mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING THE OPERATION OF THE INTEGRATED WASTE TREATMENT UNIT
Michael K. Simpson (Republican, ID) \u2014 2023-9-18

I rise today, alongside my esteemed colleagues Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, to recognize the committed staff at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site's Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU). In the face of many challenges, the employees who supported IWTU demonstrated professionalism, expertise, dedication to the mission, and exemplified the spirit of American innovation. prgtoken IWTU engineers, scientists, crafts specialists, plant operators, and administration professionals always believed they could overcome the challenges of this first-of-a-kind radioactive liquid waste treatment facility. Following its construction from 2007 to 2011, the IWTU underwent testing of its steam-reforming process, which was chosen to solidify 900,000 gallons of liquid sodium-bearing waste from an underground tank farm. This waste was generated during the INL's spent nuclear fuel reprocessing mission during the height of the Cold War. prgtoken From the first demonstration run at the IWTU in 2012, mechanical problems were apparent as metal filters became plugged, resulting in a quick shutdown of the facility. During subsequent runs, further mechanical problems surfaced as well as chemistry challenges within the IWTU's primary reaction vessel. The Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractors didn't give up. Together, they devised a plan to systematically identify and resolve all problems. They employed some of the brightest scientists at the INL and across the country, worked with academia in several states, and utilized the resources of corporate and small businesses. In all, engineers, scientists, and fabricators made hundreds of modifications to the IWTU, and with each subsequent demonstration run, the facility became more reliable and predictable. prgtoken On April 11, 2023, 16 years after construction began, IWTU operators were given permission to start radiological operations. At first, 10 percent radioactive liquid waste was blended with 90 percent simulant. This ratio was increased to 50:50 and later to 100 percent sodium- bearing waste. For those on the project who sacrificed countless weekends, holidays, and quality time with family, this moment was the culmination of years of committed work for a greater cause. prgtoken I want to thank all the Idaho Environmental Coalition employees who have supported this project. Their contributions are protecting the Snake River Plain Aquifer, which is the primary source of drinking water and agricultural water for more than 300,000 Idahoans. Furthermore, their actions in treating legacy Cold War waste and closing these sites pave the way for future nuclear research work in Idaho. prgtoken I would like to join my distinguished colleagues Senators Crapo and Risch, in congratulating the IWTU team on this extremely important achievement. They represent the most talented and committed individuals in the DOE Complex. Perhaps more importantly, they represent the greatest
RECOGNIZING WW HOMESTEAD DAIRY
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-9-18

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize WW Homestead Dairy of Waukon, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken Founded by Tom and Paul Weighner and Tom Walleser in 2011, WW Homestead Dairy is a creamery that features a retail shop in Waukon, IA. With over 90 years of dairy industry experience between the three founders, WW Homestead Dairy offers nonhomogenized milk, butter, cheese curds, and block cheddar cheese. The cheese curds are available in nine flavors and are made, along with the block cheddar cheese, by creamery manager Bruce Snitker. For ice cream options, they offer over 30 flavors with 16 dipping options. WW Homestead also has a rotating menu of seasonal ice cream flavors, and the ice cream is made fresh once a week. prgtoken WW Homestead Dairy supports the Northeast Iowa community. In the past, they have hosted a chili cook-off to benefit vocational education training at Waukon High School and coordinated the Cheese Curds for Schools fundraiser. They also host a ``Drive-In Moo-vie'' night during the summer and the annual Corn Days Car Show. In 2023, the Corn Days Car Show celebrated its 10th anniversary, and WW Homestead Dairy celebrated its 12th business anniversary. prgtoken WW Homestead Dairy's dairy products have also been recognized, with their cheese curds sweeping the top three prizes at the 2022 Iowa Quality Dairy Products competition. Their best-of-show ranch peppercorn, second-place grilled steak and onion, and the third-place white cheddar cheese curds were all on display at the State fair. In the same competition, they also took home best of show'' and second place in the Cow Cheese category with their Chipotle Morita cheddar and medium cheddar respectively. Finally, in 2021, at the World Dairy Expo, their chocolate milk tied for second in the skim chocolate milk class. prgtoken WW Homestead Dairy's commitment to providing high-quality dairy products in Waukon, IA, is clear. I want to congratulate Tom and Paul Weighner, Tom Walleser, and the entire team at WW Homestead Dairy for their dedication to the Waukon community. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.
REMEMBERING TASK FORCE RANGER
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-9-18

in 1993, the United States Air Force deployed Task Force Ranger to Somalia to restore order to the capital city of Mogadishu after it was taken over by a rebel warlord. The Battle of Mogadishu was the event which inspired the movie ``Black Hawk Down.'' prgtoken The Somali people wanted democracy, but this general and his militia took over the nation to impose radical Islamic Sharia law. They hijacked food supplies and cut off water to anyone who did not support their reign of terror. prgtoken After several successful operations, Task Force Ranger set out on a mission to arrest two of the general's top lieutenants in a building by the Olympic Hotel in a militia stronghold neighborhood. prgtoken The plan was to surround the building the lieutenants were meeting in, lower themselves on ropes from helicopters and surround them, then take the prisoners to the vehicles that would be waiting outside. prgtoken Unfortunately, the mission took a catastrophic turn, , when two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down by rocket-propelled grenades. The soldiers were attacked, and the battle that followed lasted 18 hours. Eighteen of our brave men were killed and dozens were injured, and the Somalis lost over 1,000 men. prgtoken This October, Knoxville is holding a 30th anniversary event to commemorate this mission, where surviving members of Task Force Ranger can be reunited and they can remember their fallen brothers. prgtoken As a Christian, , I owe everything in my life, except for my salvation, to the men and women who wore our country's uniform. Members of Task Force Ranger are no different, and I look forward to seeing them in Knoxville this year and welcome the heroes and give them some true Tennessee hospitality.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-9-18

the end of the fiscal year is just 12 days away, and the Senate has not yet voted on a single one of the 12 appropriations bills that have passed on a bipartisan basis out of the Appropriations Committee. prgtoken The majority leader, who controls the agenda of the Senate and the timing at which we consider matters, has had all year to plan and prepare for the September 30 deadline. But here we are, less than 2 weeks before a shutdown, with no clear path to funding the government. prgtoken At the start of last week, this Chamber was preparing to take up a three-bill minibus. In other words, having not started to vote on any single bill, the majority leader put a bill on the floor that combines 3 of those 12 appropriations bills. This is something the Senate has done before; but to be clear, this is not a feature of the regular order of things. Following the regular order involves taking up and passing each appropriation bill one at a time. prgtoken Had the majority leader taken this process seriously, he would have had time to do that. The Appropriations Committee passed the first funding bills on June 22, which is nearly 3 months ago. The Senate could have been processing those funding bills at any point over the summer. We could have followed the regular order and debated, amended, and passed all 12 bills ahead of the September 30 deadline. Sadly, that didn't happen, which is now why we find ourselves in this situation. It didn't have to be this way; but, apparently, the majority leader Senator Schumer, the Senator from New York, wanted it this way. prgtoken Diverging from regular order to take up a minibus requires unanimous consent because it is in violation of rule XVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate. And we know there are objections to waiving the provisions of rule XVI, hence we are where we are today. prgtoken In politics, we sometimes talk about the art of the possible. We take stock of different Members' positions, time constraints, procedural hurdles, and determine what is possible, what is feasible. Now, plan A should have been to follow the regular order and pass these bills one at a time through regular order, as I said, consistent with the Standing Rules of the Senate. But since that ship has sailed, we now have to figure out what plan B is. prgtoken Like many of my colleagues, I want the Senate to work the way the rules provide for. And finding ourselves in the predicament we are in, which is entirely predictable, I think the best course of action is to move forward with all three of these bills. prgtoken Each of these bills passed the Appropriations Committee unanimously. They are products of a thorough bipartisan committee process, and they are ready for a thorough bipartisan floor process. Unfortunately, we know that with only 12 days to go, how this movie will end. Ultimately, there are two choices. One is we pass a continuing resolution to give the House and the Senate m
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-9-18

today, five American hostages are on their way home from unjust detention in Iran. Unfortunately, the deal that secured their release may very well be the latest example of President rewarding and incentivizing Tehran's bad behavior. For the past 2\1/2\ years, the administration's weakness and desperation have emboldened--emboldened--a massive state sponsor of terror and would-be nuclear arm aggressor. prgtoken Take the $6 billion the United States has reportedly just released to the Iranian regime. Administration officials have insisted that this money is subject to strict oversight and may only be used for humanitarian purposes. prgtoken Iran's President, on the other hand, understands that money is fungible. He said: Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people needs . . . and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government. prgtoken Well, we know quite well that the Iranian people's needs and the Iranian regime's priorities rarely overlap. For example, protesters continue to take to the streets across Iran to denounce the regime 1 year after the so-called morality police killed a young woman for not wearing her head scarf correctly. Brave Iranians are taking greater and greater risks to speak up for freedom from the brutality of a corrupt, theocratic regime. prgtoken Meanwhile, as the regime meets these protests at home with force, its focus abroad remains on exporting repression, terror, and economic interference throughout the region and beyond. prgtoken Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of weapons-grade uranium and stonewall international inspectors seeking the truth about Iran's weaponization work. Just last week, the regime barred several U.N. inspectors from conducting scheduled oversight across the country. prgtoken The regime is racing to ramp up production of the weaponized drones it uses against Arab and Israeli civilians to supply Russian violence in Ukraine. prgtoken Iran-backed militia continue to threaten U.S. servicemembers in Iraq and Syria. Tehran continues to funnel resources to terrorist proxies-- like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza--that attack Israel. And the regime has even plotted to kill U.S. officials and dissidents here on American soil. prgtoken And last week, the IRGC seized two more tanker ships in the Arabian Gulf and detained their civilian crews, part of a longer campaign to threaten freedom of navigation and the entire global economy. This growing threat has led the U.S. military to deploy 3,000 additional marines to the Red Sea and prepare to put U.S. personnel on commercial vessels to try to deter Iranian aggression. prgtoken By every measure, Iran poses a greater threat to its neighbors and to the United States than it did 2\1/2\ years ago. The administration's record of appeasement and squandered leverage has left Americans less secure. prgtoken The urgent question n
VETERANS BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2023
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2023-9-18

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in support of H.R. 1530, as amended, offered by my friend from Texas and our Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs chairman, Representative Luttrell. prgtoken I also congratulate Representative Luttrell on this bill as it is his first one to come before the floor since coming to Congress. prgtoken Now, this bill would make vitally important improvements to the VA's disability claims process for veterans applying for benefits, and I am grateful to my fellow veteran for his work on it. prgtoken It is no secret that the VA disability claims process is lengthy and difficult, but Mr. Luttrell's bill is the right solution to modernize the process, an example of which would be the requirement for VA to publish disability benefits questionnaire forms on the VA's website to ease access between veterans and providers completing disability claims. prgtoken This is a commonsense change that honestly we should have done a long time ago. This bill also includes Representative Ciscomani's legislation to create a new internship program at the Board of Veterans' Appeals. This program would offer certain incentives to legal interns to get them into VA and fighting for veterans while also addressing hiring and retention challenges at the board head on. prgtoken Lastly, this bill includes Representative Self's proposal to make sure that the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims has enough judges to process the backlog of appeals and expected growth since the passage of the PACT Act last year. prgtoken These commonsense solutions should help us make the claims process a little easier to navigate for veterans and their families. It would also provide the courts with the additional resources we know they need to manage the workload coming in from the board. prgtoken Once again, I thank Representative Luttrell, Mr. Self, and Mr. Ciscomani for their work on this legislation. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1530, as amended, and .
CELEBRATING THE ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST CENTENNIAL
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-9-18

I rise today to celebrate the Allegheny National Forest centennial. For the last 100 years, the only national forest in Pennsylvania has been a shining example of what a multiple-use forest can do and be for a region. prgtoken This great forest wasn't always this vibrant. Prior to President Calvin Coolidge signing a proclamation establishing the Allegheny National Forest, or what we refer to as ANF, in 1923, there was considerable deforestation throughout Pennsylvania's northern tier. prgtoken This was a result of unsustainable and poor forestry practices during the 19th century and early 20th century. A century later, forests throughout the region have largely been restored and forest health has returned across the landscape by applying science and active forest management. prgtoken Located in the northern portion of my district, this incredible forest spans more than half a million acres across Forest, Elk, McKean, and Warren Counties. prgtoken Whether it is timber harvesting, energy production, wildlife habitat, or an abundance of outdoor activities, the Allegheny National Forest has it all. prgtoken The ANF is the economic engine of the region, supporting local jobs and industries, as well as recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. prgtoken The ANF is an important partner to the forest products industry, which is incredibly important for this region for both economic needs and encouraging forest health. The local logging and forest products industry play important roles in supporting the Forest Service's mandate to actively manage national forests and ensure a reliable source of domestic timber. prgtoken The Allegheny National Forest is also located in the same area as Pennsylvania's historic oil region, which began in 1859 when Colonel Edwin Drake drilled the world's first commercially successful well in Titusville, Pennsylvania. prgtoken The oil and gas industry has been a staple industry in northwestern Pennsylvania, established long before the ANF was even created. Today, energy production in the ANF continues to be a critical, economic driver in the region while the Forest Service remains an important partner with local producers and mineral rights owners. prgtoken , this centennial is a grand celebration as it highlights the importance of maintaining our multiple-use forest. To celebrate, the community is hosting a variety of activities leading up to the celebration on Sunday, September 24. Events include a Jakes Rocks Mountain Bike Trail Fest, a forest-themed art show, a forest-themed film festival, and ending with a birthday party on Sunday, the 24th, taking place at the Twin Lakes Recreation Area. prgtoken The ANF is a nature lover's dream and continues to be a prime vacation destination for Pennsylvania, as well as Americans and even international travelers. prgtoken While there are numerous hiking, biking, and even snowmobile trails, the ANF also provides key resources to sust
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-9-18

the September 18 New York Times, the Finnish leader, President Niinisto--now serving his second term--made an historic decision to ask for membership in NATO. He is a wonderful man; he is on a second term and is extremely popular in his country. And he asked to join the NATO alliance so that it could stand up against Putin. prgtoken He reminds us in this article that Finland has a great experience with its neighbor Russia and an 830-mile border with the Russian leadership. prgtoken He recalls ``Finland's numerous wars with Moscow, including the 1939 Winter War and World War II, when the Finns fought off the Soviets but had to cede some territory, Mr. Niinisto said European countries that let down their defenses after the collapse of the Soviet Union made a grave mistake.'' prgtoken And so he has asked to join the alliance. prgtoken I was at a meeting with President Niinisto, and he said he picked up the phone one day and called Vladimir Putin in Moscow. It is hard to imagine, isn't it? But he said: I told him, point-blank, I am joining the NATO alliance. prgtoken Putin said: You don't have to. I am not going to invade your country. prgtoken He said: I can't trust you anymore after what you have done to Ukraine. prgtoken That is a message that Zelenskyy was delivering last night on ``60 Minutes.'' I want to make clear on the floor: Putin is not going to stop his ambition to acquire other countries, and there are many that are in fragile, dangerous situations. prgtoken I am blessed to represent the State of Illinois and city of Chicago, as the Presiding Officer does. And there are some wonderful groups of people who have come to the State and our city that have made us what we are today. Among them are the Polish people. They say that Chicago is the second largest Polish city in the world, next to Warsaw. It is probably true. They are great folks, and I am honored to represent them. They know what the Soviet occupation through the Warsaw Pact meant to Poland, and they understand the danger if Putin is successful in Ukraine. The neighbors to Poland feel the same way--the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. I have a special connection there. My mother was born in Lithuania. I have been there many times, and I greatly admire the people of all the Baltic states. But they are small countries; they couldn't stand a chance of fighting off Vladimir Putin if he decided to invade them. prgtoken The point made by Niinisto--the point made by the NATO alliance, the point that President is making and, I might add, many leaders, like Senator McConnell, is that it is in our best interest to stop Putin now in Ukraine because he has ambitions that reach far beyond the borders of that country. prgtoken The United States is not sending troops. We are sending military equipment, artillery, ammunition; and we are giving advice to the Ukrainians so that they can win this battle. This battle i