mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IN RECOGNITION OF JILL SELLERS
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-23

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Jill Sellers on her new role as the Executive Director of Main Street Gettysburg, a non-profit organization committed to the preservation and revitalization of historic Gettysburg. prgtoken In this new role, Jill will collaborate with community leaders and volunteers to steward the mission of Main Street Gettysburg. Since first visiting Gettysburg two decades ago, Jill has been a passionate advocate for this town and community. prgtoken Jill has extensive leadership and management experience. Prior to moving to Adams County, Jill founded a public relations firm and served as the President of the Weston County Hospital in Wyoming. Earlier in her career, she served as an intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency as a program manager for Northrop Grumman. Jill is a graduate of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, where she earned a master's degree in international policy. prgtoken Jill Sellers will be an incredible partner to small businesses and the tourism community in Adams County. I congratulate Jill on this new chapter, and I look forward to working alongside her to serve the Gettysburg community.
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-3-24

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-3-24

I rise today to join my colleagues. At this juncture, it is hard to find the words. How many more shootings, how many more individuals have to die before we take action? And I rise because the Senator--my colleague, the great Senator from Connecticut--was identifying these names as a form of prayer, which I could not have said that better, because this is about recognizing those we have lost in order to prevent future loss of life. prgtoken So I join them to recognize individuals across the country and in my home State of Nevada who have lost their lives: Vincent Brown of Colorado; Zaimier Bell of New Jersey; Anthony Stanley of Missouri; Bao Yang, Minnesota; Daisy Navarrete of Texas; David Camacho, Rhode Island; Deonte Minor, Washington, DC; Ronald B. Williams from Indiana. All of these individuals were killed by gun violence. And just those names would be too many. Yet they represent a few and a heartbreakingly long list of victims, families, and communities whose lives have been ripped apart by senseless gun violence just this year. prgtoken Sadly, my home State of Nevada has been no stranger to this pain. In Las Vegas, on October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of thousands of people at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. He killed 58 people that night. Two more victims have since died from injuries they received that evening. And hundreds, hundreds more were injured-- people who just wanted to enjoy an evening of celebration with their friends and family. prgtoken I know the fear and the trauma that so many families experienced that day. My niece was at that concert, and my family and I are incredibly grateful that she made it home safely. But I will never forget--never forget--on that Monday after the horrific shooting that took place, sitting at the Reconciliation Center in Las Vegas with the families, with the parents, the uncles, the aunts, the siblings, who were waiting to find out what happened to their loved one. prgtoken Can you imagine? It is the most horrific thing any family member could go through. You are waiting to hear what happened to your family member--your child, your son, daughter, your niece, your nephew, your father, your mother--and you are hoping that as time and the clock ticks away, your child is not one that is in the backroom with a coroner right now. prgtoken I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it was to be with those families and talking to them and the fear and the anxiety and the helplessness and the hope that still they clung to that they would find out that their child or their brother or their mother or sister was really safe somewhere in one of the hospitals in Las Vegas. prgtoken No one can imagine that, and no one should have to imagine it. And no one should ever have to go through that. But that is what families and loved ones have been going through over the years because of the senseless gun violence that is happening across this country. <|p
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-3-24

I am honored to follow my colleagues Senators Murphy and Bennet, two fellow champions of this cause. prgtoken Again, again, we have stood here so many times to advocate for measures that very simply would make Americans safe. prgtoken And I don't accept that it will be our last gasp. I don't accept that we will ever go away, that we will ever abandon this cause, no matter how long and how hard it is. prgtoken Senator Murphy and I were in Sandy Hook the afternoon of that massacre. We went through an excruciatingly heartbreaking, gut- wrenching, stunning experience, but nothing compared to the children who were taken out of the school. Nothing compared to the teachers who shepherded them. Nothing compared to anyone who lived through it or the emergency responders who had to see the scene of carnage that day and, of course, nothing approaching the trauma of parents and loved ones. prgtoken So our club, as he called it, is one that pales in significance to the club of survivors and victims. It is more than the names we read tonight. It is the children who take cover when that code is rung. It is the teachers who suffer the apprehension of wondering whether that day will be the one when there is a shooter. It is the parents of all children who send their kids to school and wonder whether, at the end of the day, they will see them again. At some level, maybe not all, maybe not prgtoken always, not every day, but that fear in the gut, that powerfully important apprehension is there for many. prgtoken When I was in elementary school, the fear was of nuclear annihilation. And the drills we did were to dive beneath our desks, as though somehow those desks could be protected in the midst of a nuclear attack. Absurd as it seems looking back, every one of us, during those years, wondered would that be the day. And on the days before the Cuban missile crisis, it became more real than ever. prgtoken And for that generation, it was the fear For this generation, gun violence is the fear that lurks constantly in the heart, in the back of the mind, and always a presence. prgtoken The names that we are going to read tonight are a very partial list of the injuries because we are reading the ones who died, but many others were injured severely and horrifically: bones shattered, flesh torn, futures changed forever, and, of course, the emotional trauma of living through it. But we have to read these names because it is part of our responsibility to make them real and to remind ourselves, as much as anyone, that this issue is a matter of life and death in the way that few others that we debate in this Chamber evoke. prgtoken At the beginning of the Judiciary Committee hearing the other day, just this week, we had a moment of silence. But we cannot be silent. Yes, we will offer thoughts and prayers, but we cannot be silent, and we must do more than speak. We must act--honor with action. prgtoken We cannot let these brave, wonde
Filibuster (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-3-24

first, let me salute my colleague and friend from South Dakota. I hope we can achieve what he has asked for: bipartisanship in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken He made a point that I would like to amplify: that they have not even used the filibuster; s have not invoked the filibuster so far during this Senate session. Well, there is a reason--because the three things that we have done in this session are not, under the rules of the Senate, subject to filibuster. prgtoken Let me note as well--I ask unanimous consent that I be given 10 minutes to speak before the rollcall begins.
TRIBUTE TO ALEC FRAZIER
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-3-24

I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Alexander Fuld Frazier, a remarkable constituent who tirelessly advocated for disability rights for himself and on behalf of others. prgtoken Alec emerged as a leader and powerful advocate for disability rights and inclusion early in life. When he was 13, he spoke before sessions of Colorado's House and Senate Education Committees about the importance of special education funding. Thanks to his efforts, Colorado ultimately lifted the cap on funds for special education through a State constitutional amendment. At an early age, Alec was successful in pushing for change that meaningfully improved the lives of others. prgtoken I first met Alec in 2017 through his advocacy on Capitol Hill. He shared firsthand how Medicaid made it possible for him to lead a complete, fulfilling life. Alec was diagnosed with autism at a young age, and some professionals suggested institutionalization as he grew up. With the help of Medicaid, he benefitted from many services including therapy and an emergency brain surgery that saved his life. Through his advocacy, he stood up for the millions of people who would have been severely harmed by past legislative proposals to slash Medicaid. prgtoken Alec was a man of many talents and pursuits. He attained his bachelor's degree in political science and master's degree in disability studies. In 2014, he founded his own advocacy firm called Autistic Reality and served as a powerful peer advocate, mentor, and advisor to others. Alec also published two books, ``Without Fear: The First Autistic Superhero'' and ``Veni! Vidi! Autism!,'' that shape how we think about the representation of people with autism and disabilities in the arts. Through his written and spoken words, Alec sought to deepen others' understanding and appreciation of the varied experiences of people living with autism and disabilities. prgtoken Alec believed in and exemplified the motto, ``nothing about us without us.'' Any individual or group of people deserve to shape the decisions made about them. Alec shaped his own path and destiny, and he empowered others to do the same along the way. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in sending our gratitude for Alec Frazier's life, as well as our condolences to his father Donald Frazier, his mother Danielle Fuld, and his brother Nicholas Fuld Frazier. May we carry on his work to build a more inclusive society where all Americans can thrive and reach their highest potential.
IRISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-3-24

today I wish to commemorate Irish-American Heritage Month and the many contributions of Irish immigrants to the United States of America. The Irish have been a part of our country since its foundation. Donegal-born Richard Montgomery was the first American general to lose his life in the Revolutionary War. Especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries, many Irish immigrants came to America to escape religious persecution, famine, and economic hardship, and to seek new opportunities for themselves and their families. prgtoken Maryland's long tradition of religious tolerance provided safe haven for many Irish Catholics fleeing religious persecution as early as the 17th century. Maryland again became a leading destination for the Irish during the Great Hunger in the early 19th century. The Irish helped build and defend our country. They became farmers, soldiers, firefighters, police officers, factory workers, labor organizers, and politicians. Many Irish immigrants settled in southwest Baltimore and contributed great numbers to the workforce that built America's first railroad, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. prgtoken Irish Marylanders have made notable contributions to both our Nation and our State in politics, science, and education. Marylander Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a third-generation Irish American, signed the Declaration of Independence, was a Founding Father, and served as the first U.S. Senator for Maryland. Medical trailblazer John Crawford emigrated from Ireland to Maryland and became famous for his contributions to eradicating smallpox, helping to identify transmission pathways, and improving vaccine distribution. Maryland has been home to numerous Irish Catholic bishops including John Carroll, James Gibbons, and Michael Curley. Bishop Carroll founded two universities, including St. Mary's College and Seminary. Bishop Gibbons advocated for the protection of exploited laborers during industrial expansion. Bishop Curley expanded education opportunities throughout Maryland. Descendants of Irish immigrants have also left their mark on America and on Maryland. Famous Marylanders with Irish ancestry include Edgar Allen Poe and Michael Phelps. prgtoken When the Irish came to America, they brought a tremendous sense of pride and grit. The resiliency of Irish Americans has helped pull our Nation through difficult times. Irish Americans, despite facing trials and persecution, have persevered and have left a lasting, beneficial impact on our Nation; Yet they also maintain a strong and unique sense of identity and love for the Emerald Isle, enriching the diversity of our lives and communities. So, this month, in addition to donning your green and enjoying a pint of Guinness, I call on all Americans to remember and appreciate the many contributions of the Irish here in America.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-3-24

I thank Senator Murphy so much for those beautiful words. prgtoken When you honor the victims as you did, you honor all victims. What I have found about these crimes, particularly the crime of domestic violence, is, so often, the victims have been hidden from view. It is a crime that takes place in someone's bedroom with the door closed. It is a crime that takes place in a house, a crime that no one ever sees. As you know, in a situation like this, when there is a gun, it becomes deadly. prgtoken One of my memories is of years ago when a police officer in a small town in Minnesota responded to a domestic violence call. What a lot of people don't know is that, oftentimes, those are the most dangerous calls police officers take. It was a victim--very young--who had called the police, and it was of someone who had severe mental illness problems, her boyfriend. The police went to the door, and the door was answered, and the guy shot the police officer. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but he shot him in the head. I was at that funeral. prgtoken It is a reminder that the crime of domestic violence isn't just about one victim; it is about an entire community. prgtoken As the widow walked down the aisle of the church, she had her two little boys with her, and she was holding this little girl in a dress that was covered in stars. The last time that family had been in that church was for the Nativity play that the boys had been in. The dad had been sitting proudly in the front row, and now they were at his funeral. That is what we are talking about with gun violence. prgtoken I join my colleagues on the floor to honor Americans whose lives were cruelly and unjustly taken from us by gun violence, and I am going to read some names of people who should never be forgotten. prgtoken In Alabama, Chase Green; in Arizona, Isaias Garcia Tovar, Sr Isaias Tovar, Jr and Delia Noriega; in Connecticut, Dwaneia Turner; in Delaware, Demier Chambers; in Florida, Earnest Lee ``Bug'' Riggs, Jr.; in Illinois, Brenda Poss-Barnes, Greg Barnes, Sr and Daniel Kinney; in Indiana, Chanel Neal; in Kentucky, Kenya Renee Cunningham, Demontray Rhodes, and Katherine Bryan; in Missouri, Johnnie Jones; in Ohio, Alonzo Lewis; in Tennessee, Kevin Niyibizi; in Virginia, Eddie Jenkins; in Wisconsin, Kevin Kloth and Kevin Schneider. prgtoken Those are just 20 names out of the thousands of people lost to gun violence every year--an average of 100 gun violence deaths each day. That is three classrooms of children. prgtoken We also know the communities where mass shootings occur will never be the same. Atlanta, GA, and Boulder, CO, are now part of the ever growing list of cities and towns forever altered but never forgotten-- Midland, Odessa, Dayton, El Paso, Virginia Beach, Pittsburgh, Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Charleston, Newtown, to name a few--and I am greatly saddened that my home State of Minnesota also has communities on that lis
Nomination of Rachel Leland Levine (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-3-24

I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues to support the nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine. She is a highly qualified public health expert to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health. prgtoken As the highest ranking health official in Pennsylvania, she led the State's COVID-19 response by focusing on transparency and clear, science-based communication; giving daily briefings on the status of the pandemic; and advocating for the resources and support Pennsylvanians needed. prgtoken Dr. Levine has been on the frontlines of this pandemic, which is why she knows firsthand what our States and communities need from the Department of Health and Human Services. Even before this crisis, Dr. Levine established herself as a trusted voice to the people of Pennsylvania on matters of public health through her work to establish opioid prescribing guidelines and education for medical students, make lifesaving treatment for opioid overdoses widely available, combat eating disorders, increase health equity, and help the LGBTQ community get healthcare. prgtoken She was confirmed to both of her positions in the State with broad bipartisan support. She passed out of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee with support from colleagues last week, and I hope she will be confirmed today in a strong bipartisan vote as well. prgtoken I want to take a moment to acknowledge what her confirmation today would represent for our country because, in addition to being a high qualified nominee, Dr. Levine is also a historic one. Upon confirmation, she will be the highest ranking openly transgender official in our government and the first one ever confirmed by the Senate. prgtoken I have always said the people in our government should reflect the people it serves, and today we will take a new, historic step toward making that a reality. prgtoken I am proud to vote for Dr. Levine and incredibly proud of the progress this confirmation will represent for our country and for transgender people all across it who are watching today. I hope all my colleagues are as well. prgtoken I would also say how glad I am that yesterday we voted to confirm Dr. Murthy as Surgeon General. prgtoken During his last tenure as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy established himself as a trusted voice on matters of public health, helped see our Nation through the Zika outbreak, and published groundbreaking reports on the opioid epidemic and rising youth tobacco use. prgtoken I am pleased to have Dr. Murthy returning to the role of Surgeon General at this critical time. prgtoken When it comes to ending this pandemic, we have a lot of work to do and prgtoken no time to waste. We are going to need all the help we can get, particularly from experts like Dr. Murthy and Dr. Levine to get it done. prgtoken .
Gun Violence (Executive Session)
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-3-24

I want to also just thank my colleague from Vermont for that lovely tribute to Judge Hall. prgtoken I can see that he meant a lot to you and was a great public servant. So thank you, Senator Leahy. prgtoken , in a year of so much heartbreak and grief and death, it almost escaped notice that we had gone in this country a year without a mass shooting in a public place. prgtoken But now we face the grim reminder of our American reality. In the space of a week, two separate mass shootings stole the lives of 18 people. And just weeks ago, we suffered a mass shooting in a health clinic in my home State of Minnesota. prgtoken So here we are again, thrust into a familiar cycle of collective grief and frustration and anger. Our hearts break for the families and loved ones of those whose lives were stolen. Our voices cry out for change to end the scourge of gun violence. And our anger grows as our voices are ignored and we are told by leaders that there is nothing that we can do to protect American lives from gun violence. prgtoken Colleagues, it is our job to protect American lives. prgtoken Today, I want to share with you the voice of Veronique de la Rosa. Her son Noah, just 6 years old, was murdered in his classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary, and she delivered this eulogy for her son at his 2012 funeral. prgtoken I am going to read it in its entirety so that it can be included in the Record, the Congressional Record, and can serve as a reminder of the human toll that our gun culture has taken. prgtoken Veronique said: The sky is crying, and the flags are at half-mast. It is a sad, sad day. But it is also your day, Noah, my little man. I will miss your forceful and purposeful little steps stomping through our house. I will miss your perpetual smile, the twinkle in your dark blue eyes, framed by eyelashes that would be the envy of any lady in this room. Most of all, I will miss your visions of your future. You wanted to be a doctor, a soldier, a taco factory manager. It was your favorite food, and no doubt you wanted to ensure that the world kept producing tacos. You were a little boy whose life force had all the gravitational pull of a celestial body. You were light and love, mischief and pranks. You adored your family with every fiber of your 6-year-old being. We are all of us elevated in our humanity by having known you. A little maverick, who didn't always want to do his schoolwork or clean up his toys, when practicing his ninja moves or Super Mario on the Wii seemed far more important. Noah, you will not pass this way again. I can only believe that you were planted on Earth to bloom in heaven. Take flight, my boy. Soar. You now have the wings that you always wanted. Go to that peaceful valley that we will all one day come to know. I will join you someday.