mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ENTREPRENEURS WILL BE HARMED BY PRO ACT
Jay Obernolte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-3-9

I fear that H.R. 842 is going to have serious long-term consequences for entrepreneurialism here in America. prgtoken , I started a company 30 years ago out of my college dorm room at Caltech, and I grew it the way that most small businesses are grown in America. I grew it organically. That means that when I had a little bit more business than I, myself, could do, I contracted that business out to other people who could do that business for me. prgtoken , under this bill, that practice will be illegal because it violates the so-called B pillar of the bill that prohibits any contracting that is related to the core business that a company engages. prgtoken , if H.R. 842 had been the law of the land, I would not have been able to start my company, and the hundreds of jobs that we have created would not have been created here. But they will be created elsewhere, in other countries, with more sane and less restrictive laws. prgtoken , I urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 842.
HONORING MR. CLYDE MOODY SIEBMAN
Pat Fallon (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-9

. Madam , Clyde Moody Siebman--a purveyor of Texas history, self-anointed Cowboy, avid gun enthusiast, legendary lawyer, loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend--died March 4, 2021. Though his sudden departure leaves a profound void across many spectrums, it was in keeping with Clyde's lifelong wish to ``break and not rust'' when his time came for the Lord to call him home. prgtoken Born November 26, 1958, in Sherman, Texas, Clyde spent his early years in the nearby town of Pottsboro. His family then moved to Plano, Texas, for his father's employment before Clyde graduated from Plano Senior High School in 1977. He attended Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he earned a dual undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Psychology in 3\1/2\ years and then a Juris Doctor in 1984 on a full scholarship. He earned many distinctions during college and law school, including a Departmental Distinction in Psychology for his work to address mental competency and the law. prgtoken While in law school, Clyde met Carol Ann Mumm, a fellow SMU law student. They married the year after graduation and were blessed with a beautiful 35-year marriage. They practiced law together before Carol became a judge and were the proud parents of beloved daughter, Elizabeth Forrest, who followed in their footsteps, became a lawyer, and is now a named partner in the firm her father co-founded--Siebman Forrest LLP. Clyde's niece, Becca Skupin, joined the firm in 2019. prgtoken Clyde's 35-year legal career earned him the well-deserved recognition of being one of the top lawyers in the state of Texas. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Clyde had been included in the annual Texas Super Lawyers list published by Thomson Reuters legal division in Texas Monthly magazine since the list debuted in 2003. He maintained an ``AV'' Peer Reviewed ranking (very high to exemplary) by Martindale-Hubbell for over two decades, and he earned selection to The Best Lawyers in America based on his expertise in Patent, Trademark, Copyright and Commercial Litigation. Clyde was named the 2018 Lawyer of the Year for Patent Litigation and 2020 Lawyer of the Year for Copyright Litigation in Dallas-Fort Worth in The Best Lawyers in America. prgtoken Clyde began his federal practice serving as a law clerk to the late United States District Judge Paul Brown. He traveled throughout the district alongside Judge Brown while serving the Sherman, Texarkana, and Beaumont Divisions of the Eastern District of Texas. Clyde has appeared as counsel in more than 500 Eastern District of Texas cases. In addition to maintaining a robust state court practice throughout his career, he regularly represented clients in the Northern and Western Districts of Texas and before the Federal Circuit and 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken Clyde was a frequent lecturer on a variety of legal topics a
Free Speech (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-3-9

I have spoken on the Senate floor recently on the subject of free speech as it applies to the world of digital media. The principles of free speech are timeless and are applicable to new forms of communication. Still, it is natural that new questions will arise and new mechanisms might be needed to apply those principles across new modes of communication. prgtoken What shouldn't be in question is the need for open dialogue and freedom of speech in academia. Otherwise, what does the principle of academic freedom mean if it isn't involved with freedom of speech? prgtoken All of the progress that has made modern life possible has been the result of individuals who have been able to think of things in new ways, even if that challenged an old orthodoxy. A healthy and vibrant academic environment is not afraid of those challenges. prgtoken Only stagnant, defensive, and unconfident regimes suppress speech. Think about the recent protests in Russia, Belarus, or Burma. China's restrictions on the internet and suppression of minorities show that it is threatened by contrary ways of thinking. prgtoken Which would you describe as an advanced, stable, and dynamic society: North Korea or South Korea? Obviously, that describes South Korea well. It does not at all describe that part of the Korean Peninsula north of the 38th parallel. prgtoken So what does it say about so many American academic institutions that the notion of free thought and free speech has now become controversial? What purpose do universities serve if one of the purposes is not to discuss controversial subjects? I often say my definition of a university is where controversy runs rampant. prgtoken We hear lots of rationales about why the current generation of college students needs to be protected from hearing speech that could be offensive, hateful, or just plain wrong. Of course, none of us support hateful speech. I don't support it, but I do support freedom. prgtoken If you empower those in authority to limit hate speech, whether they be college administrators or government officials, that power will eventually be abused to limit dissenting points of view of all kinds, and that is where some universities are right now. prgtoken Even in Iowa's three public universities, we have seen recent efforts to shut down mainstream, center-right views. For instance, a dean at the University of Iowa sent an email across a university platform criticizing a administrative Executive order, but at that same university, when a student challenged the position of the dean using the very same medium, the student was threatened with disciplinary action. prgtoken Well, the dean has since apologized for his initial handling of the subject, so I don't raise that to pick on him. In fact, that very dean has befriended me in very many ways and in thoughtful ways as well. But it just makes you wonder if it is part of a broader cultural trend in academia, what went on
RECOGNIZING IOWA'S STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-3-9

I rise today to recognize the achievements of nine young men in my district. prgtoken Because schools in Iowa are open for in-person learning, our young men and women are able to participate in sports, and I am able to rise today to honor their recent achievements for winning Iowa's State championship in wrestling. prgtoken Dustin Bohren, Bradley Hill, and Griffin Liddle of Bettendorf; Hunter Gavin of Iowa City West; Ben Kueter of City High in Iowa City; Matthew Lewis prgtoken of Centerville; Hayden Taylor of Solon; Kobe Simon of West Liberty; and Marcel Lopez of New London each won State championships last month in Des Moines. prgtoken Wrestling, we think, in Iowa, we are the center of the universe. When it comes to wrestling, we are, but we do give a nod to a certain Representative from Ohio. Wrestling and Dan Gable are as much a part of Iowa's unique history and culture as corn, first-in-the-Nation caucuses, Casey's Breakfast Pizza, and, of course, Chuck Grassley. prgtoken Before the pandemic, fans would cram into gyms across the State to watch our local teams compete. For the lucky few who made it to the State tournament, thousands would travel from all 99 counties to watch. prgtoken These young men and women have marked their place in Iowa history, and I could not be prouder to represent them in Congress.
TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL D. ROACH
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2021-3-9

I rise today to congratulate and honor the retirement of one of my senior staff members and friend who has served in my home State of Idaho for the last 12 years as the State director of natural resources, Michael ``Mike'' D. Roach. prgtoken After retiring from the banking industry, Mike came to my staff after my first election to the U.S. Senate in 2009 as the regional director of my Lewiston office. However, with a bachelor's degree in wildlife- fisheries resources from the University of Idaho, I knew he was a perfect fit for the State director of natural resources position stationed in my Boise office. Shortly after starting in Lewiston, Mike helped to find his replacement in north Idaho and moved to southwestern Idaho to lead my State offices in natural resources. prgtoken Mike was born in Twin Falls and grew up in southwestern Idaho where his father worked in the cattle and banking industry. This afforded him the opportunity to work and associate with the cattle and sheep industry in Idaho and develop a deep understanding of the history, traditions, and issues of Idaho. While in college at the U of I, he worked for Idaho Fish and Game and served as a Wildlife and Range Sciences Guidance Council member for the U of I's College of Forestry. He was also appointed to the district advisory council for the Bureau of Land Management--Boise District by former Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan. With his deep roots in Idaho, he was the perfect ambassador to the diverse natural resource and conservation groups of the State like the Idaho Cattle Association, Idaho Farm Bureau, Trout Unlimited, and the Nature Conservancy. prgtoken During his 12 years of service as my natural resources director, he advised and guided my office through many complicated issues like the sage grouse recovery plan, Idaho Roadless Rule implementation, salmon and steelhead management plans, Columbia River Treaty, Good Neighbor Authority, and many other resource issues. Due to his experience and knowledge, in 2015, the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources awarded Mike Roach the Alumni Award, recognizing his career achievements in natural resources. prgtoken Another significant milestone came to pass while serving on staff; he became engaged and married to Cally Grindstaff in 2019. They now make their home in Fairfield, ID. prgtoken It is always difficult to lose a trusted staff member of Mike's caliber, but I want to wish him and Cally nothing but best wishes in their future endeavors and look forward to our continued friendship in the years ahead. prgtoken Congratulations and thank you for your outstanding service to my staff and the citizens of Idaho.
HONORING MAYOR RAWLEY McCOY
Michael Cloud (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-9

I rise today with a heavy heart to honor a servant-hearted leader who cared deeply for the Victoria, Texas, community, Mayor Rawley McCoy, who passed away on March 5, 2021. prgtoken He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and those he represented as mayor and those of us who had the honor to serve alongside him. A lifelong Victorian, he described our town as a wholesome community that provided an energetic and joyful childhood. prgtoken Long before being elected mayor, he lived and worked to make our community a better place. He was inspired to become mayor and to make Victoria, as he said, the kind of place where future generations can live their American dream. I will miss working with him, as I appreciated his heart to work with and to collaborate in order to serve people. prgtoken , Rawley once said, ``We can never become a great city until all of us can sit at and are welcome at the table.'' prgtoken My prayers are with him, his wife, their three children, and all who had the great pleasure of knowing Mayor Rawley McCoy.
Nomination of Merrick Brian Garland (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-9

it doesn't seem like that long ago--it wasn't; it was only January 20 of this year--that we heard President talk about healing the divisions in our country and promoting unity. He promised to restore respectful, bipartisan communication and cooperation. He spoke eloquently, saying: Without unity there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. prgtoken It really was a fine speech. But here we are, 7 weeks into the administration with a lot of bitterness and fury and outrage over the President's first big, broken promise. On Saturday afternoon, following an all-night voting marathon, our ic colleagues passed, by themselves, their so-called COVID-19 relief bill. prgtoken Sadly, the lack of bipartisan support was not a surprise. After all, our ic colleagues decided to abuse the reconciliation process for this very reason. They wanted to pass a bill they knew would not generate any support among s because it really is a Trojan horse for their liberal wish list. And the only way they could make that happen would be to exclude s, turn down offers of bipartisanship, as the President did when 10 s visited him at the White House just a few weeks ago and decided to go it alone, which is what our ic colleagues did. prgtoken Since s had no say in the drafting of the bill and because our ic friends chose to skip the normal committee consideration, our only opportunity to make any changes to the bill came through the amendment process on the floor. From roughly 11 a.m. on Friday until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Senate voted on more than 30 amendments, largely from folks on our side of the aisle, almost all of which were rejected in a party-line vote. prgtoken Outside of Washington, DC, not many people stay up for 24 hours straight to watch Congress vote on budget amendments, so I think it is important that we recap what the American people missed while they were sleeping. prgtoken The first amendment vote last Friday was a good barometer of what was happening on the other side of the aisle. The first vote, teed up by the chairman of the Budget Committee, Senator Sanders, would have more than doubled the minimum wage at $15 an hour. The Congressional Budget Office said that this would kill 1.4 million jobs, and then the Senate Parliamentarian said that this was an improper use of the budget reconciliation process. prgtoken But our ic colleagues wanted to take this shot anyway, so they voted to waive a budget point of order, but it did not go well. Eight voted alongside all s to prevent this abuse of the budget reconciliation process and prevent this job-killing minimum wage mandate from becoming part of this bill. prgtoken As it turns out, there is bipartisan opposition to killing jobs at a time when our economy
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-3-9

when Senators were last in this Chamber, our ic colleagues were shooting down amendment after amendment to ensure their largely non-COVID-related spending plan remained very liberal and purely partisan. prgtoken s proposed amendments to cap extra government help for wealthier Americans, to ensure that direct checks would only go to citizens and legal residents and not to people in prison, and to rein in runaway State and local bailouts and refocus the bill on urgent COVID-related actual needs. But banded together to defeat every one of these commonsense changes. As the ic leader happily explained to reporters later on Saturday, his whole conference put lockstep party unity ahead of substance and ahead of bipartisan compromise. prgtoken So the nearly $2 trillion partisan spending spree that President 's Chief of Staff brags is ``the most progressive domestic legislation in a generation'' is on its way over to the House. Already, we hear reporting that this giveaway will simply wipe out the budget deficit of New York State and eliminate a big part of the deficit in San Francisco, courtesy of the taxpayers in Kentucky and Middle America. Already, we hear the administration saying they want some of these sweeping new welfare policies to become permanent, like a no- strings-attached benefit that disregards all the pro-work lessons of bipartisan welfare reform. Meanwhile, it only manages to spend about 1 percent on vaccinations and less than 9 percent on the entire health fight. prgtoken inherited a turning tide. The vaccine trends and economic trends were in place before the bill was ever voted on, before this President was sworn in, but they are determined to push to the front of the parade with an effort to push America to the left. prgtoken Meanwhile, House are wasting no time pursuing even more purely partisan legislation. Last Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 1, their effort to rewrite the ground rules of American elections and seize power from States and localities. Just like the spending plan, in both Chambers, once again the only thing bipartisan about the bill was the opposition. prgtoken This is House ' bid to put Federal bureaucrats in charge of local election rules; to undermine voter ID requirements with massive loopholes that undermine them; to require every State to permit ballot harvesting, which lets paid political operatives produce stacks of ballots with other people's names on them; to overturn or change hundreds of State election laws; and to turn our highest election authority, the equally balanced FEC, into a partisan majority body to crack down on speech and ideas they don't like. prgtoken It is quite the recipe for rebuilding public faith in our democracy on all sides--a purely partisan effort to seize unprecedented power for Washington, DC, on a razor-thin majority. It is a hugely harmful idea at the wo
Nomination of Merrick Brian Garland (Executive Session)
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-3-9

today I am going to talk about the growing crisis on our southern border and how we need urgent action to address the degrading situation there, but before I begin, I want to say a quick word about the reconciliation bill we passed last week. prgtoken The massive $1.9 trillion bill was not COVID-19 relief; it was liberal relief. Everybody and everyone needs to understand what this was. It was not a rescue plan. It was a heist of taxpayers' money. We don't have $1.9 trillion to be spending. When we have to borrow this much money, we are digging our country deeper into debt. And with this massive spending bill, we are borrowing against our grandkids' future and are going to owe more and more countries like China. prgtoken To keep up, the money supply will have to increase at such a rapid rate, it could potentially spark inflation. That means we could see the value of Americans' hard-earned dollars plummet. prgtoken To further underscore that point, that means your money doesn't go as far. For the items you buy, it is very expensive. All of this bogs down our economy and hinders future growth. prgtoken What is more, this entire sham of a process was partisan. It was not about helping Americans, businesses, and communities recover from the pandemic. That much is clear because only 9 percent of the bill is going to COVID and health-related pressures and less than 1 percent is going to vaccines. The remaining 90 percent went to progressive wish list items for bailouts for poorly run States. prgtoken Instead of ramming through non-COVID-related spending, should have worked together with s as a team to pass a bipartisan bill that actually makes lives better as we recover from this pandemic. prgtoken We share a goal of helping the American people, but the bill that was ultimately put forward failed to do just that. It is a shame. This is not how our country should be run.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2021-3-9

on March 15, 2021, having served the Louisiana District United Pentecostal Church in the role of district secretary, 1998-2005, and district superintendent, 2005- Present, Reverend Kevin Cox will retire from his current role, though remaining active in ministry. prgtoken Kevin was born in St. Paul, MN--spent his early years in Missouri-- before moving to Bogalusa in 1974, when his father became pastor there. He is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where he earned a BS in accounting. In addition to his ministerial license, he holds CPA credentials. He married the love of his life, Delisa, in 1979. She passed away in the spring of 2012. Kevin and Delisa served as pastor in Wewahitchka, FL, from 1980-1986 before returning to Bogalusa where they joined Kevin's parents and assumed the pastorate of First Pentecostal Church of Bogalusa for 12 years. With his election as district secretary, the Cox Family--Kevin and Delisa, along with their two sons, Andrew and Stephen--relocated to the Campground in Tioga. prgtoken As district superintendent, in addition to being responsible for the oversight of the ministers and churches of Louisiana, Reverend Cox has continued to coordinate the Louisiana United Pentecostal Camp Meeting. This annual Camp Meeting event has convened for over 100 years here in Louisiana and consists of a week of worship, fellowship, and fun. The Bible speaks of laying up crowns in heaven as a reward for good works on earth. I hope it is many years before Kevin Cox ascends to heaven. When he does, he will have many crowns.
DEMOCRATS' SPENDING BILL
David Kustoff (Republican, TN) \u2014 2021-3-9

I thank my friend and colleague from Arizona for yielding. prgtoken , I stand here tonight saddened because a little over a year ago, I took to the House floor to pay tribute to a dear friend, Peggy Daniel of west Tennessee, who had recently passed away. prgtoken Today, we honor the life of her son and my friend, Drew Daniel, who left us way too soon. Drew passed away last week. He was a native of west Tennessee, the son of my friends, Peggy and Jimmy Daniel. prgtoken Drew moved to Shelby County in the early 1990s for college, and he received his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Memphis, where he then later achieved a master's degree in public administration. Drew interned in the House of Representatives for then- Congressman Don Sundquist, who also was a close and dear friend of Drew's parents. prgtoken Drew loved to volunteer for his community, and he was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, the Midtown Rotary Club, and Memphis City Beautiful Commission. prgtoken Drew was also extremely active in the Shelby County Party and the Tennessee Party. He had served as the Shelby County Young chair and was an elected member of the Tennessee State executive committee of the Tennessee Party. In 2019, Drew was selected as a Tennessee Party Statesman of the year. prgtoken Drew was also a longtime valued employee for David Lenoir in the Shelby County Trustee's Office and then an agent for New York Life. prgtoken Without a doubt, Drew was a dedicated leader with a heart for public service and also for volunteerism. I really don't know many people who were more passionate about politics or their community than Drew Daniel. prgtoken I have so many memories, seeing Drew and Peggy cheering on the Memphis Tigers in the Liberty Bowl and the FedEx Forum. Truly, as good of a person as Drew was, he was a great son to his parents and a terrific brother to Mike and Melanie. prgtoken We are all better because of Drew, and he will be deeply missed by everyone. Roberta and I extend our deepest sympathies to his brother, Mike, and his sister, Melanie. Rest in peace, Drew.