mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-11-27

before the Senate adjourned for Thanksgiving, we voted to extend Federal Government funding into the new prgtoken year. I am glad there was no appetite in the Capitol for saddling the Nation with a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown. prgtoken The short-term funding legislation produced by the of the House was an important step toward fulfilling Congress's responsibility to pass full-year appropriations, and work continues toward restoring the sort of regular order appropriations process that Senators on both sides of the aisle have set as our goal. prgtoken But the Senate convenes today with some extremely important outstanding business that we need to address this year. In a few short weeks, we need to deliver on several urgent national security priorities. For starters, a number of our colleagues are hard at work on the conference report of the National Defense Authorization Act. This is Congress's primary opportunity to shape America's national security priorities and set the course of strategic competition with major adversaries. prgtoken We need to empower our Armed Forces with a clear directive for the many challenges they face. We need to prepare them to deter and fight future wars, not drag them into political culture wars. We need to focus our military on geopolitics, not climate politics. prgtoken But at this especially dangerous moment, we also need to deliver supplemental resources to help both America and our partners defend against linked threats from our biggest adversaries: Russia, Iran, and China. prgtoken Make no mistake, the PRC is not deterred. Beijing didn't take a Thanksgiving break from its historic military buildup, its threats to the freedom of navigation in international waters, or its efforts to meddle in Taiwan's domestic politics. prgtoken Russia is not deterred. Putin hasn't eased off on his brutal conquest of Ukraine. prgtoken Iran is not deterred. The world's top state sponsor of terrorism has continued to underwrite an alarming surge in attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria since the barbaric attacks of October 7. prgtoken Hamas is not deterred. Even during a temporary pause in fighting, terrorists are clearly determined, with Iran's help, to wipe Israel off the map ``from the river to the sea.'' prgtoken America needs to stand with our friends and stand up to our aggressors, and Senate s have been working for weeks to ensure that supplemental legislation includes robust investments in the hard power and defense industrial capacity we need to confront them head-on. prgtoken But on this side of the aisle, we also recognize that national security begins here at home. Last month's total southern border encounters marked the busiest October in decades of CBP records, and the harsh reality of the administration's border crisis continues to impact millions of Americans in cities across the country. prgtoken So I am thankful that Senator Lank
TikTok (Executive Session)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-11-27

over the past 52 days, we have watched a horrifying propaganda campaign take over our social media platforms. prgtoken Anti-Israel sentiment and support for Hamas terrorism has gone mainstream, and even administration officials like Jake Sullivan admit that Hamas is using popular online platforms to push propaganda. Of course, TikTok is the enabler-in-chief in this regard. prgtoken Here are some stats for you: Between October 23 and 30, videos with the ``StandWithPalestine'' hashtag received 285 million views globally, while videos with ``StandWithIsrael'' hashtag received just 64 million views. prgtoken Now, keep in mind, these stats reflect the online discourse surrounding the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust 3 weeks after it happened. Everyone has seen the pictures and videos of what Hamas had done. We knew that they were holding innocent people and families and children hostage. prgtoken It is terrible enough on its own, but we know that it is also a symptom of a very serious disease. We have seen more than enough evidence to suggest that TikTok's executives are manipulating user sentiment with Israel. Why would they do this? Because leveraging the anti-Israel cause is in the best interest of their handlers in the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken By silencing Americans and those who are pro-Israel and other westerners who counter anti-Semitic propaganda, they can ingratiate themselves with the Arab world and undermine the United States as the global superpower and chief mediator in the Middle East. prgtoken They know that by doing this, they are normalizing terrorism and genocide, but it puts the CCP and their partners in the new ``axis of evil'' even one step closer to global domination, and that is their goal. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea--that ``axis of evil''--they intend to push themselves to global domination. So going after Israel, going after pro-Israel, allowing anti-Semitic conversations to be carried out, they are OK with that. They look at it and say: small price to pay for us to be able to get our way. prgtoken Well, I have looked through the past few weeks of coverage of the role of TikTok and how they have played into this, and I came across story after story defending the platform and the firehose of pro- terrorist content that it promotes. And, of course, you are going to have story after story defending TikTok--of course--because it is OK with them to promote terrorism and to promote genocide. prgtoken Lately, those same mainstream media outlets have all been obsessed with context, and I think we can all benefit from understanding the context around what is happening with this content that is online. prgtoken Here is the context: The context is, the Chinese Communist Party has complete control over what does and does not go viral on TikTok. prgtoken A Forbes investigation into TikTok and ByteDance--and ByteDance is the Beijing company that owns TikTok, t
TRIBUTE TO BILL LAW
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2023-11-28

I rise today to recognize the exemplary career of Goshen County Fire Warden Bill Law. Bill is retiring after six decades of service to Torrington, Goshen County, and the State of Wyoming. prgtoken Wyoming adopted its official ethics code, known proudly as the Code of the West, in 2010. One of the principle tenets is ``talk less and say more.'' Bill Law, a humble and devoted public servant, fully embodies this value in everything he does. He invested time, experience, and effort in each of his careers, to the benefit of others. Bill demonstrated his capacity for leadership while serving a greater cause at a young age. While in high school, he enlisted in the Wyoming National Guard. Following his graduation in 1955, he proudly enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a radio technician. He served 3 years and was honorably discharged in 1958. prgtoken Following his military service, Bill found other ways to invest in his community. He moved to Torrington, WY, in 1962 after serving 4 years as the Yoder Fire Chief. This was the first of a long line of roles in fire management. prgtoken During this time, Bill met and married the love of his life, Betty Korhonen Law. Bill and Betty raised two children, Alicia and Trevor. This year, Bill and Betty are celebrating their 60th anniversary. Theirs is a remarkable partnership that has endured all of life's challenges. prgtoken Bill began as a firefighter with the Torrington Volunteer Fire Department in 1962. Though he enjoyed other successful careers, he remained a committed TVFD member. He often put his life on hold to respond to emergencies in surrounding communities. His dedication to fire safety is unmatched. From 1969 to 1988, Bill worked for Torrington radio legend Kerm Kath, owner and operator of the local KGOS and KERM radio stations. He worked in sales and became the station manager following Kerm's death in 1982. In 1991, Bill became the State provider relations representative for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming. He worked to secure agreements with hospitals, clinics, and medical offices around the State. I was pleased to work with him during my time as an orthopedic surgeon in Casper and as a member of the Wyoming State Senate. Bill retired from Blue Cross in 2004 after a rewarding 16-year career. Shortly after retirement, the Goshen County Commission appointed Bill as the county fire warden. From 2004 to 2012, he served dual roles as the fire warden and the City of Torrington's emergency management coordinator. Bill organized the county's fire suppression and prevention efforts, including communicating with the county's 11 fire districts and 9 fire departments. prgtoken A natural leader, Bill served two terms on the Torrington City Council, from 2012 to 2020. His civic engagement also includes serving as a board member for both Eastern Wyoming College and the county chamber of commerce. Bill is a devoted member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, where he h
WELCOMING THE HONORABLE CELESTE MALOY TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
John R. Curtis (Republican, UT) \u2014 2023-11-28

as the dean of the Utah delegation, I have the distinct honor to rise today to introduce the newest Member of the House of Representatives, Celeste Maloy. Celeste was born in southern Utah, raised in rural Nevada, and then, as an adult, chose Utah as her home. Celeste earned an agricultural degree from Southern Utah University in Cedar City which she now calls home. prgtoken She began her career in public service as a soil conservationist at the USDA in Beaver, Utah, also located within her district, where she worked for 10 years. prgtoken She left Beaver to go to law school at BYU, where she got her law degree, in my hometown, and she was a law student there, in fact, while I was her mayor. prgtoken Since beginning her late career, she has worked as a deputy county attorney, a public lands attorney for the Utah Association of Counties and, most recently, as the chief legal counsel to former Congressman Chris Stewart. prgtoken In a special election, Celeste assembled a coalition of both rural and urban voters. She was unafraid to stand for conservative principles, calling for debate in each of her 13 counties. In her district, she is known to be a hard worker, levelheaded, and consistently conservative. prgtoken We were all a little surprised that she won the election since the last thing she won was her 7th grade spelling bee, but the secret to her heart is simple: offer her a Dr. Pepper and her number one food staple, cottage cheese. Better yet, ask her about her 90-year-old grandmother, who is her biggest political fan and best critic, or her other grandmother who was her roommate when she was in high school and they worked at the same truck stop. prgtoken She is the fourth of six kids--this is how we do families in Utah-- which means that most of her life she has been in a bunk bed. prgtoken Finally, my colleagues will remember her predecessor, Chris Stewart. He was known for having several speed records around the world in his plane. Celeste does not have a flight speed record, but I hear, unbeknownst to the Utah Highway Patrol, she has several speed records on I-15 in her district. prgtoken , I am honored to yield to my fellow Utahn, Celeste Maloy.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Motion to Proceed
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-11-28

. Well, you just heard Senator Durbin say that this bill has passed the Senate once. It is still not law. We are back here again, and I hope my fellow Senators will see that Senator Durbin and I don't give up on this very important issue of trying to bring a dose of sunshine to the airwaves. prgtoken Lowering the cost of prescription drugs is a top priority of mine and most of the Senators here. Without prescription medication, millions of Americans would not survive. As a nation, we are incredibly blessed to live in a country where investment and innovation unlock cures and treatments. prgtoken But the escalation in price of prescription drugs, partly caused by this advertisement that goes on, are a consuming concern for millions of Americans, including Iowans who bring up this subject regularly at my county meetings. prgtoken I have come to the floor of the Senate to address the sticker shock that greets consumers when they pick up their medicine at the pharmacy or open their medical bills after a hospital visit. prgtoken In recent years, I have worked in a bipartisan manner to pass the CREATES Act, another bill called the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, and another one, the Right Rebate Act into law. Each of these bills lowered prescription drug prices for patients and taxpayers by stopping anticompetitive practices, putting sunlight on medications for consumers at the pharmacy counter, and to keep drug companies in check. prgtoken I was chairman of the Finance Committee when we hauled Big Pharma in for public hearings. As chairman, I also partnered with the senior Senator from Oregon on a groundbreaking 2-year investigation of insulin pricing. That investigation focuses not only on insulin manufacturers but also powerful pharmacy benefit managers--PBMs. prgtoken I have worked to hold PBMs accountable by putting sunlight on their practices and working to ban their anti-competitive behavior that increases the cost to patients, rural pharmacies, and the taxpayers. prgtoken In this Congress, I have gotten passed the Prescription Pricing for the People Act out of the Judiciary Committee and with bipartisan support. I hope the Senate doesn't miss the opportunity to hold the Federal Trade Commission accountable by requiring the 6(b) study of drug middlemen to be produced within 1 year instead of the typical 3 to 5 years that it takes the FTC to do something. prgtoken I have also worked with the junior Senator from Washington State to pass the PBM Transparency Act out of the Commerce Committee with bipartisan support. The FTC can play an important role in holding PBMs accountable in spread pricing and clawbacks across all health insurance. prgtoken I have also contributed to and supported two Finance Committee markups this year that included six of my PBM accountability and transparency provisions. I am supporting the PBM provisions that have come out of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to de
SANCTIONED FUNDS TO BE ACCESSED BY THE IRANIAN REGIME IN EXCHANGE FOR THE RETURN OF AMERICAN HOSTAGES
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-11-28

. Madam , this September, the administration paved the way for $6 billion in sanctioned funds to be accessed by the Iranian regime in exchange for the return of American hostages. prgtoken Authorizing this transfer puts us in an incredibly dangerous position and will only encourage Iran and other state sponsors of terrorism to kidnap more hostages in the future. prgtoken What we saw in the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and what we are seeing, once again, is that President has failed to manage our Nation's foreign policy. prgtoken This deal gives Iran access to more money to fund more terrorist activities, including support for regional proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah. prgtoken We know that the Iranian regime is highly skilled in sanctions evasion, and they will do everything they can to hide the true use of these funds. prgtoken One thing is for certain, this money would not be used for humanitarian purposes, as the administration has claimed. prgtoken It is time to pass the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act and freeze this money in Qatari banks where it is currently being held. prgtoken We cannot allow the Iranian regime to enrich itself and continue to funnel money into the hands of known terrorists. Public Lands Shouldn't Be Used to House Illegal Immigrants
SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTING TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2023
Roger Williams (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-11-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I support H.R. 4670, the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act, introduced by Congressman Stauber from the great State of Minnesota. prgtoken The U.S. Government is one of the largest customers in the world. They contract out purchases of things as simple as office supplies to complicated rockets that go into space. Each year, the government sets a contracting goal that they look to hit so that small businesses can help service the various needs of the Federal Government. prgtoken To be considered a small business in contracting, there are certain verification procedures to ensure that a small business does, in fact, qualify. It would be problematic if larger corporations were posing as small businesses in order to compete for some of the small business set-aside contracts. prgtoken For some of these small business categories, the businessowner simply gets to self-certify that they are who they say the business represents. For others, the Small Business Administration or third- party entities do a more rigorous certification process. prgtoken Since there isn't a uniform process to verify the small businesses are who they claim to be, it calls into question the accuracy of the contracting data that we receive. The Small Business Contracting Transparency Act brings much-needed insight into these certification activities and whether the SBA is meeting its requirements. prgtoken , I applaud Congressman Stauber for introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. prgtoken , .
CELEBRATING JUDD BURCHFIELD'S 102ND BIRTHDAY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-11-28

. Madam , I rise today to recognize a distinguished World War II veteran, Judd Burchfield of Rockland Township in Venango County. prgtoken Mr. Burchfield celebrated his 102nd birthday on Sunday, November 19. Mr. Burchfield is believed to be the oldest veteran in Venango County. He grew up in Mt. Joy, and later returned to the area following his service in World War II. prgtoken Over the course of the war, Mr. Burchfield was an auto equipment mechanic as part of the Army Air Corps. He spent time in both North Africa and Italy, and eventually rose to the rank of staff sergeant. Because of his courage, he was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with a Bronze Star, a Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. prgtoken After returning home to Venango County, Mr. Burchfield started his own farm, raising just about every farm animal. He started his own business, B&M Farm Supply, and worked for Richland Township running a road grader and a backhoe. prgtoken We thank Mr. Burchfield for his gallant service to our country and wish him the happiest birthday.
CALLING ON HAMAS TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE HOSTAGES TAKEN DURING OCTOBER 2023 ATTACK ON ISRAEL
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-11-28

I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for leading the discussion on our House floor today on the gentlewoman from Michigan's excellent resolution, H. Res. 793. prgtoken I am proud to be a cosponsor, proud to stand with 236 Members on both sides of the aisle to demand an unconditional release of those still held hostage by the terrorists in Gaza and their coconspirators. prgtoken I urge a ``yes'' vote, , and .
Artificial Intelligence (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-11-28

artificial intelligence--or what is referred to as AI--has been with us for quite some time now. And whether it is the chatbot providing help on Amazon, or personalized recommendations on Netflix, or the algorithms that are curating your social media feeds, these days, most of us interact with artificial intelligence on a daily basis. But as the release of ChatGPT to the public last year demonstrated, artificial intelligence is about to take a giant step forward. prgtoken The AI applications I have mentioned, like chatbots and personalized recommendations, are examples of so-called narrow AI, which is AI trained to perform specific tasks. But ChatGPT is an example of the next generation of AI--artificial intelligence systems set up to imitate the human brain and produce original content based on the assimilation of vast sets of data. prgtoken This next generation of AI--so-called foundation models which underpin systems like ChatGPT--offers tremendous possibilities: advances in medicine, in farming, in manufacturing, the automation of routine tasks, new ways to manage infrastructure, better and more resilient supply chains, advances in national defense. And the list, literally, goes on and on. prgtoken But as with any sophisticated technology, this next generation of AI presents risks as well. And those risks are heightened by the enormous capabilities of AI and the potential for this technology to pervade every corner of our society. And our goal needs to be encouraging the promise of AI while putting safeguards in place to minimize potential dangers. prgtoken The light-touch approach the United States has taken to internet regulation is a good model to follow as we approach AI regulation. The explosive growth of internet innovation in the United States is, in large part, a result of the fact that the government has not weighed down this sector of the economy with heavyhanded regulation. And we should maintain a similarly light touch when it comes to AI to encourage innovation and keep the United States at the forefront of the next generation of artificial intelligence. prgtoken Leadership in AI will benefit our economy. And there are also serious security reasons why staying at the forefront of the AI revolution is important. There is no question that AI will come to play an important role in national defense, and falling behind adversaries--like the Chinese Communist Party--could put our country at a serious disadvantage when it comes to our national security. So we need to start establishing some basic rules of the road that will allow AI innovation to flourish, while at the same time minimizing the dangers that it presents. prgtoken The race to regulate AI has already started. President has released a sweeping Executive order that empowers multiple government Agencies and Departments to regulate all AI systems, and even the algorithms that recommend our next movie on Netflix or remi