mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ENDLESS FRONTIER ACT--Resumed
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-5-19

we come to the floor today after a lot of hard work by the Commerce Committee to pass out the Endless Frontier bill last week--24 to 4. I know my colleagues from the committee will be out here to speak on this important legislation, as will the majority leader, Senator Schumer, who authored this important legislation, and our colleague from Indiana, Senator Young. We thank them for kick-starting what is a very important national discussion about how much we should be investing in research and development or what I would say is American ingenuity or, to put it a little more simply, I just say American know-how, because we are a nation of people who know how to innovate, who know how to use science to transform our economy, and we have done it over and over and over again. prgtoken I don't know. Maybe it came with, in getting in a boat and coming all the prgtoken way across the ocean, you had to be an adventurer to begin with. If you had to settle the frontier, you had to be innovative in your own right. If you had to continue to expand our country, you had to have a great ability to take risks in order to calculate and move forward. prgtoken Yet, somehow, in the United States of America, we are blessed with ingenuity in our DNA. We as a nation are a nation that has figured out that if we continue to partner together with those great, creative minds, that the investment by both the public sector and the private sector and through our universities and now our community colleges and now research centers--that we can grow our economy, compete on an international level, and protect opportunity for future Americans. prgtoken So it has been many eras of innovation. When I think about it, I think about Thomas Edison and the light bulb, I obviously think about Henry Ford and automobiles, and in my part of the world, we think about Bill Boeing and aviation. Innovation is so much part of our DNA that I don't think we sometimes absorb the littler things that we might not know about. prgtoken People probably don't know about Nathan Stone Stubblefield, a Kentucky inventor who in 1902 demonstrated the first wireless transmission of communication using magnets. I know we have a big wireless industry today, but people probably don't know that, in 1902, a Kentucky inventor basically helped to turn the page on a new generation of technology. People probably don't know that a Louisiana professor, J. Lawrence Smith, in 1850, invented the microscope. Think about how much that led to the important discussions of science and healthcare for us as a nation. People probably don't know that, in Indiana, a State police officer invented the breathalyzer test, a gentleman named Robert Borkenstein, who basically just said, ``We don't know what is happening here,'' and he introduced and created the breathalyzer test. prgtoken That is what America is. America is the spirit of know-how and getting things done. prgtoken In fact, a
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3233, NATIONAL COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE JANUARY 6 ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL COMPLEX ACT; AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3237, EMERGENCY...
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-5-19

. Madam , I include in the Record a statement from the family of United States Capitol Officer Howie Liebengood, who died by suicide. His death was a direct result of the trauma and strain from the January 6 attack. prgtoken Madam , in the statement, the family of Officer Liebengood states: ``We believe a thorough, nonpartisan investigation into the root causes of and the response to the January 6 riot is essential for our Nation to move forward. Howie's death was an immediate outgrowth of those events.'' Liebengood Family Statement on the January 6th Commission and Security Supplemental prgtoken Family of fallen USCP Officer Howie Liebengood calls on Congress to pass both pieces of legislation Washington, DC--Today, the Office of Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement from the family of United States Capitol Police Officer Howie Liebengood regarding the National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act and the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act. ``We believe a thorough, non-partisan investigation into the root causes of and the response to the January 6th riot is essential for our nation to move forward. Howie's death was an immediate outgrowth of those events. Every officer who worked that day, as well as their families, should have a better understanding of what happened. Uncovering the facts will help our nation heal and may lessen the lingering emotional bitterness that has divided our country. We implore Congress to work as one and establish the proposed Commission. ``Additionally, improved mental health for USCP officers has been one of our goals for the past four months. Through the tireless efforts of Congresswoman Wexton, we are honored a wellness program bearing Howie's name has been proposed in the security supplemental along with more resources for the program. We welcome and support the new funding and staffing initiatives that will help prevent future tragedies among the
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION RELATING TO ``UPDATE OF COMMISSION'S...
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-5-19

it has been my good fortune to serve in the U.S. Senate for several terms and in the House before. I can remember this Chamber from my first visit when I sat in that Gallery as a college student and watched the proceedings of the U.S. Senate, and I can remember so many historic days that I have been blessed to have a front-row seat to observe great memories. But in addition to those great memories, there is one sad memory--no, it was more than sadness; one memory that brings sadness and anger--and it is related to January 6 of this year. prgtoken I remember that day so well. The Vice President of the United States, Michael , was presiding over the U.S. Senate. We were counting the electoral votes to determine the official outcome of the previous election. The President of the United States, , was holding a rally near the White House, not far from Capitol Hill. The demonstrators who came to his rally then marched on this Capitol, and what transpired after that was historic and shameful. prgtoken I remember the moment when the Vice President of the United States was spirited off that platform, yanked by his arms out that door. Clearly his security detail felt that his life was in danger, and they removed him. prgtoken I remember a member of the Capitol Police coming, standing on the podium in front of the Senate, and saying that we should remain in our seats, that this was going to be a safe place, this room, the Senate Chamber. Then they started bringing in the staff, who were gathered around the Chamber, to stand along the walls because of the safety of this circumstance. So we knew there was something happening in the Capitol. prgtoken Minutes later, just minutes later, that same Capitol policeman announced: ``Evacuate this room as fast as you can. As quickly as you can, move off this scene and go to another place.'' prgtoken I never thought that I would see that in the U.S. Capitol Building, nor in the Chamber of the U.S. Senate, but it was a reality. prgtoken As we quickly moved out through the exits, all the Senators and staff, I remember looking out the window and seeing hundreds of people descending on the Capitol. That was the snapshot in my mind as we quickly escaped the danger in the U.S. Capitol Building. prgtoken We know at the end of the day that at least five people lost their lives. We know that 140 law enforcement were assaulted by this mob who tried to take control of the Capitol during the electoral college count. Of course, there is ample historic evidence of what happened-- videotapes galore, videotapes from every angle, information gathered. prgtoken That is why I was skeptical when they suggested creating a Commission to chronicle what happened on January 6. We saw it. We lived it. America watched it, many times on live television. The videotapes have been played over and over and over again to dramatize what was happening as people were spraying so-called bear
RESPONDING TO CYBERATTACKS
James A. Himes (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-5-19

. Madam , as I rise, gasoline is once again flowing through the Colonial Pipeline, and we are getting ready to undertake our routine briefs--those of us who sit on the Intelligence Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security--of this week's cyberattacks. Many of them will have come from Russia, from China, from North Korea, from Iran, or from some shadowy criminal group, which is often sheltered or at least tolerated by one of these countries. Many will have succeeded in stealing critical data or penetrating essential networks. Only a few, like the recent attacks on the Colonial Pipeline, will ever become publicly known. prgtoken There is a long list of things that we must do to stop these attacks. We should require private companies to tell the public, or at least the government, when these attacks occur. We should make sure that experts in places like the NSA and the FBI are working side-by-side with network operators to address these attacks, and we should have a clear policy on the payment of ransom to ransomware attacks. prgtoken But at the very top of the list is the need to fundamentally change the game by establishing a sure and swift deterrence. prgtoken Time and again, we do too little, too late. prgtoken Five years ago, President responded to the Russian attack on our 2016 election, the very essence of our democracy, with the expulsion of 35 so-called Russian diplomats and the closing of a few secondary Russian facilities, and he told Putin to ``cut it out.'' Putin barely felt the slap on the wrist. prgtoken We know that, because fewer than 4 years later, a Russian intelligence agency used a supply chain attack on Microsoft and SolarWinds to penetrate thousands of networks, including those of the Federal Government. In response, the United States--you guessed it-- expelled some Russian diplomats. prgtoken For the bad guys, the cost of doing business is very low indeed. prgtoken It is time to strike back using our unparalleled offensive cyber capabilities with the ferocity and precision and, yes, the proportionality that these and many other cyberattacks would have provoked had they been undertaken kinetically. prgtoken Let's hurl the full weight of the American legal, diplomatic, and cyber capabilities against DarkSide and the organizations or countries that assisted it. There is no reason why our immense power, if applied, can't result in jailed hackers, businesses sanctioned into bankruptcy, emptied bank accounts, and melted computers. prgtoken The same goes for Putin, who draws no formal distinction between the Kremlin and the private groups who supply it with propaganda, mercenaries, and hacking services. Putin respects only the Machiavellian language of force and retribution. For him, all else is tactical. So let's demonstrate the cyber capabilities we have spent billions of dollars developing. Let's make sure that he and the oligarchs who support him feel the fear and anxiety felt by milli
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION RELATING TO ``UPDATE OF COMMISSION'S...
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-5-19

so the Spanish philosopher, Jorge Santayana, is credited with the saying, ``Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' prgtoken When it comes to January 6, we would all do well to heed that advice. But right now, there is an effort on the part of the House leadership to make sure we forget that that fateful day ever happened. prgtoken Later today, the House will vote on establishing an independent Commission to investigate the events of January 6, a complement to the investigation in the House and Senate committees. Both sides negotiated for months. The House leader made three specific requests in February. All three were granted by House . Modeled after the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, it will have equal representation from both and s. Subpoenas can only be issued if Members from both sides agree. prgtoken It appeared we had reached a consensus with the support of rank-and- file s and, frankly, I thought the was being very generous because subpoena power is so important when you look into something, but she did that. I salute her for it. But even when she went that far, at the eleventh hour, the House leadership turned tail, threw its own negotiators under the bus, and decided to try to sabotage the Commission. Once again, they are caving to and proving that the Party is still drunk off the Big Lie. prgtoken Just one week after House s fired Congresswoman for simply telling the truth about the election, their new leadership is trying to kill a bipartisan investigation--a very down-the-middle bipartisan investigation--of the attack on our Capitol. prgtoken At the root of both efforts is the shameful desire to protect and perpetuate the Big Lie, even though it undermines our democracy, because when people don't believe elections are on the level, that is the beginning of the end of a democracy. prgtoken What the s are doing--the House s--is beyond crazy. To be so far under the thumb of Donald J letting the most dishonest President in American history dictate prgtoken the prerogatives of the Party, will be its demise. Mark my words. Whatever that means for , it is bad for America. prgtoken We all know there needs to be a thorough and honest accounting of what took place on January 6, the greatest attempt at insurrection since the Civil War. We have to make sure such a despicable event never repeats itself. That is why we need the investigation. prgtoken Getting at the truth is more important now that some s are trying to rewrite history. It is just incredible what they are doing. How dishonest can they be, in abject fear of the most dishonest President who has ever sat at the White House, , who will tell lies at will? He doesn't care. It is only his own ego. We know that. One Member said
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
David Scott (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2021-5-19

. Madam , I would like to reflect that had my vote for H. Res. 275, a resolution condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, been cast, it would have been recorded as AYE. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 149,
ENDLESS FRONTIER ACT
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-5-19

first, before my friend from Iowa leaves the floor, and he is my friend, I didn't come to debate the Line 5 Pipeline that goes under the Great Lakes of Michigan, but I will say that this is an aging pipeline under a precious resource called the Great Lakes, 20 percent of the world's freshwater. The Governor is really balancing right now what are issues that relate to safety and trying to make sure that we don't have a spill in the Great Lakes that would just devastate not only our economy and way of life but the country's as well.
HONORING NEWLYN WING
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-5-19

. In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I would like to recognize Sadiqullah Baburi. prgtoken Sadiqullah Baburi, born on June 10, 1977, to father Baqi Baburi and mother Sadeeqa Baburi in Kandahar, Afghanistan, is the oldest of eight siblings. The Soviet occupation of the eighties took many of his family members' lives and forced him and his family to flee their home and brought them to the United States in the year 1990. prgtoken Supporting his family financially, Sadiq worked as a dishwasher with his brother-in-law Mohamed Amin in a diner in Schenectady, New York, until they gathered enough money to build their own restaurant in Newark, New Jersey. After several years, he moved with his entire family to Florida and eventually opened his newest restaurant with his brother-in-law, Kennedy Chicken and Grill, named after the airport he and his wife first arrived in as immigrants. The restaurant employs many immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking new opportunities as he and his family did years ago. prgtoken At the present moment, Sadiq has four children. He and his wife have been married since 1996. Mr. Baburi contributes to many local charities through his small business work in the central Florida community. prgtoken For this and more, Mr. Sadiqullah Baburi, we honor you. Honoring Francisco Rueda Halili, M.D F.A.C.S.
ENDLESS FRONTIER ACT
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-5-19

I like calling the Presiding Officer ``.'' prgtoken Let me appreciate the Presiding Officer's support about what I am going to speak today to address one of the most significant foreign policy challenges of our time, which is the U.S.-China relationship; a challenge that the Senate, I believe, is ready to meet with bold, bipartisan action. prgtoken Just weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee made history when we passed the Strategic Competition Act of 2021 by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 21 to 1. This historic, bipartisan legislation is clear-eyed about the challenges we face, and it is designed to meet this consequential moment in U.S.-China relations. prgtoken Over the past few years, China has accelerated its rise to power and sharpened its efforts to undermine the liberal international order that brought the American people and our allies so much prosperity and stability in the 20th century. prgtoken We invited China to be engaged in the international order. We invited them into the World Trade Organization. We invited them into an international forum. We opened markets with them, all with the expectation that China, by being ultimately invited into the international order, would be part of the international order. prgtoken Unfortunately, instead of playing by the rules, China, under Xi Jinping, has prgtoken sought to undermine them. Today, China is challenging the United States across every dimension of power--political, diplomatic, economic, innovation, military, even cultural--and advancing an alternative and deeply disturbing model for global governance based on old-fashioned military antagonism, predatory economic practices, and digital authoritarianism. prgtoken The breathtaking scope, scale, and urgency of these challenges demands a policy and strategy that is genuinely competitive. Because of China's actions, the national security and economic future of the United States depends on framing our relationship with China today through the lens of strategic competition. prgtoken This is not about a zero-sum relationship or resurrecting a cold war mentality. This is about recognizing that in the 21st century, our strategic competition will revolve around the geo-economics of the future and America's ability to successfully compete in new and emerging technologies and other hotly contested domains. This is about securing a regional and international order for the 21st century built on progressive values, one that encourages healthy and fair economic competition, promotes global security and stability, and strengthens human rights around the world. prgtoken So how do we achieve this vision? Ranking Member Risch and I incorporated input from almost every member of the committee to build the Strategic Competition Act. I believe the Presiding Officer had amendments as well, which mobilizes all of our strategic, economic, and diplomatic tools to clearly confront the ch
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A THIRD RECONSTRUCTION
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-5-19

I rise to address the injustice of poverty and low wealth. prgtoken Let me just say, this pandemic has exposed the toll of longstanding, interlocking inequities stemming from structural racism, poverty, economic inequality, ecological devastation, and many more systemic barriers keeping people living on the edge. prgtoken Our country now stands at a tipping point 140 million people are poor or one healthcare crisis, job loss, or emergency away from economic desperation. We must prioritize their needs and give them the opportunity to live in dignity and with hope. prgtoken We can realize the third reconstruction to fully address poverty and low wages from the bottom up, from housing to healthcare, water, education, and more. We need a third reconstruction to revive our moral and political commitments to democracy and the founding principles of this country. prgtoken That is why Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and I have worked with great leaders, such as Bishop William Barber and Dr. Liz Theoharis, co- chairs of the Poor People's Campaign, A National Call for a Moral Revival. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to cosponsor our resolution, and I want to thank the millions of people whose voices we have heard.
TRIBUTE TO JENNIFER JAEGER
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-5-19

I rise to recognize one of my State's incredible educators, Jennifer Jaeger, who announced her retirement after almost three decades of work in the Clark County School District. prgtoken A native Nevadan, Mrs. Jaeger was born and raised in Las Vegas and began her work in education at UNLV, where she earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and a master's degree in middle level education and educational leadership. Since obtaining her educator license, Mrs. Jaeger has worked in four different Las Vegas schools in capacities ranging from dean of students to assistant principal to, presently, principal of the Robert O. Gibson Leadership Academy. prgtoken Mrs. Jaeger has an accomplished history in serving Tier I, Title I schools and was recognized for her excellence in fostering a positive school culture and climate. During her time as principal, Robert O. Gibson Leadership Academy received several accolades, including being named a Magnet School of Excellence for the year 2020 and one of the first Purple Star Schools of Nevada for showing ``a commitment to understanding and addressing the unique needs of military-connected students.'' prgtoken Through her career, Mrs. Jaeger put immense focus on the well-being of her students, including through her work with low-income families to identify kids in need of new shoes. Her work has yielded annual benefits for students and families in need through the Warm the Soles program. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join in me celebrating the amazing work of Jennifer Jaeger. Her service to Nevada schools and the community at- large has been exemplary and worthy of recognition.