mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SOCIAL SECURITY
John B. Larson (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-3-15

. Madam , we all anticipate and await the presentation from an international hero. Hearing from President Zelensky tomorrow is exactly what this Congress and what the Nation needs to hear. I believe that we will come out united. Certainly, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine and the bravery of President Zelensky. prgtoken Madam , I am here to also talk about another urgency here at home. The fierce urgency of now, as Martin Luther King said, would apply to seniors all across our country. We are all painfully aware of the results of the pandemic with more than 900,000 Americans having perished and over 660,000 of them over the age of 65. prgtoken Madam , you know firsthand as well because you led Chairman Neal's racial equity initiative that also underscored this very group of people--seniors and especially people of color--who have been impacted the most. prgtoken As John Lewis said: This is the next major civil rights issue. And if Black Lives Matter and is more than just a slogan, it is long overdue for the Congress of the United States to take action. prgtoken I commend you, Madam , for your efforts in making sure that we prgtoken bring to the American public's attention this inequity that exists. Imagine more than 5 million Americans in the wealthiest nation on the face of the Earth living in poverty, millions of whom have paid all their lives into a Social Security system that gives them a below poverty-level check. prgtoken The last time Congress did anything to enhance Social Security was in 1971. Richard Nixon was the President, and a gallon of milk cost 72 cents. prgtoken A lot has transpired since then, especially as it relates to our seniors. The people who are impacted the most, along with COVID, are the people who are on fixed incomes. They are impacted by inflation as well. That is why it is so vitally important, with more than 10,000 baby boomers a day becoming eligible for Social Security, that Congress finally acts. prgtoken Help is on the way. Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust will do just that and make sure that it provides across-the-board relief and makes sure that no one can retire into poverty and raises the new floor for those who are in desperate need now. We can no longer afford to kick the can down the road. The pandemic has only further underscored the problem that our seniors face. prgtoken Madam , as you know, it is not just our seniors. When we look at veterans, more veterans rely on Social Security disability than they do on the VA. When we look at spousal and dependent coverage and the need for children to stay on their policies and be able to be eligible as Social Security recipients, how we have treated widows and widowers, all needs to be addressed. prgtoken Who is impacted the most by this? Women. And specifically women of color that are most in need, because of the jobs they held in society and because they were primarily caregivers and spent more ti
JACKSON WALLACE
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2022-3-15

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and applaud Jackson Wallace for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. prgtoken Jackson Wallace is a student at Three Creeks K-8 and received this award because his determination and hard work have allowed him to overcome adversities. prgtoken The dedication demonstrated by Jackson Wallace is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives. prgtoken I extend my deepest congratulations to Jackson Wallace for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassador for Youth award. I have no doubt he will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of his future accomplishments.
RECOGNIZING DR. NGOZI EZIKE
Bill Foster (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-15

. Madam , for decades, Will County has grappled with issues of affordable housing, an issue that has become more and more important in communities large and small across our country. prgtoken That is why I am so proud that the Federal omnibus recently passed by Congress included $3 million for the Housing Authority of Joliet to help turn a shuttered golf course into quality, affordable housing for hardworking families who deserve access to the dream of homeownership. prgtoken Altogether, our office secured nearly $19 million for very worthwhile projects in Illinois' 11th District that will benefit our entire community, and this will be taxpayer money well spent. Community Projects: The Old Joliet Prison
JAPANESE AMERICAN CONFINEMENT EDUCATION ACT
Ed Case (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-3-15

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1931, the Japanese American Confinement Education Act, as well as H.R. 6434, the Japanese American World War II History Network Act, which we will consider later today. prgtoken I am honored and humbled to cosponsor these measures, and I sincerely thank my colleagues from California, Representatives Matsui and Obernolte, for their work in crafting both pieces of legislation to ensure that the inexcusable injustices faced by our Nation's Japanese American community during World War II are never forgotten. prgtoken The memory of World War II evokes one of the darkest periods of our history as a country, the mass internment of Japanese Americans. Over the course of the war, our Federal Government forcibly relocated and incarcerated about 120,000 Japanese Americans, the majority of whom were U.S. citizens, in barbed wire enclosed camps. prgtoken H.R. 1931 and H.R. 6434 both strengthen our ability, if not necessity, to tell what happened in these confinement sites, and to ensure that future generations learned what happened so it never occurs again. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to honor and remember the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated at still-infamous sites like Manzanar, Tule Lake, where my wife's uncle and aunt, simple truck farmers from Sacramento, were interned, Heart Mountain, and the Honouliuli Internment Camp in Honolulu by voting ``yes'' on both H.R. 1931 and H.R. 6434.
BOUNDARY OF PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK
Vicente Gonzalez (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-3-15

I rise today in support of Congressman Filemon Vela's bill, H.R. 268, which would add Fort Brown to the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park located in Brownsville, Texas. prgtoken By including this fort, we are creating a national monument for the only standing architecture in the United States associated with the Mexican-American War. prgtoken In 1845, after the annexation of Texas, President James Polk sent soldiers to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to proclaim the boundary of the United States at the Rio Grande River. prgtoken In 1846, General Zachary Taylor ordered the construction of the fort, which consisted of a six-sided earthwork. Once finished, General Taylor left to procure supplies and gave command of the fort to Major Jacob Brown. prgtoken On May 3, 1846, Mexico sought to capitalize on the depleted resources and bombarded the fort for 6 straight days. Major Jacob Brown and the American troops fought valiantly, forcing Mexico to retreat. American forces only lost two soldiers, one of which was Major Brown himself. prgtoken Today, the city of Brownsville and Fort Brown serve as a testament to Major Brown's valor, patriotism, and sacrifice. By passing H.R. 268, we as a Nation will honor Major Brown and the Americans who stood their ground at Fort Brown. prgtoken I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join Congressman Vela and I in preserving this important part of south Texas' and our entire country's history.
JAPANESE AMERICAN CONFINEMENT EDUCATION ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-3-15

I rise in support of H.R. 1931 the Japanese American Confinement Education Act that would provide education to elevate understanding about the confinement of Japanese Americans during World War II. In addition to a museum-based educational program, this bill would permanently reauthorize the Japanese American Confinement Sites Preservation Program. prgtoken H.R. 1931 will direct the Department of the Interior to establish a program of grants to Japanese American museums to educate about the confinement of Japanese Americans as a means to understand the importance of democratic principles, the use and abuse of power, and to raise awareness about the importance of cultural tolerance toward Japanese Americans. prgtoken Two months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Roosevelt signed an Executive Order that authorized the relocation of Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens, to designated camps nationwide. prgtoken Teaching about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII would emphasize the importance of understanding the terrible social injustices that have been inflicted upon racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. prgtoken Highlighting this subject would create a thoughtful, deep awareness about our community, our world, and ourselves. prgtoken We must teach that the incarceration of Japanese Americans was wrong, and that racism is wrong. prgtoken This sort of hysteria may occur again, and people must do their part to make sure that it never happens again. prgtoken Iluminating and confronting the tragedy inflicted upon Japanese Americans during WWII can help shape the citizens who will lead us into a more socially aware future. prgtoken Keeping the memories of incarceration alive also gives Japanese Americans the ability and responsibility to speak out when other groups are unfairly targeted on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or other identity. prgtoken My former colleague Congressman Norman Mineta, who represented the constituents of California's 13th and 15th Congressional districts, is a survivor of the Heart Mountain internment camp near Cody, Wyoming. prgtoken In his remarks during a House debate on the passage of the Civil Liberties Act, he exclaimed that he, and all the other prisoners, ``lost [their] most basic human rights. [Their] own government had branded [them] with the unwarranted stigma of disloyalty which clings to [them] still to this day.'' prgtoken Secretary Mineta helped lead the efforts to pass the Civil Liberties Act, which offered a formal apology from the United States Government for its policies toward Japanese Americans and paid each of the 80,000 living survivors $20,000 in compensation. prgtoken His tenacity and faith led him to become a member of Congress for 20 years, Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of Transportation under President . prgtoken It is our duty as Memb
SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT OF 2021
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-3-15

today, the Senate has finally delivered on something Americans all over the country want: to never have to change their clocks again. prgtoken My colleague Senator Rubio and I have finally passed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bipartisan bill to finally make daylight saving time permanent. prgtoken This past weekend, Americans from Washington State to Florida had to lose an hour of sleep for absolutely no reason. This is a burden and a headache we don't need. Any parent who has worked so hard to get a newborn or a toddler on a regular sleeping schedule prgtoken understands the absolute chaos changing our clocks creates and for no good reason. There is enough going on as it is, and we can fix this one inconvenience and stress pretty easily. prgtoken And if the House follows the lead of the U.S. Senate, we can make it so no one anywhere has to change their clocks by making daylight saving time permanent. prgtoken I hope my colleagues in the House and everyone can understand that no one wants to see the Sun set at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, which it currently does in the winter for those of us on the west coast. prgtoken In just this Congress, we have passed major bipartisan bills to strengthen supply chains and promote American manufacturing and make a generational investment in our infrastructure. Let's keep up that bipartisanship and make daylight saving time permanent. prgtoken Voters throughout the Pacific time zone have made clear they are ready for permanent daylight saving time. In California, Oregon, Idaho, and my home State of Washington, we have all passed laws to adopt permanent daylight saving time as soon as Congress acts. So many other States are on the same page. These States need us to take action at the Federal level. prgtoken This is a simple, commonsense measure that we can all take back to our constituents that does away with the completely unnecessary inconvenience in everyone's lives. No more dark afternoons in the winter. No more losing an hour of sleep every spring. We want more sunshine during our most productive waking hours. prgtoken I have said it before, and I will say it again: Americans want more sunshine and less depression. People in this country all the way from Seattle to Miami want the Sunshine Protection Act. prgtoken We got it passed here in the Senate. Now the clock is ticking to get the job done so we don't have to switch our clocks again. prgtoken So I urge my colleagues in the House to act swiftly, as we have done, to get this bill on President 's desk and deliver sunshine to Americans across the country. prgtoken . prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO JIM LAZARUS
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-15

I rise today to pay tribute to a friend and senior member of my team, Jim Lazarus, upon his recent retirement from public service. Jim has been a key adviser to me, in official roles and otherwise, for the past 40 years, and I wish him all the very best in retirement. prgtoken Jim has spent nearly 50 years of dedicated service to San Francisco and the people of California. After graduating from American University and the University of Santa Clara Law School, he was admitted to the California Bar in 1974 and went to work for Governor Jerry Brown where he, among other things, made strides in protecting the prgtoken rights of farmworkers. He then served as the deputy city attorney for the city of San Francisco when I was serving on the board of supervisors. prgtoken After a few years in private practice, I was lucky enough to bring Jim back to city hall in 1983 as executive deputy mayor for finance and administration. Jim helped run San Francisco, managing our operations and keeping us in good financial shape. Jim has said, ``The best job I ever had was the years I was deputy mayor to Feinstein, a great job if you're a San Franciscan and love the city.'' And I will add to that: The City of San Francisco benefited greatly from Jim's legal acumen and management during that critical time. prgtoken Jim served in a variety of public and civic positions after that, including with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee, chief of staff to Mayor Frank Jordan, and even chief operating officer of the San Francisco Zoological Society. prgtoken Wherever there was a need to solve a problem, Jim was ready and willing to go. It was my good fortune to have him come back to my office in 1999 as State director for my Senate operation. In that role, he oversaw the staff across our State offices and advocated for California's needs in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Unfortunately, Jim was a rolling stone and returned to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 2006, where he remained for 13 years as senior VP for public policy. prgtoken Anyone who knows San Francisco can imagine how challenging and sensitive that role must be. It combines the business interests of cutting-edge leaders in high tech, the longstanding commercial goals of mainstream U.S. businesses, and one of the most challenging legal and regulatory frameworks in the United States. prgtoken To my eternal gratitude, I was able to convince Jim, at the end of 2018, to put off retirement and come back one last time to be my State director. He was in that position when COVID hit the Nation, and our office went into overdrive to help Californians get through the pandemic and the economic collapse. He has overseen the State staff through California's two worst fire seasons on record and the growing drought. For many months, he has been a trusted friend and partner, going over the issues of day, business before the Senate, and l
Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-15

I am glad I was on the floor to hear the leader's comments about our Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, because there are a couple of elements that he obviously inadvertently missed that he should have reported when he was talking about the support that she has received from across the political spectrum. He made her out to be a product and creation of some far-left political cause or movement, but she is much more than that. prgtoken He went on to say that Judge Thomas Griffith of the DC Circuit was harassed by the same special interest group that supports Judge Jackson. He missed one key element. I just received a letter within the last 2 weeks from Judge Thomas Griffith, a well-known, retired, conservative Federal judge, endorsing Ketanji Brown Jackson. How about that? prgtoken It doesn't sound like a special interest group to me. It sounds like a -appointed judge who saw her in action and wants to make sure that she gets a chance to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. prgtoken It makes a big difference because, if you take a look at what he had to say about her, Judge Griffith wrote: Judge Jackson has a demonstrated record of excellence, and I believe, based upon her work as a trial judge when I served on the Court of Appeals, [that] she will adjudicate based on the facts and the law and not as a partisan. prgtoken That is exactly the opposite of the point that was being made by Senator McConnell. She has the support across the political spectrum. He failed to mention that she has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police. prgtoken Oh, she is supposedly suspect of being too liberal. Well, I can just tell you that she is a person of quality, integrity, and values, and she has the support across the political spectrum to prove it. prgtoken I believe she is going to be an extraordinary Justice on the Supreme Court, and President made a good choice in selecting her.
U.S. SUPREME COURT
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-3-15

I rise again to discuss the scheme that has captured and now controls America's Supreme Court. prgtoken If you have been following this series of speeches, you know that we have gone over the Powell memo and the plan it laid out for the corporate rightwing. We have gone over the technique of Agency capture, regulatory capture, that has been applied to the Supreme Court. We have gone over the turnstile, that big anonymous rightwing donor setup within the Federalist Society to approve nominees and the dark money front groups that sped those nominees through Senate confirmation. And we have discussed how the big rightwing donor interests influence Justices while they are on the Bench, through fast lanes for dark money litigation and flotillas--flotillas--of dark money amici curiae, front group amici. prgtoken Well, if you set up a machine like that, you will pretty soon see Justices auditioning for the role. To understand the origins of this auditioning, you need to start with a little bit of history. prgtoken It is 1990, and President George H. W. needs to fill a vacancy left by the legendary Justice William Brennan. President appoints a recent First Circuit nominee named David Souter, who had spent most of his career in New Hampshire State government. prgtoken At the time, s thought Souter's short time on the Federal bench was an asset. Without a long paper trail, there was less chance that Souter's nomination would go down in flames, like Robert Bork's had. prgtoken But Souter wasn't the conservative the rightwing hoped for. Indeed, he could be down-right moderate. In their disappointment, they adopted a new mantra: ``No More Souters.'' prgtoken When rumors got around that might nominate his White House Counsel, Alberto Gonzales, to the Court, he was not seen as rightwing enough, and the scheme panicked and the mantra became ``Al Gonzales is Spanish for `David Souter.' '' prgtoken John Paul Stevens was another rightwing disappointment. So ``No More Souters'' as a mantra was joined by ``No More Stevenses.'' prgtoken With these disappointments, the rightwing donors and their Federalist Society accolades vowed to better groom and vet future candidates, scouring nominees' records for maximum adherence to scheme orthodoxy. prgtoken Well, once that process was up and operating, the response was predictable. Ambitious rightwing lawyers aspiring to the Federal Bench aren't dumb. They will follow the path that guides them to their goal. So the maximum adherence auditioning began. I have described the circuit court judge who observed his colleagues taking cases and issuing rulings that seemed to have the clear intent of sending a signal. They strained to write decisions that were dressed to impress. They were, in his word, ``auditioning''--auditioning for the Federalist Society gatekeepers. prgtoken So how exactly does this auditioning work? There is a re
BOUNDARY OF PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK
Filemon Vela (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-3-15

today I rise in support of H.R. 268, legislation to add the Fort Brown earthworks to the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill. prgtoken I introduced this legislation to preserve a piece of history that is not only prgtoken central to south Texas, but to our great Nation. Adding this piece of Fort Brown is critical to interpreting the Mexican-American War and the changes made to our international boundary. It is a record of our Nation's border expansion extending to the Pacific Ocean. prgtoken In hopes of establishing the Rio Grande River as the southern border of the United States, General Taylor ordered the construction of Fort Texas in March of 1846. prgtoken On May 3, 1846, Mexican General Mariano Arista attacked Fort Texas. Under the command of General Zachary Taylor, U.S. forces, including Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant, fought at the Battle of Palo Alto and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, two decisive victories that would force the Mexican retreat across the Rio Grande. prgtoken While the siege produced limited damage to the fort, Major Jacob Brown, who had command of the post, was mortally wounded in its defense. Afterward, General Taylor named the site Fort Brown, and the surrounding area became the town of Brownsville, Texas. prgtoken The Fort Brown earthworks is the only standing architecture in the United States associated with the Mexican-American War. Bringing the earthworks into the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park helps tell our Nation's story and protects this important symbol of the transformation of the country resulting from the 19th century westward expansion. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation so we can protect an essential piece of our history that will help us to tell the story of our Nation long into the future. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support in this legislation.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-15

. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Corley nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.