mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Vote on Quraishi Nomination (Executive Session)
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-6-10

I rise for the seventh time to call for this entire body to have the opportunity to consider and cast their votes for the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. prgtoken This commonsense reform would ensure that people in the military who have been subjected to sexual assault or other serious crimes get the justice they deserve. prgtoken In the 8 years that I spent advocating for this reform, with many other Senators, I have heard some criticism from those who would rather not see change to our military justice system. I wanted to take this time to briefly respond to a few of those criticisms. prgtoken First, I have heard that the bill will add bureaucracy to the process. The fact is, this bill actually cuts redtape. Instead of needing to find time on a commander's busy schedule for a military prosecutor to brief them on the case, the prosecutor's recommendations, instead, become the prosecutor's decision. prgtoken Under this law, prosecutors who understand complex military justice concepts like unlawful command influence and evidentiary standards make the decision, rather than a commander whose time is better spent focusing on warfighting than on learning the evidentiary rules. I have to wonder if these critics have actually read the bill, since it specifically requires the services to use existing resources that we have already provided to accomplish this reform. prgtoken Second, detractors worry that this law will result in fewer prosecutions. The opposite is true. Under the current system, only about one-third of survivors are willing to even come forward to report a crime. When 64 percent of victims are retaliated against for coming forward and less than 1 percent of victims actually sees a conviction, who can blame them? prgtoken When we put complex cases in the hands of impartial, professional prosecutors, both victims and the accused will have more faith and more confidence in the system. The more confidence survivors have in the system, the more they are likely to come forward. And the more survivors who come forward, the more offenders we can prosecute. prgtoken Third, those who would rather push off this reform to maintain the status quo sometimes say that there is a lack of data to support the policy and worry that it would somehow collapse good order and discipline. There is no lack of data on justice systems to pull from. prgtoken Our major Western allies have implemented systems like this, and in country after country, this type of reform, just like other military justice reforms, has improved good order and discipline. prgtoken In Israel, for example, this system brought survivors out of the shadows and gave them confidence to report. From 2012 to 2017, the Israeli military saw a 91-percent increase in willingness to report crimes. During that same period, the U.S. military saw an increase of only 33 percent. Despite the success of the #MeToo movement, we are sti
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-6-10

on one final matter, I want my colleagues to be aware of the number ``29 percent.'' That is the percentage of voters who believe that President will be ``reinstated'' as President later this summer--29 percent. Almost a third of voters believe he will be reinstated as President. According to that recent poll by Morning Consult, nearly a third-- nearly a third--of voters believe will be reinstated. prgtoken Of course, the idea of ``reinstatement'' comes from the disgraced former President himself and is nothing more than the deluded ramblings of a defeated politician. But it is a glaring warning that the Big Lie has created fertile ground for all sorts of insane conspiracy. prgtoken It is a depressing fact of our times that there is an audience out there who will literally believe anything the former President says, no matter how unrealistic or untrue. They believe him when he just abjectly lies. prgtoken The blame here, however, does not rest only with the former President. The blame falls heavily on Washington s and the political right who have not done enough to stand up to the Big Lie. prgtoken After making a few brave noises in the wake of January 6, leadership here in Washington now seems to have traded political courage and truth for appeasement. prgtoken The minority leader in the House called ``morally responsible'' for the attack on January 6. He empowered his deputies to take part in painstaking negotiations to establish an independent commission to study those events and then promptly voted against it. He convened his entire conference to deliver a pink slip to the one Member of his leadership team who dared repeat the truth that President is the President. prgtoken Here in the Senate, the leader gave a strong speech on January 6 and was willing to hold responsible for what happened that day. Several months later, however, the leader whipped his Members into a partisan filibuster of an independent commission, which he called a ``purely political exercise.'' prgtoken The Party is now wrapped around the axle of the Big Lie, and a big reason why is that leaders are unwilling to move on from ism. prgtoken We are watching the results play out in State after State, where legislatures have swallowed the Big Lie whole and are rapidly constricting the right to vote and fumbling through old ballots for traces of bamboo. prgtoken The truth is, the Big Lie has consequences. It erodes our trust in elections, faith in our democracy, and it is gnawing away at the very right to vote in America. prgtoken After 4 long years during which the Party foolishly tried to ride the tiger of , it seems as though many of them wound up inside. prgtoken . prgtoken .
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-6-10

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate complete its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m Monday, June 14; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each; further that at 5 p.m the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Jackson nomination; that all postcloture time expire at 5:30 p.m.; further that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen following disposition of the Jackson nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-6-10

. Mrs. President, I rise to speak in support of the ``BASIC Act,'' which I introduced today. prgtoken I know how important it is to help students cover the full cost of attending college, including tuition and fees, housing, food, transportation, books, medical, childcare and supplies. prgtoken In California, even though State and institutional aid programs cover full tuition and fees for about half of students attending a California State University, University of California and California Community College, students struggle to pay for the remaining cost of attendance. prgtoken Each year, over 300,000 eligible applicants do not receive a state Cal Grant because of limited availability. Non-tuition college costs can exceed $20K annually. Low-income students may spend about half their family income on out-of-pocket costs after grant aid. This bill will help accelerate California's work to make college affordable and provide funding to reach more schools across California and across our Nation. This is especially important at a time when community college enrollment has slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among students of color, lower-income students, and students who have left to work or take care of family members. prgtoken As we work to build back better and increase affordability and accessibility prgtoken of higher education, we must help our students stay in school. prgtoken That is why I am proud to introduce this bill to authorize $1 billion for a new grant program to help institutions of higher education meet students' basic needs. prgtoken This funding represents an essential aspect of building more equitable paths to higher education, and it represents an investment in our students, our institutions, and our future. prgtoken This legislation recognizes the disproportionate impact this pandemic has on vulnerable populations and it helps coordinate assistance across federal agency lines. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Warren and Representative Torres for introducing this bill with me, and I hope our colleagues will join us in support of this bill that ensures no student is forced to choose between their education and food or housing. prgtoken Thank you, . .
Child Nutrition (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-6-10

reserving the right to object, let me just say that over the last year, we have heard constantly that you should ``stay home when you are sick.'' It is good advice, of course, and the right thing to do for public health, and I certainly encourage people to do it. But what I thought about every single time was, what about the workers who can't just stay home? There are a lot of them. prgtoken Right now, 32 million American workers do not have access to a single paid sick day. Let me repeat that. Thirty-two million people in the United States will lose pay if they stay home because they are sick or because they have to care for a sick loved one. Only 20 percent of private sector workers in the United States have paid family leave through their employer, meaning millions of workers will lose pay if they give birth or have a sick child, for just a few examples. prgtoken What I hear from workers in these situations is that they need to know they have the ability to take time off without worrying about losing their paycheck and without worrying about whether their boss will allow them. prgtoken That is why I am on the floor today to object in the strongest terms to the misleadingly titled bill the Senator from Utah just proposed. His bill would allow employers to offer workers' comp time instead of time-and-a-half pay when workers put in overtime. prgtoken Here is why this won't work when it comes to taking paid leave. Under this bill, the so-called Working Families Flexibility Act, workers would have no guaranteed right to use the comp time they have earned even when there is an emergency. And it actually gets worse from there. Under this bill, if a worker's claim is denied, their only option to fight back is to request that their comp time be cashed out, and the employer has a whole month to comply. As of March 2021, more than half of Americans said they were living paycheck to paycheck. A month is not going to work for them. prgtoken Anyone who is serious about making sure workers can support themselves and care for themselves and their families should reject this bill and work with my colleagues and me to pass Senator Gillibrand's FAMILY Act and the Healthy Families Act Congresswoman DeLauro and I introduced. Our legislation would actually truly give workers flexibility and the weight off their shoulders as they navigate the kinds of tough times we all encounter in our lives. prgtoken Look, when this pandemic struck, we saw how costly not having paid leave has been for our workers, for our families, for our businesses, and for our country. Millions of workers were forced to choose between the well-being of themselves and their coworkers and their families or their paycheck. Millions were infected, and millions more--especially women and workers of color--were forced out of their jobs in large part due to lacking paid leave or quality, affordable childcare options. prgtoken This pandemic has really m
REMEMBERING SARAH COHEN-DOHERTY
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-6-10

I would like to recognize an Oregonian who was a champion for children and families in my home State. Sarah Cohen-Doherty was a young Oregonian with a passion for helping those most vulnerable; she left us far too soon. Sarah was known in the Portland community to be a fierce advocate with a generous heart, and she followed that heart into a career in public service. prgtoken After getting her master of arts in teaching from Willamette University, Sarah worked as a community impact manager for Social Venture Partners Portland, an organization that invests in local nonprofit organizations and community causes. Every day, she worked tirelessly to put needy people in touch with the organizations that could solve their problems and improve their lives. prgtoken Sarah's public service extended outside of work hours. She was instrumental in the effort to pass a county ballot initiative that would go on to fund universal preschool in Multnomah County. In November 2020, several months after her tragic, unexpected passing, that county ballot measure passed thanks to her efforts. If that wasn't enough, somewhere in what I can only assume was the 25th hour of the day, Sarah also volunteered in Portland-area high schools to teach about the Holocaust. Sarah was committed to Oregon's statewide effort to preserve the memories of those lost in the horrific genocide and prevent something so awful from occurring in the future. I am incredibly proud to have known Sarah and was moved by her commitment to equity for all children, especially Portland's youngest. prgtoken Sarah is survived by her husband Brian, stepdaughter Maysa, mother Ruth and father Jerry. Her life will be celebrated by a community made better by her service and incredible compassion. The impact she had during her time here with us will be felt for generations by the children and families she worked so incredibly hard to support and protect. We celebrate her life and the legacy she leaves behind.
RECOGNIZING MONICA BABINE
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Republican, WA) \u2014 2021-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to honor Monica Babine. On May 26, 2021, Monica was presented with the 2021 Digital Equity Champion Award for her outstanding work in the field of digital equity. For more than 30 years, she has worked on this issue that is so critical to Washington's 5th Congressional District. prgtoken Currently, Monica is the Senior Associate of the Program for Digital Initiatives at Washington State University's Division of Governmental Studies & Services. In this role, she works with business, government, economic, and community development organizations to increase broadband awareness, access, and use across the state of Washington. prgtoken Monica has a keen understanding that access to reliable, affordable broadband is basic infrastructure in our 21st Century digital economy. Her work to help close the digital divide and expand access to broadband in Eastern Washington's most rural communities cannot be overstated. prgtoken Monica has proven time and again to be a true leader in her field, creating the Broadband Action Team model and serving as a valuable resource for local leaders interested in broadband planning. As a result of her work, more people than ever are engaging to identify local broadband needs and make plans to address them. prgtoken Monica's focus on rural communities has made her an incredible partner, and I am grateful for her efforts as we continue working together to address this issue in Congress. Her tireless work to bring together members of our Eastern Washington community, including policymakers at every level, is so important to help close the digital divide once and for all. prgtoken Madam , for her commitment to expanding access to broadband, her exceptional leadership, and her ongoing work to improve the lives of people around her, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Monica Babine.
HONORING SGT. NICK ERNSTES
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the heroic actions of Sgt. Nick Ernstes of the Hancock County Sheriff's Department. prgtoken While off-duty, Sgt. Ernstes saved the life of a woman who had been stabbed repeatedly in the parking lot of a local convenience store. prgtoken After arriving on the scene, Sgt. Ernstes acted quickly and applied the proper medical attention that likely prevented the women from losing her life. prgtoken Thank God for Sgt. Nick Ernstes for his heroic actions and for serving our community. And I thank every member of law enforcement for bravely fulfilling their mission to protect and serve.
TRIBUTE TO KATHY AZEVEDO
Ken Calvert (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to honor and pay tribute to my good friend and former Norco Mayor Kathy Azevedo, who passed away on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Kathy was a tireless advocate for, and inspirational member of, the Horsetown USA community of Norco, California and she will be deeply missed by many. prgtoken Kathy proudly called Norco her hometown and graduated from Norco High School in 1971. If you knew Kathy, you know she had a bright smile and lot of energy. She put both of those attributes to work as a Jazzercise instructor and in a leadership role with the Norco Chamber of Commerce. In 2003, Kathy was elected to the Norco City Council where she would serve for 12 years. Throughout her time on the council, Kathy was a staunch proponent for maintaining Norco's rural lifestyle and supported economic development that was a good match for the community. prgtoken Kathy's legacy will be one of service and putting the needs of others before her own. As someone who understood the value of bringing a community together, Kathy was integral in organizing the Norco Fair, the National Day of the American Cowboy, as well as the Horsetown Parade of Lights and Christmas Festival. After her cancer diagnosis many years ago, Kathy was determined not only to fight her own disease but also to support other women who were battling cancer. She co- founded a non-profit organization, Support Sisterz, comprised of breast cancer survivors who raise money to help women who have been recently diagnosed with cancer and need emotional and financial support. prgtoken Kathy is survived by her husband Danny Azevedo, mother Ellen Seiberling, brother Lance Seiberling, daughter Stacy Azevedo, son Chad Azevedo, and her grandchildren Troy Nicola, Gracie Nicola, Reagan Azevedo, and Evyn Azevedo. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Azevedo family, her friends, and everyone fortunate enough to have known Kathy. Although she may be gone, the many contributions Kathy made to Horsetown USA, cancer patients and her family will have a lasting impact.
IN RECOGNITION OF MURPHY MONTLER
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to honor Murphy Montler upon his posthumous induction into the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Business Hall of Fame, which recognizes leaders who have contributed to the area's economic development and community enrichment. prgtoken Born in Ashville and raised in Altoona, Mr. Montler was rooted in our region. He graduated from St. Francis University and began his 41-year career with FirstEnergy as a coal handler. Mr. Montler was quickly promoted and later retired as an executive in the government affairs office for Ohio and West Virginia. He was deeply involved in our community, and his love of the Greater Johnstown area was evident throughout his service. prgtoken During his time in our region, Mr. Montler served on a number of community boards, including the Cambria Regional Chamber, Junior Achievement, JARI, United Way of Laurel Highlands, Johnstown Regional Partnership, Somerset County Economic Development Council, Enterprise Venture Capital Corp of PA, Johnstown Free Medical Clinic, Victim Services, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, and Johnstown Area Heritage Association. prgtoken Mr. Montler also served on the 1st Summit Bank Regional Advisory Board, the Johnstown Industrial Development Corporation Review Committee, the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies Advisory Board, and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce CEO Committee. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and previously served as Cambria County Business Hall of Fame chairman. prgtoken On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, it is my privilege to honor Murphy Montler for his contributions to our region. This recognition by the Cambria Regional Chamber and Junior Achievement of Western PA is a well-deserved honor, and I extend my sincere congratulations to Mr. Montler's family and loved ones.
RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF MRS. KAREN SCHUETT
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the career of Mrs. Karen Schuett and her retirement from teaching. prgtoken Mrs. Schuett began her career at Horace Mann Elementary School in the Bakersfield City School District in 1983, before teaching in the Panama Buena Vista Unified School District at Stockdale Elementary School in 1984. For the remainder of her career, she taught primarily 2nd and 3rd grades at Castle, Sandrini, Laurelglen, and Hart Schools. In addition, as part of the Sister City Program, Mrs. Schuett taught English as a Second Language at Wakayama Municipal High School in Wakayama, Japan, from 1988 to 1989. prgtoken During her career, Mrs. Schuett served numerous committees and held various leadership positions in efforts to ensure the best possible education for her students and the entire community. She also was awarded several recognitions, including 1992 Teacher of the Year, the California Teachers Association State WHO Award for 2009-2010, and the California Teachers Association Member-in-Politics Ted Bass Award. prgtoken Two of Mrs. Schuett's proudest professional accomplishments are restoring the Christmas lights on Truxtun Avenue as part of a class project, which was nominated by the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce for a Beautiful Bakersfield Award, and founding the Boys of Color mentoring program. The Boys of Color program was started in 2003 to bring community members to the school site to mentor young Black students. The program has grown to 50 participants and has been recognized by the Kern County Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee, the NAACP, the California Teachers Association, and the California legislature. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the career of Mrs. Karen Schuett and wishing her the best in retirement.