mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--S.J. RES 44
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-10-26

I, too, also oppose this motion for the reasons that Senator Risch outlined. prgtoken Our presence there are not troops in hostility. To the contrary. We have been asked. Our African partners have asked for our support, and our European allies are looking for us to stand firm. prgtoken This is a situation where our troops are welcomed in order to prevent the terrorist activities that are taking place in that part of Africa. prgtoken We had a committee hearing on the Sahel this week. You saw the circumstances in this part of Africa. It is dangerous there. The U.S. presence is helping save lives and to contain terrorism. Our partners in Africa want us there to deal with that threat. Now is not the time to signal that we are abandoning them. This is not the time to draw down our military presence in Niger, which could directly impact their security. prgtoken Now is not the time for the United States to send a message that we cannot be relied upon. Think about what this says to our partners if we were to pull out. Think about what it says to our enemies. Russia already has a foothold in Africa, including right next door in Mali. Their presence has been absolutely devastating for the people of the countries where it operates. prgtoken Russia's affiliated forces have committed horrific human rights atrocities. Just in Mali, the Wagner mercenaries and multiple armed forces are believed to have massacred 500 people in March of 2022. That is why our presence is so valuable and so important to that region. We do not give enough attention to that part of the world. We certainly don't want to signal that we are abandoning that part of the world. If we do that, we leave a vacuum. If we leave a vacuum, Russia will fill it; the Wagner mercenaries will fill it. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to defeat the motion.
CONGRATULATING THE REPUBLIC OF TURKIYE ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2023-10-26

on October 29, 2023, the Republic of Turkiye celebrates the 100th anniversary of its founding, and I congratulate the People of Turkiye and Turkish Americans on this 100th commemoration. prgtoken As a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkiye Relations and Turkish Americans and the only Member of Congress of Turkish descent, I recognize the vast reforms that were undertaken by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his vision for a reformed, modernized, and democratic Turkish Republic. Today, Turkish Americans represent a vital thread of the American fabric, and with rich culture and history, they serve as the best ambassadors for strong relations between our two countries. prgtoken I take pride in the contributions and cultural richness brought by Turkish-Americans to the United States. Our heritage is a tapestry woven into the diverse fabric of this nation, and we remain committed to fostering understanding and collaboration between Turkiye and the United States. prgtoken I congratulate the Turkish people and Turkish Americans on this centennial milestone and look forward to strengthening U.S. Turkiye relations.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE RELATING TO "APPLICATION OF BOSTOCK V. CLAYTON...
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2023-10-26

I rise today in strong opposition to S.J. Res. 42, which I view as a cruel effort to green-light discrimination against LGBTQ+ children. prgtoken My colleagues--some of them--across the aisle have made false claims about a policy that the administration has released, a policy that makes clear the obvious: that every child should be able to get lunch at school no matter their race, religion, ability, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. That is it--a simple, narrow directive from the USDA that says schools that receive Federal funding for nutrition assistance must not discriminate within the confines of these nutrition programs on the basis of gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. prgtoken This is not about bathrooms. This is not about locker rooms. This is not about sports. This is also not about pushing some alleged agenda. This is about feeding children, period. prgtoken Since this policy was issued over a year ago, in May of 2022, the USDA has initiated no enforcement-related actions, not a single case-- zip, nada, zero. This is a ``solution'' in search of a problem. The actual problem is some of my colleagues' continued efforts to pick on LGBTQ+ children for their own political gain. By overturning this policy, my colleagues are essentially arguing that discrimination based on gender identity, sex, and sexual orientation is OK. prgtoken Well, I am so glad that there haven't been any instances of this happening. Just imagine the scenario that my colleagues are trying to allow. All of us--all of us--in the Senate represent LGBTQ+ children and their families. prgtoken Say you are one of those children and you are told you can't have your school breakfast or lunch because of who you are, depriving a child of eating because Congress has decided that that would be OK. prgtoken This is not OK. This resolution is not about doing good for the American people or making their lives better. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Resolutions like these have a profound impact on LGBTQ+ kids and their families. prgtoken I rise today to remind my colleagues that their actions do not go unnoticed by LGBTQ+ children, kids who already face increased adversity every day in the form of harassment or bullying or discrimination. As a consequence, LGBTQ+ youth are four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and nearly 60 percent of LGBTQ+ youth report experiencing symptoms of depression. prgtoken Our words matter. Our actions here matter. When some s attack gay and trans children, our kids hear that. They hear that they are not welcome at school, in public, and, tragically, sometimes even at home. They hear that their rights are lesser than their peers because of simply who they are. They hear that they don't have the same freedoms and liberties as every other kid. They hear that the adults in the room, including some of my colleagues here in Co
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE RELATING TO "APPLICATION OF BOSTOCK V. CLAYTON...
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-10-26

also from Michigan, it is wonderful to see you in the Chair. prgtoken , I want to explain how we got here today because you are going to hear a lot of things that are just false today and, frankly, are things that, I believe, are mean and using some of our most vulnerable children for political stunts. prgtoken But let's start. Why are we having this discussion? Well, the Supreme Court has ruled that discrimination based on sex includes sexual orientation and gender identity. In general, it makes sense. The administration, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is simply updating its policies to comply with the law. prgtoken Now, last year, 22 attorneys general took the Department of Agriculture to court based on the argument that you will hear today from this resolution's sponsor. Everything you will hear they sued the Department of Agriculture over, and the court just dismissed the case. They completely dismissed the case. In fact, the opinion dismissing the lawsuit called the s out for their political stunt. This is the judge saying this, stating that this case had nothing to do with bathrooms or sports teams. And the judge then said that this case is about food stamps and nutrition--not bathrooms, not sports teams, not free speech, and not religious exercise. It is about whether or not the USDA--how they administer food benefits: school breakfast, school lunch, after-school snacks, and other kinds of school and other food programs. And the judge said: The plaintiff States want to ignore a Federal statute and discriminate against poor people who do not conform to traditional conception of sex. prgtoken So this is about food programs. prgtoken And then the judge went on to say: The plaintiff States' insistence to the prgtoken contrary is no more than an invitation to join a political discussion untethered to applicable statutes or precedent. The court will instead simply apply the law. prgtoken So I urge the rejection of what has been called a political stunt by the Federal court. I am calling it a political stunt because it is very clear that children are being used to address what some colleagues have said is just ``red meat'' to s, to feed the cultural wars. prgtoken Now, I want to say that I am really glad that my colleagues are so concerned about feeding kids, and they should be happy to know that the USDA food and nutrition policies have nothing to do with school bathrooms and nothing to do with school sports. The USDA food programs have nothing to do with funding the rest of the school programs. The Federal nutrition money is not used on anything else. It can't be withheld on anything else or for funding anything else, other than the school meals. That is what it is all about. prgtoken This whole exercise is nothing more than a political stunt using children, as I said before, to stoke the made-up cultural wars. Every child deser
WELCOMING REVEREND JOHN W. MATTHEWS
Angie Craig (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-10-26

I rise today to welcome our guest chaplain, Reverend John Matthews. I thank Reverend Matthews for that beautiful and hopeful prayer at the conclusion of a tumultuous time in this Chamber. prgtoken Reverend Matthews has served as a United States Army chaplain and as a police chaplain. He has been a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park, and Memorial Lutheran Church in Afton. Finally, he has pastored over me and my family at Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley. prgtoken John built bridges across religions during his career, as well as assisting in the drafting of ``A Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the Jewish Community,'' which is now part of the permanent display on anti-Semitism at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. prgtoken It is my honor to represent Reverend Matthews and his family, and I thank him for his contributions to our community.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024--Continued
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-10-26

before I speak, I just want to take a moment to speak to the gut-wrenching shooting that occurred in Maine last night. The situation, I know, is still developing, and I am sure there will be more to say about what the Lewiston community is going through and what steps we, as a nation, must take to prevent gun violence. prgtoken But even as we get more information, it is painfully clear this was a horrific blow to a close-knit community, and I want my colleagues from Maine and everyone in Maine to know that my heart goes out to them, everyone who is affected by this tragedy, and I think I speak for all of us when I say the Senate stands with both of our colleagues from Maine. Amendment No. 1182 prgtoken , now to the task at hand. Last Congress, Senate and House Committees on Appropriations leaders reinstated the practice of congressionally directed spending--or CDS--with bipartisan support. CDS is an important way for Senators to advocate for their States and the communities they know best through their investments in projects to improve transportation and drinking water infrastructure, support workforce development programs, childcare centers, so much more. prgtoken So at the beginning of this year, the Senator from Maine and I laid out a robust process to accept CDS requests for fiscal year 2024, and that process included extremely important guardrails: requiring each Senator who requested a CDS to certify neither they nor their immediate family members have any financial interest in the project, to ensure that each funded project is clearly identified in the reports with the requesting Senator's name and posted on our committee website, required Senators to publish their CDS requests on their own websites, established an audit process with the GAO, prohibited for-profit entities from receiving CDS funding, and established a total limit on the amount of funding that could be dedicated to CDS in our Senate bills. prgtoken Across the three bills in this funding package, the committee received nearly 7,000 CDS requests from 66 Senators on both sides of the aisle. Then our staff worked diligently to review all of those requests to make sure they met Agency eligibility requirements and complied with Senate rules and the additional guidelines we had set--if the project met those requirements, eligible for funding. prgtoken We respect the projects that Senators choose to request and their decisions on CDS priorities for their States and their constituents. And through the CDS process, Congress is exercising our constitutional power of the purse. After all, we all know better than anyone about the needs of our States and our constituents. prgtoken So I oppose this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-10-26

this House has always operated in a fair and evenhanded way. And I must say, the use of the pro forma amendment by my colleagues on the side creates a very unfair debate, in which the points put forward in opposition to my amendment, I do not have time to deal with. prgtoken However, I will take whatever time I have remaining and not spend much time on the necessity for fairness in the debate, which has a whole lot to do with the time available. prgtoken Now, very, very quickly, since I have only a minute and some seconds left here. prgtoken This is not an end to the plutonium pit production. What it says is to pause for 1 year, an $850 million expenditure on what has become not a plutonium pit but a dollar pit. Billions and billions of dollars have been spent on the Savannah facility, first, to somehow deal with the nuclear waste. That didn't work. prgtoken It has been repurposed to build plutonium pits. The reality here is there will not be a pit built in Savannah River for at least a decade. So all of this chatter about the safety of this Nation is nonsense. The reality here is we have a money pit.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE RELATING TO "APPLICATION OF BOSTOCK V. CLAYTON...
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2023-10-26

s need to leave the kids alone-- leave the kids alone. Right now, they are trying to deny food to LGBTQ kids because they have disagreements about policies concerning trans people. Instead of debating those disagreements among adults, they are holding school lunches for kids hostage. prgtoken I want to be really clear about what this proposal would do and the message that it would send to millions of Americans. It would overturn a policy that prevents LGBTQ kids and adults from being discriminated against while accessing Federal nutrition assistance like school meals, food banks, SNAP benefits. prgtoken You have an issue with high school sports? I think you are wrong, but have at it. You have a view about trans people? I think you are wrong, I think it is terrible, but have at it. But leave the kids alone. Let them eat. Let the children have a lunch. Every kid deserves a square meal. Leave them alone. prgtoken Most people are fortunate enough to not have to worry about where their next meal will come from. It is just a routine part of life. But that isn't the case for many queer Americans who are twice as likely to experience food insecurity, according to the Census Bureau. And trans people are three times as likely to be food insufficient compared to cisgender individuals. prgtoken This policy is not just another line in the rule book; it is the difference between people having a meal and going to bed hungry. If we can't hold kids harmless--if we can't hold kids harmless--what the hell are we doing here? Can't we have some boundaries to the culture wars? Can't we have some disagreements without looping in the children? They are kids; we are adults. We are responsible for their health and safety. Let them have a square meal. prgtoken .
HONORING THE LIFE OF MAUREEN SCHEUERMANN
Troy A. Carter (Democrat, LA) \u2014 2023-10-26

I rise today to honor the life of Maureen Rosary O'Donnell Scheuermann, who peacefully departed this world on the eve of her 90th birthday. prgtoken Maureen's life was dedicated to love, devotion, and service. prgtoken Her journey began as a secretary at Loyola University, where fate led her to the love of her life, Rags Scheuermann. Their union in 1959 marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership, and her unwavering support defined the legacy of the Scheuermann family in New Orleans baseball. From the start of the Delgado Community College athletic department to her tireless leadership of Rags' New Orleans Boosters, Maureen became the beloved First Lady of New Orleans Baseball. prgtoken Maureen's life of service extended to the city of New Orleans, where she worked for over three decades in various roles at city hall. Her dedication as a secretary to three mayors underscored her commitment to public service. prgtoken Maureen's light touched everyone she encountered, and her ``MawMaw'' wisdom, faith, hope, and joy left a lasting mark on our hearts. prgtoken , Maureen is loved and missed. May she rest in peace.
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-10-26

I have five requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs prgtoken The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. committee on energy and natural resources prgtoken The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 9:30 a.m to conduct a hearing. committee on the judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 10 a.m to conduct an executive business meeting. special committee on aging prgtoken The Special Committee on Aging is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. subcommittee on chemical safety, waste management, environmental justice, and regulatory oversight prgtoken The Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight of the Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing.
ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2023-10-26

. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4394, Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. This bill makes devastating cuts that will harm consumers, take us backwards in the green energy transition, and threaten good-paying, clean energy jobs. prgtoken Just as the heat is being turned on for the winter, House s are putting forth H.R. 4394 which will raise energy costs for more than 250,000 American households. Additionally, H.R. 4394 includes provisions that limit the Department of Energy's ability to set energy efficiency standards for home appliances why wouldn't we want more efficient appliances? Contrary to talking points, the administration is not coming to take your gas stove. That is simply untrue. The Department of Energy does not have the authority to ban gas stoves or other appliances based on fuel sources, nor should it have the authority. prgtoken The growing threat of climate change is real, and in order to protect our planet, we must reduce carbon emissions and embrace a green energy future. Congressional s have long been hostile to investments in clean energy and they are using H.R. 4394 as an opportunity to slow down the transition to green energy and rescind the historic investments in clean energy made in the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. H.R. 4394 includes a 42 percent cut to the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy account. This office is critical to developing manufacturing, building efficiency, clean energy like hydrogen and solar, and weatherization technologies that are essential to our nation's growth and resilience in the face of climate change. prgtoken As we make the transition to green energy, opportunities for clean energy jobs are growing. In 2022, clean energy companies employed nearly 60,000 Minnesotans--and jobs in clean energy grew 50 percent faster than the state's overall economy. In fact, the biggest sector in Minnesota's clean energy industry is energy efficiency. Over 43,000 Minnesotans work to manufacture and install energy efficient appliances, lighting, heating, ventilation, HVAC systems, and advanced building materials in commercial buildings and homes. The drastic cuts in this bill and the attack on energy efficiency incentives will threaten the vibrancy of Minnesota's clean energy economy. prgtoken Mr. Chair, instead of reevaluating their extreme 2024 funding bills and working to find a bipartisan path forward to fund the government beyond November 17th, House s are moving forward with passing bills that have no chance of ever becoming law. With this bill, House s are harming consumers, threatening our clean energy economy, and failing to address the existential threat of climate change. For all of these reasons, I must vote against H.R. 4394.
NOT ONE MORE
Andrea Salinas (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-10-26

I rise today out of deep sadness, frustration, and anger. prgtoken Last night, we witnessed yet another mass shooting, in Maine, that claimed the lives of at least 18 innocent people. These tragedies have come to define daily life in America, but it doesn't have to. prgtoken We need to pass commonsense gun safety legislation that a majority of Americans support, including expanded background checks and a Federal assault weapons ban. prgtoken At the same time, we need to address the mental health crisis in our communities by expanding access to care and ensuring more people can get the help they need. prgtoken There are many solutions to this problem and no time to waste. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in saying not one more, no more lives taken and families irreparably broken by gun violence, and no more thoughts and prayers without action.