mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
10TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROTESTS IN BAHRAIN
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-3-2

10 years ago Bahraini citizens joined many others across the Middle East in what became known as the Arab Spring, an eruption of popular protest and a call for reform and democracy that spread across the region. prgtoken In Bahrain, the Arab Spring took the form of peaceful protest. Families marched together and protestors gathered in Manama's Pearl Roundabout urging the King to grant greater economic and political rights, particularly for Bahrain's Shia majority. prgtoken The King could have responded to these peaceful protests with dialogue or discussion. He did not. The regime deployed state security forces against the demonstrators, unleashing a wave of violence and repression. prgtoken Journalists and human rights advocates documented the regime's use of tear gas and rubber bullets against the unarmed crowds. Security forces beat a number of protestors and arbitrarily detained many more, targeting even the physicians who volunteered to tend to the wounded. Security forces shot one young protestor, Ali Mushaima, in the back, killing him. prgtoken Bahrain's authorities made clear that day that they had no intention of conducting a meaningful dialogue or adopting significant reforms. They have held to that position for the last decade. prgtoken Even the administration, which made no secret of its desire to downplay or overlook human rights abuses, documented in its most recent human rights report Bahrain's ongoing ``restrictions on freedom of expression, the press, and the internet, including censorship, site blocking, and criminal libel; substantial interference with the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of association . . . restrictions on freedom of movement, including revocation of citizenship; and restrictions on political participation, including banning former members of al-Wifaq and Wa'ad from running as candidates in elections.'' prgtoken Bahrain has long been a valued security partner in a volatile region of the world. In addition, Bahrain hosts the Navy's 5th Fleet. This is precisely why the United States needs to engage Bahrain on these issues and to encourage reforms. prgtoken If Bahrainis come to associate the United States with their government's cruelty and repression, this security partnership could become much less reliable. If the Monarchy were overrun by Bahrainis who had come to hate the United States due to our inaction in the face of gross human rights abuses, what would happen to our military base and the thousands of Americans who live in the country? It is a question I think we would all rather not have to answer. prgtoken , the Arab Spring of 10 years ago has long since given way to an Arab Winter in Bahrain and across much of the Middle East. In 2011, tens of thousands of Bahrainis took to the streets with hopes of a more inclusive and representative society. They are sadly still waiting for those hopes to be realized. prgtoken I am heartened t
FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021
Byron Donalds (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise in opposition to H.R. 1, the For the People Act. This is really just a takeover of elections by Washington, D.C. prgtoken Madam , I got a chance to go through some of this bill--790 pages. Most of these things would basically eviscerate Florida's election law. prgtoken You see, I served in Florida's legislature. We had the responsibility for adjusting legislation law from time to time. Our State was a State that went through hanging chads in 2000, and we have made the adjustment systematically in the State legislature to make sure that Florida has the very best election laws in these United States. prgtoken You see, on election night, November 3, we were done counting around 9:30. We knew the results by 10 o'clock. We have absentee ballots, we have voter ID, we have early voting, and we have a robust count system on election day. prgtoken The people of Florida have never been disenfranchised when it comes to elections. The people of Florida have come accustomed to having a voter system that works. And what this body is trying to do with H.R. 1 is completely destroy Florida's election laws. That is, to me, ridiculous. This Capitol should never allow that. If we are going to do anything, we should replicate what Florida has actually done.
CORONAVIRUS
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2021-3-3

the bill before the Senate this week is not really about COVID relief; it is about politics. Before this, COVID relief has not been a terribly partisan issue. In fact, we have passed 5 relief bills, each with at least 90 votes. That means they are overwhelmingly broad-based and bipartisan efforts. So if this one were to pass, it would be the first of those to have passed that has been highly controversial. Why? Because, in the first place, it borrows and spends another $1.9 trillion when there are still hundreds of billions of dollars of unspent relief money from past COVID-19 relief packages. The new spending authorizes money to go to projects in States and local governments, including many that may not even need it. prgtoken The fight against the pandemic has, of course, fundamentally changed in the months since this plan was first devised and proposed. It is already outdated. Now, as we are here, into the month of March, the circumstances have changed, yet the plan remains largely the same as it was. So it feels a little bit, to me, like we are fighting the last war using the last war's battle plan, leaving us unprepared for the battle actually in front of us. prgtoken This is a bill that will worsen our national debt and weaken our economy in the long run without even doing much to help small businesses and American families in the short term. prgtoken This is not without consequence. In fact, as the book by Drs. Reinhart and Rogoff, published nearly 10 years ago--a book known as ``This Time Is Different''--notes, once we get into this cycle, once we get accustomed to spending this much and acquiring this much of a debt- to-GDP ratio, we find ourselves in dire circumstances--circumstances in which it is even more difficult to raise the same revenue based on the same tax structure or even while tweaking that tax structure, it can be very difficult to pull out of the tailspin that could be produced when we start spending in sums this large and perpetuating a debt-to-GDP ratio that is, frankly, unsustainable. prgtoken This $1.9 trillion package has very, very little to do with COVID-19. In fact, only 1 percent of the spending in this bill will go toward accelerating vaccine distribution; just 5 percent is focused on public health. Instead, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, three times as much money will go toward partisan priorities that are ``not directly related to the current crisis.'' prgtoken What are some of the examples of this type of spending? Well, we have $1.5 billion more set aside for Amtrak, which is itself already sitting on $1 billion of unspent bailout money. What this has to do with the virus and why the virus somehow justifies giving them an additional $1.5 billion when they are already sitting on $1 billion of still unspent bailout money is beyond my comprehension. There is $50 million in funding for environmental justice projects, also difficult
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. RES. 88
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-3-3

I am extremely disappointed in my colleague's decision to block this resolution. My colleagues and I wouldn't be doing this resolution if we were receiving the information that my colleague said we were receiving. prgtoken This has nothing to do with whether Senate s want to provide relief. We want to provide relief. We want to do it in a targeted manner, and we want to make sure that we don't waste taxpayer dollars. prgtoken This objection just blocked the Senate from requesting basic information prgtoken that will help us do our basic jobs. Senate just objected to transparency. This means they are against giving us the facts, against ensuring accountability, and against getting targeted help to the right people. My colleague is choosing to prevent the Senate from receiving information that is pertinent to our ongoing negotiations. prgtoken Senate s believe in relief of those hurt by COVID-19. We want to help our small businesses. We want to help those who have lost their jobs. We want to make sure families are able to survive this crisis and come out on the other side with their health and livelihood. prgtoken My colleague's objection shows that Senate are not actually interested in finding a bipartisan solution to our Nation's problems. Instead, they want to blindly spend money on provisions completely unrelated to COVID, as if there are no consequences to racking up more debt and spending beyond our means. prgtoken I am thinking about the kids who are just like me, growing up in public housing, with parents who are barely scraping by. We need to help those families. In order to do that, we need to better understand where the need is. prgtoken I am disappointed in my colleague's decision, and I hope he reconsiders. prgtoken .
FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021
Rodney Davis (Republican, IL) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , it is one reason I am opposed to H.R. 1, and giving another chance to join me, stopping this charade, stopping enriching themselves in their own campaign. This is one last chance before you do it again. prgtoken Madam , another reason I oppose H.R. 1 is because the election mandates on States in this bill go against what our Founding Fathers intended and essentially nationalizes our election system. prgtoken If signed into law, H.R. 1 would be the greatest expansion of the Federal Government's role in our elections than we have ever seen. By moving these decisions to D.C we are further removing people from the laws that govern their elections. People should have more say in how their elections are run, not less. Our goal is to always ensure all eligible voters are able to vote and all lawful votes are counted. That is not what H.R. 1 does. And the only witness who has run an election before said during the single House Administration hearing held on this bill that H.R. 1 will undermine many of the election laws States have put into place to make it easier for people to vote and improve their election process for their voters. prgtoken One-size-fits-all mandates from Washington will not fix the problems we have seen in elections across the country. They will just cause more chaos and confusion. These issues need to be solved at the local and State level. Instead of dictating to States, we should be working with them and localities to address these issues. And I stand ready and willing to work with my colleagues to do just that, but I will not vote for a Federal takeover of elections and I will not vote to use the Federal Government to put more money into my campaign. It is bad policy and it is bad for the American people. prgtoken Madam , I urge support for the motion to recommit at the appropriate time, and I urge a ``no'' vote on the underlying bill. prgtoken Madam , .
REVISITING JANUARY 6TH
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , no one is defending the violent riot at the Capitol on January 6th and as more evidence is reviewed, I am grateful for the insight today by columnist Jack Devine in The Aiken Standard: ``My column four weeks ago--``The insurrection that wasn't''--argued that portraying the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol as an armed insurrection is simply wrong, unsupported by the facts. Not surprisingly, many disagree. The armed insurrection label has been repeated so often and by so many that it has become widely accepted as true. But we've learned a great deal since then about what happened on Jan. 6 and what didn't--and we've watched as the new ic leadership takes extreme and disturbing actions to slay the imaginary dragon that they created. Let's take another look. The Capitol insurgents--mainly rowdy protesters caught up in the moment--were not armed in any real sense. Their inventory of ``dangerous and deadly weapons,'' as classified by DOJ investigators, consist of two baseball bats, a hockey stick, one pocket-sized extendable baton, a few cans of commercially available pepper spray and bear repellant, and other makeshift odds and ends. No knives and no guns. The infamous zip-ties, initially considered to be proof positive that the insurgents intended to take hostages, were later determined to have been carried into the building by police officers. The myth that Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick was murdered by the frenzied mob has evaporated completely. The New York Times has backed away from its bludgeoned-by-fire- extinguisher report; there was no evidence of blunt force trauma; it appears that Sicknick died of natural causes (probably a stroke) hours after returning to the station house under his own power. Only one gun was fired during the four-hour assault--that by an unidentified police officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed female trespasser. While the FBI is still combing videos to find someone to charge for Sicknick's death, both they and the otherwise pit bull media seem remarkably incurious about Babbitt's killing. None of the supposed targets of the Capitol assault-- ic lawmakers and Vice President --were harmed; and the 2020 election result was not derailed by the attack and was never in serious jeopardy. Make no mistake. The Jan. 6 riot was reckless, angry and ultimately lethal. It cannot be condoned. But for a supposed overthrow of the U.S. government, it looks pretty lame--and more like the continuing wanton rioting that since mid-summer has taken dozens of lives, destroyed untold livelihoods and cost billions in damage to American cities. A mindless mob bent on venting its anger? Yes. An armed
CORONAVIRUS
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-3

this Saturday will mark 1 year since Congress passed our first response to the COVID-19 virus. prgtoken That legislation, you will recall, received overwhelming support. It passed by a vote of 96 to 1 here in the Senate and 415 to 2 in the House, and we know that it was not just a one-off. Each of the five pandemic relief bills that were prgtoken signed into law last year received overwhelming bipartisan support. prgtoken That is not to say that everybody was in perfect agreement about the size and shape of the bills. We had more than our fair share of disagreements along the way, but both sides of the aisle understood the most pressing challenges facing our country and the types of support that were needed to sustain that fight both when it came to public health and when it came to the economic fallout and recession that resulted: resources for hospitals and healthcare workers, support for the hardest hit families, assistance for small businesses, and, of course, the development, manufacturing, and distribution of vaccines. Not only did we agree on what should be in the bills, but we, actually, also agreed on what should not be in the bills. prgtoken We were all guided, I believe, by an understanding that the focus should remain on COVID-19 and that pandemic relief bills were no place to inject unrelated or partisan preferences, but now that our ic friends control the House and the Senate and the White House, they have tossed that principle in the trash. prgtoken The have drafted their so-called COVID-19 relief bill without the input, the ideas, or the support of a single . Now, that is not because folks on this side of the aisle were unwilling. As I remember, there were 10 Senators who met with President at the White House and offered a $600 billion alternative that would enjoy broad bipartisan support. This partisan legislation was a choice, not a necessity--a choice, a conscious choice. prgtoken Last year, the House majority whip referred to this crisis as a ``tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.'' That was Mr. Clyburn. The knew that a bipartisan bill would limit the scope of discussions of policies that were actually relevant to the pandemic. So, rather than maintain that relevance to the pandemic, they chose to go it alone. This opportunity to restructure, as Mr. Clyburn said, has been months in the making, and now that the have the numbers they need to make the law without having the support of anybody but their own party, they have tacked on an entire liberal wish list and tried to call it COVID-19 relief, but nobody believes it or should believe it. prgtoken You see, these are some of the things that are in the so-called COVID-19 relief bill of $1.9 trillion when hundreds of billions of dollars of money that we appropriated just in December haven't even been spent yet. Here is what is in the Tro
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise today in opposition to this bill, and that is a shame, because this is an area that is ripe for bipartisan compromise. prgtoken But the House continues to spend its time forcing through another ic package that had zero input. We considered this very same bill last Congress, but it only passed the House with three votes in support. prgtoken Meanwhile, my colleagues, Representative Pete Stauber and Senator Tim Scott, have proposed the JUSTICE Act to positively reform police to serve all Americans equally. prgtoken However, their sincere efforts have not even been considered by those across the aisle. That bill would improve law enforcement transparency, require more detailed records on the use of force, provide funds for body cameras, ban choke holds, and improve training to intervene in situations and deescalate. These are all things we agree upon. prgtoken Yet, instead of equipping our law enforcement for success, we are considering this bill that would make it harder for our police officers to keep our communities safe. prgtoken Every community is different and dictating policy from Washington will only constrain our law enforcement heroes who put their lives on the line. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
HONORING EDGAR KING FOR HIS LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK DAIRY FARMERS, AND THE ENTIRE NORTH COUNTRY REGION
Elise M. Stefanik (Republican, NY) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor Edgar ``Ed'' King for his lifetime dedication to public service for the betterment of Saratoga County and New York State's Dairy industry. prgtoken Born a Saratogian with deep family roots in dairy farming, Ed made improving New York's agricultural industry his life's work at the local, state, and national level. A lifelong farmer and graduate of the prestigious Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ed went on to serve as the Deputy Commissioner of New York State's Department of Agriculture and Markets from 1976 to 1987. When Ed returned from Albany, he immersed himself in local politics, and was elected Supervisor for Northumberland on the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors in 1992. He held that position until 2004, following in his father's footsteps who held the same seat after being elected in 1944. Ed also spent time serving on the boards of Dairy Management, Inc the National Dairy Board, and the New England Dairy Promotion Board. prgtoken After retiring from his exemplary career in public service, Ed continued to be heavily involved in the day to day operation of Kings Ransom Farm in Schuylerville. This fifth-generation, family-run farm is one of the largest dairy farms in the region, established in 1901 by King's grandfather. Ed continued doing what he loved, interacting with and serving his community, as he and his wife, Carolyn, operated a bed and breakfast on the farm where they eagerly welcomed visitors, tourists, strangers, and friends. Ed was especially proud to watch as his sons very successfully expanded the business to add King Brothers Dairy, a dairy store that offers home delivery service. My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, their four sons, and his extended family. prgtoken Ed was an extraordinary leader for Saratoga County, the dairy industry and beyond. He was tireless in his efforts to promote agricultural development throughout New York State. His welcoming demeanor, selfless service, and deep respect for everyone he encountered is a shining example for us all. Ed was an integral part of the community and will be greatly missed. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, I am honored to recognize his remarkable leadership and life.
CORONAVIRUS
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2021-3-3

first, I would like to associate myself with the outstanding remarks from the senior Senator from Iowa, whose long experience in this body is one that we all look to with great admiration and respect. prgtoken When he speaks on this, he is well known for his fundamental focus on taxpayer dollars and making sure money isn't wasted, making sure money is directed to the areas where it is supposed to go, where it is needed the most. When he points out how this is a bill basically piled on with pork--and he is from Iowa; he knows about pork--he points out how misguided this effort is, how expensive it is, and how misdirected it is. prgtoken I just want to associate myself with these wonderful remarks of the senior Senator from Iowa, and it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve with him.