mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Omnibus (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-20

President 's proposal for fiscal 2023 was a massive real-dollar increase for liberal domestic spending and a significant real-dollar cut for our national defense. Thanks to the tireless work from Senator Shelby and a number of prgtoken our colleagues, the Government funding bill that we will be taking up this week does exactly--exactly the reverse of what the administration asked for. This bill will significantly grow the baseline for defense and significantly cut the baseline for nondefense, nonveterans, after inflation, a big real-dollar increase in the defense baseline, and a big real-dollar cut for the nondefense, nonveterans baseline. This is an impressive outcome for the negotiators; and, more importantly, it is the outcome that our country actually needs to keep helping Ukraine and our other friends, to keep out- innovating and out-competing Russia and China and to keep our brave men and women in uniform equipped with the best training tools and technologies the world has ever seen. prgtoken The administration's original version for the Federal budget-- starving defense while shoveling cash into miscellaneous domestic spending--was so out of whack that in Congress actually joined us in rejecting it. prgtoken Then there was some discussion that might only agree to make sufficient investments in our Armed Forces if they got to jack up domestic spending even higher as compensation. Of course, that didn't make any sense either. The Commander in Chief's own political party does not get to take our troops hostage in order to demand even more unrelated goodies. prgtoken The s' position all along was quite simple: Defending America and out-competing our rivals is a fundamental governing duty. It is the basic business that we are supposed to take care of, not something for which get special rewards. And that is precisely what is finally happening. Compared to where the negotiators started, we transferred huge sums of money away from ' spending wish list, toward our national defense and Armed Forces, but without allowing the overall cost of the package to go any higher. prgtoken There is no question that an omnibus spending bill less than 1 week before Christmas is not the right way to run the appropriations process or the Senate Chamber. Things should be done differently--more responsibly, with more foresight and more planning. prgtoken And when s controlled the majority, things were, in fact, done differently--more responsibly, with more foresight. When s last controlled both chambers, we worked to conduct a more normal appropriations process. The subcommittees were more empowered to do their work. We worked to break things into multiple bills and move minibuses across the Senate floor before the 11th hour. prgtoken Instead, as s spent this whole year calling on the ic leader to prioritize hi
Remembering Mike Leach (Executive Session)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2022-12-20

I come to the floor today to pay tribute to a very special man who was held dear by many Mississippians, Mississippi State University head coach Mike Leach, who passed away on December 12, 2022. prgtoken Today, thousands of Mississippians and people from across the country will gather in Starkville to celebrate the life of Mike Leach, who began his coaching at Mississippi State in 2020. prgtoken Coach Leach's quirkiness, youthful spirit, and dynamic coaching style immediately endeared him to football fans across my State. His likeable and unique personality broke barriers among schools. Whether you were cheering for Mississippi State, Jackson State, Ole Miss, Southern, or any other prgtoken school, you couldn't help but chuckle at the entertaining sideline interviews or admire how his ``Air Raid'' offense was changing the game. prgtoken Coach Leach was an attorney. He started his coaching career shortly after graduating from law school. Mike Leach made a lasting impact on the game of football, to be sure, but, more importantly, his extraordinary leadership and passion for the game made a lasting impact on his players, his colleagues, and his loved ones. prgtoken These remarks can't fully encompass Mike Leach's life as a husband, father, grandfather, scholar, mentor, and charitable man. Still, Mississippi is blessed to have been able to call Mike Leach one of our own these past years. prgtoken While our State mourns, we remain grateful for the memories and the stories his legacy leaves. prgtoken My heart goes out to his family and the entire Bulldog family. prgtoken Hail State, and rest in peace, Coach. prgtoken .
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2023
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-12-20

I come to the floor tonight as we are hearing media reports that President Zelenskyy of Ukraine will be coming to Washington tomorrow to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. I hope that is an accurate report. I think it is important that he come. This would be, by the way, the first time that he has left Ukraine in 300 days--not since the start of the invasion, which is now 300 days from today. prgtoken Against all odds, Ukraine has held out against the Russian assault. Many thought that it would only be able to hold out for a week or so. Instead, it has been 300 days. They have pushed Russia back in so many places. prgtoken I am glad he is coming because I know what he will do is talk about his deep appreciation for what the American people have provided. Every time I have been with him--and I have traveled to Ukraine about 10 times since 2014--he talks about that. But, particularly, over the last few months, I have been to Ukraine twice, and he focused on the fact that they couldn't do it without us and the deep appreciation that he feels. prgtoken Second, I know he will give us a firsthand report of what is going on. Just this morning, he was in Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine. This is what it looks like in Bakhmut today. So he is going from a ravaged battle zone--it looks a little bit like a World War I battle zone when you see all the damage that has been occurring in this area. He will be able to tell us specifically what is happening on the battlefield and talk about the continued Russian atrocities that are being committed in the country of Ukraine. prgtoken I am here for the 29th consecutive week on the floor of the Senate to talk about this attack on Ukraine, a brutal, illegal, and totally unprovoked war on a democratic ally of ours who just wants to live in peace with its neighbors, including Russia. In each of these previous 28 speeches, I have talked about the progress that has been made and some of the issues that the Ukrainian people still need to address, particularly with regard to more technology and more weapon systems from the West and from the United States. prgtoken Today, I thought it might be useful to step back and take a look at how we got here and how far Ukraine has come over these 300 days. Let's consider what the Ukrainian military has accomplished since that initial Russian invasion of sovereign Ukrainian territory now over 8 years ago. prgtoken This first picture shows Ukrainian soldiers taking up positions in Kramatorsk back in 2014. This was, again, right after the so-called Revolution of Dignity when Ukraine decided to turn to the West--the United States and Europe, democracy, free markets--and the Russian- backed, corrupt government was thrown out. Russia responded by attacking Ukraine, taking Crimea and parts of the Donbas. prgtoken These are the Ukrainian soldiers at that time. You can look at this very basic kit: old, rusted weapons; boots th
HOMETOWN HERO--GRACE GRAPEVINE
Beth Van Duyne (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-20

. Madam , I rise today to recognize an organization that has gone above and beyond to better our community in North Texas. prgtoken For the past 35 years, GRACE has served as a steward of God's blessings and resources by providing food, clothing, financial assistance, and other necessities to North Texans struggling with a limited income or recent emergency. prgtoken Through decades of support from our community, GRACE has grown to include programs providing low cost medical services, transitional housing, and general emergency assistance. prgtoken Without the compassion and selfless service demonstrated by GRACE, our community would undoubtedly be a different place altogether. prgtoken I would like to thank GRACE for putting others ahead of themselves and ensuring members of our community are taken care of.
HONORING W. MICHAEL BYRNE
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-12-20

. Madam , I am honored to commend to the House the memory of W. Michael Byrne, who passed away in the Dominican Republic on October 16 at the age of 99. prgtoken Mike Byrne was born in Minot, North Dakota, in 1923. At age 3, his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan, where at age 8 he began working various jobs to help his family during the Great Depression. Drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1943, Mike served as a bombardier/navigator during World War II, rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant. prgtoken After the war, Mike was recruited by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation for its small appliance division. His Westinghouse career started in Mansfield, Ohio, where he met the woman who would become his wife of 64 years, Lois. prgtoken Mike quickly rose through the ranks at Westinghouse, ultimately becoming national marketing manager, where he oversaw the company's sales and marketing work. prgtoken In 1966, Mike started his own company, Michael Byrne Manufacturing, which became a leader in the field of tunneling and augering equipment. His outstanding work led to his induction into the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum as a Champion of Industry. prgtoken Mike's dedication to volunteerism and civic duty was a model to all. He served as the first president of the Saint Peter's High School Booster Club and as a member of the Saint Peter's Board of Education. His passion for service to others continued after he and Lois moved to the Dominican Republic, where they helped fund the construction of a primary school in Puerto Plata. They also worked with CitiHope International to create a program to import and distribute much-needed medicine and medical supplies to the poor. prgtoken Madam , Mike is survived by 8 children, 19 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren, On behalf of the people of Ohio's Fourth Congressional District, I offer them my condolences as they remember Mike's extraordinary life and his lifelong devotion to helping those in need.
IMMIGRATION
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-12-20

I first want to thank my colleague Senator Sinema for her comments. I think that she has framed a lot of the challenges that we were seeking to address that are going to persist into the next Congress now. prgtoken I think one of the things that we have to do, if we are able to achieve bipartisan consensus in the next Congress, is to get more people to recognize, just as Senator Sinema stated in her first few lines of her comments just before me, we have a crisis at the southern border. And it is a crisis where the border States--the southern border States--bear the brunt of it, but it affects everybody in the United States. Every city, every State, every community is being affected by the crisis at the border. prgtoken I think this administration has to recognize--it is interesting if you watch the news coverage--how suddenly one end of the spectrum says: Now it is time for Congress to act. The crisis at the border--2 million illegal crossings in each of the last 12-month periods, for a total of 4 million people illegally crossing the border. prgtoken We dodged a bullet this week when title 42, which is a policy that allows expedited removal for a certain group of those crossing the border illegally to be returned--but tomorrow or next week or in the next couple of weeks, that policy is going to come off the books. Then, Border Patrol says, they will no longer have control over the border. They already have said that they can barely keep up. prgtoken The vast majority of people who are Border Patrol agents who should be responding to illegal crossings are now working in the aftermath of 2 million people coming across the border over the last 12 months. They are providing housing, transportation. They are not actually doing law enforcement. If title 42 goes away, that 2 million is estimated to be 3 million over the next 12 months. And it could go up from there. prgtoken Ever since President has taken office--we have to keep in mind that this is just an objective observation. In the 12 months before President came into office, there were about a half million illegal crossings--in the 12 months before. In the 12 months after, there were 2 million. And the 12 months after that, there were 2 million. And now we have the threat of 3 million and continuing. prgtoken On the one hand, when you see somebody risking their life to come into this country, you have to kind of take it as a compliment. They want to realize the American dream. And I admire that. One of the very reasons why we are so attractive as a country to come and live and prosper is because we are a nation of laws. We have order. Now we have disorder at the border. prgtoken And even though it is a huge problem to have 2 million crossings every year, it is an even worse problem to have 50,000 got-aways. The way it works down at the border--I have been to the border several times--the vast majority of the people that cross the bord
RECOGNIZING THE TEMPLE THEATRE
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-12-20

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Temple Theater in Hanford, California. prgtoken Built in 1922, the Temple Theater was originally constructed for $3,500 with the intent to serve as a school for the Chinese community in Hanford. Know originally as the Chinese Center for Knowledge, local children from Hanford's Chinese district would attend additional schooling here to learn about Chinese history, language. and culture. The school would exist from 1922 until the late 1940s. prgtoken In 1963, Audrey Leibold and other members of the community formed the Kings Players-- prgtoken an organization dedicated to promoting community theater in the Central Valley. The only issue was that at that time, Hanford did not have any community theaters that could serve as permanent theater locations. With the temple that housed the Chinese Center for Knowledge now vacant for over a decade, The Kings Players decided to purchase the building and turned it into the Temple Theater--which has served as the group's permanent home ever since. prgtoken Whether it be as a school for our local Chinese community or a theatre to promote local art, the building now known as the Temple Theatre has been an integral part of the Hanford community for a hundred years. Today, The Kings Players offer four shows each year at the theatre, bringing the Valley community together through the arts. prgtoken I ask all of my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the centennial anniversary of Hanford's Temple Theatre.
COMMENDING DR. CHRISTA MARTIN FOR HER SELFLESS SERVICE TO HER COMMUNITY AND THE GREAT STATE OF TENNESSEE
Mark E. Green (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-12-20

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the life and accomplishments of Dr. Christa Martin of Columbia, Tennessee, prgtoken Christa Martin exemplifies the volunteer spirit. She was born and raised in Maury County and continues to serve the community she cherishes so deeply. Growing up on a farm instilled in Dr. Martin the three main focuses of her life: education, public service, prgtoken and faith. Through her humble beginnings, Dr. Martin said she learned from her surroundings, ``the farm . . . and the road . . . and the community,'' and believes, ``you didn't have to have letters behind your name to be educated.'' prgtoken Through various chapters of learning, Dr. Martin has never stalled in her intellectual journey. She graduated from Columbia State Community College in 1975 with a degree in data processing. A year later, she received a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from Middle Tennessee State University. She then received a doctorate of Higher Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. prgtoken Dr. Martin not only earned her degrees from these institutions, but also chose to give back. From 1979 to 2003, she worked in the Computer Science department at Columbia State Community College. Since 2003, Dr. Martin has worked in a promoted role as an Assistant to the President, specializing in Access and Diversity. prgtoken Dr. Martin has also served her community well. She served on the Columbia City Council for over 30 years and is finishing her last term as the Vice Mayor of Columbia, where she is the first African American female to hold that position. Dr. Martin also serves on the Board of Directors for Columbia Power & Water, Blood Assurance, and Public Entity Partners. She serves non-profit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of South-Central Tennessee, Columbia Miracle League, Maury County NAACP, and many more. prgtoken Dr. Martin continues to be involved at New Smyrna Cumberland Presbyterian Church as a teacher, missionary, clerk, elder, and choir member. prgtoken Dr. Martin is a pillar of the community who is dedicated to leaving it a better place than she found it. Her life shows how passion and commitment can create a causal chain that benefits whole cities, counties, and, indeed, the state. I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging this great American's unwavering devotion towards education, her community, and her faith.
FAREWELL TO CONGRESS
Peter Meijer (Republican, MI) \u2014 2022-12-21

. Madam , I rise today for the last time as a Member of the 117th Congress. I do not seek to dwell on the circumstances of my departure, although it does bring to mind a few lines from Yeats' ``Second Coming'': The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. prgtoken Perhaps it takes a cataclysm like World War I to capture the naked, malevolent cynicism of our politics. Yeats also well captured the harrowing consequence of elite ineptitude that precipitated the slaughter of tens of millions: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. prgtoken I read and re-read those words while flying from Hamid Karzai International Airport last August during the shameful end to 20 years of America's war in Afghanistan. prgtoken What I saw on the ground during that waking nightmare exemplified some of the best of the American men and women in uniform, but it also reflected the haplessness and incompetency of American policymaking. prgtoken It is easy to question why we are here in this Chamber, what our purpose is, and what it is we seek to achieve. I did not enter this body as some wide-eyed innocent; three years in war zones had stripped me of that. prgtoken But what I did not anticipate until I got here was how many of the problems we are confronting are problems of Congress' own making. prgtoken Look at Afghanistan. Across the rotunda, we are fighting an uphill battle to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act so that our allies who have risked their lives to support our operations aren't deported back to the same hell that 13 American servicemembers sacrificed their lives to rescue them from. prgtoken This should not be a Herculean task. Yet, Senators have the privilege of wrapping their hands around the neck of critical legislation and strangling it in back rooms. If they want to slit the throat of the Afghan Adjustment Act, then let them do it on the Senate floor in full view of the allies and veterans they are betraying. prgtoken The reason in the first place why we have to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act is due to the failure of our war in Afghanistan--a failure abetted by decades of Congress' lax oversight of the President and his Department of Defense. prgtoken To solve this, I pushed for Congress to take back its war powers, to take back that constitutional responsibility. But even when it comes to Congress asserting its own prerogative, this body has shown itself unwilling to do its job. prgtoken The current budget negotiations taking place on the other side of the rotunda also show a Congress unwilling to confront the very basic task of passing a budget on time. The last time we had a budget passed before the fiscal year started, I was in second grade. And here we sit, 72 hours before a government shutdown, while the Senate pats itself on the back for dropping a 4,155-page omnibus bill at 2 a.m. yesterday morning. prgtoken When Co
COLONEL MARY LOUISE RASMUSON CAMPUS OF THE ALASKA VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ACT OF 2022
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2022-12-21

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in support of S. 5016, a bill to designate the medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in Anchorage, Alaska, as the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus of the Alaska VA Healthcare System. prgtoken Mary Louise Rasmuson was born, as was said earlier, in April 1911 in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During World War II, she answered the Nation's call and enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps as a private. She became one of the first women to serve in that role. prgtoken Having quickly risen through the ranks, President Eisenhower appointed Colonel Rasmuson as the Director of the Women's Army Corps. prgtoken Colonel Rasmuson was instrumental in the integration of Black women into the Women's Army Corps and was awarded the Legion of Merit for leadership. At her direction, she also expanded opportunities for women to serve in assignments previously reserved only for men. She also advocated for new avenues for women to advance their military careers. prgtoken After serving for over 20 years in the Army, she retired in July of 1962 and moved to Alaska, where she continued prgtoken to serve her community as a veteran. Colonel Rasmuson engaged in several efforts to preserve the veterans' stories in museums and memorials around the country until she passed away in 2012 at the age of 101. Now, her story of service will be told for generations. prgtoken Colonel Rasmuson not only paved the way for successful integration of women into what is now our U.S. Army, she also was a role model of character and outstanding service to our Nation. prgtoken Naming the VA facility in Alaska in her honor is a fitting tribute. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .