mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-12-9

I am honored today to join Senator Ernst and Senator Graham in this call on America to honor our commitment. prgtoken This effort is completely bipartisan, and it is about values and ideals that we share and that we should reemphasize at this time of year, at this moment in our history, at this challenging moment in world history. prgtoken We are here to support a grassroots initiative called Honor Our Commitment. Our goal is very simply to keep this cause present and real for Americans, even as we complete the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, so that we keep faith with the Afghan allies and their families to bring them to safety, to evacuate them, to enable them to escape the danger, death, and torture that threatens them now. prgtoken For 20 years, these men and women helped to protect our troops and our diplomats. They are the translators, civil servants, humanitarian workers, members of the judiciary, and others who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. They were at our side, at significant risk to them, sometimes in combat. I know because one of my sons was a Marine Corps infantry officer in Helmand Province, and he felt so deeply that he had an obligation to bring to safety his translator, which he was able to do after years of effort. There are many other translators like him still in danger there who went into combat with our troops and helped to protect them. My other son is a Navy SEAL--was. He is out now. But he knows as well the importance of these people on the ground to protect them. prgtoken I fear for other parents in the future who will know their sons and daughters are in harms' way and who need those folks on the ground, the people who speak the language, who know the culture, who have friends in the community. How can we ask them to serve us when we are engaged in the same kind of conflict, if we fail to honor our promises to these men and women in Afghanistan who now have targets on their backs only because they helped us in moments of danger and crisis? prgtoken Most of my colleagues, I think, share these feelings of apprehension and anxiety on behalf of those men and women who now are in hiding, many of them with their families, trying to get out. prgtoken I strongly believe that honoring our past commitments, keeping our promises, as every great nation does, means establishing a clear, consistent, compassionate strategy for the evacuation and settlement of all of these individuals and their families. That is why I have called repeatedly for an evacuation czar, with clear Presidential direction and authority to implement such a strategy and coordinate all of the numerous Federal Agencies, with all of their individual responsibilities and authority, to evacuate and resettle our at-risk Afghan allies and their families. prgtoken Our at-risk Afghan allies deserve no less. That is what I have said to the President of the United States in a letter that I have written to him p
PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY ACT
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , this bill does not look back. prgtoken Yes, we saw the abuses of over using the 1976 National Emergency Act in ways that it had never ever been used before to move money around to things because he couldn't get it appropriated through a Senate and a House. He couldn't get it done, so he moved the money around. prgtoken Anybody who works in the House of Representatives or the Senate should be insulted that you want to empower a President--what about if starts doing that? Don't you want to have these tools? Or any other future President of either party? prgtoken This isn't about . It is about the era, which exposed things that need to be fixed, and this law does that. prgtoken Subpoena power--our subpoenas should be enforceable, whether they are from a ic Congress or a Congress. They are not. prgtoken The Department of Justice needs to have a firewall between the White House and the Department of Justice. You can't have the President calling up the Department of Justice, telling them to prosecute people or make stuff up. Any President of any party shouldn't be able to do that. prgtoken Then the President embargoed, stopped money that Congress, a Congress, had sent for Ukraine. Just stopped it. But apparently, on the other side of the aisle, they feel like their job is to be handmaidens in case comes back. prgtoken They don't want to put in the protections now when is there, who they carry on about as abusive all the time. Why not put in the protections now? Because you want to be able to come back and continue these sorts of abuses.
GROUND-BASED AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Rick Larsen (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , I share the concerns of my friend from Kansas regarding the need to upgrade the Nation's ground- based aviation infrastructure in a much timelier fashion. Aviation is a part of the backbone of the U.S. economy and keeping all aspects of the system up to date is essential to continued growth and quality of life for all Americans. The backlog of ground-based navigation aids that are currently operating past their useful life is real. In fact, at the current slow pace of modernization, some of these systems will be more than 100 years old by the time they are replaced. prgtoken As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, I am committed to addressing this issue before it becomes a crisis for the aviation system. The funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the tools it needs to make significant improvements in the safety and reliability of critical ground-based infrastructure by acquiring, installing, and commissioning new instrument landing systems; distance measuring equipment; tactical air navigation equipment; runway lighting systems; and very high frequency omni-range equipment. Further, this funding supports the FAA's administrative expenses, including salaries, giving the agency the flexibility to bolster its workforce and implement innovative solutions to accelerate the modernization of these systems. prgtoken Ensuring the safety and reliability of the Nation's ground-based aviation infrastructure is a priority of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and I am committed to working with Representative Davids on this issue as we move forward, including oversight on the U.S. Department of Transportation spend plan.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-12-9

I am sorry that we had an objection because right now, the HELP Committee has more than 30 nominees who are waiting on us to confirm them. These are qualified nominees, and they should be on the job and working, overseeing critical parts of the Department of Labor and the Department of Education, leading independent Agencies, and serving in very important roles. We need to confirm them so they can get to work on behalf of the American people, especially as we continue our economic recovery. If we are going to rebuild from this pandemic, we need all hands on deck. prgtoken Many of the nominees whom I just tried to move by unanimous consent were voted out of the HELP Committee unanimously, and they have bipartisan support. But now my colleagues are holding up all these nominations for manufactured reasons and in some cases, for absolutely no reason at all. prgtoken That was, by the way, not our practice during President 's administration or any other administration, and it should not be the practice now. prgtoken Obstructionism is not helping anyone. All this does is make it harder for Departments and Agencies to do their work and harder for our families and our communities to get the help they need. prgtoken It should not be this difficult for the Senate to perform its constitutional duty and confirm nominees who are qualified and supported by both and s. s are blocking or have delayed nominees who received support from every on the HELP Committee, nominees who received support from bipartisan groups and who will serve in nonpartisan roles, and privileged nominees who are supposed to be fast-tracked through the Senate as part of a longstanding bipartisan practice, and that, by the way, includes a former colleague of ours, Dennis DeConcini. Every one of these nominees has gone through the full process and cleared the HELP Committee. prgtoken I am extremely frustrated that s have blocked nominations despite their clear qualifications, the history of fast-tracking nominations like this in a bipartisan way, and most importantly, the critical challenge we are facing and the work that families are counting on all of us to get done. They have been blocking several other critical, noncontroversial nominees my colleagues have been pushing to confirm as well. prgtoken We have heard plenty of excuses from across the aisle, but all we know is that there is no good reason for this. We know these are qualified nominees. We know the work they are being blocked from doing is important if we are going to rebuild our Nation stronger and better. I want my colleagues across the aisle to know that we are not going to give up on this side. We are going to keep pushing to get these nominees confirmed so they can do their jobs and get to work for the people and the communities of this Nation. prgtoken . prgtoken I suggest the absence of a
PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY ACT
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-9

those lessons are for us to use to protect the future. That is what this legislation is about, to protect the future from a President, of any party, who may violate the law, who may aggrandize power. That is what this is about: the future, not the past. prgtoken So when I hear our friends talk about and talk about how he wasn't convicted, et cetera, it is irrelevant. We are talking about the future, not the past. For the future, it is necessary to pass this bill, and for the future, it is necessary to defeat this en bloc amendment.
EFFECTS OF CORONAVIRUS ON ECONOMY
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , the President has done an excellent job on trying to address our economic problems, and one of the main reasons we have economic problems is because of the coronavirus. prgtoken The President has an excellent vaccination program that the s, unfortunately, are fighting. As people have experienced the pandemic, they have been less willing to go out and engage in commerce and travel and had to reduce some of their business activities. This has hurt the supply chain and hurt our economy. So the President's vaccine plan is also an economic plan. prgtoken s in the Senate led an effort to cancel all the vaccination programs that the President has to protect us, to keep us healthy, and to move our economy forward. That is unfortunate. We need to support these vaccination plans, and we need to support the President in these efforts. prgtoken Inflation has been a problem. The President has released some oil from the reserve to help deal with gas prices. Gas prices are going down, and they will go down naturally. prgtoken One of the great reasons why inflation has increased is because of used car prices. You have to think about when used car prices go up, Madam , somebody is selling that used car, and they are getting more money to put in their pocket. Things are getting better. prgtoken God bless New Mexico.
HONORING THE LIFE OF MARVIN SIMON
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life of Marvin Simon, a distinguished World War II veteran, fierce seniors' and veterans' advocate, and most importantly, my friend for nearly 15 years. prgtoken Marvin served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during the second World War. That service led to a lifetime of supporting the needs of our nation's veterans. prgtoken Marvin and his wife Pearl moved to Florida in 1985 and he became a strong advocate for Broward County's senior population. He was Vice Chair of the Area Agency on Aging's Advisory Council. As a member of the Pine Island Ridge Civic Association, Marvin was responsible for the county's emergency medical services having a base on the Pine Island Ridge condominium grounds. prgtoken Marvin was also a longtime member of the Broward County Veterans Coalition. He worked tirelessly to ensure the men and women who served our nation maintained their dignity and wellbeing. prgtoken Marvin served on my Academy Nominations Board from 2007 to 2014. In that role, he helped shape the future of the military by selecting students who will lead the armed forces in the years ahead. prgtoken Marvin and Pearl were married for 73 years before her death in 2020. They had two children, five grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. prgtoken Although Marvin is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through the countless individuals whose lives he changed for the better. prgtoken Marvin Simon was one of a kind--a selfless, compassionate and a tireless advocate for others in Broward County. He was a patriot in the truest sense, will be profoundly missed but never forgotten.
RECOGNIZING THE FOURTH WALL FILMS FOR RECEIVING A MID-AMERICA EMMY AWARD
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Fourth Wall Films for receiving a MidAmerica Emmy Award for their short documentary, ``Over & Under: Wildlife crossings.'' prgtoken The Emmy awarded film aired earlier this year on WQPT PBS which allowed viewing for many Illinoisans from the northwestern region, serving the Quad Cities. The Fourth Wall Films is a film and video production company from Moline, Illinois. The Fourth Wall Films serves the Northwestern region of Illinois and specializes in Midwestern Historical documentaries for public television broadcast and other streaming services. prgtoken Other awards and accolades earned by Fourth Wall Films are eight mid- America Emmy nominations, video and television Telly Awards, film festival Best Documentary Awards, and abundant amounts of recognition for their excellence and outstanding skill in the film and television industry. prgtoken It is because of the wonderful talent of the Fourth Wall Films that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally congratulate the Fourth Wall Films for receiving a Mid-America Emmy Award for their short documentary, ``Over & Under: Wildlife crossings.''
IN RECOGNITION OF STEPHANIE PORTA FOR HER CAREER AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , as a community organizer, Stephanie Porta served Central Florida for the past 18 years working to support low- income communities in their fight for equity. Through various strategies including prgtoken community organizing, ballot initiatives, local and statewide legislative campaigns, and corporate campaigns, Stephanie has been committed to ensuring low-income communities have the power to decide their own destinies. Ms. Porta has worked on successful campaigns for candidates and issues-including environmental justice, community safety, community development, health care, public education and more. prgtoken Stephanie served as the Florida Director of ACORN where she organized communities across the State. She successfully led the effort to raise Florida's minimum wage, pass police accountability reforms, as well as advocate for foreclosure prevention programs and affordable utilities. prgtoken She later co-founded Organize Florida, a nonprofit member organization of low- to moderate-income people. She led efforts to expand Medicaid, pass paid sick days, gun control, and clean energy legislation. In 2016 and 2018, she supported outreach efforts to more than four million voters across Florida. prgtoken Stephanie has been recognized by the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly and Orlando Magazine for leadership on government transparency and issues facing the working poor.
SOCIAL SECURITY 2100: A SACRED TRUST
Matt Cartwright (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2021-12-9

. The gentleman is exactly correct. It was an attempt to privatize Social Security in those years. And it was only by the stalwart, staunch defense of the Social Security system by the -- present here in this Chamber today--who did that and fought it off. And thank God they did. prgtoken Because it is true, the stock market crash of 2000 would have thrown millions and millions of seniors right into poverty if the s had got away with it, had privatized Social Security. prgtoken And it did not stop there. I was not in Congress in those years, but I came into Congress. I was elected in 2012. And in 2013, I was sworn in for the first time. And here I am, a freshman , and about 4 months into my very first term, something happened. The s were pushing this scheme called chained CPI. And chained CPI was a $50 expression that means lower cost of living adjustment increases, lower increases year after year. prgtoken The idea was, well, we have to make ends meet at Social Security so let's cut increases for seniors. That was prgtoken their plan. And they called that chained CPI. prgtoken Now, there was a big fight over that, of course. And at least at that point, the s weren't calling Social Security communism, but they were still trying to cut it for seniors, and that is no good. And the fought back hard against that. prgtoken Well, along comes 2013, and in the springtime, the President comes out with a budget. And President at the time, he wanted to extend an olive branch to the s, it might be recalled. And President incorporated this chained CPI notion in his budget. He put that in his budget. prgtoken I wasn't having it. I joined a bunch of people--I think the congressman from Connecticut was with me--and we went out on the lawn of the Capitol to protest against the President of the United States, a ic President of the United States extending this olive branch to the s by putting chained CPI in his budget. We were protesting. We were protesting against a ic President going along with that notion just to try to get along with the s. prgtoken In the end, to his everlasting credit, President withdrew that offer and never brought it up again. And now, under Social Security 2100, there is a real cost of living adjustment formula in there, something that actually takes into account the things that seniors has to buy; the things that seniors can't afford unless they get the increase; the things that seniors need to live in any kind of reasonable style of living. There is a reasonable cost of living adjustment in Social Security 2100, and I am proud to be on that bill. prgtoken Look, workers paid into this fund all their careers; it is their money. And the promise is not that you will get some money, the promise is that you are going to get enough money to make it out of poverty in your retire
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-12-9

it is a pleasure, and I appreciate my friend, Senator Blunt. prgtoken I am here today to rise for the 10th time to talk about the rightwing scheme to capture our Supreme Court. prgtoken As the Presiding Officer knows, I have delivered a lot of speeches on the Senate floor, and a majority of them--279 of them, to be precise-- addressed climate change. These were my ``Time to Wake Up'' speeches, many of which focused on the network of phony front groups and trade associations used by the fossil fuel industry to block any meaningful climate legislation. prgtoken That vast web of climate denial and climate obstruction is one of the main reasons that we are in the climate crisis we face today. I am here today to report that there is common technique behind that smelly climate denial operation and the rightwing donor operation to capture the Court. prgtoken They both rely on massive amounts of dark money. They both rely on a small number of ultrawealthy donors who supply that dark money. And they both rely on an armada of front groups and phony corporate entities, funded by those big donors, to hide their hands. At this point, it is, actually, depressingly, familiar. prgtoken But it is worse than just common technique. It is the same entities: the Koch operation, Americans for Prosperity, DonorsTrust, the Bradley Foundation, the Scaife Foundation, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The list goes on and on and on. These are the exact same players on both sides of the operation--on the climate-denying web and on the Court-capturing scheme. prgtoken My colleagues and I showed in a number of Web of Denial climate speeches how a few ultrawealthy, rightwing foundations, corporate trade groups, and so-called donor-advised funds supply the bulk of the dark money for modern-day climate denial. prgtoken Big oil companies used to do that directly, but they got burned and learned that it is bad for their public image, and I suspect they are hiding now behind those anonymizing entities and trade groups. prgtoken The big funding guns included the Koch network; the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation; the Searle Freedom Trust; the Sarah Scaife Foundation; Donors Capital; and DonorsTrust, which has been called the rightwing's ``dark money ATM.'' prgtoken This is the Web of Denial graphic that we used in many of those Web of Denial speeches, and you will see these groups turning up over and over again. They are central in the web of climate denial. prgtoken Now, if you look at the big funders behind the scheme to capture the Court, you will see this--in my last scheme speech, I talked about the flotillas of amici curiae--or ``friends of the court''--who come in and orchestrate phalanxes to file briefs for the rightwing in cases of significance to the scheme's big donors. Well, it turns out that those funders also inhabit the web of denial. prgtoken This is an appendix that I filed in the cas
PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY ACT
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-12-9

. Madam , our government is not a piggy bank to be pilfered and pillaged by public servants. appointees abused their public office to line their pockets and corruptly retain power. The crime spree by and his stooges is the worst corruption ever in our government. prgtoken According to a recent Office of Special Counsel report, they made a mockery of the law. They exploited Hatch Act gaps or ignored it altogether. prgtoken My amendment in the en bloc is based on the Political CRIMES Act. I thank Congressmam Mike Quigley and Senator Elizabeth Warren for their leadership. The amendment enhances the underlying provisions and gives the Hatch Act sharper teeth. prgtoken The amendment ensures political appointees cannot get away with crimes. It requires disclosure of investigations. It cracks down on subpoena evaders. It allows the Special Counsel to continue investigations after government service concludes. Offenders like Kellyanne Conway and Stephen Miller, and those masquerading as public servants like Ivanka and Jared Kushner, violated the Hatch Act without major consequence. No longer. prgtoken The amendment also expands the fines for violations. For the first time, repeat violators can be held criminally liable. This is real accountability. prgtoken Most important, it extends the law to the President and Vice President when conducting official duties on federal property. prgtoken You fix a leaky roof in the sun. Not in a storm. With dark clouds ahead, we must protect our democracy. prgtoken I am glad my amendment was included, and for the Presidential tax return transparency provisions in the bill. and his enablers refused to follow the law. For 981 days--longer than the siege of Leningrad--our tax return request was illegally blocked by a tag-team of the Department of Justice and a -appointed judge. prgtoken Now that the administration will comply with the law, the returns should be sent to Congress. prgtoken I urge passage of my amendment and passage of the underlying bill.