mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REFLECTION OF TIME SERVED IN CONGRESS
Adam Kinzinger (Republican, IL) \u2014 2022-12-15

it is with great pride that I rise today and for the next few minutes, I would like to reflect on my 12 years serving in this body. prgtoken I knew from a young age that I wanted to serve our Nation. While I was still in college, I was elected to the McLean County Board, the youngest person ever to do so. prgtoken In 2003, I was commissioned in the Air Force, a responsibility that I took very seriously, and one I still serve to this day. prgtoken Returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, I ran for Congress, and I won. prgtoken Well, at the time I didn't have a family, I promised to myself to leave them a better country than the one that I inherited. Unfortunately, , I cannot in good conscience say that I have done that. prgtoken When preparing this speech, I knew that reflecting on our country's past would be the guiding light to our destiny. prgtoken What made the experiment of our great Nation so remarkable was that the American people put their faith in their fellow citizens to tell the truth and make difficult choices. prgtoken We have taken these ideals for granted for far too long. Instead of using our platform to advance the well-being of our Nation and our people, we have turned this institution into an echo chamber of lies. prgtoken Coming home from war, I truly believed that American democracy was infallible. prgtoken How could a Nation that fought a civil war for the freedom of all, a Nation that vanquished fascism and communism in Europe, how could it falter. prgtoken How could we stand atop Mount Everest only to decide that we prefer to fight in the mud. prgtoken I have sworn an oath, both in uniform and in this office, to protect this Nation and its Constitution. While overseas, I witnessed the dangers that radicalization of beliefs can have on people in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sadly, since coming to Congress, I have watched how s and have weaponized fear in much the same way. prgtoken We must not abandon our values or our beliefs in the U.S. Constitution. We all swore an oath in this very Chamber to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, not a political party and not a single man. Let us renew this belief while casting out those who take the unprecedented call to abolish this sacred document. prgtoken Just as Lady Justice looks upon the Constitution and the Old Supreme Court one floor below us, we must remove the blindfold of politics and govern for all Americans when we are executing our duties. prgtoken Where s once believed that limited government meant lower taxes and more autonomy, today, limited government means inciting violence against government officials. prgtoken Following the tragic Oklahoma City bombing, former President George H.W. publicly refuted those who used fear to gain support. In stark contrast, our leaders today belittle, and in some cases, justify attacks on the U.S. Capitol as ``legitimate political d
FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS ACT, 2023
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-12-15

I rise for the customary farewell address. prgtoken I would like to begin by thanking our colleague and our leader, Mitch McConnell, for his very, very kind words. prgtoken I appreciate that, Leader McConnell. I would also like to say that I appreciate the confidence you have repeatedly placed in me. Your recollections have brought back many memories. prgtoken One was the supercommittee. I served on the supercommittee, but what most of you probably don't know is that Leader McConnell had great reservations about putting me on the supercommittee. Oh, yes, he grilled me for what seemed like hours over several occasions. prgtoken Here is why: He grilled me because he wanted an outcome. And his concern was, will this firebrand from the Club for Growth be willing to compromise, be willing to reach an agreement that couldn't possibly be exactly what he wanted?
TRIBUTE TO THE HUNEYCUTT FAMILY
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-12-15

I rise today to congratulate the Huneycutt family for earning the distinction of Arkansas Farm Family of the year. prgtoken This honor reflects the dedication of brothers Ted and Steve Huneycutt to farming and the important role they play in Arkansas' No. 1 industry. Ted and his wife Cindy have four children: Sara, Trey, Luke, and Greyson. Steve and his wife Leanne also have four children: Josh, Jessica, Ashley, and Logan. The family has been farming in Clark County since 1882. prgtoken On their 4,000-acre farm, the Huneycutts raise cattle and grow cotton, wheat, corn, soybeans, and hay. They also operate the Barn at Richwoods and Benchmark Ag, a risk management service providing producers with cash sale recommendations along with commodity futures, options and crop insurance. The Huneycutts are in the process of launching Ouachita Valley Meat Company, which will provide producers the products and processing capabilities to sell their own products. prgtoken The family is committed not only to farming and producing safe supplies of food and fiber to the world, but also to serving their community by lending their time and skills to numerous boards and committees. prgtoken The Arkansas Farm Bureau's program honors farm families across the State for their outstanding work on their farms and their positive impact and work on behalf of their neighbors. This recognition is a reflection of their contributions to agriculture at the local and State level and its implications for improved farm practices and management. The Huneycutts are well-deserving of this honor, and I wish them luck as they compete in the Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program next year. prgtoken I congratulate Ted, Steve, Cindy, Leanne, and their children on their exceptional achievements in agriculture and ask my colleagues to join me in honoring them for this accomplishment. I wish them continued success in their future endeavors and look forward to the contributions they will continue to offer Arkansas farming and agriculture.
THE GOHMERT RULE
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-15

there was a quote from John Adams, as a follow-up to what my friend from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert) was saying. He had great exchanges with his friend, then his enemy, and then his friend again for the rest of their lives, Thomas Jefferson. prgtoken John Adams said there are two ways to conquer and enslave a country. One is by the sword; the other is by debt. prgtoken , I appreciate my friend for yielding. This will likely be the last speech that I will be able to give from the House floor. I can imagine there are people clapping all over that are watching C-Span. prgtoken It has been a tremendous honor to serve in this hallowed body. It just has. prgtoken This was not something that I aspired to from my earlier days, and in fact, I really didn't want to be a judge. After my mother got over the disappointment of my choosing not to apply to med school, and then got used to the idea of having an attorney, she ended up, through the eighties, she knew she had a brain tumor that was going to ultimately take her life. They had done what they could at Mayo Clinic in surgery. They could do no more. prgtoken She was brilliant. She put herself through Baylor in 2\1/2\ years, while she was working full-time, most of that in the registrar's office. prgtoken My brilliant mom taught school as an eighth-grade English teacher for so many years and taught Sunday school for most of her years. prgtoken She would say: Louie, you would make a great judge. prgtoken I would go: Mother, I don't want to be a judge. There are some lawyers I would hate to sit there and listen to all day. Besides, I make more money than a judge does. I have no interest. prgtoken We lost her in January 1991, and after that, I had been thinking about what my brilliant mother used to say. A few months later, I had a judge call me and ask if my female client would go out with him before her trial. It was a civil trial on a breach of contract. I told him, basically, that I couldn't help him, but I knew we needed a new judge. prgtoken I tried for months to find somebody that would run against him and talked to all kinds of lawyers that I thought had been considering it. Nobody would step up. prgtoken By Thanksgiving--I had to file around the 1st of December--my wife and I both just had this peace that this is what I was supposed to do, is run for judge. So, I did. prgtoken As the most politically astute person in our county--, that is--told me the night before the primary election, he said: Nobody gave you a snowball's chance of winning because this guy was the first elected in the county. prgtoken In fact, I had leaders that said: Look, we know it is not great, and there are some issues there, but he was the first elected in our county. We just feel like we owe him the job. prgtoken Well, nobody is owed a public service job. By Thanksgiving, we had this peace that this is what I am supposed to do, win or lose. I ran
RECOGNIZING GUNNAR MARSHALL WEST
Beth Van Duyne (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , on behalf of a grateful nation and the Citizens of the Twenty-Fourth District of Texas, the 2022 Congressional Veteran Commendation is hereby presented to Gunnar Marshall West, Captain, United States Army, of Dallas, Texas for the honorable service he performed while in the Armed Forces of the United States of America and for his continued service to his community. prgtoken Mr. West was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1973 and commissioned as an officer in 1978, prgtoken serving in the Army Medical Corps as a brigade surgeon, stationed in the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley in Kansas. He then deployed to Germany and was later awarded an Army Achievement Medal for his role in the defense of the Rock Island Arsenal during a violent protest in 1985. Among his other decorations is the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. prgtoken The selflessness Mr. West demonstrated in the U.S. Army continues with his service to his community. He started a nonprofit organization for abused and neglected children, SouthWest Kids, and has been involved in coaching youth sports in Southlake for over two decades. prgtoken Mr. West's service is consistent with the finest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself, the State of Texas, and the United States of America.
JAMES M. INHOFE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023--Resumed
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-12-15

. I rise to offer an amendment on behalf of myself and Senator Cruz. I want to say I appreciate Senate leadership for allowing this amendment. I appreciate, as does Senator Cruz, the conferees' willingness to consider or repeal the vaccine mandate, which they didn't include. We truly appreciate that. prgtoken This amendment reflects the fact that we don't think the vaccine mandate went far enough. So our amendment is pretty simple, it immediately ends the vaccine mandate, whereas what is in the bill allows it to continue for 30 days. prgtoken It prohibits DOD from imposing a future COVID-19 vaccine mandate without the express authorization of Congress. It prohibits DOD from taking any adverse action against a servicemember solely for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. prgtoken It allows the servicemember to be reinstated with backpay if kicked out of the military solely for refusing the vaccine. And it redresses any other types of adverse actions the DOD took against a servicemember for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. prgtoken People serving in our military are the finest among us. Over 8,000 were terminated because they refused to get this experimental vaccine, and so I am urging all of my colleagues to support the Senators and my amendment.
CELEBRATING KOONTZ ELECTRIC SIGNING DAY
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate Koontz Electric signing day for students committing to the Koontz Promise. prgtoken The Koontz Promise provides Arkansas River Valley High School students with an immediate career following graduation from a Koontz- operated skilled trade program. prgtoken Trade programs available for students include construction technology, industrial mechanics, maintenance technology, and welding. prgtoken The Koontz Electric Company of Morrilton, Arkansas, is a diversified heavy industrial electrical contractor that has noticed a skills gap between the generations. Immediately, they saw an opportunity to set up and train the next generation of young leaders to lessen the skills gap and highlight the opportunities of skilled trades immediately upon high school graduation. prgtoken On top of guaranteeing prospective students a career, the Koontz Promise also guarantees coverage of all expenses not covered by another funding source. prgtoken To celebrate and welcome the students who committed to the Koontz Promise, a signing day was held this past September. prgtoken I applaud Koontz Electric for their initiative in educating the next generation of leaders in the skilled trades, and I look forward to seeing these students achieve great careers in the future.
RECOGNIZING JUST FOR YOU BOUTIQUE
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-15

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Just For You Boutique of Frankfort, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken Across the country you will not find two small businesses with the same origin story. In most cases, the tale behind how one gets started is just as unique as the business itself. Such is the story of Nicole Boyd's business, Just For You Boutique. Nicole, a native of the Bluegrass State, was driving through its capital when she found herself stopped at a red light. As she gazed out the window towards an empty storefront, she couldn't help but notice a big ``Available for Sale or Rent'' sign in the window. It was in that moment that Nicole decided that she would open her own clothing store, right there in that location. Sometimes, all it takes is a self-starting individual to make their dream a reality, as is the case with Nicole. Not long after that fateful stop in Frankfort traffic, Just For You Boutique opened up on March 8, 2016. prgtoken As an active member of the community, Nicole's favorite aspect of owning her own business is that it enables her to really engage with the people of Frankfort, as she is constantly seeing prgtoken friends and neighbors walk through her doors. Moreover, Nicole understands that successful businesses put their community first. She often collaborates with other small businesses around Frankfort to offer products and experiences that are unique to Kentucky and to Frankfort specifically. Nicole offers a wide variety of goods in her store, from fashion-forward apparel and jewelry to everyday home goods that could liven up any living space. Nicole pays special mind to feature homegrown Kentucky products, between coffee grinds made by local brewers and handcrafted artisanal soaps from local companies, Nicole makes Kentucky vendors her merchandise mainstay. Given the wide variety of goods she keeps in store, it would only make sense that Nicole would choose to name her boutique Just For You as it is a place where anyone, whether shopping for a gift or for themselves, can find something that is uniquely for them. prgtoken Part of what makes Just For You Boutique so special is that Nicole understands that strength often comes in numbers. She jumps at every opportunity to amplify her store by collaborating with other small businesses around the State capital, thereby growing the customer base for businesses across Main Street. Just this past Halloween, Nicole participated in a ``Trunk-or-Treat'' trunk show where small businesses all around Frankfort came together in a local park to brave the autumn rain and sell their goods. The Halloween trunk show was just one of many community events that Just For You participates in, as they also enjoy
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-15

. All year, Senate s have urged to prioritize two basic governing duties, two tasks that are essential to keeping America safe, keeping us on track to remain the world's superpower, and doing right by our men and women in uniform. prgtoken No. 1 is the annual Defense bill, where we authorize the investments, tools, and training that our commanders, leaders, and servicemembers need. prgtoken No. 2 is passing government funding, where we back up the NDAA's ambitions with the actual dollars and cents that turn plans into reality. prgtoken Bipartisan negotiators are still working on the second item. I hope they are able to produce text of a bipartisan government funding bill that can pass the Senate before our hard deadline next Thursday. Otherwise, I will support pivoting next week to a short-term continuing resolution into the new year. prgtoken But I am glad that, in the very near future, the Senate will finally fulfill the first key duty and pass a strong NDAA named for our retiring ranking member, Senator Inhofe. prgtoken I have spent all week discussing ways this legislation will help our Armed Forces and national security professionals, safeguard our homeland, bolster our partnerships, and keep adversaries like Russia on their back feet. Today, I want to focus on what most Senators agree is the single greatest medium-term and long-term national security challenge that our Nation faces, and that is the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken The legislation we will pass today includes provisions to extend our security assistance to Taiwan. It steps up our investments and capabilities that are essentially crucial to operations in the Indo- Pacific, from space assets to naval mines. prgtoken It reprioritizes countering China's nuclear breakout by curbing the administration's naive efforts to retire critical elements of our nuclear arsenal. prgtoken It tightens security on our cutting-edge research and bolsters sea- launch strategic deterrent capabilities. prgtoken And that is not all. prgtoken This strong bipartisan bill puts new weight behind our long-term commitments to stand with both vulnerable countries in China's orbit and vulnerable people actually within its own borders. prgtoken It will authorize a new Joint Force Headquarters right there in the region and make sure that U.S. military installations are not commercial destinations for goods that have been produced with Uighur slave labor in the Xinjiang Province. prgtoken This bill will also help stiffen the spine of the liberal entertainment industry that apparently lacks the courage to cross Beijing without clearer incentives. This year's NDAA will prohibit the use of U.S. military assets, like ships or bases, in movies where the producers then turn around and allow Chinese censors to have final signoff. If Hollywood wants to trample on American principles of free expression in order to please the Communist Party, they won't get to use our A
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 8393, PUERTO RICO STATUS ACT
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-12-15

. Madam , I thank the distinguished chairman and my good friend from Massachusetts for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , the rule before us today provides for consideration of H.R. 8393, the Puerto Rico Status Act. This is a bill that received an emergency Rules hearing yesterday with just 3 hours' notice, 3 hours for an issue that deserves to be heard through regular order. prgtoken H.R. 8393 would authorize a federally sponsored, taxpayer-funded election to be held in Puerto Rico on 5 November 2023. This election would require the voters of Puerto Rico to choose between three status options: independence, sovereignty and free association, or U.S. statehood. prgtoken You might notice something missing here. This bill doesn't even give Puerto Ricans the option to preserve their current status as a territory of the United States. So not only do House want to control how the States run their elections, they now want to control how Puerto Rico runs their elections. prgtoken H.R. 8393 even takes things a step further than that. If Puerto Ricans vote to become a sovereign or independent nation, this legislation tells them what they have to include in their new constitution, how they have to ratify their constitution, and how elections for government officers should take place. prgtoken My friends across the aisle want to talk about colonial power. What does that sound like? prgtoken Further, this bill would completely circumvent congressional authority by not allowing Congress to ratify the option that Puerto Rico ultimately chooses. prgtoken The question of Puerto Rico's statehood is a serious topic, one that I am not necessarily opposed to, but it is a topic that deserves a deliberative process with careful consideration and expert input. prgtoken There have been numerous hearings on this issue, but there were no hearings on this specific bill. There has been no vetting of legal implications of using this unprecedented, self-executing process to statehood. prgtoken This is not a question that should be run through a lameduck Congress on the last day of a scheduled session with less than 24 hours' notice. That is unacceptable. prgtoken Again, I am not debating the merits of Puerto Rican statehood, but I am pointing out the glaring problems in this ill-conceived, half-baked legislation that leaves too many questions unanswered. prgtoken House are doing nothing more today than using Puerto Ricans as pawns to score cheap political points with a bill that has zero chance of becoming law. prgtoken Let's just be frank and honest about that. This bill has zero chance of becoming law this session of Congress. It is a joke that we are even considering it today. prgtoken We owe it to the voters of Puerto Rico to do better than this. They deserve more. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule, and .