mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING JACK STACK, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SRC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Billy Long (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-12-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor Jack Stack, the President and CEO of SRC Holdings Corporation. prgtoken Jack, a graduate of Elmhurst College, came to SRC in 1979 as the Plant Manager of International Harvester after eleven years of direct supply chain management experience. In 1983, Stack and the SRC employees bought the company from IH and have turned it into what INC. magazine has proclaimed ``one of America's most competitive small companies''. They currently employ more than 1,800 people, with annual sales over $600,000,000. SRC remanufactures gasoline and diesel engines for the automotive and off-highway markets, distributes engine kits, manufactures power units and remanufactures electrical components, and conducts seminars and training programs specializing in all aspects of teaching people how to implement open-book management. Jack has authored three books on business, The Great Game of Business (1992), A Stake in the Outcome (2002) and Change The Game: Saving the American Dream by Closing the Gap (2019). prgtoken Jack has been named The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce's ``Springfieldian of the Year''; an honor bestowed annually on a local community member who has worked to improve the quality of life in Springfield. He has also received the Springfield Business Journal's Economic Impact ``Lifetime Achievement'' award for outstanding professional accomplishments and contributions in the business community. INC. Magazine has called him the ``smartest strategist in America'' and named him one of twenty-five entrepreneurs selected to represent the 25 years INC. has been published. These are just a few of his many recognitions. prgtoken On top of his business work, Jack has been active in his local community, previously serving as director of Care to Learn, a local not-for-profit agency that provides relief to children with emergent hunger, health, and hygiene needs. Jack is the founder of the Boys and Girls Clubs Invest to Invest Club which was created in order to generate a new source of funds for their youth programs and to serve as a tool to teach business basics to Club members and provide a friendly and competitive venue for the Invest to Invest group members. prgtoken Madam , Jack Stack has achieved truly great things, and I am proud to honor him today.
BIDEN SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2022-12-1

and have failed to secure the southern border. Since took office, over 1 million illegal aliens have evaded apprehension, including 60,000 in October. prgtoken Among the 4 million who have illegally crossed the border since are professional mass murderers on the terrorist screening database. American families are at greater risk than ever of mass murder, which is why voters elected a House majority to fight for effective border enforcement. prgtoken As the co-chair of the French-American Caucus and of French heritage myself, I was grateful yesterday to have been present with President Emmanuel Macron at the Library of Congress. prgtoken South Carolina appreciates both the Marquis de Lafayette, who landed at Georgetown in 1777 to support the American Revolution, with his portrait here in the Chamber, and Michelin Tire Corporation, whose Lexington groundbreaking I attended this week in 1979, now the largest Michelin manufacturing facility in the world. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, who successfully protected America for 20 years, as the global war on terrorism, sadly which continues, now moving from the Afghanistan safe haven to America.
The Judiciary (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-1

it has been one of the big, unfortunate ironies of the past several years: Many of the same individuals and institutions on the political left that have spent the years 2017 through 2020 yelling about the importance of norms and institutions have themselves not hesitated to undermine our institutions when they are unhappy with a given outcome. prgtoken Just as an example, the newly elected incoming leader of the House is a past election denier who baselessly said the 2016 election was ``illegitimate'' and suggested that we had a ``fake'' President. He has also mounted reckless attacks on our independent judiciary and said that Justices he didn't like have ``zero legitimacy.'' prgtoken Unfortunately, when it comes to attacking our independent judiciary, the ' new leader isn't an outlier; he is a representative sample. In the last few years, we have seen my counterpart, the Senate ic leader, threaten sitting Justices by name over on the Supreme Court steps; we have seen President and Attorney General Garland refuse to enforce Federal law and put a stop to illegal harassment campaigns at the homes of Justices; and we have seen coordinated efforts by and the media to use smear campaigns to personally punish Justices whose legal reasoning they don't like. prgtoken The latest target has been Justice Alito, whose great offense was overruling a deeply flawed precedent that prominent liberal legal scholars, including even the late Justice Ginsburg herself, long acknowledged was badly written and poorly reasoned. prgtoken I am confident the smear campaigns and baseless fishing expeditions will keep groping around, and I am just as confident that Justices Alito, Thomas, and the entire Court will continue to ignore the noise and the smears and practice judicial independence. prgtoken We also see growing evidence that the attacks on members of the legal profession who dare to upset the activist left are actually not limited to judges and other public officials. Private citizens are not safe. Earlier this week, a longtime female partner at a major law firm explained in an op-ed how she was forced out of the firm after she dared--dared--to enter into a ``safe space for women'' and share her own personal views on the Dobbs ruling. As she tells it, simply being a woman who agreed with the five-Justice majority of the Supreme Court was a fireable offense. Some of her colleagues claimed that merely hearing her express a dissenting view caused them to ``[lose] their ability to breathe.'' prgtoken This past summer, two wildly successful appellate litigators, including a former U.S. Solicitor General, were prgtoken drummed out of another prominent firm because they won a Supreme Court victory for the Second Amendment. In their telling, they were basically told to either abandon their pro-Second Amendment clients or hand in their badges. prgtoken Meanwhile, intellectual freed
RECOGNIZING DISTRICT 10 COMMISSIONER JAVIER SOUTO FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Carlos A. Gimenez (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-12-1

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Miami-Dade County Commissioner Javier D. Souto for his exemplary public service to the Miami community. Since his election to the County Board of Commissioners in April 1993, Senator Souto has served District 10-- which includes portions of Kendall, Westchester, and Fontainebleau-- with distinction for over 29 years. Before that, he was elected twice to the Florida Senate. prgtoken Senator Souto's work on behalf of his constituents has been wide- ranging and comprehensive. His passion for our parks and places that bring people together is truly inspiring. He has built a legacy of helping others in need and fighting against the brutal dictatorship of the Castro regime in Cuba. Commissioner Souto is a veteran of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and his contributions to the Cuban exile community are immeasurable. prgtoken I had the pleasure of serving as County Commissioner and then Mayor of Miami-Dade County, where I worked with Senator Souto extensively and witnessed firsthand his hard work and determination. His love for Miami is evident through his life of dedication to its people. It is my deep pleasure to honor Senator Souto as he retires from the Board of Commisioners, and I wish him all the very best.
ONE STOP SHOP COMMUNITY REENTRY PROGRAM ACT OF 2021
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-12-1

. Madam , I voted for this bill in committee because it is a worthy objective. prgtoken Assisting prisoners to successfully reenter society, find jobs, and take their place as law-abiding citizens is essential to the safety and stability of our society. prgtoken But on further reflection, I have come to believe that this is a program that the Federal Government should not be funding through grants to local organizations. prgtoken Grants have become the third biggest expenditure of the entire Federal Government, behind only Social Security and National Defense. prgtoken We give away a half-trillion dollars a year in this manner, that is roughly $4,000 from an average family's taxes, with little oversight, little accountability, little follow-up, and little results. prgtoken Reentry preparation should be a top priority of Federal and State prison systems. State prisons are a State responsibility. They should be funded by taxpayers of the individual States. Probation departments exist precisely to promote reentry, and the model in this bill should be considered by them. prgtoken Now, Federal prisons are our responsibility, and we also have probation services that should be striving toward implementing concepts in this bill. prgtoken If this measure funded Federal programs that expanded reentry preparation within the Federal prisons and probation system, I would strongly support it, but it doesn't. Instead, it takes the money of a taxpayer in one State and throws that money at a nonprofit organization in another State with the hope that some good will come from it. And some might. prgtoken But more likely, it will disappear into the salaries of various groups who will write glowing reports of their work and apply for more grants next year. And if for some reason the Federal Bureau of Prisons is unable to provide these services, then they should be competitively bid out to contractors with specific performance measurements and accountability. prgtoken Federal grant spending is completely out of control and it has to stop. Reckless spending--all for good causes--I have never seen a grant program that doesn't promise to do good things, but it is destroying our prosperity. That spending is driving the worst inflation in 40 years and the most ruinous debt in our Nation's history. And it is hard to find a grant program that actually delivers on its promises. prgtoken I think it is time that we began to spend taxpayers' money as carefully as they spend what they have got left after we have taxed them into debt. prgtoken This bill falls short of that responsibility.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2022-12-1

nobody wants a strike right now in our country. We have had challenges with supply chains. We have had challenges with finding enough workers with regard to our businesses. Nobody wants a strike. prgtoken My amendment would certainly focus on not having a strike but making sure that the sides in this disagreement, between management and labor, get back to work to resolve the problems at hand. It is a simple amendment. It says we need a cooling-off period for 60 more days. prgtoken Congress finds itself in another last-minute emergency being rushed to the floor of the Senate. We got the details of this about 24 hours ago on a very complicated subject. prgtoken Since 2019, negotiations have been going on between labor unions representing railway employees and the railway industry over employee pay, hours of service, benefits, sick leave--complicated negotiations. prgtoken Now that the negotiations have met an impasse, we have been asked to endorse a proposal that the Presidential Emergency Board has endorsed and that the union members have rejected. Complicated. prgtoken Barring additional action, as I mentioned, there could be a strike that would harm our economy and workers and families and other businesses. Again, we don't want that. prgtoken Here is the other issue: We also don't want Congress to become the de facto endgame for all future negotiations--private contract negotiations--enacting the agreements reached at the bargaining table or having Congress then dictate the terms of minutia in these contracts with regard to sick leave or other things. prgtoken Now, I know Senator Sanders has a provision on this. It might be a great idea; it might not be a good idea. I don't know. But we got this 24 hours ago. No hearings, no discussion. prgtoken So all I am asking for is a 60-day cooling-off period so the sides can get back to the bargaining table, so the President of the United States and the Secretary of Labor, Secretary Walsh, can get involved and do their jobs. That is it: a cooling off period for 60 days, handing this negotiation back to the parties involved to resolve. prgtoken Now, some people say, well, that is just kicking the can down the road. Well, there is precedent for this course of action by Congress. The legislation covering these kind of labor agreements contemplate Congress asking for additional cooling-off periods. We have done this many times before, including in 1986, where it actually worked. A 60- day cooling off period. The sides went back to the bargaining table, and they resolved their issues on their own without the Congress of the United States having to come and dictate terms. prgtoken As I mentioned, less than 36 hours ago, we were asked to decide on issues that are complicated, that are important--without necessary deliberations, without congressional hearings to gain knowledge and expertise required to make informed decisions. prgtoken My amendment would certainly avoid a
CONGRATULATING DORDT UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH BRIAN VAN HAAFTEN
Randy Feenstra (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-12-1

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Dordt University men's basketball Coach Brian Van Haaften on his 500th career win. prgtoken Dordt, my alma mater, bested Governors State 113-82, clinching their eighth win of the season and Brian's 500th all-time win. prgtoken In just four seasons, Brian has led Dordt to 79 victories, elevating the Defenders to new heights. prgtoken Since 1988, he has dedicated his time and talents to developing young men not only as basketball players but also as upstanding citizens and men of faith. prgtoken A man of deep faith, he teaches his players the Christian values that connect our families in Sioux County: teamwork, hard work, sportsmanship, and humility. prgtoken Brian is a phenomenal asset to Dordt University and an integral part of the community. prgtoken Congratulations again, Brian, on the incredible achievement. Here's to 500 more.
PROVIDING FOR A RESOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO THE UNRESOLVED DISPUTES BETWEEN CERTAIN RAILROADS REPRESENTED BY THE NATIONAL CARRIERS' CONFERENCE COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL RAILWAY LABOR CONFERENCE AND...
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-1

earlier this week, I did something I haven't done in a number of years, which is to attend a session of the U.S. Supreme Court, their oral arguments. prgtoken Of course, as you know, during the COVID pandemic, even the Supreme Court had to change the way it operated, but now the Court is back in the Supreme Court Building, meeting together, and listening to oral arguments and deciding some of the most important cases that are confounding the country and our legal system. prgtoken But the case that I listened to oral arguments in hit very close to home because the style of the case was United States v. Texas. It centers on a memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, which he released last fall. In it, he provided specific confirmation--indeed, actually direction--to our Border Patrol agents that they would no longer have any hard and fast rules when it comes to removing illegal entry into the United States, particularly by those who commit serious crimes. So rather than a mandatory rule, Secretary Mayorkas said: Well, you have to weigh these various factors to see whether somebody who is guilty of a serious crime should be removed from the United States. prgtoken Under this memorandum, officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were discouraged from arresting or removing illegal immigrants unless they posed a threat to national security, public safety, or border security. That sounds reasonable, but it is a little more amorphous, a little more vague than specifically people who have committed aggravated felonies. prgtoken The memorandum, though, goes on to say that the Agency will prioritize anyone who poses a ``current threat to public safety,'' but it is unclear exactly what that means. The guidelines state that this ``is not to be determined according to bright lines or categories.'' prgtoken If you are a law enforcement officer, like the Border Patrol, what do you want? You want bright lines. You don't want categories. You don't want some woke statement about, well, on one hand, you have to consider these factors; on the other hand, you have to consider these factors. They need bright lines so they can make, perhaps, even life-and-death decisions. prgtoken But what Secretary Mayorkas has said in this memorandum is that there prgtoken is really no clear guidance, no clear definition for our Border Patrol in terms of the people they need to detain and remove from the United States because they are a public safety threat. I would hope that crimes like murder, rape, and aggravated assault would meet this balancing test by Secretary Mayorkas, but the memo does not offer any specifics. It is, on this hand, you have to consider these factors; on the other hand, you have to consider these without any real guidance. prgtoken We know it is unfair to our law enforcement officials to not provide them with better guidance because they have to make difficult de
CRISIS ON SOUTHERN BORDER
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-12-1

. Madam , I use this opportunity to try to wake up our slumbering press corps on another very relevant story related to the southern border. prgtoken In the last week, it became apparent that, in the last month, 73,000 illegal immigrants snuck across the border without touching the Border Patrol. prgtoken So you understand, when you hear these numbers, 150,000, 180,000 people crossing every month, most of those people are people that are at least touched by the Border Patrol before they are given an appearance date at which they have to appear before some judicial forum. But there are also people who sneak across the border without being touched by the Border Patrol. prgtoken We had 70,000 gotaways in November. That is the all-time high-- without any perfunctory analysis at all, 73,000. prgtoken The border crisis is the greatest it has ever been. I beg the press corps in this country to wake up. That 73,000 figure ought to be the banner story in every newspaper across the country. We know that most of those papers won't even cover it. They are off covering some Hollywood floozy.
HONORING REPRESENTATIVE ALLEN McNEILL FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-12-2

. Madam , I rise today to honor State Representative Allen McNeill for approximately 45 years of service to the people of Randolph and Moore County. A beloved member of our community, Representative McNeill has exhibited the highest level of commitment to protecting and serving others. prgtoken Prior to serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Representative McNeill worked for the Randolph County Sheriff's Office for approximately 30 years. His position with the office provided him with essential experience in law enforcement and public safety that has been integral to his accomplishments in the North Carolina House of Representatives. In 2012, Representative McNeill was first elected to the District 78 seat representing segments of Randolph and Moore County. He has represented this seat to this day and currently serves as the chair of the Justice and Public Safety Appropriations Committee as well as the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and Judiciary 2 Committee. He is also a member of numerous other committees, including but not limited to the Election Law and Campaign Finance Committee and the Transportation Committee. As representative, his legislative initiative has affected essential funding for local government and institutional actors to ensure that his constituency is equipped with quality security and public safety measures. Perhaps most notably, his negotiations achieved indispensable funding that allowed Randolph Health to remain open and continue providing healthcare services for our community. prgtoken Representative McNeill will retire after his term expires at the end of the year. Through his outstanding service and leadership in the law enforcement and the North Carolina House of Representatives, he has set an exemplary standard for others in public service to emulate. I know I speak for all in our community in wishing him well as he begins the next chapter of his life. prgtoken Madam , please join me today in honoring State Representative Allen McNeill for his career of commendable servitude to his community.
THANKING JAY HURST FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-12-2

I rise to thank my defense fellow, Jay Hurst, for a year of exceptional service to our office and to our Nation. prgtoken Jay joined us in January, and he has enriched our office with his invaluable insights and great company. He was instrumental in the NDAA process and meeting with Members and staffers from offices across Capitol Hill, and achieving great wins for our State, Louisiana, and our country. prgtoken Although he was only with us for a year, Jay instantly became like family to us, mentoring our interns and making complex military issues understandable for staff. In his spare time--he didn't have much--he also published scholarly articles on military matters on a number of pressing policy questions. prgtoken Jay is leaving us for the Pentagon, where he will undoubtedly carry on the high standard of excellence that he brought to our office. My friend will be missed and prayed for. I thank him for all of his service.