mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WELCOMING ANN BERRY
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2021-2-25

I appreciate what the leader just said about COVID. It certainly reflects the feelings of people in my State that we have to get going. prgtoken But I am here on a different matter today. Since the 1780s, we have had an extraordinary list of Secretaries of the Senate. The outgoing Secretary Julie Adams is one of those extraordinary people who have been here, and I have had the distinct pleasure and honor of serving with so many. prgtoken But let me be personal for a moment. On Monday, in my role as President pro tempore, I will administer the oath of office to an amazing person, Sonceria Ann Berry. She will become the Secretary of the Senate. prgtoken This is a woman who earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of North Alabama, and she has had so much experience in the Senate. She first worked for Senator Howell Heflin of Alabama. prgtoken I had the pleasure of serving with Senator Heflin--as I found when I would travel to Alabama with him, he usually would be greeted with ``Hello, Judge.'' He was a man who had an extraordinary sense of how the Senate worked but made very clear to me how much he relied on Ann Berry. She worked with other good friends of mine: Senator Pat Moynihan, whose office was right down the hall from mine, and Senator Edwards and Senator Carper. She took time out from her duties in my office to help stand up Senator Jones' office. prgtoken She came to the Leahy office in 2007, and she worked with my chief of staff, J.P. Dowd. They gave such leadership to my office, and I have found that almost daily, I would stick my head into Ann's office and say: Here is the situation; what do you think we should do here or there? I knew what a go-to in the Senate she had been for generations of staffers, a mentor to dozens of young staffers and interns. I have also said over and over again that we Senators are merely a constitutional impediment to our staffs. Well, this impediment was delighted he could go to Ann Berry and seek help and advice. prgtoken I think of her and her family--Reginald, her wonderful husband, and her daughter, Elizabeth, whom I have had a chance to see grow up to become a young woman who is distinguishing herself working here in the Senate. prgtoken I also think of her sayings, like ``This, too, shall pass'' or ``I may have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night.'' ``There is more than one way to skin a cat,'' or sometimes when we had been here late into the night, she says, ``Nothing good happens after midnight.'' But with her, everything good happened. prgtoken I think of the Senate and all of us in it, in a way, as a family. Over my years here, I have become more and more aware of that. But Ann Berry truly was. I don't know how many times somebody working in my office would have an issue--not just the professionals things; she was always there to answer those and give direction. They would go in and say, ``You know, I have had this
Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-2-25

I wanted to join Senator Blunt in thanking the JCCIC staff. I see them up there, all 6 feet apart. They are incredible and did such a good job in a really difficult circumstance with this inauguration. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Blunt for his great leadership through thick and thin. There were a lot of hard decisions that had to be made, and he made the right ones. We worked together really well, and the sky was blue when the new President got inaugurated. Somehow he pulled that off as well. So I thank the staff and thank Senator Blunt for his friendship and his great leadership. prgtoken .
INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE
Ritchie Torres (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-2-25

she is exactly right. The promise of America is that if you work hard and play by the rules, then you should have access to a decent, dignified life. Too many of our essential workers are paid starvation wages. prgtoken You have people who are doing everything right. They are working their heart out for the country and for their families, and they are struggling to survive because the cost of living in America, especially in cities like New York, is spiraling out of control. prgtoken So the promise of America is broken as long as we continue to pay our most essential workers poverty wages. It is no longer defensible.
EQUALITY ACT
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-2-25

as a founding vice chair of the LGBTQ-plus Equality Caucus, I am proud, once again, to cast my vote for the Equality Act. It is my sincere hope that this is finally the year that it will be signed into law. prgtoken In dozens of States, including my own, LGBTQ Americans are still denied housing, discriminated against in education, or denied service at businesses. The administration ruthlessly attacked the LGBTQ community's rights from the transgender military ban to allowing doctors to deny medical care to LGBTQ individuals. prgtoken States have continued to put forward so-called bathroom bills. Legislators in my own State have introduced bills to deny medical care to trans children and prevent trans youth from playing sports. Even worse, 44 trans Americans were murdered in 2020, the deadliest year on record. prgtoken We can't tolerate any more discrimination. It costs lives. The Equality Act is vital so that Americans everywhere can love whom they love and be their authentic selves without fear of persecution, eviction, or discrimination.
AGRICULTURE
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-2-25

on Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Tom Vilsack as the Secretary of Agriculture. It is a role he is familiar with, having previously served as Agriculture Secretary under President . I voted in support of his nomination because I believe he understands the issues facing farmers and ranchers and is sincere in his desire to work with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to support our Nation's agriculture producers. prgtoken Agriculture is the lifeblood of my home State of South Dakota, and fighting for farmers and ranchers is one of my top priorities here in the Senate. I am very pleased to, once again, serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in this Congress, which gives me an important platform to advocate for South Dakota farmers and ranchers and farmers and ranchers across the country. prgtoken One huge priority for me over the past year has been making sure agriculture producers have the support they need to weather this pandemic. During debate on the CARES Act--our largest coronavirus relief bill to date--I fought to make sure we included relief for farmers and ranchers, and I followed up by advocating for cattle producers with the Department of Agriculture to make sure they would receive funds. prgtoken I also worked to ensure that additional relief for farmers and ranchers was included in the COVID legislation that we passed in December. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program that the USDA established to distribute funding, included in the CARES Act, has distributed billions in direct support to agriculture producers, which has been key in helping them weather this pandemic. prgtoken Now that Secretary Vilsack has been confirmed, I urge him to lift the administration's freeze on part of this important program and distribute the additional funding from the December relief package as soon as possible. I also urge the Department of Agriculture to use its authority to provide assistance to agriculture processors like the biofuels industry. prgtoken During my meeting with Secretary Vilsack prior to his confirmation, we spent time discussing my Soil Health and Income Protection Program, which became law as part of the 2018 farm bill. That program, the SHIPP program, allows farmers to take their lowest performing croplands out of production for 3 to 5 years. This benefits the environment by increasing soil health and water quality, and it benefits farmers by providing them with a rental payment for the acres they have temporarily removed from production. prgtoken I will continue to urge Secretary Vilsack to expand farmers' access to SHIPP by holding another signup this year. I will also continue to urge him to address another priority I brought up in our meeting, and that is the November 1 haying and grazing date for cover crops on prevented plant acres, which is too late in the year for farmers in more northern States like South Dakota. prgtoken As I said, one of my top pri
TRIBUTE TO JULIE ADAMS
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-2-25

on a completely different matter, this week, the institution of the Senate is losing a talented leader who has spent 6 years as one of our top officials. prgtoken The Secretary of the Senate is a truly unique position in American Government. She or he is essentially the chief administrative officer of the institution itself. Back in the 18th century, that meant keeping the minutes and records and making sure people had ink for their quills. Today, it means managing a sprawling array of offices packed with career professionals, everything from parliamentary procedure to payroll, to public records, to the Senate Library and the page school and much more. The Secretary also fulfills key institutional functions. She or he signs every act that we pass. They carry formal messages to other branches of our government. prgtoken It takes major smarts, guts, integrity, and people skills just to survive in this mammoth job, let alone to actually thrive in it, but for the last 6 years, Julie Adams hasn't just survived, she hasn't just personally thrived; she has strengthened the entire institution of the Senate. prgtoken I first met Julie back in 2003 when we hired her to help out our press team. I was just starting my time as whip. Julie was new to Washington, but she wasn't new to policy or to politics, and she knocked everyone's socks off right from the start. She combined diligence and professionalism with a heart of gold. She mastered her day job, volunteered for tasks above and beyond, and became the whole office's favorite teammate. prgtoken Of course, nobody is perfect; for example, Julie is not a Kentuckian. She is a proud daughter of Iowa. But trust me, she has become an honorary citizen of the Commonwealth many times over. prgtoken A few years later, she was stolen away to do important work for First Lady Laura , but in 2009, we brought her back to coordinate operations and administration across both my personal office and my leadership office. She brought great judgment, a quick mind, stellar instincts, and a meticulous eye to a big job and made us all a whole lot better. From short-term crises to long-term relationships, Julie can do it all. prgtoken While perpetually juggling 10 tasks for herself, she always found ways to look after everyone else. She made sure each of her colleagues, down to the most junior, got the attention and the resources they needed. Everyone was included. Everyone mattered. She made sure of it. prgtoken Her talent and skills made Julie an easy choice for Secretary of the Senate after we took the majority in 2014. Now, there is always the potential for sensitivity when a new leader, appointed by a Senate leader of one party, comes in to oversee huge numbers of dedicated, long-serving, nonpartisan specialists. Not surprisingly, prgtoken Julie rapidly won the admiration, affection, and trust of the men and women under the Secretary's umbrella. She has champione
ISSUES OF THE DAY
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2021-2-25

I thank my friend from Texas for yielding. prgtoken , tonight I rise in celebration of Black History Month. I rise in honor of the memory of Daisy Bates, a native Arkansan and civil rights hero. prgtoken Daisy Bates was born in south Arkansas in 1914 and moved to Little Rock in 1942. Active in the NAACP, Daisy and her husband, L.C started the Arkansas State Press, a weekly newspaper, which they used to call attention to racial injustices. prgtoken In the face of violent threats, Mrs. Bates courageously led the movement to desegregate Little Rock Central High School, recruiting and mentoring the Little Rock Nine. prgtoken Daisy Gatson Bates became an icon in the fight to end segregation in the Jim Crow South. She was the only woman to speak at the 1963 March on Washington, led by Dr. Martin Luther King. prgtoken Daisy Bates is a hero to Arkansans and Americans, and I am proud to honor her legacy today, and I look forward to her statue joining the pantheon of American leaders highlighted in the U.S. Capitol. NATO States Are Not Paying Their Fair Share
Nomination of Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (Executive Session)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2021-2-25

when Governor Granholm came before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee for her nomination hearing, she said she was committed to American energy dominance. She stated she understood the importance of having a broad energy mix and supporting energy innovation. prgtoken Now, I asked her if it was a good thing that the United States is the world's leading producer of oil and natural gas, and she said it was. I asked her if low energy prices and high-paying American energy jobs were good things, and she agreed that they were. And when I asked her if America exporting its energy influence around the globe was a good thing, she again affirmed that it was. She has demonstrated that she is dedicated to supporting carbon capture, nuclear power, and American uranium production. prgtoken For these reasons, she cleared our committee with broad bipartisan support and will soon be confirmed by the Senate. I expect we will work together closely on these efforts when she leads the Department of Energy. prgtoken During her nomination hearing, Governor Granholm also said that she didn't want to see anyone lose their job or get left behind. Yet this is exactly what the administration is doing to thousands of American energy workers. prgtoken On Inauguration Day, the President spoke of unity and bringing our Nation back together. Once he arrived at the White House, however, he threw that rhetoric out the window, picked up his pen, and started signing radical Executive orders. prgtoken His orders to ban oil, gas, and coal leasing on Federal lands and to kill the Keystone XL Pipeline will throw thousands of Americans out of work. These workers' livelihoods are being sacrificed in the name of the agenda. Leaders in the administration are telling these oil rig and coal mine and pipeline workers that they can simply get new jobs building solar panels. prgtoken Actually, John Kerry said that the administration policies will give these workers better choices. In 2019, the average salary of a solar panel technician was about $30,000 a year less than the average salary of a worker in the gas, oil, and coal industry. So John Kerry flies around the world, private jet, but is asking American energy workers to each take $30,000 a year less in income. And that is if these green energy jobs even exist. prgtoken To that point, the Washington Post Fact Checker took a look at what John Kerry had said, and they said he was offering ``false hope with a misleading use of statistics.'' prgtoken Look, we have heard it all before. When President was Vice President, the administration promised thousands of green energy jobs--jobs that never materialized. Millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted on green energy companies that went belly-up. prgtoken Now the ``Solyndra Syndrome'' has returned. The Washington Post Fact Checker said it expects just a little over 10,000 new wind and solar jobs over the next 10
Nomination of Miguel A. Cardona (Executive Calendar)
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-2-25

I rise today to support the nomination of Miguel Cardona to be the next Secretary of Education. He has the background, qualifications, and the temperament to serve in this position. Dr. Cardona has a meteoric rise from a classroom teacher to a school principal, to a commissioner of education for the State of Connecticut. prgtoken I am glad the President has nominated him to lead the Education Department in such a challenging time for our Nation's schools. prgtoken COVID-19 related school closures have led to significant learning losses, with millions of children stuck at home, trying to learn. Parents are at their wits' end because many of the adults running public schools across our country are failing to actually follow the science. We should be seriously talking about reopening schools as quickly as possible. That is what the science tells us, and that is what students need. prgtoken Dr. Cardona testified before the Senate HELP Committee. He stressed the need for students to get back to school, and I am glad that is now, finally, a bipartisan mission. prgtoken At the same time, each school district, college, university, State and local community faces different circumstances in dealing with this pandemic. Trying to treat them as a monolith instead of providing flexible advice for States and localities to use if applicable and useful would be a mistake. prgtoken Dr. Cardona said he understands that one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington won't work. Dr. Cardona also agreed to be responsive to our oversight requests and to keep us updated on his plans and Department action. We won't agree on everything, but we should be able to find places where we can agree and we can move forward. prgtoken I support the nomination of Dr. Cardona and look forward to working with him, and I encourage my colleagues to support his nomination as well.
EQUALITY ACT
Dan Bishop (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-2-25

. I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I noted that, at the outset, the bill sponsor, the gentleman from Rhode Island, said that every community deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Every community deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. prgtoken The problem with this misnamed bill is that it does not treat every community with dignity and respect. You have heard from previous speakers that this bill takes pains to say your earnestly held religious beliefs are no defense. prgtoken What else does it do? Well, the basic way the legislation operates is to insert or substitute for the word ``sex'' as a protected classification the phrase ``sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity.'' If it did nothing more, it would be an echo of the Bostock decision in June. But it does do more. prgtoken It defines the term ``included,'' so ``sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity.'' If you go to the definition section, ``including'' is defined to mean ``including, but not limited to.'' ``Including but not limited to,'' why is that? What else does the bill intend to do that the bill declines to state? prgtoken Most significantly, , is that the bill removes the play in the joints. Let me explain what I mean. Concerning the public accommodations title, Title II of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which, by the way, didn't cover sex, it defined what a public accommodation was for the purpose of ceasing the discrimination against Black Americans in public accommodations. What it said was, and it had a lot of synonyms, but hotels, restaurants, theaters, those were public accommodations. prgtoken That language is gone in this bill, . Instead, what it says is a public accommodation is ``any establishment that provides a good, service, or program, including,'' there is that word ``including,'' and there is a big, long list. prgtoken So any establishment that provides any good, any service, or any program in our society is covered, but we are still not done because of the rule's construction. ``A reference in this title to an establishment shall be construed to include an individual whose operations affect commerce and who is a provider of a good, service, or program,'' any individual, the cake baker, the photographer. prgtoken This bill flips the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on its head.
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES
Kat Cammack (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-2-25

I thank the gentleman from Alabama. Even though, the SEC Nation, we may be rivals on game day, when it comes to honoring our hometown heroes, we are united, and I appreciate you taking the time to share these stories. prgtoken , before I yield to another one of my great colleagues, I want to highlight a great man, Mr. Mike Leader, from Fleming Island, Florida, who is an active duty physician proudly serving in the United States Navy. prgtoken Mike was deployed in April 2020 to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has been working tirelessly to save lives over the last year. His wife, Adriane, and his three children have remained strong and positive during his time away from home, recognizing his sacrifice for our fellow Americans. prgtoken Mike is set to be deployed again next month to once again take up the fight against this pandemic, and he and his family will be in my thoughts and prayers as he continues the fight to end COVID-19. prgtoken I would also like to honor Orange Park native Peggie French. Ms. French is what her nominators call an angel to seniors. Ms. French spends hours every single week scheduling vaccines for seniors in Clay County. She has become somewhat of an expert in the process and even helps to monitor the vaccine sites for cancelations to help seniors trying to get appointments. prgtoken To date, she has helped over 60 senior citizens to get appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine in her spare time. I visited the COVID vaccination sites in my district a few weeks ago, where these very seniors that she helped were being vaccinated. I want to thank Peggie and those just like her for helping folks in our area. prgtoken , from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
COLORADO WILDERNESS ACT OF 2021
Lauren Boebert (Republican, CO) \u2014 2021-2-25

I thank the ranking member for yielding. I rise today to oppose the latest land grab, in the form of H.R. 803. prgtoken This bill, which is actually eight bills piled into one, adds nearly 1.5 million acres of new wilderness and permanently withdraws 1.2 million acres from mineral production. Seriously? This is the approach we are taking? prgtoken want to stop mineral production, lock up our lands, and depend on our enemies in Russia, Saudi Arabia, and China for our energy, all while pretending to be green. prgtoken It is unacceptable to outsource our energy development to countries that often use child and slave labor. We literally have children mining in Congo with their bare hands to appease these not-in-my-backyard extremists. prgtoken Speaking of backyards, , the sponsor of title I in this bill doesn't have a single acre designated as new wilderness in her district, yet title I alone locks up 510,000 acres in my district. The Grand Junction Chamber sent me a letter opposing this, stating: These are lands that are literally in our backyard in Mesa County, yet Congresswoman DeGette continues to ignore us, does not meet with us, and does not even consider the consequences of her bill on the hardworking families of our district. prgtoken Could anyone here imagine me legislating away any part of Denver or Boulder? The Member who authored title I's attack on my district simply responds to doubts and concerns by inviting D.C. swampers to my district on horseback to look at the pretty views, and then they call it a day. prgtoken Dolores County is mentioned several times in this massive land grab. The locals, elected officials, and experts have expressed their disdain for this bill repeatedly over the years, with no regard from the bill's sponsors. prgtoken After the past year of statewide lockdowns, the last thing communities in my district need is further restrictions imposed by the Federal Government on what they can do on public lands the majority is silencing the people of my district in order to ram through a 3 million-acre land grab. prgtoken Have supporters of this legislation considered the disastrous wildfires that will result from the new wilderness designation and other land grabs in this bill? Wilderness is the most restrictive land use designation possible. It prevents active management of our forests, which is critical for mitigation against catastrophic wildfires. If we don't manage our forests, Mother Nature will continue to manage them for us.