mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Israel (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-12-19

it has been 2 months since the horrific Hamas attack that killed 1,200 innocent Israelis and saw another 240 people taken hostage--some of them Americans, including Hersh Goldberg- Polin with family in my State of Illinois. prgtoken For anyone who watched 60 Minutes this past weekend, the ordeal shared by one of the released hostages was harrowing and almost unimaginable. These hostages have been subjected to brutal physical and psychological torture. Some 115 hostages are believed to still be held, and I have long called for a humanitarian pause by both sides that includes the release of all the hostages as quickly as possible. prgtoken I believe this remains the right path forward, and I hope our government will pursue this goal. But make no mistake, this Hamas attack was a reminder that there are still those who do not recognize Israel's right to exist. I do; and I understand their right to self- defense. prgtoken But what has happened since October 7 raises larger questions about how Israel should defend itself, how it should retaliate and address the long-term need for two neighboring people to learn to live in peace. prgtoken Early in this conflict, I urged Israel to learn from our mistakes in the United States after the deadly attacks on September 11, to not make the mistakes in the fog of their rage and pain that we made. I fear some of the important lessons we learned the hard way may not have been heeded by this Israeli Government. prgtoken While Israel has every right to defend itself, the humanitarian toll inflicted on the people of Gaza has been of historic magnitude and increasingly becomes counterproductive to Israel's long-term security. prgtoken We are nearing an estimated 20,000 deaths in Gaza. A significant majority of those are not Hamas fighters--they are innocent women and children. prgtoken Last week, the leaders of some of the world's top relief organizations wrote in the New York Times: More children have been reported killed in this conflict than in all major global conflicts combined last year. prgtoken Hospitals have had to try to treat civilians without the most basic medicines, using only Tylenol for pain management--even in amputations--and vinegar as a disinfectant of last resort. prgtoken There are growing fears that disease outbreaks will soon replace the war as the primary cause of death in Gaza. This is simply not an acceptable strategy. prgtoken Over the last few weeks, I have spoken to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry about reopening hospitals under third-party monitoring. prgtoken I have also raised the humanitarian toll directly with Israeli officials. Basic medical needs, beyond treating the wounded, are staggering and include curbing a potential infectious disease outbreak and caring for thousands of expectant mothers. prgtoken As
HONORING THE LIFE OF ROSALYNN ALBA COBARRUBIAS
Linda T. Sánchez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-12-19

I rise today to honor the life of Ms. Rosalynn Alba Cobarrubias. prgtoken A City of Walnut native who worked tirelessly to become a media entrepreneur and music promoter, Rosalynn's first music industry position was as a radio DJ at KSAK-FM 90.1, the campus radio station of Mt. San Antonio College. prgtoken Rosalynn played a key role in developing the MySpace Music platform, serving as its marketing head and leading artist relations and driving connections between artists and their fans. Her work ethic was enhanced by her creativity and innovation. Rosalynn produced legendary live events, collaborating with iconic artists like Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Miguel, and John Legend. prgtoken She was also known for using her talent and resources to spread a wealth of knowledge--not just to upcoming artists, but to her community at large. Rosalynn was a strong advocate for Filipino American artists, helping them find success in the music industry. She also supported Filipino American heritage nights at Dodgers games. prgtoken A long-time advocate for youth empowerment even beyond Southern California, Rosalynn helped build basketball courts across the Philippines. Rosalynn's passion for music and dedication to her Filipino heritage and community should be celebrated. prgtoken and distinguished colleagues, please join me in honoring the life of Rosalynn Alba Cobarrubias. May God bless her and ease her family's pain as they mourn for their loss.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-12-19

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
U.S. Supreme Court (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-12-19

I am here today for the 26th time to detail the special interest billionaire-funded scheme that has overrun the U.S. Supreme Court. This evening, I would like to discuss some things about Judiciary Committee members' performance in the Senate Judiciary Committee recently as we voted on authorizing subpoenas for billionaire Harlan Crow, some of his holding companies, and the court-fixer, Leonard Leo. prgtoken At the end of last month, we voted, through the authorization for Chairman Durbin, to issue subpoenas, and it was greeted with a barrage of talk about a whole variety of things. But one was how were destroying the Judiciary Committee. We were absolutely totally going to destroy the Judiciary Committee. It was on us that the Judiciary Committee was going to be destroyed. prgtoken Well, all the talk about destroying the Senate Judiciary Committee came, rather, in the nature of a threat. It was actually more like, if we did something that we are perfectly entitled to do to pursue subpoenas after being persistently obstructed, then s would destroy the committee, would undo any good will or any bipartisanship or any collegial effort. prgtoken Somehow that threat to destroy the committee morphed into destroying the committee. But that doesn't make any sense. If you think of a kidnapper shooting his hostage and then blaming the family for the murder of the hostage because the family hadn't yielded to the kidnapper's demands, that is kind of backward logic. prgtoken Also backward logic is the argument that the subpoenas were an effort to destroy not the committee but the Supreme Court. The subpoenas would destroy or damage the Supreme Court. prgtoken OK. Let's think about that for a minute. prgtoken There is only one possible way that it could be true, logically, that these subpoenas could do damage to the Supreme Court--only one--and that is if the information the subpoenas would disclose is so damaging that it would damage or destroy the Court. Subpoenas that turned up nothing would be no harm, no foul. If there is nothing evil to see in the information the subpoenas are pursuing, there is no harm. The necessary logical predicate of the destroy-the-Court argument made by our colleagues is that subpoenas would reveal that something truly horrible happened at the Court that now needs to be covered up--covered up. prgtoken But that is not how ``appearance of impropriety'' works. Justices of the Supreme Court are supposed to avoid doing things that might create even the appearance of impropriety. The appearance-of-impropriety issue is not that you do impropriety and then go out and cover up its appearance. prgtoken We also heard a lot that day about the problem of subpoenaing ``private citizens,'' as if that were something unusual. If that is a problem, it was a very new problem because just days before, the committee had subpoenaed private citizens in
I-5 Bridge Replacement Project (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-12-19

I come to the floor today, thrilled to announce major progress on something that I have been working on since my earliest days here in the U.S. Senate: replacing the I-5 bridge between Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR. prgtoken Late last week, the administration began the notification and review process for grants from the brand new Mega Grant Program we all worked together to establish in the bipartisan infrastructure law, and I was proud to help write the provisions that made sure the Mega Program was funded when we passed that law. So I am ecstatic that the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project will be receiving $600 million in Federal funding from the Mega Grant Program to move us forward on a project that is hugely important to Washington State, to the Pacific Northwest, and really the entire country. prgtoken This has been a long time coming, and I should know because I have been there for just about every step of this journey. I remember meeting with Senator Hatfield from Oregon when I was first elected to talk about the need to replace the I-5 crossing between our States-- Washington and Oregon--which was already in bad condition in prgtoken the 1990s. We sat down with folks to hold one of the first of many, many, many conversations about what needed to be done and how we could make it happen. prgtoken Then, in 2003, as the top on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, I held a hearing in Vancouver to discuss why this project was so important. Back then, I was raising the alarm about predictions that peak congestion for traffic would hit 10 hours by 2020. And wouldn't you know it, today, we are dealing with 7 to 10 hours of slow-moving traffic during the morning and evening rush hours. prgtoken Ever since I held that field hearing 20 years ago, I have continued to champion this project at every possible opportunity and every juncture over the years--from securing tens of millions of dollars in Federal funding for the early stages of this project back when it was known as the Columbia River Crossing to sitting down with stakeholders and community leaders dozens of times and holding countless conversations on the thorny issues of moving ahead with a massive project like this, to passing a new provision into law to ease the FTA's evaluation process for multimodal projects and make the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project more competitive for Federal funding, and of course pressing hard to keep this dream alive when previous efforts fell apart. It has not been easy. prgtoken As anyone who has been involved in this process over the years knows, there have been no shortage of challenges and setbacks. And, make no mistake, we still have a lot more work to do to see this project through, but failing to replace the I-5 bridge has never been an option to me because I know how important this is to Southwest Washington and, really, to the entire region. prgtoken Let me just spell out the stakes
WHOLE MILK FOR HEALTHY KIDS ACT OF 2023
Val T. Hoyle (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-12-19

last week, I voted in favor of H.R. 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would allow schools the option of serving whole and 2% unflavored and flavored milk. prgtoken Under current federal regulations, schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) can only serve low-fat or fat-free milk. H.R. 1147 would amend current regulations to allow schools to offer a wider range of dairy milk options, helping to ensure that students have freedom of choice. It would also help reduce the likelihood of students throwing out milk and missing out on beneficial nutrients. prgtoken While I supported H.R. 1147, it was not perfect. I believe this legislation should have included options for children who cannot or choose not to drink dairy milk due to dietary, religious or personal reasons. Unfortunately, House leadership did not allow for any amendments to be considered that would have extended freedom of choice for non-dairy beverage options. prgtoken That's why I'm a cosponsor of H.R. 1619, the Addressing Digestive Distress in Stomachs of Our Youth (ADD SOY) Act, which would require schools to provide non-dairy beverage substitutes upon request of a student or parent/guardian and allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reimburse schools for providing non-dairy options. This issue is especially important for students who experience lactose intolerance, which disproportionately affects communities of color. prgtoken Should the Senate take up H.R. 1147, I urge them to include the ADD SOY Act or similar provisions to allow for non-dairy options and broader freedom of choice for students. H.R. 1147 takes an important first step, but we must ensure that freedom of choice applies to all.
HONORING THOMAS BRANIN
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-12-19

I rise to thank Mr. Thomas Branin, Supervisor for the Three Chopt Magisterial District on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, for his years of service to Henrico. prgtoken Mr. Branin, known to everyone in the community as Tommy, has represented thousands of community members--including me--over the last eight years with distinction--and with his beloved dog Newman, by his side. He has been a strong advocate for growing Henrico's economy, increasing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and bringing Henrico together. prgtoken After his election to the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, Tommy became the first Henrico Supervisor to place crosswalks throughout the entirety of his district. His focus on safety made it possible to install 14 miles of sidewalk in his communities--making it safer for pedestrians, runners, and bikers alike. His focus on community building made it possible to bring pickleball courts, bike tracks, and cricket games to his district. And his focus on the betterment of Henrico County drove his work to help facilitate the construction of two new high schools, replacing aging structures to provide Henrico students with a strong and healthy learning environment. prgtoken Tommy has proven to be a strong collaborator and leader. He has worked hard with regional partners to connect Henrico County and has encouraged partnerships at all levels to provide his constituents with better parks and trails to promote healthy, active lifestyles. Tommy has been a strong, passionate advocate for safety and his work to improve walkability throughout Henrico will continue to have a positive impact in the community. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Thomas Branin, whom I am proud to call a friend--except on days when Tucker plays Freeman--for his service on behalf of the Three Chopt District and the entire Henrico County community and for his contributions to making Henrico a safer place for all.
RECOGNIZING CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT CHUCK POWERS
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-12-19

I rise today to recognize Chief Master Sergeant Chuck Powers, an exceptional member of the Air National Guard, for his distinguished service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Guard. prgtoken A native of Albany, New York, Chief Master Sergeant Powers enlisted in the Air Force in December 2000. He has served for 23 years in the Active-Duty Air Force and now the New York Air National Guard in a broad range of assignments, including six deployments to Iraq, Oman, Afghanistan, and Antarctica in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Deep Freeze, and Operation New Dawn. Most recently, he served as a military personnel liaison for the National Guard Bureau Office of Legislative Liaison and Senior Enlisted Advisor, working diligently to improve the quality of life for our National Guard Soldiers and Airmen and to enhance the relationship between the National Guard and offices like mine. In November 2023, he took on a new role as the Senior Enlisted Leader to the National Guard Bureau Manpower and Personnel Directorate. prgtoken Chief Master Sergeant Powers' responsibilities as legislative liaison have had an impact on the National Guard Bureau and the work of all congressional offices. He demonstrated expertise in developing technical solutions, which modernized how the National Guard Bureau Office of Legislative Liaison engages with Members of Congress. His attention to detail and responsiveness strengthened the relationship between congressional offices and the National Guard immeasurably. He formulated a congressional engagement plan and prepared National Guard leadership for over 60 meetings and hearings, informed Members on the National Guard Bureau's legislative priorities, and answered hundreds of congressional inquiries, which provided critical information related to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken Chief Master Sergeant Powers' efforts were also pivotal to improve quality of life for his fellow National Guard members, including the development of new guidelines for maternity and paternity leave. He embodies the qualities that one can expect from Non-Commissioned Officers. prgtoken I am grateful to Chief Master Sergeant Powers for his service in support of my office and others in the furtherance of National Guard missions. I would also like to express my appreciation to his supportive husband, Jamie Richards. I wish this National Guard family all the best in their next chapter of service to our Nation.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-12-19

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nominations en bloc: Calendar Nos. 188, 198, 202, 236, 262, 288, 292, 328, 335, 338, 416, and Calendar Nos. 449 through 452, and all nominations on the Secretary's desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force; that the Senate vote on the nominations, en bloc, without intervening action or debate; that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Israel (Executive Session)
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-12-19

it has now been over 70 days--70 days--since hundreds of people were kidnapped by Hamas. In that time, more than 100 have been released, including 4 Americans, but 8 Americans remain in captivity. And from what we have heard from those who have been released and rescued, it is likely they are enduring unimaginable suffering. prgtoken One of the released Americans, 4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan, was kept with four other hostages in above-ground apartments. She shared-- shared--one piece of pita bread per day with four others and did not have a shower in the entire 50 days in captivity. Her hair was cut because it was filled with lice. prgtoken We have heard from others that they were kept in complete darkness for days. Some became psychotic and experienced hallucinations. A child was given ketamine for weeks, while others were given sedatives like Valium. We have heard reports of self-harm among the hostages, while some who have returned have suicidal ideations. prgtoken Many were subjected to psychological torture. A 12-year-old boy was forced to watch videos of the October 7 attack and threatened with a gun when he cried. I have seen those videos. You cannot unsee them once you have seen them. I cannot imagine the nightmares that will plague that boy for the rest of his life. prgtoken One man was told his wife was dead when she actually was alive. Others were convinced Israel no longer existed. A doctor who was treating hostages says that they were told that ``nobody cares about you. You are here alone. You hear the bombs falling? They don't care about you. We're [the ones] here to protect you.'' prgtoken Most children lost between 10 to 15 percent of their body weight. These kids were starved. They had skin rashes and infections from being held in unsanitary conditions. Other children were branded--literally branded--with a motorcycle exhaust pipe to help identify them if they escaped. prgtoken Many came back speaking only in a whisper because they were warned not to make any noises in captivity. Many hostages were deprived of medicine and proper medical care. One woman who was shot in the hand says a veterinarian performed surgery on her. Others were beaten with electric cables. prgtoken Now, as the fighting in Gaza intensifies, the lives of hostages remain in jeopardy. I can't imagine what it must be like to live on only a piece of a pita a day for months. I can't imagine what it would be like to endure constant physical, psychological, and emotional torture for 70 days. prgtoken We know that at least one American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, had his lower arm blown off by a hand grenade. His mother says his injury could have easily resulted in him bleeding to death. prgtoken The treatment of these hostages are crimes against humanity. They are war crimes. And for those who remain in captivity, we are running out of time. We cannot give up hope. We cannot abandon them. We must go to the ends of
HONORING VETERAN OF THE YEAR, MR. CHARLES H. TALLEY, JR.
Jennifer L. McClellan (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-12-19

I'm excited to announce the winner of the first annual Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Veteran of the Year. prgtoken Mr. Charles H. Talley, Jr. dedicated 34 years of his life to the United States Army and continues to serve the district with integrity. prgtoken Mr. Talley was in the Pentagon during the September 11th terrorist attacks that shook our Nation before he deployed to Afghanistan to fight against those same attackers. prgtoken He served his country with distinction and rose through the ranks before his retirement in 2018 as a Chief Warrant Officer Four. prgtoken Now, he uses his specialized skills and years of experience in the Army and as an American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef to serve as the Quality Assurance Manager for the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence at Fort Gregg-Adams. prgtoken In this capacity, he works to assess and improve the food for the entire U.S. Army in the battlefield environment. prgtoken He also continues to serve and give back to our community as the current president of the Nu Omicron Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, where he organizes service events in Petersburg and the surrounding areas. prgtoken He devotes his time to lecture Warrant Officers every year and young aspiring professionals at Virginia State University. prgtoken As we celebrate Veterans Day this weekend, I am proud to name Chief Warrant Officer Four Charles H. Talley, Jr. as Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Veteran of the year.