mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BIDEN'S UNILATERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE HARMFUL
Yvette Herrell (Republican, NM) \u2014 2021-2-4

. Madam , I thank Chairman Newhouse for yielding and for his leadership in holding this Special Order. prgtoken Madam , with the stroke of a pen, President threatened the economy and public education systems of New Mexico, seven other Western States, four Gulf States, and Alaska. prgtoken To put it simply, the executive actions he took on behalf of radical environmentalists to stop new oil and gas leases on Federal lands is nothing short of disastrous. prgtoken In New Mexico, over half the oil production and two-thirds of the natural gas production occurs on Federal lands. That production employs nearly 120,000 people Statewide, and estimates show a ban on new oil and gas leases could cost the State over 60,000 jobs by the end of 2022. prgtoken Royalty payments and taxes from the oil and gas industry contribute more than over one-third of our State's general fund. The loss in revenue from this leasing ban will have the greatest impact on the children of New Mexico, as over $1 billion from the oil and gas industry goes to New Mexico public schools every year. prgtoken Madam , before the ban was announced, I sent a letter to New Mexico Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, asking how she would make up the lost revenue. I have yet to receive a reply. prgtoken After the announcement, I introduced the POWER Act, along with nearly 40 of my colleagues. This bill would prevent the President from halting new oil and gas leasing along with coal, hard-rock mineral, and critical mineral leasing on Federal lands without consent of Congress. prgtoken For too long, Congress has ceded authority over our public lands to the executive branch. This will enable Congress to take back control and stand up for the people we represent. prgtoken Just yesterday, I also introduced the Protecting New Mexico's Jobs and Public Education System Act, which would exempt New Mexico from the current ban on new oil and gas leasing. prgtoken My State would be the most negatively affected in the Nation by a leasing ban. More than half of the onshore oil produced on Federal lands in the U.S. is produced in New Mexico. prgtoken Madam , I must also point out that the oil and gas industry is not just about filling up our cars and heating our homes, petroleum- based products are an essential part of our everyday lives. Petroleum- based products include mini medical devices, articles of clothing, and even sporting equipment. prgtoken In response to concerns we raised regarding the loss in oil and gas jobs, the administration said people can just find work in the renewable energy sector. prgtoken Madam , well that just is not good enough. In fact, statistics show workers involved in oil and gas extraction make an average of $48 an hour. How do I tell my constituents to go earn much less than that in other industries? At a time when our economy has been weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and many of our constituents are out of work, we should
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Don Bacon (Republican, NE) \u2014 2021-2-4

I rise today to recognize three ``Legacy Leaders'' from my district in Nebraska for Black History Month. prgtoken Every February, we celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognize their pivotal roles in the history of our great country. This year, I recognize Ella Willis, Teela Mickles, and Bettie McDonald, who have worked diligently to leave a meaningful and lasting impact on the Omaha community. prgtoken Originally from North Carolina, our first Legacy Leader, Ella Willis, came to Omaha in 1967, right after the race riots. After seeing the damage and destruction from the riots not being repaired, she joined the Neighborhood Action and Fact Association, founded by Andy ``Handy''. prgtoken Around 2004, Mrs. Willis became the president of the association. She worked to secure grant funding for the beautification of 24th Street and the neighborhood garden and marketplace building. The association assisted with the painting of murals along the 24th Street corridor, including The Union for Contemporary Art. prgtoken In 2005, under Mrs. Willis' leadership, the association received the Environmental Improvement Award from the Urban Community Improvement Program. Her community advocacy started long before, when she joined the NAACP in the early sixties, while her husband served in Vietnam. She participated in the voting registration process, protesting for the right for Black women to vote and registering Black men. prgtoken Mrs. Willis thanks God for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and praises his belief in justice, hope, love, and nonviolence, saying, ``This is what we must learn together as brothers and sisters of God. Have love and faith in your heart.'' prgtoken Another Legacy Leader is Teela A. Mickles, the founder and CEO of Compassion in Action, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that serves individuals confined in the State correctional facilities and families affected by incarceration. prgtoken Mrs. Mickles became a single parent to five young children after an unfortunate turn in life and later attended college, earning her associate degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling. At the same time, she developed Compassion in Action's Pre-Release Education/Reentry Preparation Program, with her motto of ``Embracing the person, rebuilding the family, and breaking the cycle.'' prgtoken She has been recognized for her dedication and accomplishments through the years: The UNO Woman of Color Award, Heartland Family Services' Family Advocacy Award, and the City of Omaha Excellence Award, and many, many more. prgtoken Mrs. Mickles is also an ordained minister on staff at Mission Church and credits the success of her organization to her strong faith in God and belief that every person is viable. As she says: ``If you're not dead, God's not done.'' prgtoken Our third Legacy Leader is Bettie McDonald, cofounder of Native Omaha Days, a week-long homecoming event that celebrates the community's historical and cu
REMOVING A CERTAIN MEMBER FROM CERTAIN STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-2-4

the hypocrisy here is an outrage. My fellow Georgian, Congresswoman Greene, stood right here in this House and took full responsibility for her statements. That is more than we can say for any of the many in this Chamber who have made outrageous, hate-filled, and vile statements and comments over the past years--and recent months, in particular. prgtoken For example, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has repeatedly made blatant anti-Semitic statements. She still holds her position. prgtoken The ic chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee encouraged supporters to aggressively assault anyone who supported President . She still holds her position. prgtoken The of the House has called s enemies of the state. She still has her position. prgtoken While we watch cities in flames, businesses being destroyed, officers killed, and civilians attacked, a member of the majority party called for further unrest in the streets. She still has her position. prgtoken I have got four pages of similar comments, and this is by no means exhaustive. Inflammatory rhetoric around here has become commonplace, unfortunately, and Members of this House have absolutely crossed the line by calling for violence and making other similar remarks. The majority refuses to hold its own members accountable. This is the zenith of hypocrisy and injustice. prgtoken , I call on and urge our Members to oppose this resolution.
EXECUTIVE ORDERS COMPROMISE OUR SECURITY
Jodey C. Arrington (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-2-4

. Madam , the first and most important job of the Federal Government is protecting its citizens. From day one, President , who campaigned as the unifier in chief, has made record unilateral decisions to compromise the security of our country and undermine the rights of the American people. prgtoken In his flood of executive orders, President has already stopped deportation, lifted travel restrictions from terrorist countries, halted border wall construction, empowered sanctuary cities, weakened asylum policies--I am running out of breath, Madam . prgtoken I welcome all freedom-loving and law-abiding citizens who want to make a better life for themselves in this country, but we must respect the sovereignty of this country, we must respect the rule of law, and we must always respect the American people's safety first.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2021-2-4

. Colleagues, as of last month, two out of every five COVID-related deaths in this country are either residents of nursing homes or the staff of nursing homes. prgtoken Inaccurate information affects life-and-death decisions for communities. Requiring States to provide accurate data is common sense for anyone who believes, as I do, that we should have a science-based, fact-driven response to this pandemic. prgtoken We should not offer more funding to States that have mismanaged and then covered up their pandemic response until they fix it. It simply makes no sense. That is why my colleagues should join me in supporting this amendment.
REMOVING A CERTAIN MEMBER FROM CERTAIN STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-2-4

this is personal to me. I have dedicated so much of my adult life to the Constitution of the United States. prgtoken If you go back to 1884--it has been cited for about 80 or 100 years even--the Select Committee back in 1884 was taking up the issue of a Member of Congress being expelled. The committee said that because the conduct was committed during an earlier Congress: It must be said that with practical uniformity the precedents in such cases are to the effect that the House will not expel a Member for reprehensible action prior to the election of a Member, not even for conviction of an offense. That has been so frequently decided in the House that it is no longer a matter of dispute. prgtoken And, yes, that was expelling from the House, but you are wanting to expel a Member from being a full Member, as she was elected to do. prgtoken Now, James Madison--hopefully, that name rings a bell--said if the legislature could regulate those--talking about qualifications--which in this case would mean you have to meet our qualifications for what you say before you are a Member of Congress or you don't come in. He said if you could regulate those qualifications, ``it can by degrees subvert the Constitution. A Republic may be converted into an aristocracy or oligarchy as well by limiting the number capable of being elected.'' Qualifications founded on artificial distinctions may be devised by the stronger party in order to keep out partisans of a weaker party. prgtoken This is so dangerous. Never in the history of the Congress has a majority party taken such fanatical action to remove somebody from the other party from committees. This is unprecedented. prgtoken We had a Senator named who looked at a Ku Klux Klan recruiter as a mentor and friend, and you punished him by inaugurating him as President. prgtoken Look, please, I know there are so many good, decent . We disagree on a lot of things, but as a matter of conscience--you talk about conscience. You have to know if you do this, just like objecting to electors and then coming around later and saying, oh, you are disenfranchising voters. Look, if you do this, you know the day will come when s will not like something you said and start removing you from committees. This is not a road to go down. prgtoken I beg you, please, don't start this precedent. It won't end well for either party. But we will follow your lead if you lead. prgtoken I am imploring you, do the right thing. Vote ``no'' on this resolution.
MORNING BUSINESS
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2021-2-4

the most predictable fiscal crisis our Nation faces is the looming insolvency of our Federal trust funds. That is why a group of 12 Senators put together an act to enable Congress to get ahead of this problem before it becomes insoluble. prgtoken These colleagues include Senators Manchin, Warner, Sinema, King, and Jones. prgtoken Last year we introduced this legislation called the TRUST Act to create three bipartisan, bicameral committees to rescue each of our major trust funds. This enables Congress to form those committees. prgtoken I would note that failure to do so would imperil the solvency of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds and speed us along the road even further to crushing national debt. prgtoken I am happy to take this amendment by voice vote, but to Senator Angus King.
LIFE IS SACRED
John H. Rutherford (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-2-4

there is nothing more precious than the gift of life given to us by God, who knew us before He formed us in the womb. prgtoken , life is sacred, and it is heartbreaking that there are those across this country and in Congress who reject that truth and view abortion as nothing more than a medical procedure. prgtoken Sadly, a professed Catholic who knows better has already taken steps to increase the killing of babies across the world and make innocent taxpayers foot the bill. prgtoken He has revoked the Mexico City policy, which means American taxpayers will now be sending dollars overseas to support the killing of unborn babies in foreign countries. And he is actively working to eliminate the Hyde amendment, which is a longstanding, bipartisan doctrine that prevents taxpayer funds from paying for the killing of babies in the United States. prgtoken Let's be clear, abortion is murder, not healthcare. prgtoken Abortion is not the answer to a child's mental or physical challenges. I am reminded today of the words of Frank Stephens, a Special Olympian. Many of you heard him speak here at Congress. He is now living with Down syndrome. He said this: ``About abortion, I don't want to make it illegal, I want to make it unthinkable. Politicians change laws. I want to change people's hearts.'' prgtoken , I agree with Frank Stephens, but I believe we can do both. We can change lives and we can change people's hearts.
ROE V. WADE
Jake LaTurner (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-2-4

. Madam , this past January 22 marked the 48th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. Now more than ever, America must continue to unapologetically stand for the sanctity of all human life. As the representative of Kansas' Second Congressional District, my constituents can be assured that I will always protect pro-life values at home and in Washington. I promised that I would be a fearless pro-life advocate throughout my public service, and I will keep my word to those who elected me. prgtoken In Kansas, I am proud to put my full support behind the ``Value Them Both Amendment'' that recently passed the Kansas Legislature. Currently, there is a legal basis for an unrestricted, unlimited abortion access in Kansas due to the Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt decision handed down by our liberal Kansas Supreme Court. The Value Them Both Amendment will allow for commonsense regulation on the abortion industry that protects babies and mothers. Thankfully, both the Kansas House and Senate passed the constitutional amendment by a two-thirds vote. Now the voters of Kansas will have the final say during a statewide election in 2022, where I am confident Kansans will choose life. prgtoken I will always unapologetically defend the sanctity of all human life, especially the most vulnerable among us--the unborn. I promised that I would be a fearless pro-life advocate throughout my public service, and I will keep my word to those who elected me to serve in Congress. After being sworn into office on January 3rd, I immediately joined the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus as my first congressional caucus and cosponsored several key pieces legislation which would defund Planned Parenthood, prohibit any abortion after 20 weeks, and prohibit the use of federal tax dollars for abortion. prgtoken Despite all of this, we are already beginning to see the drastic consequences of the 2020 presidential election for the pro-life community. President is wasting no time to advance his radical pro-abortion agenda. The administration announced that they intend to revoke the Mexico City Policy, which bans United States taxpayer funding to foreign organizations that provide abortions. President and his counterparts will shamefully send Americans' hard-earned money to other countries with the intention of funding abortions--this is deeply wrong and sends a horrible message about our values to the rest of the world. prgtoken Unfortunately, it does not end there. President also proudly campaigned on ending the Hyde Amendment, a bipartisan, pro-life public policy that has been in place for more than four decades that restricts federal funding for abortions. If you didn't know, President had previously opposed taxpayer-funded abortion for nearly 50 years, until he decided to run for president and abandon his conviction on the issue. I pray that President will appeal to his better angels and r
REAL COVID RELIEF
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-2-4

. Madam , in the midst of these hard times, we are especially grateful for the healthcare and frontline workers who have bravely answered the call. Thankfully, we see glimmers of hope with the discovery and distribution of multiple vaccines. prgtoken Yet, sadly, here in Congress, are using the pretense of COVID relief to ignore bipartisan consensus and push a $2 trillion liberal wish list of unrelated provisions. Let's not forget the most recent targeted COVID relief bill was signed into law only 1 month ago, and together with previously enacted stimulus laws, over $1 trillion remain unspent. prgtoken Back home in Michigan, Governor Whitmer continues to go it alone, imposing punitive and arbitrary restrictions that have harmed too many small businesses and hardworking families. prgtoken It is time to work together to end this pandemic and help our constituents get back on their feet. Let's get students back in the classroom, vaccines distributed, and workers back on the job.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-2-4

along with Senator Murkowski and Alaska Congressman Don Young, we rise to congratulate and pay special tribute to a great, hard-working, and inspiring Alaskan, the Honorable Bill Sheffield, former Governor of Alaska, upon the occasion of his receiving an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Alaska. On Sunday, December 13, 2020, the University of Alaska Anchorage awarded Governor Bill Sheffield this special degree at its fall commencement ceremonies. prgtoken Born in Spokane, WA, and raised in the Seattle area, Governor Sheffield served in the U.S. Air Force, worked as a sales and service rep for Sears Roebuck, and was transferred by Sears to Alaska in 1953. He went into the hospitality business, establishing the Anchorage Inn. Bill bought out his business partner, expanded his hotel holdings, and grew his hotel empire to 19 properties in Alaska and the Yukon. prgtoken He was elected the fifth Governor of our State in 1982. During his tenure, he oversaw massive infrastructure projects, including roads and water systems. He pushed through a bill that consolidated the State's four time zones into two and is responsible for creating Alaska Standard and Alaska Daylight Time. Governor Bill was instrumental in the purchase of the Alaska Railroad by the State from the Federal Government and commissioned the construction of Spring Creek Correctional Facility in Seward. His accomplishments are many and his love of Alaska and his kindness, warmth, and generosity to its people are widely known. prgtoken The Governor is 92 and going strong. Governor Sheffield's story in Alaska embodies what many of us love about our great State. It doesn't matter where you come from or your social status. In Alaska, if you have grit, tenacity, determination, and a servant's heart, nothing can hold you back. As the 117th Congress begins, we want to say Congratulations, Governor Sheffield, upon the occasion of your much- deserved honorary doctorate.
MORNING BUSINESS
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2021-2-4

we guarantee freedom of speech in America. Unlike other countries, we also guarantee freedom after speech. One form of freedom of speech is the right to peacefully protest. That doesn't mean that violence as a part of protest is or should be legal in our country. In fact, it is not. Without order, there can be no justice. prgtoken We have had, unfortunately, riots throughout this year. In fact, if you look at the numbers, we have had over 50 deaths in our country this year from riots, including here at our own Capitol, and this is the most expensive period of riots in our history. prgtoken My amendment would prohibit the SBA from providing assistance, such as the Paycheck Protection Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loans, 7(a) loans, and other small business assistance, to anyone who has been convicted during the past year of a felony or a misdemeanor during and in connection with a riot.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2021-2-4

despite President 's call for unity, with the stroke of a pen, he killed the Keystone XL Pipeline and the thousands of jobs that come with it. He eliminated tens of millions of dollars of tax revenues for communities in Montana for education, for law enforcement, for infrastructure, as well as across the West. Hard- working Americans across our country, dozens of families in Montana have already been given the pink slip. They were told to go home. Their paycheck is gone. This isn't because of a pandemic; this is because of President . prgtoken I hope all of my colleagues join me today for the good of American energy and our blue-collar workers, or they can stand with the job- killing Green New Deal agenda. The choice is clear. prgtoken .
MORNING BUSINESS
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-2-4

starting 7 days ago, if you arrived at the border of the United States with children, you were allowed to stay in the country on a notice to appear. prgtoken I have tremendous compassion for the extraordinary challenges and horrifying conditions in which people live in the Western Hemisphere and Central America and the like. There is nothing compassionate about this policy. What this is doing, what is happening right now--and I have seen it, and I have talked to people; you can talk to the government officials in these countries--is these evil traffickers who take money from these people, who push them through the jungles, who abuse them, who sometimes kill them and do horrifying things, are now out there marketing this. They are going around telling people throughout the Western Hemisphere: You can now get into the United States and come with children because, if you do, they are going to give you a little piece of paper, and they are going to let you go on a Greyhound bus anywhere you want in the country, and you never have to show up again. prgtoken This is going to create chaos on the border, and it is inhumane to lure people to this country with a policy that is encouraging these traffickers to go out and do this to them.