mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING THE 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE AUGUST 4, 2020 BEIRUT PORT EXPLOSION
Darin LaHood (Republican, IL) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , on August 4, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing more than 220 deaths, 7,000 injuries, at least $15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Two years have passed and yet there is no closure for the families of the victims, and many are left behind to bear the burden of rebuilding their lives and their communities. prgtoken The United States Congress, the Administration, the Lebanese-American community, and many others worldwide responded with significant food, and humanitarian assistance, medical equipment, and reconstruction supplies. Today the need has only magnified given the continued obstruction by corruption and political instability--preventing an open judicial investigation. prgtoken The Lebanese diaspora community, the families of the victims, and the international donors urge the Lebanese government to enforce the calls from the United Nations, the International Support Group, and the American government, to move swiftly and effectively to complete the investigation and bring those guilty to justice. Lebanon needs a free, independent, and legitimate judicial system and government. Committing to conclude the investigation will serve as a major step in freeing the courts from the political entanglements and pressures that have for too long impeded justice and fairness in Lebanese society. prgtoken As the co-chair of the U.S.-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, which allows members of Congress to learn and engage on important issues related to the U.S.-Lebanon relationship, I ask all Members to join me in remembering those who died in the tragic blast as well as those survivors who depend on the comfort and support of others to maintain hope for the future of Lebanon. We urge the caretaker Lebanese government to remove the political impediments brought by others so that a complete and thorough investigation can be concluded, and that justice will prevail.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I appreciate Mr. Neguse working on this legislation here, but to have this all in a catchall bill--in my home State of California, the two biggest things going on are wildfire and drought, other than politics. So, to have so little time to put this together, I wish we had more time to work on this. prgtoken I appreciate that he included a small piece on biochar that I was working on, but the big picture here is the drought is affecting so much of my State. These crops listed here, many of them 100 percent of what is used in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of acres are being left out. prgtoken The people in this country will not see these crops come from California or the U.S. They will come from other countries if we get them at all. prgtoken On the forestry side, I had the Dixie fire last year. That was a million acres. Yet, we are going to take the power away from the Forest Service, which already moves at a glacial pace of 1 percent per year under their 10-year plan of treating forests lands--take away 600 of their staff and basically just make it that much slower for the Forest Service to respond. prgtoken Between the drought and the weaponizing, possibly, of monitoring against farmers the water supply, we are going backward on this. So, I am disappointed.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1808, ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , title 42 is a critical tool to manage the crisis at the southern border. It is hard to believe that the administration claims that the termination of title 42 would actually decrease the number of encounters at the border. This is not only grotesquely disingenuous; it is actually laughable. prgtoken Does the administration not remember the caravans headed to the southern border when the administration just announced the end of title 42? prgtoken Do you know the cartels actually used the end of title 42 to promote, to advertise, their human smuggling business? prgtoken Has the administration even spoken to our brave heroes, the Border Patrol agents, who consistently say that without title 42 authority, they would lose any semblance of operational control on the border? prgtoken Let's be clear. The expected influx of border crossings if title 42 ended is not just a humanitarian crisis, which it is. It is a national security crisis, as well. The cartels will once again use the increased flow as a distraction to continue to bring in record amounts of narcotics such as fentanyl. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question so that we can bring up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to help give our border agents the tools that they need in order to achieve operational control of the border.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, I thank my friend from Arkansas for allowing me to speak on this important issue. prgtoken Madam Chair, rural communities across the country are plagued by persistent drought and catastrophic wildfires, especially communities in the Western United States. As the Representative for Washington's Fourth Congressional District and as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I have been consistently calling for these issues to be taken up in committees and here on the House floor. prgtoken In one sense, I am very glad that our colleagues from across the aisle are finally realizing just how crucial these issues are, but I am disappointed by the fact that today's rushed package of provisions fails to address the root challenges that we face in the West and ignores a myriad of solutions that were offered by my colleagues. prgtoken Rather than fixing our broken, duplicative requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, this package adds more regulation and bureaucratic red tape. Rather than enhancing opportunities for long-term water storage infrastructure and offering any type of lasting solutions for forests and species management, it focuses on adding environmental studies and prioritizing environmental justice. prgtoken Madam Chair, my colleagues and I submitted numerous amendments that would actually solve these problems--to encourage additional water storage, active land forest management, commonsense reforms to the Endangered Species Act, and critically needed domestic energy and timber development. Unfortunately, Madam Chair, refused to even let these amendments be considered for debate. prgtoken This bill fails to address the actual problems facing rural communities and prgtoken will likely exacerbate the very issues claim the bill addresses. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Jay Obernolte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, last year, my home State of California experienced the worst year for wildfires in the entire history of the State. prgtoken As of this morning, the Oak Fire is burning just outside my district. It has consumed over 100 homes and displaced tens of thousands of people. prgtoken Science tells us that the only way to reduce the intensity of these wildfires is to reduce the density of the fuels through either mechanical thinning or prescribed burns. But unfortunately, this bill makes the situation even worse by locking up over 58 million new acres of forest with a wilderness designation that would prevent the use of mechanical thinning or prescribed burns to reduce the density of the fuels. prgtoken This bill is called the Wildfire Response Act, but, Madam Chair, our response to wildfires cannot be to take actions that make future wildfires even more destructive. prgtoken I urge a ``no'' vote.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-7-29

I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022. prgtoken Here they go again. prgtoken Once again, my colleagues across the aisle have rushed to exploit your fear and the pain of victims to rush out a gun control measure that will do nothing to save lives or address the root causes of violence. prgtoken I say, ``exploit your fear,'' and I point to the of the House just stood in this well with a poster that had a toy gun on it and wants you to feel scared about that. Well, I have a 6-year-old son, and he has toy guns. He knows about muzzle discipline. He knows you don't put your finger on the trigger. He knows you don't point it at people. I am able to teach my son gun safety and make him safer. prgtoken You don't live through fear. This and other gun control measures like red flag laws, they make the other side feel better, but today's bill will do nothing but disarm law-abiding citizens. prgtoken Congress has tried this before. In 1994, a 10-year assault weapons ban was first enacted. This ban did not stop violent crime or prevent heart-wrenching tragedies like Columbine. Yes, Columbine happened while we had an assault weapons ban. prgtoken In fact, after the ban ended, the Department of Justice issued a report that concluded: ``Should it be renewed, the ban's effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement. Assault weapons were rarely used in gun crimes even before the ban.'' That is the Department of Justice. prgtoken The results are in, folks. A so-called assault weapons ban does not work. But what it does is it takes away your rights and it leaves you vulnerable. prgtoken The simple truth is criminals don't follow the law. Think about this: If prgtoken criminals followed the law, we wouldn't have any crime. But when you criminalize guns, only criminals are going to have guns. prgtoken So I urge you to vote ``no'' on this legislation. prgtoken , law-abiding Americans are sick and tired of these political games that exploit the pain of victims of shootings but do not work and seriously threaten your rights and your safety. prgtoken So today, I urge my colleagues to oppose this unconstitutional ban and ineffective gun control measure. prgtoken Instead, I ask you again to please work with me to actually address the root causes of violence. prgtoken We can pass bills like my STOP II, Secure Every School and Protect our Nation's Children Act today, which would protect schools, improve mental health, and save lives. prgtoken We have solutions that work . . . without taking away your rights. prgtoken So I urge my colleagues to vote no.
WAIVING A REQUIREMENT OF CLAUSE 6(a) OF RULE XIII WITH RESPECT TO CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS REPORTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON RULES
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , I appreciate the gentleman yielding time and his leadership on this. prgtoken Madam , every day capital markets are under attack here with this Securities and Exchange Commission. prgtoken The climate disclosure rule, which was released in March of this year totals over 500 pages--over 500 pages--and includes over 1,000 technical footnotes. And oh, by the way, the SEC initially gave everybody 30 days to comment on that--30 days. Now, you can't even get through the analysis of the original 500 pages much less the 1,000 technical footnotes on that within those 30 days. But in reality the SEC doesn't really know what this far-reaching rule will cost small, independent, and nonpublic businesses across our country. prgtoken In fact, very deep in the summary of the rule the SEC admits: In many cases, we are unable to reliably quantify the potential benefits and costs of the rule and, therefore, we encourage commenters to provide us with relevant data or empirical evidence that would allow us to do so. prgtoken Let that sink in: We have no idea what the impact is, so why don't you just give us some data to help us work through this? Now, I remind you, this is not a study, and this is not research. This is a finalized proposed rule that the SEC is trying to jam through in 30 days. prgtoken Oh, but they expanded that now, so thank you very much. Now, there are three basic rules on real estate. prgtoken What is the most important part about real estate? prgtoken Location, location, location. prgtoken Well, for the SEC it should be materiality, materiality, materiality. prgtoken How is this information material to a publicly traded company and to the investors who are investing and putting their hard-earned money into those companies. prgtoken So materiality, materiality, materiality should be the battle cry. But it is not with this SEC. prgtoken In fact, in recent months, the Commission has put forth a huge volume of additional proposals. At times it doesn't appear to be fully informed about the likely economic consequences of the proposed rules and that display significant misunderstandings of the activity the Commission seeks to regulate. So without proper economic analysis, mistakes and unintended consequences are going to be inevitable. prgtoken Madam , since late last year, the SEC has embarked on a remarkable rulemaking agenda. In the 14 months since he was sworn into office, Chair Gensler has charted a path for the SEC unlike it has seen in its 88-year history. To be charitable, he is pushing the envelope.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Andrew S. Clyde (Republican, GA) \u2014 2022-7-29

I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. prgtoken , I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1808, which is just the latest gun-grabbing bill are dangerously ramming through in their unconstitutional crusade to disarm America. prgtoken The ink is barely dry on the anti-gun bill from last month, and here they are pushing another anti-gun bill that proclaims to make us safer but does the exact opposite. It puts citizens at greater risk by taking away the rights of the law-abiding. prgtoken This legislation takes aim at our Constitution by banning what the call assault weapons, which is a vague political term used as a catchphrase to make the public think we are banning guns that assault people. But the truth is that the bill would ban the most popular semiautomatic rifle in America, the AR-15 and what the industry calls a modern sporting rifle. prgtoken The have consistently called them weapons of war and are trying to ban them from being purchased by law-abiding citizens. prgtoken But whom does this bill exempt? prgtoken The Federal Government. Federal Government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and down the line. prgtoken So if they are weapons of war, as the call them, what do these departments need with weapons of war? prgtoken Is the Department of Education going to use them against the moms and dads who protest against woke local school board policies? prgtoken Is the Department of Housing and Urban Development going to use them against the occupants in their housing developments? prgtoken You cannot have it both ways. If it is a weapon of war, then ban these Federal agencies, too. prgtoken The truth is they are simply semiautomatic rifles the want to demonize so they can ban more guns and take more of our citizens' unalienable constitutional rights away. prgtoken ignorance and malice do not justify banning nearly 25 million firearms that Americans, including myself, proudly own and responsibly use. prgtoken Now I know the author of this legislation would prefer that I spare him prgtoken both the prefatory clause and the supremacy clause of the Second Amendment. But it is quite clear: ``A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.'' prgtoken Shall not be infringed, period, is the supremacy clause. And banning an entire class of firearms, the most popular firearm in common use today, is clearly infringement. prgtoken An armed America is a safe and free America. I urge all of my colleagues to stand firm in the fight to protect and preserve the Second Amendment by voting ``no'' on this unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal piece of legislation.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Matthew M. Rosendale, Sr. (Republican, MT) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, as it stands now, this bill will make a vast swath of land inaccessible, making it harder for wildfires to respond. prgtoken This bill's approach to wildfires is backwards. The people of Montana and across the West have seen too many fires scorch homes, businesses, and forests. It has destroyed air quality, water quality, and fisheries. They appreciate the bravery of the responding firefighters, but I believe many would prefer never to see the wildfires in the first place. prgtoken My amendment would have addressed root causes of wildfires by clarifying language in statute that allows radical environmentalists to delay the harvest of timber as per the Cottonwood decision, which has made proper forest management near impossible. prgtoken The Cottonwood decision has delayed forest planning, wildfire mitigation efforts, and ultimately weaponized the Endangered Species Act, allowing special interest groups to line up like pigs at the trough, lapping up legal fees and settlements, stripping valuable resources from agencies and keeping them from carrying out their mission. prgtoken In closing, I will say that I am appalled that will not consider the commonsense amendments like mine, which would allow these mitigation efforts to take place.
ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Scott Fitzgerald (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-7-29

I thank the ranking member for yielding. prgtoken There is a motion to recommit that I would like to offer. If we adopt the motion to recommit, we will instruct the House Committee on the Judiciary to consider the amendment to H.R. 1808 which excludes Active Duty and retired military from the ban on assault weapons. prgtoken I, therefore, ask unanimous consent to include the text of the amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COMPLETION ACT
Russ Fulcher (Republican, ID) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam Chair, what is a just transition to so-called clean energy? We have been hearing the term all week from my colleagues across the aisle. Does a just transition mean the highest inflation in 40 years or record energy prices? Does it mean handing out billions of dollars to the green socialist lobby? prgtoken Does a just transition mean we let our Federal forests burn year over year without maintaining them? Or does it mean we don't give Tribes the same ability to take care of the forests as States have? prgtoken Just transition means some, but not all, can maintain the spaces around them, and I am disappointed that my amendment was not included in today's bill. prgtoken My amendment would have enabled Native Tribes and counties, which have to live with the unmanaged forests around them, to have an opportunity to help our forests be healthy. prgtoken I stand in opposition to this bill for a lot of reasons, just two of which are not including Tribes and counties in this so-called wildfire response package.
HONORING COLONEL ERIC A. KENNEDY ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. MILITARY
Fred Upton (Republican, MI) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , I rise today in recognition of Colonel Eric A. Kennedy, upon his retirement after more than 30 years of military service in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. A dedicated and respected public servant, he has continued to serve his fellow veterans as the lead physician assistant at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. prgtoken Colonel Kennedy's passion for medicine and innovation helped make 21st Century Cures a reality. Through Eric's work as the lead PA at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center, he has helped thousands of veterans like himself lead healthy lives after their service. He has been a preceptor for Grand Valley State University and WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine students during his time at the VA. prgtoken In addition to Eric's long history of medical service, he also served as an active member of the Michigan Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa on humanitarian missions. In 2015, Colonel Kennedy was the first physician assistant to be named Medical Commander for the Michigan Army National Guard. He now serves as the State Surgeon for the Michigan Army National Guard, where he is responsible for policy direction and management of the Michigan Army National Guard health service system. prgtoken In addition to the Colonel's long list of accomplishments, he and his wife, Sarah have raised two wonderful daughters, Brielle and Brooke, in Mattawan, Michigan. Sarah and Eric met at Western Michigan University right here in Southwest Michigan many years ago and together they have grown as a family and helped grow our community with their many successes. prgtoken I congratulate Colonel Kennedy. His retirement is well deserved, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for him.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1808, ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN OF 2022
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican, GA) \u2014 2022-7-29

. Madam , we are here debating about an assault weapons ban so that the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary can campaign when he goes back home, which is really odd because in that district, in that area of New York, they don't seem to be suffering from as much crime as the rest of New York where people really do need guns to defend themselves or maybe the rest of America or like Atlanta in my home State of Georgia. prgtoken I will tell you something right now. I thank God for AR-15s because there have been a lot of people that have saved their own lives and defended others. I will remind you of a few. prgtoken How about an 8-month pregnant woman who saved her husband's and daughter's lives from home invaders who were trying to kill them? Thank God she had an AR-15. prgtoken Let me remind you of a man that had an AR-15 that was able to defend a church from a mass shooter who killed 26 people in the First Baptist Church in Sutherland, Texas. Thank God for his AR-15. prgtoken Let me explain something to my colleagues. You can pass as many gun control laws as you like, but no one will stop a murderer. No one is going to hand over a gun who has murder in their heart. prgtoken Do you think that your gun control laws are going to cause criminals to come running to hand over the AR-15s that they possess? No, I don't think so. prgtoken If you are concerned about protecting Americans and saving lives, stop voting to kill babies up until the day of birth. Care about those children and their body parts, and then do something about all the crime all over America that is affecting Americans every single day. prgtoken How about our border? How about our border being overrun with drugs and fentanyl and human trafficking? Do you care about those people, those migrants who are dying on the way because of your policies of open borders? prgtoken Oh, no, it is not the gun that is the problem. It is the policies. It is the policies that you are pushing right now that are hurting Americans and causing our children to not be safe.