mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
REMEMBERING THE ROSEWOOD MASSACRE
Jonathan L. Jackson (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise today to give mournful recognition of the 100-year anniversary of the Rosewood massacre, an event that is still one of the darkest chapters of American history. prgtoken On January 1, 1923, the small town of Rosewood, Florida, was the site of one of the worst racial attacks in the long history of this Nation. prgtoken Sparked by false allegations against an innocent Black man, a mob of White residents descended upon the Black community of Rosewood, and it is estimated that upward of 200 people were killed and virtually every building in that small African-American community was literally burned to the ground. prgtoken I stand in this well as the Representative of the First Congressional District of the State of Illinois, a district with a majority of minorities, of African Americans and Hispanics, which by pride and passion, a majority within its soul and sinews, feels the traumatic vestiges of Americans' inhumanity toward other Americans. prgtoken But this is American history, and it is as American as anything we might say about Concord and Appomattox. prgtoken In spite of the dark tragedies interwoven within our story, what happened in Rosewood 100 years ago is as American as anything that happened at Gettysburg or Ellis Island. It must be repeated to our children, lest we deny ourselves all the honesty we need to grow to be a better country. prgtoken I implore my colleagues to join me in condemning the College Board of Florida for removing AP African-American curriculum.
HONORING THE SERVICE OF TOMMY DORTCH
Nikema Williams (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise today to honor my constituent, Mr. Tommy Dortch, one of our country's greatest contributors to closing the racial wealth gap. I could spend hours highlighting his contributions to the Black community, but I want to focus on his investment into our great HBCUs. prgtoken A proud product of both Fort Valley State University and Clark Atlanta University, Mr. Dortch founded the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation in 1985. Mr. Dortch has led the Foundation to award over $1 million in grants and scholarships to students, and exposed more than 500,000 students to college opportunities. prgtoken As a third-generation HBCU grad, I know firsthand their critical role in fostering Black excellence. Mr. Dortch's lifetime of giving back to the HBCU community has laid the groundwork for economic mobility for generations to come. prgtoken , today, I proudly join with members of the Georgia delegation to introduce legislation to award Mr. Tommy Dortch the Congressional Gold Medal for his leadership and contributions to our country. I am eternally grateful for the work he continues to do to advance equity and opportunity for all.
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-2-9

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , my colleagues have put some stuff on the floor, and I will answer it. prgtoken The distinguished gentleman from Georgia invoked a couple of crimes in Washington, D.C including one in the Metro. He didn't talk about the hundreds of crimes that were committed here at the Capitol, in Congress, in Washington, D.C because he viewed prgtoken the events of January 6 as akin to a ``normal tourist visit.'' prgtoken Now he dares to lecture the people of Washington, D.C about keeping Washington, D.C safe. He seeks to associate Washington, D.C with crime. Indeed, he and his colleagues constantly try to link images of crime to what they call -controlled cities. prgtoken I did some research last night just to clarify matters. The seven States with the highest murder rates in 2020 all were States that were majority for in the 2020 election. The murder rate in the States that voted for was higher in aggregate than the murder rate in the States that voted for in each year from 2000 to 2020. I invite the gentleman not to lecture the people of Washington, D.C about crime rates because the murder rate is worse in the red States than it is in the blue States. prgtoken Five of the ten cities with the highest murder rate through the first half of last year were in States that voted for in 2020. All those cities have higher murder rates than Washington, D.C. Among the top 10 is a city in the State represented by the sponsor of the disapproval resolution, Mr. Clyde. prgtoken Now, the rose to talk about both yesterday's resolution and today's resolution. He also gave the people of Washington, D.C a lecture about diluting the vote when he rejects their admission to the Union as a State. prgtoken In other words, he is trying to squelch and nullify their statehood drive that would give them real political equality in the country, and then he says the people of Washington, D.C are diluting the vote. Well, he is blockading the vote. He is preventing the vote for people in Washington, D.C. prgtoken Then he joins the chorus denouncing crime in Washington, D.C which is suddenly of concern to them. I had not heard them mention that before. Well, it turns out that Bakersfield, California, has one of the highest crime rates in America, recently described as one of the top 10 deadliest cities in America for its size, and its crime rate is higher than that of Washington, D.C. prgtoken However, we are going to take this opportunity to kick around the people of Washington, D.C. Why? Because they are vulnerable, because they don't have voting representation in the House, and they have no voting representation or voice in the U.S. Senate. That is a scandal from the standpoint of democracy. prgtoken Instead of trying to solve that problem, my colleagues, instead, want to use the people of Washington, D.C as a whipping post, as a pinata,
PROTECTING CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES ACT
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-2-9

every parent in America remembers the first day they sent their child off to school. For many parents, this is a day filled with tears of joy as they send their child off into the world alone for the first time. For others, it is a day of worry and fear. Parents wonder if their child will be able to find their classrooms or if they will make friends. Some even worry if their child's school could be the scene of the senseless violence that occurs all too often in this country. But for the parents of a child with severe allergies, there is another serious fear: the threat of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis causes blood pressure to plummet, airways to constrict and close, and the heart to beat erratically and stop. It can turn deadly, quickly. Even a trace amount of an allergen can be enough to trigger anaphylaxis. prgtoken Only one drug can halt and reverse the progression of anaphylaxis: epinephrine. But as miraculous as the drug is, it can't help if it is not on hand when the unthinkable happens. That is why, in 2013, I introduced the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act to make schools safer for children with food allergies. At the time, schools often did not stock epinephrine, or ``EpiPens,'' as it is often called. This left children with food allergies vulnerable at school, especially those who may not have known they are allergic. Sometimes, children forget their EpiPens at home; others don't have EpiPens to begin with. prgtoken My 2013 bill encouraged more schools to keep epinephrine on hand by providing them with federal grants. It received bipartisan support, and it was signed into law by President . Over the last 10 years, it has saved lives, and it has given parents and students alike greater peace of mind that their school will be prepared to respond to a life- threatening emergency. But, I have thought since then: What more can we do to prevent allergic reactions from occurring in the first place? prgtoken I hear from parents across my State of Illinois who are concerned about sending their children with food allergies to school. Tamara Hubbard from Lake Zurich, IL, is one of those parents. She is the mother of a teenage son who has food allergies. Ms. Hubbard also happens to be a therapist whose practice includes working with children who have food allergies and their families. She wrote to me and told me that: ``It takes a daily dose of blind faith mixed with hope'' to send a child with food allergies to school. For a child with a peanut or sesame allergy, she said, going to school can be a lot like entering the lion's den. These and other common food allergens are often contained in school meals and in the snacks and lunches of other children. You have to be careful. prgtoken Ms. Hubbard said that the families she counsels are often left wondering, ``Does our school staff understand allergen labeling? Are they aware of cross-contamination best practices and how to make safe
OPPOSITION TO H.J. RES. 24 AND H.J. RES. 26
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 26 which would nullify legislation enacted by the D.C. Council. prgtoken Our constituents did not elect us to get involved in the local politics of our nation's capital city. Yet, House s think it's appropriate to waste Congress's time to weigh in on D.C. politics instead of getting to work for the American people to cap insulin costs for everyone, make the wealthiest and the biggest corporations pay their fair share in taxes, or strengthen Social Security and Medicare. prgtoken The topic of H.J. Res. 26 is a dispute between the Mayor of D.C. and the D.C. Council, and Congress should not be involved. Congress does not have the authority to pass such a resolution for Minnesota or any other state--a power it would not have over D.C. and its 700,000 residents if it was rightly granted statehood. prgtoken , it is telling that a month into the 118th Congress, House s have nothing to offer the American public but to waste their time with political stunts like this. prgtoken It should be rejected.
HONORING THE LIFE OF DONN J. THOMPSON
Richard McCormick (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise to honor a fellow marine and a great American patriot, Mr. Donn J. Thompson of Spokane, Washington. prgtoken Donn was a student at the University of Washington when Pearl Harbor was attacked. But he left after his freshman year to join the Marines in 1943. prgtoken He took part in multiple assault landings, including the Battle of Okinawa, where he helped capture Sugar Loaf Hill with the 6th Marine Division in one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific theater. prgtoken This month, Donn celebrates his 100th birthday. Last spring, Donn celebrated his 75th wedding anniversary prgtoken with his beloved wife and pen pal for life, Doodee. prgtoken Donn represents the very best of our history and the very best of America. I thank him for his service to our country. I congratulate him on a century of life and wisdom and a life truly well lived. prgtoken May Donn and Doodee receive every blessing and happiness under heaven.
COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GARDEN RIDGE LIONS CLUB
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise today to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Garden Ridge Lions Club. prgtoken The past 50 years have highlighted the Garden Ridge Lions Club's outstanding achievements and dedication to serving Central Texas. Their work delivering holiday meals to families in need, assisting school nurses with hearing testing, and building access ramps for disabled citizens, highlights their selflessness and endless service to the great state of Texas. prgtoken Each one of their members should be immensely proud of all that they have accomplished. I am certainly proud of all their outstanding achievements and dedication to their neighbors. Collectively, they have provided high-quality service for thousands of Texans in need. prgtoken On behalf of the 21st Congressional District of Texas, I want to thank each member for their service to our community. I trust that Garden Ridge Lions Club members will have great success in their future endeavors and continue to be leaders in our communities for years to come. It is a joy to wish them a happy 50th Anniversary.
State of the Union Address (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-2-9

on Tuesday, President delivered his State of the Union Address to Congress, and in this time of divided government, I was glad to see the President making more than one nod to bipartisanship. I do think this moment, with power split between and s, provides a real opportunity to work together, to move away from the extreme partisanship of the past couple of years and make some real progress on some of the issues facing us. prgtoken But the President's speech also left me concerned because the President demonstrated almost no awareness of what actually happened as a result of his policies. Indeed, at times, it seemed as if the President had lived through a different reality from the one most Americans have been experiencing over the past 2 years. prgtoken The President rattled off a list of his supposed economic achievements, and I say ``supposed'' because he left out some vitally important context. He claimed credit for the historic job creation while leaving out the essential detail that a lot of that job creation was simply a result of the economy naturally adding back jobs temporarily lost during the pandemic. He talked about wage growth while leaving out the fact that real wages have declined--have declined-- because of inflation over his Presidency. And he appeared to take credit for the fact that inflation has declined somewhat in recent months while neglecting to mention that it was his administration and congressional who helped create our inflation crisis with their American Rescue Plan spending spree. prgtoken Nor did the President spend any time discussing just how bad inflation still is and how much Americans are still suffering. Inflation in December was 6.5 percent. The last time inflation was that bad was in 1982--1982--40 years ago. I am glad inflation has declined somewhat, but I don't think the President has a lot to be congratulating himself about. Even if prices stopped increasing tomorrow, Americans would still be paying thousands of dollars more over the next year to achieve the same standard of living that they had when the President took office. prgtoken Again, the President and congressional and their American Rescue Plan spending spree bear a huge part of the responsibility for this situation. Or to quote former economic adviser, Jason Furman: The original sin was an oversized American Rescue Plan. prgtoken Another of the supposed economic achievements the President talked about Tuesday night was cutting the deficit. Yes, cutting the deficit. Well, let me just quote CNN on that claim. This is a quote: Independent analysts say 's own actions, including his laws and executive orders, have had the overall effect of adding to current and projected future deficits, not reducing those deficits. prgtoken Let me just repeat that: Independent analysts say 's own actions, includin
DEBT CEILING HYPOCRISY
Don Bacon (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise today to highlight the President's hypocrisy when it comes to the debt ceiling. He opposed raising the debt ceiling three different times. prgtoken Here are some of those quotes when he voted to oppose debt ceiling increases. He said, ``My vote against the debt limit increase cannot change the fact that we have incurred this debt already, and will no doubt incur more.'' prgtoken He also said, ``It's a statement that I refuse to be associated with the policies that brought us to this point.'' prgtoken He also said, ``There is just so much of our debt that other nations want to hold. The more of it they accumulate, the closer we are to the day when they will not want any more.'' prgtoken He also said, ``Our interest rates will go up, the value of their U.S. bonds will drop, and we will have big problems.'' prgtoken The roots of that threat lie in the disastrous policies of this administration. I could go on and on. It is all in the Congressional Record. prgtoken Three times he has opposed raising the debt ceiling. The way you spell hypocrisy when it comes to the debt ceiling is simple. It is B-I- D-E-N.
CONDEMNING THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY'S USE OF A HIGH-ALTITUDE SURVEILLANCE BALLOON OVER UNITED STATES TERRITORY AS A BRAZEN VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SOVEREIGNTY
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-2-9

. such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this past week the Nation watched in shock as a Chinese surveillance balloon traversed much of the United States, including sensitive American military sites like Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. That base is one of the three places where our minuteman ICBM nuclear missiles are stored. prgtoken Americans were rightfully deeply disturbed by this brazen violation of sovereignty by the Chinese Communist Party. This act of aggression was done on the eve of a scheduled meeting between Chairman Xi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. That meeting was ultimately canceled. prgtoken The balloon, I believe, was a test, a test of this administration to see how it would respond. I believe the President should have shot it down before it entered American airspace rather than allow it to cross over the Continental United States airspace. prgtoken But make no mistake, this was another intentionally provocative act by the CCP. As I have said often, weakness invites aggression. This act will only further embolden and empower our enemies; it will embolden and empower Chairman Xi. prgtoken , I have never seen a foreign nation adversary fly a reconnaissance aircraft that you could see from the ground with your own eyes. The CCP threat is now within sight for Americans across the heartland, a vision and memory that they will not forget. prgtoken This is further proof that the CCP does not care about having a constructive relationship with the United States. It is publicly challenging U.S. interests, threatening Taiwan, supporting Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, and now violating U.S. sovereignty. prgtoken If there is any question whether the administration should request funds supporting Taiwan's foreign military financing grants, this incident alone should make it clear that the time is now to harden ourselves and our partners against the Chinese military aggression. prgtoken An event like this, , must not happen again, and it cannot go unanswered. They only understand one thing and that is force, and that is projecting power; and we need to project power and force and strength against the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken They must understand that we do desire peace, but infringing upon our sovereignty leads us down a dangerous path. Our adversaries must believe that any future incursion into American airspace by a spy balloon or any other vehicle will be met with decisive force, and that is why the House should pass this resolution. prgtoken The resolution, under section 4, does call for the administration to continue to keep Congress apprised by providing comprehensive briefings on this incident that include--and there prgtoken are many of these, but I want to go to the end,--most importantly, a detail description of plans, capabilities, and methods to deter and defeat intelligence collection activities conducted by the PRC or other foreign adversaries in the
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-2-9

I rise today to join in the reintroduction prgtoken of the Reproductive Freedom for All Act, a bipartisan bill that would restore the previous legal framework that governed abortion access in this country for nearly 50 years since Roe v. Wade. This bill would ensure the right of women to make certain reproductive choices without undue government interference, including the right to obtain and use contraception. prgtoken I support a woman's right to have an abortion, and I believe that the threshold question of whether abortion is legal needs to be consistent at the national level. States can account for regional differences with regulations like parental notification requirements, but the basic right as articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court prior to its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization needs to be the same regardless of the State in which a woman happens to reside. prgtoken In Dobbs, the Supreme Court abandoned a nearly 50-year precedent that had been reaffirmed and on which women had relied for decades. The Dobbs ruling was, as the Chief Justice described it, a ``jolt'' to our legal system. This action has further divided the country at a moment when, more than ever in modem times, we need the Court to demonstrate consistency, predictability, and restraint. prgtoken Prior to the Court's decision in Dobbs, I introduced, with Senator Murkowski, the Reproductive Choice Act to enact into Federal law the abortion rights established by Roe and affirmed by Planned Parenthood v. Casey. prgtoken In the wake of the Dobbs decision, I worked with my colleagues Senator Kaine, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Sinema to draft a more comprehensive, bipartisan bill that would codify the abortion rights articulated by the Supreme Court in Roe, Casey, and Whole Women's Health v. Hellerstedt, as well as the contraception rights first articulated in Griswold v. Connecticut and later clarified in Eisenstadt v. Baird and Carey v. Population Services International. prgtoken Our legislation would enshrine important abortion and contraception rights into Federal law without undercutting basic conscience protections that have been in place for decades and that are relied upon by healhtcare practitioners who have religious objections. prgtoken Our goal with this legislation is to do what the Court should have done--provide consistency in our laws that Americans have relied upon for nearly half a century regarding the ability to make certain reproductive choices. prgtoken This bill would ensure that the legal framework in place before Dobbs is reinstated as the law of the land. Our bill accomplishes this goal by tracking the Supreme Court's language in the seminal cases I mentioned. prgtoken Specifically, and consistent with decades of Supreme Court jurisprudence, the Reproductive Freedom for All Act provides that a State may not impose an undue burden on the ability of a woman to choose whether or not