mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THANKING KEITH STERN FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Katherine M. Clark (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-7-10

on behalf of a grateful House of Representatives, I rise to offer thanks to one of the most skilled staffers that I--and I know many of us agree--have ever worked with. prgtoken After nearly three decades of service to the people's House, this is Keith Stern's last week on Capitol Hill. Anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Keith has not only witnessed a commanding knowledge of rules and parliamentary procedure but a commitment to using that knowledge to help all of us serve the American people. prgtoken He has helped the House fulfill its critical mission at every stage of his remarkable career. As an eager intern fresh out of Allegheny College, as an L.A as a Rules associate, as a chief of staff, as a floor director, and now as my senior adviser, he has brought to every job a reverence for this institution and for its duty to the American people. prgtoken No matter what storm may have been raging--the horrors of 9/11, a global financial meltdown, an unprecedented pandemic, and on January 6, when we saw Keith muster calm, steadfast courage as he maintained order in this Chamber and ensured our safety--throughout it all, Keith's service to us and our country has never wavered. His resolve has only strengthened. prgtoken Over the years, he has become a friend, a confidant, and an adviser to our entire Caucus. He has earned the profound respect of our colleagues across the aisle because whatever your politics are, true talent is undeniable--on the floor and on the basketball court. prgtoken This institution is stronger, our country is better off, and our future more promising because of what Keith has brought to bear. I will always be grateful for his wise counsel that has guided me and so many of us. prgtoken While Keith may never come to respect the Boston Celtics, he has always respected the work that we do here in the people's House. He is a model for anyone who enters this building looking to make a difference. prgtoken Keith, you will be missed. I thank you for your work, your grace, your humor, and your friendship. prgtoken To your family--Cara, Sandy, and Colleen, and your dad and Judy, who are here with us--please know how grateful we are for your service, as well. prgtoken We look forward to all the success ahead, and know this: You will always have a home here in the House. prgtoken , from California (Ms. Pelosi), our Emerita.
FEDERAL PRISON OVERSIGHT ACT
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2024-7-10

how did it come to pass that in a nation whose founding document guarantees due prgtoken process and civil rights and prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, a Federal prison in Dublin, CA, would become so notorious for the endemic sexual abuse of female inmates by prison staff that it would be known as the rape club--rape club--sexual assault and abuse of Federal inmates by the warden, by the chaplain. prgtoken Senator Johnson of Wisconsin and I led a bipartisan investigation of sexual assault in Federal prisons. We found that in two-thirds--two- thirds--of Federal prisons that housed female inmates, inmates had been sexually assaulted by members of prison staff. prgtoken We found that at the U.S. penitentiary in Atlanta, in my home State of Georgia, for nearly a decade, unchecked corruption and civil rights abuses had been ongoing with the knowledge of the leadership of the Bureau of Prisons, and no effective action had been taken to address them. Pretrial detainees sleeping in paper pajamas were denied access to counsel, denied access to hygiene products, denied access to fresh air--pretrial, presumptively innocent Federal detainees. prgtoken The human rights crisis behind bars in the United States is a stain on America's conscience. prgtoken We just passed the most significant Federal prison reform legislation in many years, and now it is on the way to the desk of the President of the United States. I am grateful to my colleague Senator Braun of Indiana for joining me in offering and introducing the Federal Prison Oversight Act, which has now been passed by the Senate and the House. prgtoken This is landmark prison reform legislation. It will require the inspector general of the Department of Justice to undertake ongoing and regular inspections of every single Federal prison in the United States. prgtoken It will establish an independent ombudsman at the Department of Justice to investigate the health, safety, welfare, and rights of incarcerated people and staff. prgtoken It will also create a secure hotline and an online forum for family members, friends, and representatives of incarcerated Americans to submit complaints and inquiries. prgtoken It will require the IG to report the findings from its routine inspections of Federal prisons and recommendations to Congress and to the public and require the Bureau of Prisons to respond to all inspection reports within 60 days with a corrective action plan. prgtoken We were able to pass this legislation because we worked together, Senator Johnson and I, leading multiple bipartisan investigations of human rights abuses and corruption in the Federal prison system and Senator Braun and I forming the Prison Policy Working Group to develop bipartisan solutions like this one. prgtoken I am grateful to my colleague from Georgia in the U.S. House, Representative McBath, for her tireless efforts to shepherd this bill to passage in the U.S. House, and today, we pass
CONGRATULATING DR. DANIELE STRUPPA ON HIS RETIREMENT
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-10

today I rise to honor the career of my very good friend, Chapman University President Dr. Daniele Struppa. prgtoken Managing a major university today is not easy. Some say it takes a mathematician, an Einstein type, so Chapman University set out on a quest to find the right person, and they got really lucky by hiring a Ph.D. in mathematics to do the job. He was not just an ordinary math whiz, but rather an Italian model, fast and slick, an import from Italy. prgtoken President Struppa has not disappointed us. Since 2016, he has overseen the tremendous growth at Chapman University and enhanced the university's reputation at a national level. prgtoken President Struppa's contributions go beyond the campus. He has created a partnership with the Nicholas Academy, which has increased local enrollment on campus by almost 20 percent and boosted the number of first-generation students on campus. prgtoken President Struppa also put Chapman University on the map nationally as a Hispanic-serving institution. Chapman University, because of his leadership, is now known nationally for its sciences and research, arts, social sciences, and school of law. prgtoken President Struppa is a man of intellect, and his drive will never be equaled. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement as he returns to his lifelong passion of teaching math to the next generation. I trust that he will continue to be my friend and close adviser, and I congratulate him on his well-earned retirement. prgtoken Go Panthers. Celebrating Norma Lopez
MORNING BUSINESS
Laphonza R. Butler (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-10

I rise today to join my colleagues in strong support of the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act. I would like to start by thanking Leader Schumer for bringing this to the floor and Senator Murray for always showing up as a fierce champion for women's right to make their own reproductive health care decisions. prgtoken This commonsense approach affirms the right to abortion access and emphasizes the need to restore and strengthen the protections formerly enshrined in Roe v. Wade. prgtoken This should not be controversial--not when 28 million women in 21 States face ever-growing risks due to a lack of reproductive care options where they live; not when healthcare providers throughout our country have become the target of extremist legislators, who seek to punish those who deliver lifesaving care and treatments to their patients; not when our sons and daughters face a future where they are afforded fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. prgtoken We are living in a moment where patients' power to govern their own bodies is being snatched out of their hands and seized by far-right leaders in State courts and legislatures who won't quit until they have established a national abortion ban. prgtoken Ever since the Supreme Court issued it's devastating Dobbs decision, reversing nearly 50 years of settled law, these politicians have pulled every lever to put reproductive health care out of reach--on everything from IVF to contraception. prgtoken But while these extremists have worked nonstop to restrict reproductive freedom, they have been challenged at nearly every turn. The - administration and leaders in this Chamber have used every tool possible to stand in strong opposition to those who seek to turn back the clock and drag our Nation backwards. prgtoken Legislation like the Women's Health Protection Act, the Right to Contraception Act, the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, and numerous others take considerable steps to safeguard reproductive freedom across the board. prgtoken I am proud to serve more than 40 million Californians in a State where reproductive rights and protections have been advanced and strengthened. prgtoken While California has been a champion on this front, patients in neighboring States like Arizona have experienced extreme shifts in their reproductive rights following the Dobbs decision. prgtoken Two weeks ago, I chaired a Judiciary Subcommittee field hearing in Phoenix, AZ, to examine the ever-changing landscape of abortion rights in our Nation. During this hearing, I heard from advocates, patients, and providers, who were all directly affected by the Dobbs decision. prgtoken One witness included Dr. Misha Pangasa, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who provides full spectrum reproductive health care in Phoenix. In her testimony, Dr. Pangasa spoke about the upheaval she has witnessed on the ground. prgtoken Regarding her patients, she stated, ``Th
SAFEGUARD AMERICAN VOTER ELIGIBILITY ACT
Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-7-10

I do agree with my distinguished colleague and friend from New York. I don't know why we are having this bill on the floor either. Yes, we can all agree that only U.S. citizens vote in Federal elections. I know that we agree because it is the law of the land. prgtoken You can't register if you are not an American citizen to vote in a Federal election. It is against the law. It is also against the law to vote. I agree with him. There is no reason to be here. There is nothing to be gained. There is no problem to be solved. prgtoken , I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).
THE SHIELDING CHILDREN'S RETINAS FROM EGREGIOUS EXPOSURE ON THE NET ACT
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2024-7-10

as a parent of young children, I certainly understand the impulse to shield children from harmful or inappropriate content online. That is why I wrote section 230 of the Communications Act back in 1996--to empower companies to offer tools that allow families to decide what content to block and filter for their children. However, the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act goes far beyond empowering parents and protecting kids--or any compelling governmental interest. prgtoken Instead, it would violate the privacy rights of every single American by requiring invasive and data-abusive age verification technology to access a broad swath of lawful adult content on the internet. Indeed, it would encourage platforms to verify any internet user attempting to access a broad array of websites that might host deemed-harmful content using the most common form of verification--a government-issued ID. Requiring websites to collect the IDs of everyone attempting to view adult content will inevitably lead to a privacy, national security, and counterintelligence disaster when adversaries and criminals obtain those records. prgtoken In addition, it would incentivize platforms to censor anything that might fit the bill's broad definition of content harmful to minors, to avoid investigations and fines, even if that content is prgtoken perfectly legal. Such censorship would undoubtedly include information about sexual health, LGBTQ+ content and, content from other marginalized or vulnerable groups. prgtoken Neither of these outcomes are good for the vital American rights of privacy and access to information. For this reason, I will object to any unanimous agreement to take up or pass the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act.
COMMENDING MEMPHIS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ROBERT KNECHT
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2024-7-10

I rise today to commend Memphis Public Works Director Robert Knecht who is retiring from the City of Memphis after 23 years of making it a safer and more attractive place. Mr. Knecht is a hard-working and outstanding public servant who always had time to answer my questions about federal funding for city projects or how securing federal funding could advance the city's infrastructure needs, a quality invaluable to me as the Congressman representing Memphis. Mr. Knecht concentrated his efforts on the full Public Works portfolio including stormwater and wastewater operations, blight remediation, Code Enforcement, environmental enforcement, sustainability, street sweeping and street maintenance operations, and the results are to his credit. My staff and I worked closely with Mr. Knecht as we realized the $41 million Big River Crossing project, which included improvements on downtown Memphis' Main Street from Uptown to the Harahan Bridge and the conversion of the vehicle sections of the bridge into a bike/ pedestrian path. This project was made possible by $15 million in federal funds I secured through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER IV) Grant as well as matching grants from state and local funds and private funds. Mr. Knecht was instrumental in helping to execute Community Project Funding I secured for projects such as developing the Memphis Cobblestone Landing Recreational Center, which received $4 million. I have also worked closely with him to secure district projects in the past several Water Resources Development Acts, including provisions to deauthorize the Wolf River to create a lake adjacent to the historic downtown Snuff District and to accommodate a floating entertainment dock at Cobblestone Landing. A graduate of the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering (2003), he also has a Master of Business Administration (2008) from the University of Phoenix. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he served during Desert Storm/Desert Shield. Married to Memphis native Mandy, he and his three children have bright days ahead as he heads for an opportunity in the private sector. As Mayor Paul Young has said, his shoes will be hard to fill. His has been a job well done.
WELCOMING THE GUEST CHAPLAIN
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2024-7-10

I rise to say a few words about the tradition of spiritual leadership of the Chaplains of the Senate, a decades-old--a centuries-old, actually--tradition of this body, rooted in the fact that those who were the Framers of our Constitution and the Founders of our Nation understood that, although we are a nation committed to the separation of church and State, we are also a nation that is guided--that is guided by spiritual force, by deep beliefs, by diversity of religions, but also by a profound humility on the part of those of us who serve. prgtoken Our Chaplain, RADM Barry Black, has served for many, many years, and I have had the great blessing of hearing from him at Bible study and at the weekly Prayer Breakfast in a way that has helped bring Senators together and that has made a difference in the functioning and the foundation of this important body in our constitutional order. prgtoken Today, we have a guest Chaplain from my home church, First & Central Presbyterian in Wilmington, DE. She is my home pastor. Pastor Laura has served our congregation since July, 2 years ago. prgtoken A native of Arkansas, raised in Texas in the Disciples of Christ, Pastor Laura felt a calling to the ministry at the very earliest age but told God to just hold that thought for a moment. Two decades later, he called Pastor Laura again, more forcefully this time, and through my denomination, the Presbyterian Church, United States of America--or PCUSA. prgtoken After completing seminary in Iowa and serving three other ministry calls, Pastor Laura is now at our faith community in downtown Wilmington, doing God's work at a church without walls that welcomes without limits. Her humor, her hermeneutics, her exegesis, her homiletics--all the good stuff that a pastor does--help hold us together and inspire us to mission at a time that is almost uniquely challenging in my life. prgtoken I am so grateful for her wisdom and guidance at home in Delaware, and I thank Pastor Laura for her ministry today to this body, to our congregation at home, and throughout the arc of her life. prgtoken With that, , . prgtoken .
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELATING TO "NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING...
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-7-10

. Madam , I am proud to support the administration's new Title IX rule that recognizes every student deserves to feel safe and explicitly prohibits discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics in schools. prgtoken Protecting kids should not be controversial. Allowing parents to parent their kids without interference from the Federal Government should not be controversial. prgtoken This cruel attack on LGBTQIA youth from congressional s is just the precursor to the s' Project 2025, a horrific roadmap for a Presidency that would reverse foundational freedoms and destroy our democracy. This 1,000-page manifesto would gut protections for the LGBTQIA+ community and attacks marriage equality, offensively claiming that same-sex marriages are less ``stable'' than so-called ``traditional families.'' prgtoken According to a 2024 survey from the Trevor Project, in the last year, almost half of the LGBTQIA+ youth experienced bullying, and over a third have seriously considered attempting suicide. prgtoken The administration's rule is a critical step to supporting our LGBTQIA+ students and ensuring that they have the rights and protections to be who they are without fear of retaliation, bullying, or discrimination. prgtoken I am proud to represent Seattle in Congress. I am proud to be the mom of a transgender daughter. I know the importance of protecting the LGBTQIA+ community from discrimination and harassment. Washington State has had these exact protections for LGBTQIA+ youth for 18 years. That is right, 18 years. Our State is a clear example that protecting all kids, no matter how they identify, is good policy that makes our schools safer for everyone. prgtoken s' cruel attempt to repeal President 's new Title IX rule, fueled by fear tactics and misinformation, tells already vulnerable children in schools that they do not belong. No one, no child, should have to hide who they are to be accepted. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' against this hateful resolution.
WELCOMING THE GUEST CHAPLAIN
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2024-7-10

I rise today to pay tribute to a great gentleman, a dear friend, a colleague, and in many cases a battle buddy, Senator Jim Inhofe. prgtoken He was an extraordinary gentleman. And you can't say ``gentleman'' enough when it came to Jim Inhofe. He was a man of humility, of decency, and of kindness, and he touched everyone he met with those qualities. prgtoken He was also a man of deep principle. But what made him a great Senator--in fact, one of the best that served in this body--is that he was always looking for principled compromise. He was always trying to reach across the aisle and see if he could, working with others, find a way forward that would be better for the country. So I was terribly saddened when I learned yesterday of Jim's passing. He was a leader. He was a gentleman. He was all that we expect a Senator to be and much more. prgtoken I was honored to serve alongside Jim. For three decades, he served on the Armed Services Committee in both the House and the Senate. I had the privilege to serve with him as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. We were, in turn, both chairman and ranking member--both the senior and the senior --on the committee for many years, and we produced nearly two dozen National Defense Authorization Acts. We traveled to combat zones and military posts around the world and worked to support our men and women in uniform. As I said before, there were many issues we disagreed upon, but we were able, in many, many--if not most--cases, to find a way forward. prgtoken One of the issues that I think is so compelling in Jim's life is that as a young man, he was in the Army, and he knew what it was like to serve and sacrifice and dedicate yourself to a cause beyond personal ambition and personal aggrandizement. He learned also something that was profound and reflected in all of his work on the committee--that the decisions we make here ultimately affect the lives of young Americans in uniform across the globe. He knew that. He understood that. So he was not sitting back here thinking about, well, how will this affect this company and that company? It was, are we doing the best for the young men and women who have dedicated themselves to this country and would sacrifice even their lives for this country? Are we doing as much as we can for the families that are serving with them? That profound sense of service that he incubated as a young Army soldier he carried through his Senate career. prgtoken He always insisted on speaking to the junior NCOs and junior servicemembers. You know, up here we all get briefings from generals saying ``Here is the situation, sir,'' but he wanted to get down and talk to privates and specialists and seamen and airmen and say: What is going on? How are things going? Is this working from your perspective? prgtoken Again, adding to the quality of his service was his sensitivity. He truly understood the people who se