mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Welcoming Reverend Asriel McLain (Executive Session)
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-6-13

it is my privilege now to speak to the pastor from my home State who gave the prayer today, the Reverend Asriel McLain of Shreveport. prgtoken Reverend McLain is a graduate of Bishop College in Dallas, TX, and he earned his master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He has been a pastor, ministering to others in Louisiana, Texas, and Michigan. prgtoken Reverend McLain is the son of Mrs. Mildred Oliver McLain and the late Reverend Claude Clifford, the former pastor of the historic Little Union Baptist Church, which was the epicenter of the civil rights movement in Shreveport. prgtoken I had breakfast with Pastor McLain this morning and learned of the courage of his father and that of his congregation, while in the face of official oppression, in making sure that one Martin Luther King got to speak in Shreveport and that those in their community had a voice about how they wanted their community to evolve. The courage that his father showed and that the parish showed--I am an Episcopalian--that the congregation showed was quite remarkable. prgtoken Much like his father, Reverend McLain has spent much of his life preserving the civil rights history of Louisiana, and much like his father, he is a man of profound faith and is a messenger of God's grace. prgtoken He is a proud father of four kids and is a grandfather of four. He is also one of five siblings--Pat, John, Gene, and Clifford--and Clifford is here with him today. Pastor McLain is also accompanied by his son David and grandson Jayden. prgtoken It was a pleasure to have Pastor McLain lead us in prayer today, and I look forward to perhaps having him join us once more. prgtoken .
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE COMPREHENSIVE POLICING AND JUSTICE REFORM AMENDMENT ACT OF 2022
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-6-13

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I continue to support this bipartisan resolution as a majority of my colleagues in the House did 2 months ago. Not much has changed since we last passed this resolution of disapproval. prgtoken Since Congress sent this resolution to President , we have continued to see rampant crime in the District of Columbia. D.C. residents and visitors are still unsafe in their Capital City. prgtoken The Metropolitan Police Department continues to face retention and recruitment challenges. prgtoken Crime levels are still higher in 2023 compared to the same time in 2022. Total crime is up 27 percent. Violent crime is up 16 percent. Homicide is up 19 percent. Motor vehicle theft is up a staggering 118 percent. This is unacceptable. prgtoken Most notably, as of June 7, D.C. hit a concerning marker. There have been 100 murders in D.C. this year. According to the D.C. Police Union, this is the earliest point in the calendar year that the city has reached this marker since 2003. prgtoken However, in the Committee on Oversight and Accountability's March 29 hearing, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson claimed that there is no crime crisis in D.C. prgtoken In another Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on May 16, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves refused to take accountability for his office's failure to prosecute 67 percent of cases last year. prgtoken The D.C. Council and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia have failed the residents of D.C. prgtoken Congress has a duty to oversee the Nation's Capital and ensure its safety for all residents and visitors. It is time for this body to stand up to the criminals. I call on my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution. prgtoken The President's veto of H.J. Res. 42 serves no purpose other than to continue to allow crime to spread and hinder our local police from fulfilling their duties to protect the D.C. community and the Nation's Capital City. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to uphold what we and the Senate have done over the last 2 months by voting in favor of this resolution. prgtoken , .
GAS STOVE PROTECTION AND FREEDOM ACT
Janice D. Schakowsky (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-6-13

I will say that there were a lot of things said that are really misinformation. No one is going to lose their gas stoves. This is not a plot to take that away. prgtoken I certainly encourage everyone to vote against this so that we can protect our children, we can have the Consumer Product Safety Commission alert us to problems that may occur, and to keep all of us safer. That is the point of this bill.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-6-13

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.
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-6-13

I don't know what our education level, marital status, or credit scores have to do with how much our auto insurance rates should be. The Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination Act, PAID Act, that I introduced with Congresswoman Watson Coleman, who has led this effort, as well as Congressman Takano, would end insurance discrimination. prgtoken It would prohibit auto insurance companies from using our education levels, occupation, employment status, credit scores, previous insurer information, ZIP Code, census tracts, or homeownership status in insurance rating or underwriting decisions. prgtoken Auto insurance discrimination continues to keep our residents in the cycle of poverty, . prgtoken Your education level, ZIP Code, and marital status don't determine whether or not you are a good driver; neither does your credit score. Yet our neighbors, especially in Detroit, regularly face higher auto insurance rates than other folks. prgtoken Someone with a perfect driving record--no tickets, crashes, or claims--who has poor credit can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more for auto insurance, sometimes twice as much. I read somewhere that somebody with a DUI, drinking under the influence, with a higher credit score was paying three times less than someone with a lower credit score but no DUI violation. prgtoken We must stop the predatory discrimination practices by auto insurance companies. This is why I urge my colleagues to support the PAID Act to help level the playing field and eliminate factors, proxies to discriminate, that contribute to our growing inequality. Honoring Ruth Ellis
HONORING JOHN DAVIS HIBBARD AND WILLIAM ROBERT HIBBARD
Josh Harder (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-13

I rise today to recognize John Davis Hibbard, a special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 48, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. prgtoken John has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years, John has earned numerous merit badges and served in several leadership roles, including as Senior Patrol Leader of his Troop. Through his Eagle Project, John has made a significant contribution to the community in building a garden for the Marin City Senior Center. prgtoken , I also rise today to recognize the efforts of John's older brother, William Robert Hibbard, a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 48, and earning in 2021, the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. prgtoken Wi]liam was very active with his troop. Over the many years that William has been involved, he has earned numerous merit badges, and served in several leadership roles, including as Senior Patrol Leader of his Troop. Through his Eagle Project, William made a significant contribution to his community in building seating and storage boxes for Westminster Presbyterian Church of Tiburon. prgtoken I am honored to recognize both John Davis Hibbard and William Robert Hibbard for their accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for their efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinctions of Eagle Scout.
Artificial Intelligence (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-6-13

AI, artificial intelligence, is unlike any innovation that has previously come to the attention of Congress. In a few years, this technology will usher in dramatic changes to the workplace, the classroom, our living rooms--to virtually every corner of life--and it is already starting to happen. Maximizing AI's benefits and mitigating its potential and very real risks will require bipartisan cooperation, focus, and speed from the U.S. Congress. prgtoken Today, the U.S. Senate is taking an important step in intensifying our focus on AI by holding the first all-Senators briefing solely dedicated to AI. More briefings will soon follow, and they will help lay a bipartisan foundation on which Congress can take appropriate action. These briefings are vital because elected representatives in 2023 cannot afford to be in the dark about how AI works and how it is going to reshape our world and is already reshaping our world for that matter. prgtoken Today's briefing will focus on the state of AI as it stands today-- its capabilities, its applications, its limitations, its challenges. We will hear from Professor Antonio Torralba of MIT, an expert in machine learning and the head MIT faculty member on AI and decision making. He is the head of AI at MIT. So it is pretty good stuff that people should know. prgtoken Next month, our second and third briefings will focus on where AI is headed in the very near future and AI's implications to our national security. prgtoken I urge every single Senator to join these briefings. AI is a topic none of us can afford to ignore. It should be treated with the same urgency as national security, job creation, and civil liberties, because AI will impact all of these issues and many others. prgtoken The possibilities of AI should excite every single one of us. If used correctly, AI could unlock remarkable breakthroughs in health care, scientific research, national security, and so many other fields. prgtoken Much like we did in CHIPS and Science, Congress should look for ways to promote innovation in AI so that American companies can lead the way. But the top AI developers have also made clear that Congress must play a role in safeguarding against AI's many potential risks. They have said it to us directly through congressional testimony. prgtoken We must therefore strike a balance to promote innovation and growth, on one hand, while mitigating AI's risks on the other. That will take a lot of bipartisan cooperation, and these briefings will help us move closer to that goal. prgtoken Finally, I want to thank my colleagues for the good work they have already done on the issue. I want to especially thank Senators Rounds, Heinrich, and Young for helping to make all of these Senate briefings possible.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2023
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-6-13

. I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14; 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 executive session and, notwithstanding rule XXII, resume consideration of the Pitts nomination until 11:30 a.m.; further, that at 11:30 a.m the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Pitts nomination followed by an immediate cloture vote on the Ho nomination; further, that if cloture is invoked on either nomination, all postcloture time be considered expired at 2:30 p.m. and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order in which cloture was invoked; further, that the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Choudhury nomination at 5:15 p.m and if any nominations are confirmed during Wednesday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-6-13

I rise today to recognize the career of Chancellor Devinder Malhotra. Devinder is retiring this summer from his role as chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. prgtoken Devinder has served as chancellor or interim chancellor since 2017. During that time, the system of 26 colleges, 7 universities, and 54 campuses has advanced its strategic priorities towards building a systemwide identity and leveraging the advantages that come from its scale and scope as one of the largest higher education systems in the country. prgtoken Under his leadership, Minnesota State launched Equity 2030, a key strategic initiative that set a critical goal of eliminating educational equity gaps, including by race and ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and first-generation status at every Minnesota State college and university by the year 2030. This work is currently underway and has received broad support throughout the system, including from presidents, bargaining units, faculty, staff, and students. prgtoken Chancellor Malhotra led the system through the uncertainty of the pandemic. His commitment and dedication has helped thousands create a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities, all while working to address Minnesota's workforce needs. prgtoken I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Devinder for years. I thank him for his service to our State. On behalf of the State of Minnesota, I wish him all the best as he enjoys all that retirement has to offer.
70TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOBI-TV/NBC5
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-6-13

today I want to recognize and honor KOBI- TV/NBC5 in Medford on its 70th anniversary. KOBI went on the air on August 1, 1953, and is an integral part of its parent company California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc founded in 1933 by William B. Smullin. prgtoken In classic KOBI and ``Oregon Way'' fashion, this TV station is celebrating seven decades of public service serving southern Oregon by teaming up with the United Way of Jackson County for a ``United in Kindness'' campaign. prgtoken This community campaign is gathering stories of kindness, civility, generosity, and charity that will be featured throughout this year on the air and online. prgtoken What a wonderful example of how KOBI informs and lifts up its community. That has been the case since 1953 when Bill Smullin founded the station--the first VHF TV station in Oregon. Seventy years later, it remains one of the very few locally owned and operated TV stations in the United States. prgtoken Bill Smullin's daughter Patricia C. ``Patsy'' Smullin has guided KOBI since 1985 as owner and president of California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc Ms. Smullin has earned numerous honors in that time. Among those honors are the Chuck Sherman Television Leadership Award from the National Association of Broadcasters in recognition of an individual demonstrating leadership, service and commitment to local television in medium and smaller markets; and the Oregon Association of Broadcasters Tom McCall Award for outstanding service to the State and to the nation. prgtoken When I am in southern Oregon, for townhalls, community meetings and more, I make it a regular practice to come into the KOBI studio. There, I can count on a thorough and fair discussion from well-prepared interviewers about issues affecting southern Oregon. prgtoken For 70 years, viewers in southern Oregon have been equally able to count on KOBI's steadfast commitment to local journalism. I know I speak for all those viewers when I say thank you for that commitment the past seven decades and here is to many more decades of success.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES RELATING TO "FACTORING CRITERIA FOR FIREARMS WITH ATTACHED `STABILIZING...
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-6-13

I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 44. prgtoken This resolution seeks to repeal reasonable restrictions on deadly weapons, at a time when gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and youth in the United States. prgtoken H.J. Res. 44 would nullify the - administration's stabilizing arm brace rule, which keeps dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands by requiring that guns equipped with stabilizing arm braces are subject to the same requirements as weapons with the same fire power. This rule makes it harder for individuals intending to inflict carnage and take lives to obtain these weapons, and it should remain in place in order to save more lives. prgtoken With this resolution, extreme s continue their unpopular and unconscionable quest to oppose any and all restrictions on firearms, abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and prioritize the gun industry over the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who serve them. prgtoken House are determined to defend the sensible and effective policies in place to protect Americans, and we will continue to work to pass additional safeguards to end America's gun violence.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES RELATING TO "FACTORING CRITERIA FOR FIREARMS WITH ATTACHED `STABILIZING...
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-6-13

the balance of my time to close. prgtoken We have heard the majority claim over and over that this rule is going to come as a surprise to the gun industry and to those who have purchased stabilizing braces. This is simply not true. prgtoken There are dozens of videos online of people promoting the use of braces to create short-barreled rifles that circumvent the National Firearms Act. One brace promoter even said the resulting short-barreled rifle could easily fit into a briefcase or a backpack. prgtoken Let's be clear. The majority is defending the widespread availability without a background check of a brace that allows more rifles to easily fit into a backpack. The majority has seen these promotional videos. We watched prgtoken them in our hearing and in our markup, yet they continue to seek to invalidate this rule and claim it will come as a surprise. prgtoken The fact is that those who profit from the sale of these braces have long known that they were circumventing the law. The ATF wrote to one brace manufacturer multiple times over the last 10 years. In 2018, 5 years ago, the ATF, under President , told the brace manufacturer that it was engaging in false advertising by claiming devices were ATF approved, when in fact the ATF had not even evaluated those devices. prgtoken , I include in the Record a July 18, 2018, letter from the ATF to SB Tactical, a brace manufacturer, stating that they must cease the false advertisement of products as ATF approved when they had not even been evaluated, much less approved by ATF. U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Martinsburg, WV. SB Tactical, Saint Petersburg, FL. Dear SB Tactical: This letter is to inform SB Tactical that certain products currently marketed and sold by SB Tactical have not been evaluated nor approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Firearms Technology Industry Services Branch (FTISB). It has come to the attention of FTISB that all of SB Tactical ``braces'' are being marketed as evaluated and approved by ATF as ``pistol stabilizing braces,'' although, in most cases no evaluations or classification have ever occurred. FTISB has found the following statement on the boxes of unevaluated SB Tactical models: ATF Compliant--ATF has reviewed this product and determined that attaching a Pistol Stabilizing Brace to a firearm does not alter the classification of the firearm or subject the firearm to NFA control. To date, FTISB has evaluated only two SB15 Tactical submissions: the SB15 brace and the MPX PSB brace. FTISB approved both of these models for use as ``stabilizing braces,'' and classified them as not designed or intended to be used as shouldering devices. However,
Nomination of Jared Bernstein (Executive Calendar)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-6-13

I rise to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the nomination of Dr. Jared Bernstein to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, or CEA. prgtoken Dr. Bernstein is highly qualified, with close to four decades of economic experience. He has devoted his career to working on economic policies that ensure growth reaches all Americans, fighting to make our economy fairer--something there is a lot of talk about in here but not enough action. prgtoken Since the beginning of the administration, he served as a member of CEA. Before that, his experience, again, tells the story. He served in various senior-level roles inside and outside government-- chief economist and economic policy adviser to then-Vice President ; Deputy Chief Economist, Department of Labor; a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; economist at the Economic Policy Institute--all the kinds of qualifications that feed into this job. prgtoken Dr. Bernstein is widely respected by his peers from both sides of the aisle. I want to really make that clear. Before his nomination hearing--and I chair the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, from which he came. Before that hearing, seven--seven--former CEA chairs--the only one that didn't is long, long, long retired. I don't know if he was even asked. But seven former CEA chairs, who served in administrations, wrote to the committee in support of his nomination. Three of them served under President . prgtoken Think of that. Seven former CEA chairs--still s, most of them, much more conservative than Jared Bernstein--they all wrote a letter together, initiated by one of the nominees, one of the CEA chairs, Kevin Hassett. He led the effort. He told the New York Times: I disagree with Jared about a lot, and Jared and I have been disagreeing about things for 20 years. But he really is a fundamentally good person who tries to figure things out with an open mind, and [sometimes he] changes his mind. prgtoken That is really all you want from a CEA chair. prgtoken Again, President 's chief economist said that Jared Bernstein has an open mind and changes his mind. That is precisely the kind of openness to ideas from anyone, of any party or point of view, that we should all want in an economic adviser. prgtoken Despite Dr. Bernstein's years of experience, despite his impeccable credentials, and despite receiving support from seven--I believe the most recent seven--former CEA chairs serving in administrations, my colleagues on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee all voted no to Jared Bernstein. prgtoken Now, the decision to vote against his nomination is partisanship for the sake of partisanship, and I will give you an example. This sort of tells the whole story, . The Banking and Housing Committee has a tradition of members vot