mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Angela M. Martinez (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-5-22

this is an amazing moment in the history of the Senate and of all Senates because in just a few moments, the Senate will confirm Angela Martinez to be a district judge for the District of Arizona. Judge Martinez will be the 200th Federal judge under the administration and this ic majority. Reaching 200 judges is a major milestone. prgtoken Simply put, our 200 judges comprise the most diverse slate of judicial nominations under any President in American history. Our Federal judiciary is now far more balanced, far more diverse, far more experienced than it was just a few years before President took office. prgtoken I am so proud of the 200 judges 127 are women, and 125 are people of color. That is a majority of the judges--more than a majority. Over 60 percent are women. Two-thirds women, two-thirds people of color; 58 Black judges, 37 Black women judges--each a record; 36 Hispanic judges, 33 Asian American Pacific Island judges--also a record. It is amazing. prgtoken Also, there is not just demographic diversity but professional diversity. It is not just a lot of White male partners in big fancy law firms anymore; it is people who are public defenders, civil rights lawyers, labor lawyers, immigration lawyers, consumer lawyers. We have so much greater diversity on the bench, and that is so good for America because the bench, the powerful Federal judiciary filled with lifetime appointments, should reflect America. It has taken too long to get to this point. We still have more ground to make up, but we are getting there, and we are so proud of it. And, of course, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. prgtoken Ever since I have gotten on the Judiciary Committee, it has been my goal to diversify the bench. The judges I have chosen in New York have been like that for over two decades. But now, under the administration and under the great leadership of Chairman Durbin and his Judiciary Committee, we have really moved forward. prgtoken I want to give special consideration--because she works full time on this--to my nominations director--we work so closely with the White House--and that is Catalina Tam, who has been so important and so dedicated behind the scenes in getting these judges confirmed. prgtoken This is a really fine day for America. When you look at all the trouble and all the things swirling around, and then you realize so many fine people who never would have even had access to the Federal bench are getting on the bench, it gives you faith in the future of this great country. prgtoken .
Border Act of 2024 (Executive Calendar)
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2024-5-22

for years, too many have been in denial about the national security risks at our southern border. And I have been critical of fellow who have failed to acknowledge these risks, who have failed to recognize that knowing and controlling who enters our territory is fundamental to our sovereignty and our national security. prgtoken But now the situation has changed. There are more than enough ic Senators ready and willing to pass a strong bipartisan border security bill--a border security bill coauthored by a conservative Senator, Senator Lankford of Oklahoma, who has done extraordinary work in crafting this legislation; a bill that would surge enforcement resources to the southern border; that would tighten asylum standards; that would expedite the removal of those who abuse asylum to enter our country unlawfully; that would hire urgently needed Border Patrol officers and take the fight to the drug cartels flooding our communities with fentanyl. prgtoken This is a bipartisan bill to help defend the Nation against terrorists who would exploit weakness at our southern border to enter our country and kill Americans. And now it is Senators who have already once blocked and this week are threatening again to block bipartisan border security legislation. prgtoken Why, the American people ask, would s in Congress block border security legislation amidst a national security crisis? prgtoken The answer is simple. Asked recently on FOX News why Senate s were blocking the Border Act, Senator Lankford, the coauthor of the bill, put it very simply: President said: Don't fix anything during the Presidential election. President said: Don't fix anything during the Presidential election. prgtoken The former President would rather wield the border as an election issue than see Congress secure it, and s in Congress appear to be falling in line even though it leaves the country at grave risk. I urge my colleagues to reconsider their position. prgtoken Just as I have criticized who for years buried their heads in the sand about the threat at the southern border, just as I have criticized the administration for its failures at the southern border, this is a time for Senators to stand up to President and say: No, we will not obey your command to leave the country at risk. Instead, we will do what is right for the Nation. prgtoken The threat of terrorism associated with unlawful entry at the southern border is real; it is pressing. If the Senate fails to pass border security legislation, refuses to tighten asylum standards, refuses to hire more Border Patrol officers, refuses to expedite the removal of those who abuse our asylum system to enter the country unlawfully, our Nation faces a grave national security risk. prgtoken The first vote we will take l
Border Act of 2024 (Executive Calendar)
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-5-22

I am thrilled to join my colleagues on the floor to talk about the importance of this border security bill, but I am also going to talk about my own naivete and admit to being a very naive Senator. prgtoken When I came to the Senate in 2013 with Senator Murphy, one of the first things we did in June of my first year in the Senate was to pass a significant and bipartisan immigration reform bill. That immigration reform bill was comprehensive, including a $40 billion-plus investment in border security. We passed it in a bipartisan way in this body with nearly 70 votes. prgtoken My naivety was this: Yes, there was a House. When the bill went over there, having been a Governor and having watched how State legislatures worked, I assumed that the House wouldn't just embrace our bill but that they would do their own version of an immigration bill, and then we would sit down in a conference and hash out some middle ground. No. I was wrong. The majority House decided to bottle the bill up in committee. They never took it up and never did their own bill. That was in 2013--the education of a naive Senator. prgtoken Years later, in 2018, during the administration, when we had a majority in this body, we dealt directly with President . He wanted $25 billion in border security over 10 years. We basically came up with an offer that was, Can you take yes for an answer? prgtoken I was part of an eight-member crew negotiating a bipartisan deal: protection for Dreamers and $25 billion in border security--every penny asked for and not one penny less. He told us that he supported Dreamers. He told us that if the bill got to him, he would sign it. Because we had a ic House, if we could get it through this body, we would get it to President 's desk. But as soon as we rolled out the bill with eight and eight s as cosponsors, President did a 180, turn tail. He trashed the Dreamers. He said the bill was awful and encouraged s to vote against it, and we couldn't get to the 60-vote margin. prgtoken So, for the second time, we did a bipartisan deal that was going to do good things and invest a whole lot in border security that was killed by President and now this most recent effort. prgtoken I so applaud Senator Murphy, Senator Sinema, Senator Lankford, and others from the administration who worked on this deal, a bipartisan border security provision with other important provisions: the normalization of Afghan refugees. We have more in Virginia than almost any other State. There is really important work in this bill-- bipartisan. prgtoken It is not lost on me how hard it is to do a deal where both the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Border Patrol union, which tend to be quite opposite politically, take a look at a compromise and say: You know, this isn't perfect, but we need to do thi
SNAP BENEFITS ARE NEEDED BY 42 MILLION AMERICANS
Jonathan L. Jackson (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-5-22

I rise because it is imperative that this body move with all deliberate speed to pass a farm bill that is both responsible and enriching for the American people. prgtoken The farm bill is one of the most fundamental pieces of legislation that we enact as a government, not simply because of the dollars we dedicate, but more so because of the number of people who are supported by the passing of this indispensable law. prgtoken Unlike most of the bills we pass, the farm bill is not a dry and depersonalized legislative act. There are names and faces attached to food. There are real people in dire situations associated and connected to the success of this bill. prgtoken Unlike most of the appropriations we allocate in this body, the farm bill is a moral document that reminds us that we owe each other as human beings. prgtoken It brings us back to the fundamental things. It reminds us that the politics of the future mean nothing in the stomach of a child who is hungry. prgtoken To be sure, this bill compels us to move forward. This bill moves us beyond politics of blame so that we might embrace a more excellent way. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the farm bill is one of the few manifestations of the social contract this government makes with the American people. The SNAP program alone is a moral accomplishment that we have to reach for. prgtoken Over 300,000 people make up my district in Illinois. Almost 73,000 of those households receive SNAP benefits. Almost 40 percent of these households have a child in them, and almost 45 percent of those children have some sort of disability. prgtoken In fact, I would go so far as to say that the bill is one of the few manifestations of the social contract of this government that the American people deserve. The SNAP program alone is our moral achievement, and I say this because all of us know that 86 percent of the SNAP benefits go to the households of women and children. prgtoken , we have to move with speed. Ask not what you can do for your country but what your country can do for you. Let me tell you, there is a mutuality in this contract. We also have to understand that the state has to support the people, not simply the people supporting the state. The farm bill helps those who are in need when their backs are against the wall. prgtoken Does this bill achieve that? No, . Taking food off of children's plates is not the best of the American ideal. We say our prayers, and we pray for the food we are about to receive. We do not pray for the food that has now been removed from our table by our government. prgtoken We must, indeed, fight for the rights of all those women and children and disabled families that need our help. prgtoken This is important because the time when we ignore cities and emerging farming centers is over. In the district that I represent, we celebrate community gardens and urban farms because inasmuch as I believe that access to healthy food is
SNAP BENEFITS ARE NEEDED BY 42 MILLION AMERICANS
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-5-22

let me thank my colleague, Congresswoman Hayes, for bringing us together today to talk about something so important. prgtoken We do live in the richest country in the world at the richest moment in history, and the very idea that we would tolerate and even think about adding to hunger in America is beyond belief. prgtoken It is a moral issue, but how could we even think about cutting the opportunity for our children, for our families, for older Americans, for people with disabilities, for people who simply can't afford to put food on the table. This is not because we have a shortage of the food that is available. It is not because there is not the funding to make sure that we take care of those in need. prgtoken This is the beginning, pretty soon, of the hunger season because many schools that have provided school lunch programs and school breakfast programs may not be available in the summer months, and yet these children and families need to eat. prgtoken How can anyone think about cutting the SNAP program, 60 million people in the United States, half of whom are children? No. It is just not tolerable. prgtoken I beg that we are going to make sure that everyone in the United States of America who is hungry will have food on the table.
HONORING HEMET POLICE CHIEF EDDIE PUST
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-5-22

I rise today to honor and congratulate Hemet Police Chief Eddie Pust on his retirement after serving the city of Hemet for over 27 years. prgtoken Police officers spend their lives putting service before self, striving to make a positive change in their community, and Chief Pust embodies that through and through. prgtoken Chief Pust began his career with the city of Hemet Police Department in 1996. After the police academy, he started as a patrol officer. During his career, he worked a number of assignments including 16 years in SWAT, until eventually being appointed as the 18th police chief of Hemet Police Department. prgtoken In addition to his 4-year tenure as police chief, he also served for 10 months as the city of Hemet interim city manager. prgtoken After almost 30 years as a pillar of leadership in the Hemet community, Chief Pust has displayed accountability, strength, and compassion during his service. prgtoken In every rank and position Chief Pust held, he was incredibly committed to tackling the issues that improved the safety and quality of life for the residents he served. prgtoken On behalf of the people in Hemet, Jacinto Valley, and the entire district, we appreciate every moment Chief Pust dedicated to protecting and serving us. His service to the community is nothing short of exemplary. prgtoken I thank Chief Pust for tirelessly working to keep the people of Hemet safe for the past 27 years. Recognizing Richard Ramirez
Border Act of 2024 (Executive Calendar)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2024-5-22

I agree with my colleagues. We have a crisis at our southern border. And in New Hampshire, it is affecting us because there are too many deadly drugs flowing into our country and not enough technology and equipment and personnel to stop it. prgtoken So it is not every day that I agree with my colleagues on an issue as big as the border, but on this one, I agree. prgtoken We needed to act. That is why a group of negotiators--s were led by Senator Lankford; , by Senator Murphy and Senator Sinema. I appreciate the work that all three of them did. They rolled up their sleeves. They got to work. For months, they passed paper back and forth. They ironed out big and small details of the bill that we voted on, that is before us. prgtoken And the final agreement is the strictest--I think that is worth repeating. It is the strictest border security legislation that we have seen certainly since my time in the Senate. It is a historic agreement to supply the border with critical resources that are necessary to increase security, to stop the flow of illicit drugs, and to better protect all Americans. prgtoken Now, our colleagues were for this bill until put his thumb on the scale and said: Don't fix the border. I want to campaign on it as a crisis. prgtoken And as we heard, he acknowledged that we should blame him for the fact that the border deal failed. prgtoken But, unfortunately, our colleagues walked away from the strictest border security deal that we have had in decades, all because told them to make it a campaign issue rather than do what is in the best interest of the country. prgtoken Now, we need to pass this bill because it includes more funding for identifying, tracking, and stopping fentanyl at the border. I don't know about all of our colleagues, but in my home State of New Hampshire, we have lost too many people because they have died from fentanyl overdoses. In the period from 2013 to 2023, New Hampshire lost 4,616 people from drug overdoses--4,616. The majority of those people died as the result of fentanyl. About 70 percent of those deaths were the result of fentanyl. prgtoken And anything--anything--we can do to cut down on the amount of fentanyl that is coming into the United States, we ought to be doing it. We know that fentanyl is moved across the U.S.-Mexico border in huge quantities, often in cars and trucks, and we know that it comes across--almost 100 percent--at our ports of entry. And they can't search every vehicle in every way, and that is why we need technology. prgtoken We need to be able to scan vehicles for drugs and other contraband. We need to make sure they can expand these capacities, which is why there is a provision in the bill to provide significant increases in funding for CBP to deploy more nonintrusive inspection technology that would more efficiently and effectively search for fentanyl and other dru
STORIES OF SERVICE
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-5-22

I rise today during Military Appreciation Month and ahead of Memorial Day to recognize some of the many Virginians who have contributed to Virginia's proud legacy of military service and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. prgtoken Earlier this month, I reached out to families across the Seventh District asking them to share ``Stories of Service,'' recognizing the unwavering courage and commitment of their loved ones who have answered the call to serve our country. prgtoken I am honored to work on behalf of so many military families and veterans, and I am grateful for the opportunity to stand here today to read some of the extraordinary stories I received. prgtoken Lisa Harms from Stafford County recognized her daughter, Second Lieutenant Sabrina Harms, who is currently serving in the U.S. Air Force. prgtoken A UVA alumna, granddaughter of World War II and Korean war veterans, and the niece of Vietnam and Persian war veterans, Sabrina is in her third year of medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and will graduate as a family medicine doctor next May to care for our servicemembers, veterans, and their families. prgtoken I thank Sabrina for her devotion to our country and fellow servicemembers. Lisa must be incredibly proud. prgtoken Bonnie, who lives in Stafford County, shared with me the story of her father, Jesse James Verling, a lifelong Orange County resident. prgtoken Mr. Verling never talked much of the details of his service in the Philippines and the European theater during World War II. However, following his passing, Bonnie opened his safe deposit box and discovered his military decorations, getting to understand more about her father's brave and dedicated service on behalf of our country. prgtoken Our Nation owes an immense debt of gratitude to every one of our neighbors who put on the uniform. I thank Bonnie for recognizing her father's service and allowing me the opportunity to do so in the Congressional Record. prgtoken William Hosp from Prince William County shared his father's story of service. William Brokaw Hosp, Sr served in the U.S. Army during World War II, having enlisted straight out of high school. prgtoken After seeing combat during the Battle of the Bulge, he was transferred to Okinawa following Germany's unconditional surrender. He ultimately served on both fronts of the war. His resolve, courage, and commitment to democracy are an inspiration. I am glad to have received his story and have the opportunity to recognize his service. prgtoken Stephen from Orange County recognized many members of his family who served to preserve the freedoms we enjoy as Americans: his father and two uncles who served during World War II, his brother who served in Vietnam, and his brother who served stateside as a member of the detail at Fort Myer responsible for interring the honored dead at Arlington National Cemetery. prgtoken Stephen wrote: ``As they say, freedo
SNAP BENEFITS ARE NEEDED BY 42 MILLION AMERICANS
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2024-5-22

first of all, I am one of those Members who represent a significant agricultural district which actually has its economy based on agriculture. I also represent the district that former Congressman Jamie Whitten represented. Ultimately, he framed the farm bill such that it did not pit rural America against urban America. prgtoken This bill pits rural America against urban America, and that is not the purpose of a farm bill. Let's talk a little bit about it. prgtoken , you can't penalize the needy for the greedy. What I am saying in that respect is, so many people in this country are in need of nutrition benefits. That is why we have a farm bill. A substantial majority of the farm bill is devoted to nutrition, and rightfully so. prgtoken Let's talk a little bit about where I am with it. This is my fourth farm bill. I have gone through all of it. I have seen everything that has been had with it, but the important part is that I serve as the chair of the Task Force on Agriculture and Nutrition in the 21st Century, appointed by Leader Jeffries. prgtoken We went all over the country. We heard from people saying, look, there are important things for the farm bill, but it is all about compromise and working together. prgtoken What did we hear people say? The first thing they said: Food is medicine. If you are worried about healthcare in this country, if people don't have nutrition, that is a problem. prgtoken Today, the cost of food is steadily rising, which means Americans cannot afford to purchase healthy and nutritious meals. prgtoken In going around the country, there were a number of things that we heard from east, west, north, and south. People said that we must eliminate the hot prgtoken food ban for SNAP recipients. SNAP recipients should have the benefit of hot meals. We must address the hunger among college students. We should protect SNAP against harmful cuts to eligibility requirements. prgtoken Talking about eligibility requirements, most people don't know that if you are on Social Security and Medicare, that counts against seniors' eligibility for SNAP benefits. By doing that, veterans are also penalized in the qualification for SNAP benefits. prgtoken We also have those individuals who have made a mistake. They have come out, but they are ineligible for SNAP benefits. We always talk about second-chance people, so why shouldn't formerly incarcerated people be eligible for food stamps? prgtoken Those are the things that we heard. prgtoken More importantly, this $30 billion cut is totally unreasonable. It makes no sense, and again, it penalizes people by putting politics over people. I hope when this issue is taken up tomorrow, will stand firm in their opposition against it. prgtoken If s are genuinely interested in making this work, we can do that, but from the nutritional standpoint, don't penalize people who need help. The demonstration of their help is already here. prgtoken , I look forwa