mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SEPARATION OF POWERS RESTORATION ACT OF 2023
Harriet M. Hageman (Republican, WY) \u2014 2023-6-15

. Madam , the Separation of Powers Restoration Act, or SOPRA, is great legislation that I fully support. prgtoken My amendment is simple and seeks to clarify that de novo judicial review applies to agency guidance as well as to agency rules and congressional statutes. prgtoken Specifically, my amendment explicitly states that interpretive rules, general statements of policy, and all other agency guidance are subject to de novo judicial review. prgtoken Unlike rules, guidance is undefined in the APA's definition section. Agency guidance consists of interpretive rules that explain how agencies interpret the statutes and rules that they administer and general statements of policy that prospectively advise how agencies may choose to exercise their authority. prgtoken Guidance is not subject to the APA's notice and comment requirements and, at least not officially, does not have the force of law or at least shouldn't have the force of law. prgtoken Yet, we have seen a growing trend of administrative agencies attempting to use guidance to have the force of law while at the same time avoiding even the APA process. prgtoken For example, in my private capacity before being elected to Congress, I was part of an effort to push back on the Department of Agriculture's attempt to mandate RFID ear tags on the cattle and bison of our Nation's ranchers. The agency tried to force this on the agriculture community through a two-page guidance document that was posted to the USDA website. prgtoken This circumventing of the congressional legislative and agency rulemaking process would have cost our cattle producers $2 billion to comply with this guidance, all without a single comment or public hearing. prgtoken Further concerning is that guidance is often not judicially reviewable because agencies then claim that it is not final agency action. Even when it is reviewed, the government then asks for deference to the agencies by the courts. prgtoken While the language in SOPRA is implicit that the requirement for de novo judicial review of all relevant questions of law applies to agency guidance, my amendment would make it explicit. prgtoken In closing, my amendment would clarify that agency guidance, which agencies routinely abuse, is subject to de novo judicial review under this bill. prgtoken Madam , .
SEPARATION OF POWERS
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-6-15

. Madam , the Constitution is clear. The people's elected Representatives, Congress, have the power to legislate, and the courts have judicial authority. prgtoken Unfortunately, in recent years, those powers have been diluted by overreaching and unelected administrative branch bureaucrats that believe they are the sole arbiters when it comes to administering policies, not the American people through their Representatives. prgtoken Regardless of which political party is in office, both s and alike should be concerned about willfully giving away their constituents' voices when deciding pressing matters. prgtoken The Separation of Powers Restoration Act, which I am proud to support, would restore a separate but equal government our Founding Fathers intended and give back to the people, the American people and their Representatives the capacity to make policy. This is as common sense as it gets and should draw wide bipartisan support. prgtoken Madam , I urge all Members to join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 288.
PENN KINGSMEN SOFTBALL 4A STATE CHAMPIONS
Rudy Yakym III (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-6-15

I rise today to celebrate the newest State champions to come out of Indiana's Second District. prgtoken Last weekend, the Penn High School softball team won the 4A State Championship for the second time in school history. The return of State champs was 24 years in the making for the Lady Kingsmen. prgtoken It wasn't easy. To take home the trophy, the Kingsmen first had to go through two-time defending champs Indianapolis Roncalli. prgtoken With the score tied 1-1 going into extra innings, Head Coach Beth Zachary knew that her team was going to do whatever it took to pull out a win. That is exactly what the Kingsmen did, eventually prevailing 2-1 after an exhilarating nine innings. prgtoken Congratulations to Coach Zachary and all the Lady Kingsmen on your big win and an incredible season. prgtoken Thank you for making Hoosiers and north central Indiana and beyond so incredibly proud. prgtoken God bless you, and Go Kingsmen.
TRIBUTE TO DR. SUSAN PETERSON THOMAS
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-6-15

I rise today to thank Dr. Susan ``Sue'' Peterson Thomas for her many years of service to the State of Kansas and Kansas State University--K-State--as well as honor her for all that she accomplished during her career. prgtoken The daughter of a dairy farmer and former mayor of Abilene, KS, Sue began her journey at K-State as a student, where she graduated with a bachelor of science degree in political science and history. She would go on to earn a master of public administration degree from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from K- State. prgtoken Sue's service to the State of Kansas began in 1978, where she worked for Mike Hayden during his time as the speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives and Governor of Kansas. She also served on the transition teams for Governor Hayden and Governor Sam Brownback. prgtoken Sue would go on to work for her alma mater, beginning her distinguished career at K-State in 1989. During her 33 years of service to the university, Sue worked her way up to chief government relations officer, where she was directly responsible for all university liaison activities with the State and Federal legislature. She also served as a political science instructor since 1992, where she taught Kansas politics and government to over 1,000 students. prgtoken During her time at K-State, Sue was responsible for multiple different projects that have had a tremendous impact on the university. She was instrumental in securing State funding to renovate Farrell Library and add 153,000 square feet of new space to the library on K- State's Manhattan campus; she coordinated the successful legislative effort to merge the Kansas College of Technology in Salina into K-State, forming the K-State Salina campus; she led the efforts to secure State and Federal funding for the construction and equipment of Pat Roberts Hall, the home of K-State's Biosecurity Research Institute. The fruits of her labor culminated at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility's ribbon-cutting ceremony this last May, which she worked tirelessly on, helping pass multiple pieces of legislation that were crucial to the State's efforts to land the facility adjacent to K-State's campus in Manhattan. prgtoken Throughout her career, Sue has been recognized at the local, State, and national levels. She has been awarded the prestigious Marvin D. ``Swede'' Johnson Achievement Award, the Flinchbaugh Family Wildcat Pride prgtoken Award, and the Career Excellence Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities' Council on Governmental Affairs. prgtoken Sue officially retired from K-State on April 7, 2023, after 33 years, 8 months, and 6 days of service to the university. I now ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the distinguished career of Dr. Susan Peterson Thomas, as well as thank her for all of her work on behalf of the State of Kansas and Ka
SEPARATION OF POWERS RESTORATION ACT OF 2023
Scott Fitzgerald (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-6-15

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken The other thing I will mention came up in our discussions during the committee. When you find yourself in a situation--we just had this discussion in relationship to the REINS Act--where the administrative powers continue to kind of escalate and bloom out from that original piece of legislation, what you will find is, later on, that has to be revisited because oftentimes it is done hastily, doesn't make sense, is arbitrary in nature. It is very difficult for legislators to even read through those powers that have been granted and try to make sense of that. It is another thing that came up in committee that I think is valid. prgtoken Madam , .
Southern Border (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-6-15

I wanted to come to the Senate floor this afternoon to talk about a scandal of incredible proportion. prgtoken Since President became President of the United States, 300,000 unaccompanied children have been encountered at the border and then placed with sponsors inside the interior of the United States--300,000. prgtoken Ordinarily, there would be a process by which Health and Human Services would attempt to contact those minor children, in the custody of those sponsors, for a wellness check 30 days after they were placed with them. The New York Times has documented that at least 85,000 of those 300,000 children cannot even be reached--no response to the phone call or any other outreach. prgtoken So under the administration's policies, an untold number of minor children have been placed with sponsors in the interior of the United States, and the administration can't tell you where they are; the administration can't tell you what their condition is, whether they are being sent to school, whether they are being recruited into gangs, whether they are being sexually or otherwise physically assaulted, or whether they are being neglected. They simply don't know. prgtoken Now, I know it takes a lot to get people's attention these days because there is so much competing for our attention--so many different types of outrage. But the fact that this hasn't been front page news for a long time now or hasn't motivated the administration to actually do anything to change this situation leads me to the conclusion that President simply doesn't care. He doesn't care. He doesn't care what happens to these children. If he did care, he would do something about it, but he doesn't, apparently, care. prgtoken These are some of the most vulnerable individuals encountered at the border. They come to the United States, not in the care of their parents, but in the care of transnational criminal organizations, the cartels--the coyotes, as they are called--who treat them like a commodity. They don't treat them like a human being. They treat them like a commodity because the only thing these cartels care about is cold, hard cash. prgtoken This is a huge cash cow. And it is not just the children. It is the other 5 million migrants encountered at the border, as well. All of them pay these criminal organizations to transport them here to the United States. prgtoken I mentioned previously that when I went to Yuma, AZ, with a bipartisan group of Senators, that Border Patrol sector chief greeted us by saying: Welcome to the Yuma Sector. It is a sleepy little agricultural community. prgtoken He said: We encounter people from 176 countries, speaking 200 languages. prgtoken So people are literally being transported around the world to show up at our border and claim a right to be admitted, and the administration continues to roll out the welcome mat and not deter illegal immigration by people who canno
India (Executive Session)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2023-6-15

I rise to extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Narendra Modi, the esteemed Prime Minister of the Republic prgtoken of India. Next week, we will be honored to have him address a joint meeting of Congress underscoring the significance of the relationship between the United States and India. prgtoken The bond between India and the United States is not just an alliance, it is a strategic and global partnership. Our two nations' relationship is built on the strong foundation of shared values--democracy, freedom, and respect for the rule of law. prgtoken India and the United States have long recognized the power of collaboration and fostering peace, prosperity, and global stability. United States-India diplomatic relations have only grown since India gained its independence 75 years ago. prgtoken In the face of global challenges ranging from education to energy to agriculture and health, Prime Minister Modi has worked with the United States to address these issues, and continues to work toward solutions that benefit not just our countries but the entire world. prgtoken Prime Minister Modi's visit to Washington, DC, is an occasion to celebrate that progress and to reaffirm our commitment to further strengthen this vital partnership. prgtoken I have had the opportunity to learn more about this partnership from Dr. Kulkarni, who is the Indian Consulate General in Atlanta, and a friend of mine. And she is also a friend of my State director, Umesh Sanjanwala. prgtoken So Prime Minister Modi's visit is an opportunity to deepen our collaboration in areas such as trade, defense, technology, and healthcare, which will shape the future trajectory of our nations. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues to join me in extending a warm welcome to the Prime Minister as he visits our great Nation. prgtoken .
FATHER'S DAY
Eric Schmitt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-6-15

Father's Day is coming up. Father's Day is this Sunday. prgtoken As a dad--and, actually, my two daughters are coming into the Galleries right now--it is a time for reflection and for gratitude, quite frankly. prgtoken I delivered my maiden speech earlier this week, on Tuesday, and a big part of that was of the influence that my father had on my life. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood and seeing him work 7 days a week on the 12 midnight shift and going to events and being a great role model for me is something that I am eternally grateful for. prgtoken I have had a lot of different positions or jobs or titles, but the most important one that I will ever have is being a father to my son Stephen and to my two daughters, Sophia and Olivia. prgtoken I also mentioned in that maiden speech the inspiration that my son gave me to run for office. Stephen was born with a rare genetic condition and suffers from epilepsy. He is nonverbal. He gave me and has given me, every day, a perspective on what is really important and what my focus is. prgtoken I know, for a lot of dads out there, being a father keeps them grounded. It is the most important thing that they will ever do. We all have important business to do even in this place, but being a dad is paramount. prgtoken And I have got my two daughters. I talk about Stephen a lot because Stephen, again, was my inspiration. He has profound medical challenges that my wife and I--and Jaime is here as well--deal with every day. If Stephen were here, he would be giving us big hugs. He is a great kid. My two daughters, in their own rights, are incredible people. Sophia is on her journey and is a great kid, a great swimmer. I am just blessed to be her dad. Then Olivia was asking thoughtful questions on the way here. So we know the statistics are just simply undeniable, and that is certainly my story. prgtoken But I know that, across the board, in a larger sense, the litany of research related to the positive outcomes that fathers have when they are involved with their children are those of better school readiness and performance, higher self-esteem, greater social awareness. Increased father engagement can play an important role in improving maternal healthcare, in addressing maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, and in bettering the development of the child and the long-term growth of the child. prgtoken It was an honor to sponsor this resolution with the Senator from Georgia, my friend, as we shared what we thought was really important to come before this Chamber in advance of Father's Day. prgtoken This resolution recognizes what we already know--that the presence of a strong father contributes to a child's life in insurmountable ways. It is hard to calculate what those are. We have some statistics, but we all know that intuitively, and it strengthens our society as a whole. It is important that we recognize that and celebrate that on this
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF SERVICE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GRANGE
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-15

I rise today to honor the dedication and determination of the Pennsylvania Grange as they celebrate 150 years of service. prgtoken Their story began in 1871 with the organization of the Eagle Grange No. 1 near Williamsport in Lycoming County. It eventually became statewide in 1873. The PA Grange was founded with the intent to heal a wounded Nation following the Civil War. prgtoken Today, the PA Grange has members of all ages and represents more than 5,440 Pennsylvanians. prgtoken The PA Grange is honoring their 150 years with 150 acts of service. Each chapter is tasked with completing a service project, and as of Wednesday, June 13, they have completed 194 projects. prgtoken It is with full confidence I stand here honored to represent a State with people dedicated to helping members grow as individuals, unifying their communities, and fostering opportunities through legislation and community service. prgtoken , every year I have the privilege of attending the Grange Fair in Centre County, my home county. While attending the fair, I am able to witness their mission firsthand. The prgtoken mission of this organization continues to withstand the test of time. prgtoken I congratulate the Pennsylvania Grange on 150 years of service, education, legislation, and fellowship.
RECOGNIZING THE JOB WINSLOW CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-6-15

it is my honor to recognize the Job Winslow Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Located in Traverse City, the chapter was initially organized and chartered in 1914. It was named in honor of Job Winslow, a Veteran of the Revolutionary War from Dighton, Massachusetts. He was a soldier, patriot, and loving father to his daughter, Elida Jane Winslow Lind, who resided in the Traverse City area. As Michiganders, we extend our utmost gratitude to the Winslow Family and offer best wishes to the members of the chapter for their Commemorative Marker Ceremony, held on June 17, 2023. prgtoken The NSDAR boasts over 50 chapters in Michigan alone and has connected with countless members throughout their time in our state. They offer programs to their local community, schools, Veterans, and military personnel, which throughout the chapter's 109-year history has emphasized health, structural support systems, and other lifeline resources. prgtoken On June 17, 2023, members of the chapter, their families, and other attendees will gather at Oakwood Cemetery to bestow a well-deserved plaque upon Elida Jane Winslow Lind's grave, honoring the legacy of both Elida and her father. prgtoken , it is my honor to recognize the Job Winslow Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and I wish them well for their Commemorative Marker Ceremony on June 17, 2023. On behalf of Michigan's First District, I extend my appreciation to all involved in the NSDAR and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
RECOGNIZING EVERETT'S MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-15

I rise today to congratulate the Everett Lions Club on their formal dedication of the statue, ``Brothers of Honor'' to memorialize Everett Medal of Honor recipients, Sergeant Ellis Weicht and Staff Sergeant Robert Hartsock. prgtoken The Everett Lions Club has continuously dedicated their efforts to ensuring the legacy of our American heroes is kept alive. With an unwavering focus on honoring those who served, and those who never returned home, the Lions Club has created a life-sized bronze monument to Medal of Honor recipients Sergeant Ellis and Staff Sergeant Robert Hartsock, for their valor in combat. prgtoken Sergeant Ellis Weicht received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Saint-Hippolyte, France on December 3, 1944--while commanding an assault against encamped enemy positions in the town, Sergeant Weicht drew enemy fire, and with disregard for his own safety, provided effective fire before being mortally wounded. prgtoken On February 23, 1969, Staff Sergeant Hartsock was serving with the 44th Infantry Platoon when the Dau Tieng Base Camp came under attack. During the attack, Staff Sergeant Hartsock led his men bravely, protecting the vital brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound. As an enemy fighter detonated a satchel charge, Staff Sergeant Hartsock, with no regard for his own safety, pulled the charge under himself in order to shield his fellow soldiers from the blast. prgtoken Both of these men gave their lives while working to save the lives of the men they served beside, and we owe them both a debt of gratitude that we can never fully repay. prgtoken On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I thank the Everett Lions Club for their dedication to honoring these men who, in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, have given ``the last full measure of devotion.''
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-6-15

this is the ninth time that my colleagues on the left have come to the floor to try to break my prgtoken hold on Department of Defense nominees. This is the ninth time I am coming forward to keep my word. Since the last time we did this, nothing has changed, and so my hold will remain in place. prgtoken I want to be clear about this because my ic colleagues have been spreading a little bit of disinformation. I am not blocking anyone from getting confirmed. I am not blocking a single vote. I am only blocking unanimous consent. If want to vote on these nominees one at a time, I am all for it and will probably vote for them. prgtoken I understand that Senator Cardin is a strong supporter of this nominee. I am a strong supporter of the Naval Academy. I have several relatives who have gone to the Naval Academy. It is possible that when these come up, I will vote on all of them. But, so far--let me just respond to some of the false claims that have been made against me in the press and even on this floor in the last week or so. prgtoken Yesterday, the White House Press Secretary was asked why they haven't reached out to me at all from the White House. She said: I do not know when the last time is that [the White House] has talked to the Senator. prgtoken I will tell you when the last time was--never. The White House has not reached out to me once in 4 months. No one has contacted me. There has not been one conversation about a path forward. prgtoken I have spoken to Secretary Austin, outside of Armed Services hearings, exactly once in the last 2 years. That was a 10-minute phone call 3 months ago. He made absolutely no effort to find a compromise in our situation. prgtoken I have never once heard from Chairman Reed on this issue, of the Armed Services Committee--absolutely no discussion regarding my concerns. Instead, Senator Reed has attacked me on this floor. prgtoken I have never once heard from Senator Schumer. Instead, Senator Schumer has attacked me six or seven times on this floor in his seat. prgtoken Many of the claims made about me have been completely false. prgtoken This is no way to negotiate with a colleague. I don't understand it-- especially not in this body, the United States Senate. Frankly, this kind of behavior just steels my resolve. The more false claims my colleagues on the left make about me, the more it makes me inclined to just keep my hold in place. prgtoken I have already laid out the reasons why these claims do not add up. I don't need to repeat them all as we speak. We don't need to waste time. But I would note that yesterday a news story reported correctly that these military positions are being fulfilled by acting officials. These jobs are being done as we speak. They are not empty. Four months into this situation, it is obvious that people are doing the job. It is not affecting our readiness. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong. <|p