mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2023
Pete Stauber (Republican, MN) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today to speak in favor of the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act. prgtoken , Representative Houlahan, for bringing this up. It is a very good bill and I am proud to stand in support of it. prgtoken In Minnesota, Feeding Our Future, a supposed nonprofit in Minnesota meant to feed children, used $250 million of COVID-19 Federal funds to buy luxury cars and real estate. prgtoken Since COVID-19, fraud has been on the rise. Bad actors are taking advantage of vulnerable government programs and stealing taxpayer dollars for their own benefit and wealth. We must be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and ensure proper safeguards are in place. prgtoken The Small Business Administration is charged with ensuring that only eligible firms are participating in its Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract program, HUBZone programs, and the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business programs. prgtoken The Small Business Contracting Transparency Act would bring much- needed oversight to the certification process, ensure the SBA is only approving appropriate firms, and give Congress the tools to hold the SBA accountable, if necessary. prgtoken By supporting the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act, we will not only provide valuable assistance to small businesses but also ensure effectiveness in government contracting. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act.
HONORING CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 3 STEPHEN R. DWYER
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-11-28

today, I want to honor CW3 Stephen R. Dwyer, who lost his life during an MH-60 Blackhawk crash in the Mediterranean Sea earlier this month. prgtoken Steve graduated in 2004 from Enterprise High School in Alabama. He then followed in his parents' footsteps, both Army veterans, and attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He became a field artillery commissioned officer, but his true passion was flying. So Steve returned to Fort Rucker for flight school, becoming a helicopter pilot. During his time in the military, Steve fulfilled multiple missions around the world, including two deployments to the Middle East. prgtoken He is remembered as an exceptional pilot, devoted husband, and loving father. His supervisor at West Point Mark Ray said, ``Steve Dwyer was an incredible man, son, brother, teammate, and friend. He was a dedicated Special Operations warrior, who went above and beyond to serve our nation in the most difficult missions at hand. He was born into a family of servant leaders and died `For your freedom and mine'-- an act that our nation was created through and defended by today. He will be truly missed by all that knew him. `Night Stalkers Don't Quit!' '' prgtoken Steve leaves behind his wife Allie, three boys, parents, and countless other family and friends. We are deeply grateful for his heroic sacrifice to our country.
RECOGNIZING APPOINTEES TO THE SERVICE ACADEMIES FROM THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
George Santos (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-11-28

. Madam , we just hosted the Congressional App prgtoken Challenge recently, and this week, we revealed the winner for New York's Third District. Richard Xu emerged victorious with his innovative creation VolunHour, an app designed to streamline the tracking of volunteer hours. prgtoken Among the 17 impressive applicants from my district, each contributing fantastic app ideas, Richard Xu's VolunHour stood out as the winning entry. prgtoken Richard cited his passion for volunteering and community service as the driving force behind the creation of this app. He started a volunteer organization with a small group of friends, witnessing its expansion from 5 members to 30. Throughout this experience, he recognized the cumbersome and time-consuming nature of tracking volunteer hours, prompting him to develop a solution. prgtoken I congratulate Richard and send a big shout-out to all the participants from the Third District of New York who submitted applications to the Congressional App Challenge. Well done. Recognizing Dedicated Staff for Casework
MOURNING THE LOSS OF GEORGE WILLIAM OWINGS III
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today to mourn the loss of an outstanding Marine, Marylander, and American: my friend. George William Owings III. I had the privilege of working with him when he served in the Maryland House of Delegates and during his tenure as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. On October 31, he passed away at the age of 78. His passing was a great loss for our state and country. prgtoken Although born in Florida, George was Marylander to his core, growing up in Calvert County and attending Calvert High School and the University of Maryland, College Park. From a young age, he showed tremendous commitment to his community and his country. In 1964, George left UMD to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Serving multiple tours in Vietnam, George attained the rank of Sergeant and received numerous commendations, including the Presidential Citation, Navy Unit Commendation with Bronze Star Device, Navy-Marine Corps Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal with Silver Star Device. prgtoken George continued to serve when he returned to Maryland. After finding success in banking, he started a career in Maryland politics. Governor William Donald Schaefer appointed him to serve in the House of Delegates in 1988. He won reelection multiple times and remained in the House of Delegates for sixteen years--ten of which he served as House Majority Whip. prgtoken Recognizing George's character, skill as a legislator, and experiences as a veteran, Governor Robert Ehrlich appointed him to serve as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs in 2004. Later, in 2007, Governor Martin O'Malley asked George to stay on as acting Secretary for the department, which he did for six months. Eight years later, Governor Larry Hogan asked him to serve in the role once again. That ic and governors alike believed George was best suited to serve the needs of his fellow veterans is a testament to his strong reputation and record of getting things done. prgtoken George was a crucial advocate for veterans, military families, and all Marylanders. I join them in mourning his loss. My prayers are with his son George, grandsons Patrick and Emerson, life-partner Katherine Marie Boyd, and the rest of the family and friends he cherished above all else. I hope they can take some comfort in knowing that George's positive impact on our state and our people will forever endure. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in praying for George and all those who mourn him.
TRIBUTE TO GRAY MAXWELL
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today to share news with the Senate. Dennis Gray Maxwell--Gray to all of us--my floor director and most senior legislative adviser since I arrived in the Senate almost 17 years ago, is retiring at the end of December. For many of us, Senators and staff alike, this is heartbreaking news, as we will miss Gray's good counsel, impeccable speechwriting skills, remarkable knowledge of Senate history, and award-winning home brew. He always has a relevant story, whatever the circumstance. And, of course, Gray was the one who got us to finally put the Senate ic Conference rules in writing, so it is no wonder that he knows them inside and out better than any Senator or parliamentarian. prgtoken Gray loves the Senate. He loves it for all it was meant to be, as drafted by the Founding Fathers, and all that it should be in modern times--a respected prgtoken entity dedicated to upholding the values and ideals that drive this great Nation forward. Year after year, Gray has dedicated himself to finding ways to preserve the Senate's role as the world's greatest deliberative body, which has not always been easy. It pains him to see the rules abused or when 10 years of work to pass a significant law, like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, is undone in 10 minutes. But he does cherish the days when we finally clear a record vote-a-rama or come together in a landmark bipartisan vote. prgtoken Gray has worked for so many Senators over the years that his love of this institution should not surprise anyone. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, John Heinz, Jim Jeffords, Bill Cohen, Moynihan again, Dianne Feinstein, Carl Levin, Frank Lautenberg and, since 2007, he has been part of Team Cardin. This impressive list, nearly 40 years in the making, is why I jumped at the opportunity to hire Gray. prgtoken A registered Independent his whole life, Gray lives the words of John F. Kennedy: ``Men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.'' prgtoken I hired Gray because, on January 3, 2007, despite being a State delegate, including speaker, for a total of 20 years, and a Member of the House of Representatives for 20 years, I had zero direct experience in the U.S. Senate. Gray Maxwell had more than two decades of legislative service in the Senate with some of the most consequential Senators to walk these halls. I wanted to learn from him. I had brought over some core staff from my House office, but I knew that if I had Gray on my team, he would help me quickly translate my previous legislative experience into this new arena. Today, I love being a Senator, and I credit Gray for sharing his fever for the institution and showing me what great things we could accomplish. prgtoken Gray's path to public service perhaps was unexpected. The summer after he graduated Stanford University, he came to Washington, DC, to work at a branch of his father's law firm before starting law s
TRIBUTE TO CONNOR NICOL
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2023-11-28

I am honored to recognize Connor Nicol of Hampton as November's Granite Stater of the Month. For the last 3 years, 15-year-old Connor has helped to ensure that servicemembers who died overseas are remembered. Connor creates dog tags for people to carry, or place somewhere prominent, so that servicemembers' names and sacrifice will never be forgotten. prgtoken Connor was inspired to create the military identification tags, commonly called ``dog tags,'' while watching a movie about World War II, and he was struck by how young the servicemembers were. Knowing that many servicemembers never came home, he wanted to make sure that those who died overseas are always remembered. Using information from the National Archives, Connor has now made dog tags for 40,000 servicemembers who died in the Korean war, and he has recently expanded the project to create tags for those who died serving in the Vietnam war. prgtoken The tags have been distributed across the country, including to veterans service organizations, church groups, Scout Troops, and schools. Connor works to ensure that the tag goes to someone who actively wants it and is dedicated to honoring the name of the servicemember. In addition to keeping the name and memory of the fallen servicemember alive, the tag also serves to remind the person carrying it of the sacrifice these men and women made in service to our country. prgtoken Connor's goal is to create and distribute dog tags for those who died in additional overseas conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam war, and the Global War on Terror. If you would like to request a tag, you can do so through his website, www.wewillremember.us. Connor's dedication to respecting and commemorating military service is a strong reflection of the Granite State spirit of patriotism. In New Hampshire, we honor those who keep our country safe, secure, and free. I thank Connor for his work to make sure that those who died in service to our country will never be forgotten.
Nomination of Margaret M. Garnett (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-11-28

today, the Senate will vote to confirm Margaret M. Garnett to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. prgtoken Born in Brooklyn, NY, Ms. Garnett earned her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1992, her M.A. and M. Phil. from Yale University in 1995 and 1997, and her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2000. Ms. Garnett began her legal career working as an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz from 2000 to 2004, where she focused on bankruptcy litigation. She then clerked for the Honorable Gerald E. Lynch on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2004 to 2005. Following her clerkship, Ms. Garnett joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, where she would go on to rise in the ranks throughout her 15-year tenure with the office. Although she presently serves as special counsel, Ms. Garnet has also served the Office as Deputy United States Attorney, Chief of Appeals, Deputy Chief of Appeals, Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Units, Deputy Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit, and assistant United States attorney. From 2017 to 2018, Ms. Garnett served in the Office of the New York Attorney General, serving as the executive deputy attorney general for criminal justice. prgtoken In 2018, Ms. Garnett was nominated by the mayor of New York City and confirmed by the New York City Council to serve as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation, an agency charged with investigating individual and systemic corruption, waste, fraud, and abuse in city government. A substantial majority of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary rated Ms. Garnett as ``well qualified,'' and her nomination is strongly supported by her home State Senators, Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Gillibrand. prgtoken With deep ties to the Southern District of New York and significant experience working on criminal matters, Ms. Garnett will serve on the bench with distinction. I am proud to support her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.
TRIBUTE TO JOHN SWARTOUT
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise to commend a great public servant, John Swartout, for his dedicated service to the citizens of Colorado. After more than three decades of tireless service in the public policy arena, I congratulate John on the occasion of his retirement. prgtoken John worked as an adviser to Colorado Governors Bill Owens and John Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Wayne Allard on environmental, natural resource, energy, and public lands policy. John was instrumental in Federal land negotiations involving the Roan Plateau settlement, the closing of Rocky Flats, and the designation of Browns Canyon National Monument, James Peak Wilderness, Great Sand Dunes National Park, and the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area. He also served as the head of policy for the State of Colorado on habitat protection efforts for the greater sage grouse and the Gunnison sage grouse. In these efforts, he showed an uncanny ability to balance habitat conservation goals with the private property rights of landowners. prgtoken John grounded his work in integrity, trust, humor, and an innate ability to form coalitions and partnerships among even the most diverse groups. John himself would probably tell you his greatest accomplishment was helping people find common ground that then allowed them to work toward collaborative policy solutions that benefited their community and region. The fact that he worked for governors from both parties demonstrates his ability to work in a strong bipartisan manner to deliver results for Colorado. prgtoken In addition to his roles working for elected officials, John also led multiple Agencies and nonprofits. He served as executive director of Great Outdoors Colorado--GOCO--helping to guide millions of dollars of investments in public recreational amenities like trails, playgrounds, parks, fishing ponds, and campgrounds. As the executive director of the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, he helped preserve and protect thousands of acres of open space, wildlife habitat, and working agricultural lands. prgtoken John most recently served as executive director of Colorado Counties, Inc.--CCI--a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy and education for county governments around the State. Under John's leadership, CCI negotiated an opioid settlement with Colorado's Attorney General and various pharmaceutical companies that provided millions of dollars for local addiction counseling and treatment. He also successfully steered CCI through the COVID-19 pandemic. CCI was integral in assisting county commissioners provide frontline health services and invest millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and CARES Act in community programs, business retention, and infrastructure improvements. prgtoken John served as the campaign manager for my opponent in my first race for the U.S. Senate. In Colorado, we believe in working together despite different political beliefs, and I came to know and respect John fo
RETURNING ERRONEOUS COVID LOANS ADDRESSING ILLEGAL AND MISAPPROPRIATED TAXPAYER FUNDS ACT
Morgan McGarvey (Democrat, KY) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today in support of H.R. 4667, the RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act, which I am proud to co-lead alongside Representative Salazar. I am grateful for her partnership on this bipartisan bill, and I am glad to see it come to the floor today. prgtoken Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. That is definitely true in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and was on full display this past weekend as Louisvillians were encouraged to shop local and go and see our wonderful small business community. prgtoken As I visited small businesses from Saint Matthews to NuLu to West Louisville, I reflected on where we were, where these small businesses were just a few short years ago. I was reminded of earlier this year when we had Small Business Administrator Guzman come to Louisville and meet with small business owners from across my district. prgtoken We had listening sessions, and we heard the same message over and over again. That is what these businessowners told us. They told us they wouldn't be here today because they wouldn't have survived the pandemic if it weren't for the Paycheck Protection Program and other COVID relief programs. prgtoken PPP worked. It worked. It was a success. It is the reason we still have towns across this country full of vibrant, independent, local business. Nevertheless, in order to get that money out the door as quickly as possible, the previous administration loosened the guardrails designed to prevent fraud. That opened the door for bad actors to take advantage of the program. prgtoken There were people who flatout lied to obtain PPP loans. There were others who received more than they deserved; some who received more even through good-faith errors. prgtoken , we need to get that money back. That is why the Department of Justice and the SBA are working to prosecute those who took advantage of the program and recover stolen funds. prgtoken To date, there have been hundreds of arrests and convictions related to COVID relief fraud, and they have recovered billions of dollars. prgtoken We must have clear processes in place as this money comes back to lenders and to the SBA. That is why this bill requires the SBA to issue guidance and rules for lenders, for borrowers, and for the SBA itself on handling PPP loans that are returned. prgtoken H.R. 4667 is a commonsense bill that will establish these clear rules for the road and ensure that taxpayer dollars do not go to waste. It is a necessary step in the right direction as we continue our recovery from the pandemic. prgtoken I thank Chairman Williams, Ranking Member Velazquez, and Congresswoman Salazar for their leadership and support of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4667.
TRIBUTE TO MARY ELLEN STONE
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today to honor and congratulate Mary Ellen Stone on her retirement, after 44 years of service leading the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, KCSARC. Over that time, she has laid essential foundations, establishing and strengthening the organization into what has become a respected, comprehensive nonprofit provider of supportive services for survivors of sexual assault and their families. Her passion, tenacity, and leadership have shaped KCSARC into the strong, vibrant nonprofit it is today. prgtoken Mary Ellen began at KCSARC in 1979, serving about 100 clients with a staff of 3 and a budget of $50,000. As she retires in 2023, the nonprofit serves 5,000 survivors and their families with a staff of more than 70 and an annual budget of $8.2 million. Over four decades, Mary Ellen has been a bold, visionary advocate for sexual assault survivors throughout King County and the State of Washington. Mary Ellen was influential in establishing the State's first accreditation process for sexual assault providers, professionalizing service delivery and ensuring core services are available to survivors in every county of the State. prgtoken Under Mary Ellen's leadership, KCSARC published one of the first educational pieces in the Nation for parents to talk with their children about sexual assault called ``He Told Me Not to Tell.'' It was a milestone for community awareness about child sexual abuse. Today, this publication remains a foundational educational tool, and its importance and relevance remain to this day as half of KCSARC's clients are children and teens under 18 years old. Mary Ellen's vision and tenacity allowed KCSARC to respond to specific unmet needs in the community, including to sexual assault survivors who are experiencing homelessness, children and youth survivors, and Latino survivors. prgtoken Mary Ellen has shared her time and expertise in so many ways to better inform systems and communities about the needs of victims, including serving on the Seattle Archdiocese Review Board, Mental Illness Drug Dependence Oversight Board, Seattle Chief of Police Search committees, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Sex Offender Management Committee, Women's Funding Alliance, and Municipal League Seattle-King County. prgtoken It has been a great privilege to work with Mary Ellen--a true trailblazer--over the last four decades. And it is my honor to thank her for her lifetime of dedicated service to people in King County, the State of Washington, and the entire country. I wish her the very best during her well-earned retirement.