mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING DIANNE FEINSTEIN
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2023-9-29

I want to offer my condolences to Dianne's family, to her colleagues in California, to the Emerita, to my colleague Senator Padilla, and to so many of our friends and colleagues who are watching today. I wanted to rise just because I am one of the newer women in the U.S. Senate, and I wanted to acknowledge the difference that Dianne Feinstein's example and work has made for me, for my constituents, for our daughters, and our granddaughters. prgtoken When I came to the Senate, the bipartisan women's dinners were long- established. I didn't have to think about how I would get to know my women colleagues and share experiences and learn the ropes from them because Dianne Feinstein and her other colleagues who were early pioneers in the Senate had already done some of that work for us. I didn't have to think about whether there was going to be a women's bathroom right off the floor that I could use just the way the men use their bathroom in quick moments because Dianne Feinstein and others had paved the way. prgtoken I didn't have to think about whether I would be accepted in the same way prgtoken that Dianne Feinstein had to because she had already done that really difficult work of being that much better than everybody else to make sure that she never let women down and that she never let her constituents down. prgtoken This morning, after Senator Murray called us and said that we are all going to be on the floor, I was rushing to get ready, and to Senator Murkowski's point, I put on different shoes than I was planning to. They were shoes that Dianne had admired. She had the same pair, and she told me they were good ones to wear. prgtoken I wore a scarf--it is not one Dianne gave me but because I thought Dianne would think it would add a little something to my presence today. In the last few months of her service, Dianne graced us with her dignity and with her friendship. She had a way of sitting down next to me in caucus lunch and checking in. She knew I had had some particular caregiving challenges at home, and she would always say to me: Who is with Ben right now? Ben is our son. How are things with the family? I am not sure people really understand that women still have family responsibilities that aren't easily transferable. prgtoken She wanted me always to know that we had made a lot of progress but that there was still progress to make. And in her way of nudging us and being an example for us, she was reminding us that we still have work to do and she was counting on us to do it. prgtoken The last meeting that my senior Senator and I had with Dianne about an issue that was really important to our State and we needed a vote on, she had been home in California recuperating, and she had just made it back to the Senate. And we went to meet with her in her hideaway, and I, frankly, didn't know what to expect. I didn't know how her health would be. She had a memo--it wasn't a short one--that laid
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-9-29

I rise to pay tribute to our colleague Dianne Feinstein, who passed away, as we all know, this morning. prgtoken As California's senior Senator and the longest serving woman Senator ever, Senator Feinstein was a trailblazer. Everyone has made that point, and it is a true, accurate, and compelling point. prgtoken In representing the country's most populous State for over three decades, she occupied the national stage as well, and for many people inside and outside this Chamber, she became the archetypal Senator: prepared, professional, pragmatic, and unfailingly civil. Californians rewarded her hard work by voting for her by wider and wider margins. prgtoken She fought hard for the things she believed in and very often succeeded, but she never bullied or belittled those who took a contrary position. Her achievements are many: the enactment of the Federal assault weapons ban in 1994, the 6-year review of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program, which prompted significant reforms in the intelligence community. She was the leader in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. She delivered for the people of California, enacting laws to protect public lands and national treasures and doing the hard work to bring stakeholders together to resolve thorny issues and complex environmental challenges in her home State. She led on national environmental issues, including legislation to improve the fuel economy of automobiles. prgtoken I had the privilege and the pleasure to get to know her. We were both members of the Aspen study group. This is an organization sponsored by the Aspen Institute of both right and left, thoughtful national security policy people. I was very honored to be asked, and Dianne was a long-term member. To listen to her insights, to listen to her analysis, along with other very thoughtful people, was incredibly helpful to me, particularly as a more junior Member of the Senate, and, of course, her hospitality, her friendship, and her decency just was so apparent there as it was here on the floor in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken In fact, as we look back, there is a very simple fact here that Dianne Feinstein influenced, in some way, every major policy challenge that this body and this Nation has faced over the last 31 years with her voice, with her vote, with her counsel, with her wisdom, with her unfailing commitment to the people of California and the people of the United States. She literally never gave up. She never stopped. prgtoken She is someone that will be remembered, truly, as one of the greatest U.S. Senators in the history of this country. It was a privilege to serve with her. On this day, I wish her family and all her loved ones the comfort of knowing what an extraordinary woman and what an extraordinary Senator Dianne Feinstein was. prgtoken With that, .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2023-9-29

I come to the floor this morning to reflect on and remember a dear friend and colleague, someone who served this Nation in this body for 30 years, someone who has already been remembered by many others as a trailblazer, someone who left a lasting one on this Senate, on her State of California, on our Nation. prgtoken When I first came to this Senate, now 13 years ago, Senator Feinstein was someone whose career I had long followed and long admired. She was elected to this body when I was a law student, in the Year of the Woman, when, following a contentious hearing, there was a concerted effort made to recruit some of the strongest, most capable potential candidates to join this body, and Senator Feinstein was certainly among those incredible leaders. prgtoken I had the honor, the blessing, of being in small rooms in negotiations with her within my first few years, and I saw behind the scenes what anyone who followed her publicly got to know about Senator Feinstein. She was tough. She was fierce. She was determined. She was prepared. She had always done the reading. She studied the details of every bill, every piece of legislation, everything we voted on. prgtoken When I had the chance to join the Appropriations Committee, and I approached her once here on the floor to ask her consent to amend the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee bill she was floor managing, she turned, stopped, and said: Are you asking my permission to file an amendment to my bill? prgtoken And somewhat haltingly, being still a very junior Senator, I said: Yes, ma'am, that is exactly what I am doing. prgtoken She smiled and laughed and said: Oh, aren't you nice. prgtoken I said: Doesn't every Senator ask your permission before they attempt to amend your bill? prgtoken She goes: No, they no longer do. But they should. prgtoken She was always dressed to the nines. She was always gracious and dignified. She exuded a quiet power that in critical moments in the history of this institution and our Nation, our country and world got to see: the chair of the Intelligence Committee, determined to make public a tectonic struggle between this body and its role and the history of interrogation techniques that she and many of us concluded were inappropriate and broke the boundaries, determined to defend the prerogatives of the Senate, even in a very difficult and charged environment. prgtoken Given her early experience in San Francisco and the tragedy that brought her from council president to mayor, she was a focused, persistent, and effective advocate for gun safety. prgtoken My friend and predecessor in this seat--now our President--President , served alongside Senator Feinstein for many, many years. Together, they worked hard to advance the Violence Against Women Act, the assault weapons ban, and dozens of other pieces of important legislation to help make our country more equitable, more inclusive, safer, and more just. <|
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2023-9-29

thank you for your patience. prgtoken I want to begin today by reiterating my sadness about the passing of our friend Senator Dianne Feinstein. prgtoken Senator Feinstein's death strikes at the heart of so many of us committed to public service, as she was. A courageous trailblazer, she stood up to powerful interest groups on behalf of her constituents and the rest of us. She was a fierce legislator, fighting to ban assault weapons, defend survivors of domestic violence, protect our Nation, and much more. But she was also a thoughtful friend. prgtoken Just last week, she wrote me a letter expressing her happiness that the banyan tree in Lahaina, badly burned by the wildfires, is starting to show signs of renewed life. She wrote: I hope that the beloved tree continues to recover and serve as a source of hope and a symbol of resilience for the entire community. prgtoken I, too, share her hope. Maui Wildfires prgtoken , it has now been 6 weeks since the fires tore through the town of Lahaina on Maui as well as several upcountry Maui communities. As the whole world has seen now, those fires were devastating, claiming nearly 100 lives and destroying close to 3,000 structures, most of them residences. Our hearts break for all those impacted by this tragedy. prgtoken Within hours of those fires, though, the Federal Government was on the ground, providing assistance and relief. In the weeks since, well over 1,000 Federal personnel have traveled to Maui to aid in the recovery efforts, and more than $125 million in individual relief has been distributed. Additionally, President requested $4 billion in disaster relief funding following the fires on top of the $12 billion he had previously requested. prgtoken As I said at the time, disaster relief has always had broad bipartisan support, and there is no reason the Maui disaster should be treated any differently. prgtoken In fact, McCarthy agreed. When he visited Lahaina less than 4 weeks ago, he said: We want to get the resources to individuals that could rebuild their life. We've got to focus on the children for the schools, get them back into the education so they don't miss out. prgtoken I couldn't agree more. prgtoken This funding is essential to our ongoing recovery efforts, but now McCarthy, in refusing to stand up to the most radical faction in his caucus--I call them the chaos caucus--is endangering these resources for Maui and other communities impacted by disasters across the country. We just heard from our majority leader what is happening in New York City even as we speak. prgtoken So, again, as we speak, the Senate is working to advance a bipartisan continuing resolution to keep government open, which includes $6 billion in disaster relief. While clearly not everything we need, it is a critical downpayment that will allow the Federal Government to continu
WELCOMING HEAD GRANTHI GIANI JASWINDER SINGH
Donald Norcross (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-9-29

it is my honor today to welcome guest chaplain, Head Granthi Giani Jaswinder Singh, who made history today as the first Sikh to serve as guest chaplain in the United States House of Representatives. prgtoken Giani Singh proudly serves the people of South Jersey at the Gurdwara in Pine Hill in my district. His spiritual leadership has helped foster a vibrant Sikh community. prgtoken The history made today by Giani Singh is a reminder that the United States welcomes and values all and will remain committed to free expression of religion. prgtoken Giani Singh has made South Jersey proud today, and it is an honor to be a part of this moment with him. I thank him for leading the prayer and for the work he does in our community each and every day.
RECOGNIZING TOMMY CONWAY
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2023-9-29

I rise to share my deepest condolences upon the passing of United Steelworkers' president, Tommy Conway, who passed away this past weekend at 71 years old. prgtoken The steelworkers of the United States, the labor movement, and our Nation have lost a true hero who helped to revitalize and reinvest in the U.S. steel industry. prgtoken As someone who spent much of my career working to save industrial America, including in Ohio and across our country, I can say that there was no greater advocate to save this lodestar, vital U.S. industry than Tommy Conway. prgtoken Tommy understood to his core what America makes and grows makes and grows America and he was absolutely committed to making things in America and making sure, as president of the United Steelworkers, that he fought every single day to protect workers, make sure they had good pay, retirement security, and safety on the job. prgtoken Tommy was dedicated to the idea that all working people should be able to live a good middle-class way of life. Something we both understood growing up in union households was what unions truly mean to workers and families--moving into the middle class. prgtoken Conway will be missed by many but never forgotten, and I hope Tommy's longtime partner, Carol, his three sons, and six grandchildren are comforted in knowing how much good he has done for so many and what a great man Tommy Conway was.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT, 2024
Yvette D. Clarke (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-9-29

I rise on this day in opposition to the continuing resolution, which includes the extreme and restrictive immigration and border security legislation, H.R. 2. prgtoken This cruel legislation would force draconian restrictions and punishments on migrants and asylum seekers and set America's immigration priorities back decades. This bill would damage the asylum system, a process millions upon millions of vulnerable and desperate people and families have long depended on for their safety and future. prgtoken Instead of putting forth legislation that can pass the Senate and avert a government shutdown, extreme s would rather hold the economy and border security hostage, throwing millions of lives into a tailspin. prgtoken Let's be clear. Any bill that would allow vulnerable migrant children to be inhumanely detained by Border Patrol for up to a month, to be ripped from their families and locked up from the world, is unacceptable. It is fundamentally un-American. prgtoken To treat innocent people who are looking for a better life in our Nation with such contempt, such vitriol, such callousness, while also making American families vulnerable in putting food on their tables, that is not leadership. It is called cowardice. prgtoken Every American, no matter how long their families have called this country their own, should be outraged at the GOP embracing the administration's failed and immoral border policies to keep the government open.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT, 2024
Marcus J. Molinaro (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-9-29

after pouring trillions of dollars into the American economy, after ignoring the crisis at our southern border, after closing schools and forcing kids to learn from home, after denying life-affirming services to young people with disabilities, we have been lectured about how great these last 2 years have been for the American people. prgtoken We have, in this very moment, the ability to avert a government shutdown and, at the same time, finally take some responsibility for reckless, wasteful Federal spending. prgtoken There is no excuse to pick the pockets of hardworking American families who are already overburdened because of inflation, the high cost of gas, the high cost of groceries, the inability to access or find a job, and running up their credit cards. prgtoken We have the ability now to avert a government shutdown, control Federal spending, and secure the border, an open border that is taking too many American children's lives because of fentanyl and destroying communities all across this country. prgtoken The mayor of New York is saying the President has ignored his call and that inaction at the border is destroying the city of New York. We have, in this very moment, the ability to avert a shutdown, respect American taxpayers, and secure the American borders.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-9-29

unless something significant changes, 35 hours from now, the Federal Government will shut down. At 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, the paychecks will stop for every soldier, every sailor, every airman, every marine, every member of the Space Force, and every coastguardsman. That is not right. prgtoken The good news is, we can prevent it. We can prevent it right now. The bill Senator Sullivan and I are trying to pass says that at 12:01 a.m our Active-Duty military will be paid; that if Washington is dysfunctional, if politicians will bicker throughout the night, that is not their fault, and we are not going to hold them hostage to the partisan demands of politicians. prgtoken Right now at home, there are people watching this debate on C-SPAN, and they may be wondering: When did the Senate get this dysfunctional? Did this institution ever operate? prgtoken Senator Sullivan pointed to a time when it at least operated a little better than it does now. prgtoken In 2013, this identical legislation was before the Senate. There was a majority. Harry Reid was the majority leader. This identical legislation passed 100 to nothing, and it passed unanimously in the House. prgtoken In 2013, Senate realized: Fine, we will have a fight, but we are not holding our Active-Duty military hostage. prgtoken In 2013, Senator Durbin, who is sitting on the floor, voted yes to fund our military. In 2013, Senator Whitehouse, who is sitting on the floor, voted yes to fund our military. In 2013, Senator Murray, who I believe is getting ready to stand up and block this bill, in 2013, she voted yes to fund our military. Have we really gone that far in a decade that now are perfectly happy to take away the paychecks from the young men and women who are risking their lives to keep us safe? prgtoken The Presiding Officer spent years in the Active-Duty military. The Presiding Officer is a proud Navy veteran. The Presiding Officer knows men and women who are serving right now in Active Duty, and I feel quite confident the Presiding Officer doesn't want to go home and look them in the eyes and say: It was my party, the ic Party, that took your paycheck away. prgtoken Well, it doesn't have to happen. prgtoken Everyone at home, I want you to listen to what is going to happen in a moment, because there are two magic words. If you hear two magic words from the Senator from Washington--``I object''--if you hear those words, understand what will have happened. It is the same thing that happened just a couple of days ago, which is that leadership said to our Active-Duty military: We don't give a damn about you, and we are going to cut off your paycheck Sunday at 12:01 a.m. prgtoken That doesn't have to happen. prgtoken By the way, I would point out not only is it the fault of every --and I am sorry, --it is the fault of every because there are no here supporting us. Th
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5525, CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT, 2024
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-9-29

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. House Resolution 741 provides for consideration of H.R. 5525, the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act, under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees, and provides one motion to recommit. prgtoken Madam , I rise today to support the underlying legislation, which fully funds programs for our Nation's veterans, servicemembers, and the Department of Homeland Security while reducing other discretionary spending. prgtoken Additionally, H.R. 5525 secures our southern border by resuming construction of the wall, increases the number of Border Patrol agents, and reforms our asylum laws to disincentivize mass illegal immigration. prgtoken Under the President's disastrous immigration policies, over 7 million illegal immigrants have entered our country, while nearly 50,000 pounds of fentanyl have flooded across our border. That is enough to kill every single person on the entire planet. This crisis must end. It will only end through efforts of House s. prgtoken Finally, this legislation includes an important provision authorized by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), which establishes a bipartisan fiscal commission that addresses our out-of-control debt. While the Senate figures out what type of clothes to wear, House s have put forth a plan which averts a government shutdown, restores fiscal responsibility, and addresses the border crisis. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support this rule, and .
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND BORDER SECURITY ENHANCEMENT ACT, 2024
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-9-29

we are here today because we think the government is going to shut down on Sunday. That is because there are supposed to be 12 separate bills that comprise our budget that were supposed to be passed by now. We have passed the four most important. Unfortunately, the Senate has not passed any, so we have to move forward from here. prgtoken We don't know what the shutdown means. I hope the press is on the ball and pays careful attention if anything is shut down that President did not shut down a few years ago. There is a lot of flexibility for Presidents to show if they are compassionate or not. If there is anything shut down that President didn't shut down, it is something we have to talk about. prgtoken Let's look at the problems we have in this country right now, two big problems. The first is what is going on at the border. We used to have about 10,000 cross the border. We are now over 200,000. We are addressing it. The American public is tired of paying more taxes and spending money and seeing an open border every night. prgtoken That is one of the reasons why we have to pass the bill. The other reason is we have to make a little bit of a dent in the out-of-control spending. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5525.