mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-11-16

I would like to the say a few words about my colleague and friend and my battle buddy, Senator Jim Inhofe. prgtoken It has been a great honor to serve beside Jim. I am grateful--we are all grateful--for the legacy of his service he leaves in this Chamber. prgtoken For three decades, Senator Inhofe has served on the Armed Services Committees, from his time as a Member of the House of Representatives to his role in the Senate. prgtoken For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege to serve with him on the Senate Armed Services Committee--in turn, each of us serving as chairman and ranking member. Together, we have produced nearly two dozen National Defense Authorization Acts, traveled to combat zones and military posts around the world, and worked to support our men and women in uniform. No one could have had a better partner in those endeavors. prgtoken We both served in the Army earlier in our lives, and I know Jim carried out his deep sense of responsibility to our troops in the Senate each day. He never forgot that what we do here ultimately is executed by young men and women in the uniform of the United States. He never broke faith with those young men and women who wear that uniform, and the American military is stronger and the United States is safer because of Jim Inhofe. prgtoken I am especially proud that the Armed Services Committee voted to name this year's Defense bill the ``James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act.'' It is a fitting tribute and honor. prgtoken Jim is an extraordinary leader whose legislative skills and boundless capacity for hard work are unmatched, and he is a firm and fierce advocate for the people of Oklahoma. He has made sure that they benefit from his hard work and his great efforts, and he has done it with unswerving honesty and integrity. prgtoken Senator Inhofe, thank you for your leadership and dedication to the committee and the Senate and particularly the men and women of the Armed Forces. You have been a wonderful partner and colleague, and I believe I speak for the committee and the entire Senate when I say we will miss you dearly. Your steady, unselfish leadership will continue to help guide our Nation in the years ahead, and I wish you and Kay and the family much happiness as you plan for a well-deserved retirement. prgtoken May we all strive for the wisdom, courage, and humility that Senator Jim Inhofe imparted upon this great Nation and this distinguished Senate. prgtoken .
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2022-11-17

last week, Indiana lost a legend, and America lost a true original. Rex Early died Friday at age 88, after a long battle with illness. prgtoken Rex was a lot of things in life. He was a U.S. marine. He was chairman of the Indiana Party. He was a candidate for Governor of the State of Indiana. He is one of the few people in Indiana you had to go see if you wanted to run for public office. prgtoken But Rex will be remembered mostly for his sense of humor, his way with words. Many of his stories and ``Rexisms'' can be found in his book, ``It's a Mighty Thin Pancake (That don't have two sides).'' prgtoken After being stationed in Japan in the Marine Corps, Rex went to Indiana University on the GI bill. He married his sweetheart Barbara, and they moved to Indianapolis. prgtoken Rex said when he first went to register to vote in Indianapolis, the ward chairman said: Do you want to be a precinct committeeman? The last guy just went to jail. prgtoken Of course, Rex responded quickly ``Sure,'' and that is how he got involved in local politics--or so Rex told us. prgtoken Now, Rex said that one of the highlights of his professional career came during Ronald Reagan's Presidential campaign when Rex hosted an event at his home for the future President. Rex said he was considering hanging a plaque that read ``On May 4, 1980, Ronald Reagan used this bathroom.'' prgtoken But as Reagan left his house that day, Governor Reagan told Rex, ``All those people were wrong, Rex.'' prgtoken Rex said, ``What people?'' prgtoken Governor Reagan said, ``All the people who said you had no class.'' prgtoken So Rex decided not to hang that plaque in his bathroom. prgtoken The Party in Indiana today has enjoyed a long period of governing success, helping our State become one of the best run and most fiscally sound in the Nation. You can trace that success directly back to work Rex Early put in in the early 1990s. prgtoken One of Rex's 19 rules of politics was ``You might be important, but the number of people who will attend your funeral will be dictated by the weather.'' I don't understand what Rex was trying to say. Don't think too highly of yourself--perhaps that is what Rex had in mind. Don't become, as Rex would call you, a ``sophisti-suck.'' prgtoken But I disagree with Rex perhaps on this point. Rex's memorial service was well attended and not because the weather was good but because he made an indelible impression on everyone he met. prgtoken Semper fi, Marine. prgtoken . prgtoken .
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-11-17

Thanksgiving is just a week away, and, of course, we will have turkey--or so we thought. In these difficult times as Americans, we all have a lot to be thankful for. prgtoken I am so proud of my daughter Libby and grateful for my brandnew son- in-law Andrew. I am thankful for being selected by my fellow Iowans to have the privilege of representing each of them in the U.S. Senate. And I know I speak on behalf of all Iowans when I express the most heartfelt gratitude for every one of the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of our great Nation, risking everything to protect what we all hold dear. prgtoken Thanksgiving is the day set aside for us to gather with family and friends to express our gratitude for all of our blessings with a grand feast. When most of us think of Thanksgiving trimmings, delicious sides like cranberry sauce--one of my favorites--sweet potatoes, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing all come to mind. But this year, as a result of omics, Thanksgiving trimmings refer instead to the items being cut from the menu due to rising prices. prgtoken With the cost of Thanksgiving dinner up 20 percent since last year, 9 out of 10 Americans are planning to eliminate at least one dish from their menu. Some are even skipping the turkey altogether and serving cheaper alternatives like pizza. Most are also planning to invite fewer guests, and one in four plans to pass on Thanksgiving dinner altogether to save money. prgtoken Hard-working Americans shouldn't have to trim the guest list or side dishes from Thanksgiving dinner, but with the out-of-control inflation being caused by the ' failed economic policies gobbling up our family budgets, that is exactly what is happening. prgtoken So let's talk turkey. Turkey costs 21 percent more this Thanksgiving than last. As a matter of fact, the chairman of the ' Congressional Campaign Committee said families struggling with these rising prices should eat Chef Boyardee. That is what he said. If that is the ' solution, boy are we cooked. Chef Boyardee? No. Chef Boy-are-we-cooked. What did his constituents think of this idea? On election day, they canned him. prgtoken Instead of Chef Boyardee, Washington needs to serve up some real solutions to cut the causes of climbing costs. Beginning on his very first day in office, President made it a priority to turn off American-made energy. This has been a recipe for disaster, with energy prices increasing nearly 18 percent just this last year. prgtoken According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the ' so-called Inflation Reduction Act will even further increase the cost of natural gas, which will have a direct impact on food prices because natural gas is a key component for producing fertilizer, which is already costing our farmers two to four times more today than just 2 years ago. The administration is also brin
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-11-17

on Sunday, I had the privilege of attending a welcome home ceremony for the 235th Military Police Company of the South Dakota National Guard after their 10-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay. It was a fitting activity for Veterans Day weekend. prgtoken The ceremonies are always joyful occasions: seeing couples and families reunited and celebrating together after a long absence, welcoming soldiers back to the familiarity of home. But in the midst of the joy and celebration, these ceremonies are also a powerful reminder of all that our servicemembers and their families give up to serve our country. prgtoken The joy of reunification points to the months of loneliness in which spouses and loved ones have had to live without their husband or wife, mom or dad, son or daughter. It highlights the long months in which moms and dads have had to shoulder all the burdens of child-rearing alone. The soccer games, the football games, the doctors' visits, the emergency car repairs, the visit from the plumber--all the daily challenges and responsibilities that couples usually share fall solely on the shoulders of the spouse holding down the fort at home. prgtoken And on top of the responsibility is the anxiety--the constant worry about the loved one halfway around the world and maybe in danger. These moments of joyful reunion also point to all that our military men and women sacrifice while stationed far from their families and loved ones; the months of separation from spouses and children, with Zooms and phone calls and emails being a poor substitute for bedtime stories read together on the couch and holding hands on an afterdinner walk; the loneliness, the worry about a pregnant wife or an ailing parent or a child having a tough year in school--all while far away from the comforts of home that the rest of us take for granted. prgtoken And, of course, while reunions are joyful, the challenges don't end after deployment. It takes time for the stress of a tough posting to dissipate; for soldiers to get reacclimated to the civilian world or to their stateside base; for families to readjust to living together and not apart, only to have to do it all over again when the next deployment comes around. prgtoken Some servicemembers bear the invisible wounds of war for the long term, not to mention those who are wounded in combat sometimes requiring loved ones to become caretakers. And yet despite all of the hardships and the challenges, men and women still rise up and answer the call--for families to readjust to living together and not apart, only to have to do it all over again when their deployment comes around. prgtoken Servicemembers and their families spend years and decades serving our country. They willingly shoulder the burdens and the challenges of this life. Animated by love of country and of their fellow man, they choose a life that asks them to forget their own needs and focus only on what they can do fo
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bill Hagerty (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-11-17

my ic colleague is objecting to legislation that simply gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to limit border crossings when necessary to combat substantial, dangerous illicit drug smuggling. prgtoken It doesn't provide authority to stop all asylum claims. It only applies where substantial illicit drug smuggling is endangering public health. More than 100,000 Americans are dying annually of drug overdoses, many of which result from drug smuggling at our southern border. prgtoken The legislation isn't a mandate. It is a tool to help save American lives whenever that is possible. Everyone acknowledges that an already recordbreaking crisis will get far worse without title 42. American lives and communities hang in the balance. Yet my colleagues across the aisle are categorically opposed to a commonsense policy to address this glaring problem. It begs the question: What do propose that we do in response to this title 42 ruling? refuse to deal with the problem? hope this crisis won't spiral further out of control? These are not acceptable answers. prgtoken More broadly, is any volume of illegal immigration or drug overdose deaths adequate to get this administration to secure the border? How much longer will we allow our broken border policies to be manipulated by a criminal alliance between the Chinese communists and the billion- dollar Mexican drug cartels that are shipping huge quantities of deadly illegal drugs into the United States across our southern border? prgtoken .
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2022-11-17

the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges is the law of the land. A single line from a single concurring opinion does not make the case for legislation that seriously threatens religious liberty. prgtoken The Respect for Marriage Act is unnecessary. States are not denying recognition of same-sex marriages, and there is no serious risk of anyone losing recognition. There is not a single piece of legislation that I am aware of moving through the Congress or any State legislature to do the same. prgtoken But the Supreme Court majority explicitly stated in its Dobbs ruling earlier this year that the Dobbs decision had no bearing on the recognition of same-sex marriage. The proponents of this bill falsely claim that same-sex marriage is under attack because Justice Thomas suggested in a concurring opinion in Dobbs that the Supreme Court should take a closer look at all of its substantive due process jurisprudence; not necessarily to strike down those rulings, but often to consider whether they should be premised on a different constitutional hook. The majority opinion is what mattered, and it is the one that the majority of the Supreme Court supports. prgtoken Now proponents of this bill pretend that the legislation would simply codify the status quo. I take exception to that because I don't think that is true. But even before we get to that issue, I think it is important for us to think about what codifying Obergefell on its own terms could mean and why it is that we ought to look at steps to protect religious freedom in light of Obergefell and in light of anything that purports to codify Obergefell. prgtoken I remember when the Obergefell case was being argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in 2015. Solicitor General Don Verrilli, in representing the U.S. Government--with then the administration in power--was arguing before the Court, and Justice Alito, my former boss, interjected with a question. prgtoken He asked Solicitor General Verrilli, if the Supreme Court of the United States recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage throughout the United States, whether that, when read with other precedent--read in context with other Federal civil rights protections, along with prior Supreme Court rulings--might not result in the risk of some nonprofits, including some schools and universities, being threatened with the loss of their tax-exempt status. prgtoken Solicitor General Verrilli responded immediately and unambiguously. He said: Yes, Justice Alito. That is going to be a problem. prgtoken He reiterated it three times that that would be a problem and that it would be something that would have to be addressed. prgtoken What he was acknowledging was that there was a real risk dealing with Obergefell itself in that, unless we take steps to protect religious colleges, religious universities, and other religious nonprofits, some of those might be threatened with t
HONORING K. DONALD NICEWONDER
H. Morgan Griffith (Republican, VA) \u2014 2022-11-17

. Madam , I rise today to honor K. Donald Nicewonder of Bristol, Virginia, who passed away on November 12, 2022, at the age of 84. Mr. Nicewonder was a businessman whose success in the coal business provided the resources for his philanthropy. prgtoken Mr. Nicewonder was born to John and Lena Nicewonder on November 13, 1937. He attended Emory and Henry College for two weeks before going to work at a surface coal mine owned by his older brother, J.D. After two years at his brother's companies, he began two of his own companies in Kentucky. He later sold these to McCulloch Oil Corporation and in 1974 purchased land in Buchanan County, Virginia, and McDowell County, West Virginia, with a small group of partners. In the 1980s, he sought new coal reserves and started four new surface mining companies in West Virginia with his sons, operations that produced approximately four million tons of marketable coal per year at their peak. In 2005, Mr. Nicewonder and his family sold their mining operations to Alpha Natural Resources. prgtoken His interest in coal extended to reclaiming old mining properties and reusing them for different purposes, including an airport, a portion of the King Coal Highway, and the Twisted Gun Golf Course of Wharncliffe, West Virginia. He told the Golf Channel, ``Being in West Virginia in mining for ten years, I thought it would be a great gesture to give the people in southern West Virginia a nice place to come play golf and let people see what can be done with some of this abandoned mine land.'' prgtoken Coal constituted just one part of Mr. Nicewonder's business legacy. The Nicewonder Group he launched with family and other partners controls multiple businesses. The Virginian is a golf course built near his home in 1992, later accompanied by a vineyard and a resort. The group is involved in shopping centers, office buildings, and condos in Virginia and Florida and owns clay deposits in Virginia and Vermont. prgtoken Mr. Nicewonder's business success empowered him to give generously to causes in his home region. He supported educational institutions such as Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia's College at Wise, Sullins Academy, and the Morrison School. Mr. Nicewonder and his brother J.D. have also supported health care providers in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee, contributing to the well-being of the region's people. prgtoken Mr. Nicewonder is survived by his wife of 65 years, Etta Nicewonder; two sons, Kenny Nicewonder of Bristol, Virginia, and Kevin Nicewonder and his wife, Kim Grace Nicewonder of Abingdon, Virginia; one daughter, Kim Nicewonder Johnson of Bristol, Virginia; seven grandchildren, Reid Nicewonder of Los Angeles; California, Paulena Johnson of the Netherlands, Ross Nicewonder of Denver, Colorado, Nick Nicewonder of Asheville, North Carolina, Carly Nicewonder of Bristol, Virginia, Lexi Johnson of Alexandria, Virginia, and Steven Johnson of Bristol, Virginia;
CALIFORNIA GOING DOWN IN FLAMES
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-11-17

. Madam , as I watch my home State of California go down in flames, literally, as we watch how we are running out of electricity, we are running out of water, our store shelves are having less and less food varieties available, our farmers being pushed out of business, our farmworkers being pushed out of business, as we see all of these things happen with mandates coming down the pike, requiring more and more electricity has to be renewable, what is the answer in California? prgtoken Let's tear down some hydroelectric dams in my district and Mr. Bentz' district; let's tear them down. prgtoken We are going to lose green power. We are doing it over the objections of the people who live there, who have objected by over 70 percent to removal of these dams, all for an unproven environmental benefit. prgtoken So enjoy even less electricity. Enjoy even less food grown in my district and Mr. Bentz' district. Enjoy even more of the crisis that is facing us in rural California, rural America, and on our store shelves and in our electrical wires due to even more unfounded environmental rules being forced upon us to tear down perfectly good hydroelectric dams. Thanks one hell of a lot.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-11-17

yesterday, the conference met and selected its leadership team for the 118th Congress. I am deeply honored that my remarkable colleagues on this side of the aisle decided to rehire me for another term as leader. I am proud of Senators Thune, Barrasso, Ernst, Capito, and Daines, who were also elected to take on critical roles for the next 2 years. prgtoken We have impressive new Senators-elect. We have outstanding returning Members. Our conference is brimming with energy, ideas, and enthusiasm to fight for the millions and millions of Americans who elected Senators to be their champions and their voice in this Chamber. prgtoken s are a big-tent party that unites around commonsense, conservative principles and policies to make our Nation stronger and make American families' lives better. We stand for fiscal sanity instead of the reckless liberal spending that created jaw-dropping inflation. We stand for the pro-worker, pro-family, pro-growth ideas that built the best economy for working people in a generation, before COVID-19. policies have fueled low inflation, low unemployment, and robust growth, all at the very same time. prgtoken We stand for a strong, modern military that can deter and defeat America's enemies and confident American leadership in the world instead of this administration's deeply botched retreat from Afghanistan and desperate cozying up to the murderous regime in Tehran. prgtoken We stand for American energy dominance instead of cutting off our own supplies and canceling out our own pipelines while begging foreign dictators to produce more. prgtoken We stand for real energy independence, not making China rich by buying solar panel components that make American energy more expensive and less reliable. prgtoken We stand for safer streets, and we understand that real compassion means ensuring safety and security for innocent people, not giving shorter sentences to the violent convicts who hurt them. prgtoken We stand for securing our border and enforcing our laws instead of letting unvetted people and illegal drugs pour into our country 24/7. prgtoken We stand for putting parents' rights and parents' involvement back into our Nation's schools and getting radical indoctrination out. prgtoken We stand for the quaint notion that judges need to follow our laws and the Constitution as they are written, not act like a third legislative branch that our citizens can't vote out. prgtoken We stand for free speech, religious liberty, and the freedom of worship instead of using the courts and the government to prosecute men and women of faith. prgtoken This is where we stand, , and it just so happens that the American people stand with us. Last week's exit poll showed that s are more trusted on the kitchen-table issues that keep American families awake at night. When the American people got a clear, unmuddled look at ou