mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-10-31

I rise to speak about the need to protect the Senate's constitutional authority to advise and consent on Presidential nominations. prgtoken With his appointment of multiple acting officials to perform senior roles that would, otherwise, require confirmation by this body, President is deliberately circumventing the Senate and the nomination process. In some instances, these are vacancies of President 's own making. He has routinely nominated individuals with no relevant experience to key safety positions. When threatened with the rejection of these unqualified nominees, President simply withdraws their names from consideration and, instead, installs them in Senate-confirmed positions in an acting capacity. Julie Su's tenure as the head of the Department of Labor is a notable example. The recently reported elevation of Laura Daniel-Davis to Acting Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior is another. prgtoken But I speak today about yet another case of this gamesmanship at a key safety Agency where a rejected nominee has been given the reins-- the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA. Earlier this year, President nominated Ann Carlson to be the administrator of NHTSA. She is an environmental law professor who has written for decades about how unelected bureaucrats should make major changes to American society in the name of combating global warming. But NHTSA is a safety Agency whose mission it is to make American roads safer. It is not the EPA, and Ms. Carlson has zero road-safety experience. prgtoken It was immediately obvious to many, including myself, that she was not qualified for this position. And in the face of opposition from every on the Commerce Committee and dozens of stakeholders because of her lack of experience, the President withdrew Ms. Carlson's nomination just 2 months after he submitted it. prgtoken President could have followed his withdrawal of Ms. Carlson's nomination with the appointment of a qualified individual to lead NHTSA. He did just that with the FAA only last month, and that nominee was confirmed. But, instead, President turned around and appointed Ms. Carlson to the same position in an acting capacity in July. prgtoken Promptly thereafter, she led the charge to effectively mandate expensive electric vehicles by proposing standards that stretched the Agency's authority far beyond what the law allows. And, as my committee has uncovered, Ms. Carlson has been involved in helping a for-profit law firm file dozens of nuisance suits across the country to try to bankrupt American energy companies. Then, when it was pointed out how she used her position and law students to help, she tried to cover it up. prgtoken The stakes here are significant. Big government mandates for EVs threaten to make our Nation less secure, as we rely on supplies controlled by China; prgtoken less productive, as autoworkers
30TH ANNIVERSARY OF WYOMING WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2023-10-31

I rise today to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Wyoming Women in Agriculture. This organization is paving the way for a better future for all Wyoming ranchers. prgtoken Ranchers Sharon Cardwell and Peggy Price of Alcova, WY, had a casual conversation in 1993. They decided female ranchers needed an organization that addressed their distinct challenges. The role of women in ranching has changed over the years. Women are now actively involved in integral management decisions, either as independent ranchers or with their husbands. They are often isolated, far from the closest town or another ranch. Sharon and Peggy founded Wyoming Women in Ag to bring together a community of like-minded women. They were assisted by Jerry Buk and Debbie Johnson, both employees with the University of Wyoming extension office in Casper. The first board for Wyoming Women in Ag included Chairman Sharon Cardwell, Vice Chairman Peggy Price, Treasurer Anne Miles, and Secretary Ruth Stevenson. prgtoken In 1998, Wyoming Women in Ag was established with official nonprofit status. They are an ``organization that provides information on current topics important to women in the agriculture industry.'' They soon branched out from Natrona County and included women from all over the Cowboy State. Wyoming Women in Ag will celebrate their 30th anniversary at their 2023 Symposium and Diversity Tour in Worland, WY. This annual event brings women together who share a similar way of life. The event location rotates between counties and includes a speaker who is a featured industry professional. Women have the opportunity to connect with their fellow ranchers to ``ensure the next generation of women are educated, encouraged, and empowered to take on the challenges of meeting the world's growing food, fuel, and fiber needs.'' Attendees participate in a variety of workshops and have access to a trade show. The 2023 Women in Ag committee members are Abbi Rodgers, president; Julie Volker, vice president; Stacey Schmid, Secretary; Traci Faxon, Secretary; Angela Grant, Treasurer; and committee members Madison Trimble, Heidi Foy, and Caitlin Youngquist. prgtoken It is an honor for me to rise in recognition of this significant milestone. Bobbi joins me in extending our congratulations to Wyoming Women in Agriculture for their 30th anniversary.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-10-31

let me first thank Senator King for inviting me to join him in this colloquy this evening. Tonight, we honor and remember our fellow Mainers who lost their lives in a senseless tragedy, a senseless act of violence, as well as those who were wounded in this heinous attack. We also remember the family members and the loved ones who grieve for them. prgtoken We want to recognize the people of this proud community of Lewiston who have rallied together to support each other during these dark and difficult days: first responders; law enforcement; healthcare providers, especially at Central Maine Medical Center; businesses and community members who provided food for law enforcement; State and local officials; Federal agents. So many people deserve our thanks. prgtoken Those efforts and more will be acknowledged by the city of Lewiston tomorrow as it hosts an Act of Kindness and Gratitude Day. The city intends for this to be an annual occasion for the community to come together and celebrate the spirit of kindness and unity which characterizes our wonderful State. prgtoken As the phrase ``Lewiston strong'' echoes across our State and our country, the grit, resolve, and compassion of the people of Lewiston have rallied and inspired the Nation. prgtoken No words can diminish the pain, shock, and understandable anger felt by the families who lost loved ones. Nevertheless, it is my hope that they will find solace and strength in knowing that they are in the hearts of so many. As my colleague from Maine has just said, Maine, in many ways, is a small town, a place of caring communities where people know their neighbors. prgtoken One of my staffers in my Lewiston office knew 9 of the 18 people who lost their lives that horrible day. prgtoken Members of the close-knit deaf community had gathered at a local restaurant to play cornhole that night. Four members of that community lost their lives in the attack. One of the family members taught me the American sign language symbol for ``I love you.'' It reminds me of this proverb: Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory that no one can steal. prgtoken In their memory, let us support one another through this difficult grieving period and hope for brighter days. prgtoken Senator King and I will now read the names of those who lost their lives: Tricia Asselin. Tricia, age 53, was a part-time employee at Just-In-Time Recreation and was fatally shot while calling 9-1-1. She was a mother who worked three jobs, an accomplished athlete, and a terrific volunteer. prgtoken Peyton Brewer-Ross. Peyton, 40, was a new father and a pipefitter at Bath Iron Works. He enjoyed playing cornhole and often brought beanbags to family gatherings, according to his brother. He was described as the life of the party. prgtoken William Frank Brackett. William was 48. He was part of the gathering of deaf people who were playing cornhole. He was known for his abil
ISRAEL
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-10-31

now on a related matter, I spoke recently about alarming reactions to the October 7 attacks coming from America's top universities. We have seen student radicals spew outright hate and campus leaders respond with agonizing, equivocating statements. But it appears that neither thick-headed, young activists nor mealy-mouthed administrators can hold a candle to university faculty when it comes to moral obtuseness. Here are a few examples: prgtoken After a student group at Columbia published a letter describing Hamas's savage attacks as the--listen to this--``struggle for freedom'' of ``occupied peoples [who] have the right to resist occupation,'' over 100 faculty members signed a letter of their own expressing a desire to ``preserve Columbia University as a beacon for fostering critical thinking and opening minds to different points of view.'' prgtoken Needless to say, I am a staunch supporter of the First Amendment. People are entitled to different points of view, but they aren't entitled to different facts, and the only group that has occupied Gaza since 2007 is Hamas. prgtoken Besides, America's higher education system has a long way to go when it comes to protecting free speech and fostering diverse viewpoints. Just ask any right-of-center academic. But, of all places to start on their journey toward freedom of expression, they choose to celebrate terrorism--terrorism? prgtoken Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania is facing a donor revolt over campus protests and an anti-Semitic literary festival that predated October 7, but that didn't stop the local chapter of, essentially, its professors' union from issuing a six-page letter denouncing the university administration's pro-Israel views. prgtoken The school's painfully nuanced attempts at moral equivalency are, apparently, an ``erasure'' of Palestinian voices. Donors' outrage at radical calls for a pogrom are ``coercive threats'' that demand their removal from all university boards. prgtoken Let us remember who is doing the aggressing here. There is an open FBI investigation into online threats encouraging the murder--the murder--of Jewish students at Cornell. The university has had to bring in police to help protect the kosher dining hall on campus, and many Jewish students are opting to stay in their rooms for safety. prgtoken Until recently, the tenured leftwing apparatchiks of America's elite universities might have expected donors to keep on writing checks no matter which sort of unhinged, post-modern hate they ginned up. Well, not anymore. prgtoken At Penn, one alumnus's call to boycott the school has spread like wildfire, precipitating a crisis that, by one account, could put a $1 billion hole in the university's books. At least a dozen CEOs have pledged not to hire any members of the Harvard student groups who blamed Israel for the murders of its children. And elite law firms have started rescinding job offers from law students who re
Israel (Executive Session)
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-10-31

I come to the floor today to express my strong--very strong--support for Israel. On October 7, Israel was suddenly and deliberately attacked by a group of terrorists. Now, they didn't attack military institutions; they attacked citizens--citizens in Israel. It has been described by some as Israel's 9/11 or Israel's Pearl Harbor. prgtoken They killed women and children. They filmed themselves, and they broadcast it on the internet. They were proud. They were very proud of what they were doing. They killed more than 1,400 innocent people. This includes more than 30 Americans. Sometimes that is forgotten by our mainstream media. prgtoken This is the largest terrorist killing of Americans since 9/11. More than 100 people--100 people--are still held hostage by Hamas, and this also includes Americans. prgtoken So we need to do two things: First, we need to get the hostages out. That is very, very important. It has been too long. Then, we need to ensure that this never happens again. prgtoken You know, Israel can do both of these things. Israel has a highly--a very highly--advanced military and a highly advanced economy. The only way to ensure that Hamas cannot ever attack again, as Israel says, is to wipe them from the face of the Earth. prgtoken This is Israel's mission, and we hear this from their leaders every day. The role of the United States in this conflict should be to support and supply. prgtoken So let's first talk about support. Over the last 2 weeks, we have seen the leftwing protest against Israel and support of Hamas. It is hard to believe, but it is very, very, very true. We have seen them overseas in London and in Sydney, but we have also seen them here in the United States on college campuses. prgtoken To me, that is absolutely disgusting. I will just mention a few examples. Students at Harvard--at Harvard, mind you--defended Hamas for what they did. Next, they will be complaining about not being able to get jobs. I wonder why they won't be able to get jobs, especially in places like Wall Street. prgtoken Students at the University of California, Long Beach, handed out fliers with pictures of Hamas. The list goes on and on. But this tells us a lot about the state of our education in this country. prgtoken I was involved in education for 40 years. I can understand it. These kids don't know the first thing about the Middle East or about foreign policy. A prgtoken lot are not taught this. But they have been marinated in woke ideology since grade school at a lot of our public schools. Leftwing groups are siding with terrorists because of this. prgtoken Today, there are protests happening here at the Capitol, right here on Capitol Hill. The appropriations hearings with Secretary Austin and Secretary Blinken have been repeatedly--repeatedly--every few minutes, interrupted by leftwing, pro-Hamas protesters. Pro-Hamas leftists shut down a building in the House just a couple of weeks ago--shut it do
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-10-31

it is my honor to officially congratulate the Country Music Hall of Fame 2023 inductees and welcome Bob McDill, Patty Loveless, and Tanya Tucker into country music's closest circle of friends. prgtoken In Nashville, we like to say that ``it all begins with a song,'' but this year's songwriter inductee took those words to heart in a way that few ever have. Unlike so many songwriters, Bob McDill found his voice as a country music storyteller not through the slow burn of experience, but in a sudden burst of inspiration involving a late-night drive and a particularly raw George Jones lyric. Over the next three decades, he wrote more than 30 chart-topping hits and earned a reputation as one of the most prolific writers in Music City history. prgtoken This year's modern era artist inductee took a traditional path to fame, but for Patty Loveless, the fruits of her long years laboring through fairs, festivals, and bars to reach the Country Music Hall of Fame are anything but ordinary. Between 1998 and 2003, Loveless released 31 Top 20 country hits and topped the charts five times. Her elite vocal performances made her a star, but it is the skill with which her songs navigated life's most complicated questions that made her one of Music City's most relatable and enduring artists. prgtoken Country music would look and sound a whole lot different without Tanya Tucker, this year's veterans era artist inductee. By the time she turned 25, Tanya had enjoyed more success than many artists could ever hope to achieve. She created a sound so distinct and a performance style so irresistible that she maintained her hold on Music City through career setbacks that lesser artists could never hope to overcome. Between 1986 and 1997, Tanya sent 24 singles into the Top 10, and, in 1991, earned the honor of County Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year. In 2019 she came back with a vengeance and a new album that earned her two Grammys, the first of her career. prgtoken On behalf of the entire Tennessee delegation, I would like to express my gratitude to Bob, Patty, and Tanya for their passion, their artistry, and their wholehearted commitment to their craft.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-10-31

I rise today to recognize an extraordinary public servant who is leaving my office for a new role. prgtoken Jon Donenberg has been one of my most trusted senior advisers since 2011, when I first ran for the U.S. Senate. After his stint advising me on policy during the 2012 campaign, I asked Jon to serve as my first legislative director in my Senate office. Jon was my LD for 6 years, then senior adviser and policy director for Warren for President, and, for the last 4 years, he has served as my chief of staff. prgtoken After nearly a dozen years of working together, I have come to know Jon pretty well. So I can say with some authority that he is one of the best policy nerds and sharpest minds on economic policy in the business. prgtoken When I arrived in the Senate, I knew more than pretty much anybody else in the world about a very specific slice of commercial law. I also spent a lot of time thinking about how middle-class families were getting crushed by an economy that didn't work for them and thinking through how to fix it. And this was a good a start. But being a Senator means doing work on a much, much broader range of issues. prgtoken Jon was the person I turned to for counsel as I developed that broader agenda, drawing on his deep expertise with policy, his facility for digging into data, and his formidable technical training. Also, importantly, Jon has good values--the longstanding belief that government is here to serve not the richest and most powerful, not those who can hire armies of lobbyists and lawyers, but here to serve the people who are trying to build a future for themselves and their families. prgtoken Jon and I were a good match, and, when I say that, I am not saying that we always saw our next moves the same way. But he has a lightning- quick mind, a staggering command of both domestic and foreign policy topics, and instincts honed by years of working in Congress, and those qualities allowed him to see around corners I didn't even know existed. He is good with numbers, and he has never been afraid to change his mind based on what the data has shown him. prgtoken Our relationship has always been energetic. Jon hasn't been afraid to tangle with me when he thought I was getting something wrong. He would tell me I was making a mistake, and I would tell him he didn't know what he was talking about. We would size each other up, and I would start lobbing fastballs at him, just like I was back in the classroom, trying to figure out if a student had done reading and was on solid ground in their arguments. prgtoken Jon, of course, has always, always done the reading. He would grab those fastballs out of the air and zing them back at me with a spin, often highlighting an aspect to the issue I had failed to consider. prgtoken Sometimes, I would try a new angle and play the devil's advocate to see if he could defend his position, back and forth, until I had--often in the space of 10 or 15 m
NOMINATION OF JACOB J. LEW
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-10-31

now on Jack Lew, it is going to be a busy day here in the Senate. Before the end of the day, the U.S. Senate will confirm Jack Lew as the next Ambassador to Israel. For the information of Senators, we will have a cloture vote on Mr. Lew's nomination this morning, with a final vote on confirmation in the early afternoon. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of sending an American Ambassador to Israel today. prgtoken With everything happening in Israel right now, confirming Jack Lew at this moment will be one of the most important and consequential nomination votes the Senate has taken in a long time. The need to confirm Mr. Lew is plain and irrefutable. Israel in crisis. America needs to stand with her, and a most urgent and obvious step would be ensuring we have an ambassador in place. prgtoken As the Senate takes this important vote later today, I want to applaud the remarkable team at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, all of whom have done exceptional work under the most difficult circumstances. When I went to Israel with my Senate colleagues, I got to see the Embassy's incredible work up close, especially the outstanding Charge d'Affaires. So I thank them all for their dedication in these hard times. But it was clear when we went there that Israel needs an ambassador from the United States, especially at this time. So I hope we will get as large a vote for Mr. Lew as possible. prgtoken I want to thank my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who approved Mr. Lew on a 12-to-9 basis. Mr. Lew has a strong, long proven record as a public servant and a ferocious ally of Israel, and it will help send a powerful message of support to Israel to have this appointment filled ASAP.