mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-2-9

I thank the distinguished majority whip for yielding me the time and for his commitment to justice and all necessary to make this country a better place for everybody. prgtoken , some say that time heals all wounds. In the hours right after the January 6 attack, I was hopeful that with time America might begin to heal, too; that in the wake of such a dastardly attack on our democracy, s would recoil in disgust at what they had created; that after the President of the United States whipped a violent mob into a frenzy and sent them here to attack Congress, they might finally say enough is enough. prgtoken That didn't happen, and it is not going to. The National Committee just called January 6 ``legitimate political discourse.'' Legitimate political discourse? They had lead pipes and guns. They destroyed property and beat cops. Give me a break. prgtoken Sadly, this is just their latest attempt to rewrite history. Last year they called January 6, ``a normal tourist visit.'' They continue obstructing the January 6th Select Committee. prgtoken They continue spreading the big lie that the election was stolen despite overwhelming, incontrovertible evidence that it wasn't. prgtoken The former President again promised to pardon those who engaged in violence if he assumes office again. This week we learned that he considered using the military to seize ballot boxes. Now, there is a sentence that sends a chill down my spine. prgtoken I credit Leader McConnell, who rebuked his party this week. He said January 6 was ``a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.'' But he is the exception. prgtoken For a majority of s, things have not changed. They have stayed the same, stuck in a QAnon fever dream, waiting at the beck and call of a twice-impeached ex-President who has spent his retirement shredding evidence at Mar-a-Lago. Time has not stiffened their spines. It hasn't jolted them into reality or brought us together like we were in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. prgtoken January 6 hasn't become a turning point. Instead, it has become a talking point. This is the new reality. To gain support from the ex-President, you have to repeat a lie that the election was stolen, and to maintain the support of the Party, you have to repeat another lie, that January 6 wasn't a violent uprising against America. prgtoken There is a word for that, . It is called fascism, and it is a jarring word, one I don't use lightly. So let me be clear exactly how I mean it. Fascism isn't about a particular set of beliefs or political ideology. It is about power and the lengths to which some people will go to acquire and retain it. prgtoken For decades, America fought against fascism, but today a growing movement here at home seeks to upend norms, settle disagreement with violence, and silence the truth. ``Free societies,'' American philosopher Jason
Nomination of Reta Jo Lewis (Executive Calendar)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-2-9

reserving the right to object, I have said before that we all want to make sure our schools can stay safely open for in-person learning. But based on this legislation, it is not clear that is true for all of my colleagues. prgtoken Look, this is straightforward. If you want education decisions to happen at the local level, you do not tie the hands of State and local officials when they are trying to keep their students and educators safe. And if you want schools to be able to stay safely open and bring some stability and certainty back to our classrooms, you don't cut schools off from the resources they need just because you think you know better than the parents and local officials about how this pandemic is progressing in their community or how they should use tools like masks. prgtoken I am a former preschool teacher, parent advocate, and school board member. But let's be honest, you don't need classroom experience to see that right now the very last thing we should be doing is denying schools the tools and resources to help kids learn safely. The data is clear. We have real work to do to help our students make up for an incredibly tough 2 years. prgtoken Now, actually passed legislation--the American Rescue Plan--which invests specifically in helping our students recover academically and mentally. The proposal from the Senator from Arkansas would put our students' recovery and safe in-person learning in jeopardy. It would take those important public health decisions, which should be based on local conditions, away from those communities and slash funding for students and schools right when they need us the most. prgtoken Now is not the time to pull the rug out from under students in schools. Parents, educators, and, most of all, kids have been through enough. I object.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-2-9

I rise today to introduce the Climate Adaptation Science Center Act, or CASC Act. This bill authorizes the national and nine regional CASCs that came about after Congress appropriated funding for a National Climate Science Center in 2008 and subsequently, in 2009, Department of the Interior Secretary Salazar recognized the Department as the lead Agency for protecting the country's cultural and natural resources via secretarial order. prgtoken The national and regional CASCs are housed within the U.S. Geological Survey, USGS. The national CASC is located in Reston, VA, and the nine regional CASCs are dispersed throughout the country from Hawaii, to Alaska to Massachusetts. These regional CASCs service stakeholders in the continental United States, Hawaii, Alaska, U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands, USAPI, and the U.S. Caribbean. The purpose of these CASCs is to help protect cultural and natural resources by developing the science and tools that on-the-ground managers need to respond to the effects of climate change. prgtoken One regional CASC, the Pacific Island CASC, or PI-CASC, is a partnership between the USGS and a university consortium hosted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the University of Guam. PI-CASC was established in October 2011 and over the course of more than a decade has conducted important climate research informed by impacted stakeholders, developed products and tools for resource managers to address climate change, and provided programs to increase capacity and stakeholder networking. prgtoken Over 100 research projects have been completed to address stakeholder needs across the Hawaiian Islands and USAPI, such as prioritization planning for coastal wetland restoration on Molokai, developing a climate and GIS data portal for American Samoa, and predicting and mitigating avian disease at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on Hawaii Island. Over a dozen different products and tools have been developed by PI-CASC, including sea level forecasting tools for communities throughout the Pacific, a database on weed fire risk throughout Hawaii, and an agroforestry tool for Marshallese agricultural producers. Programs that have been made possible by the PI-CASC include a Manager Climate Corps on Hawaii Island, a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and a Pacific Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change Management Program. prgtoken These are just examples of research, products, and programs made possible by one regional CASC. The nine regional CASCs are providing similar services all across the country. Currently, stakeholder demand for CASC system services outpaces available resources. Additionally, in the coming years and decades, the challenges that on-the-ground resource managers face with climate change are only going to become more numerous and complex. As such, this bill is necessary to formally establish the CASCs in law
Introductory Statement on S. 3623
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-2-9

I rise today to introduce the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. prgtoken This bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act through 2027 and provide important updates to modernize the law that has been critical to protecting and supporting the survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. prgtoken I was proud to support the original Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and have supported each reauthorization of the law. prgtoken This includes the most recent reauthorization in 2013, which passed the Senate by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 22. prgtoken It is an honor to introduce this reauthorization and expansion of protections for survivors. prgtoken This bill is the result of a truly bipartisan effort. I would like to thank Senator Ernst, Senator Durbin, and Senator Murkowski for working with me to prepare this important piece of legislation. prgtoken We have also had help from a number of our Senate colleagues who have made important contributions to this effort. I am proud that this bill has received strong bipartisan support in the Senate. prgtoken I would also like to thank the many advocates who have lent their thoughts and support to this effort. This bill was written in close consultation with the people who are on the frontlines helping survivors of domestic violence every day. It is not a ic bill or a bill--it is a bill for survivors. prgtoken Together, we drafted a bill that preserves the good work of the last Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and strengthens existing programs. prgtoken For nearly 30 years, the Violence Against Women Act has played a vital role in the Federal response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I hope that this bill will be an effective tool to build upon those efforts. prgtoken Despite the progress made over the last three decades, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse are still painful realities for far too many Americans. More than one in three women experience rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Nationwide, an average of three women are killed each day by a current or former intimate partner. prgtoken According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, in a single day in 2020, 76,525 domestic violence survivors received the resources they needed thanks to programs funded and supported by the Violence Against Women Act. prgtoken It is clear that the programs created by the Violence Against Women Act are necessary, and they need to be continually updated to meet the needs of survivors. The bipartisan bill that we are introducing today reauthorizes these important programs and provides the necessary updates to strengthen them. prgtoken This bill enhances and expands services for survivors of domestic violence, including survivors in rural communities, LGBT survivors, survivors with
Housing (Executive Calendar)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-2-9

before last year, the committee I chair and one of the committees on which the Presiding Officer sits--the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee--was far too much about Wall Street and far too little about issues that matter to people's lives. prgtoken We have changed that. Instead of always listening to the biggest banks and their corporate lobbyists, we listen to workers and we listen to their families from all kinds of communities all over the country. prgtoken Last year, we held the committee's first-ever worker listening session where, as hard as it was for all of us, no Senator asked questions. We just heard from witnesses. We heard from workers--about a half-dozen workers--who just told us their story. prgtoken We know that workers power our economy. We heard from workers from all kinds of backgrounds, working all kinds of jobs. Some worked for banks, others worked for large tech companies, and some for other corporations. They talked about wage theft. They talked about being laid off during a pandemic with no severance pay. They talked about the danger in their workplaces. They talked about how, in some cases, their companies busted their unions. prgtoken Their stories make it clear that the real harm the Wall Street business model does is to workers' lives. prgtoken Yesterday, we held our second listening session, this time with renters from around the country whose homes are owned by deep-pocketed investors like corporate landlords and private equity funds. prgtoken One of those renters--some lived in the Presiding Officer's home State, I believe in North Minneapolis--told her story. It is an increasing problem in every region, from big cities to rural towns. Deep-pocketed investors come into a community they have no connection to, and they buy up homes; they raise rents; they cut services; and they don't deliver on their promises to their tenants. prgtoken These out-of-town and sometimes out-of-country investors are raising rents often by as much as 50 percent, issuing eviction notices, and leaving toxic mold and pest infestations to grow worse, all to pad their bottom line. prgtoken We heard from renters in apartment buildings and single-family homes and manufactured housing. We heard from renters in Las Vegas, NV; Great Falls, MT; and Hyattsville, MD--all sharing those stories. prgtoken One renter was told, when she asked why her rent suddenly increased by hundreds of dollars a month, ``We have to please the investors.'' Think about that. ``We have to please the investors.'' prgtoken Renters in Nevada, in Maryland, in Texas, and in California had their homes repeatedly flooded with wastewater, lived with rodent infestations, and went long periods without working showers or hot water. prgtoken Listen to Juan Cuellar from Maryland. He said: The ceiling in the hallways is falling in. The wood floor is buckling. We don't have heat. There are cockroaches and mice. T
Supreme Court Nomination (Executive Calendar)
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-2-9

article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution provides that the President ``shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint . . . judges of the Supreme Court.'' prgtoken One of the most important constitutional responsibilities I have as a Senator is to provide advice and consent on a President's Supreme Court nominee. A new Justice is someone who could serve for a generation or more and have a profound impact on the lives of all Americans for decades to come. prgtoken Recently, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced that he would step down once the Senate confirms his successor. In his remarks, while reflecting on what he learned during his nearly three decades on the High Court, he said: This is a complicated country. There are more than 330 million people, and my mother used to say it's every race, it's every religion--and she would emphasize this--and it's every point of view possible. prgtoken Justice Breyer has built a reputation and cemented a legacy as a champion of civil rights and fought to protect American consumers and our very democratic system of government from the attempts to undermine our campaign finance system and weaken the sacred franchise of the right to vote. His thoughtful scholarship on the importance of safeguarding human rights and respecting international law will continue to influence democratic governments around the world for years to come. prgtoken When I think about a successor to Justice Breyer, I want to see someone who can serve as a strong and thoughtful presence on a Court that is tasked with some of the most complicated legal problems and questions in our Nation. Each new Justice is someone who could serve for a generation or more and have a profound impact on the lives of all Americans for decades to come. prgtoken The Supreme Court will make decisions on a broad range of issues, such as voting rights, healthcare, women's reproductive freedoms, equal rights for women, climate change policy, gun safety, campaign finance, civil rights issues, and so much more. A nominee should represent the values of our Constitution in such a way that allows us to expand, not restrict, the civil rights of all Americans and keep powerful special interests and corporations in check. prgtoken The U.S. Constitution is not a perfect document, but its authors designed a system of government around the rule of law and protection from abuses of power. Abuses could come from special interests or the government itself. Our Constitution created the Supreme Court of the United States as the protector of our constitutional rights. prgtoken A Justice should have a healthy respect for the separation of powers and checks and balances in our constitutional system. A nominee should strive to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and protect the prerogatives of each branch of government, including Congress and it
REMEMBERING BRIGADIER GENERAL CHARLES McGEE
Ayanna Pressley (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-2-9

I rise today in honor and remembrance of legendary retired Air Force Brigadier General Charles McGee, who peacefully departed on the morning of January 16, 2022. He was 102 years young and one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen. prgtoken Charles McGee lived a full and beautiful life of bravery and perseverance. He was the embodiment of hope and service. prgtoken As a Tuskegee Airman, he made history as one of the first Black military aviators, breaking the color barrier in the armed services during World War II and flying 409 fighter combat missions in three wars. prgtoken In addition to his life of service, Mr. McGee created an enduring legacy through the family that he grew. He married the love of his life, Ms. Frances Nelson, in April 1942. The two would go on to be married for more than 50 years. prgtoken He is survived by his 3 children, Charlene, Ronald, and Yvonne; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild. prgtoken Black history is American history, and Charles McGee is an American hero. General McGee's legacy will live on through the pages of our history, the incredible family he created, and the lives he touched, including my own. prgtoken , to our General, our beloved Papa Gee, I pray that he rests in peace and power, reunited with his love, Frances, with the wind forever at his back and the clearest blue skies ahead.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-2-9

first of all, let me acknowledge just a stunning and very pivotal and important Black history message that our whip has given. He really is our historian, and I certainly want to pay tribute and give credence to the great work that he has established here for us. prgtoken , it was so powerful to be able to reorder critical race theory to critical race fact. I just want to reinforce that everyone knows, and it has been for decades, that critical race theory is an aspect of graduate teaching, master's, Ph.D.s, and in law schools. The basis of it is the seeming infusion of racism in society by way of laws and other actions. prgtoken Black history has always been, and the founder of Black history always wanted it to be, an opportunity for healing and bringing us together by understanding. I think the whip has laid out a stupendous story, a better understanding of Charles Drew and a better understanding of the light bulb. prgtoken Why wouldn't boys and girls from all walks of life want to understand how we are better together than we are separate? prgtoken I just want to take a moment to take up a different theme that speaks to the issue of Black history. I want to talk about the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. As well, I want to make sure that we highlight some aspects of Black history. prgtoken , let me, first of all, indicate that Black history is an important element of who we are. I am just going to call off the kinds of names that I hope will be welcomed in any classroom: President , 44th President of the United States, the first African- American President; Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; U.S. Senator Blanche Kelso Bruce; U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan; U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland; Dr. Guion Stewart Bluford; Mae C. Jemison--people that I knew because, living in Houston, they were astronauts that went out of Johnson Space Center-- Dr. McNair, whose life was lost in the service of this Nation as an astronaut. prgtoken Why wouldn't we want to talk about such beloved personalities who overcame obstacles to do great things? Activists and intellectual authors and artists like Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, these were individuals in the era of post-slavery and post- Reconstruction, in many instances, who still laid the groundwork for us. prgtoken James Baldwin, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Gwendolyn Brooks, just to name a few of the countless number of well-known and unsung heroes. prgtoken James Baldwin, of course, an author; Toni Morrison, an author; and Gwendolyn Brooks. Obviously, Toni being maligned because of not being understood. Harriet Tubman, an unbelievable story with the Underground Railroad. Rosa Parks, who sat down along with others. Maya Angelou, poet laureate. prgtoken I also want to put into the Record names of historical figures, some of whom have passed, from my own community: Reverend F.
Nomination of Leonard Philip Stark (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-2-9

this week, the Senate will vote to confirm Judge Leonard Stark to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. prgtoken Judge Stark is an exceptional and experienced jurist. For the past 14 years, he has served the District of Delaware--first, as a magistrate judge and, since 2010, as a district court judge. prgtoken He has presided over 6,000 civil and criminal cases, including 2,400 patent matters and 63 patent trials. prgtoken This experience will be of particular importance on the Federal Circuit for two reasons. First, unlike the 12 other courts of appeals, the Federal Circuit has a specialized jurisdiction; it hears all of the Nation's patent appeals. Second, Judge Stark would replace the only active judge on the court who has previously served as a trial judge. This makes his extensive background as a trial judge especially valuable. prgtoken Judge Stark brings with him considerable experience serving on Federal appeals panels. He has sat, by designation, on the Third and Federal Circuits, where he heard 54 appeals and authored 11 unanimous opinions. Before joining the bench, Judge Stark served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware for 4 years. He worked as a litigation associate at an international law firm. And he clerked on the Third Circuit. prgtoken Judge Stark earned his bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and master of arts simultaneously at the University of Delaware. He was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford. He also holds a J.D. from Yale Law School. With such impressive credentials, it is clear why the American Bar Association rated Judge Stark unanimously as ``Well Qualified'' to sit on the Federal Circuit. prgtoken His expertise in adjudicating patents combined with his experience hearing appeals will be an asset to the Federal Circuit and to our industrious, inventive Nation. I will be voting for Judge Stark's confirmation, and I urge my colleagues to join me.
ACTING ON HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN SYRIA
Marie Newman (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-2-9

I rise today because there is a humanitarian crisis in Syria right now. For the past 2 years, there have been tens of thousands of Syrians in the Rukban settlement suffering from not only starvation but a lack of medical care. prgtoken The last remaining UNICEF clinic in this encampment closed in March 2020, right at the onset of the global pandemic. Since then, thousands in the camp have tested positive but have nowhere to quarantine. They don't have access to vaccines. They don't have access to medical care. They do not have access to clean water. prgtoken With Russia and the Assad regimes preventing aid from reaching the camp, I am calling on the U.S. to implore immediate action to intervene and help. prgtoken We have a fundamental obligation to save thousands of Syrian lives.