mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Bob Good (Republican, VA) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise in strong opposition to this bill, which represents the worst of Washington: defunding police in a surprise vote in the middle of the night. prgtoken This bill advances the far-left platform, and would defund the police through unfunded mandates that cost State and local departments millions of dollars. prgtoken If this weren't bad enough, the bill advances an antipolice agenda with Washington-knows-best regulations, and puts a target on the backs of everyday officers by creating a national database of complaints that have not been adjudicated. prgtoken Madam , I oppose the bill. I stand with law enforcement, and I am grateful for those who serve on the thin blue line.
REMEMBERING BILL NIGHBERT
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-3-3

earlier this year, my home State of Kentucky said goodbye to Bill Nighbert, a longtime public servant and a kindhearted friend. Both as a local mayor and a statewide official, Bill was instrumental to the achievements of communities across our Commonwealth. Today, I would like to recognize his lifetime of contributions to Kentucky. prgtoken As the Gateway to the Cumberlands, the city of Williamsburg holds a special significance not just in Southeastern Kentucky but for the entire Commonwealth. Bill worked several jobs for the city he loved before being elected mayor in 1993. For the next decade, the people of Williamsburg put their trust in him. In return, Bill worked around the clock to deliver for his community. Even in the city's top job, Bill could still be found helping plow snow, deliver goods, or any other job that needed doing. A beloved local splash park is just one tangible example of Bill's leadership and vision for his city. prgtoken As a successful mayor, Bill's reputation grew across the Commonwealth. He was elected president of the Kentucky League of Cities in 2002, using his talents to improve communities throughout the Bluegrass. Bill left city hall when Governor Ernie Fletcher tapped him to be deputy commissioner of the Department of Local Government and later the secretary of the Transportation Cabinet. Even as Bill served the entire Commonwealth in Frankfort, he still took care of Whitley County. For instance, he was a driving force in the construction of a new interchange over I-75 near Williamsburg. prgtoken Apart from his professional work, Bill was legendary for his ability to make a friend in any situation. I guess you don't become the president of the Optimists Club without a sunny disposition. He was a role model and a little league coach, lending whatever free time he could find to a variety of local organizations. prgtoken Of course, Bill's greatest achievement was the love he shared with his wife of 34 years, Susan, as well as his children and their spouses, Brad and Monica, Renee and Chris, and Benton. Anyone who was lucky enough to know Bill could see the immense pride he had in his children and grandchildren. He said they were the reasons he dedicated so much of his life to public service. On behalf of the Senate, I send sincere condolences to Bill's friends and loved ones. We are grateful they shared him with us for so many years. Kentucky was made better as a result.
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Dan Bishop (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Madam , the insidious and false pretext for this legislation endangers and ends lives. The bill rests on a false premise and promotes a false narrative that police are racists and use their power to advance racist ends. This narrative is a false and despicable slander. prgtoken Police officers do not leave their loved ones and risk their own lives every shift to oppress or discriminate. They do it to serve. They do it without fanfare and for little pay, and they have come to anticipate abuse in place of the respect that they deserve. They do it to save lives. prgtoken But the reckless ``defund the police'' rhetoric behind this legislation is forcing police to retreat and to leave the vulnerable at the mercy of those who prey upon them. prgtoken Madam , you should run from that rhetoric, as you are. Madam , you called the police ``rotten to the root'' and called for it to be ``dismantled.'' prgtoken That rhetoric is killing people. Please stop the political games. Stop slandering law enforcement, and stop endangering our communities. Back the blue.
FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-3-3

prior to my coming to Congress, I dedicated my entire life as an FBI agent to fighting corruption and fighting for electoral reform, having overseen that program for the entire Nation. H.R. 1 sets us back. prgtoken H.R. 1 should not be called For the People. It should be called for the politicians. We know what we need to do to fix this system, Mr. . prgtoken Several of my colleagues and I have introduced legislation that would actually restore faith in this institution and in the electoral process: term limits, no budget-no pay, a balanced budget amendment, single-issue legislation, abolishing congressional pensions, ending ballot harvesting, providing free photo IDs to every registered voter, ensuring signature matching, and, with the exception of military ballots, requiring that all ballots be received by 8 p.m. on election night. prgtoken , this is common sense. What this body is doing today is the opposite. My colleagues are further eroding trust in this system, and that is a real shame because we have the opportunity to fix this. prgtoken , I want to know why House leadership refuses to put these issues on the floor that would unequivocally pass with overwhelming margins in the House and the Senate. If it is going to pass overwhelmingly here, that means the American people want it. Let's put those on the floor.
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise in opposition to H.R. 1280. prgtoken Do you know what is terrifying to the American people? prgtoken Watching try to pass a defund the police bill; the same who cheered on and supported riots that burned American cities, and the same who shared Minnesota Freedom Fund bail bond links supporting criminals and helping them get out of jail. prgtoken This bill is atrocious. Shame on all of you. This hurts our police officers. prgtoken April 29, 2010, my friend, Jonathan Edwards, was shot in the line of duty. If that happened today and this bill is passed, getting rid of qualified immunity allows the criminal who shot him to be able to sue him simply because they are upset that they were arrested. prgtoken This same bill will also allow that criminal who shot him to be able to put his name on a national hit list that will be made public, whether police officers are found to have done wrong or not. prgtoken This is shameful.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. RES. 88
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Thank you to the Senator from Florida as well and for sharing his personal story and why it is so important that we have transparency on bills like this COVID package. prgtoken Over the course of the pandemic, Congress has worked together-- s and --to pass five overwhelmingly bipartisan bills providing COVID-19 relief to the American people, and I think we would all agree that that relief was much needed. prgtoken Now, in March, we passed the largest stimulus package in American history. And just a few months ago, we passed the second largest. But what the aren't telling you is that much of the $900 billion we passed in the most recent relief package, and even some of the CARES Act money, has yet to be spent. And, frankly, folks, we don't even know exactly who has spent what money Congress has doled out over the last year. prgtoken I have long said, the American taxpayer deserves to know where and how their money is being spent. Bottom line, we need transparency and to know what has and has not been spent so far. prgtoken This commonsense effort will help us get this information. Until we have those details, we should not continue throwing money to Washington bureaucrats, and we certainly should not support this partisan $1.9 trillion package that includes many items that are completely unrelated to COVID-19. prgtoken I agree with my colleagues that there is more that we can do to help expedite the vaccine distribution and promote access to childcare so our parents can return to work. But, folks, this is not Monopoly money. This is real money. prgtoken We have a moral obligation to our future generations to spend responsibly. Iowans and all Americans deserve transparency before we add trillions of dollars to their tab. prgtoken With that, I will yield to the Senator from Oklahoma.
HONORING UNITED STATES AIR FORCE COLONEL LARRY H. SHAW
Jackie Walorski (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor United States Air Force Colonel Larry H. Shaw on his highly decorated, 33-year career serving our nation, and to congratulate him on his retirement as commander of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Reserve Base in Miami County, Indiana. prgtoken Colonel Shaw began his military career in 1988 after earning his commission from Reserve Officer Training School at the University of Nebraska, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. He went on to accumulate more than 5,700 flight hours and deployed overseas for multiple operations. Colonel Shaw's years of leadership, pilot training, and mission development have ensured the nearly 1,900 military, civilian, and contractor personnel at Grissom have what they need to support the United States Air Force mission and defend our country. prgtoken Grissom Air Reserve Base is a source of pride for Hoosiers in our community. It is the largest employer in Miami County, and it is home to the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Since Colonel Shaw became commander in 2016, I have seen firsthand the positive impact of his dedication and commitment to excellence. I want to thank him for his outstanding initiative throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He has prgtoken gone above and beyond to ensure the brave men and women under his command remain safe and healthy. In addition, his innovative thinking has brought numerous economic development opportunities to northern Indiana, strengthening the communities surrounding Grissom Air Reserve Base. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Colonel Shaw's accomplishments through more than three decades of service in the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve. On behalf of 2nd District Hoosiers, I am grateful for the incredible legacy he will leave behind, and I wish him all the best in the years to come.
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Lance Gooden (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-3

I was shown voting aye on rollcall No. 60. I intended to vote no. Members recorded pursuant to house resolution 8, 117th congress Amodei (Kelly (PA)) Boyle, Brendan F. (Jeffries) Buchanan (LaHood) Cardenas (Gomez) DeSaulnier (Matsui) Deutch (Rice (NY)) Frankel, Lois (Clark (MA)) Gaetz (McHenry) Grijalva (Garcia (IL)) Hastings (Wasserman Schultz) Huffman (McNerney) Kelly (IL) (Kuster) Kirkpatrick (Stanton) Krishnamoorthi (Brown) Langevin (Lynch) Larson (CT) (Courtney) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lee (NV) (Kuster) Lieu (Beyer) Lowenthal (Beyer) Meng (Clark (MA)) Moore (WI) (Beyer) Moulton (McGovern) Napolitano (Correa) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Wasserman Schultz) Pingree (Kuster) Roybal-Allard (Escobar) Ruiz (Aguilar) Rush (Underwood) Speier (Scanlon) Vargas (Correa) Watson Coleman (Pallone) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)
RECOGNIZING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-3-3

I rise today to recognize the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled on its 90th anniversary. The National Library Service, or NLS, is an important part of the Library of Congress, an institution that has long been committed to serving readers with disabilities. The concept of a national library for the blind was introduced in 1897 by the seventh Librarian of Congress, John Russell Young, who established a reading room for the blind that included more than 500 books and music items in raised characters. prgtoken In 1913, Congress began to require that one copy of each book be made in raised characters and deposited in the Library of Congress for educational use; however, as impressive as this collection was, it was only available to people who were able to visit in person. prgtoken In 1930, legislation was introduced in both the House and the Senate to fund a Library of Congress program to provide service to blind readers on a national scale. This led to passage of the Pratt-Smoot Act which, on March 3, 1931, established what we now know as the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. The act has been amended several times, not only increasing funding for the program, but also expanding service to children and people with physical and reading disabilities and adding what is now the world's largest accessible music materials collection. prgtoken Missouri has wonderful local libraries that play a key role in connecting the NLS program to my constituents across the State. NLS and the Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library serve nearly 6,500 individuals and more than 600 intuitions in Missouri, providing daily access to all the incredible resources NLS has to offer. prgtoken NLS is continuing its innovative and adaptive approach to serving Americans with disabilities. NLS has a vibrant history that spans phonograph records, cassette tapes, flash memory cartridges, and the internet, all while continuing to supply hardcopy and digital braille materials. With its modernization efforts underway, NLS no doubt has a very exciting future ahead. prgtoken Today, it is my pleasure to congratulate NLS on its 90th anniversary. I wish the wonderful staff at NLS continued success as they work to ensure the NLS mission ``that all may read.''
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-3-3

3 minutes. prgtoken , last summer, millions of Americans all across the country took to the streets to demand fundamental change in the culture of law enforcement and to call for meaningful accountability for officers who commit misconduct. prgtoken The catalyst for these protests was the tragic and brutal death of George Floyd. None of us can forget the image of that officer's knee pinned to his neck for nearly 8 agonizing minutes, or the sound of his anguished pleas of ``I can't breathe'' that were ignored until his final breath was taken from him. prgtoken After his death, the world awoke to daily indignities, and sometimes the brutality, that too many people--disproportionately Black, Latinx, and indigenous people, people living in poverty, and people with disabilities--face in their interactions with law enforcement throughout the country. prgtoken We value and respect the many brave and honorable police officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect us and our communities. We know that most law enforcement officers do their jobs with dignity, selflessness, and honor, and they are deserving of our respect and gratitude for all they do to keep us safe. But we must also acknowledge that there are too many exceptions. prgtoken The reality for too many Americans, especially many Black Americans, is that police officers are perceived as a threat to their liberties; to their dignity; and, too often, to their safety. Sadly, our country's history of racism and racially motivated violence continues to haunt our Nation. prgtoken We see it in the rates of COVID deaths, in our system of mass incarceration, and in the vast chasm of economic inequality, all of which fall disproportionately on the backs of African Americans. And we see it in the harassment and excessive force that many people of color routinely experience by law enforcement. prgtoken That is why we must act today. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would allow for meaningful accountability in cases of police misconduct. It also effectively bans choke holds, ends racial and religious profiling, ends no-knock warrants in drug cases, and limits the militarization of local policing. prgtoken It encourages departments to meet a gold standard in training and other best practices to reduce police bias and violence. It requires significant data collection, including the first-ever national database on police-misconduct incidents to prevent the movement of dangerous officers from department to department. prgtoken In addition, this legislation creates a process to reimagine how public safety could work in a truly equitable and just way in each community. prgtoken Last summer, within weeks of the protests that galvanized the Nation, the House passed the legislation before us today. Unfortunately, the pleas for justice that rang out in the streets fell on deaf ears in the Senate. prgtoken Since then, over 600 more people--dispropo
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. RES. 88
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-3-3

I certainly appreciate the Senator from Florida's interest in oversight of the coronavirus emergency relief funds. This funding has been and continues to be critical to the American people throughout the pandemic. prgtoken I also appreciate the Senator's support for the creation of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee when he voted for the CARES Act. This was a provision that I authored to ensure that we would have strong oversight of coronavirus relief dollars. prgtoken I agree wholeheartedly that we must be faithful stewards of taxpayer money. That is why the CARES Act directed the Government Accountability Office, our congressional watchdog, to oversee coronavirus spending. We are fortunate to receive consistent, detailed reporting and recommendations on these issues. The Senator's resolution, however, will not strengthen these oversight mechanisms, nor will it deliver any form of relief to families who are hurting and small businesses that are struggling. prgtoken If the Senator from Florida wants an update on the current status of funding from previous coronavirus relief bills, I am happy to provide one to him. prgtoken Let's first look at the first coronavirus relief measures, all of which were passed in March and April of last year. To date, approximately 93 percent of those funds have been obligated and 88 percent have been outlaid. After accounting for benefits that are, by design, continuing to be paid out over time, there is less than $100 billion of uncommitted funds left, and approximately half of that is in the Provider Relief Fund for struggling medical providers, whose needs continue to be extremely high. prgtoken For the legislation signed into law on December 27, 2020, more than half of this funding has already been committed, but if we set aside expanded unemployment benefits, which expire next month; small business relief; and the tax credit portion of the economic impact payments, which will be disbursed over time, less than 12 percent of the funding from December remains unobligated. prgtoken We know the status of funds from past COVID relief bills. This information is not being kept secret in any way. In addition to reports from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee and the Government Accountability Office, we have a monthly SF 133 report from the Office of Management and Budget. prgtoken Coronavirus-related spending is also publicly tracked--publicly tracked--on both USASpending.gov and on the website of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. prgtoken We don't need more reports right now; we need action. We have been fighting a public health and economic crisis, neither of which will magically disappear without additional Federal action. We can't wait until more small businesses close or hospitals run into the red. We know how badly Americans are hurting, and they are hurting right now. prgtoken We are a full year into this pandemic that has take
JOE NOVOTNY'S RETIREMENT
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-3-3

. Madam , this week marks the end of an era as Joe Novotny concludes a thirty-year career in the House, the last ten as our Reading Clerk. prgtoken In a sense, it seems longer than ten years in that he assumed that role naturally with such quiet competence. He was unflappable in the midst of often frantic activity. He is the face of a critically important and complex set of activities that keeps the House legislative process moving forward. Even when it seems like we're not doing much, it takes a lot of people and a lot of moving pieces to make it look that way. prgtoken It's almost as though he was born for this important role, having literally grown up in the House. He was a House page, a program that allowed for so many young people to see firsthand the legislative process Hill. prgtoken Joe's rise through the ranks culminated with his decade as House Reading Clerk. He has steadily and thoughtfully performed his duties in exemplary fashion. He has been personally warm and helpful, being a perfect representation for the many men and women behind the scenes that hold his place together. prgtoken I, along with thousands of C-SPAN junkies, will miss Joe, and we all wish him the very best in the next chapters of his career and life.
STOP TREATING MENTAL ILLNESS LIKE A CRIME
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-3-3

equality and justice are core values of this country, yet for Americans with mental illness, the risk of being killed when approached by law enforcement is 16 times higher. An estimated one in four fatal police encounters ends the life of an individual with mental illness. prgtoken We are not fulfilling the promise of equality and justice for Americans with mental illnesses and disabilities. That is why I introduced the Mental Health Justice Act, which would create specialized mental health first responder units. If someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, they are better served by a trained mental health professional, not a police officer. prgtoken Mental illness is not a crime, and we have to stop treating it like one. Getting the right help to individuals with mental illnesses prevents them from getting tangled up in a system that isn't built to serve their needs. prgtoken The Mental Health Justice Act makes our communities healthier and safer, more equal, and more just.