mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Erin Houchin (Republican, IN) \u2014 2024-5-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to touch on the Equal Representation Act. This bill would restore the one-person, one-vote principle in apportionment. Only citizens are eligible to vote for candidates for Federal offices, including Members of Congress and electors for President of the United States. prgtoken However, under the current practice, noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, nonimmigrants, and even illegal aliens are wrongly included in a State's population for purposes of the apportionment calculation. Thus, States with higher proportions of noncitizens residing in that State are advantaged over States with a lower concentration of noncitizens. prgtoken In the case of illegal aliens, the status quo is particularly concerning as some States or major metropolitan areas within those States have declared themselves sanctuary jurisdictions, shielding illegal aliens from Federal immigration law enforcement, with some even providing special services to the illegal alien population residing in those jurisdictions. prgtoken Illegal aliens incentivized to move to those jurisdictions, who reside in that State on Census day, and who are enumerated in the Census, would add to the State's population for the purposes of apportionment. prgtoken It is appropriate for Congress to direct the Census Bureau to collect one of the most fundamental data points regarding individuals residing in the United States: Whether or not they are a citizen. prgtoken Article I of the Constitution requires the Census of the population to be taken every 10 years. This is directed by law. The Supreme Court has explained that Congress is permitted by the Constitution to inquire about citizenship on this questionnaire, on the Census. Adding a citizenship question to the decennial Census is an appropriate exercise of Article I authority over the Census and is the responsibility of Congress prgtoken , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2024-5-7

. I would like to thank the esteemed Senator from Iowa, and also I am very proud to rise this evening to join with my esteemed Senate colleague, Senator Scott of South Carolina. I want to thank him for his very, very strong leadership on this important issue and for condemning the rising tide of anti-Semitism we are seeing around the country. prgtoken As you know, less than a year ago, on October 7, Israel was victim to a horrific--a horrific--attack by Hamas. Since then, the United States has stood firm with our strong ally as Israel asserts its right to defend itself and hold Hamas accountable for its heinous actions. prgtoken In November, I traveled with a bipartisan group of Senators and Congressmen to Tel Aviv and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu, where I reiterated America's absolute commitment to Israel. Since then, we passed the national security supplemental funding legislation with broad bipartisan support--broad bipartisan support--to provide aid to our close ally Israel. prgtoken What is new, however, and is deeply troubling is the rise of anti- Semitism in our society and particularly what we are seeing on our college campuses. I have to say I never thought that we would see this in my lifetime in our country. I just can't believe that we are seeing anti-Semitism like this in America, and it is absolutely unacceptable-- absolutely unacceptable. prgtoken To be clear, colleges and universities ought to be spaces that encourage free thinking and free speech, where students can learn about the world and their place in it. There can be no space, however, for anti-Semitism on our college campuses or anywhere else in our country. The examples we are seeing at universities of anti-Zionist encampments, individuals prohibiting Jewish students from entering the university buildings, and other anti-Semitic acts must be met with a speedy and strong response and not only from the universities but from our Department of Education as well. prgtoken As we recognized Holocaust Remembrance Day earlier this week, I am reminded of remarks given by late Supreme Court Justice Scalia to mark the occasion over 20 years ago, when he said that the most frightening aspect of the Holocaust was that it happened in one of the most educated, most progressive, and most cultured countries in the world. prgtoken For these reasons and many more, I am proud to join Senator Scott from South Carolina in supporting this resolution and our other colleagues as well. The resolution condemns anti-Semitism and resolves that the administrators of colleges, as well as the Department of Education, must take the necessary actions to ensure compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and defend Jewish and Israeli students against discrimination.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2024-5-7

. I would like to thank my colleagues for joining me here on the floor again this evening--the Senator from South Carolina and the Senator from North Dakota. Thank you for raising this issue and showing leadership for our friends across the Nation. prgtoken , I rise in support of this resolution and to condemn the rise of anti-Semitic hate speech and violence we are seeing at colleges and universities throughout our country. prgtoken Like so many parents and grandparents, I want our children to be allowed to freely express their thoughts and their views, but what we are seeing right now goes way beyond that. This is not free speech; it is violent, abusive discrimination, and it has to stop. prgtoken Six months ago, I sent a letter, alongside my colleague and ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senator Cassidy, urging the administration to protect college students from targeted attacks on campuses. I spoke to anti-Semitic incidents, including vandalism of fraternity homes and club meeting spaces, dorm room doors being set on fire, professors making examples of Jewish students by placing them in a corner of their classroom to emulate the Palestinian experience. prgtoken Today, exactly 214 days since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel, the administration has finally released guidance clarifying that fostering a hostile environment on campus is, in fact, a violation of the Civil Rights Act--something I have been saying all along. prgtoken In the past month alone, we have seen Jewish students physically blocked from entering their academic buildings, with protesters surrounding them chanting ``death to America.'' We have seen protesters holding the Nazi salute as Jewish students walk through campus. We watched protesters take hammers to the windows of academic buildings, all the while claiming to be ``peaceful.'' To date, we have seen 80 different schools play host to these protests, and more than 50 of those schools have required law enforcement presence, resulting in arrests. prgtoken Folks, the fact that we needed 20 pages of examples, modeled on students' real experiences, to tell us that these actions are unacceptable is absolutely ridiculous. prgtoken Secretary Cardona needs to take a hard look at the number of title VI complaints his team has received in the past 6 months. He claims schools are ``mitigating'' the violence and discrimination, but I have yet to see real solutions for the students, too scared to even walk across the quad to the cafeteria. prgtoken This anti-Semitism is un-American, wholly unacceptable, and we should be unified in our intolerance to it. I call on President and Secretary Cardona to remove Federal funding from these schools that are allowing Jewish hate on their campuses, and I call on the Senate to stand united in the face of this abhorrent behavior and to say with one voice, wholeheartedly: We condemn anti-Sem
CELEBRATING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2024-5-7

I rise today to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. This week honors America's hardworking, dedicated, and passionate teachers. prgtoken The National Education Association and the National PTA team up each year to recognize the contributions our teachers make every day to shape the minds of their students. Our teachers push students to achieve their best. They nurture and motivate them and show students how to realize their full potential. prgtoken Teachers are some of the most powerful professionals in the entire world. They lend a caring hand and extend a loving heart. They make differences in the lives of our students academically, emotionally, and physically. prgtoken I thank every teacher in America for the job they do, the hours they work, the patience they show, and for the impact they have on so many lives. A special thank you and congratulations to my sister, Sherri, who will be retiring in just a few weeks after 30 years of service as a teacher.
Protests (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-5-7

yesterday, the world marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, an annual reminder of mankind's horrific capacity for evil and our obligation to combat hatred toward Jews wherever it emerges. prgtoken Today, of course, anti-Semitic hate is welling up amid the lawless radicalism across our own country--in the physical blockades barring Jewish students from getting to class; in the ransacking and occupation of campus buildings; and, of course, in the torrents of noxious slurs against the Jewish people and the Jewish State. prgtoken Just last week, President finally weighed in with a belated banality: ``order must prevail.'' Unfortunately--and unsurprisingly-- this glancing finger wag hasn't exactly quelled the campus chaos or steeled the spines of college administrators. The President's words haven't yet prompted local leaders in Washington to send the Metropolitan Police Department to clear out the anti-Semitic vandalism convention that continues to unfold half a mile from the White House on the campus of George Washington University. prgtoken In the absence of firm, responsible campus leadership, radicals at UCLA have once again managed to bring collective punishment on their fellow students with the cancellation of in-person classes. Harvard and MIT are still struggling to muster the resolve to clear out and punish the squatters on their campuses. And at the epicenter of the chaos, Columbia has canceled its main graduation ceremony. prgtoken So there is only one way to interpret this outcome. It is an undeserved victory for the unhinged radicals who have been disrupting campus life and forcing Jewish students to steer clear for weeks. prgtoken University administrators caving to the mob only validates the performative tactics of wannabe revolutionaries--like the scofflaws whose first order of business upon breaking into a campus building last week was to post Maoist revolutionary slogans and make a list of their comrades with vegan dietary restrictions and the doctoral student specializing in ``theories of the imagination and poetry as interpreted through a Marxian lens'' who became their spokesperson and demanded that Columbia administrators provide violent trespassers with food prgtoken and water so they could persist in lawlessness. prgtoken What deluded nonsense. It is important to acknowledge that Columbia isn't even the only hotbed of retrograde 20th century communism on the island of Manhattan. While the meatless Marxists take over Morningside Heights, a brand of Juche jihadism has emerged further downtown at NYU. prgtoken You heard that right. A teach-in quite literally praised North Korea's solidarity with the Palestinian people, specifically enumerating the ways the Kim regime has helped train and equip Palestinian terrorist groups who wage war on Israel. Take heart, comrades. Brutal totalitarians and savage terrorists have actually got and found a common cause. prgtoken The glorification of
HONORING CASE GIBSON
Keith Self (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-5-7

I rise today to honor Case Gibson from Lone Oak Middle School in Hunt County, Texas. It is with great honor and admiration that I recognize his remarkable bravery and selflessness. prgtoken During a medical emergency in September of 2023, Case Gibson demonstrated extraordinary courage and quick thinking, ultimately saving the life of a fellow student. Despite the intense and urgent situation, he fearlessly jumped into action, displaying a level of empathy, bravery, and maturity far beyond his years. prgtoken The heroic actions of Case Gibson on this day serve as a shining example of the exceptional character and leadership qualities he embodies, both within Lone Oak Middle School and the community. prgtoken In addition to his heroic deed, he is recognized for his outstanding academic achievements, his leadership skills, and his humble, respectful, and thoughtful demeanor. prgtoken Case Gibson is hereby honored and celebrated for his exceptional bravery, selflessness, and heroism in saving the life of his fellow student during a medical emergency in September of 2023, and for that I extend my gratitude. Honoring Staff Sergeant J.B. McNatt
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2024-5-7

due to illness, I was unable to vote during the first vote series. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted: prgtoken YEA on roll call No. 179, H.R. 3354, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 220 North Hatcher Avenue in Purcellville, Virginia, as the ``Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Post Office Building;'' prgtoken NO on roll call No. 180, the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 1194; and prgtoken NO on roll call No. 1861, H. Res. 1194, the Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 6192, H.J. Res. 109, H.R. 2925, and H.R. 7109.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-5-7

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 211, H.R. 3935; further, that the Senate recess from 1 p.m. until 2:15 to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
CONGRATULATING FULLERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT ON TURNIP THE BEET AWARD
J. Luis Correa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-5-7

today, I rise to honor Fullerton School District for receiving the USDA's Turnip the Beet award. prgtoken The Turnip the Beet award recognizes schools that go above and beyond to provide high-quality meals for children during the summer. Without initiatives like this, many students would not have access to nutritional meals through the day during the summer. prgtoken Not only did Fullerton School District win the Turnip the Beet award in 2023, but they also are one of seven California school districts to win the gold. prgtoken I congratulate the Fullerton School District for their commitment to our youth and their health and for receiving, of course, this well- earned recognition. Advancing Research on Breakthrough Therapies
MORNING BUSINESS
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-5-7

the Senate has begun a crucial task: consideration of a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA's authorization expired on September 30, and Congress has since passed three short-term extensions--the latest of which will expire on May 10. prgtoken For weeks, the House and Senate have been engaged in negotiations to work through differences in the long-term extension bill. Last week, negotiators released a compromise bill. Here in the Senate, my colleague Senator Duckworth had an important role in authoring the bill. She is a former Blackhawk helicopter pilot and an Iraq War veteran. I can think of no better person to lead this effort than her. prgtoken The compromise bill addresses several pressing issues for our national aviation system. prgtoken One priority I advocated for, which was included, is increased funding for the Airport Improvement Program. This program provides grants to airports for planning and development projects, through both entitlement and competitive awards. prgtoken More than 80 airports in Illinois receive funding through this program, and the awards have had a significant effect on enhancing the safety and efficiency of our State's airports. Just last spring, Quincy Regional Airport was awarded a $14 million competitive AIP grant for its runway reconstruction project. I was pleased to see that the bill will increase annual AIP funding from $3.3 billion to $4 billion. prgtoken I also supported the inclusion of a new grant program to help airports dispose of and replace a type of harmful ``forever chemicals,'' called PFAS, found in firefighting foam. Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer and other serious health effects--and now, efforts to combat exposure at airports thankfully will have a dedicated funding stream. prgtoken Another crucial issue the bill addresses is the air traffic controller shortage. My office has heard from air traffic controllers in Illinois whose towers have long been understaffed. Air traffic controllers work 10-hour days up to 6 days per week, in one of the most stressful and exhausting jobs in America. Their work is critical to the safety of our national aviation system--and we owe it to them to provide relief and better working conditions. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am glad our fiscal year 2024 transportation appropriations bill increased FAA funding to hire 1,800 new controllers and improve training facilities. prgtoken This FAA reauthorization bill builds upon this by requiring the FAA to improve staffing standards and set maximum hiring targets. I advocated for a provision in the Senate FAA bill that would have established another FAA training academy. Unfortunately, this was not included. But the bill directs the FAA to develop a plan to expand its training capacity and submit it to the Commerce Committee. I hope we continue this discussion. prgtoken As commercial travel has
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2024-5-7

not to belabor the point, but when the gentlewoman from Indiana uses the phrase ``current practice,'' what she is referring to is the entirety of American history. prgtoken Let me repeat that, . For hundreds of years, this is the way population counts have been done. That is why the current practice is consistent with the plain reading of the 14th Amendment, a plain reading of the Constitution, and hundreds of years of precedent. What House s are proposing is a radical departure from it. prgtoken , I am prepared to close, and .
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD RELATING TO "STANDARD FOR DETERMINING JOINT EMPLOYER STATUS"--VETO MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT...
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-5-7

I just want to reiterate that the credit rating that was threatened was the result of the s threatening a default on our debt. That wasn't anything the had done. prgtoken Again, I just reiterate that under over 15 million jobs were created. Under over 6 million were lost. We have had the longest period of time of unemployment, under 4 percent, since the 1960s. I think that is a fairly easy record to defend. prgtoken , in closing, there is no reason to override the President's veto, and the votes aren't going to be there. Unfortunately, this is how the s have operated during the 118th Congress. This is going to be the least-productive Congress in history. prgtoken In contrast, under ic leadership, last Congress, we delivered on significant results. We created millions of jobs, reduced unemployment to record lows, and, under this administration, kept it under record lows. We have saved more than a million people's pensions under the multi-employer pension fund, and we helped tens of thousands of businesses because they were legally obligated to pay into those failing funds until the businesses went broke. prgtoken We delivered historic funding for education. We improved child nutrition. We brought the number of uninsured Americans down to the lowest level ever. I think we can take credit for all of that. prgtoken By prioritizing and wasting time on efforts like this, the majority is failing to live up to the same standard that have lived up to. prgtoken , I commend the President for vetoing H.J. Res. 98 and protecting American workers. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this override effort and yield back the balance of my time.
Francis Scott Key Bridge (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-5-7

I also come to the floor today to talk about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. And thanks to modern technology, as I was driving in, I got to listen to the remarks of my friend and colleague, the senior Senator from Maryland Ben Cardin. prgtoken I want to start by thanking him for his leadership in the Federal delegation. And I am going to cover some of the same points he made in his remarks, and I think it bears repeating, both because of the magnitude of this crisis, the national scale of this crisis, but also because it showed Baltimore and Maryland and America at its best in coming together in the aftermath of a tragedy to help those we lost and to begin the rebuilding process. prgtoken For 47 years, the Francis Scott Key Bridge has been the backdrop of millions of Marylanders' lives. They get up in the morning. They go to work. It is an indelible part of the Baltimore City skyline, and it is part of the daily commute for over 34,000 people. prgtoken Six weeks ago, when the Key Bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of March 26, everyone immediately recognized the magnitude of this disaster. In Baltimore, in Maryland, across the country, across the world, people witnessed those images of the ship hitting one of the piers on the bridge and the bridge coming down. prgtoken Six hard-working Marylanders lost their lives in that bridge collapse. There were eight of them on the bridge at the time, construction workers working late hours--hard jobs. We have been able to find six of those whom we lost. We are still looking for the bodies of one--excuse me. Eight people were on the bridge. Fortunately, two survived. We lost six, and we are still looking for one. prgtoken Our priority from the very beginning has been, first of all, to find all the victims and to comfort their families. Right after the bridge came down, Coast Guard divers were out in the water every day, and they remain there now until we find the last of those we lost. We are incredibly grateful for the first responders who immediately jumped into action, including a Maryland Transportation Authority officer on site who worked to quickly stop the traffic from going onto the bridge, further preventing further tragedy loss of life. In fact, there have been interviews conducted of the last person across the bridge, and we are grateful that he was able to escape and that no others lost their lives that day. That was because of the heads-up efforts of a Maryland Transportation Authority officer. prgtoken So to the MTA officers and to all the other first responders on the scene this morning, we express our gratitude for preventing more loss of life and for helping rescue the two individuals who survived the crash and all the other work they did that day and since. prgtoken While first responders and salvage workers press ahead with recovery efforts, the impact of the bridge collapse continues to reverberate across Baltimore,