mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SUPPORTING THE BERING RIVER COALFIELD ACQUISITION
Jeff Duncan (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-3-22

I rise today to applaud the commitment of the United States Forest Service to see through the protection of the Bering River coalfield in Alaska. prgtoken According to the Forest Service, the Copper River watershed, in which the Bering River lies, is one of the largest and most biologically intact places on Earth. prgtoken Mineral rights to the Bering River coalfield are currently owned by a Korean company, which means almost 12,000 acres of coalfields in the Copper River watershed remain vulnerable to mining. prgtoken Coal from the Bering River has no value in the U.S. coal market. We have plenty in the lower 48. An extraction would only serve to benefit the Asian markets at the cost of decimating one of the few untouched places left in America. The current owner of the mineral rights expressed that they are willing to sell the rights, and the bid for appraisal opened last week. prgtoken It is my hope that we are approaching the finish line of the conservation of the Bering River, an effort that has been ongoing for 100 years. Forty-six conservation organizations have voiced their support for the protection of this invaluable natural resource. prgtoken If a purchase of the Bering River coalfield is successful, all future generations of American sportsmen and -women and outdoor recreationists can experience the magnificent wild country the way it emerged from our creator. prgtoken I will take a brief moment to thank the late Representative Don Young from Alaska for his help and support of this issue to get it to this point. prgtoken I also thank the Exxon Valdez trust for extending a boundary so that money could be leveraged to help set aside for future generations this important national asset.
Border Security (Executive Session)
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2023-3-22

I rise today to talk about a constant issue in front of the American people that has haunted, I think, and will haunt this President during his tenure in the White House. It is a subject that my colleagues and I have highlighted in this Chamber--we did just several weeks ago--and this is the continued lack and disregard for border security in our country. prgtoken Last week, the White House Press Secretary said that when it comes to the administration and border security: We're going to secure the border and do the work. prgtoken Well, I wonder what it was that has found this newfound urgency at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And why has it taken 785 days for the Press Secretary to acknowledge the problem? prgtoken Maybe it is the record 2.7 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2022. Or could it be the more than 4.9 million illegal border crossings since President took office? Or how about, for the first time in history, monthly apprehensions at the southern border have surpassed 150,000 for 24 consecutive months? Or that in a season when illegal border crossings are typically lower, Customs and Border Protection encounters rose 2 percent last month with heroine seizures increasing 99 percent and fentanyl seizures increasing 58 percent? prgtoken Whatever the reason--whatever the reason--I sure would like to welcome the White House to the same page that we as s have been on since day one of this administration. prgtoken While my colleagues and I have been sounding constant alarms about the porousness of our border, the administration has, No. 1, stopped making needed updates to our physical border system, leaving gates inoperational and open; they have halted deportations and have been inconsistent in implementing effective policies that kept illegal border crossings under that 150,000 level for 4 consecutive years prior. There is no denying that this crisis is a self-manufactured crisis. prgtoken Maybe most encompassing of their priorities regarding security of our country is that the Department of Homeland Security is one of the few Agencies--and they are the ones tasked with this difficult issue--is one of the few Agencies facing an overall budget cut in the President's latest budget proposal. Remember, a budget is your priorities; it is where you want to do your work. prgtoken In an age where it seems that the President and the Congressional cannot spend enough, they decide to make room for more spending and their radical priorities by putting the Agency in charge of defending our homeland on the chopping block first. I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like something an administration that is going to ``secure the border'' should be doing. prgtoken Perhaps even more alarming are the comments made by the DHS Secretary regarding their budget allotment. Secretary Mayorkas outlines six priorities in the budget summary that he claim
PERIODIC REVIEWS AND UPDATED REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S TAIWAN GUIDELINES UNDER THE TAIWAN ASSURANCE ACT OF 2020
Ann Wagner (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-3-22

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of the Taiwan assurance implementation act, my bipartisan legislation to ensure the United States engages Taiwan in a way that deepens our relationship with this important partner. prgtoken Taiwan faces an unprecedented threat from an increasingly capable and erratic People's Republic of China. Xi Jinping has said that so-called reunification with Taiwan is a core goal of his great rejuvenation campaign, and Chinese Communist Party officials have made clear that they are not afraid to use force to achieve this goal. prgtoken , our own intelligence community has assessed that the PRC is investing in military capabilities that will enable it to take Taiwan by 2027, but we do not need intelligence to tell us what we already see. The PRC is flying bombers and fighter jets into Taiwanese airspace and waters, threatening to sanction Taiwanese businesses, and harassing Taiwanese Government officials. prgtoken If we are to defeat China's plan to replace the United States as the world's preeminent power, we cannot be ruled by fear. That means boldly standing by our friends and partners, particularly Taiwan. prgtoken We must increase our economic ties, defense relationship, and political support of Taiwan's democratic system. Unfortunately, our own State Department has often unilaterally censored or restricted its engagement with Taiwan. prgtoken Hiding behind opacity and red tape hurts our partnership with Taiwan at a moment when we need to be standing shoulder to shoulder with our allies and partners. Any waffling invites bullies like Xi and Putin to push the envelope. prgtoken This is why the Taiwan Assurance Act, or TAA, was enacted with strong bipartisan support in 2020, but the threat Taiwan faces has only grown since then. This bill amends the TAA to ensure that the State Department's policy of engagement with Taiwan is appropriate to today's geopolitical challenges. We must acknowledge the growing threat Taiwan faces and help build resilience to that threat. prgtoken I was proud to introduce this bipartisan bill along with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), who has been an absolute champion for Taiwan for so many years. prgtoken It received unanimous support during markup by the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. prgtoken , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-3-22

I come to the floor today to talk about the situation at the border and to lend my voice to other Members who are going to speak about a border that needs to be secured. prgtoken About 3 years ago, we had about one-half million illegal crossings. Two years ago, we had 2 million illegal prgtoken crossings. Now, we are hearing that, in another 12 months--or in the last 12 months--almost 3 million illegal crossings. And it is likely to be that number or go higher. prgtoken We have lost control of the border. Now, when you think, well, what does it mean? Because that is a great comment for somebody from some political stripe to make, but what does that really mean? prgtoken When you get to that level of illegal crossings, you are inviting some of the worst crossings that could possibly happen. prgtoken Now, let's keep in mind that there are a number of people who are escaping dangerous situations in their country of origin. There are people who probably, rightfully, should be in the United States or some safe third country because they are fleeing a dangerous situation in their country. Think Nicaragua. Think Ukraine. prgtoken But we have reached a point to where we actually have a debate on the Senate floor about whether or not we need borders at all. Or we have other people who just say: Build a wall. Frankly, I think they are both wrong. prgtoken I am not here to talk about building a wall that is over 1,000 miles long, that goes from the Pacific Ocean to the gulf. What I am talking about is securing the border. If you go down to the border, as I have, you would understand why. There are simply certain sections that you need to secure. You need to secure it so Border Patrol, which has primary responsibility for securing the border and orderly entry, can have control over the situation. They can't today. prgtoken As a matter of fact, if they were all back on the line today and we haven't put together a viable border security strategy, they still couldn't do their job. But, now, with the numbers that we have coming across the border, they are not on the frontline. They are not interdicting cartels. They are not arresting and detaining what they call the Sinaloa air force. This is something amazing. We have engaged the Border Patrol officers in so many things that have nothing to do with securing the border that the cartel--one of the biggest ones, Sinaloa--has what the Border Patrol call their air force. They have literally seen them get in ultralight planes with six or seven people flying drugs into the United States, dropping the payload, and going back. They said that that has become a thing. It is not just an anecdote but another device that the Sinaloa cartel is using. prgtoken How could they pay for the ultralights or their air force? They are making over $800 million a year in human trafficking. You don't cross the southern border without paying a toll, and that toll is paid to really a whole g
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-3-22

families and businesses across the country are worried about the safety and stability of our banking system. prgtoken Two weeks ago, Silicon Valley Bank--a bank that many people had never heard of--rocketed from relative obscurity to infamy when it suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed. The bank, which reported $212 billion in assets last quarter, is now known as the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. It is the second largest bank failure in American history. prgtoken The American people quickly learned that Silicon Valley Bank had made some pretty risky investment decisions. When interest rates were low, it purchased long-term Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities. As the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to fight record inflation, the value of those investments tumbled. SVB attempted to stop the bleeding by selling $21 billion worth of assets at a loss of nearly $2 billion. Well, it didn't take long for this entire house of cards to come tumbling down. When customers prgtoken learned about its financial troubles, it caused a run on deposits. And, of course, no bank can withstand a run on its deposits where people demand to get paid back immediately when many of the investments that were made are longer term investments. prgtoken Shortly after the Silicon Valley Bank implosion, Signature Bank, a regional bank in New York, collapsed as well. And, now, major banks have pledged to help rescue First Republic Bank from potentially succumbing to the same fate. My assumption is this isn't done out of the goodness of their hearts; but they realize if this contagion continues to spread across the country, it could imperil our entire economy. prgtoken Given the potential implications of this situation, the administration and Federal regulators quickly jumped into damage- control mode. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, otherwise known as FDIC, quickly announced that depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank would have full access to their funds, even above the insured deposits. prgtoken Of course, under existing law, FDIC insures deposits only up to $250,000; but FDIC quickly announced that that cap on insurance would be lifted. prgtoken President also attempted to assure the American people that the banking system was safe. Secretary Yellen did the same. In a speech yesterday, she said the U.S. banking system ``remains sound.'' But the truth of the matter is that it is impossible to make guarantees when you are dealing with something as uncertain as human behavior and the wildfire-like spread of information across social media and elsewhere where people can, with a click of their phones, withdraw all their deposits from an institution. So while these are hopeful statements by the President and Secretary Yellen, it doesn't guarantee anything. prgtoken The health of the banking system doesn't just depend on objective measures of financial health, but als
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADVANCED CAPABILITIES PILLAR OF THE TRILATERAL SECURITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AUSTRALIA, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE UNITED STATES
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-3-22

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , as China continues its aggressive posture in the Indo- Pacific, strengthening partnerships to deter Chairman Xi are more important now than ever. I thank my good friend, Ranking Member Meeks, for standing with me in support of this bipartisan measure. prgtoken The Australia-United Kingdom-United States partnership known as AUKUS is a long-term security pact to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. prgtoken The recent announcement on AUKUS implementation only addressed one piece of this partnership--cooperation on conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines, but there is much more to this partnership. prgtoken The second pillar of AUKUS is cooperation on advanced capabilities. The purpose is to collaborate on high-tech research and the application of systems, such as hypersonics, undersea capabilities, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and much more. prgtoken This legislation focuses on ensuring the State Department is authorizing technology transfers quickly to fully support implementation of this vital pillar. prgtoken We are facing a generational challenge from the Chinese Communist Party. We must bring all tools to bear in our effort to counter Chairman Xi's attempts to disrupt the global balance of power. With AUKUS, our three nations can achieve the shared strategic goal of defending the Indo-Pacific region while maintaining our technological and military superiority. prgtoken This bill presses the State Department to take action and account for our arms transfers with the U.K. and Australia so that we can address any hurdles and act seamlessly now and not wait for a time of crisis or even war. prgtoken For these reasons, I am proud of this bipartisan bill, which will begin to address numerous long-standing challenges in our arms exports to our closest allies and potentially serve as a roadmap for working with other close allies and partners. prgtoken I, again, thank Ranking Member Meeks, his team, and our members for working with my staff to ensure that this bill in support of a new long-term security pact with our allies becomes a reality. prgtoken , this bill deserves our unanimous support, and .
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF JAMES PAUL LOOS III
Aaron Bean (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-3-22

I rise today to celebrate James Paul Loos III for his retirement from a lifetime of public service. prgtoken Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Mr. Loos has dedicated his life to serving the great state of Florida and the United States of America. At the age of 20, he joined the Florida Air National Guard and obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant. However, this was just the beginning of his four decades of public service. prgtoken Throughout the last 40 years, Mr. Loos has served in the Florida Air National Guard, Clay County Sheriffs Office, Naval Support Activity, Department of Navy Police, and the Nassau County Sheriffs Office, where he spent 20 of those years. prgtoken At every step of his career, Mr. Loos continually received outstanding praise from his superior officers. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper described Mr. Loos as having a heart for helping others, and he expressed gratitude for his tireless advocacy in keeping citizens safe. prgtoken Mr. Loos's commitment to serving his community, state, and country should be celebrated, and I am inspired by the example he is setting for the next generation of Americans. prgtoken , I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating a much- deserved retirement for James Paul Loos III, a true servant and patriot.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-3-22

I am here today to talk about the kids and parents of Jana Elementary School and to talk about the measure of justice they deserve for the ordeal they are facing now, for the ordeal they have been put through for months, and, frankly, for the ordeal they have suffered through years and years and years of lies from the Federal Government, of misdirection from the Federal Government, and, frankly, of outright falsehoods this community has had to endure. prgtoken Jana Elementary School is a small school in the Hazelwood School District in Florissant, MO. That is the St. Louis area. In October of this last year, Jana Elementary was closed. Why? Because they woke up to find out their school was contaminated with radioactive material. prgtoken Imagine being a parent and waking up to this headline: ``Missouri elementary school to close after report finds radioactive contamination.'' prgtoken Where was the radioactive contamination? you may ask. Well, it was on the playground. It was in the kitchen of the school. It was in the air ducts. And where did it come from? How did radioactive material get into an elementary school in the St. Louis area? Well, the answer is, it came from the Federal Government. prgtoken Let me tell you a little story about the Hazelwood School District and about Florissant and about St. Louis, and it dates back to the 1940s when the Federal Government used a site in St. Louis as one of the processing centers for the Manhattan Project. Well, when that project wrapped up in the late 1940s, the Federal Government collected the radioactive waste and transferred it. Out of the area? No. Just to the site of the St. Louis Airport, and there it sat for decades. By ``sat,'' I mean it leached into the air. It leached into the soil. It leached into the groundwater. prgtoken So what happened? Over the course of 25 years and more, this radioactive material got into the water of a creek called Coldwater Creek. It has been tested many times. Radioactive material has been found there numerous times. And where does that creek go? Well, all along the St. Louis area through numerous communities but also right by Jana Elementary School, right along the school grounds, right along the playground--a creek that is known to the U.S. Government to be contaminated with radioactive material that the U.S. Government allowed to be put into the water. prgtoken This last fall, the school board quite reasonably took the step of saying: Hold on. We know it is in the water. We know this creek goes right by the playground of this school, within 1,000 feet of the building itself. Maybe we ought to test the building just to see if our kids are safe. prgtoken So they did. Now, the U.S. Government wouldn't do it, I would just like to point out. No, it wasn't the Government that tested the building. The school board paid for it itself. The parents had to demand it. They went and got a third party to go and test the b
CALIFORNIA'S WATER CRISIS
Kevin Kiley (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-3-22

. Madam , in recent weeks, my district has lost several of its most distinguished citizens. I want to share a few words about their lives and the legacy they have left in our communities. prgtoken Madam , I would like to take a moment to honor the life and memory of Rex Hime, a committed public servant, veteran, native Californian, and friend to many. prgtoken Rex's life was guided by a commitment to serving others and a work hard, play hard attitude that endeared him to people across California. In fact, Rex's habit of regularly walking the halls of the California State Capitol in Sacramento and testifying in a Hawaiian shirt rather than the customary suit and tie was by some accounts singlehandedly responsible for relaxing the dress code at the capitol building, which is appreciated by many. prgtoken Rarely would Rex let a meeting or conference call end without making everyone laugh and lightening the mood of the conversation. Rex also spread joy to others through serving as the chair, vice chair, and board member of the Cal Expo & State Fair for over 20 years. His passion for bringing joy to others through the fair was widely recognized, as five different Governors from both political parties continued to appoint Rex to the California State Fair Board. prgtoken Rex's service to his community and country extended far beyond the fair. He served in both the Army Reserve and California National Guard, retiring as a major in 1990. Rex was also a member of the California Task Force on Violence Prevention, a regent of the University of California, and president of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association. prgtoken Apart from his community work, Rex worked as president and CEO of the California Business Properties Association for 37 years and was often instrumental in protecting taxpayers and helping craft legislation that served as models for States across the country. prgtoken I am honored to have known Rex. He was a devoted husband and father, and our community and California will never forget the impact that Rex Hime had and continues to have on our lives through his service and advocacy work throughout his 75 years. Honoring the Memory of Martin Harmon