mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-6-14

. Yesterday, , I joined with many colleagues from both sides of the aisle for the first of a series of all-Senate briefings solely dedicated to the subject of AI. Yesterday's AI briefing was a huge success. We had a really strong turnout from both parties. It was an important moment for everyone to get into a room and build a foundation of knowledge on this pressing issue. prgtoken If I had to describe our mindset leaving yesterday's briefing, it was a mix of urgency and humility: urgency because AI is developing so damn fast and humility because AI is stupendously complex. prgtoken Congress has only a limited amount of time to stay proactive on artificial intelligence, and I think yesterday's briefing made that clear. The potential societal benefits from AI are astounding--from medical advances and innovative materials to fusion energy and so much more. prgtoken But we also must recognize that AI poses monstrously complex challenges. Even top AI developers will admit they don't have a firm grip on how this technology works now and even less of a grip on how it will work in the future. prgtoken One of the topics that has come up in my discussions with experts is ``explainability,'' or the challenge of making AI's ``black box'' inner workings understandable. Even this is no trivial matter. It is a cutting-edge technological research question, and it will require immense cooperation between legislators, developers, researchers, academics, and advocates to strike the right balance. prgtoken I hope all of my colleagues join for the next two AI briefings the next work period. We will examine where this technology is headed in the near future and get briefed in the SCIF on national security threats that AI already poses. prgtoken Again, thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are already getting to work on this issue both on their own and in committee. The range of proposals show the Senate is taking this matter seriously. Thank you, again, to Senators Rounds, Heinrich, and Young for making these briefings possible.
HONORING GLADYS KNIGHT, SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTRESS, AND BUSINESSWOMAN
André Carson (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2023-6-14

today I rise to honor Gladys Knight, the Empress of Soul, who will be inducted into the Madam Walker Legacy Center Walk of Fame on June 16. 2023. The historic Madam Walker Legacy Center is in Indiana's 7th Congressional District. prgtoken Gladys Maria Knight was born in 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Sarah and Merald Knight. Her musical career began early in life in a church choir, where her singing talent was quickly recognized. Ms. Knight performed with her siblings and cousins in a quintet that would later become known as The Pips. In 1961, the group signed with Fury Records and changed their name to Gladys Knight & The Pips. The group released several successful albums until 1987, when Ms. Knight began to pursue a solo career. She went on to release several solo albums and achieved incredible feats in the music industry, becoming an icon for R&B and soul music across the world. prgtoken Ms. Knight has been widely recognized with prestigious awards for her achievements. She has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. In 2008, Rolling Stone named Ms. Knight one of the ``100 Greatest Singers of All Time,'' and the American Academy of Achievement presented her with the Golden Plate Award in 2019. She also received an Honorary Doctorate in Performing Arts from Shaw University. prgtoken However impressive, these achievements do not capture the true brilliance of Gladys Knight. Her love of family and children shines through in her philanthropic efforts, including prgtoken raising $400,000 for the Children's Learning Centers of Fairfield County. prgtoken Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Gladys Knight. She has graced the world with her talent, and it is a privilege to celebrate her success and place in history.
prayer
Linda T. Sánchez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-14

. Thank you for yielding me the time, both Mr. Payne and Mr. Goodlatte, and good morning to everyone. What a pleasure it is to be here and to speak to you on one of our greatest programs, the Congress to Campus program. prgtoken As Bob mentioned, the program continues to grow and to reach wider audiences. It is great because we get to educate and to inform our youth. prgtoken Thanks to a grant from The Park Foundation these past 2 years, we have actively reached out to minority-serving institutions, such as historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, women's colleges, community colleges, Tribal colleges, and service academies. prgtoken The Park Foundation is a nonprofit, and it is dedicated to advancing a more just, equitable, and sustainable society and environment, both nationally and in our local communities. prgtoken They are committed to challenging the powers that threaten an independent media, a robust democracy, and the future of the planet. prgtoken The Park Foundation helps with funding, specifically for these minority-serving institutions, to put the program on their campus. prgtoken This year, we had 32 schools reach out to FMC to bring the program to their institutions. Seven of those were at these minority-serving institutions. The past spring, the number was four, and the fall before that, the number was three. prgtoken The word is getting out about our Congress to Campus, and it is spreading, and I think it is making a difference. prgtoken Most of us would agree that some students, or at least where I come from, I am a Latina, they don't get the opportunity to connect with current or former Members of Congress. Some don't even know what it is, quite frankly, and they want to be engaged. They want to be mentored, especially once they find out about what we are all doing here. prgtoken The program allows them to have one-on-one experiences, to inspire them, to show them the path that leads to public service. prgtoken A new vision and a possible extension of our current program is an idea that is called the Congressional pipeline. prgtoken FMC will expand and build upon the current program we have by encouraging the next generation of public servants. That is what we are really about, getting people excited about doing what we have done or being a staffer here or being in our Federal agencies. We want them to want to be public servants and demonstrating how respectful debate and a focus on solutions is really the root of our American democracy. prgtoken It is also going to provide unparalleled resources and opportunities to college students who participate in our Congress to Campus program and then want to take additional steps to become a public servant. prgtoken We envision accomplishing these goals by bringing some of these students who have experienced our program, for example, at an HBCU or an Hispanic-serving institution to Washington, D.C for the total Washington experi
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-6-14

I rise today to recognize Capt. David Osborn, for his service to our Nation in the U.S. Marine Corps. prgtoken Captain Osborn entered the Marine Corps as a young man during World War II. After training as a pilot, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he was engaged in active combat. During his tenure in the Marine Corps, Captain Osborn flew vitally important but deeply dangerous missions, including several for which, he indicated, he volunteered. In all, Captain Osborn's service contributed to the American military successes in the Pacific Theater. After the war, Captain Osborn continued his service as a flight instructor in Corpus Christi, TX. Captain Osborn was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in March of 1958. prgtoken This year, Captain Osborn will celebrate his 100th birthday. He lives in Weston, CT, with his wife of 41 years, and cherishes time spent with his children and grandchildren. His honorable service is a model for all of us and will leave an enduring legacy. prgtoken We all owe our veterans a great debt of gratitude for fighting for our freedom and safety, and I hope my colleagues will join me in thanking Captain David Osborn for his remarkable history of service to our Nation.
REGULATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE IN NEED OF SCRUTINY ACT OF 2023
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-6-14

. Mr. Chair, the gentleman said that rules tell Americans what kind of cars they can drive. No, they do not. They do provide for the safety of the cars that Americans drive. They provide for all of the safety mechanisms that must be in the cars. prgtoken Again, Congress does not have the competence to know what safety mechanisms ought to be in the cars. That is why we have delegated rulemaking authority to agencies which have experts on how many parts-- I keep using this example--how many parts per billion of arsenic can be in the air, what safety measures must be in a car, et cetera. prgtoken The REINS Act violates this and is very dangerous to the American people. This amendment makes it even worse by essentially saying every rule has to be reviewed in 5 years by Congress. Congress can't possibly review all of these rules. prgtoken Therefore, this amendment will make Americans even less safe in many ways, and I oppose the amendment. I urge a ``no'' vote, and .
California Judicial Confirmations (Executive Calendar)
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-14

I rise today on behalf of the great State of California to celebrate several newly confirmed U.S. district court judges. prgtoken I am proud to say that just 3 months after I celebrated a confirmation of four highly qualified Federal judges for the State of California, three more have now been confirmed. Today, I hope to share a bit more about each of their stories, the breadth of experience, and their history of dedicated public service. prgtoken Early last month, I was proud to see Judge Wesley Hsu confirmed to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judge Hsu's path to the Federal bench is a story of hard work, remarkable intelligence, and truly a case study in the American dream. prgtoken His father fled communist China, traveling 70 miles to the coast with his mother and developmentally disabled brother as a child. Both of Judge Hsu's parents eventually immigrated to the United States to attend graduate school at Kansas State University before moving to California where Judge Hsu grew up. prgtoken After earning his undergraduate degree and his JD from Yale, he worked as a law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the same court on which he now serves as a judge. He later served for over a decade and a half as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District in the Criminal Division. And from 2017 until just recently, Judge Hsu served as a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, presiding over the Family Law and Criminal Divisions. prgtoken I have no doubt that Judge Hsu's strong qualifications and deep experience in the Central District will make him an exemplary district court judge. prgtoken That was early last month. prgtoken Just yesterday, we confirmed Judge Hernan Vera, another devoted jurist slated to serve on the District Court for the Central District of California. The son of Argentine immigrants, Judge Vera earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his JD from the UCLA School of Law. And since then, he has had a diverse legal career from corporate law to serving 12 years at Public Counsel, our Nation's largest pro bono law firm. prgtoken As director and then CEO of the Consumer Law Project, Judge Vera worked tirelessly on behalf of consumers, on behalf of veterans, the elderly, and the working poor. In 2020, Judge Vera was appointed to the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County where he adjudicated child dependency cases. In every respect, Judge Vera stands out in California's legal community. His diverse legal and professional experience makes him a welcome addition to the Central District's bench. prgtoken And, finally, earlier this afternoon, just a couple of hours ago, we confirmed Casey Pitts to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. prgtoken Born in Minnesota and raised in Fargo, ND, Pitts attended Yale University and, later, Yale Schoo
CRACKING DOWN ON WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-14

. Madam , beware when Washington says it is getting fiscally responsible. Too often that is code for cutting programs that families rely on while throwing more money at defense contractors. prgtoken This year, my colleagues want most government programs to tighten their belts while defense spending increases without accountability. Nowhere is this more evident than the F-35 program. prgtoken The Department of Defense expects to spend $1.7 trillion over the life of the F-35 program, including the countless spare parts contractors are losing. In fact, since May 2018, under the watch of just one company, over 1 million parts have been lost, damaged, or destroyed. prgtoken I came to Washington to protect taxpayer dollars, not flush them into the Pentagon's black hole. As Congress considers the National Defense Authorization Act, I encourage my colleagues to join me in cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse. Orange County Eviction Diversion Collaborative
EMANCIPATION DAY RESOLUTION
Stacey E. Plaskett (Democrat, VI) \u2014 2023-6-14

. Madam , today, I rise to honor my ancestors as we approach the 175th anniversary of our emancipation--the self- emancipation of the enslaved people of the Danish West Indies. prgtoken It is ironic that now in the United States, right now, there is a war being raged to censor and erase history and heritage, not just of Virgin Islanders but for Black and Brown people in this Nation. prgtoken The bloody insurrection of American revolutionaries to attain their freedom is celebrated, yet the history of resilience and strength, the story of the African Diaspora in this country, is attempted to be taken away. prgtoken Shackled and bound, over 120,000 of my ancestors, men, women, and children, were stolen and trafficked from the shores of Africa to the islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John in the Danish West Indies, now known as the Virgin Islands of the United States. prgtoken From the early 1650s until 1848, the Danish subjected the people of the Virgin Islands to the atrocities of chattel slavery. Forgotten today, the Danes were notorious for having some of the most grueling and inhumane conditions in the Caribbean. Under these conditions and the watchful eye of the Danish, the people resolved to mobilize and seize their freedom. prgtoken On July 3, 1848, 9,000 enslaved and freed people on the island of St. Croix collected en masse at Fort Frederik and demanded their immediate and indefinite liberation. Under the superior leadership of Moses ``General Buddhoe'' Gottlieb, they had coordinated, strategized, and executed a plan for freedom. prgtoken Overcome by the people, the Danish surrendered by the declaration of the Danish governor. prgtoken The Virgin Islands became one of only two places to ever successfully gain their freedom through an organized slave revolt, armed insurrection, in the history of the Western Hemisphere. They would wait for no man to unshackle their chains. prgtoken This is what it means to be a Virgin Islander, to overcome the most harrowing of circumstances, to reclaim the power that which is kept seemingly out of reach, and to wait for no one to give us freedom, equity, or prosperity. prgtoken Malcolm X at the founding rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity stated: ``A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talents, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.'' prgtoken We, the people of the Virgin Islands, must not sit idle expecting that the same system that oppressed our ancestors, that continues to deny us rights, will solve the very problems of its creation. We don't need to look for others to solve our problems. We have within ourselves, within our own diaspora, all the answers to heal ourselves and grow. prgtoken Throughout the Virgin Islands and the United States and beyond, we are doctors, engineers, writers, educators, builders, economists, organizers. We are a people of imme
Introductory Statement on S. 1995
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-6-14

they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the COVID pandemic showed us just how painfully true that is when it comes to public health. prgtoken Our public health system is our frontline defense--not only against deadly diseases and pandemics; it also aids in addressing the opioid and fentanyl crisis, preventing chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease, protecting our food and water supply, and a lot more. prgtoken But despite our public health system's central role in protecting our communities, keeping our families safe and healthy, and preventing major disruptions in our lives, our public health system was sorely underfunded before COVID struck, and it has been seriously overwhelmed ever since. We have--thank goodness--gotten a much better grasp on COVID, but who in their right mind would look at the last few years and think funding public health is probably something we can put on the back burner? prgtoken We have to do better. We have to apply the lessons we learned and start thinking ahead now so we are never caught unprepared again. We have to end this cycle of crisis and complacency when it comes to building and maintaining strong public health infrastructure because the simple fact of the matter is public health infrastructure saves lives, and the better funded and prepared our public health system is before a crisis, the more lives we will save during one. prgtoken And make no mistake, the question is not whether there will be a new threat; it is: When is the next crisis going to strike? Will we be ready next time? prgtoken We cannot afford to treat public health like a one-and-done issue, which is why I am here today reintroducing my bill to provide $4.5 billion in dedicated annual funding to support core public health capabilities at every level so we can protect our public health system from complacency and hostage-taking and drastic cuts. prgtoken The Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act would make much- needed investments at the CDC, and, crucially, it would establish a grant program to support health departments all across our country. This funding would meet a wide variety of needs in communities across America. Health departments could use it to make sure they do robust contact tracing and stop outbreaks in their tracks, have adequate lab capacity to address public health threats, and have a surge workforce available in an emergency to save lives. prgtoken This funding would empower our public health departments to make sure lifesaving information reaches everyone: people who don't speak English, people with disabilities, or people who don't have access to the internet. It would help officials conduct public awareness campaigns and fight misinformation and get really basic but essential information out, like when and where to find a vaccine clinic. prgtoken Public health departments could also use this funding as they update their IT and data
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2023-6-14

I come to the floor today to support the nomination of Ambassador Elizabeth Richard to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism. prgtoken Ambassador Richard is an eminently qualified candidate to lead the State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism, and it is well past time that we confirm her nomination. Having already served our country as U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Ambassador Richard is deeply familiar with the geostrategic and counterterrorism issues facing the Middle East. prgtoken Throughout her career, she has worked across the region to advance U.S. national security interests and support the safety of the American people. That is why I believe she is exceptionally qualified to serve as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, and it is a role that needs to be filled urgently. prgtoken The counterterrorism challenges that we currently face and could face in the future are crystalized in the detention and displaced person camps in Syria. Mingled together in camps across northeastern Syria are an estimated 12,000 suspected ISIS fighters and 60,000 women and children who have possible ISIS affiliation. The humanitarian conditions in those detainee camps are dire. And compounding the pressure of ISIS extremists are inadequate medical facilities, insufficient sanitation, and lack of access to schooling. prgtoken Last fall, the Syrian ic Forces, supported by U.S. troops, completed the 24-day security operation which yielded 300 ISIS operative terrorists and freed 6 women from slavery. prgtoken This is a crisis waiting to happen. prgtoken I have heard very directly from General Kurilla, who is the head of CENTCOM, about his concerns at the detainee camps. This is another reason why we urgently need a senior official in place to lead the U.S. Government's efforts to work toward closing the camps, to address the humanitarian and security concerns in the camps, and to coalesce the international support that is needed to achieve the enduring defeat of ISIS. prgtoken Under the administration, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism has also served as the ISIS Detainee Coordinator. That is a role which my bipartisan legislation, the Syria Detainee and Displaced Persons Act, would codify. Along with Senators Graham, Menendez, and Risch, I introduced this legislation to ensure that the U.S. Government has a senior official working to coordinate all lines of effort to address the causes and consequences of the ISIS detainee camps in Syria. prgtoken The creation of this position was originally a recommendation of the Syria Study Group, and it would empower the coordinator to lead on all diplomatic engagements and the planning regarding the future of ISIS detainees. But as Ambassador Richard's nomination to be the Coordinator for Counterterrorism has been stalled by s, this important position has been unfilled. prgtoken Right now, we have hundreds of general officers who are being held up by o
TRIBUTE TO REVEREND JOSEPH BAKER
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-6-14

I rise to commend Rev. Joseph Baker of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church for his lifetime of service to the Chattahoochee River Valley and the State of Georgia. For the past 30 years, Pastor Baker has been a beacon of hope and service for members of the communities he has served since answering the call to preach in 1993. After relocating to Atlanta from Orlando to continue his higher education journey, Pastor Joseph Baker served as senior pastor of Saint Paul AME Church in Canton, GA, and both Saint Mary's AME and Townsley Chapel AME Churches in Savannah, GA. Since July 2013, Pastor Baker has served the Columbus community as the 52nd pastor of St. James AME Church at the local, conference, and episcopal levels. He also serves as dean of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference Board of Examiners and as a member of the Southwest Georgia Annual Conference Board of Trustees, Support of Presiding Elders and Ministerial Classification. prgtoken A product of the Suwannee County School System, the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Pastor Baker continues to find ways to open doors of opportunity for others through access to education. For example, Pastor Baker established a partnership with Columbus Technical College to offer GED studies at St. James AME. prgtoken As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I commend and recognize St. James AME pastor Rev. Joseph Baker for a lifetime of service on behalf of the State of Georgia.