mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RELATING TO INCREASING THE DEBT LIMIT--Continued
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-12-14

for months now, American families have struggled with the growing burden of inflation. New data shows just how bad things have gotten. prgtoken Last month, consumer prices increased at the fastest pace in 40 years. Now, I would like to take a little walk down memory lane. The last time the American people endured price spikes like this, ``Eye of the Tiger'' was one of the top songs on the radio. I am sure the Senator from Delaware remembers that very well. The world had yet to be introduced to Nintendo and Mario. Consumers were anxiously awaiting the release of the first cell phone, which weighed in at a whopping 2 pounds. I remember those unwieldy telephones well. prgtoken Over the last four decades, of course, a lot has changed, and I am not just talking about technology--the attacks of September 11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the great recession. prgtoken Even during the first year of the pandemic, inflation didn't come close to hitting the heights that it has today. Between March 2020 and February 2021, the inflation rate never topped 2 percent. prgtoken There were countless reasons for us to be optimistic. We had three highly effective vaccines, with shots going into the arms of millions of people every day. Schools were reopening. Employees were returning to work. The American people began to discover a new semblance of normal post-COVID. prgtoken But the administration ignored all of this progress because they had another plan in mind. They seized on what one House described as a ``tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit [their] vision.'' They crafted a nearly $2 trillion piece of legislation that included their ideological priorities and tried to brand it as necessary pandemic relief. But we know that only about 10 percent of that $2 trillion expenditure went to COVID-19. Less than 1 percent went for vaccines. What it did include was backdoor funding for Planned Parenthood, a blank check for mismanaged union pension plans, and money for climate justice. It was easy to see through the COVID relief facade. prgtoken Well, as our colleagues pushed this bill forward, they ignored warning signs from leading economists that this kind of spending chasing limited goods and services could trigger inflation. Larry Summers, who served as Secretary of Treasury during the administration, even predicted that this package could ``set off inflationary pressures of a kind we have not seen in a generation.'' prgtoken Our colleagues couldn't be convinced to change course, and look where we are now as a result. We are experiencing inflation of a kind that we have not seen in a generation. Last month, prices jumped a whopping 6.8 percent from the previous year, marking the sixth consecutive month in which inflation has topped 5 percent. prgtoken When concerns were raised about this, the Federal Reserve claimed that this inflation was transitory--in other words, it was a passing mom
RELATING TO THE CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE REPORT 117-216 AND AN ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTION
Yvette Herrell (Republican, NM) \u2014 2021-12-14

today I rise in support of the Finish the Wall Act, for which I am a proud cosponsor. prgtoken By the end of this year, 2 million people will have tried to cross our borders illegally. That is more than or almost as many people as the State I represent. Hundreds of thousands have succeeded, and many thousands more are being released into our communities, never to return to an immigration status hearing. prgtoken When Border Patrol agents courageously tried to do their jobs against overwhelming odds, they were attacked by President , who said that he would make them pay. That is not how we lead a country. That is not how we treat American heroes who keep us safe. prgtoken But past Presidents did not abandon our border. Under President , 458 miles of border wall system were completed, with hundreds more fully funded. Of course, on his first day in office, President sabotaged this important project and undermined the physical border security promised to the American people. prgtoken This is unacceptable. We must protect our country. We must protect our people. We must finish the wall. prgtoken This legislation would compel the White House and the Department of Homeland Security to do their jobs. prgtoken The funding is there. The plans are there. The materials are there. All we lack is leadership from the Oval Office. And until true leadership returns to the White House, the people's House will have to step in and solve the border crisis. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to pass the Finish the Wall Act, keep our promises, and secure our borders.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5665, COMBATING INTERNATIONAL ISLAMOPHOBIA ACT
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-12-14

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , my good friend and colleague from Texas mentioned in her remarks. That is certainly a blast from the past. I was actually too young to even vote for President when he was running in the primary. So I say that respectfully for my good friend from Texas. prgtoken But when we are talking about blasts from the past, the American people have not paid this much at the pump since the last time was in the White House. It is true. The national average of gasoline is currently $3.32. Americans are paying 54 percent more nationally for a gallon of gas. In some parts of the United States the price for a gallon of gas has reached $7.59 a gallon. prgtoken So with in the White House we are repeating ourselves once again--a blast from the past--and the American people are, unfortunately, paying every day at the gas pump. prgtoken , I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), my good friend, who is going to talk about that.
RECOGNIZING THE BRANDON BULLDOGS AS MHSAA 6A SOUTH STATE CHAMPIONS
Michael Guest (Republican, MS) \u2014 2021-12-14

. Madam , I'd like to congratulate the Brandon Bulldogs and Coach Sam Williams on their MHSAA 6A South State Championship victory. Coach Williams led the talented team to an impressive 11-3 season with stunning wins over some of the best teams in the state. I commend Coach Williams for his success at the helm of the Bulldogs football team and wish him and his team continued success in the future. prgtoken I would also like to extend my congratulations to the young men who worked tirelessly for their successful season. Every early morning, every extra rep, and every sacrifice they made to better themselves and their team resulted in victory time and time again until they became one of the best high school football programs in Mississippi. prgtoken l would encourage those young men to reflect deeply on the investment they made to realize such a successful season. They will never forget the feeling of their great accomplishment; but in the future, as they reminisce on this season, I would challenge them to remember the qualities that made them one of the best teams in the entire state. prgtoken Those qualities of hard-work, commitment, and determination will continue to serve them well in the future as they transition from leaders on the field to leaders in their families, communities, state, and Nation. prgtoken Congratulations to the Brandon Bulldogs on their very successful season.
RELATING TO THE CONSIDERATION OF HOUSE REPORT 117-216 AND AN ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTION
Michelle Fischbach (Republican, MN) \u2014 2021-12-14

while the majority is playing their political games in Washington, a real crisis situation at our southern border remains. Illegal immigration is at a record high, and there are real human costs associated with that. prgtoken Between the dangerous journey to get to our border and the dangerous people coming across and continuing to commit crimes, people are dying in huge numbers because of this crisis. prgtoken It is no secret that fentanyl is coming across the southern border. This year, Border Patrol has seized twice as much of this deadly drug as last year, and more than 100,000 Americans have died from overdoses. prgtoken Because we essentially have an open border, there is no way to effectively keep criminals from crossing into our country. prgtoken Immigrants need to know there is a process for becoming an American and doing it in the wrong way will have consequences. prgtoken Finishing the wall would be a huge deterrent for these bad actors. We must finish the wall to slow the massive numbers of illegal immigrants we are seeing before we can have a serious conversation about immigration reform. prgtoken , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales).
SALUTING FIT'S CYBERSECURITY TEAM FOR EXTRAORDINARY FIRST PLACE FINISH
Bill Posey (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-12-14

. Madam , today I rise to honor the Florida Institute of Technology's Cyber League Team, FITSEC, for their extraordinary perfect score and first place finish in the Fall 2021 National Cyber League team tournament on November 7, 2021. prgtoken The National Cyber League team tournament is a biannual national competition in which 650 institutions around the country face off to solve simulations of real-life cybersecurity problems. The National Cyber League assesses a team's ability to address nine critical cybersecurity workforce categories outlined in the NIST NICE Cybersecurity Framework and the NSA Knowledge Units. This year more than 3,900 teams competed, with our hometown team clinching the victory. prgtoken The Florida Institute of Technology of Melbourne, FL, in my district, is leading the way in cybersecurity research and education and has been recognized as a National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE-R) in Cyber Defense Research. prgtoken Their rigorous undergraduate Cyber Operations Concentration, modeled after the NSA Cyber Operations Knowledge Units, is developing bright young minds that will most certainly be among our nation's future leaders. It is good to know that students right here in Brevard County will soon help solve the problems of tomorrow, like countering unchecked foreign threats and filling the shortages in this growing field already identified by the federal government. prgtoken The 2021 Florida Institute of Technology's team was coached by Dr. TJ O'Connor and consisted of two graduate and five undergraduate students in Computer Science, including Blake Janes, Carl Mann, Dave Breeden, Isaiah Thomas, Logan Suarez, Stephanie Wood, and Tiffanie Petersen. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating FIT and these student leaders on their outstanding accomplishments and wish them every success in the future.
HONORING ANTHONY WAYNE HALBY
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-12-14

. Madam , today I would like to recognize the life and service of my friend, Anthony Wayne Halby. prgtoken Anthony was a 40-year resident in Nevada County, a devout family-man with a heart of gold. His hard work and devotion to our community will be felt for generations. He will be missed by all of us. prgtoken In 1971, Anthony graduated from Woodbury Business College in Los Angeles; married Charlene his wife of 40-years and started his business, The Halby Group. During his career Anthony built a very successful business where he was known as an, `excellent salesman with integrity.' His work ethic was to always help people and ensure that they received the very best value. prgtoken One of Anthony's many contributions to our area was his service to our first responders through his work on the Nevada County Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Council. Since the organizations beginning in 1999, they have raised and donated more than $1 million worth of equipment, support, and training for local first responders. They also hold the Nevada County Red Light Ball celebrating the hard work and dedication of our first responders. Anthony was a massive part in organizing and ensuring this celebration occurred. Every year, we can look forward to the Red Light Ball and the recognition of our First Responders. I have many fond memories attending this event and seeing the outpouring of community support for our first responders. prgtoken Anthony was someone you could count on and turn to. In my many trips to Nevada County, I will always have fond memories of stopping by to see him and catching up on world events, or just to have a few minutes with a friend. prgtoken The only thing we never agreed about was baseball and muscle cars as he was a devoted Dodgers fan and a Corvette guy, as I drive Mustangs and root for the Giants, our rivalry was among friends. prgtoken Anthony enjoyed spending his weekends driving his Corvette around Northern California and was an active member of his local Corvette club. prgtoken Anthony was a patriot who loved our Country and a wonderful friend and will be greatly missed by all. Upon his passing, he leaves to cherish his memory and celebrate his legacy his wife Charlene, their five children: Gabriella, Matthew, Mark, Michael, and Joseph; eight grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends. Today, I stand beside Charlene and their family in this time of sorrow and profound personal loss. May God bless my friend. He is not forgotten.
RECOMMENDING THAT THE HOUSE FIND MARK RANDALL MEADOWS IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS
Jim Banks (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-12-14

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , let's be very, very clear. The aren't interested in finding out how a disorganized horde of rioters managed to break into the United States Capitol on January 6. They don't want to learn more about prgtoken the security breakdown that occurred that day, and they don't care about protecting the Capitol from future attacks. They have proven it to us. prgtoken None of the 51 subpoenas that the committee has publicly touted have anything to do with Capitol security. As they have proven yet again today, over and over again, they only care about attacking their political enemies. prgtoken Madam , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).
RELATING TO INCREASING THE DEBT LIMIT--Continued
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-12-14

I object. prgtoken It is now December. It has been nearly four months since the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. prgtoken Thirteen servicemembers lost their lives in the attack on Abbey Gate along with hundreds of civilians. As a result of the botched evacuation operation, hundreds, if not thousands, of American civilians were left behind to the enemy. prgtoken We hear from our friends on the other side of the aisle that my insistence that we actually vote on nominees is unprecedented. I would humbly suggest that the crisis into which this President has led this country is unprecedented. In my lifetime, it is unprecedented. prgtoken It is unprecedented for an American President to watch 13 servicemembers lose their lives in an evacuation for which he is responsible and then to celebrate that operation as ``an unqualified success'' or ``an extraordinary success.'' I believe those were President 's words. prgtoken Really, an extraordinary success? Thirteen servicemembers dead, hundreds of civilians dead, hundreds of Americans left behind to the enemy--that is success? No, that is a failure. That is unacceptable. prgtoken And who has been held accountable for this disaster? No one. Who has the President fired? Who has offered their resignation? Which of the planners at the Department of State or the Department of Defense or the National Security Council has been relieved of duty? No one. prgtoken Until there is accountability, I am going to ask that the Senate do the simple task of its job, which is to actually vote on these nominees. The least we could do is observe regular order and vote on these leadership positions at the Department of State and at the Department of Defense. prgtoken My colleagues say that we have got to put national security first. I agree with them about that. But I believe that begins at the top, with the President of the United States and the leadership of the Department of Defense and the Department of State. I, for one, am not going to stand by and look the other way while this administration systematically endangers our national security, imperils the American people, and watches the sacrifice of our soldiers go by without any accountability, without any change in direction. prgtoken I am not willing to look the other way and just pretend that Afghanistan didn't happen, which seems to be the posture that many in this body have adopted. I am not willing to do that. I can't do that because I promised the parents of the fallen that I wouldn't do that. prgtoken I am going to discharge my responsibility. And as long as it takes, I will continue to draw attention to what happened at Abbey Gate and to demand accountability for the disaster that this administration has pushed upon this country and upon the people of my State.
RELATING TO INCREASING THE DEBT LIMIT--Continued
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2021-12-14

I come to the floor today to honor an extraordinary public servant. It is my longtime legislative director, Bryn Stewart. prgtoken He is going to be leaving the Senate after a 20-year career of working on behalf of the people of Wyoming. prgtoken He served in this great institution under two different U.S. Senators from Wyoming. He and his family have deep roots within our State, and he is a third-generation Wyomingite. prgtoken Bryn was born and raised in Sheridan, WY. His father Clyde was a high school business teacher who also coached basketball and the golf team. His mother Jerrie worked at the Sheridan Press, our local newspaper. Both of his parents encouraged him to work hard, to always be respectful, and, most importantly, to be himself, not to be what others expected him to be. Well, he has exceeded all expectations, I will tell you. prgtoken Family means everything to Bryn. He is the fifth oldest of seven children. And while it is Bryn's career that we are here to pay tribute to today, in terms of his work in the Senate, his older sister Kendall was the first Stewart sibling to work in the U.S. Senate. She worked for Wyoming Senator Malcolm Wallop. She then came to work in my own office in Sheridan, WY, in Bryn's hometown. prgtoken It is also important to point out that Bryn's brother Dow also worked in the U.S. Senate. What a testament to Bryn's parents that so many of their children were committed to public service. prgtoken Bryn took a very different route to the U.S. Senate than his siblings. After graduating from the University of Wyoming with a finance degree, Bryn went on to earn his law degree from the College of Law at the university in 1985. prgtoken It turns out that Bryn wasn't the only standout from his class that year at the University of Wyoming School of Law. My fellow U.S. Senator from Wyoming, Cynthia Lummis, was Bryn's classmate in the law school, and the two of them remain great friends to today. prgtoken After passing the Wyoming State Bar, Bryn has maintained his membership in the Wyoming Bar for 36 years. prgtoken He moved to Gillette, WY, and he started his career there as legal advisor to the Campbell County sheriff and deputy county attorney. Now, I would point out that Campbell County, in Gillette, is the town where Mike Enzi, my former colleague, had been a representative in the legislature as well as the mayor. And Mike Enzi also had graduated, as has Bryn, from Sheridan High School. prgtoken Ten years later, Bryn became the director of administrative services for the Campbell County Board of Commissioners. In that role, Bryn was able to balance the budget during a major economic downturn without laying off any employees. This was not an easy achievement. prgtoken Now, after more than 16 years of serving the people of Campbell County, prgtoken Bryn made the move to Washington, DC. He came to DC to work for my predecessor, Senator Craig Thomas, as his tax and trade co
Campus Free Speech (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-12-15

many times my fellow Senators have heard me say that my definition of a university is a place where controversy ought to run rampant. The point of going to college is not for all students to come out thinking exactly the same way. College is for ideas to be challenged. To weed out ideas we disagree with, we need open debate, not to shut down the conversation. Students of all stripes should be able to say what is on their mind. prgtoken Institutional free speech should not be partisan. You can have partisan discussions, but the merely speaking of it, right or wrong, you agree or disagree, should not be a partisan issue or even be a controversial issue. Everyone is hurt if ideas are not frankly discussed by the next generation. prgtoken Thankfully, Iowa has recognized this reality. So this spring, Governor Reynolds signed a bill into law that helps codify free expression in Iowa's public colleges. prgtoken Now, it sometimes feels like Washington, DC, can forget common sense on this issue as well as a lot of other issues. But in Des Moines, the bill passed both chambers of the Iowa Legislature with just 1 single ``no'' vote out of 150 senators and representatives. prgtoken But here we are nationally. We seem to be heading in the wrong direction in regard to free speech on campus and discussion of some controversial issues. As recent as 2016, majorities of students were confident that the First Amendment was secure, but now it looks like there has been a chilling effect on too many campuses. prgtoken According to a more recent poll, 80 percent of the students now say that they self-censor. In other words, 80 percent of the students are afraid to voice and give their support or opposition on certain issues. Hostility to freedom of expression is being heard loud and clear by our students. prgtoken But somehow it doesn't seem like the donors seem to be listening to what is happening on these college campuses. I have tried to highlight this overlooked group of donors in the free speech debate. Students and faculty are limited by the threat of getting canceled on campus. But donors have much more sway if they want to take advantage of it. prgtoken Now, it seems, unfortunately, these alumnae don't seem to consider free speech when they make a decision to donate, because their donation would have some power behind it if they would take the time to say what they think about how universities ought to be an environment where controversy runs rampant. prgtoken We have a poll of donors to one college that found that the vast majority thought that freedom of expression should be a priority on campus, but only 20 percent said it was clear their alma mater protects speech in practice. Now, this is among donors, those who have already given despite their concerns. That is despite donations representing up to 19 percent of college budgets. prgtoken There are more examples than I can count of donors withholding contribut