mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6276, UTILIZING SPACE EFFICIENTLY AND IMPROVING TECHNOLOGIES ACT OF 2023, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1065, DENOUNCING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S...
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-3-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , if I could just respond to the gentleman who just spoke, not all jobs are the same. I mean, food inspectors, Federal food inspectors, for example, don't sit at a desk 5 days a week. Sometimes they have to go out and do inspections to make sure that the food that we provide people is safe. prgtoken Federal firefighters are not behind a desk 5 days a week. It doesn't mean they aren't working. prgtoken Our Border Patrol agents are patrolling the border. That doesn't mean they don't need a desk at some point. prgtoken Heck, Members of Congress, I mean, we are not in Washington behind our desks 5 days a week. Sometimes we are in our districts, sometimes we are in other places, but because we don't show up physically to work a day or 2 or 5 days in a particular month, somehow we should have our desks taken away? prgtoken This is the problem: With some better bipartisan cooperation, with more thoughtful consideration of these matters, we could have had a bill that would have sailed out of here unanimously; but, again, my friends can't help themselves, it is either their way or the highway. In any event, the way the bill is currently written ignores the realities of the workers that I just mentioned. prgtoken , .
CONGRATULATING SISTER LINDA YANKOSKI
Christopher R. Deluzio (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2024-3-12

. Madam , today, I want to congratulate Sister Linda Yankoski, CEO of the Holy Family Institute, on being recognized as a Pittsburgh Business Times Women of Influence and receiving their Career Achievement award. prgtoken It is an honor justly earned for her 40 years of service as a woman of faith at the Holy Family Institute and decades of dedication to at- risk youth and communities across western Pennsylvania. prgtoken I congratulate her. Celebrating the Life of Jim Roddey
Nomination of Melissa R. DuBose (Executive Calendar)
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2024-3-12

. Thank you very much, Senator Whitehouse. prgtoken , I rise today in strong support of Melissa R. DuBose to be a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. prgtoken Let me thank my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for advancing her nomination on a bipartisan vote last week. I would like to particularly thank Senator Whitehouse for his leadership, not just here, but so many times on the Judiciary Committee and in the Senate. prgtoken Like Senator Whitehouse, I look forward, in a few minutes, to her confirmation as a district judge. Judge DuBose served with distinction at the State level as an associate judge in the Rhode Island district court. She has proven to be an exceptional jurist with a sterling track record. As a judge, she is known for ensuring proceedings in her courtroom are fair and efficient. She is someone who not only knows the law but understands that her task as a judge is to seek justice. prgtoken She will fill the seat being vacated by Judge William E. Smith, who will be taking senior status. Judge Smith is a model of professionalism and integrity. He, along with Rhode Island's other current sitting judges on the Federal district court, as Senator Whitehouse noted, are enthusiastic about the nomination of Judge DuBose. prgtoken Indeed, they wrote: Melissa is an outstanding choice to join the federal bench--she is supremely qualified, her ethics are impeccable, and her temperament is judicious. prgtoken That is high praise indeed from a diverse and exceptional group of judges. I share their confidence in Judge DuBose. prgtoken She will continue Rhode Island's long and proud tradition of outstanding district court judges, and she will make history in her own right, becoming the first woman of color and the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. prgtoken Judge DuBose was born and raised in Providence, not far from where the U.S. district court is located. She earned both her undergraduate degree and teaching certificate from Providence College. Providence College is a remarkable school. The Dominicans run a tight ship, and they ensure that their students are particularly well prepared. prgtoken She worked for 11 years, as Senator Whitehouse said, as a schoolteacher in the Providence Public School system, shaping and inspiring young minds. I can't think of better preparation for presiding over a court than running a classroom in a city like Providence or any other big city. So she has skills that are necessary for being a judge, both temperamentally and intellectually. prgtoken Her desire to make her community safer, to give back, to give the young people whom she taught a better chance, inspired her to study law. So, while teaching full time, she attended Roger Williams University School of Law at night and got her J.D. Upon graduation, she worked for the State of Rhode Island, in the atto
SUPPORTING UKRAINE
Stephen F. Lynch (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-3-12

. Madam , as a member of the Subcommittee on National Security, I rise in strong support of our international ally, Ukraine, and the more than 37 million Ukrainians who remain determined to defend their independence in the face of more than 2 years of state-sponsored terrorism at the hands of Vladimir Putin's Russia. prgtoken In submitting his annual budget request to Congress just yesterday, President again appealed for immediate emergency funding for Ukraine--a request the administration first made back in October of 2023. According to the President, absent congressional action on this emergency request, the United States will not be able to continue to provide support to Ukraine to meet their battlefield needs as they defend against Russian attacks each and every day. prgtoken Ukrainian armed forces are already enduring the direct impact of this congressional impasse on Ukraine aid. While Russia is dropping guided bombs on Ukraine's positions and firing 10,000 artillery shells per day, Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines have been left to ration munitions and other critical supplies. prgtoken It is not surprising that the past several weeks have witnessed the fall of the strategic Ukrainian city of Avdiivka and additional Russian advances in eastern Ukraine. Only through their steadfast will and courage have the Ukrainian people been able to effectively resist the brutal Russian onslaught. prgtoken Beyond the battlefield, the United Nations and the World Bank recently estimated that the total cost of reconstruction in Ukraine and recovery after 2 years of war now stands at almost $500 billion. prgtoken Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilian population centers have caused devastation and loss of life and damage across several critical areas, including the housing, energy, and transportation sectors. Moreover, nearly 40 percent of the Ukrainian population, or almost 15 million people, are in dire need of basic humanitarian assistance. prgtoken Last month, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan national security funding bill that includes more than $62 billion in security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. Inexplicably, the House leadership has refused to consider this legislation, even though I believe the majority of Members have indicated that they would vote for it. prgtoken The House leadership is also sitting on bipartisan legislation that would provide President with the authority to confiscate and transfer frozen Russian Central Bank assets to Ukraine for its reconstruction. The bill would also establish an international framework to facilitate the transfer of Russian assets frozen in other Western countries. In total, $300 billion worth of foreign holdings that Russia stashed across the globe could immediately be diverted to support the Ukrainian people. prgtoken Importantly, President and his administration have already expressed support for
Remembering Itay Chen (Executive Calendar)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-3-12

today, I am heartbroken to learn that 19- year-old fellow Brooklynite Itay Chen was killed on October 7 at the brutal hands of Hamas terrorists who still cruelly hold on to his remains. prgtoken Itay was serving with the IDF as a U.S.-Israeli citizen and was stationed near the Gaza border on the day of Hamas's terrorist attack. prgtoken I spoke to Itay's family earlier today to say all of Brooklyn--and all of Maryland--mourns the loss of their son, and I told them we will work relentlessly to make sure their son's body comes home. prgtoken I first met Itay's family in Israel, just a few days after October 7, when I went quickly to go to Israel to express solidarity after that awful attack, and I have spoken to the Chen family many times since. prgtoken Over time, I have gotten to know them, and I feel like I have also gotten to know a little bit of what Itay was like by hearing it through his father, his mother, and his brothers. prgtoken Itay's father Ruby has been one of the leading advocates for the return of the hostages. He has traveled to every corner of the world and has met with some of the highest ranking leaders in the world to say: Bring them home. Bring them home now. prgtoken Itay's father requested me to ``please get his body back.'' I will do everything I can to make it happen. The family is not going to sit Shiva and observe formal Jewish burial practices until they recover Itay's body. prgtoken The family also expresses their thanks to the administration and to the FBI for helping them get through these difficult months. prgtoken I will continue working with the Chen family, the administration, and others to return Itay's body back to his family so they can have the burial and Shiva in the way they desire and deserve. prgtoken When I spoke to Itay's father just a couple of hours ago, he promised me that the family would continue to fight for the release of all the other hostages. That was such an act. In the moment of their darkness, of clouds descending upon them, to still have that fortitude, that strength, that generosity to say they are going to fight for others touched my heart. prgtoken I will be working with the administration however possible until we finally bring back every last hostage and the remains of the hostages who are no longer with us are home at last. prgtoken .
Nomination of Sunil R. Harjani (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-3-12

I rise to speak on the confirmation of Judge prgtoken Sunil Harjani to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. prgtoken After receiving his undergraduate degree and law degree from Northwestern University, Judge Harjani began his legal career at Jenner & Block LLP and later clerked for U.S. District Judge Suzanne B. Conlon on the Northern District of Illinois. He subsequently returned to private practice before working at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, Judge Harjani joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting a range of cases, including securities and commodities fraud, investment fraud, corporate misconduct, and other business-related crimes. Over the course of his legal career, Judge Harjani tried 13 cases before the district court and argued 14 appeals before the Seventh Circuit. prgtoken In 2019, Judge Harjani was selected by the district judges of the Northern District of Illinois to be a magistrate judge, where he presides over civil and criminal cases. He has also served as an adjunct professor, previously teaching at the University of Illinois Chicago Law School and currently at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. The American Bar Association rated Judge Harjani as unanimously ``well qualified.'' prgtoken Given Judge Harjani's considerable courtroom experience--as a litigator and on the bench--Senator Duckworth and I strongly support his nomination. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for his confirmation.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6276, UTILIZING SPACE EFFICIENTLY AND IMPROVING TECHNOLOGIES ACT OF 2023, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1065, DENOUNCING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S...
Delia C. Ramirez (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-3-12

for the past year, we have endured attack after attack after attack on immigrant communities, which, by the way, some of us are first generation. Many people here are second, third, and fourth, but we tend to forget that we, too, are immigrants. prgtoken We have suffered harmful legislation, an impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas, and inflammatory rhetoric criminalizing and scapegoating immigrant communities. prgtoken , I got here about a year and a half ago as a freshman Member. As I look around, I understand why the American people are so frustrated with Congress. prgtoken They are fed up that we don't have the courage, the moral clarity, and the political will as a body to see through these theatrics for cheap political points and actually do our job. prgtoken I stand here today as a daughter of immigrants, but also as the wife of Boris Hernandez. I am the only Member of Congress in a mixed-status family. My husband is a Dreamer, and he has been here since the age of 14. prgtoken I represent a district proud of immigrants who call it home. I represent the essential workers that kept us alive during the pandemic and the same people that you go to on Cinco de Mayo when you celebrate a meal and drink your margaritas. prgtoken Today, I am here proudly standing as co-lead of the Dream and Promise Act. The Dream and Promise Act is an actual immigration policy solution, not a cheap political stunt. It gives Dreamers and immigrants in America an prgtoken earned pathway to citizenship that reflects our values as a Nation, a multicultural democracy of diversity and inclusion. prgtoken Today, I rise to denounce my colleagues' lack of meaningful action on immigration policy, nothing since 1986. We can't treat people who have built our communities and invested in our Nation and public institutions without the promise of citizenship. We can't treat them as disposable. prgtoken Their commitment to us and to our Nation have already demonstrated a promise to address our historic labor shortage: 9 million jobs open right now and to grow our GDP by $1.7 trillion over the next decade. prgtoken We must demonstrate our commitment to them and to the solutions that will deliver real, effective immigration reform. prgtoken I affirm that it is this body who refuses to use its authority to enact policy if it fails to take up any of the bipartisan immigration policies filed in this Chamber.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-3-12

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
WE NEED TO END ILLEGAL DEFORESTATION
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2024-3-12

. Madam , in 2022, the world lost more than 16 million acres of forest, an area bigger than West Virginia. Deforestation accounted for about 10 percent of the world's annual greenhouse gas emissions and 40 percent of all tropical deforestation as a result of illegal clearing. prgtoken Put another way, deforestation would rank as the third largest country in terms of overall carbon emissions, underscoring the need to address this problem as part of a global solution to the climate crisis. prgtoken Nearly half of the tropical deforestation is estimated to be the result of just four commodities--beef, soy, palm oil, and wood products that drive this deforestation. The people who are engaged in illegal logging are some of the worst people on the face of the planet. They engage in bribery, theft, crimes against indigenous people whose rights are trampled on, or worse, actual violence directed against them. prgtoken There is, of course, a solution: Deny people who grow crops on illegally forested land access to the American economy. prgtoken There is precedent here, too. I had amendments to the Lacey Act focusing on disallowing illegally harvested timber to be imported to the United States. That earlier legislation was based on the success of the original Lacey Act that protected endangered species and wildlife. It is commonly accepted and simple to administer, although not always easy. prgtoken It required companies to control their supply chain and to be able to document that control and respect for requirements of legally sourced product. It formed a framework not just for American law, but it modeled the European Union, Australia, and Japan who modeled their actions on my bill. prgtoken Now, we have an opportunity to expand this approach to soy, cocoa, palm oil, beef, and rubber commodities. There is rough agreement that this approach has promise and the large companies are concerned about the legal, practical, and reputational consequences for being involved with products that are grown on these illegally harvested lands. prgtoken We have introduced bipartisan legislation, the FOREST Act with Senator Schatz, to codify the conversation and to advance this policy to choke off this practice. prgtoken The goal of the legislation is to encourage responsible companies to observe requirements to avoid products from illegally harvested timberland. prgtoken It will require adjustment in terms of mindset and procedures to have control of the supply chain, but helping provide a framework is necessary to change these engrained habits. prgtoken I strongly urge my colleagues to support our legislation to use the tools of trade and supply chain control to end the environmentally destructive pattern of commodities from illegally harvested land. It is going to be hard, but it will be worth the effort.
Nomination of Jasmine Hyejung Yoon (Executive Session)
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-3-12

I rise today in support of Ms. Jasmine Yoon, whom President has nominated to serve as a U.S. district court judge for the Western District of Virginia. prgtoken For the last decade and a half, Jasmine has served as an invaluable asset to Virginia's legal community, offering both a unique zeal for public service and an incredible life story. prgtoken Jasmine came to this Nation at age 14 from South Korea, speaking virtually no English. All through eighth prgtoken grade--and I am trying to think of myself in the eighth grade, and I cannot imagine going through this--but all through eighth grade, literally, at home she read Merriam Webster's dictionary and watched American TV. And by the time she entered high school, she spoke English fluently. prgtoken Thanks to this hard work, she developed a stellar academic record, such that she became a two-time graduate at the University of Virginia where she was awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship, a full 3-year scholarship to the UVA School of Law given for academic and extracurricular achievement. prgtoken Shortly before law school, Jasmine became a U.S. citizen. She has spoken movingly to me and to Senator Kaine about her memories of that ceremony and what citizenship means to her. prgtoken Following law school, Jasmine began her public service career clerking for The Honorable James C. Cacheris in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, a distinguished jurist and lifelong mentor for Jasmine. prgtoken After completing her clerkship, Jasmine went to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District. During her time in that office, she prosecuted countless complex cases. Her work was so notable that she won the FBI Director's Award, given for outstanding prosecutorial skills and service to the FBI. prgtoken Upon the conclusion of her time as a prosecutor, she went back to UVA, this time as a lawyer in the university's counsel's office. In taking this job, she and her husband chose to move their entire family to the Western District of Virginia, where they put down deep roots. As counsel to the university, Jasmine impressed everyone she met with her calm and measured approach to nuanced and subtle issues. prgtoken Jasmine's community-oriented mindset, her career qualifications, and numerous accolades and awards make her an exceptional nominee for the Western District of Virginia. prgtoken Her nomination has received countless letters of support, including from university leadership, local leaders, and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Virginia. Jasmine was also voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a strong bipartisan vote. prgtoken Once sworn in, Jasmine will be the first Asian-American Federal judge in Virginia. I know she will serve with distinction and make our country and our Commonwealth proud. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support her nomination. prgtoken With that, .
HONORING THE LIFE OF WASHINGTON STATE TROOPER CHRISTOPHER GADD
Suzan K. DelBene (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-3-12

I rise today to honor the life of Washington State Trooper Christopher Gadd, who tragically died while on duty on March 2, 2004. He was taken far too soon. prgtoken Trooper Gadd was born in Pasco, Washington and attended Kentlake High School in Kent, Washington. He continued his education at Green River College and Tacoma Community College, where he earned his Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) certification. In September of 2021, Trooper Gadd began his career with the Washington State Patrol, as a cadet in Grandview, Washington. Gadd graduated with WSP's 116th Trooper Basic Training class in 2022. He earned two best-in-class awards among his class of 44: the Top Academic Award and the Top Collision Investigation Award. prgtoken For the Gadd family, law enforcement and public service is a tradition. Chris's father is a WSP Trooper, and his sister serves with the Texas Highway Patrol. WSP Chief John R. Batiste said Chris knew all too well the risks of public service but still offered that service with unquestioned valor and, now, unfathomable sacrifice. prgtoken Trooper Gadd resided in Snohomish County and was known as a loving husband, devoted father, caring brother, beloved son, and committed friend. He is survived by his wife Cammryn, 2-year-old daughter Kaelyn, parents, and sister. Our community will miss him dearly, and I am forever grateful for his commitment to service.