mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING ANGOLA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S., JOAQUIM DO ESPIRITO SANTO, FOR HIS VISIT TO ATLANTA
Nikema Williams (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2022-3-24

. Madam , I want to thank Angola's Ambassador to the United States, Joaquim do Espirito Santo, for coming to the City of Atlanta to celebrate our native son, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. prgtoken Angolans arrived in the American South 400 years ago as the first African slaves brought to the colonies that would become the United States. Atlanta was incorporated in 1845, and by 1850, Atlanta's population was roughly 20 percent African slaves, mostly from Western Africa and what is now Angola. Angola and the City of Atlanta have a long shared history, and Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo's recent visit honors the relationship between Angola and Atlanta. prgtoken While in Atlanta, Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo joined the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day service alongside me at Ebenezer Baptist Church, one of the most powerful modern institutions of the Civil Rights movement. A guest of Dr. Bernice King, Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito Santo attended the service on behalf of Angolan President Joao Lourenco, prgtoken While in town, Ambassador Espirito Santo further built ties with Atlanta's thriving businesses and organizations. By meeting with Atlanta's Mayor, City Council, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Ambassador Espirito Santo has laid the groundwork for continued cooperation and partnership between Atlanta and Angola. Similarly, the Ambassador met with the Atlanta-based Carter Center to thank them for their excellent work eliminating Guinea Worm Disease in Angola. prgtoken Recognizing Atlanta's shared past and exciting future with Angola, the Atlanta City Council officially proclaimed January 17, MLK Day, as ``Angola Day'' in Atlanta. In the words of the City Council, ``this growing partnership between Atlanta and Angola is a story that has come nearly full circle, from tragedy and injustice to opportunity and hope.'' prgtoken I join the City of Atlanta in congratulating the Ambassador on his timely visit and look forward to the blossoming cultural and economic relationship between Atlanta and Angola.
CELEBRATING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF NATIVO
Jimmy Gomez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-24

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Nativo restaurant in the community of Highland Park on its one-year anniversary. prgtoken Nativo first opened for business in November 2020, but temporarily closed its doors amid the rising COVID-19 case count. In February 2021, the colorful Guadalajara-inspired restaurant began to welcome guests again. prgtoken Nativo has been a local, family-owned operation from day one. Gabriel Paredes, a Highland Park native, draws inspiration from his family roots in the neighborhood and Guadalajara, Jalisco. He remembers walking up and down York and Figueroa with his grandfather selling boots from a beat up old white truck. ``One of my dreams has always been to come back to the neighborhood that has meant so much to me,'' says Paredes. Corissa Hernandez, co-owner and wife, is Nativo's cultural liaison. ``We want to create a platform for people of color, for women,'' says Hernandez. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Gabriel Paredes, Corissa Hernandez, and Nativo on their one-year anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more years of success ahead and I invite my colleagues to stop by Nativos the next time they're in Los Angeles.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-3-24

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 available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-3-24

today's powerful new sanctions against hundreds of Putin allies are another critical step in U.S. leadership, bringing our allies together to ratchet up pressure on Russia to halt its brutal invasion of Ukraine. prgtoken I think Putin has been shocked by a couple things. Putin has been shocked that the Ukrainians have had such furious, effective, courageous resistance. He didn't see that coming. prgtoken The other thing that shocked Putin has been the skill with which President assembled this coalition of countries to stand up to Putin, to provide assistance to refugees and assistance to Ukrainians in their country, to provide military assistance, and to put the squeeze on sanctions against Russia. prgtoken He has assembled this coalition skillfully, including countries like Germany and Sweden and Finland and Switzerland, even--countries that never really played here and nobody really expected. And has brought them in, in a coalition, and extracted--and with the right kind of target on sanctions. prgtoken In addition to sanctioning the banks and the oil companies, in addition to sanctioning the oligarchs and Putin himself, the President is announcing now sanctioning Russian parliamentarians and the Parliament itself, the Russian Duma, a dozen more Russian arms merchants and defense firms that have enabled this war, and additional Putin cronies, including the CEO of Russia's largest bank. prgtoken I don't understand opposition to what we are trying to do. I don't know. Do we have Members of this Senate, perhaps, that, for whatever reason, side with Putin or side with the oligarchs? I don't know. But this is legislation we ought to be able to get moving quickly through this body as it did in the House. prgtoken As long as Putin's invasion goes on, we will continue to lead the world, turning up the heat and weakening Russia's war machine. prgtoken Today, I come to the floor to support the removal of permanent normal trade relations with Russia. It is not, as the Presiding Officer from Maryland knows--it is not the first time a number of us have been concerned about our government's mistakes, in large part, because of corporate lobbying on permanent normal trade relations with countries around the world. prgtoken One of worst decisions ever made in this body, or at least in recent history, and the damage it did to manufacturing in the industrial Midwest and elsewhere, was giving permanent normal trade relations to China and the advantages that gave them. prgtoken American companies, always in pursuit of cheaper labor, if going south wasn't good enough--they would go to Mexico and then they would go to China, close the plants in Ohio or Western Maryland, move to China, open up plants there with cheap labor and with pretty much nonexistent environmental regulations, and then ship those jobs back to the United States. That was permanent normal trade relations with China that we gave them some 2
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-3-24

Vladimir Putin has continued to wage horrific war against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. This invasion, waged upon the profits of Russia's oil and gas empire, has caused destruction and devastation beyond measure. prgtoken We must denounce Putin's war of choice, and we must call out profiteering and the ricochet effects of that conflict that affect Americans and others across the world. prgtoken This connection to conflict is only possible as a result of the fallacy of prgtoken American energy independence from oil and gas extraction--a lie that has been sold by the American Petroleum Institute or the ``American Prevarication Institute,'' as they should be called. For years, the oil and gas industry has sold Americans more snake oil than actual oil, promising security and safety in exchange for unlimited drilling, unlimited exports, unlimited profits for Big Oil and Big Gas in the United States. And after yet another year of price spikes caused by Putin and profiteering, it is time to say enough is enough with these false promises and crocodile tears from the American Petroleum Institute, from ExxonMobil, from Chevron, from all of these companies. prgtoken President was right to follow my SPIGOT Act and the bipartisan consensus in the House and Senate to ban all oil imports from Russia. The only way to end Putin's oil- and gas-funded wars is to cut off his oil- and gas-funded piggy bank, which comes, unfortunately, historically, from American consumers at the pump buying Russian oil for their cars. That has to end. And, thankfully, President has now made that decision. prgtoken And it is because we have a moral moment here to provide all possible humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people. We have a moral moment here to cut off the money pipeline that is funding the missiles and the tanks that are destroying the homes of innocent people in Ukraine. And we have a moral moment that ensures that we take the action to build a better world that is safe from the climate-change-fueled crisis. But our ability to meet this moral moment hinges on what we do next on the floor of the U.S. Senate, what action we take to respond to this obvious crisis that we have on the planet, all related to this oil- and gas-fueled military invasion of Ukraine--the tanks, the planes, the soldiers--all paid for by oil and gas money. prgtoken We could fail to meet this moral moment by accepting the bad faith arguments from Big Oil, which is using this horrifying invasion to push for more drilling and money to fossil fuel companies with more lands and waters lost to extraction, more profit for Big Oil at the expense of American pocketbooks; or we can meet the moral moment that the United States is willing to lead with innovation, moving away from global oil chaos and closer to clean, cheap, domestic renewable energy sources--sources that will not fall victim to price hikes from despots, dictators, and criminals
IN HONOR OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING OF JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
Jackie Speier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-24

. Madam , I rise to congratulate Jefferson High School in Daly City on the occasion of its 100th birthday. Home of the Jefferson Grizzlies, Jefferson High School has been educating children since its inception in 1922, staring with 50 students. Previously, all high school students in Daly City attended school in San Francisco. prgtoken Courses offered in the original school were mathematics, science, English, Spanish, dramatics, commercial arithmetic, typing, bookkeeping, spelling, penmanship, PE for girls and boys, civics, vocational guidance, free hand drawing, and music. The original three teachers were Gilda Belloni, Gladys Lukes, and Barto Molineux. Mr. Neal O. Best was Chief Administrator but also taught mathematics, science and boys' athletics. prgtoken From the start, it was evident that a permanent and larger school would be needed. A $180,000 bond measure was approved, but there was disagreement about the best site for the new building. Some wanted it located on Hillside Boulevard in Edgewood Terrace, while others wanted it near the greyhound racing track at Union Coursing Park between Mission and Railroad Avenue. The voters settled the matter in March 1923. The building was built near the racetrack, and the first class of freshmen entered in 1925. prgtoken On May 26, 1926, Jefferson High School graduated its first class from the new school site, 13 seniors. The following year, the University of California accredited Jefferson High School on July 26th, and a month later an alumni association was formed. A significant modernization of the high school occurred in 1963 and 2017. Legendary NFL Hall of Fame coach and award-winning broadcaster John Madden, a proud Jefferson High School alum, contributed lights for the school's stadium. prgtoken From its founding to our present day, Jefferson has graduated a number of other distinguished alums. These students include Edwin Mulitalo. Super Bowl Champion, Floyd Gonella, former district superintendent and San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, and Justice Teri L. Jackson, currently serving on the California Court of Appeal. prgtoken Jefferson High School takes pride in its diverse student body, and its outstanding curriculum. The school meets every student where they are in their learning to ensure that all students are able to demonstrate mastery of essential skills and content upon graduation. AP classes are open to all students. The school offers a competitive robotics and engineering program and dual enrollment for career technical education is available under an agreement with Skyline College. Students graduate with both college and high school credits. prgtoken In addition to its strong curriculum, Jefferson High School received the 2019 San Mateo County School Board Association Kent Award recognizing schools with innovative and replicable programs, and a 2019 Daly City Sustainability Award. Its community and club involvement are substantial. The Gr
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-24

well, it was another busy and productive evening here on the Senate floor. Yesterday, we confirmed another six judges to important positions on the Federal bench and all of them, I am happy to say, with bipartisan support. We now have confirmed 56--56--judges under this ic Senate majority, and s for their patience and for keeping the pace moving here on the floor last night. prgtoken There are two judges I am especially proud to have confirmed. First, we confirmed Hector Gonzalez to serve as a district judge for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Gonzalez is a most deserving, most qualified, and most inspiring individual to serve as a judge. Born in Cuba, raised in Queens, he is the embodiment of the American dream. prgtoken We also finally confirmed a judge who has inspired me for more than a decade--Ali Nathan, now confirmed as circuit judge for the Second Circuit. When I first met her, I thought, ``Here is someone who is truly special,'' and I still believe that to this day. And, to boot, she increases the diversity of the court as only the second-ever openly prgtoken lesbian to sit on the Second Circuit--open lesbian on the Second Circuit. I believe that is in the whole Federal judiciary. We will check that. prgtoken The Second Circuit is one of the most consequential courts in the entire country, calling for only the best of the best to sit on the bench, and Ali Nathan fits the bill. prgtoken I am glad both of these nominees were confirmed with bipartisan support. prgtoken On the legislative front, the Senate is pressing ahead on bipartisan competition legislation to lower costs, boost American manufacturing, and fuel another generation of American scientific ingenuity. prgtoken For the information of all Senators, last night, I moved to file cloture on both the substitute amendment and the underlying legislation for our competitiveness legislation. As I have said previously, our plan has been to take up the House-passed version of this legislation and amend it with the exact same language the Senate approved last summer with bipartisan support, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. prgtoken Once we pass this amended bill, it will go back to the House, and they will be able to request a conference committee. As convoluted as the Senate process often is, the bottom line is that the train is moving forward when it comes to this bill. prgtoken A lot of Senators from both parties have worked for years to see legislation like this reach the President's desk. If the United States is to thrive in the 21st century, we need to keep our competitive edge in science and innovation, and this bill would do just that. We must continue growing American jobs. We must continue to lower the price of critical technologies like semiconductors, and this bill would do just that as well. prgtoken We have a few more steps to take before we reach a conference, but support of this bill
IN RECOGNITION OF HIROSHI MIYAMURA FOR NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR DAY 2022
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2022-3-24

. Madam , I rise to honor Hiroshi H. ``Hershey'' Miyamura of Gallup, New Mexico for his incredible life of service to our nation and in honor of tomorrow's National Medal of Honor Day. prgtoken At a time when Japanese Americans faced widespread persecution, Mr. Miyamura bravely volunteered to serve in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, during World War II. prgtoken Mr. Miyamura answered the call to service again during the Korean War and proved himself to be a model of leadership as a Corporal in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. prgtoken On the night of April 24, 1951, Company H was ambushed by enemy forces. Aware of the imminent danger to him and his men, Mr. Miyamura ordered the squad to fall back while he remained to cover their movement. prgtoken Courageously fighting off more than 50 enemy combatants by himself, Mr. Miyamura gave his squad enough time to escape and was captured as a Prisoner of War (POW). prgtoken As a POW, Mr. Miyamura was forced to march 300 miles over five weeks. He then endured 28 months in a POW camp with little food or water. prgtoken Following his release in 1953, Mr. Miyamura was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his tremendous display of fortitude and heroism. prgtoken Since his discharge from the military service, Mr. Miyamura remains a staunch advocate for his fellow veterans and his community. prgtoken I'm proud to serve Mr. Miyamura in Congress and recognize him for his invaluable service, both as a wartime hero and peacetime mentor, to the State of New Mexico and to the United States of America.
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HILTON GUAM RESORT & SPA
Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (Democrat, GU) \u2014 2022-3-24

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. I extend my sincere congratulations for their decades of outstanding service and commend them for their contributions as a leader in Guam's tourism industry. prgtoken Having opened its doors in February of 1972, Hilton Guam Resort & Spa was the first international 5-star hotel that arrived on our shores. As a pioneering force in the island's tourism history, the Guam Hilton meaningfully elevated the industry and catalyzed its emergence as one of this day's leading economic drivers. The growth they have accomplished over the years has directly improved the quality of life for the people of Guam, providing thousands of job opportunities, significantly reducing resident household taxes, and facilitating greater connections with a diverse global population. The hotel group has further demonstrated their steadfast commitment to our community with stay offerings and employment prospects uniquely available to residents amid the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken Now a major tourist destination and melting pot of cultures, Guam proudly shares our Hafa Adai spirit and island hospitality with visitors from Japan, Korea, and other countries across the world. Madam , I express my deepest gratitude to the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa for their dedication to supporting the local public while fostering the island's relationships with international communities. Once again, I would like to congratulate them for over five decades of excellence in service, and may the future ahead be filled with continued success for both the Guam Hilton and our island as a whole.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2022-3-24

the COVID-19 pandemic has caused extraordinary challenges for our Nation's public health system and put a spotlight on longstanding gaps in public health preparedness. Our Nation's public health system needs accurate, timely, and high-quality data to protect the public from emerging health threats and to respond to existing public health emergencies. prgtoken For far too long, gaps in data infrastructure have prevented policymakers and public health officials from quickly translating public health data into their decisionmaking. Outdated and inconsistent public health data systems have made it hard for Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments to get a full picture of the COVID-19 crisis. In turn, these data gaps have made it difficult for public health departments to tailor their responses. Specifically, inconsistent definitions of data, ambiguous reporting requirements, and data accessibility issues have hindered the U.S. response to the COVID- 19 pandemic and prevented the timely communication of public health data. prgtoken We know that effective pandemic prevention and response requires coordinated efforts between public health prgtoken officials across all levels of government. Today, I am pleased to introduce with my colleagues, Senators Baldwin, Smith, and Murphy, the Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements in Public Health Act, or the Improving DATA in Public Health Act, to use the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that our Nation's public health system has the data capabilities to address and prevent future pandemics. prgtoken The Improving DATA in Public Health Act amends public health data systems' modernization provisions in current law by establishing a timeline for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to disseminate data standards to improve the exchange of electronic public health data. The bill also directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to expand the access, exchange, and use of public health data by improving data sharing between Federal Agencies and State and local public health systems when preparing for, identifying, monitoring, and responding to public health emergencies. prgtoken The Improving DATA in Public Health Act also expands upon existing data modernization efforts by commissioning a study on improving electronic data standards and reporting between laboratories and public health data systems. Finally, the legislation calls for the development of best practices to improve the quality and completeness of demographic data to support equitable public health responses. prgtoken The Improving DATA in Public Health Act will strengthen our public health data systems and take commonsense steps to improve our ability to prevent and respond to future pandemics.
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2022
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-24

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m. on Monday, March 28; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; and that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 282, H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act.