health crisis. prgtoken I look forward to working with my colleagues to tackle the current youth mental health crisis. In different ways it touches every family.
ELIMINATE USELESS REPORTS ACT OF 2024--Continued
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-7-25

today, the Senate takes a groundbreaking step towards ensuring our kids' online safety in the age of social media. As we all know, social media has many benefits; but with the benefits also comes risk. Many kids experience relentless online bullying. Kids' private personal data can be collected and used nefariously. Predators can exploit or target kids. prgtoken And for kids who struggle with mental health, social media can magnify their anguish. I have met with the parents over and over again who have lost children in the flower of their lives because they were manipulated--nefariously, maliciously--by social media. We must stop that. And today, KOSA and COPPA represent something very urgent. These bills will provide the appropriate guardrails necessary to protect kids against online threats. prgtoken It is not an exaggeration to say these bills would be the most important updates in decades to Federal laws that protect kids on the internet, and it is a very good first step. And we did it with both sides working together, bipartisan, as this body ought to work--and I try to get it to work that way all the time. I want to thank my colleagues who championed these bills: Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn, Markey and Cassidy, Chair Cantwell, Chair Durbin, Senator Klobuchar, and so many others who really led the charge. prgtoken Once the Senate clears today's procedural vote, KOSA and COPPA will be on a glidepath to final passage early next week. We should not delay a moment more. We should get the job done. Getting to this point wasn't easy. It has been a long and winding and difficult road. But we all kept going because we knew the results would be worth it. prgtoken Most importantly, I want to thank the true heroes of this effort: the parents whose kids tragically took their own lives because of what happened to them on social media. Some of the parents are here today. We salute you. It has been an honor to get to know these wonderful Americans over the past few months. We have met together; we felt pain together; we have cried together. What they have endured is incomprehensible. But amazingly and beautifully, instead of curing in darkness, as the scriptures say, these parents lit a candle. They turned their grief into grace. prgtoken Today the Senate tells these parents: We hear you. We are taking action. prgtoken . Cloture Motion
HONORING DIXON FAMILY SERVICES
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to honor Dixon Family Services as they celebrate their 40th year of service. prgtoken Established in 1984, Dixon Family Services is a community-based organization that offers intervention and support services. Cooperating with local schools, churches, businesses, and community members, Dixon Family Services assists residents in the pursuit of goals such as financial stability, improved or increased employment, escape from domestic violence, household budgeting, improved nutrition, and emotional wellness. prgtoken Dixon Family Services maintains the Dixon Family Services Food Pantry, which helps combat food insecurity in local households. Dixon Family Service also acts as a bridge between residents and larger health care and governmental programs, ensuring that the local population is aware of and able to use resources that they may have otherwise overlooked or struggled to access. prgtoken During the COVID-19 pandemic, our community's need for human services dramatically increased. Answering this need, the dedicated staff of Dixon Family Services ensured that the organization safely remained open. Because of their compassion and commitment, Dixon Family Services was able to continue to provide vital information and referral services to clients even during the depths of the pandemic. prgtoken Dixon Family Services uplifts members of our community, providing future opportunities for all. Over the past 40 years, Dixon Family Services has welcomed numerous college intern therapists, case managers, and clerical prgtoken and administrative staff, who were able to gain invaluable experience in the organization prior to moving on to other important positions or launching private practices in social work. Additionally, many of the clients Dixon Family Services provides resources to have gone on to make their own contributions to the community, paying forward the same assistance that they received. prgtoken Although, historically, many of its programs were funded by government contracts or grants, in recent years Dixon Family Services has been supported primarily by private foundations, corporations, churches, service organizations, and businesses, as well as many caring and generous community members whose donations and kind words of support sustained the organization. prgtoken , during these last 40 years Dixon Family Services has consistently upheld a devotion to the highest ideals of community service. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor Dixon Family Services' outstanding work by and for our Dixon community, and its 40th year of service.
STRONGLY CONDEMNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ITS BORDER CZAR, KAMALA HARRIS'S, FAILURE TO SECURE THE UNITED STATES BORDER
Daniel S. Goldman (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-7-25

I thank the ranking member for yielding. prgtoken , I rise today to address the s' desperate attempt to, yet again, use the official business of the House of Representatives to do the partisan, political bidding of . prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have spent most of this Congress wasting our time and taxpayer money on a bogus sham impeachment investigation of President that yielded no evidence of wrongdoing, much less any high crime or misdemeanor. prgtoken It was obvious that that phony effort was solely designed to provide election fodder for in advance of November's election, and recently the chairman of the committee overseeing that investigation even admitted as much. prgtoken Now that President has selflessly and patriotically passed the torch to Vice President , my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are scrambling to help 's electoral chances by using our time here today on a blatantly false resolution about Vice President . prgtoken The title of this resolution is ``Strongly condemning the administration and its Border Czar, 's, failure to secure the United States border.'' prgtoken There is one problem. There is no such thing as a border czar, nor was Vice President ever named the border czar. The entire premise of this resolution is simply false. prgtoken Not surprisingly, the resolution makes no mention of the border security bill that the - administration negotiated with Senate s that would have comprehensively addressed the problems at the border, nor does it say anything about 's decision to sabotage and kill that bipartisan bill because it would have solved the problems that this resolution complains about. prgtoken Now, why did he do that? prgtoken It is precisely because he wanted his minions in the House to introduce useless and deceptive resolutions like this one to help his campaign. While s continue to play politics with the border, the - administration did not stop trying to solve the problems facing the administration. They used what limited authority they have to control the border, and it is working. prgtoken This resolution cites statistics from May of 2024 that there were 170,723 encounters at the border; however, the resolution does not include numbers from the next month, June of 2024, which cut encounters by more than one-half, to 83,536. prgtoken While my colleagues continue to put politics over solutions, this administration and House will continue to put people over politics to address the issues facing the American people. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to reject this false, inaccurate, and deceptive resolution.
STRONGLY CONDEMNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ITS BORDER CZAR, KAMALA HARRIS'S, FAILURE TO SECURE THE UNITED STATES BORDER
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-7-25

. Just today we heard that the economy grew by 2.8 percent in the second quarter showing extraordinary strength because of the policies that President and Vice President have put into place for this country. prgtoken Don't be distracted, . want to protect your freedoms, uphold democracy, and give every American a real chance to succeed. prgtoken Vote ``no'' on this resolution.
HONORING BOB PALMOSINA ON HIS RETIREMENT
Christopher R. Deluzio (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to celebrate the service of my friend, Bob Palmosina, who retired last week after more than 8 years as the public works manager for Collier Township. prgtoken Before this role, Bob worked for more than 30 years in public works for the city of Pittsburgh and for Allegheny County. Collier is a growing municipality in my congressional district, and Bob led the Public Works Department to take care of a bunch of things: Clearing the roads from snow, road repairs, maintenance of parks and fields and courts, street signs, crosswalks, picking up leaves, and a heck of a lot more. prgtoken Public service is not for the weak of heart. The work and the hours can be grueling. Bob always remained focused and committed to his work and the shared prosperity of our community. prgtoken Bob continues to serve on the Allegheny County Council, and he is a dedicated coach and mentor to so many youth athletes in our area. I thank him for his service and wish him good luck in his next chapter.
DRAWING ATTENTION TO DESTRUCTIVE DEEPFAKES
Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to draw attention to the dangerous issue of deepfake pornography, which is incredibly destructive and can have life-altering impacts on its victims. prgtoken Almost 96 percent of all deepfakes online are pornographic in nature, and nearly every single one targets women. It takes no special knowledge or technical expertise to create these images, and more women are being targeted each and every day, including high school students, young girls who prgtoken should be worried about their homework, not whether a classmate is using their image to make an explicit video that has the potential to do serious and irreparable harm. prgtoken Deepfakes are abhorrent, and I have introduced legislation to bring strong criminal and civil penalties against those who create them. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in demonstrating our shared commitment to fighting the dangerous misuse of artificial intelligence.
STRONGLY CONDEMNING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ITS BORDER CZAR, KAMALA HARRIS'S, FAILURE TO SECURE THE UNITED STATES BORDER
Timothy M. Kennedy (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-7-25

I thank the gentleman for yielding time. prgtoken , I rise today to discuss the border crisis, an issue my colleagues are quick to pontificate on but refuse to address. prgtoken At the heart of the matter are real people escaping extreme poverty, violence, natural disasters, and persecution. They are leaving their homes, their families, their culture, and their countries to do what many of our own ancestors did in order to seek a better life. prgtoken What they experience in pursuit of the American Dream is nothing short of a nightmare. On their journey to the United States, they risk their lives traveling through treacherous terrain. They are vulnerable to everything from drug cartels to disease. prgtoken Throughout our country and especially in border communities, the inpouring of migrants seeking asylum and immigrants is overwhelming hospitals, schools, and other social service providers. prgtoken Instead of advancing solutions, s in this House have resorted to blatantly obvious politics. Unfortunately, because this body has failed to deliver resources to our borders, tens of thousands of personnel have had to do more with less as the crisis worsens. prgtoken In my district and other northern border communities, our Border Patrol officers and agents are being sent away from their posts in the north to meet the demands at the southern border, even as migration and illegal drug smuggling rises back home. prgtoken The need to act could not be more dire. prgtoken Earlier this year, a bipartisan coalition of United States Senators came together for the first time in decades to provide meaningful immigration reform. The bipartisan bill would invest in law enforcement with more than 2,000 new Border Patrol officers and other personnel to secure the border, speed up the processing of those seeking asylum, crack down on illegal drugs by investing in cutting-edge inspection machines for ports of entry, and improve the immigration system with 4,300 new asylum officers and 100 more immigration judges. prgtoken We have the solution. Extreme MAGA s in this body declared it dead on arrival before even reading the bill. Instead of solving real problems, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle chose politics over people. prgtoken We were sent here to do the opposite. We could be using this time to advance a bill that would improve the lives of Americans, those seeking asylum, and immigrants while strengthening security at the border and boosting our economy. Instead, we are wasting our time on this political stunt.
AURORA THEATER SHOOTING ANNIVERSARY
Jason Crow (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2024-7-25

I rise today to honor the victims of the horrific mass shooting at a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, 12 years ago. Each year, July 20 brings back the shock and pain that reverberated across Aurora and the Nation. prgtoken , 12 lives were brutally cut short, and countless others were forever changed. The pain still echoes through our community, a constant reminder of the devastating toll of gun violence. prgtoken I remember the victims, A.J.; Alex; Alexander; Gordon; Jesse; Jessica; John; Jonathan; Matt; Micayla; Rebecca; and Veronica; their families; and the survivors who still bear the scars of that night. prgtoken I think of the heroes who risked their lives to shield and save others. Their bravery provided a beacon of hope in immense darkness. prgtoken We must not grow numb to the pain of that day. We must use their memory to continue to fight for commonsense gun reform. prgtoken May we never forget the lives lost in Aurora.