mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AMERICA
Aaron Bean (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-4-17

our Nation's higher education system is being purchased and manipulated by the Chinese Communist Party. You have heard from various Members giving you details of how it is done, but we need somebody who can give us the big picture. prgtoken We need somebody who can give us big ideas. We need somebody who can give us big solutions. There is only one guy that can do that, Mr. . prgtoken from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
Senator Feinstein (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-4-17

. Well, , we are now back in session after a busy 2-week recess where I know many of us were traveling in our States or parts of the world and attending to our duties here in the Senate in various capacities. But now we are back here in Washington, DC, and it appears to me that we have a whole lot we need to do before the Fourth of July recess. prgtoken But before we begin the day-to-day task of legislating, the majority leader, it is reported, is expected to ask for some personnel changes in the Senate. prgtoken Senator Feinstein, our colleague from California, has been out for a couple of months due to some health issues--not an uncommon occurrence here in the Senate, and I know the entire Senate joins me in wishing her a quick recovery and a speedy return here to the Senate. prgtoken But given the tight margins in this Chamber, her absence has created some complications for Senator Schumer within the Senate Judiciary Committee on which I serve. prgtoken Without her vote, our ic colleagues are simply unable to advance the most controversial and partisan judicial nominees whom the President has selected. prgtoken Given the lack of support, these partisan nominees simply cannot move to the Senate floor for a vote. To get around the issue, Senator Schumer has come up with a unique proposal. He wants to temporarily replace Senator Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken The idea is to remove her from the committee for an unspecified period of time, name a replacement, and then reinstate Senator Feinstein when she returns. This is, it turns out, unprecedented. Over the years, Senators from both sides, as I indicated a moment ago, have needed time away due to various health issues. Never, not once, have we allowed temporary substitutes on committees, and now is not the time to start. prgtoken s are not going to break this precedent in order to bail out Senator Schumer or the administration's most controversial nominees. Yesterday evening, the majority leader said he spoke with Senator Feinstein, and she hopes she will be back soon. We all hope that she comes back soon. prgtoken But it is another reason not to go along with Senator Schumer's ploy for temporary appointment of a member of the Judiciary Committee. Senator Feinstein has been a mainstay of this body for more than three decades, and I hope to see her back in these Halls soon. prgtoken But until then, President 's most controversial partisan judicial nominees will have to wait.
RECOGNIZING RED LODGE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHERRY WEAMER FOR HER DEDICATION TO THE RED LODGE COMMUNITY
Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr. (Republican, MT) \u2014 2023-4-17

in June 2022, massive floods washed over southern Montana, temporarily displacing thousands of residents in the town of Red Lodge and the surrounding community. The devastation was immense and left many families concerned about the future of their community. prgtoken But while natural disasters have ravaged Red Lodge and the wider Carbon County area, the people are infinitely stronger than the struggles they face. prgtoken On March 21, 2023, citizens of Red Lodge gathered for what was supposed to be a birthday celebration. Instead, attendees surprised Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sherry Weamer with a standing ovation and thanked her for leading the town's businesses during this challenging time. prgtoken Red Lodge lies at the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and the town's economy relies heavily on tourist traffic. The extensive flooding and subsequent closure of the park's entrance have left the economy reeling as business leaders struggle to secure new customers. But thanks to Sherry Weamer's dedicated leadership, the town has persevered. prgtoken Sherry led the Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce during one of the most difficult periods of the area's history. Her tireless work and unwavering dedication have helped rejuvenate the town's businesses and preserved its spirit. prgtoken Sherry stood firm through all these challenges and helped her neighbors find their footing. It's safe to say that nothing, not even a 500-year flood event, can stop Sherry Weamer. On behalf of all Montanans, I want to thank Sherry for her ceaseless work rebuilding the community, and it is my privilege to recognize her in the U.S. House of Representatives.
HONORING SELENA QUINTANILLA-PEREZ
Monica De La Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-4-17

it is a privilege to rise in the people's House to honor Selena Quintanilla-Perez, an icon and trailblazer from south Texas whose music has transcended borders, cultures, and generations. prgtoken Her unique blend of cumbia, Tejano, and pop has captivated audiences around the world and introduced my community's culture to millions of Americans over the last 30 years. prgtoken Selena's seamless mix of Spanish and English lyrics, combining Mexican folklore and R&B, perfectly captured the richness of a beautiful culture that is shared by millions of us who are both fully American and proud of our Mexican heritage. prgtoken Selena's music is essential to the soundtrack of our lives. That is why I am submitting, for nomination, her album, ``Amor Prohibido,'' to the Library of Congress for historical preservation in honor of her birthday, which was yesterday. prgtoken May Selena's legacy be forever engraved in our hearts and our Nation's history.
CHINESE INVOLVEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN AMERICA
Kevin Kiley (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-4-17

. Thank you very much to my colleague from Florida. I appreciate you identifying this very important issue, the attempt of the Chinese Communist Party to gain influence at American universities in very concerning ways because it so clearly highlights the mentality and strategy of the CCP, that they understand where the battle lines are being drawn in the 21st century. prgtoken The truly concerning thing is that increasingly, China is beating the United States at its own game, outpacing us and the rest of the world in key areas of technological advancements. prgtoken Through their actions, the CCP has shown an understanding that the 21st century will belong to the most innovative Nation, the one that is able to harness the whole power of new technologies. prgtoken China has known for decades that Nation was unquestionably the United States. But what we have seen over the last 2 decades is that China has dramatically ramped up its own investment in research and development, cutting into America's traditional dominance. prgtoken From 2000 to 2019, China's share of global R&D quadrupled to nearly a quarter, while our share slid from 37 percent to just 27 percent. prgtoken China has increased its R&D spending by nearly 16 times over the same period and plans to compound its R&D investments by an additional 7 percent annually. prgtoken By contrast, Federal R&D investment in the United States has never surpassed .8 percent of GDP over the last decade. prgtoken Of course, spending isn't the only metric that matters. The United States is also increasingly losing the talent battle, and the trend lines are getting worse. prgtoken China has consistently graduated more STEM Ph.D.s than the United States, and of course, many are getting educated right here in the United States. prgtoken Looking at the publication of peer-reviewed articles and journals, Chinese scholars surpassed the United States in the last decade. prgtoken In 2020, China published 38 percent more peer-reviewed articles than the United States and is on track to extend this gap even further over the next 5 years. prgtoken This all puts into perspective the pervasive attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to gain leverage over American universities. prgtoken Even though colleges and universities are required to report foreign gifts and contracts under section 117 of the Higher Education Act, over $6.5 billion in unreported Federal money received by colleges has already been uncovered. prgtoken The administration has done little to enforce this reporting requirement or open new investigations into how China is influencing our higher education system even though China wields the spending to co-opt innovative research. China has signaled that intellectual property is absolutely key to its long-term goals. prgtoken For years, the CCP sought to acquire IP through outright theft from U.S. companies or by gaining influence in our universities. prgtoken But what we also have
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY THOMAS FEARRINGTON
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-4-17

on behalf of all South Carolinians, I am grateful to wish World War II veteran, Mr. Thomas Fearrington, a Happy 100th Birthday. prgtoken Thomas Fearrington was born on April 18th, 1923, in Greenville, Mississippi. In 1940, Tom graduated from Valdese High School in North Carolina and enrolled in North Carolina State University's civilian military training program. In 1943, the program was cancelled, and Tom was sent to basic training at Camp Wheeler near Macon, Georgia and Camp Blanding in Starke, Florida. prgtoken In 1944, Tom was sent to Europe where he was assigned to the 101st Airborne, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, Second Battalion, Easy Company. He was a part of the first wave of gliders in Operation Market Garden. After landing in Son, Netherlands, Tom fought across Hell's Highway for seventy-five days until the battle ended and his unit was sent back to France. prgtoken After arriving in France, Tom's unit made their way to Bastogne, Belgium. The 327th Glider Infantry Regiment greatly defended the city during the Battle of Bulge from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. Tom served in Europe until the war ended and was awarded the Bronze Star for his great service to the United States. After the war, Tom completed his degree at N.C. State University and moved with his wife, Doris, to Columbia, South Carolina, where he still resides. prgtoken Today, I honor Mr. Thomas Fearrington for his service to the American people and wish him a Happy 100th Birthday and the best in his future endeavors.
COUNTERING UNTRUSTED TELECOMMUNICATIONS ABROAD ACT
Gregory W. Meeks (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-4-17

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of the Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act, and I thank Representative Susan Wild for her strong leadership on this very important piece of legislation. prgtoken Telecommunications security is a pillar of our national security. If an adversary can partially or fully shut down your mobile network, then they have tremendous leverage over your diplomatic, economic, and security matters. If an adversary can tap into your networks through back doors built into network equipment, then phone calls on national security matters can and will be surveilled. prgtoken Given these dangerous vulnerabilities, it is crucial that Congress and the executive branch fully understand the risks. prgtoken The Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act will require additional reporting and analysis on the safety of our communications in embassies around the globe where, by necessity, communications will often need to be routed through equipment produced by PRC companies like Huawei and ZTE. prgtoken The legislation also calls for reporting on the use of unsafe telecommunication equipment by countries with whom we have mutual security pacts. We need to be able to communicate securely with our allies and partners around the world. Crucially, the legislation also authorizes the State Department to engage in telecommunications security activities. prgtoken Notably, one section of the bill, unfortunately, was removed from the version of this legislation that passed the House overwhelmingly last Congress and that passed out of the Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this year. That section would require publicly traded telecommunications operators to disclose their use of unsafe PRC telecommunications equipment. prgtoken I know, and I believe, that this is important information for investors to know, given the sanctions and export controls currently imposed on these vendors. It is also crucial national security information. prgtoken Unfortunately, the Financial Services majority asked us to remove this section due to their disposition against explicit additional securities disclosure requirements. prgtoken While I accept their jurisdictional claim, the disclosure requirements in this legislation were modeled after a bill on Iran, and I believe they would provide important information for investors and bolster national security. Representative Wild is not pushing immediate, aggressive sanctions. The removed section represented a sensible, middle-ground approach. prgtoken Given the widespread bipartisan agreement on many issues pertaining to China, I look forward to working with all of my colleagues across the aisle on both committees to find a mutually agreeable solution to this issue. prgtoken Even with the financial disclosures removed, though, the Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act is important legislation that will
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-4-17

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.
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-4-17

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida and the gentleman from Illinois for leading this Special Order hour, which is a great responsibility given to them by the chairman of this body. prgtoken , I rise today to address the recent expulsion of two elected members of the Tennessee Legislature and the threat this action poses for American democracy. prgtoken On April 6, two Black elected officials, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, as we all know, were expelled from the Tennessee State Legislature. They were involved in peaceful protests to demand legislators pass stricter gun laws in the State. prgtoken Why they were engaged in that peaceful protest is because their colleagues had tried to silence them so many times during normal debate, in committee, and on the floor of the Tennessee Legislature that they finally had to take these actions in order to be heard. They were expelled because of that protest. prgtoken , I am proud of those young men. They stood up for what they felt was right, and they took their opportunity, as elected officials of that body, to be heard. If it took rebellion to be heard, a megaphone to be heard on the floor, then that is what they had to do. prgtoken I was honored to be part of something similar that the Congressional Black Caucus led on this floor not too many years ago. I see my colleague Joyce Beatty and my colleague Yvette Clarke here. They were both part of that rebellion. We sat down on the House floor, which is against the rules. prgtoken We sat down because of the same issue these young men spoke up for: gun violence. We were tired. John Lewis led us, as he had done so many times before, and we sat right down on that floor and held the House of Representatives for over 24 hours. prgtoken Our colleagues tried to come back and disrupt us and scare us, but we were unbowed. We continued to hold this floor until we had people understand that we were serious about this. prgtoken Our children are being killed all over this Nation, and the unfortunate thing that happens with so many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is that, until it happens in their community, until it happens to their friends, until it happens to their family, they don't want to talk about it. Let it happen in their community and to their friends and to their family, and then we have to do something. prgtoken It is just like the fentanyl problem, a major problem in this country now. prgtoken Urban communities screamed about the opioid issue for 20 years, and nobody did anything. Now that it is impacting their families, it is a major health issue. prgtoken We have to understand that all issues in this country should be looked at in that manner. These young men were brave and articulate. It made sense for them to protest the horrible and unnecessary gun violence that occurs every day in this country. prgtoken In March, a former student entered the Covenant School in Nashville and killed three students and th
TRIBUTE TO EVELYN ``MIMI'' WOODSON
Jon Ossoff (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-4-17

I rise today to commend Ms. Evelyn ``Mimi'' Woodson for her lifetime of public service on behalf of her beloved Latino community and her constituents in Columbus, GA. prgtoken A native of Puerto Rico, Councilor Woodson became the first Latina elected to office in Georgia and went on to serve on the Columbus Council for over 28 years. Councilor Woodson's public service career extends beyond her remarkable leadership on the Columbus City Council. For 15 years, she served our country honorably in the U.S. Army and was one of the last members of the Women's Army Corps. prgtoken The contributions of Georgia's Latino community have brought people across Georgia together to address some of the greatest challenges facing our State, and Councilor Woodson's career is a testament that positive change is possible if you believe in yourself and open doors of opportunity for others. prgtoken As Georgia's U.S. Senator, I recognize and commend Councilor Evelyn ``Mimi'' Woodson for her dedication to Georgia and the Columbus community.
Mitch McConnell and John Fetterman (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-4-17

first, let me begin by welcoming back our friend, Leader McConnell, to the Senate. It is great to have him back here in this Chamber. We are all happy to see he is recovering well. prgtoken I also want to welcome back our colleague from Pennsylvania and friend, Senator Fetterman. We are all glad he got the support he needed, and he is sending an important message to millions of Americans that asking for and getting help works.
Mitch McConnell and John Fetterman (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-4-17

I welcome back my self-described, hardheaded leader in the Senate. prgtoken It is good to see you, Mitch. I'm glad you are back. prgtoken I want to welcome Senator McConnell as well as Senator Fetterman, who will be here today as well. prgtoken I spoke to him by Zoom several weeks ago, and I was really heartened by his message. He had the courage to step up and ask for help when he faced depression, to seek professional and medical advice, and I could tell by his responses and the tone of his voice that that decision had already made a difference in his life for the better. prgtoken I told him at the time I was so happy to speak to him personally, that what he had done publicly to address the issue of his own personal depression and the overall issue of mental health would save lives across America. I believe people will be inspired to follow his example and seek help. prgtoken We are, fortunately, living in a time and an age and a generation where the attitude toward mental health is much different than it was many years ago. prgtoken There was a time when mental illness was considered not just an illness but a curse, and people didn't speak about it. I know I had similar examples in my own family of people who were just speaking in whispers about the issues that related to my relatives. prgtoken That is changing for the better. Our honesty and openness in dealing with mental health makes us a better nation, and people will have better lives as a result of it. prgtoken Senator Fetterman for stepping up and making the right decision in his life, and I am looking forward to his return.
RECOGNIZING PURPLE UP DAY AT BOURNE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-4-17

I rise today in recognition of Bourne Intermediate School as the students celebrate Purple Up Day on April 15th during the Month of the Military Child. prgtoken April was first named the Month of the Military Child in 1986 by former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger to recognize military children and the social and emotional challenges they face with frequent moves, starting at new schools, and having their parents deployed. Military families often move every 2 to 3 years, which can greatly impact children. prgtoken Combining the colors of all the service branches, Purple Up Day is the day during the month of April to wear purple and show support for the 1.6 million children with a parent serving in the military. This day allows us to celebrate and honor military children and the sacrifice they make for our country. With Joint Base Cape Cod located in the ninth district, many students in our community understand the challenges and sacrifices that come along with having a parent serve in the military. prgtoken , I am proud to honor military children at Bourne Intermediate School and across our country. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the resilience and strength that military children demonstrate each day as their parents serve our country.