mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Biden Administration (Executive Calendar)
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-11-7

I think we are all aware that parts of our world are on fire. The world is on fire in Ukraine and in Eastern Europe, and the world is on fire in the Middle East. I wouldn't describe the world as being on fire in the Indo-Pacific, but there are certainly embers, and they are smoldering. prgtoken I think it is clear to most Americans that President Xi in China, that President Putin in Russia, and that the Ayatollah in Iran are working together, and their objective is to have Russia dominate Central and Eastern Europe and to have the Ayatollah in Iran dominate the Middle East. The Ayatollah, of course, is funding and supports Hamas. prgtoken There is no cause in the world--none--that can justify what Hamas did to the innocent people of Israel. The people of Hamas are so evil they will kill you and drink your blood out of a boot. And President Xi and President Putin and the Ayatollah in Iran are just fine with that. prgtoken The third objective of China, Russia, and Iran is to allow China to dominate the Indo-Pacific and be free to make moves in Sub-Saharan Africa and in South America. prgtoken Parts of the world are on fire. America is about to find out what it is made of because the world I just described is not a world safe for America. prgtoken But as we meet these challenges, --and by God, we will meet them. We will meet them. While we are doing that, I don't want us to forget about our homeland. We have a lot of problems domestically, and I don't want us to lose sight of them. I think about them every day. I know you do, too, . prgtoken We still have millions of Americans who are too poor to be sick despite the fact that we have the best quality of healthcare in America in all of human history. Notice I didn't say that we have the best way of delivering that healthcare. But we have the best quality of healthcare in all of human history, but we have people in this country--many of them are middle class--who are too poor to be sick. Since the Affordable Care Act passed, we were told that it was going to make our lives better, that it was going to make health insurance more accessible and cheaper. Since the Affordable Care Act was passed, health insurance premiums have tripled. prgtoken We also know domestically that our border is an open, bleeding wound. It is an open, bleeding wound, and it is within the power of this Congress to fix that. prgtoken But none of those domestic problems that I just described--and I could continue with others, as I know you could, too, --is hurting the American people as much as President 's inflation. Not a single one. President 's inflation is gutting the American people like a fish. It is a cancer--a cancer--on the American dream. prgtoken In my State alone, in Louisiana--we are not a wealthy State. My people are pretty middle class. They get up every day. They go to work. They obey the law. They try to do the right t
HONORING VIETNAM VET WALTER BUECHI
Nicholas A. Langworthy (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-11-7

. Madam , I rise to honor a Vietnam veteran and Clarence, New York, resident, Walter Buechi. prgtoken For most of his life, Walt has been dedicated to serving our country and our community. In 1965, he answered the call to serve our Nation and spent 18 months as a radio operator in Vietnam. However, his service didn't stop when he made it back home. prgtoken Instead, he joined the Clarence Fire Department, where he continued to exemplify the qualities that make him a hero in the truest sense. As a firefighter, Walt put his life on the line once again. He has gone above and beyond the call to serve, and we owe him a debt of gratitude that can never fully be repaid. prgtoken Walt is facing his next battle as he has been diagnosed with stage IV cancer. When we support veterans healthcare in this body, he is the kind of hero that we are helping. prgtoken Madam , I ask our Nation to pray for Walt. We are grateful for his remarkable contributions to our great Nation, to western New York, and to the town of Clarence.
Iran (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-11-7

44 years ago last week, shock troops chanting ``Death to America'' and ``Death to Israel'' led Iranian revolutionaries across Tehran, overran the U.S. Embassy, and took 66 Americans hostage for 444 days. Iran's war against America, the ``Great Satan,'' and Israel, the ``Little Satan,'' has continued ever since. The regime has supported Shia terrorists, Sunni terrorists, and secular terrorists. It has underwritten violence across the world, from the 1983 marine barracks bombing in Beirut, to the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing in Buenos Aires, to the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, to hundreds of attacks, masterminded by Qasem Soleimani, on U.S. forces in Iraq. prgtoken Tehran has invested its time and resources into cultivating the terrorists of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic jihad. The Iranian regime bears responsibility for their savagery. It is also responsible for more than 100 attacks on U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq and Syria just since President took office. These attacks have spiked since October 7. prgtoken Two weeks ago, an Iranian-made suicide drone hit a U.S. military barracks in Iraq. Thankfully, the drone's explosive payload failed to detonate. But the message it sent about the state of President 's deterrence of the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism was as clear as day. prgtoken In recent weeks, U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted at least another 38 times with lethal force, and more than 40 servicemembers have been injured. Let me say that again. Iran-backed terrorists have attacked U.S. forces at least 38 times since October 7. prgtoken U.S. personnel are, of course, not the only targets of the Iranian war on Western influence in the Middle East. America's Arab allies have endured repeated attacks as well. This ongoing siege is not the behavior of an adversary that is being effectively deterred. prgtoken How we got here is no mystery. When the administration took office, it rushed to restore a failed nuclear agreement with an Iranian regime that had long since proven it wasn't to be trusted. When Iran- backed Houthi rebels killed three people at an airport in the UAE and aimed two ballistic missiles at its capital last year, the administration responded with silence. prgtoken In response to the latest wave of attacks on U.S. forces, the President authorized a strike on an ammunition facility. His Secretary of State felt compelled to reiterate that ``we are not looking for conflict with Iran.'' Clearly, Iran is looking for conflict with us. The Iranian regime is working hard to kill Americans, undermine our influence, and sow chaos among our allies, and so far, you would have to say they are succeeding. prgtoken Hamas and Palestinian Islamic jihad perpetrated the deadliest day of violence against Jews since the Holocaust. Hezbollah stands ready, at Iran's behest, to escalate this conflict into a two-front war. Years
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR ANDREA L. MAY
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2023-11-7

I rise today to honor a great American and an exceptional member of the U.S. Air Force, Maj. Andrea May. prgtoken As an Air Force Senate legislative liaison officer, from June 2021 to May 2023, Andrea performed her duties with exceptional professionalism during the 117th and 118th U.S. Congresses. Andrea distinguished herself through her professional character and dedication by serving this Nation in uniform, leading the division's collaboration with the Senate Space Force Caucus, coordinating six events critical to educating Members and their staff on the Department of Defense's newest service, and helping to advocate for Space Force priorities. Her efforts helped solidify the establishment of the U.S. Space Force, ensured the confirmation of the 26th Air Force Secretary, and secured the Department of the Air Force's support of the national defense strategy in our return to Great Power Competition. prgtoken A motivated leader and thoughtful relationship builder, Andrea expertly conveyed Department of the Air Force positions on the Air Force Future Design that included the future bomber, tanker, and fighter force. Andrea's direct support provided the U.S. Senate critical information necessary for two National Defense Authorization Acts. Additionally, Andrea served as a liaison between the Department of the Air Force and 19 U.S. Senate offices, including mine. When I had concerns, she was the airman with whom I spoke to address them. Andrea helped ensure that the airmen and guardians of North Dakota were well cared for and that their concerns and interests were known to the leadership of the Department of the Air Force. prgtoken In her role as a liaison for the Air Force, she also coordinated responses to more than 200 requests for information and led delegations for 70 Senators, Representatives, and congressional staff on visits to showcase Department equities across the United States and abroad, to include the bicameral Reagan National Defense Forum. Andrea's significant efforts led to successful engagements between this governing body and senior Department of Defense officials, including the Secretary of the Air Force. All of these engagements helped U.S. Senators understand defense equities and their impact on national security. Due to her direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensured the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded. prgtoken Lastly, Major May was also responsible for helping prepare the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, and other senior leaders for more than 80 engagements with Senators and their staff and three Senate Armed Services Committee hearings. After serving in this crucial role and becoming a fixture on Capitol Hill, Andrea recently moved on to serve as a pilot in the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews. prgtoken I am thank
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-11-7

Congress is considering a transportation appropriations bill right now as we speak. It is critical that we don't give another dime to California's failed high-speed rail project that has sought money year after year after year from the Federal level. prgtoken Indeed, this document does not provide any new money for the high- speed rail project, but they are certainly seeking it. There are reportedly proposals for $3 billion requested by Governor Newsom and even reportedly asks of a possible $28 billion, which is what they really seek. prgtoken Let's go back just a little bit to learn the history of this project. In 2008, a proposition was passed on California's ballot with the idea to build a high- prgtoken speed rail system from San Francisco to L.A. The voters were told the cost would be $33 billion. Okay. There would have to be a high-speed rail that would go from the two cities at approximately 220 miles an hour and get the job done in approximately 3 hours or less. It has fallen far short of those goals. prgtoken They only have to have one high-speed train a day go in order to be eligible to be called a high-speed train. Otherwise, it is going to be a commuter line stopping in every little burg along the way. As it is turning out, from San Francisco to San Jose, it looks they are going to use local electric rail. Passengers would need to jump on a train in San Jose and then take it down to an undetermined point in southern California and perhaps jump on another train there. prgtoken We were talking about this last night in the debate, and I mentioned that you could take a Southwest Airlines plane and already be on the beach and have half a sunburn before you could get off the high-speed rail at that point. prgtoken What is the cost these days? That is the interesting part. In 2008, $33 billion is what they were sold. A year later, they adjusted the price up to $42 billion. Not long after that, when I was still in the State legislature, they actually admitted the price then would be $97 billion. Today's estimates show it to be $128 billion. prgtoken How much construction is finished on it? The voters were told in 2008 that it would be ready to go by 2020. Well, it is 2023, and not a single mile of track has been laid. They have some bridges and aqueducts already built around Fresno and such, but it is nowhere near being completed. prgtoken They are trying to do it in segments, so they are doing the Central Valley segment because, as they said at the time--this is pretty funny--they can build it in the Central Valley, there are fewer people there, so there is less resistance to having it built. They are going to do a segment from Merced to Bakersfield, where it ends up in an orchard somewhere as the terminus. At this point, we are finding they need $28 billion just to complete that segment, not the entire thing. prgtoken It has been a boondoggle from the beginning, with lies basically from the rail authority
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
John Boozman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-11-7

I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Peter Jensen, an AARP 2024 Purpose Prize honoree. This national honor recognizes individuals who are using their life experience to make a positive difference. prgtoken Seeing a problem with mental health care access for children, Dr. Jensen founded the REACH Institute in 2006. This nonprofit organization ensures effective and scientifically proven care reaches children and their families. REACH trains primary care providers, therapists, and other health professionals to diagnose and treat young patients. prgtoken As a result of this innovative way to connect providers and patients, more than 6,000 pediatricians and physicians in all 50 States have been trained to be ``first responders'' to children with mental health needs. prgtoken Dr. Jensen's health challenges as a child shaped an interest in psychology and inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. He earned a medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and has served in leading research and education roles including for Child and Adolescent Research at the National Institute of Mental Health, the Mayo Clinic, and a professor at Columbia University and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. prgtoken Arkansas is fortunate to have an exceptional, selfless leader like Dr. Jensen who identified a problem and implemented a solution to improve patient care and outcomes. His passion and commitment offer an excellent example for others to follow. prgtoken I applaud AARP for recognizing Dr. Jensen's work to build a better future. Dr. Jensen demonstrates what it truly means to go above and beyond for others. I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor and his positive impact. His remarkable achievements offer a model of success that will help patients for generations to come.
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2023-11-7

soulless, disgusting, sickening, reprehensible, and repulsive--these are not my words but the words of my ic colleagues when asked about the decision of 15 Members who refused to condemn Hamas' brutal terror attacks on innocent Israelis. prgtoken Some of those 15 didn't stop there. Several of these Members have gone on to use their massive platforms to accuse Israel of apartheid, genocide, and war crimes. This rhetoric by Members of Congress is not only careless, it is dangerous. prgtoken American cities and the cities around the world have been flooded with anti-Israeli protests. Protestors scream for an intifada. They demand a cleansing of Jews from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, the destruction of Israel, and the destruction of the United States of America. prgtoken They ripped down the pictures of Jewish children and Jewish babies being held hostage in Gaza. It is reprehensible. It is unacceptable. prgtoken Hamas is a terrorist organization that does not care about the Palestinian people. Their goal is to wipe Israel from the face of the Earth. Babies were burned alive. Babies were beheaded. Women were raped, beaten, displayed, and then murdered. Children, mothers, grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers, they were all killed. prgtoken Anyone who supports this or refuses to condemn it has no place in the United States Congress. I don't like censure--I hate censure--but we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere. We do not entertain hate in this Congress. We confront it, and we must do it with absolute conviction. prgtoken This is not a freedom of speech issue. This is an issue of the Congress of the United States having the right to say this is wrong. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this.
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Richard McCormick (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-11-7

I know there is a lot of passion today. I heard a lot of screaming. I heard a lot of accusations, you could say, on both sides. prgtoken I don't really care what race, religion, or gender orientation you are. Where I come from in the Marine Corps, we are all shades of green, and we all bleed red. That is the truth. I just care about the person who has my back. prgtoken When I was student body president at Morehouse School of Medicine, I was elected by my peers--60 percent females, 80 percent Black, 95 percent liberal. Why? I was elected because I love people. I love people of all sorts. This isn't about who you are. It is about what you represent, what this body represents. That is what this debate is about. prgtoken If this is not worthy of censure, I don't know what it is. Representative Tlaib has stoked anti-Semitism in this Nation and undermined our national security. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to support this resolution to show the world, especially our adversaries, that the United States stands behind our allies and will not back down to terrorists. prgtoken , .
Israel (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-11-7

1 month ago today, Hamas launched its unprovoked attack on the State of Israel, on innocent men, women, and children, civilians all. Hamas entered the country by land, air, and sea, and they brutally murdered more than 1,400 Israelis. They also took hundreds of hostages, some of whom were American citizens. They abused and assaulted innocent civilians and left a trail of devastation in their wake. prgtoken In the face of Hamas's barbaric attack, Israel has done what any country would do and defended its citizens and its sovereignty, and it has every right to do so. This basic truth has somehow become a point of confusion in some circles, but we should not be confused. prgtoken Many on the far left--including at least one Member of the House of Representatives--have pointed to Israel's defense as an example of what she calls genocide. They act as though Israel was the aggressor here, not Hamas. They called on the President to speak out against the actions of the victim, not the aggressor. It is as though they think Israel is somehow the moral equivalent of the terrorist group Hamas. prgtoken It is especially disturbing to see this rhetoric spreading on social media because many people who were not familiar with the facts, the circumstances, and the history of Hamas and Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah--they may actually believe the disinformation and propaganda they see on social media. It is also very deeply disturbing to see how it is absorbed and embraced by many college campuses, and it is downright disturbing, of course, to see it repeated here in the Halls of Congress. prgtoken There should be no confusion. Hamas is the aggressor, and Hamas bears ultimate responsibility for the pain and suffering in Israel and in Gaza. Hamas's own tactics are the very reason for the loss of life in Gaza and that it has been so high, because these terrorists, who care nothing about the individuals, have a long history of using Palestinian civilians as human shields for their own benefit. prgtoken And then Hamas operates a vast network of tunnels underneath Gaza. The tunnels shield terrorists from the dangerous fighting above ground. They also store critical supplies like water, food, and fuel, which are being kept from the Palestinian civilians. As many of us are concerned about the humanitarian disaster caused by Hamas's attack on Israel, it is Hamas itself that is exacerbating and making the humanitarian crisis worse. prgtoken It seems likely that the tunnels are also the hiding place for more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas last month. A video recently shared online of a Hamas gunman who was captured and interrogated by the Israeli officials was particularly revealing. He said that Hamas shelters in tunnels and basements under clinics, schools, and hospitals because they know the Israelis will not target those locations out of concern for the collateral damage or damage to innocent civilians. That is why Ham
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Max L. Miller (Republican, OH) \u2014 2023-11-7

I rise today at what I think is a very serious moment for our country and for the world. prgtoken Hate and anti-Semitism are on the rise. Our strongest ally and great friend, Israel, is under siege at the hands of brutal terrorists. As a member of the United States Marines, I know when a Member of the House of Representatives is echoing a line that is a clear call to murder Jews and push Israel off the map--``from the river to the sea.'' prgtoken To be clear, ``from the river to the sea,'' as someone who is Jewish, means to exterminate my people. Never again. prgtoken , the ADL recently reported that anti-Semitic incidents rose by roughly 400 percent in the 2 weeks following Hamas' evil attack on Israel, which began 1 month ago today. prgtoken There is no question that these incidents are a direct result of the hate-filled lies and anti-Semitic rhetoric perpetuated by Members of this body--``from the river to the sea.'' prgtoken What exactly does that mean, ``from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.'' I am happy to educate all of you. It means the extermination of the Jewish people. prgtoken I understand that my colleague, the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib), thinks that this is some kind of aspirational message. It is a joke. prgtoken , I do think that this is an aspirational message. But it is not an aspiration of peaceful coexistence. It is an aspiration to the erasure of the State of Israel and its people, the Jewish people who call it home and who have been refugees since the very beginning of time. prgtoken It is an aspiration to the genocide of Jews. prgtoken , I believe strongly that Members of this body should be able to speak their minds freely, but I also think there should be consequences for those who would use their platforms to perpetuate garbage that puts any American at risk especially because of their religion. prgtoken , I believe that actions have consequences, and I believe that after a long string of anti-Semitic remarks and hate-filled rhetoric, censure is an appropriate consequence for the gentlewoman from Michigan. prgtoken Never again, damn it, means never again.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4664, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Erin Houchin (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-11-7

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , the sky is not falling. I would remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that the spending levels in this bill are the same as they were just 10 months ago. The sky was not falling then, and the sky is not falling now. prgtoken We are talking about cuts to some agencies, agencies that are intent on overregulating our small and midsize banks out of business. prgtoken If our colleagues on the left would have their way, we would have three major national banks and no access to community lending. prgtoken I certainly think my constituents would rather have access to their community banks than worry about how much funding level we are giving those agencies. prgtoken Madam , I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy).