mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Steven M. Dettelbach (Executive Calendar)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-7-12

last week on the Fourth of July, a day meant to celebrate freedom and independence, we witnessed another act of senseless violence--this time, in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. prgtoken Yet again, more Americans have been murdered while going about their daily lives--this time, attending an Independence Day parade. prgtoken Yet again, a community grieves. Yet again, we ask: How many times are we going to allow this to happen? prgtoken The bipartisan gun safety bill was important--long overdue progress, finally. prgtoken Today, we have the opportunity to keep up that work together and take another important step in protecting Americans from violent gun crimes by confirming a permanent ATF Director. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support President 's nominee, Steve Dettelbach, from Cleveland, to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. prgtoken There is no better person for this role than Steve Dettelbach, a son of Ohio, a career public servant, with the experience and the record to combat violent crime and keep Americans safe. prgtoken As U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Steve worked with law enforcement, including ATF, to prosecute tough cases. prgtoken I have known Steve Dettelbach for years. I have watched him tackle some of the Department of Justice's most sensitive cases--cases at the intersection of law enforcement and civil rights. prgtoken He prosecuted a White supremacist who tried to burn down First Azusa Apostolic Faith Church, a predominantly Black church in my wife's home county of Ashtabula, in a community called Conneaut, OH. Steve not only prosecuted the man responsible, he helped create a clergy group, United Against Hate. prgtoken When he prosecuted the firebombing of the largest mosque in Northwest Ohio, Steve, a practicing Jew, attended worship services there as a show of solidarity. He has lived the value of religious freedom. He has consistently stood up against extremism and hate. prgtoken Steve Dettelbach understands that politics must play no role in running the ATF. His experience, his record bear that out. That is why he has broad support from across the ideological spectrum, including prosecutors, including law enforcement officials who understand what it takes to do this job. prgtoken This includes law enforcement groups like NOBLE, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association; Women in Federal Law Enforcement; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the Major County Sheriffs' Association; the National Sheriffs' Association. prgtoken It includes more than 140 former Federal prosecutors, 8 former ATF Directors, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the association representing the men and women of the ATF. prgtoken He has the support of civil rights organizations--the National Urban League, the Leadership Conference on C
NATO Summit (Executive Session)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-7-12

I am really pleased to be able to come to the floor this morning to join my colleagues Senator Tillis, from North Carolina; Senator Ernst, from Iowa; Senator Blunt, from Missouri--and we are hoping to be joined by Senator Coons, from Delaware--to talk about the very successful congressional delegation we took in the first week of the 2-week break to Finland, Sweden, and the NATO summit in Madrid. prgtoken I want to especially acknowledge my colead for that delegation, Senator Tillis. He and I cochaired the Senate NATO Observer Group. And we have both been fervent supporters of NATO and efforts to ensure that the United States continues to be a leader on the world stage and a champion for freedom. prgtoken We were also joined on that trip by Senator Durbin, from Illinois, and Senator Fischer, from Nebraska. prgtoken A couple of months ago, Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell asked Senator Tillis and I to lead that bipartisan delegation to the NATO summit in Madrid to convey the Senate's strong bipartisan support for the alliance, especially amid Putin's unprovoked war in Ukraine. prgtoken I was very honored to represent the Senate amid what has been one of the most consequential moments in the history of the transatlantic alliance. And I think probably Senator Tillis and everyone who was part of that delegation felt the same way. prgtoken Our visit to Sweden, Finland, and Spain affirmed three important points: first, the NATO alliance is stronger than ever before--and this year's historic summit reaffirmed that; second, the Strategic Concept that was approved at this year's summit will ensure that NATO is prepared to address immediate threats on all fronts, from Putin's attempts to threaten the sovereignty of our allies to China's challenges to our alliance. prgtoken And, finally, as Putin attempts to rewrite history, working with our allies and partners is critical to ensuring that Putin or any leader that attempts to follow in his path is met with the might of NATO's democratic resolve. prgtoken One of the other things that I was very impressed with as we met not just with some of our NATO allies but with NATO aspirant country delegations and talked to leaders from the Indo-Pacific who were in Madrid is how everybody we talked to reaffirmed the importance of America's leadership in the world. So I think as we think about the future of NATO, about what we need to do in the United States, it is important to remember just how important our role is. prgtoken Now, our trip coincided with Turkey's announcement to support Finland and Sweden's ambitions to join NATO, which will significantly strengthen the alliance. In fact, as we landed in Madrid, we got the news that Turkey had dropped its hold on those applications. So we were able to celebrate. prgtoken Sweden and Finland's accession into NATO sends an unmistakable message to Putin: The alliance is stronger than ever and Russia does
RECOGNIZING LAETICIA JOINVILLE, ALAIN HUYNH, ANTONIO MORALES, JET NGUYEN, AND CHANEL SEEPERSAD
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2022-7-12

. Madam , I rise today in honor of the five outstanding students from my district in the Broward County Public School System who have been recognized with the annual ``Best in Class'' award. prgtoken Each year, Broward County Public Schools recognizes high school seniors in the county who have had perfect attendance throughout their K-12 education. This impressive feat requires a continued commitment and dedication to their education. I am proud to join them in recognizing these exemplary students: prgtoken Laeticia Joinville from Sheridan High School, Alain Huynh from Deerfield Beach High School, Antonio Morales from Coral Springs High School, Jet Nguyen from Everglades High School, and Chanel Seepersad from Blanche Ely High School. prgtoken Once again, I give congratulations to these outstanding individuals. I wish them the best of luck with their future endeavors and continued academic success. It is with great pleasure that I honor them.
QUANTUM COMPUTING CYBER-SECURITY PREPAREDNESS ACT
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-12

I thank Chairwoman Maloney and Chairman Connolly for their leadership, and I thank the bipartisan leadership with Representative Mace and the committee. prgtoken This is the most significant legislation to address the challenge that quantum computing poses to our security. The reality is that quantum computing is going to be much faster and can do many more things than regular computing. prgtoken For example, if you have an iPhone and you have a pass code on the iPhone, now you have a computer that can do a billion different combinations to try your pass code in a matter of a few seconds. Chances are they can break through the pass code. The problem is that a lot of the bad actors--they have been stealing American data from our government in anticipation of having these quantum computers, these super-fast computers--try all the combinations to break through. prgtoken I am proud that this committee, in a bipartisan basis, came together, and said: We need to make sure that our security in our critical agencies do not suffer from these computers that can try all these codes. Let's design that security in a way that will be safe, even with quantum computing. prgtoken The bill directs the agencies to start having those algorithms now that are not vulnerable to these supercomputers. It is an example, with Representative Mace and the committee, of Congress actually working, of Congress being proactive, of Congress looking ahead on the horizon and anticipating problems to keep the American people safe. prgtoken , I also appreciate the bipartisan spirit. I acknowledge Geo Saba, my staff, and all of the staff on the Oversight and Reform Committee, both the majority and minority, for helping make this possible.
HONORING OFFICER ORLANDO BOLDEN
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2022-7-12

. Madam , I rise today to honor a remarkable police officer, Orlando Bolden. prgtoken Officer Bolden is a native of Grenada, MS. He began his career with the Grenada County Sheriff's Department as a reserve deputy. He then moved to Duck Hill and worked for the Duck Hill Police Department. prgtoken When a full-time position became available in Vaiden, MS, he took the job and still worked part time in Duck Hill. Officer Bolden is currently working for the Winona Police Department, going on 3 years now. prgtoken What make Officer Bolden stand out from the other officers is that during the school year, he directs traffic in his own personal style. When people drive down Highway 407 or Highway 51 during school traffic at Winona Elementary School, they will often see Officer Bolden dancing with his whistle in his mouth, directing traffic. prgtoken Officer Bolden is well-known for his dance moves. Officer Bolden believes that entertaining traffic control is just of a small gesture that shows another side of law enforcement and that everything does not have to be so uptight and wound up. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Officer Orlando Bolden for his longevity and dedication to serving the community.
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7900, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Continued
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-7-13

the balance of my time. prgtoken The ' record speaks for itself: no concern for the dire national security implications of their open borders policy; no concern for the infiltration of hostile foreign agents into our military; no concern for the ingratiation of foreign agents into our legislative and executive branches. prgtoken Americans should be concerned. They should be very concerned. Until there is a sea change in the attitude of the ruling toward our national safety, our security, and our sovereignty, amendments like this should be utterly rejected. prgtoken , .
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7900, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Continued
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-7-13

such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to Neguse amendment No. 455. prgtoken This amendment would permanently ban mineral and energy development on over 1.2 million acres of public lands in northern Arizona and Colorado. prgtoken Not only will this amendment kill jobs in rural communities, but it will threaten our national security by making us more dependent on foreign adversaries like Russia. I can't believe we would consider adding this amendment when inflation is at 9.1 percent, a 40-year high; gas prices have been hovering over $5 per gallon; and one of our major adversaries invaded its free and sovereign neighbor. prgtoken This NDAA is meant to enhance our national security at a critical time in our Nation's history, not weaken it by taking critical minerals permanently off-line. prgtoken Instead, are adding this amendment in the dead of night, hoping that we wouldn't notice. prgtoken The Arizona component of this amendment permanently withdraws over 1 million acres from uranium mining. Currently, the domestic uranium industry is supplying less than 1 percent of the uranium needed to power the U.S. nuclear reactor fleet. Let me say that again. Less than 1 percent of what we need to power our fleet. prgtoken In 2019, roughly half of our uranium supply was sourced from countries that are hostile to the United States, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Chinese-owned mines in Namibia. Allies like Canada and Australia have slowly been accounting for less and less of this supply, dropping from 51 percent in 2017 to 39 percent in 2019. prgtoken Passing this mineral withdrawal will play into Putin's hands and weaken our mineral independence and national security. Proponents of this amendment will tell you that it is necessary to protect the Grand Canyon from destructive mining. Nothing could be further from the truth. prgtoken Nobody is mining in the Grand Canyon. Nobody wants to mine in the Grand Canyon. Nobody will mine in the Grand Canyon in the future-- never. There are already buffer zones in place, it is called the Grand Canyon National Park. prgtoken Unfortunately, this continues the disturbing trend--just today, technically yesterday at this point--committee passed a bill to permanently withdraw over 200,000 acres in northern Minnesota that constitutes 95 percent of our Nation's nuclear reserves, 88 percent of our cobalt, and 75 percent of our platinum reserves. prgtoken These are not the kind of policies we should be advancing, and I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. .
Biden Administration (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-7-13

over the July 4 recess of Congress, I held Q&A's in 17 counties as part of my annual 99 county meetings. The need for energy independence and the concerns over soaring gas prices were raised at nearly every meeting. As an example, at Woodford Equipment in Emmetsburg, IA, farmers raised their concerns over the high cost of diesel and their pricey commutes to work at that business caused by President 's failed energy policies. prgtoken Today is a very difficult time for American families and businesses, with gas and diesel prices at record highs--more than doubling since President took office. Americans who drive every day are feeling the impact of an administration that is making it harder to drill and refine fossil fuels. prgtoken President has stated that it is the administration's goal to have half of the Nation's vehicles be electric by the year 2030. The Energy Secretary prgtoken has said that to beat the high gas prices, Americans should purchase electric vehicles. Now, that is practically impossible for most families because the average price of an electric vehicle, according to Kelley Blue Book, is $56,000. That happens to be roughly equivalent to Iowa's median family income. prgtoken Even if having half of all cars be electric by 2030 were attainable-- which, of course, it isn't--that presents yet another real problem. Large swaths of the United States' electrical grid are at risk for shortfall this summer. In May, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation released its summer reliability assessment. They identified the West and Midwest as being at heightened risk for energy shortfalls. The farm where I live near Cedar Falls, IA, is served by Cedar Falls municipal electricity, and this is the first time in my life that I have ever gotten a warning from that electric company that we could have brownouts. So if all cars were electric, the United States would need roughly 25 percent more electricity than it does today. We simply cannot add that many electric vehicles to the grid. prgtoken While gas prices have gone through the roof, energy prices are not far behind. From June last year until May this year, the Consumer Price Index for electricity rose 12 percent. That is the largest increase in the past 15 years. prgtoken With reliability concerns increasing this summer and energy prices rising, still continue to pursue their Green New Deal agenda. There continue to be rumors of another massive tax-and-spending spree passed on a partisan vote that would push prices even higher. prgtoken It is past time for in Congress and the White House to rethink our Nation's energy policy. Instead of becoming more like Europe, the United States must have an ``all of the above'' strategy. Our country has bountiful resources for energy generation. I am very proud of Iowa, a State that produces over 60 percent of its electricity from wind, but I know that this
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7900, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Continued
Garret Graves (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-7-13

I thank my friend for actually expressing the real intent behind this, and this is, I think, the jurisdictional desire of the Financial Services Committee to be involved in disasters. prgtoken The reality, as we all know, , the Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over FEMA. We have jurisdiction over disasters, and not just jurisdiction but actually expertise. prgtoken What happens when you have folks who don't have expertise in this issue is that you end up with legislation like this that will actually--I am going to state it a third time--revictimize disaster victims. It is going to fund a bureaucracy. It is going to fund contractors and not actually get the funds in the hands of folks who most need it. prgtoken , I urge rejection of this amendment and yield back the balance of my time.
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7900, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Continued
Bill Johnson (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-7-13

like so many other amendments that I have heard here tonight, this is one that really befuddles me that it is in the NDAA. This is something that should be adjudicated in the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee, not something that we should be trying to tag onto the NDAA. prgtoken This amendment simply tries to do too much, too fast, and too soon. It dispatches the scientific assessment of the agency about how to address it and disregards the public's input on the process. prgtoken , I urge a ``no'' vote on the Ross amendment, and .
TRIBUTE TO ROLAND J. BABIN
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-7-13

I rise today to express my appreciation for and offer my sincere congratulations to a dedicated public servant, Mr. Roland J. Babin, on his retirement after 67 years of service for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Mr. Babin commenced his career as a student worker in 1955. He currently serves as the districtwide maintenance specialist for the department's Acadian region, making him the department's and the State of Louisiana's longest actively serving employee. prgtoken During his long tenure, Mr. Babin served the department and the State in a number of ways, from working as an engineer aide I to an engineer technician VII. He has supervised and trained countless construction and maintenance personnel over the years, making an impact on the department that will last for years to come. Even at 85 years old, Mr. Babin can be found on a job site operating a shovel, measuring tools, a roller behind a hot mix paver, or a vibratory compactor. Mr. Babin also recorded daily journal entries, dating back to 1970, narrating the department's construction and maintenance projects, hurricanes, ice storms, other emergency responses, and personal anecdotes from his career. In 2017, Mr. Babin was a recipient of the Charles E. Dunbar, Jr Career Civil Service Award, the highest honor awarded to classified Louisiana State employees for outstanding and selfless service for the Louisianan community. prgtoken His tireless work throughout the years has ensured that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will continue to serve Louisiana for decades to come. The department and the State of Louisiana have benefited greatly from his leadership and contributions, and his legacy will not be soon forgotten. I personally thank Mr. Babin for his notable service and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.
Biden Administration (Executive Calendar)
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2022-7-13

I come to the floor today, along with my colleagues, because Americans are continuing to take a financial hit with more expensive, less reliable energy resulting from the administration's harmful energy agenda. prgtoken In the middle of the summer travel season, drivers are paying record- high prgtoken prices at the gas pump. Gas is now $4.63 a gallon nationwide and an average of $4.57 per gallon in my home State of North Dakota. Sky-high energy prices are fueling record inflation, driving up the cost of goods across the entire economy. prgtoken The current CPI rate came out this morning--9.1 percent--9.1 percent, the highest in over 40 years. And it hurts every single American--at the gas pump, at the grocery store, everything they buy. Unbelievable. prgtoken Of course, energy is a big part of that inflation. There is an energy component in every good and service that you get. Electricity prices have risen 13.7 percent. Natural gas and heating oil prices have ballooned by 38.4 percent and 98.5 percent, respectively, over the last year. prgtoken In addition to higher prices, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, warned that homes and businesses across much of the country are facing higher risk of blackouts and brownouts this summer. President 's energy policies are threatening the economic well-being of Americans and our national security. prgtoken Just a few years ago, our country was producing almost 13 million barrels per day of oil and consumers benefited from historically low energy prices. Production has remained down under this administration at about 11\1/2\ million barrels of production per day. American families are paying record prices because the administration is continuing its regulatory onslaught on domestic energy production. prgtoken President 's energy crisis began with the administration's moratorium on new energy leases, closing off access to our abundant taxpayer-owned energy reserves on Federal lands. And for leases that the energy companies have on Federal lands, they are being held up either by the administration's bureaucratic redtape that doesn't allow them to get drilling permits or held up by litigation in the courts. And this administration continues to hold up our ability to move more oil and gas across the country by blocking pipelines like the Keystone XL Pipeline. In 2015, I led a bipartisan effort in Congress to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. If the - administration hadn't vetoed our bill which passed both Houses of Congress, this pipeline would be operating today and bringing almost a million barrels of oil a day to our country from our closest friend and ally Canada. prgtoken We need to unleash more of our vast energy, our oil and natural gas reserves, all the energy that this Nation produces--our most critical, economic, and national security assets. And if we want to truly cut off the Russian war mach