mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO CAROLINE KEANE
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-9-27

I am honored to recognize Caroline Keane of Concord as September's Granite Stater of the Month. For the past 8 years, Caroline has organized the Ready to Learn Fair, where Concord School District students can receive free backpacks and other school supplies. prgtoken About 9 years ago, when Caroline was an education assistant for Rundlett Middle School's autism program, she came across a young student who was attempting to carry his books in a flimsy plastic bag, crying. He was upset because the plastic bag--his makeshift backpack-- had torn open. prgtoken She began raising money to purchase school supplies and reaching out to local businesses and organizations to donate materials or provide free services. prgtoken Over the past 8 years, the Ready to Learn Fair has expanded beyond just school supplies and has become an essential part of the school's community. At the fair, the New England School of Barbering provides free haircuts; and there is a long line for this every year. Caroline also works to bring representatives from the district's Free and Reduced Lunch Program to the fair so that families can sign up their kids. Last year, families could get their COVID-19 vaccines, and this year she is collecting winter supplies such as coats and hats for students in need. After the fair, Caroline stores any leftover supplies in a closet at the school, so that students can access the supplies throughout the year. prgtoken After seeing a need in her community, Caroline took action to make sure that students, regardless of their family's income, are prepared for school--helping students succeed and alleviating parents' stress. Even beyond this impact, Caroline's initiative brought her community together, from volunteers, to small business owners, to the school's maintenance team, to donors. Caroline's initiative represents the Granite State spirit of taking care of your neighbors and bringing people together for a common goal, and I commend her for her work.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-9-27

I would like to do something unusual on the floor of the Senate. I would like to report some good news. It isn't often we have these reports. Today, I have three items in my news that I would like to share with the people who are following this. I would like to start my remarks by sharing an incredible story from the other side of the world. prgtoken In May 2020, as the world was reeling from the spread of the deadly new strain of the coronavirus, the Red Cross society in the African nation of Kenya received 500 bicycles from a Chicago-based, nongovernmental organization known as World Bicycle Relief. Community healthworkers used these bicycles to make house visits across southern Kenya, providing health services to remote communities that would otherwise not be reached because of restrictions on movement due to COVID-19. prgtoken In Malawi, young girls used these bicycles to get safely to and from school, and when COVID-19 closed the schools down, girls like 17-year- old Elizabeth were able to shift focus to help their parents, who are farmers, weather the economic effects of the pandemic. She used her bicycle to take their produce to market. prgtoken Stories like these are common around the world, showing the value of a simple, relatively inexpensive, green, and easy-to-repair means of mobility--a bicycle--to help meet important development objectives. prgtoken Since its founding in 2005, the World Bicycle Relief of Chicago has done great work in helping displaced survivors after a natural disaster in Sri Lanka, allowing farmers to move crops in Zambia, and getting girls to school in Malawi. prgtoken I have even seen myself how a bicycle ambulance in rural Tanzania can change lives; and not long ago, my staff saw the group's efforts in Kenya, where more than 25,000 sustainable, rugged bicycles have been provided. prgtoken Since 2019, I have worked through appropriations to push USAID to invest in bicycles, which help meet the needs in healthcare, education, women and girls' empowerment, and more. Part of this funding has included an in-depth assessment to see what is most useful and how to make the programs locally sustainable. They not only send bikes; they send parts and then train the repairmen. USAID has used these lessons and opportunities with increasing success thanks to the work of many groups, including that of the World Bicycle Relief of Chicago. prgtoken Today, I am introducing legislation in partnering with the Kenya bicycle world and U.S. House of Representatives' Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon. Our bill is going to codify these important efforts and formalize the creation of a mobility program within USAID's Office of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. prgtoken COVID-19 has taught us that a global health crisis can easily turn into an economic crisis, a food crisis, a mobility crisis, and more. Sometimes the simplest things, like a bicycle, can help make incredible p
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2022-9-27

. He hasn't talked about it, but I think that would certainly be one of the questions our constituents would ask about, because this issue of there being a double standard between seniors at home and their elected officials would be very real. He hasn't spelled out how he would deal with that, but there is certainly the question of elected officials, because we have these retirement benefits that have been part, again, of a program that has been established for some time. They haven't been talked about. prgtoken But I will tell you, I think the chair of the Social Security Subcommittee and myself on the Finance Committee, we are going to go out there and say: No double standard. prgtoken You can be sure of that. If something is sunsetted for working people and seniors and the disabled, we are certainly not going to let Senator Scott pretend that somehow it is business as usual for elected officials. prgtoken , I think Senator Brown started us off very well, and he is asking questions that I think millions of Americans are going to ask. My understanding is that my colleague from Ohio, the chairman of the subcommittee, is going to be looking at a lot of these issues in his subcommittee. But certainly this last point, about politicians talking out of both sides of their mouth and saying somehow that we are going to have a program sunsetted for seniors and the disabled--Social Security, Medicare and others--but we are not going to even talk about what happens for elected officials is an example of how you shouldn't legislate. It is an example of what I believe could be a double standard. prgtoken And I will just close, unless Senator Brown wants to. In fact, I am going to let Senator Brown do it. I thought, as I listened to Senator Brown, and I put it in the context of all these years with the Gray Panthers, that everybody can understand what Senator Brown is talking about. Medicare and Social Security are a guarantee--period--inviolate, as a result of the history that we have had in this country where people worked so hard for this. prgtoken On the other side, we are talking about privatization, we are talking about portability, and we are talking about lots of new cost analyses in the private sector and individualized programs. I am for individualized programs on top of Social Security, not in place of it. prgtoken So I really appreciate your resolution, Senator Brown, and I am going to do everything I can to support it.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-9-27

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 prgtoken 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.
Introductory Statement on S. 4968
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-9-27

I rise to introduce the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022. prgtoken This legislation recognizes the need to protect the public during active shooter situations while our country experiences an unconscionable epidemic of mass shootings. prgtoken This legislation would establish a voluntary public safety alert system for use by law enforcement to notify individuals of active shooter situations occurring within their communities. It would also appoint an Active Shooter Alert Coordinator at the Department of Justice who would direct Federal training, technical support, and best practices efforts across the country. prgtoken Additionally, this legislation would establish an Advisory Panel to coordinate with FEMA, the Department of Transportation, and the FCC. The panel would develop guidance on how alerts should be sent, how they should be designed, and what language should be used. prgtoken Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities. The tragedies in Highland Park, Memphis, and Uvalde are reminders that we have to address the pressing issues surrounding mass shootings. prgtoken The House has already passed this bill with strong bipartisan support from 43 s who recognized that political affiliation should never jeopardize our obligation to protect Americans from harm. prgtoken Public safety is paramount, and our country's law enforcement officers, first responders, and healthcare providers deserve every tool available as they carry out their work. prgtoken This bill is an important step to strengthen our public safety infrastructure, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass the Active Shooter Alert Act of 2022 as quickly as possible.
TRIBUTE TO DAN DINNING
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2022-9-27

along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Russ Fulcher, we thank Dan Dinning for serving as Boundary County commissioner for more than 20 years. prgtoken Dan Dinning began his service as Boundary County commissioner in 2001 and, throughout, worked steadily to strengthen his community. A native of Boundary County who attended the University of Idaho, Commissioner Dinning has been the longest serving commissioner for his county. This comes as no surprise, given his deep commitment to his hometown, Bonners Ferry, Boundary County, and Idaho. prgtoken Dan is extremely hard working, and we are told there has rarely been a meeting in Boundary County that Dan did not attend. This dedication is also apparent in the remarkable number of State and community groups he has served in and led. This includes the Governor's appointment of Commissioner Dinning to serve on the Idaho Roadless Rule Commission. Dan served on the Selkirk-Cabinet Yaak Grizzly Bear Conservation Subcommittee; multiple committees for the Idaho Association of Counties; served as chair for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Panhandle Basin Advisory Group; and so much more. prgtoken Natural resources issues in north Idaho, like in many parts of Idaho and the West, tend to be very controversial, and Commissioner Dinning has not shied away from those challenges. When meetings grew contentious, Dan was always a calm voice reminding attendees that we all care about the same things, just disagree on possible solutions. He rarely is the first one to speak. Rather, he listens first and then makes thoughtful comments. These productive characteristics have been instrumental in his leadership in starting and sustaining the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative, KVRI. KVRI changed the tone of natural resource conversations, and tensions eased as the community saw what collaboration can accomplish. prgtoken In preparing this tribute, there was no shortage of great thoughts and stories that have been shared about Dan Dinning. They include a touching moment shared by Patty Perry about a trip to Washington, DC, when Dan was adamant about visiting the Vietnam Memorial Wall. His reason was to find a family's son's name on the wall and create a rubbing to bring home to them in Boundary County, since they would never get to see it. Patty recalled that, of course, it brought tears and was a reflection of the kind of guy Dan is. prgtoken Dan is a man of high moral character, a salt of the earth, family man devoted to his community. Of all his achievements, we hear that he would cite his family as his greatest accomplishment. He and his wife Mary have three children, Lisa, Brian and Kevin; two granddaughters; and three grandsons. Thank you, Dan, for your service to your beloved community, county, and the entire State of Idaho. We look forward to continuing to hear your stories and you sharing your deeply valued thoughts and perspec
TRIBUTE TO CHERYL HESER
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2022-9-27

today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Cheryl Heser of Rosebud County for her passion for education and her dedication to preserving American history as a living history presenter for Montanans across the Treasure State. prgtoken Cheryl has served her community as an educator for many years teaching high school English, Spanish, and journalism, and she managed a K-12 school library. She is also a published author and served as the director of the Rosebud County Library in Forsyth, MT, for 17 years. Cheryl earned statewide recognition for her esteemed radio program and was named the 2014 Librarian of the Year by the Montana Library Association. prgtoken Even after her retirement, Cheryl's dedication to education and passion for storytelling continues through her work as a living history presenter. Cheryl travels to Montana communities to utilize her knack for storytelling and skilled research to educate Montanans of all ages and preserve American history by portraying the lives of historical figures like Dolly Madison and Annie Oakley. prgtoken It is my distinct honor to recognize Cheryl Heser for her passion for education and her work to preserve American history. I have no doubt Cheryl's unique and captivating living history presentations have influenced Montanans of all ages. Keep up the great work, Cheryl; you make Montana proud.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-9-27

I rise today to honor Hiller and Marilyn Suber of Monticello, AR, for their tremendous work as foster parents, opening their home to more than 350 foster care placements over the last 20 years. prgtoken The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute--CCAI--recently recognized the Subers as 2022 Angels in Adoption honorees. prgtoken Since 2001, the CCAI has played a vital role in eliminating barriers standing between orphaned and foster children becoming part of a loving family. As the CCAI's signature public awareness program, Angels in Adoption annually recognizes outstanding individuals, families and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to adoption and child welfare. prgtoken The Subers are well-deserving of this honor for their work with children in need and the amazing example they set for families across Arkansas and the Nation. prgtoken When Hiller and Marilyn married in 1999, they decided to foster instead of trying to have children of their own. Although they cared for children of many ages at first, they found their niche with teenagers and are now one of the few homes in Arkansas that only fosters teens. prgtoken The Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services recognized the Subers as the Arkansas Foster Parents of the Year in 2021. As DCFS Director Mischa Martin attested, many families are hesitant to open their homes to teenagers, but the State knows it ``can always count on the Subers to take in teens and provide them with the love and support they need to really thrive,'' adding, ``they care deeply about our kids, and the kids love them right back.'' prgtoken As a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I am inspired by the love and dedication families like the Subers share every day to improve the lives of young people. It is my honor to congratulate them as 2022 Angels in Adoption and wish them many more years of happiness and fulfillment in their mission. prgtoken On behalf of the people of Arkansas, I extend my gratitude and congratulations to Hiller and Marilyn Suber on earning this tremendous honor and applaud their humility and compassion.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-27

last night, our ic colleagues released a draft short-term government funding deal. Big parts of the draft are unobjectionable because they were negotiated across party lines. Both sides of the aisle want to prevent a government shutdown that no one wants. Both sides want to keep resources flowing to disaster-stricken communities. Both sides want to continue time- sensitive support for Ukraine. prgtoken But, unfortunately, our ic colleagues decided to put in extraneous partisan language--in fact, a poison pill. This extraneous poison pill is not related to keeping the government open. It was not negotiated across the aisle. In fact, both the ic chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Leahy, and the vice chairman, Senator Shelby, have stated publicly that this poison pill should not be in the underlying bill. The poison pill is a phony attempt to address the important topic of permitting reform. prgtoken It is much too difficult to build things in America and unleash American energy. Liberal regulations and redtape are a huge--huge--part of the problem. That is why s are prgtoken the leaders on this issue. That is why my colleague Senator Capito has introduced a strong, robust package that would actually move the ball forward. prgtoken What our ic colleagues have produced is a phony figleaf that would actually set back the cause of real permitting reform. This is an issue where it should be very easy to improve upon the status quo, but, amazingly, our ic colleagues have managed to write language that would actually--listen to this--make things even worse. prgtoken Senator Manchin's bill goes out of its way to avoid actually amending the National Environmental Policy Act or any other environmental law. It layers new bureaucracy on top of existing bureaucracy. Its new requirements and deadlines are paper tigers with no enforcement. prgtoken The few parts of this legislation that would actually change the status quo would take things from bad to worse. For example, yesterday, a long list of State attorneys general wrote the Senate a panicked letter explaining that Senator Manchin's language would ``eviscerate states' ability to chart their own land-use and energy policies.'' ``Eviscerate states' ability to chart their own land-use and energy policies.'' prgtoken Among other problems, they explain how this legislation creates a backdoor to sneak through an electricity grid takeover much like the administration's unconstitutional so-called ``Clean Power Plan.'' prgtoken These State-level officials are also sounding the alarm about higher costs for their citizens. They write the Manchin proposal could impose ``potentially back-breaking costs on residents who may see no true energy benefit whatsoever.'' prgtoken ' policies already have electricity costs skyrocketing at the fastest rate in more than 40 years. The last thing t
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-9-27

this week, the Senate has one extremely important item on our agenda: to keep the lights on; in other words, to pass a government funding bill. We are just 3 days from the end of the fiscal year, and the -controlled Senate has yet to pass a single appropriations bill--no funding for our military, no funding for veterans services, no funding for border security, nothing. prgtoken Now, this deadline does not sneak up out of nowhere; it arrives on the same day every year. Yet here we are, 3 days before the funding expires, and not a single appropriations bill has been voted on. prgtoken The majority leader conceded a long time ago that the regular appropriations bills would be punted to a later date and we would pass a short-term funding bill to bridge the gap. As a general rule, I am not a fan of short-term funding bills. They don't provide the stability or predictability we need to plan for the future. That is especially true for America's military, which is operating in a dynamic threat environment with countless unknowns. In order to plan for and prepare for the future, government Agencies need a predictable budget, and stopgap bills simply don't cut it. prgtoken As though this last-minute funding gambit isn't dramatic enough, the majority leader has raised the stakes even higher. He is not putting a clean funding bill on the floor; he is weighing it down with partisan freight. This is part of a political horse trade that happened a couple of months ago. In order to get the senior Senator from West Virginia to vote for his reckless tax-and-spending bill, the majority leader promised to attach permitting reform to the government funding bill. Forget the fact that Senator Manchin's permitting bill was nowhere near complete; the majority leader blindly agreed to tack it on to must-pass legislation. prgtoken Senator Manchin, the senior Senator from West Virginia, finally released his bill last week, and it became clear why he was so desperate to attach it to a must-pass continuing resolution. That is because the bill doesn't even come close to delivering the real commonsense changes that were promised. The provisions meant to speed up the approval process for new projects lack teeth, making them unlikely to produce any real progress. prgtoken The bill doesn't touch the environmental reviews, which cause a lot of delays to happen in the first place. On top of that, it is a power grab by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, granting them unprecedented authority to force electric transmission lines on States. Under the current law, States have the authority to decide whether or not to grant transmission lines to run through their States. It is part of something called State sovereignty, federalism. Under this bill, that would change, though. The unelected leaders at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could override a State's objection to a new project transmitting renewable ener
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2022
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2022-9-28

I rise today to clarify a colloquy between myself and Chairman Wyden placed in the Congressional Record on August 6, 2022. The statement in the Record references geothermal energy as applicable to the new ``section 48D'' of the Tax Code added by section 13702 of the Inflation Reduction Act. The statement should have referenced that section as ``section 48E.'' As explained in that colloquy, geothermal will qualify for the production and investment tax credits included in sections 13701 and 13702 of the Inflation Reduction Act.