mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CLOTURE MOTION
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-2-9

I commend my colleague for talking about dark money. I was so curious this week when I saw--I think it was--a New York Times article about the amount of dark money that came from the ic side of the aisle this year far outpacing anything that s had spent. So I hope he is going to be successful in dealing with some of his supporters on that side of the aisle. Crime and Border Security prgtoken , what I want to focus on today is a meeting that I had the opportunity to have last week with the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and yesterday with Tennessee sheriffs who had come up. prgtoken And one of the things that they talked about repeatedly in these meetings is the recent crime spike. This is something on everybody's mind, and for good reason. The majority of America's 40 most populous cities saw an increase in homicides last year--40 most populous, increase, homicides. More officers were intentionally killed on the job than in any other year since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. prgtoken This is why morale is low. prgtoken Shoplifting is surging, and the thieves are getting creative. Instead of stuffing merchandise in their clothing and smuggling it out the door, gangs of thieves are executing smash-and-grab raids. We are also seeing a spike in drug use. Overdose deaths were up 30 percent in 2020. prgtoken This is not trivial; it is not frivolous; it is not a laughing matter; and it is something you cannot just overlook. It is life. prgtoken And I am sorry to say that Tennessee hasn't escaped this terrible trend. In 2021, the homicide spike in Memphis set a new record. We lost more than 3,000 Tennesseans to drug overdoses in 2020. prgtoken Law enforcement officers take this personally because they see how quickly crime can destroy a community. Are they worried? Yes. Do they have reason to be worried? Absolutely. As I said, morale is low. Recruiting is hard. prgtoken But here is what struck me about my conversation with the police chiefs and the sheriffs. They don't only consider the local effects. They really see the big picture and the issue writ large for what it truly is. prgtoken You won't be surprised to know that the lack of security along our southern border came up more than once in these conversations. The chiefs, the officers see the ripple effects of the administration's absolutely demoralizing failure to enforce the law. prgtoken On his first day in the White House, President endorsed lawlessness when he made it harder for Border Patrol to secure the country. That stroke of a pen caused absolute chaos on our southern border. prgtoken Border Patrol detained more than 1.7 million migrants between January and September of 2021, and 1.1 million of those people were single adults. They were not families. prgtoken Those 1.7 million were just the ones we were able to catch. We will never know how many hundreds of t
REMEMBERING DWIGHT L. CLEMENTS
Jeff Fortenberry (Republican, NE) \u2014 2022-2-9

today, I would like to speak about a great Nebraskan and a great American. His name is Dwight L. Clements. He died last week at 102 years old. prgtoken Dwight Clements was born in Elmwood, Nebraska, and he went on to study at the University of Nebraska and got a degree in business. prgtoken But this is the interesting part, : His education was disrupted by World War II, where he served as an Army combat engineer in France until the war ended in 1945. prgtoken After the war, Dwight earned his law degree at the University of Nebraska and then returned to small-town Elmwood to work at the family- owned American Exchange Bank and to join the law firm with his father, Clements Law Firm. He continued in banking and law until he retired in 1985. prgtoken But this is the point, : Dwight Clements was a humble, dutiful, small-town Nebraskan. But as a member of the Greatest Generation, he served something far larger than himself. Through his sense of duty, selflessness, sacrifice, and patriotism, he represented the kind of person that not only holds Nebraska together but holds America together. prgtoken May he rest in peace.
TRIBUTE TO THERESE FRANCIS GILES
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-2-9

I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Therese Giles, a devoted public servant who tirelessly served our Nation with distinction in the Department of the Navy for almost four decades. Therese recently retired on December 31, 2021, after a successful 37- year government civil service career as an honored and distinguished senior flight controls computer scientist. prgtoken Therese's remarkable career and her immeasurable contributions to our national security can be categorized by so many unbelievable ``firsts'' and by a lifetime of selfless service. prgtoken As a child, Therese was always intrigued with the next technological offering--from watching NASA put the first man on the Moon, to the advances in next generation communications, to the invention of the integrated core processer. Inspired by these ``firsts,'' she pushed to be one of the firsts in her class, team, and field, carrying a life's dream of making a difference in the technical field where women were very scarce and disappointingly undervalued. prgtoken At a time when women weren't encouraged to pursue technical careers and weren't thought of as computer scientists, Therese pushed forward and persevered to achieve undergraduate and advanced degrees in mathematics and computer science. prgtoken Wanting to be part of something bigger than herself, Therese found her calling with the Navy's aviation research and development command. As a junior software computer scientist in the mid-1980s, she was instrumental in developing the innovative, first-ever, advanced digital flight controls architecture that revolutionized the way all Navy and Marine Corps jet aircraft operated. prgtoken Therese was also instrumental in resolving the catastrophic failures of the V-22 Osprey in the early 1990s and generating the software solutions that eventually returned the V-22 to flight and to the successful combat operations of today. prgtoken With similar accomplishments across the F-14, A-6, F-18, E-2, and the F-35 spectrum of aircraft, Therese directly contributed and helped develop the flight control and safety control systems of the majority of every naval aircraft from 1985 to current day. prgtoken Throughout these many successes and ``firsts,'' Therese has remained committed to supporting and inspiring the next generation of young women in STEM fields. Serving as an avid mentor, teacher, and leader of the people around her, Therese has been a North Star role model for generations of up-and-coming young women to follow their dreams and become technical leaders in public service. prgtoken In addition to her thirst for discovery and problem solving, a primary reason for Therese's tenacious focus is that she had personal ``skin in the game'' when it came to our Nation's security. Four of Therese's siblings proudly served in our Nation's military: Therese's brothers VADM Mat Winter, USN; CDR Tom Winter, USN; Capt. Steve Winter, USMC; and sister CDR Elizabeth Wi
CLOTURE MOTION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-2-9

last week, a member of the administration was confused--very confused--why FOX News is talking all the time about crime. That person is the Press Secretary to President , Ms. Psaki. She said Americans care more about what is happening in their daily lives than what the news says about crime. prgtoken How much more out of touch could the administration be? Crime is happening in Americans' daily lives all across America. Thousands more people a year are being murdered. prgtoken Violent crime has increased for 2 years, and there is no sign of it slowing down. prgtoken The administration's plan to fix the violent crime spike is merely another partisan gun control plan. That is what they think about, doing something about crime: control the guns of people who abide by the law. prgtoken They won't seriously reduce violent crime. If you do that, it focuses on issues that make up a tiny fraction of violent crimes or maybe it doesn't contribute to the problem at all. prgtoken For example, the administration wants to crack down on ghost guns, but ghost guns are involved in only a fraction of 1 percent of the crimes--particularly of the murders. prgtoken The administration also wants to focus on the so-called ``Iron Pipeline,'' and that is blaming red States for guns in crime-ridden blue States. But on that issue, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, their data shows that guns used in blue-city crimes usually come from that very same blue State. prgtoken Finally, the administration wants to focus on lawful gun sellers, but we have a Department of Justice study finding most crimes are committed with stolen guns from the black market. prgtoken So I worry about the Department of Justice could use efforts to reduce violent crime as a pretext to harass lawful gun dealers and owners. Gun sales have increased nationwide because Americans don't feel safe anymore. They feel the police are not proactively policing, so they get a gun to protect themselves. prgtoken Honest people who don't break the law want to feel safe, and that makes them feel safe. I don't blame them for taking protection of their life and property into their hands. prgtoken I related recently about the increases in crime that have nothing to do with guns, and yet all we hear from this administration is about controlling guns. But what does that have to do--gun control is not going to stop criminals from pushing people in front of subway trains. Gun control won't stop flash mobs from stealing goods from stores. It isn't going to stop the thieves from looting train yards, and you see evidence of this all the time on television--almost daily--people going into stores with bags, filling it up, and just think in San Francisco some prosecutor said if you steal less than $950, you won't be prosecuted. prgtoken So you wonder why people commit crime. If you aren't going to pay a penalty for it, why not do it? So the
HONORING THE MEMORIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE SENSELESS ATTACK AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL ON FEBRUARY 14, 2018
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-2-9

almost 4 years ago, on February 14, 2018, the world witnessed a senseless attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. prgtoken I am proud to join my colleague Senator Rubio to introduce this resolution which honors the 17 victims of the tragic shooting: Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Martin Duque Anguiano, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jaime Guttenberg, Chris Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alex Schachter, Carmen Schentrup, and Peter Wang. prgtoken I often think of these innocent lives who were lost way too early. They were sons, daughters, parents, and partners. Some were educators, athletes, musicians; many of them, just kids with a life full of promise ahead of them. My heart breaks knowing that they will never get to pursue their dreams and that their families will always have a piece of their heart missing. prgtoken Since that horrific day, I have worked closely with many of the victims' families to ensure no family has to experience that again. prgtoken While I was Governor, we passed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act to make sure our State does everything possible to ensure this does not happen again. prgtoken Now as a U.S. Senator, I am fighting for improvements on the Federal level, including the Luke and Alex School Safety Act, named after Luke Hoyer and Alex Schachter, which builds on our work to keep schools safe. prgtoken I am also working with my colleagues to pass the bipartisan EAGLES Act, which improves school safety for our students and teachers and provides more resources to law enforcement to prevent future tragedies from happening. prgtoken While, unfortunately, we cannot bring back the lives lost on that tragic day nearly 4 years ago, I will always work to honor them and do everything in my power to protect our students and educators and ensure they have a safe environment to learn and succeed. prgtoken , as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 508, which is at the desk.
HONORING THE MEMORIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE SENSELESS ATTACK AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL ON FEBRUARY 14, 2018
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-2-9

it is hard to forget the 14th of February in the year 2018, when I was actually here in the U.S. Senate when news reports began to emerge that there had been a shooting at a school in South Florida, where I live. prgtoken I was at the time--or I am still now, but at the time, all four of my kids were in school in South Florida, and as a parent, the first thing that flashes in your mind is, Where? Which schools was it? prgtoken Fortunately, we were blessed by God's grace that it was not any of the schools that my children were in, but, sadly, there were other Floridians on that day who were impacted in ways that I think will clearly forever change their lives, but I think it has also impacted the Nation. prgtoken It is now well known what happened on that terrible day, a day of complete horror that shocked the Nation, and today, we stop and remember those who lost their lives on that day and those whose bravery saved lives on that day. prgtoken We have learned much since that day about the things that went wrong with law enforcement, with the FBI, with local authorities, and with the school district, and that work continues. The monster who committed this act is now facing the justice of the Florida court system and will soon be sentenced. prgtoken But I wanted to spend the brief time we have to talk about it here today focusing on what has happened since that day and, in particular, the extraordinary work of some of the parents of those children who lost their lives on that tragic day, because they have turned their pain into activism in ways that have had concrete and meaningful impact. prgtoken One in particular is Max Schachter and his family, who, as they dove into this, realized that there was no place where school districts could go and learn about the best practices for how to safeguard a school or any facility, for that matter. Everyone was off doing their own thing, being pitched contracts and ideas by different companies that said: We can add this, and we can give you that. But there didn't seem to be a single place where you could go and learn the best practices to ensure the safety of our students. prgtoken That began to change because of his work. He lost a son, Alex, on that day, but from that pain, he has become a national leader on the issue of a Federal clearinghouse, which now exists. prgtoken The previous administration, the administration, took executive action on it. Today, there exists a prgtoken clearinghouse that I hope we can put into statute through the Luke and Alex School Safety Act to make it permanent. It has become a resource where schools across the country are now able to, on an ongoing, real- time basis, see whether what they have in place is the highest standard and the most effective. Every time there are improvements, it is updated. It has had a meaningful impact. There are schools across this country that had vulnerabilities they didn't recognize. Those
RECOGNIZING THE MINTER FIELD AIR MUSEUM
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-2-9

. Madam , I rise today to honor the Minter Field Air Museum on the 80th anniversary of the dedication of Minter Field Army Air Corps Base. prgtoken Minter Field began operations in June of 1941. By 1942, the base had become one of the largest training bases on the west coast. Nearly 12,000 pilots received basic training and over 7,000 personnel manned the field during its years of operation. During World War II, more than 11,000 Army Air Corps Cadets graduated from Minter Field. These cadets went on to fly around the globe and in all theaters of the war. prgtoken On February 7, 1942, the base was named in honor of First Lieutenant Hugh C. Minter, a World War I veteran that lost his life in a collision over March Field in July 1932. prgtoken Minter Field Air Museum is located in the base's original fire station. The Museum has compiled a database of over 11,500 names of cadets and staff, as well as a DVD library of over 900 hours of military and aviation videos. Their preservation efforts will allow Kern County to continue to honor the veterans who trained at Minter Field Army Air Corps Base for many years to come. prgtoken I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Minter Field Air Museum for its dedication to preserving the history of Minter Field and Kern County aviation.
100TH ANNIVERSARY OF CON PAULOS CHEVROLET
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2022-2-9

along with my colleagues Senator Mike Crapo and Representative Mike Simpson, I rise to congratulate the Paulos Family on their 100th anniversary of having a Chevrolet Franchise continuously in operation. prgtoken On February 22, 1922, Con Paulos' grandfather, Gus A. Paulos, opened a Chevrolet franchise in Magna, UT. After Gus was killed in an automobile accident, his sons carried on the family business for 42 years in Utah.
Nomination of Reta Jo Lewis (Executive Calendar)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-2-9

for the past 2 years, our Nation's kids have suffered. They have suffered socially, academically, and psychologically at the hands of ic politicians, the administration, and their political bosses in the teachers unions. prgtoken Although kids are at the lowest risk of hospitalization and death from the Wuhan coronavirus, they have endured and they continue to endure some of the most excessive, extreme, and suffocating COVID restrictions of any population in our country. This treatment has been nothing short of cruel. The politicians and the neurotic public health obsessives who enforce these policies should all hang their heads in shame. prgtoken There are few things in a kid's life, outside of family and church, that are more important to them than their school. For them, open and happy schools are precious. But for teachers union bosses like Randi Weingarten, they are just useful hostages. prgtoken For the better part of a year, teachers unions shut down our schools while they shook down politicians for more funding and benefits that they promised would allow them to reopen safely. Yet they kept schools closed. They kept kids masked. prgtoken Desperate parents watched their socially isolated kids fall behind while they engaged in Zoom schools, but the unions still dragged their feet. prgtoken When schools finally reopened, our kids faced insane coronavirus protocols. They weren't allowed to sit with friends at lunch. They weren't allowed to play at recess. They had to eat outside on freezing- cold days. And every moment of every day at every school, they were forced to wear a mask. prgtoken Confused and hyper kids naturally often rebelled, and they have been reprimanded and they have been punished for simply trying to play, trying to make friends, trying to breathe a little easier. prgtoken Some parents may think that masks work for their kids, and that is fine. If they want to, they can put their kids in a mask. They should be able to choose. But under ic-forced masking policies, parents have no choice at all. Tragically, but predictably--not just predictably--predicted--these absurd policies have had severe psychological effects on our kids. Suicide and mental health problems have skyrocketed in the past 2 years. Grades have plummeted, while depression has surged. And as is so often the case, those with the least have suffered the most. prgtoken But when parents dared to complain on behalf of their kids, they were condemned by teachers union bosses and by ic politicians as anti-science and extremists. They were investigated when Attorney General Merrick Garland sicced the Feds on parents who were simply going to school boards to protest these stupid policies. The Secretary of Education threatened to withdraw Federal funding from States and schools who did not have mask mandates. prgtoken Thankfully, the tide has begun to turn. Sometimes I hear the phrase ``the scie
Supply Chain (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-2-9

one of the big drivers of our inflation crisis was ' decision to flood the economy with unnecessary government money last March with their $1.9 trillion spending bill. prgtoken Another contributor to the problem has been supply chain bottlenecks. Americans are getting pretty used to long delays in receiving the goods they have ordered, to big holes on grocery store shelves, and to being unable to rely on a store to keep a product in stock consistently. prgtoken Since the start of the pandemic, keeping goods in stock has been a challenge, but, as with the larger inflation crisis, the White House has seemed largely uninterested in addressing the problem. ``The tragedy of the treadmill that's delayed''--that was a quote of the White House Press Secretary, joking in October, a typically tone-deaf comment from an administration often oblivious to the difficulties facing ordinary Americans. prgtoken In fact, supply chain issues are not a minor inconvenience; they are a real problem. It is not easy for an already overstretched mom or dad to have to run around town trying to find essential items--items they could previously rely on one store, at least, to have in stock. Businesses are struggling to maintain their profit margins and meet the demands of their customers, particularly small businesses, which have fewer resources to work around supply chain problems. Of course, supply chain problems are helping to fuel the price hikes Americans have been facing on everything from food and clothing to furniture, to used cars and trucks. prgtoken These are facts that seem lost on the administration, which has largely ignored supply chain issues and the inflation crisis in favor of focusing on pet projects: a massive tax-and-spending spree and election legislation that it thinks will boost chances in the fall. prgtoken On top of this, the administration has taken more than one action that is making or seems likely to make our supply chain problems even worse. prgtoken Earlier this week, for example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented its entry-level driver training rule, which substantially expands training requirements for drivers seeking to obtain a commercial driver's license. The new rule is likely to make it significantly more challenging for trucking companies to train new drivers, particularly for smaller trucking companies, which may struggle to afford the enhanced training costs. prgtoken The trucking industry has been hit hard by the supply chain crisis, with drivers working longer hours with fewer resources to keep goods moving across the country. They have been heroes. This makes it a very bad time to impose new burdens on truckers and tie up trucking companies with additional redtape. prgtoken The administration should have delayed the implementation of this rule until the worst of the supply chain crisis eases. Unfortunately, the administration decided to p