mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Freedom of Speech (Executive Session)
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2024-3-21

I rise today to speak out about the absurd book bannings that are happening in schools across our country. I want to thank Senator Butler for inviting me to speak today about this issue. prgtoken You know, I was reflecting, as I was listening to Senator Butler speak in the beginning, about what reading meant to me when I was a young person and when I was first understanding what it felt like to be immersed in a book that I loved--that feeling of learning, of being able to imagine myself living different lives, being able to think about what different experiences would be like, and understanding that my life was not everybody's life, that there is such diversity of life in this world, and being exposed to that through reading was so exciting to me. prgtoken Also, as I was seeing how I was not like everybody else, I was also able to see myself in the people whom I read about--both my own struggles as well as triumphs in the stories that I read--and that is the gift of reading. So to think about the absurdity of trying to block that gift from people because of one's own views about what is OK and what is not OK is, I think, what is at issue here. prgtoken So I appreciate very much having the opportunity to read into the Record incredible authors whose works have been unfairly banned. prgtoken To my colleagues, I think it is interesting that, just last week, the American Library Association released new data documenting how prevalent this is. They are documenting book challenges that are happening throughout the United States, and they found a huge surge in these challenges--a 65-percent increase in challenges to books just in 2023. It is the highest level the ALA has ever recorded. prgtoken Among the books that were banned last year is a book called ``And Tango Makes Three.'' This is a book by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. It is a demonstration of the absurdity of banning books--this book in particular. It is based on the real story of two penguins in the Central Park Zoo who create a family and raise a chick together. Both of these penguins were male, and so a Florida school district banned the book because of their State's ``don't say gay'' law. Now I am going to read a bit of the text because I think it shows so much. Here we go. [C]hildren and their parents aren't the only families at the zoo. The animals make families of their own. There are red panda bear families, with mothers and fathers and furry red panda bear cubs. There are monkey dads and monkey moms raising noisy monkey babies. There are toad families, and toucan families, and cotton-top tamarin families too. And in the penguin house there are penguin families. Every year at the very same time, the girl penguins start noticing the boy penguins. And the boy penguins start noticing the girls. When the right girl and the right boy find each other, they become a couple.
WELCOMING THE GUEST CHAPLAIN
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-3-21

I also want to recognize the Reverend Adolphus C. Lacey for not only offering that beautiful prayer but for his extraordinary leadership and advocacy in Brooklyn, NY, and beyond. prgtoken He is the senior pastor at Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn. He is a pastor, theologian, and activist who has served as the spiritual adviser to the New York Justice League. He is also a member of the East Brooklyn Congregations in the National Action Network and also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. prgtoken He is an extraordinary public servant who has dedicated himself to lifting up other communities, to lifting up his community, to lifting up those who need a voice. And I am so grateful for his shining presence, for the light he is bringing to this community, as he brings to all of New York. prgtoken .
DENOUNCING THE HARMFUL, ANTI-AMERICAN ENERGY POLICIES OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2024-3-21

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken Madam , this resolution claims that the administration has hampered the domestic production of energy and made the United States more reliant on other countries for its energy needs. prgtoken This could not be further from the truth. I want to be crystal clear to get this into the record: Under the administration, the United States is producing more energy than it has at any other point in its history. prgtoken In fact, throughout the entirety of President 's term in office, the U.S. has produced more energy than it has consumed. He is the only President to have achieved that in my lifetime. prgtoken Last year, the United States added a record 33 gigawatts of solar capacity, fueled by the Inflation Reduction Act, which is lowering costs for Americans every day. We should be thanking President for unleashing American energy. prgtoken s can say whatever they want, but the facts don't lie. President 's energy policies are strengthening energy security and positioning us to compete globally all while reducing emissions. Please, I urge everyone to vote against the resolution. prgtoken Let me just say, this resolution is really flat out absurd in its attempt by extreme s to mislead the American public. prgtoken The data shows that we are producing more energy. It is not just oil and gas. It is solar, it is more wind turbines, and it is exporting more gas and liquid fuels than ever before. Meanwhile, the administration is making significant progress in its effort to drive down planet warming air pollution. prgtoken Last year, U.S. emissions fell, as I said, by 2 percent even as the economy roared and GDP grew by 2.34 percent. These numbers are a clear indication that we can achieve a safer climate while bolstering energy security and job growth at the same time. prgtoken In the face of this climate crisis, the U.S. must continue to be a global leader in the clean energy transition and help our communities prevent further extreme weather and other climate impacts. prgtoken What we are seeing before us today with this resolution is the s' polluters over people agenda. That is the reality. It is a policy that is outlined in this resolution that risks derailing the immense progress that President has made since taking office. prgtoken In conclusion, Madam , I can't emphasize enough that what we are seeing with this President and this administration is an effort to increase energy production across the board and at the same time become a global leader on addressing the climate crisis. prgtoken Let us continue with that. Let us build on that. Don't take us back. That is what this resolution would do. It would take us back. prgtoken Madam , I encourage everyone to vote against this resolution, and .
TRIBUTE TO COUNCILMAN W.B. WILSON
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2024-3-21

I rise today to pay tribute to a community leader and devoted public servant. W.B. Wilson--the ``Workhorse of Williamsburg County''--transitioned from this life on March 15, 2024. His rich sense of humor, wisdom, and optimistic spirit will be sorely missed. prgtoken Councilman Wilson dedicated his life to serving others. He was elected to the Williamsburg County Council in 1994 and immediately got to work improving the county's roads, many of them rural roads that had never been paved. prgtoken W.B.'s proudest achievement was improving access to clean water in the county. After his father died from kidney disease directly connected to unsafe drinking water, W.B. made it his mission to ensure others in his community did not suffer the same fate. As a result of various USDA grants and loans he helped secure, Williamsburg County now has abundant access to clean drinking water. It was through his efforts to improve the essential infrastructure of Williamsburg County and his various other talents that W.B. earned his reputation as a natural leader. prgtoken In addition to his work on the Williamsburg County Council, W.B. was actively involved in the South Carolina Association of Counties, the Williamsburg County Billing Committee, the Community Emergency Response Team, the Hemingway High School band and athletic booster club, and many other organizations. He also served on the boards of various community organizations and volunteered as a firefighter. prgtoken Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Verlena Dicker Wilson, daughter, P. Jeanette Simon, son, Andre Wilson, brother, Samuel C. Wilson and sisters, Fannie Smith and Valtricia Cunningham. prgtoken , I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating the remarkable life of Councilman Wilson. Over the course of W.B.'s long career of service, there wasn't a person in Williamsburg whose life he didn't touch. His decades of work improving the lives of the people of Williamsburg will resonate for years to come.
Tribute to Dr. Joseph Suina (Executive Session)
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2024-3-21

I rise today to recognize Dr. Joseph Suina for his service to our Nation. prgtoken Dr. Suina is a former Cochiti Pueblo Governor, a University of New Mexico professor emeritus, and a Vietnam and Marine Corps veteran. Recognition of Dr. Suina's service is long overdue. prgtoken But before I speak about his military service, I want to take a moment to recognize what Dr. Suina's decades of leadership have meant for Cochiti Pueblo and for New Mexico as a whole. prgtoken Over the course of his life, Dr. Suina has served as a Governor for his Pueblo and a Tribal council member. He also served as the president and CEO of the Cochiti Community Development Corporation and as the chair of the Cochiti Language Revival Committee. prgtoken But before all of that, Dr. Suina grew up in Cochiti Pueblo, within the adobe walls of his grandmother's home. He has recounted the nights she would sing to him in their native language and tell him stories of her childhood, well before electricity and cars had made their way to the Pueblo. prgtoken As a young boy, he was shunned by his teachers for speaking his native language at school and experienced the stark contrast between the teachings of his grandmother and those of his nonnative teachers. prgtoken Through it all, Dr. Suina found strength in his culture, later leading him to become a champion for keeping indigenous language and culture at the center of Native American education policy. prgtoken Dr. Suina worked for decades as a professor in the University of New Mexico's College of Education, and he directed the Institute for American Indian Education, serving Tribes across the Southwest. His scholarship focused on how maintaining connection to tradition, culture, and language improves educational outcomes for Native students. prgtoken He also developed new methods for assessing student learning and training programs for educators who teach Native students. And over the years, Dr. Suina has mentored countless teachers whose work continues to make a difference for New Mexico's children and children throughout the entire Southwest. prgtoken You can see the results of his work in so many communities, but especially in his home community of Cochiti Pueblo and at the Keres Children's Learning Center. The center is an indigenous language revitalization school that has become one of the very best early childhood and primary education centers in the entire country. It prgtoken is a living testament to Dr. Suina's visionary leadership and education. prgtoken The legacy of Dr. Suina's life of service to Cochiti Pueblo, to New Mexico, and to our Nation will be felt for generations to come. prgtoken And, today, I would also like to recognize Dr. Suina's service to our Nation as a marine. prgtoken In the early 1960s, just 3 days out of high school, Dr. Suina enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He went on to serve two tours of duty in Vietnam, in 1964 and in 1966. He was wounded in his sec
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT A CARBON TAX WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-3-21

I rise to oppose this love letter to Big Oil. prgtoken The s' myopic focus on extreme policies has undermined our ability to enact broader tax reforms to support Americans. prgtoken Rather than pushing this propaganda against green energy and climate change, Congress should be focused on advancing tax policies that support children, families, workers, and businesses. prgtoken Above all, Congress should be focused on restoring the 2021 child tax credit that halved child poverty in 1 year. The progress we made in 2021 shows that we can slash child poverty when we have the political will to do so. prgtoken Congress should restore the 2021 child and dependent care tax credit that gave up to $8,000 to working parents for childcare costs for two or more children, which was much better than the current maximum of 2,100. prgtoken Congress should restore the 2021 earned income tax credit that helped foster and homeless youth, as well as single workers from being taxed into poverty. prgtoken Congress should remove income as a barrier to adoption, restore the above-the-line charitable deduction to help nonitemizers and support the amazing charities that support our communities, enact critical improvements to the low-income housing tax credit, and help cost- burdened renters by implementing a refundable renter's tax credit. prgtoken Workers, families, and businesses need our help. Today's resolution represents hollow extremist talking points and lacks the political will to cut child poverty in half. Every day we delay action, poverty poisons the futures of millions of children.
Public Defender Funding (Executive Session)
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2024-3-21

our judicial system is vital, and every player has an important role--from the judge to the prosecutor, to the public defender, to the bailiffs, to the jurors. Cuts to our Federal public defender program have caused real difficulties in meeting the constitutional obligation of the role that public defenders play in our justice system. prgtoken Every day, across the country, public defenders work to ensure that the Constitution is applied fairly and evenly to all, regardless of whether you are the richest or the poorest person in the courtroom. By doing so, public defenders safeguard our democratic values, providing a necessary check and balance in our judicial system. prgtoken As the Senate's only former public defender, this is very personal to me, but it really is vital to all of us. I spent some of my first years after law school serving as a public defender in White River Junction, VT, and I saw firsthand how many people who find themselves in our criminal justice system are struggling with substance abuse or misuse, mental health challenges, and oftentimes both. And I saw how absolutely important it is that every person who comes into the courtroom gets as good a lawyer as those who walk in with a high-priced attorney. prgtoken The principles that public defenders represent are vital to what we believe in our Constitution: fidelity to due process and fidelity to equal treatment under the law. Those have been engrained in our country since its founding. prgtoken , as I think you well know, John Adams--hardly a supporter of England--chose to represent British troops after the Boston Massacre. Why? Because he believed in the right to counsel, and he believed in the presumption of innocence, and that they were indispensable to our democracy. He had so much confidence in acting on those principles that it showed the confidence he had in the future of our country. prgtoken Public defenders are the direct descendants of those founding principles that underpin the rule of law so vital to our well-being. prgtoken As the Supreme Court recognized in 1938, when it required appointed counsel for Federal defendants, access to a competent lawyer is an ``essential barrier against the arbitrary or unjust depravation of human rights.'' That led the Court to realize, 25 years later, in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright, that the right to counsel is one of the fundamental rights for all of us who live in the United States. The Court's words then are as true today as they were before: The right of one charged with crime to counsel may not be deemed fundamental and essential to fair trials in some countries, but it is in ours. prgtoken That is a confident country. It can live with the rule of law, and the rule of law requires representation. We will provide it, and we will make ourselves stronger for it. prgtoken For months, I have been talking to many of my colleagues, highlighting t
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT A CARBON TAX WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY
Linda T. Sánchez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-3-21

today, I stand in strong opposition to this foolish and useless resolution while my colleagues rush to support Big Oil instead of America's seniors, children, and workers. prgtoken It is not rocket science. We all know that carbon-intensive industries harm our planet. It is also clear from air and water pollution, to floods, to wildfires that lower income communities face the greatest risks tied to climate change. prgtoken Families of color often have access to the fewest resources to prepare for or recover from extreme weather events and other environmental emergencies. So much for looking out for the costs of the little people. prgtoken As a mom and as a legislator, I will never stop fighting to help ensure that our Nation's children inherit a greener and healthier world. prgtoken My colleagues want to choke this planet in carbon dioxide. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to join me in voting against this GOP effort to prop up oil and gas companies who, by the way, make record profits year after year while American families continue to struggle.
HONORING DEBRA BOOTH AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Darren Soto (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2024-3-21

Debra Booth was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to Central Florida at age two. She began her career at AT&T, where she became involved with the Communications Workers of America union and quickly rose through the ranks to vice president of AT&T. Debra became involved with the Central Florida AFL-CIO, which represents labor unions in five counties with over 140,000 workers. The goals were to bring economic and social justice to the workers and community, resulting in a better quality of life for all. prgtoken She ascended to the Office of President of the Central Florida AFL- CIO and became the first woman to hold that position, which she held for 12 years. Her main responsibility was to serve the unions and coordinate all the political activities for the Central Florida area. This allowed her to interact with elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels while working on legislation such as a living wage ordinance, anti-discrimination policies, immigration, affordable housing, and local hire policies with Orlando venues. prgtoken Debra was then hired by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for a special organizing project to increase market share. The program was so successful in Florida that it now operates in almost every state. prgtoken In 2009, she was appointed district director for Florida's Eighth Congressional District, representing Central Florida. In 2011, she opened a political consulting firm representing mostly elected officials in Central Florida. She assisted presidential campaigns with advance work and worked on numerous federal, state, and local campaigns resulting in Orange County becoming a ic county with a ic majority of elected officials. prgtoken In 2017, she was appointed to serve as chief legislative aide to Senator Victor Torres and currently holds this position. Debra has served on numerous boards, including Harbor House Center for Domestic Violence and the executive committee for the Heart of Florida United Way.
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 3237 (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-3-21

reserving the right to object, let me say at the outset that Senator Tillis, though we may disagree on this particular issue, is a respected colleague, a friend, and a member of the committee which I chair. I value him on the committee. I thank him for his friendship. Though we may disagree today, I hope we find room to agree tomorrow. prgtoken , this bipartisan bill, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, was signed into law in August of 2022, almost 2 years ago. It was part of what was known as the PACT Act. This was an important bill to provide a day in court, finally, for U.S. marines and others who were poisoned by contaminated water in Camp Lejeune, NC. prgtoken For over three decades, from 1953 to 1987, marines, their families, and others working and living in Camp Lejeune were exposed to a toxic mix of industrial solvents and other chemicals in their drinking water. As a result, as many as 1 million people are at an increased risk of cancer, Parkinson's, and other debilitating diseases. prgtoken Had these individuals suffered the same harm in another place, they would have been able to go to court and seek compensation for their injuries, but unfortunately hurdles in the law locked servicemembers and their families out of the judicial system. For decades, they suffered without any ability to have their day in court, despite their injuries. prgtoken That changed with the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, which was led by Senator Tillis--and I thank him for that--as well as Senator Blumenthal, Senator Burr, and Senator Peters. It finally allowed marines the opportunity, after literally decades of waiting, to seek justice by filing a lawsuit in Federal court if an administrative claims process did not reach a satisfactory resolution. prgtoken Now, there have been some problems with the implementation of this bill. I will be the first to admit that. We need to work--and I am happy to work with Senator Tillis--on a bipartisan basis to address these problems just as we did with the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. prgtoken The bill was proposed by the Senators from North Carolina. The one he proposes aims to help veterans, but unfortunately it has several serious shortcomings. First, it would require attorneys to provide Camp Lejeune victims a written acknowledgement that they are required to sign. This acknowledgement would state that the victim--plaintiff-- understands that they may seek guidance free of charge from veterans service organizations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, their congressional representatives, and the Department of the Navy. prgtoken But this acknowledgement won't be accurate in all the cases. For example, not all the Camp Lejeune claimants are veterans. Many are civilians who worked at the camp. For these individuals, it is inaccurate to say, as this bill does, that they get free guidance from veterans service organizations or the Veterans' Administration. prgtoken Second, the bil