mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONGRATULATING ILLINOIS BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION COACH OF THE YEAR CALEB BATSON
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-30

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Caleb Batson, the seventh and eighth grade girls' basketball coach at Abingdon-Avon Middle School, who was named a Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. prgtoken The 2021-2022 season was Caleb's second as a coach at Abingdon-Avon Middle School. Both the seventh and eighth grade teams went 19-3 overall, with the 7th grade team winning the Class 3A sectional championship, and the 8th grade team winning the Class 3A regional title. Caleb is no stranger to developing young talent. In 2016 Caleb joined Monmouth College's men's basketball coaching staff, where, in 2018, he helped the Fighting Scots win the Midwest Conference regular season championship and the Midwest Conference tournament, giving Monmouth its first NCAA Division III Tournament berth since 1990. As a former athlete, I commend Caleb for his determination and hard work. Caleb has shown us all the importance of dedication and a strong work ethic. I am proud to see him represent our community so well throughout the state and the country with his talent and passion. prgtoken It is because of leaders such as Caleb that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally congratulate Caleb Batson on being named a Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-30

we have some rare good news on the public health front. COVID cases are down at the lowest level since July. Crucially, hospitalizations and deaths are also down dramatically, more than 70 percent lower than they were in January during the Omicron wave. Compared to just a few months ago, our Nation is experiencing far less suffering and death, thank goodness. prgtoken But despite the progress we have made, COVID continues to be a threat. Every day, 800 American families lose a loved one to COVID--800 a day--and catch new infections, which present an opportunity for the virus to mutate. prgtoken We are at a turning point in this fight against COVID. Now, we need to strengthen our healthcare system. We need to stay a step ahead of this deadly virus. That is especially true since the subvariant of Omicron--BA.2, as it is known--has become dominant in America. prgtoken Remember the frenzy last holiday season when we were running from pharmacy to pharmacy trying to find rapid tests for our families or waiting in the freezing cold for hours on end to get a PCR test? Why would we ever want to be caught flatfooted again? We need to sustain our public health funding so that our hospitals and healthcare professionals have the equipment and tools they need to keep us safe. prgtoken The one thing dramatically worse than returning to the dark days of COVID-19 and the deadly variants would be to return unprepared. If we want to keep our masks off--and I do--if we want to keep our kids in school--and I do--and our businesses open, we need to make smart investments in America's capacity to confront future strains of these variants. We can't continue this cycle of neglect and panic. These pendulum swings harm our health system and contribute to unnecessary costs and suffering. prgtoken Congress must come together on a bipartisan basis. And shouldn't we all agree on this: that we move as a nation in the same direction? That means providing funding to purchase new booster doses, including those which the FDA authorized this week for adults over the age of 50. I got mine yesterday morning. If we don't purchase these vaccines now ahead of time, then we prgtoken will be sleepwalking into the next deadly wave. prgtoken We also need to ensure that as soon as the FDA authorizes a vaccine for kids under the age of 5, parents can get their kids protected as soon as possible. prgtoken Funding also is needed for oral antivirals and other therapeutics to treat patients who contract a serious case of COVID. These treatments will keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed. prgtoken And we need funding to maintain the testing infrastructure we have built up over the last several months, like President 's successful program to put up to 1 billion--billion--rapid tests right at the doors of every American who wants one. prgtoken The fact is, Congress should have already provided funding for these lifesaving resources, but we still
CLOTURE MOTION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-30

I ask unanimous consent the Senate now vote on the motions to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar Nos. 718, 717, and 716; that the remaining votes tonight be 10-minute votes; that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, all post-cloture time be considered expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations at a time to be determined by the majority leader or his designee following consultation with the leader.
DON YOUNG REMEMBRANCE
Tom O’Halleran (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-3-30

. Madam , I rise today in honor of my friend, Congressman Don Young. Don passed away last week while traveling home to Alaska. prgtoken At the age of 88, he was still traversing this Nation to serve his constituents. He stood up for the needs, concerns, and families, both here on the House floor, and out in the wildlands of his beloved State. prgtoken Don was a fierce fighter for Alaska. But he was also a genuine man who worked on both sides of the aisle with Members, advocates, and people of all ideologies and backgrounds to improve the lives of the families he represented, never letting Washington politics get in his way. prgtoken During his decades in Congress, Don advocated for Alaska Native tribes, prgtoken rural communities, and the success of all of Alaska--from its economy, to its lands, and the issues everyday families talked about over dinner. Rough around the edges at times, that is the way he wanted to be. That is just who he was. Like the vast and wild State he represented, Don was never one to back down from what he believed. Again and again, he put in the work to get things done. prgtoken Beyond his words, his accomplishments, his work, Don was genuine. All you had to do was to sit down with him in his office and understand how he had a story for almost everything, from his time in the Yukon River on tugboats, to hunting, to just enjoying life and his family. He was genuine. He was real. And more than anything else, he was my friend. I will miss him deeply. We always miss good people like that, people that really have an impact on our lives personally and the lives of people that he represented and the lives of his family. He was a good, real person. prgtoken Last fall, I shook hands on a friendly wager with Don for Alaska's Katmai National Park's Fat Bear Week. I never had that type of a bet with Don before, and I didn't know much about bears. We agreed with each other that whichever Congressman chose the bear that went further in the annual competition he would win a district product from the other's home district. And when my bear won--well, obviously, I was surprised. Don told me that I would never have a chance of winning at all because I knew nothing about bears, but I got lucky. And he smiled, as only Don could do. Don was true to his word. He brought me back a jar of smoked salmon from Alaska. prgtoken Yesterday, I joined Members on both sides of the aisle as we paid our respects to his life and legacy in the Capitol. I could tell a lot of stories about Don, but when I was a freshman here, I went to him--he had this unique ability to work on Native American issues--and I said to him, I have a little bit of a problem here with some issue in trying to find some votes. We sat and talked for a while. He said, give me a few minutes. And the next thing you knew, about 5 minutes later, he came back, and he said, Well, you have got your votes. Let's get this thing passed. prgtoken As the dean of t
STOP SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT IN TRANSPORTATION ACT
Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-30

I regret that I was unable to vote today as I was unavoidably detained at a committee hearing while supporting a family from my district as they testified about the loss of their daughter, a Seaman in the U.S. Navy. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 90, H.R. 5706. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Baird (Walorski) Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Bowman (Meng) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) Cuellar (Pappas) DeGette (Blunt Rochester) Evans (Mfume) Gimenez (Diaz-Balart) Harder (CA) (Gomez) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Joyce (OH) (Garbarino) Kahele (Mrvan) Lawson (FL) (Wasserman Schultz) Mace (Rice (SC)) McHenry (Budd) McNerney (Blunt Rochester) Newman (Beyer) Owens (Stewart) Payne (Pallone) Roybal-Allard (Wasserman Schultz) Salazar (Diaz-Balart) Sanchez (Gomez) Sires (Pallone) Strickland (Takano) Suozzi (Beyer) Taylor (Carter (TX)) Trone (Beyer) Valadao (Garbarino) Wilson (FL) (Jeffries)
STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-30

. Madam , inflation is a challenge for families. I feel it myself as a single mom raising three kids. Historically, the standard approaches to reduce inflation are to raise interest rates and to lower wages. Some people are calling for these same misguided approaches today. This is wrongheaded. Families need lower costs, not less money in their pockets. prgtoken We can bring prices down by increasing supply, for example, by expanding energy capacity with more green energy. The America COMPETES Act, which I supported, will strengthen our supply chains and increase our domestic manufacturing of technology. prgtoken We can also bring prices down by cracking down on corporate abuse. We can reduce healthcare costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, lower grocery costs by increasing competition in the meatpacking industry, and stop Big Oil from price gouging. prgtoken These policies will lower costs without lowering wages. We can strengthen our capitalist economy and rein in inflation. Families need us to address inflation. They need lower costs, not lower wages. Budget Cuts Limit IRS
RECOGNIZING JAMES SOLOMON RUSSELL DAY IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2022-3-30

. Madam , I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate James Solomon Russell Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia. prgtoken James Solomon Russell was an enormously important figure in the history of southern Virginia. He was born into slavery in 1857 and began his career as a teacher in 1874. By 1879, he began transitioning to ministry, building his first church and being ordained a deacon in 1882. His work included building new schools and senior housing in addition to increasing the number of African-American churches in his diocese from none to thirty-seven. Perhaps his most well-known accomplishment is his founding in 1888 and subsequent leadership of Saint Paul's College. As a result of his work, thousands of young African Americans obtained a higher education degree. Particularly important among the alumni of Saint Paul's College are the many teachers who went on to educate young people across the Commonwealth. prgtoken James Solomon Russell Day in the Commonwealth was first established on March 28, 2020 through a bill in the Virginia State Legislative Session. By introducing this bill, Delegate Roslyn Tyler and Senator Louise Lucas ensured that James Solomon Russell Day is celebrated on March 28th in the Commonwealth for years to come. Through this annual recognition, we will keep his memory alive and celebrate his work to better our Commonwealth. prgtoken This year, I want to particularly commend the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture Robert F. Smith Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History for their work with the James Solomon Russell--Saint Paul's College Museum and Archives. Representatives from the Center have already travelled to Lawrenceville twice to lend their expertise on archiving and digitizing the museum's collection and are planning another trip this spring. With the experience of the Center, financial support from the state and federal government, and the passion of the staff at the museum, residents of southern Virginia will be able to access and learn from the history of James Solomon Russell and Saint Paul's College.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2022-3-30

in just a moment--in just a moment--I am going to ask that the Senate do something that we should have done months ago. prgtoken In just a moment, I am going to ask that this body confirm Deborah Lipstadt to serve as the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti- Semitism on behalf of the United States. prgtoken My great-grandparents, Israel and Annie, arrived in this country in 1911 and 1913, fleeing anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe. Their story is like the story of so many Jewish immigrants and refugees who came to the United States because the free exercise of religion is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And when I stood just there and was sworn into the U.S. Senate, I held in my breast pocket copies of the ships' manifests logging their arrivals at Ellis Island. prgtoken We had a confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in the Judiciary Committee last week, and I had a discussion with Judge Jackson about what that means, the free exercise of religion. prgtoken This country has drawn immigrants and refugees from around the world because it is a place where you are protected from persecution, no matter how you worship. That is what America stands for. prgtoken It is time for the Senate, at long last, to confirm this nominee to fight anti-Semitism around the world on behalf of the United States, standing up for those values. prgtoken It was U.S. forces who liberated Dachau and Buchenwald. And Annie and Israel, my great-grandparents, they got out of Europe. Many of my family did not, and they perished in the Holocaust. prgtoken This isn't ancient history. This is recent history. And, right now, as we speak, the scourge of anti-Semitism is rising again in this country and around the world. prgtoken If we mean the words ``never again,'' then, at long last, let's confirm Deborah Lipstadt to fight anti-Semitism on behalf of the United States. prgtoken Deborah Lipstadt comes from my home State of Georgia. She is the professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies at Emory University--a leading scholar of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. prgtoken It is time for the United States to stand up against anti-Semitism. It is time, finally, for the Senate to confirm this nominee. prgtoken So at this time, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 845, Deborah E. Lipstadt, of Georgia, to be Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, with the rank of Ambassador (New Position); that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Border Security (Executive Calendar)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-3-30

. I am here on the floor today to talk about border security, an issue that is intertwined with our national security and, certainly, with the drug epidemic that we see in our communities around the country. We are in the middle right now of the worst border crisis in the history of our country. prgtoken This chart tells the story. prgtoken Monthly border crossings are at an unprecedented level. Customs and Border Protection reports that there were 164,973 encounters at the border in February. By the way, that is equal to the population of Dayton, OH. Actually, it is far greater than the population of Dayton, OH. prgtoken So we have never had this kind of illegal migration into the country--this many people being apprehended. They told us last week that they are seeing over 7,000 migrants per day in this month, in March, and this is while something called title 42 is in effect. prgtoken What is title 42? prgtoken Well, despite these really big numbers you see here in terms of the number of people being apprehended at the border, under what is called title 42, which is a public health authority--it has nothing to do with immigration, really. It is about public health, and it is in place because of COVID-19. It allows the Customs and Border Protection folks to say: Sorry, you can't come into the United States for public health reasons. And, therefore, they can be turned away. prgtoken So that order is in place right now. Here is how that has worked. If you look at this chart, you will see the people who have been turned away because of title 42, in orange. Those are the numbers in orange. Those who have been allowed to come into the country are in blue. prgtoken You will see here, at the end of the last administration, in the years, when we had for the most part a secure border, we had very few illegal entries. We had about 75 percent of the people who were coming in who were turned away by title 42. prgtoken In this administration, it is closer to about 50 percent. About 50 percent of the people are being turned away by title 42. prgtoken Why is this important? Well, obviously, we are making progress on COVID. COVID-19, we all hope, is not going to be here forever. There may be another variant out there, but as we are relaxing mask mandates and telling people that they don't have a vaccination mandate anymore to be able to come to work or travel across our borders, we are hearing reports that the administration may rescind title 42, so get rid of this authority within the next several weeks. prgtoken And do you know what? Unless we have a new variant, God forbid, that comes in and causes a new health crisis, they are probably right. Title 42 shouldn't be used in this way because it is a public health authority, not an immigration law. The problem is that if that happens--remember, we already have an unprecedented number of people coming into the country. Look at this chart. If that happens, then all these f
RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT SPENDING
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-3-30

. Madam , this morning, I wish to address the American people and thank them for their hard work and their outstanding effort that funds our government and our Active Duty military personnel and veterans who have kept us safe, our law enforcement, our first responders, and all those who go to work every day making sure we are safe in our communities, safe in our Nation, and safe around the world. prgtoken I also want to thank all the people that go to work every day to earn a living and support their families. And, yes, those are the people, all of them, that provide the revenue by which America can operate, something I think President has forgotten. prgtoken He has been in Washington, D.C for half a century, and he proposed a budget earlier this week that spends $73 trillion over the next 10 years and increases our national debt by 50 percent by the year 2032. Under that budget, the debt will be $45 trillion. prgtoken And to say what the President said, a budget will show you your values. Well, evidently, he doesn't value our next generation. prgtoken We all want our children to do better than we did and have it better than we did. How can they do that when he proposes to saddle them with so much debt? prgtoken When you look at the national debt that we have, it is held by the public, it is held by foreign governments, and some of it is called intragovernmental debt, which means it is debt that is held by other government agencies. prgtoken The Social Security Administration holds about 13 percent of our debt currently. I think this budget puts our seniors at risk and their ability to live a good life in retirement on a program which they funded for so many years from their paychecks. prgtoken So, we look at the budget. I have read through it. All these items should be a red flag for anybody that wants to support this. prgtoken It is not supporting America's values. It is not supporting our next generation. It is not helping our seniors. It is helping priorities laid forth by a man who has been in Washington, D.C for 50 years. prgtoken Evidently, he has gotten used to spending more than what the revenue brings in in our country. prgtoken I remember President Reagan. This is, I believe, the 41st anniversary of the assassination attempt. I think President Reagan, when someone would say, He is spending like a drunken sailor. Then the President would say, Well, at least the sailor is spending his own money. prgtoken We are entrusted with the money that the government takes from the citizens of the United States. We need to use it responsibly. We need to invest it in their priorities and not in the priorities of the people inside the beltway. prgtoken I think he is too far out of touch, and quite frankly, there are a lot of things that we can't afford. prgtoken What we should be looking at is protecting life. We should be looking at being responsible so that our kids are not saddled with so much debt and that our
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-3-30

reserving the right to object, I guess this is a crazy idea, but I believe that Americans should not be judged by the color of their skin but, rather, by the content of their character. I believe that every person is made in the image of God, and that to judge a person simply based on the color of their skin is wrong. prgtoken Unfortunately, across the country, politicians and universities are trying to divide people by race, skin color, ethnicity, or country of origin. It is immoral and a corrosive habit of the woke crowd. prgtoken Unfortunately, the professional career of this nominee is entirely wrapped up in promoting critical race theory and dividing people along color lines. His focus at the university where he works is to teach kids about how to divide one another into what Karl Marx referred to as the oppressed and the oppressors. prgtoken I am sick of this disgusting ideology, and Americans are sick of it too. Just look at all the Americans who are rejecting it through local elections and protests at school boards. prgtoken We shouldn't be elevating people who divide Americans. We should be working with those who want to unite us around our founding principles that made our Nation the greatest country on Earth. prgtoken Therefore, I object.