mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING ROBERTA DuTEIL
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2024-3-19

I rise today to recognize the 102nd Birthday of Bartonville, Texas resident and World War II Navy veteran, Roberta Maxwell Richardson DuTeil. Mrs. DuTeil was born on January 10, 1922, in Waycross, GA. prgtoken In 1943, after graduating from the University of Alabama, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy. She trained first at the Midshipman's School then the Communications School, graduating with the rank of Ensign. Stationed at the U.S. Naval Base Headquarters, Terminal Island, CA, she worked rotating shifts around the clock, covering communications for Navy and Army installation in the area. Roberta was honorably discharged from active duty on May 11, 1946, at the rank of Lt (jg) and continued to serve in the Navy Reserves until March 1953. prgtoken Roberta married Army Captain Claude DuTeil in 1946 and supported his call to the ministry as he attended and graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary before being ordained as an Episcopal Priest. Over the next four decades, the DuTeils ministered to congregations in Hawaii and established a full-scale homeless shelter. Upon retirement, the couple moved to Bartonville to be close to their family. prgtoken Roberta has been very active in her church and local communities, supporting many charities. She is always proud to participate in patriotic celebrations and has served as a highlighted participant in the annual Double Oak Fourth of July parade. I was pleased to present her with the 26th District Congressional Veteran Commendation in 2016. prgtoken It was a privilege to join the Town of Bartonville for the special celebration of Roberta ``Tutu'' DuTeil's 102nd birthday on March 13, 2024. I request that my colleagues join me in commending Mrs. DuTeil's service on the mission field and military service to our Nation.
BIDEN'S ENERGY CRISIS
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2024-3-19

last week, President offered a budget that fails to address the concerns of the American people. prgtoken Instead of working to secure our border, get a handle on inflation, and grow our economy, this budget proposal offers handouts to the far left, it grows bureaucracy, and it wastes taxpayers' dollars. prgtoken Instead of working to cut spending, this bill would include $4.9 trillion in new taxes and spend $86 trillion over the next 10 years. prgtoken Worst of all, this budget fails to secure our border. Instead of directing funds toward border security, President has allocated $4 billion in the Homeland Security budget for Green New Deal climate initiatives. The climate that he should be addressing is the porous open border that brings drugs and crime into our country. prgtoken It is clear that this administration is more focused on growing its agencies, investing in liberal policies, and spending trillions of taxpayer dollars at the same time that our debt continues to spiral out of control. This is all unacceptable.
RECOGNIZING LeadAR
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2024-3-19

I rise today to recognize the 40th anniversary prgtoken of LeadAR, a hands-on program that brings together dedicated individuals from across Arkansas to empower their communities and initiate positive change. prgtoken LeadAR has helped educate and build a network of Natural State leaders who share the common goal of bettering their communities. prgtoken As a champion of leadership development in the Natural State, the program gives participants an opportunity to connect with peers from different backgrounds who call a variety of rural, agriculture, and larger communities home in order to facilitate an understanding of the unique needs across our State. prgtoken Participants take part in a number of seminars and team-building exercises throughout the year in multiple settings. I have had the opportunity to visit with LeadAR classes during the trip each takes to Washington, DC, and share how we work together with local communities and the State to support the needs of citizens, including encouraging economic growth and development. prgtoken Alumni of this organization include individuals from all walks of life. Professionals including educators, farmers, to local elected leaders and more have benefited from the excellent leadership principles LeadAR teaches. Over the course of 18 months, these Arkansans acquire even more tools and skills to enrich their own careers and enhance the civic contributions their families, friends, and neighbors value. prgtoken As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize the impact it has made in the lives of participants and the progress it has helped inspire in communities across the State. prgtoken I appreciate the guidance of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service for successfully coordinating this program so it continues to be a distinguished activity citizens strive to be part of. I look forward to supporting LeadAR for many years to come and celebrating the next generation of participants who are developing their vision for a stronger Arkansas.
RECOGNIZING BROWNS CENTURY THEATER
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2024-3-19

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Browns Century Theater of Le Mars, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken In 2000, siblings Adam, Michaela, and Andrew partnered with their mother Shelly to start a music group called The Browns. The Brown family is originally from Le Mars but took their music talents around the United States, Canada, and Europe. In 2015, after touring for 15 years, the Browns returned home to Iowa and purchased the historic German-American Savings Bank building in downtown Le Mars. The theater seats 150 people and now includes the Central Event Center for dining, the Inn on Central for visiting guests, and the Gift Shoppe. The Browns Century Theater seasonally employs between 9 to 12 employees and has hosted 100 shows every year since its opening, featuring the family's music and other artists from across the country. prgtoken In addition to owning a small business, The Browns host a reality TV show called ``Hometown with The Browns'' on their YouTube channel. The first episode of their show details the renovations they did to the German-American Savings Bank to convert it into the Browns Century Theater. Their daughter Michaela creates cooking videos for the family channel and is also the author of three cookbooks. The Browns have recorded 2 dozen albums and often perform special shows in addition to their hits, including songs like ``Oh, My Iowa!'' prgtoken The Brown family has deep roots in Le Mars and proudly owns a more than a century-old farm. Michaela Brown served as the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce president in 2022, and Adam Brown served on the Plymouth County Fair board in 2023. The Browns have performed at the Christmas in Hometown event since its inception in 2020, the Plymouth County Fair, and Ice Cream Days. In addition to performing for and supporting their community, Adam Brown played as a linebacker and defensive end for the Sioux Empire Crusaders of the Southern Plains Football League. prgtoken The Browns are well recognized for their hard work. Shelly Brown was awarded the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award in 2019. The Browns Century Theater was awarded the Community Impact Award in 2023 and the Business of the Year Award in 2017 by the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce. Their music has earned them Dove Award nominations and a place in the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. Due to their incredible efforts, The Browns celebrated their 24th anniversary of performing together and their ninth anniversary of owning the Browns Century Theater in 2024. prgtoken The Brown family's commitment to Le Mars, the gospel music industry, and their family business is clear. I want to congratulate the Brown family and the entire team at Bro
Israel (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2024-3-20

we have heard some concerning statements on Israel in recent days from leading . prgtoken Last Thursday, the ic leader came to the floor to deliver a speech in which he took the extraordinary step of calling for a regime change in Israel. That is right. The ic leader of the U.S. Senate, who has, in the past, fiercely decried the prospect of foreign interference in U.S. elections, decided to insert himself into the internal electoral politics of a sovereign nation and a close U.S. ally. It was an incredibly troubling moment. prgtoken As I said, it wasn't the only troubling statement lately from a leader. The President has also recently inserted himself into Israeli decision making by criticizing Israel's war plan and saying it would be a ``red line'' for Israel to go after Hamas strongholds in Rafah on the southern border of Gaza--in effect telling Israel that Hamas should be allowed to continue to hold this region. prgtoken Both the President and the leader are entitled to their personal strategic opinions and their personal opinions on Israel's leadership. What they are not entitled to is to attempt to dictate the election process or the strategic planning of a sovereign nation. prgtoken There would be justifiable outrage if one of our allies attempted to dictate to our country when we should hold elections and whom we should choose to lead us. It is equally offensive for U.S. leaders to attempt to dictate war planning or election outcomes to one of our allies. prgtoken I also have to wonder where the similar statements are on, for example, Iran. Iran has been fomenting terror across the Middle East for decades--Hezbollah, the Houthis, Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and, of course, Hamas. prgtoken Hamas gets approximately 90 percent of its military budget from Iran. There is reason to wonder whether Hamas would even have had the capability to carry out its October 7 attack without its history of support from Iran. There is certainly reason to wonder what the Middle East would look like today if Iran hadn't spent decades funding and arming terrorist organizations. prgtoken Yet, in his entire State of the Union Address, the President mentioned Iran only once. The same goes for last week's speech from the leader. Where are the redlines for Iran, the calls for regime change? For that matter, where are the redlines for Hamas? Because, let's remember, that is how we ended up here. Israel didn't attack Hamas; Hamas attacked Israel. prgtoken President himself has noted that October 7's brutal attack against Israeli civilians was the deadliest day for the Jewish people literally since the Holocaust. More than 1,100 individuals were killed. More than 240 hostages were taken, and 130 of those hostages still-- still--remain in Gaza, including 5 American citizens. This was not a war of Israel's making; the current war is the r
Unanimous Consent Request (Executive Session)
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2024-3-20

in wrapping up my remarks, I just want to say this is unfortunate. We owe it to each other and we owe it to those we represent to actually discuss and debate the merits of legislation before being forced to pass it. prgtoken The fact that there is bipartisan agreement as to final numbers doesn't mean that most Senators have even seen the bill. They have not. They have kept it secret from us and from those we represent. It is simply disingenuous to suggest that this has been agreed upon long ago. prgtoken We need at least a few days to do this. That is why I am asking that we extend the spending period out to April 12. That would give us time to do that. It is unfortunate we didn't get that agreement today. We will be back. prgtoken Thank you.
RECOGNIZING EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY, THE EAGLECAM CUBESAT CAMERA SYSTEM, AND THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2024-3-20

I rise today to recognize Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the EagleCam CubeSat Camera System, and the students and faculty who are tirelessly working on this project. EagleCam is a camera attached to the Odysseus Lunar Lander with the goal of capturing the world's first third-person views of a spacecraft landing on the Moon and is the first university-built payload on the Moon. prgtoken The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University EagleCam Roster includes: Shania Melton, Vikas Patel, Emelia Kelly, Sam Horine, Daniel Posada, Daniel Lopez, Roberto Cuellar, Chris Hays, Alex Sholl, Bella Ruiz, Adrian Moraga, Taylor Yow, Joe Nicolich, Andrew Ankeny, Mohammed Effendi, Jarred Jordan. Jayaprakash Shivakumar, Grace Robertson, Hudson Merrick, Aryslan Malik, Madhur Tiwari, Tim Cole, David Zuehlke, Dalton Korczyk, Noemi Miguelez, Kevin Pepin, Justin Parkhurst, Sabrina Yepez, Dr. Troy Henderson, Dr. Eduardo Rojas, Dr. llhan Akbas, Dr. Jennifer Smith. prgtoken I congratulate everyone involved in this project and encourage them to continue building on their success as the United States continues its mission to once again put men on the Moon.
Israel (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-3-20

more than 5 months after the butchery of October 7, Israelis are overwhelmingly united behind their government's unity war Cabinet in support of ongoing military operations against Hamas. By contrast, some prominent American are increasingly vocal in their belief that Israel's unity government and Israeli voters are wrong. prgtoken That is, after all, what we are talking about here. As much as some of our colleagues might like them to be, ' egregious and hypocritical attempts to influence Israeli domestic politics aren't some simple or narrow critique of a particular Prime Minister; they are an affront to the very independence of the State of Israel--a sovereign nation, a robust democracy, and one of America's closest allies and friends; not a colony, not a vassal state, not some appendage of our own domestic politics. prgtoken As I said last week, our ic colleagues don't have an anti- Bibi problem; they have an anti-Israel problem. What else are we supposed to make of the way have fallen in line behind the position the ic leader expressed here on the floor last week? It is absurd enough for American Senators to masquerade as duly-elected members of the Knesset, as if their views should have any bearing on how Israel conducts its domestic politics. But unfortunately it now seems important to remind our President that he is America's Commander in Chief, not some supreme allied commander with authority over Israel's war operations. prgtoken I was worried to see the U.S. intelligence community opine publicly last week on the stability of the Israeli Government. It seems to me we should ask our intelligence professionals to keep their assessments of our closest partners a bit closer to their chest. prgtoken Think about just how embarrassing our colleagues would find this behavior if it was directed toward any other democratic U.S. ally. Think about how we might be received if the DNI or the CIA Director publicly commented on political tensions within Germany's coalition government or on the decision-making processes of President Macron or on the declining public support for the Trudeau government in Canada. prgtoken America is best served when our intelligence professionals refrain from public comments on politics--both our own and our allies. prgtoken The war thrust upon Israel by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad has already brought a host of profoundly embarrassing revelations to light. prgtoken It has exposed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency as irredeemably corrupt and appallingly complicit in both the violent kidnapping of Israelis and the indoctrination of Palestinians in a culture of hate, violence, and terror. prgtoken It has exposed the rank anti-Semitism that America's most elite universities have allowed to fester on their campuses and some of these institutions' weakening grasp on moral resolve. prgtoken Now it is exposing as u
PROTECTING AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION ACT
Pete Stauber (Republican, MN) \u2014 2024-3-20

the balance of my time. prgtoken , I would like to cite a 2019 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute. Their research shows a ban on fracking would eliminate 19 million jobs between 2021 and 2025 while simultaneously reducing the U.S. gross domestic product by $7.1 trillion over that same period. prgtoken The Global Energy Institute's research also shows that over the same 2021 through 2025 timeframe, energy prices would skyrocket, with natural gas prices rising by 324 percent, causing household energy bills for the average American to quadruple and the cost of living to increase by $5,600. Additionally, the price of gasoline would double, and government revenues would plummet by almost $2 trillion. prgtoken With these sobering facts in mind, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 1121 to prevent the worst case scenario from becoming our reality. prgtoken , .
Nicholas A. Langworthy (Republican, NY) \u2014 2024-3-20

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Reschanthaler), my colleague on the Rules Committee, for yielding me the time. prgtoken Contrary to what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim, this legislation before us today is about building a cleaner, more secure, more affordable energy future, where the United States is not dependent on foreign countries for its energy needs. prgtoken Let me be perfectly clear. The greatest beneficiary of the administration's regulatory onslaught on our Nation's energy sector is China, the Communist country of China. The ones who will pay the biggest cost for President and the left's asinine energy policies are the American people. prgtoken The climate agenda that the left is pushing onto this country through the administration and through in my own State of New York will leave the American people poorer, less secure, and with fewer opportunities, full stop. prgtoken Who benefits the most from this administration's new rules on mineral leasing that make it more difficult for the United States to produce its energy and resource needs domestically? China, our biggest adversary and a country that cares little for the environmental health of our world. prgtoken When my ic colleagues claim that this legislation before us today will somehow loosen protections on our environment and keep our country away from reaching some arbitrary goals set by this administration, don't be fooled. prgtoken If this administration or the radical left actually cared about our global environment, my ic colleagues wouldn't be putting up roadblocks to safer, cleaner domestic energy production as are doing with the Bureau of Land Management's newest rules on mineral leasing. prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle wouldn't be banning safe, job-creating hydraulic fracturing to produce cleaner, reliable natural gas as New York State have done, robbing communities across my district of incredible economic opportunities. prgtoken The left wouldn't be pushing Americans toward a battery-powered future while making it nearly impossible for our country to produce these very batteries, down to refining the rare earth minerals, domestically. prgtoken in Washington, Albany, and elsewhere, despite their talk of a cleaner future, are leaving us more dependent on foreign countries, including our biggest adversary, China, which has no qualms about pumping buckets of pollution into the air. prgtoken , energy future supported by my colleagues across the aisle is hypocritical, impossibly expensive for everyday Americans, and leaves this country at the mercy of foreign imports to satisfy our energy needs. prgtoken I strongly support this underlying legislation before us today because it will turn the ship around and ensure that our energy future is about economic opportunities, domestic security, and affordability for every
Border Security (Executive Calendar)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2024-3-20

last month, an illegal alien from Venezuela was arrested for allegedly murdering Laken Riley, a 22-year- old nursing student, while she went for a run on the University of Georgia campus. The suspected murderer, 26-year-old Jose Ibarra, should have never been allowed to set foot in our country. But the administration paroled him into America after he illegally crossed the southern border, along with more than 2 million other migrants who are now eligible for work authorizations and benefits from the Federal Government. prgtoken That is the difference. When someone gets paroled, they get benefits. They get work permits. And while President and President each paroled only about 5,600 people a year, President paroled 800,000 in 2022 and 1.2 million in 2023. prgtoken When you look at this, what you can say is that this administration failed Laken Riley. They failed her more than once. prgtoken Also, when you look at sanctuary city policies, what you know is this: that New York City, with their sanctuary city policies, failed Laken Riley. Athens, GA, another sanctuary city, failed Laken Riley. prgtoken Last year, in New York City, Ibarra was arrested for reckless endangerment of a child. But instead of working with Federal law enforcement to get him deported for his heinous crime, city officials there, in New York City, released him before Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, could request his custody. prgtoken A month later, police in Athens, GA--whose city government passed a resolution in 2019 welcoming illegal immigrants ``of all statuses''-- released Ibarra after he shoplifted hundreds of dollars in goods. prgtoken It is no coincidence that both New York City and Athens, GA, are sanctuary cities. In sanctuary cities across the country, we have seen illegal aliens commit crimes with impunity, as local governments refuse to work with law enforcement to deport criminal illegal aliens. prgtoken Just last month, the New York Post reported that the violent Venezuelan gang is directing its members to come to our southern border, apply for asylum, and, once waved into the country, establish robbery rings in major U.S. cities. I couldn't believe this. prgtoken Then, as I talked to law enforcement in Tennessee, I found out that those gangs are there. They are moving in. And I was so surprised that we had gangs, in addition to MS-13, that have come in on parole status and also as asylum seekers. prgtoken Gang members are recruiting migrants in New York City shelters to join their operations in which they steal phones from innocent bystanders so they can resell those phones in Colombia. prgtoken In Chicago, another sanctuary city, authorities are tracking the gang's growing crime network, which includes human trafficking, drug smuggling, and sexual exploitation. prgtoken No city in America should be allowed to make illegal immigration legal and harbor criminal illegal aliens. They ou