mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NDO FAIRNESS ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-5-15

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , let me, first of all, indicate that today is the National Fraternal Order of Police 42nd Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, which I will make comments on throughout my discussion and debate of other bills. It is important to note the hundreds and hundreds of police officers that are here to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty and the many families who are here, as well, mourning and receiving recognition today. prgtoken At the same time, I render my sympathy and concern for Congressman Gerry Connolly and two staff members who have been violently attacked in his congressional office in Virginia and indicate our prayers and best wishes for these particular staff persons' speedy recovery. I know that we all are stunned, but we also offer our concern to our colleague and wish him safety, along with his staff. prgtoken , I now rise to offer strong support for H.R. 3089, the NDO Fairness Act, the crucial bipartisan surveillance reform legislation that passed out of the Judiciary Committee last week on a voice vote. prgtoken I thank Mr. Fitzgerald. I thank Mr. Nadler, the ranking member, for his leadership in working together with Mr. Fitzgerald and, of course, all of us on the committee that saw the rightness and reason for this legislation. prgtoken The NDO Fairness Act is a simple, straightforward bill that addresses a narrow problem by establishing essential guardrails for when the government seeks to assess someone's electronic communications without that person's knowledge. prgtoken This legislation would insert balance into a system that, for too long, has been a free-for-all for government prosecutors. prgtoken Let me be very clear: Nothing that we are doing is intending to undermine the fair prosecution of those who have done wrong, those who are criminals and otherwise who warrant the prosecution of the Federal Government. prgtoken It is, as we debated right after 9/11, an attempt to uphold the values of this Nation. I remember the intense discussions we had on the PATRIOT Act when the inclination after the heinous, devastating murder of 3,000-plus Americans on 9/11 was that we needed to do everything to insist that no one had even an inch of freedom. prgtoken I am glad that, in the Judiciary Committee, of which I was a member at that time, we saw the rhyme and reason, and we worked in a bipartisan way to establish a PATRIOT Act that could, in fact, fight terrorism, as it has done, but also protect the constitutional rights of Americans. prgtoken I see this in this NDO Fairness Act today. Under current law, after the government obtains a court's permission to search the contents of a person's electronic communications, a wish they would not know, prosecutors must then compel the email service provider to produce the relevant data. To avoid having the service provider turn around and tell its customer about the search, the gove
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-5-15

I want to say a very special thank-you to Chairman Wyden for coming here tonight to talk about the consequences of default. Our whole Nation needs to tune in and pay attention to this because this is literally about the future of our country. prgtoken Kevin McCarthy and House s are holding America's economy hostage. Even worse, the s are holding America's good name around the world and America's promise that we pay our debts hostage. prgtoken Instead of passing an increase in the debt ceiling, s have put forward a set of incredibly damaging proposals that would hurt families around the country, proposals that are so unpopular that the only way that s could possibly pass these proposals is to threaten to derail the entire economy if they don't get their way. prgtoken Now, let's be clear. Kevin McCarthy is the only one who will not take default off the table. has said no default. Chuck Schumer has said no default. Hakeem Jeffries has said no default. Even Mitch McConnell has said no default. But Kevin McCarthy is still driving this Nation toward default. prgtoken Now, every aspect of the House proposal is deeply harmful, but I am here today to talk about three of the most wrongheaded provisions in their plan: the threat to take away health coverage for more than 21 million Americans; the threat to take away food assistance from 1 million people struggling with hunger; and the threat to take away income assistance for our poorest families. prgtoken s' assault on Medicaid, SNAP, and TANF is no surprise. For years, s have worked to undermine these programs which protect the most vulnerable Americans. prgtoken People enrolled in these programs are already walking a tightrope to make ends meet. Now s want to use an old trick to make it even harder by trapping applicants in a maze of burdensome and unnecessary paperwork. prgtoken s call these rules ``work requirements.'' I call them ``unworkable requirements.'' We need to call these proposals for what they are: a bald effort to kick people off the programs they need to survive. prgtoken The unspoken mantra is: Let them get sick. Let them starve. And let them live on the streets with no hope. prgtoken Let's be clear. The demands are pure politics, not a serious solution to a serious problem. prgtoken Currently, over 90 percent of people on Medicaid are either employed, in school, living with a disability or a debilitating illness, or caring for a baby or a disabled loved one. About three in four people receiving food assistance and 60 to 80 percent of parents receiving income assistance were employed within a year of being in the program. In fact, States that had expanded their Medicaid Program report not only better health outcomes and financial stability for people enrolled in the program but also higher employment numbers--that is higher
HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF SAUL GARCIA
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-5-15

I rise today to honor the achievements of Saul Garcia. prgtoken Saul Garcia graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1999. After graduating, he completed a regional occupational program. In 2002, he attended Santa Ana College and became credentialed in transportation by the San Diego County Office of Education in 2016. prgtoken In 2001, he became a technician and completed mechanical and electrical diagnosis and repairs on automobiles at Caliber Motors of Mercedes Benz. prgtoken For many years he continued as a technician in Mercedes Benz and did a variety of maintenance activities and automotive repairs at Foothill Ranch. He educated clients and colleagues on repair needs and built long-term relationships based on the foundations of trust and integrity in his community. prgtoken In 2012, he became an automobile instructor in North Orange County ROP. He developed and implemented curriculum, lectures, lab activities in accordance with the non-profit organizations of NATE/ASE certifications. The NATE and ASE certifications were created by non- profit organizations to help students distinguish themselves as professionals in HV ACR and automotives respectively. prgtoken As an automobile instructor in North Orange County ROP, he also performed outreach and collaborated with fellow educators. He provided instruction to secondary school students and adults to help prepare them for a career and university. prgtoken In 2014, he returned to his community and began his journey as an automotive instructor in the Santa Ana Unified School District. He developed curriculum and lesson plans in alignment with approved on line courses. He also developed internship sites and facilitated internship opportunities for the youth. prgtoken Saul is a certified instructor with more than 20 years of experience in public education and the fields of automotives. prgtoken Today, he continues his journey as an instructor in the Santa Ana Unified School District. He continues to help the youth in his community and participates in annual committees, staff meetings, and professional development. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the accomplishments and commitment of Saul Garcia to his community of Orange County, California.
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-5-15

finally, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.J. Res. 42, which was received from the House; further, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that at 2:30 p.m the joint resolution be considered read a third time and that the Senate vote on the passage of the joint resolution.
Nomination of Bradley N. Garcia (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-5-15

today, the Senate will vote to confirm Brad Garcia to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken Mr. Garcia is an accomplished appellate litigator and public servant whose breadth and depth of experience will make him an outstanding addition to the D.C. Circuit. A graduate of Johns Hopkins and Harvard Law School, Mr. Garcia began his career with clerkships for judges appointed by Presidents of both political parties, Judge Thomas Griffith on the D.C. Circuit and Justice Elena Kagan on the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken After his clerkships, Mr. Garcia joined the appellate practice of O'Melveny and Myers, where he ultimately became a partner. During his time at the firm, he drafted dozens of briefs in Federal and State appellate courts and delivered 13 appellate oral arguments, including one in the Supreme Court and 10 in the Federal courts of appeals. prgtoken Throughout his career, Mr. Garcia has demonstrated a strong commitment to pro bono work, advocating for clients in cases implicating the rights of immigrants and criminal defendants, reproductive freedoms, and free and fair elections. In three cases, the Fourth Circuit appointed Mr. Garcia either as amicus counsel or to represent indigent criminal defendants, a testament to his impartiality and effectiveness as an appellate attorney. Mr. Garcia currently serves as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, where he has continued to demonstrate his commitment to public service and defending the rule of law. prgtoken If confirmed, Mr. Garcia will be the first Latino judge on the D.C. Circuit. He was rated ``well qualified'' by the ABA and has received support from leaders across the political spectrum, which reflects his well-established credibility in the legal community. prgtoken Mr. Garcia is an exemplary pick for the D.C. Circuit. I strongly support his nomination and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for his confirmation.
RECOGNIZING MS. TINA MATTHIAS, CONSTITUENT OF THE MONTH
Juan Vargas (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-5-15

I rise today to honor Ms. Tina Matthias, outstanding sustainability advocate and community member in the 52nd Congressional District. prgtoken Ms. Matthias is being honored for her long-time advocacy for the sustainability of our planet and commitment to environmental issues. She created the nonprofit organization, South Bay Sustainable Communities Network. prgtoken Ms. Matthias originally founded the South Bay Sustainable Communities Network in 2020 and in 2022 established the ``Youth 4 Sustainable Future'' program at local high schools, providing students and youth with environmental education and tools to take action to reduce the impact of climate change. As Founder and Executive Director, she works directly with the South Bay community advocating for the importance of how to lead a sustainable lifestyle through composting, organizes community clean-ups, hikes and hosts monthly educational zero waste workshops. The nonprofit organization has worked directly with 16 local neighborhoods to compost 49,800 pounds of food waste which prevented 1,992 gallons of gas used in waste transportation, and 33,665 pounds of Carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. prgtoken Ms. Matthias began her career at the Living Coast Discovery Center as the Volunteer and Programs Manager, serving for more than 32 years. For her dedication, Tina Matthias was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Dedicated Humanitarian Services from the Lions Club International Foundation and her nonprofit received the Organization Award for Sustainable Champion from the City of Chula Vista. prgtoken Ms. Matthias is being honored as the 52nd District Constituent of the Month in April 2023, during the month of Earth Day. She is recognized for her decades-long commitment to bring awareness of long-term solutions to address climate change, as well as education about sustainable practices to use in our everyday lives.
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-5-15

. We are going to recognize next our distinguished colleague from Massachusetts. I just want to say, Senator Casey has made, as is usually the case, an eloquent argument that preventing default and standing up for the most vulnerable people, those two are not mutually exclusive. You can do both. prgtoken And Senator Casey's arguments, as is usually the case in our Senate Finance Committee, really strike home to this Senator. And I want to thank him for day in and day out talking common sense and making it clear that default is unacceptable and harming so many vulnerable Americans, in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, is also unacceptable. And I thank my friend. prgtoken And we have another passionate advocate for people who are vulnerable from the Senate Finance Committee, our friend from Massachusetts Senator Warren.
HONORING LANGSTON WHITE
Frederica S. Wilson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2023-5-15

I rise to honor the service and accomplishments of Langston White, my intern who is transitioning from my office to further his education at Hampton University. prgtoken Langston White is a graduating senior at Cleveland Heights High School completing his senior project with my office. He will attend Hampton University next year as a Business Administration major with a focus in Finance. prgtoken The son of Daiedra and Garrett White, Langston is from Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the Minority Student Action Network and Students Advocating for Youth where he volunteers his time to advocate for rights and equity across communities. In his time as a high school student, Langston has advocated for the equity and fair treatment of Black Americans, stood by and protested for sexual assault survivors, and interned for the NAACP. prgtoken During his time in this office, he spoke to constituents daily, researched legislative topics, and attended briefings on various subjects. He has displayed a great work ethic and professionalism. prgtoken On behalf of Florida's 24th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Langston White for his exemplary character, dedication to teamwork, and willingness to learn.
RECOGNIZING MAY 14TH AS IMMUNOGLOBULIN A NEPHROPATHY (lgAN) AWARENESS DAY
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-5-15

I rise today to bring attention to families living with immunoglobulin A nephropathy, also known as lgA nephropathy (lgAN), or Berger's disease, a rare kidney disease that affects approximately 150,000 people in the United States. Earlier this month, my home state of Illinois issued a proclamation signed by the governor proclaiming May 14th as lgA Nephropathy Awareness Day. prgtoken lgA nephropathy occurs when lgA, a protein made by the immune system, builds up in the kidneys, causing inflammation that damages kidney tissue, negatively impacting the normal filtering mechanisms of the kidneys. Currently there is no cure for lgAN and 20 percent to 40 percent of lgAN patients will develop end-stage renal disease and need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. However, help for these patients is on the way. prgtoken In September 2020, several bipartisan Members of Congress, including the Kidney Caucus, the Rare Disease Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and patient advocacy organizations like NephCure Kidney International as well as 40 other stakeholders participated in the first ever Rare Kidney Disease Policy Roundtable to identify policy recommendations to advance ideas to treat rare kidney disease. prgtoken At the American Society of Nephrology's October 2020 Kidney Week, the roundtable released its recommendations in a paper titled, ``We Deserve Better: Revolutionizing Rare Kidney Disease,'' which outlined essential policy recommendations to catalyze and marshal developments in the rare kidney disease space. It was a seminal document for people living with lgA nephropathy and Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis (FSGS) rare kidney diseases that particularly affect Asian Americans and African Americans respectively. The paper had five key policy findings: 1) increased rare kidney disease awareness is essential and should be part of our national strategy to reduce kidney failure, 2) significant reductions in time to diagnosis for rare kidney disease patients would yield dramatic improvements in health outcomes, 3) identifying and meeting the needs of communities of color living with rare kidney disease is a necessity, 4) healthcare providers, including nephrologists, need ore education on treating and serving patients with rare kidney disease and 5) access to specialists nd patient advocates will help preserve kidney function. People in Illinois living with lgAN or FSGS know how important it is to address all these critical areas. prgtoken For decades, there was only a single FDA-approved treatment for lgA nephropathy. However, in the last decade, a more efficient regulatory path has paved the way for the development of pioneering therapies, ushering in a new era of innovation in rare kidney diseases, resulting in over 30 clinical trials currently underway with some therapies already approved and many showing promising results. In an August 2022 article, STAT, a health-oriented website published
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-5-15

I want to start by thanking Chairman Wyden for his leadership on a range of issues that are important to vulnerable Americans, Medicaid being in the lead of that. prgtoken Over and over again, Chairman Wyden has led us to ensure that we don't provide the kind of cuts that have been proposed in this debate about the next steps on ensuring that America doesn't default. And there is no question that not just people on both sides of the aisle but the American people want us to ensure that we do not default. prgtoken The consequences of default--I won't itemize them. I think Americans are well familiar with them, but the consequences of default in a word would be ``catastrophic'' for every family, for every community in the country, and the consequences are too numerous to cite for tonight's purposes. prgtoken But here is the problem: Even as most Americans want to take default off the table--most Members of Congress do--there are still some Members of the House, House s, who want to keep default on the table or, in order to agree with the consensus, their pathway to avoiding default is to cut and cut and cut and decimate programs that are important to vulnerable Americans. prgtoken They would cut tens of billions, for example, from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the TANF Program, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, and the Children's Health Insurance Program. There are tens of billions just in those programs alone. prgtoken And then, as Chairman Wyden made reference to, Medicaid. The proposed cuts by House s would devastate so many Americans who rely upon Medicaid: children, seniors, people with disabilities. prgtoken It would also, at the same time, not just be cuts of millions or tens of millions, it would be a $100 billion cut to Medicaid over 10 years. That is the proposal. That is what we are supposed to accept as the only pathway, the only pathway to avoiding default. prgtoken Everyone knows that is a lie. Everyone knows that that is throwing sand in the eyes of the people so that they can't see the truth right in front of them. We must reject any bill that will increase poverty and take away healthcare from Americans. prgtoken What is Medicaid? I think we found out a lot more about what that program means to so many Americans over the last 10 years, when there were proposals over and over again to cut by 10 billion a year or 20 billion or 50 billion a year, proposed by House s over and over again. prgtoken Medicaid tells us who we are as a people, as a country. It also tells us whom--whom--we value. We value our children, whether they live in rural areas or small towns or in cities or suburban communities. We value those children. And that is what Medicaid is all about, making sure those children have healthcare. prgtoken We value people with disabilities. We say to ourselves as a people, we have to help folks who have a disability
IN MEMORY OF MR. FREDERICK C. ``FRED'' BRUMMER
Daniel Webster (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-5-16

I am honored to recognize the life of my good friend, Mr. Fredrick C. ``Fred'' Brummer, who passed away on May 1, 2023. Fred was a loyal friend and dedicated public servant who contributed enormously to our community. prgtoken Fred was born October 28, 1945, in Babylon, New York. In 1957, at the age of 12, Fred and his family moved to Florida. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1968 and a Master of Business Administration in 1974. In 1972, he married his wonderful wife of 51 years, Catherine A. ``Cathi'' Anderson, of Hollywood, Florida. prgtoken In 1976, Fred earned the qualification as a Certified Public Accountant. Fred began his private accounting practice, Brummer & Rogers, PA, CPA, in 1981 in Apopka, Florida. He was a member of both the American and Florida Institutes of CPAs. prgtoken In 1998, Fred was elected to serve as State Representative from District 38 in the Florida Legislature and did so subsequently until 2006. During his time in the Florida Legislature, Fred served as Chair of the State Administration Committee, the Committee for Appropriations for Commerce and Local Affairs, and the Committee for Finance and Taxation and as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He was recognized for his steadfast service by numerous organizations including as ``Representative of the Year'' by both the Florida Police Benevolent Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters. In 2006, Fred was elected to serve as an Orange County Commissioner and served honorably until 2014. prgtoken Fred was passionate and dedicated to serving his community. He chaired the Orange County School Overcrowding Committee, was a member and President of the Apopka Rotary Club, member of the Orange County Membership and Mission Review Board, Orange County Public Schools Finance Advisory Committee, the Wekiva Basin Area Task Force, the Wekiva River Basin Coordinating Committee, Lake County Fire & Emergency Service Advisory Committee, and the City of Apopka Fire Pension Board. prgtoken He was honored for his many years of service by receiving many awards and acknowledgements including the Apopka Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year in 1991, Apopka Rotary Rotarian of the Year in 1993, and in 1995 receiving the Apopka Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, the Apopka Daybreak Rotary Outstanding Service Award, and the Habitat for Humanity Greater Apopka Volunteer Service Award. prgtoken Fred is remembered as a man of honor, of humility and as one who served his community with tireless dedication. I am truly thankful for Fred's friendship and dedication to the Central Florida community.