mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIG OAK BOYS' RANCH
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2024-7-9

I rise today to honor and recognize the 50th anniversary of Big Oak Boys' Ranch in Gadsden, Alabama. prgtoken John Croyle founded Big Oak Boys' Ranch after working at a summer camp and meeting a little boy from New Orleans, Louisiana. The child's mother was a prostitute, and he was the banker and timekeeper for his mother. John ministered to this child about Christianity, and the following summer, the child shared with John how Jesus had changed his life. John knew his calling was to help children. prgtoken The Big Oak Boys' Ranch is known as a Christian home for children needing a chance, and it has certainly fulfilled its mission since opening in 1974. The Ranch has met the needs of over 2,000 children-- giving them a Christian home and a chance to fulfill God's plan for their lives. prgtoken The Ranch started off as a single farmhouse serving five boys to seven ministry teams advancing the mission nation-wide. The Ranch follows these four promises: We love you, we will never lie to you, we will stick with you until you are grown and there are boundaries. The children find love, support, security and discipline within the promises. prgtoken A celebration will be held on Sunday, July 28th at the Big Oak Boys' Ranch to mark the 50th anniversary. prgtoken , please join me in recognizing this milestone for the Big Oak Boys' Ranch and thanking John for his tireless dedication to these children.
STOP UNAFFORDABLE DISHWASHER STANDARDS ACT
Nicholas A. Langworthy (Republican, NY) \u2014 2024-7-9

I rise today in support of my bill, the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act, which will put the brakes on the administration's relentless assault on efficient, affordable, and reliable appliances for everyday Americans through overbearing regulations. prgtoken When Congress enacted the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, the goal was straightforward: encourage a more efficient use of energy that is both practical and cost-efficient. Yet, the administration has prgtoken abused and twisted this law beyond recognition to serve the radical, woke environmentalist agenda of the far left. prgtoken They are not just out of touch. They are making life more expensive for hardworking Americans. In fact, the administration's own analysis of the proposed rule for the new efficiency standards admits that it would take more than 12 years for an American family to see $17 in savings--$17 over 12 years, and that is if their dishwasher lasts that long, which is really doubtful. This is a textbook example of Big Government overreach. prgtoken Here is the bottom line: Our country is in the midst of a historic affordability crisis. Millions of Americans cannot afford to buy their first home or even save for a rainy day. What does this administration do? They pile on more regulations, more requirements, and higher standards onto the most basic household appliances. prgtoken To my friends across the aisle who disparage this legislation here today as trivial and unimportant, I encourage them to go explain right now to the average American family, already crushed by this economy, that their daily struggles with skyrocketing costs don't matter. Go explain to seniors in my district living on fixed incomes why they should shell out thousands more to replace their basic home appliances to satisfy some radical environmentalist pipe dream. Go tell them that they should take a back seat to the Green New Deal agenda. Go tell them that the administration knows better about what is best for them. prgtoken Why should Americans who are putting their groceries on credit cards be forced to deal with more out-of-touch, expensive regulations? The hardworking families, seniors, and constituents in my district might not matter to the administration, but they matter to me. prgtoken That is why I introduced this legislation. By stripping away consumer choice and imposing draconian new regulations and standards that make absolutely no sense from an affordability and efficiency standpoint, this administration is making life harder for the American people, pure and simple. prgtoken , enough is enough. We cannot tackle this affordability crisis facing our country today if we don't stop the administration's regulatory agenda dead in its tracks. I urge my colleagues to support my bill, H.R. 7700.
REFRIGERATOR FREEDOM ACT
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2024-7-9

some things never change. prgtoken I woke up today and thanked God the sky was blue. There was traffic, lots of traffic, in Washington, D.C and once again, are trying to take away appliances from hardworking Americans. prgtoken They want to take away the things that hardworking Americans do want and shove on hardworking Americans the things they don't want. prgtoken This government's out-of-control spending by has already made everyone's life hell. Americans can hardly afford to stock their refrigerators with food, and now want to take the damn refrigerator away, as well. prgtoken The state of this country's energy infrastructure is already alarming. Gas prices are above $3.50 a gallon. Our electrical grid, sorry to say, still remains vulnerable to cyberattacks. We are draining our strategic stockpiles and relying on foreign sources for energy. prgtoken These are serious national concerns. Yet, what is President and the Department of Energy focused on? Taking away the basic appliances that Americans want. prgtoken Terrorists are crossing our borders daily, China continues to grow more emboldened, and violent crime continues to plague our streets, but if you didn't know any better, if you thought about it, you would think that refrigerators and dishwashers and stoves were the greatest enemies of the United States of America. Maybe they are in the eyes of our ic colleagues. prgtoken Let's focus on the real threats this country faces. continue their war on the American consumer in the name of some Green New Deal agenda. If enacted, these supposed energy efficiency standards by the DOE would increase costs for every single American and would take more than a decade to pay back those costs. prgtoken It is not going to stop climate change. If the left were serious about climate change, they would be better served focusing on nuclear energy and modular power plants. They would be better focusing on any other means to save energy other than taking it away from the American public, sort of like solar panels. They make sense. prgtoken The kitchen is for the family, for memories, for gatherings, for good times. It is not time to have these folks meddling in your lives to further micromanage their families. Let's leave the appliance decisions, the appliances that men and women want to buy in this country--it is a basic principle--to those who use them, not to those who wish once again to overregulate them and force things down their throats they just don't want. prgtoken , I strongly support these bills.
HONORING MY HUSBAND, JOSEPH LESKO
Debbie Lesko (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2024-7-9

I rise today to honor my mother, Delores Lorenz. prgtoken My mom will be 95 years old this year, and she is still going strong. She lives on her own. She cuts her own grass. I hope I can be like her. prgtoken My mom has always been there for me. She stayed home and raised us kids. She worked hard. Believe me, being a mom is hard work. She got up early in the morning because my dad had to go to work very early in the morning, and she would make sure that she would make him breakfast every morning. prgtoken She washed our clothes, cleaned up everything, and made our dinners. She was famous for baking pies, although she said she is now retired from baking pies, which makes me sad. prgtoken She helped all of us kids with our homework, and when I ran for Congress, my mother stood in the heat in front of the Ace Hardware store outside of Phoenix, Arizona, and walked her whole neighborhood to collect signatures to get me on the ballot. prgtoken I love my mom. She made me who I am. I thank my mom for always being there for me. I thank her for everything she does.
TRIBUTE TO JACK WINSTEAD
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2024-7-9

on behalf of the people of Mississippi, I submit this statement into the Congressional Record to honor the public service of Mr. Jack Winstead. In both his professional and personal capacities, he has worked faithfully to make the most of Mississippi's natural resources and to care for our State's veterans. prgtoken Jack pursued his education at East Central Community College and Mississippi State University, but he had begun serving well before completing his studies. As an undergraduate, Jack began working with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, SCS. He went on to dedicate the next 35 years of his life to SCS. prgtoken Associations, commissions, and boards across the State have noticed Jack's expertise. Jack has not kept his skills to himself. Instead, he has given generously to the many who have prgtoken asked for his help. He has embraced leadership roles at the Mississippi Soil and Water Commission, the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts, the Newton County Cattleman's Association, and more. Then- Governor Haley Barbour appointed him to the commission on environmental quality. Jack has worked on statewide, countywide, and local issues, and Mississippi's natural resources have benefited from his dedication. prgtoken All of those accolades are a testament to Jack's value to our State, but he is not focused on titles. Today, he is the president of the Friends of Mississippi Veterans, a group which cares for those who have served in uniform. In particular, Jack has been working to support the 600 men and women living in one of the State's veterans nursing homes. Jack and his wife Jeanette have also established an endowment scholarship at East Central Community College. prgtoken Jack has said he is grateful to serve those who have made such a difference to our Nation. It is exactly that spirit that characterizes the best of Mississippi, and, for that reason, I am eager to praise him today in the Congressional Record.
Remembering James M. Inhofe (Executive Calendar)
Markwayne Mullin (Republican, OK) \u2014 2024-7-9

today, I take to the floor for the first time. I really am not one to speak a whole lot on the floor. My time in the House was very limited as to how many times I spoke on the House floor. Then, being in the Senate, this is my first time to speak, but it comes on an occasion that I feel is, I guess, the right time to speak. prgtoken A gentleman whom I took great pride in knowing, whom I referred to quite often as a grandfather, Senator Jim Inhofe, passed away, unfortunately, this morning. prgtoken And I was asked right off the bat, ``Would you be willing to do some interviews?'' on it. And then, obviously, we were asked to speak on the floor. prgtoken And I didn't even know what to say. How do you describe Senator Jim Inhofe, right? How do you describe his family--Miss Kay, who, from the first time I ever met her, she made me feel as comfortable as if I was her own child, just someone who took time to pet on me and love on me when I was trying to learn just to be in politics because politics was new. prgtoken Senator Inhofe would often take me by the hand--literally, by the hand--and say: Hey, listen to me, son. And over time he became quite a mentor--I mean, quite a mentor of mine. prgtoken And I get asked all the time: How do you plan on filling the shoes of Senator Inhofe? And I say: How do you fill the shoes of a gentleman whose middle name was ``Mountain''? How fitting is that, right? Senator James Mountain Inhofe, because he was a mountain of a man. prgtoken He blazed his own trail. He was full of grit and tenacity. You always knew where he stood. I never doubted what his thoughts were. He would tell me right off the bat. When it was time for a decision to be made, he would get the delegation together. He would come in, and he wasn't someone that demanded you to go with him. He just let you know where he was at and why he was right. And you found a lot of respect in that. At the same time, if he didn't agree with you, he let you know he didn't agree with you. But you can respect a guy that you always know where he stands. prgtoken So it saddens me deeply to know that, today, this Earth is less one gentleman that I think we all learned from. Everybody in this Chamber who knew James or Senator Inhofe knew a guy as a friend. You knew he was someone that you could trust. prgtoken I remember one time--it was in 2016--my wife and I, we were making a decision if we were going to continue to stay in public office. Quite frankly, I was done. I had my fill. I came from the private sector. And just politics, in itself, to me, was not something that I enjoyed. I was ready to just throw in the towel. prgtoken And Senator Inhofe called me. He says: Hey, come into my office, which, coming over from my little Senate office in Longworth, I went into this Taj Mahal office of Senator Inhofe's, and I just was in shock. prgtoken And he said: Do me a favor. He says: Don't leave yet. And I looked at him. He said: Ju
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 8281, SAFEGUARD AMERICAN VOTER ELIGIBILITY ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION H.J. RES. 165, PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE...
Mark Alford (Republican, MO) \u2014 2024-7-9

. Madam , I thank Chairman Burgess for leading this rule debate. prgtoken Madam , as I travel the Fourth Congressional District of the great State of Missouri, I get one question repeated often, over and over: What are we going to do to secure our elections? We can pass a lot of laws in Congress, but if we don't secure our elections, we don't have a democracy. We don't have a Republic. prgtoken Voters in the Fourth Congressional District of the great State of Missouri want to make sure that only those who should be voting are voting--one vote, one person, one citizen of the United States of America. prgtoken Madam , that is why I rise today in support of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, H.R. 8281. prgtoken For years, progressive have falsely claimed that 2016 was stolen because of foreign election interference. Yet, today, they are ignoring the real threat of foreign interference: noncitizens registering and voting in U.S. elections. prgtoken The SAVE Act will address this threat head-on by requiring proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. It is pretty simple. It allows State officials to accept a wide variety of documents that will actually make it easier for citizens to register to vote. The bill also ensures that States can access the databases they need to clean up our voter registration rolls and remove noncitizens. prgtoken It is very simple, Madam . If you are not a citizen of the United States of America, you should not be voting in elections in the United States of America, but just like our progressive friends have defended on this very House floor Marxism, socialism, and open borders, they are opposing this very measure at this time in our Nation's history. prgtoken The dirty little secret is that progressive want to turn the some 12 million illegal aliens that have come into our precious sovereign Nation--because of this failed administration and their lack of ability to stop the illegal immigrants--they want to turn them into voters to secure more power, to make them dependent upon the U.S. Government. prgtoken Madam , we cannot let that happen. We will not let that happen. It is time to secure our border. It is time to secure our elections. That is why I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the rule for the SAVE Act and the act itself. The time is now. We may not have time again.
NATO (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-7-9

today, world leaders are descending on our Nation's Capital for an important NATO summit, the 2024 NATO summit-- the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is fitting that this gathering is taking place in our Nation's Capital because this is where the story of NATO began. prgtoken In April of 1949, leaders of the United States and our closest allies gathered here in the Nation's Capital to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. With the stroke of a pen, those 12 countries became the founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. prgtoken The core mission of NATO can be summed up in only two words: collective defense. An attack against one ally is considered an attack against all allies. Of course, Europe had been through two devastating world wars, and the hope was, by creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, that aggression could be deterred and, thus, the peace maintained. prgtoken Seventy-five years ago, this commitment aimed to deter the Soviet Union from expanding its influence into Western Europe. Nearly 23 years ago, the collective defense clause was invoked for the first and only time in history in the wake of the attacks on the United States on 9/ 11. America's NATO allies were there when we needed them--an act of friendship and support that we should never forget. prgtoken Today, the collective defense clause continues to serve as a firewall that safeguards NATO member states and underpins global security. And in the 75 years since NATO was founded, its membership has grown from 12 to 32 countries, and its influence continues to grow with the recent additions of Sweden and Finland. prgtoken Beyond ensuring the security of its members, NATO plays a key role in maintaining peace and stability around the world. Suffice it to say, NATO leaders have a big job ahead of them this week. Conflicts are unfolding around the globe, and democracy is under attack by the world's leading aggressors. prgtoken Nearly 2\1/2\ years have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the fighting has not let up. Yesterday, Russia fired missiles at a children's hospital in Kyiv and other sites across Ukraine--killing at least 38 people and injuring more than 100. prgtoken In addition to the fighting in Europe, a war is also raging in the Middle East, as we know. More than 9 months have passed since the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas against civilians in Israel, but Israel is not only defending its sovereignty against Hamas. It is also battling direct fire from Hezbollah and Iran. Just to be clear, Iran is the head of the snake here. Hezbollah and Hamas are proxies for Iran, committed to the ultimate destruction of Israel. prgtoken In addition to the conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, tensions are growing in the Indo-Pacific as well. The Chinese Communist Party continues to bully and threaten China's neighbors in the region. Just last week, China anchored one of its Coast Guard ships off the
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 2024 (Executive Calendar)
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2024-7-9

reserving the right to object, first of all, let's discuss the title of this bill: Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2023. Why are my friends across the aisle afraid to use the word ``abortion''? prgtoken This bill has nothing to do with reproductive healthcare. This is an abortion training act of 2023. Let's just call it like it is. This is the abortion training act of 2023. prgtoken What my colleague from Wisconsin didn't say or tell you is that this bill is unconstitutional. This bill uses taxpayer dollars to fund a direct pipeline of more abortions across the Nation through the Department of Health and Human Services. prgtoken This bill establishes a program to award grants or contracts to eligible entities for the purposes of expanding and supporting abortion training and for preparing and encouraging--encouraging--preparing and encouraging students to become abortionists. It encourages efforts to train abortionists with a focus on--get this--a focus on racial and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, tribal, and medically underserved communities. Does this imply there is a priority to train and send abortionists to these groups? prgtoken This bill authorizes $25 million to be appropriated for this abortion training pipeline--again, against the Hyde Amendment. This is unconstitutional. prgtoken This bill has not received any type of markup in the Health Committee. The Federal Government should not be spending taxpayer dollars to encourage medical students and clinicians to take life when their principal duty, their sacred oath, is to protect life and to do no harm from conception to natural death. Therefore, I object.
REFRIGERATOR FREEDOM ACT
Jeff Duncan (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-7-9

the funny thing is, if manufacturers wanted to make a more efficient appliance, they could, and I would tell them to go for it. The manufacturing alliance and all the trade groups that were mentioned don't need something from the government to tell them to do something more efficient. If they think there is a market for it or they think that they have some desire to be more efficient, they can do it. They don't need the government to tell them to do it. prgtoken The way government operates around here, especially under a ic administration, is that they are coming up with a solution that is looking for a problem. If a problem doesn't exist, they create one, and they create a regulation to manage it and grow government. prgtoken Ronald Reagan, talking about ic government, said that their solution is: ``I am from the government, and I am here to help.'' prgtoken continue to want to throw more money at problems that they see. The gentlewoman from Florida went through a whole litany of things the would focus on, but do you know what, America? She left the border out of that. Over 16 million people have crossed the border. That wasn't on her list. prgtoken She wasn't talking about lowering interest rates on mortgages so people can actually buy their first home. Right now, they can't because it is out of reach. It is unaffordable. prgtoken She didn't talk about lowering prices at the grocery store or Walmart or anywhere else you shop because the administration's inflationary practices have driven up costs everywhere on everything since day one of the administration, from energy costs to food and other items that you purchase. prgtoken I kind of chuckled at her little sign there, but I am reminded of Will Rogers. He was talking about government spending, I think, but he said that really the only time the taxpayer is safe is when Congress isn't in session because Congress seems to muck it up by growing government and wanting to tax to get money to feed that growing government. Will Rogers was probably right. prgtoken , I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), the author of this legislation.