mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Filibuster (Executive Session)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-1-12

the Senate is designed to be a place where the Members of the minority party and the millions of Americans they represent are heard. In this Senate, the minority could not be any bigger. In fact, if the minority were any bigger, we would be in the majority. This is a 50-50 Senate, and it is no time to take away the protections that the Senate for almost 200 years has afforded to the minority. The considerations given to the minority are important not only to the Senators and the millions of people they represent, but I think they are important in how the country moves forward. prgtoken I served in the House. I like the House. I watch the House as closely as any Senator does. Every time the House changes, the House passes a bunch of pretty dramatic legislation. Then it comes to the Senate. That dramatic legislation they passed in the House doesn't go anywhere in the Senate. When the House changes again--and it has a number of times in the last 20 years--the other side comes in and passes legislation that reverses all of that and maybe does a little dramatic legislation of their own that also doesn't go anywhere when it gets to the Senate. prgtoken If all laws were passed by a simple majority, there would be the potential for the majority to rewrite the country's laws constantly, no matter how small the shift in power was. It is always a mistake, frankly, to act like you have a mandate if you don't have one. It is a mistake for the country to change direction dramatically before the country has had time to think about it. The bureaucratic whiplash could be enormous. The economic impact could be enormous of the changing policies on regulation and taxes and everything else in a dramatic way every time one side gets some small advantage over the other side. prgtoken For the past year, we have heard a constant refrain from our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that the legislative filibuster--the supermajority to move to finalize a piece of legislation--must be reformed. At the present moment, we are hearing it must be reformed only, maybe, for elections, that we should have a carve-out for elections. Just a few weeks ago, it had to be reformed to have a carve-out for the debt ceiling. I am sure, if we had done either of those things, in a few weeks, we would be talking about a third carve-out. And what are we doing it for? We are doing it for what I see as a federalization of the election process. prgtoken When asked in a Morning Consult/POLITICO poll that was just released today--so this is something the American people have just weighed in on today. When they were asked which of the three voting ideas that were polled should be a top priority of the Congress in the voting area--one was reforming Congress's role in counting electoral votes; one was expanding voting access; one was expanding the oversight of the State changes in elections--they were all beaten by ``none of the above.'' `
Filibuster (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-1-12

I want to applaud the leader, the Senator from Kentucky, for saying what needed to be said. If there is a unique role for the U.S. Senate in our system of government, it is to be the place where debate and deliberation, common sense and compromise, prevail over demagoguery. prgtoken And, unfortunately, what we heard from President yesterday was sheer demagoguery. And I agree that it was not only unbecoming of the President of the United States; it was, frankly, embarrassing. Many of us were embarrassed for him that he would resort to that sort of rhetoric, particularly when Members of his own political party are not on board asking him to do what he wants to do, which is to break the rules of the U.S. Senate. prgtoken So until this debate began, many Americans probably didn't think twice about something called the filibuster. And as we have all tried to explain why it is important and what role the filibuster plays in our system of government, I think it is perhaps best described as a mechanism to force us to prgtoken do what doesn't come naturally, and that is to build consensus, to work together in the best interest of the country, and to pass laws that will endure, not those that will be reversed with the new majority, with the next election. prgtoken When you think about a country like ours, with 330 million people, as diverse as it is, it just makes sense for us to have fulsome debate and deliberation, because the risk of making mistakes, of unintended consequences, is great, and there is no body in America that can fix mistakes made by the U.S. Congress. prgtoken So deliberation is an important function, and that is why forcing us to do what doesn't come naturally, which means to work together and build consensus to get 60 votes to cut off debate, is such a critical role. prgtoken Well, unfortunately, our colleagues have--according to the ic leader and the majority leader--our colleagues have chosen to leave bipartisanship and tradition at the door in order to grow their own political power. prgtoken Make no mistake, they face an uphill battle. Two of our ic colleagues have stated their outright opposition, and I imagine others who hold the same view who have not wanted to catch the slings and arrows that have made their way toward the Senator from Arizona and the Senator from West Virginia. prgtoken There are many other ic Senators who hold the same concerns in private. Still, the majority leader is determined to light the Senate rule book on fire. prgtoken As this Chamber considers such an extreme move, I want to share some wise words from one of our former colleagues. That would be former Senator . The current President served in the Senate for three and a half decades and held a deep reverence for the rules and the traditions and the norms that govern this body--at least, he did. Back in 2005, the Senate was weighing whether or not to elim
Filibuster (Executive Calendar)
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2022-1-12

. The culture of the Senate is built upon a foundation of respect and cooperation that is meant to transcend partisanship. It is a culture in which legislative goals are reached with patience, persuasion, and perseverance, not raw power. prgtoken I implore my colleagues to consider the ramifications for our country. Do we want laws enacted one year to be repealed 2 years later on a simple majority vote and then perhaps reenacted in another 2 years by just 51 votes? prgtoken Do we want major laws, significant changes in policy, to be rammed through the Senate without thoughtful debate and bipartisan support? prgtoken At a time when our country is deeply and closely divided, do we really want to worsen the polarization by improving significant changes in public policy by a narrow partisan vote? prgtoken We are now on the brink of heading down that dangerous road, a slippery slope toward a tyranny of the majority. Limiting the ability of Senators to engage in a debate on legislative matters would give the majority party unprecedented power to push through major changes without careful deliberation or bipartisan cooperation. Such a move would have lasting implications, as future majorities--whether or ic--would have little incentive to work with the other party. prgtoken It is crucial that we work together and find common ground on the issues that matter most to the American people. Changing longstanding Senate rules to benefit one political party would discourage efforts to forge consensus and only serve to reinforce bitter partisan divisions. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to stand against this calamitous change and for the principles of compromise and cooperation that have long defined and been the hallmarks of the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Let us listen to the admonition of the ic leader when he spoke against changing the rules in 2017: ``Let us go no further down this road.'' prgtoken Thank you. prgtoken . prgtoken .
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 5746, NASA ENHANCED USE LEASING EXTENSION ACT OF 2021
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-1-12

. Madam , I am prevented by House rules from using the profanity that I would like to because I stand here absolutely outraged. I am outraged because the have outdone themselves with this lie. I am outraged because the have made a mockery of bipartisan collaboration for cheap political gain. I am outraged because have not an ounce of respect for this institution or the rules or the consequences of their actions in this Chamber. prgtoken A few hours ago, H.R. 5746 was the NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act, a simple three-page bill that was good for NASA, good for our space industry, and good for our taxpayers, a bill that I was very proud to cosponsor. prgtoken Now, in the dark of night, this bill has been hijacked and mutilated to become the latest iteration of the ' Federal takeover of our election system--a wolf in sheep's clothing. In fact, the only thing left from this original bill is its number. prgtoken What is worse, I can't even remove my name as a cosponsor. Isn't it ironic that the same bill the are using as a vehicle to steal elections in perpetuity was itself stolen? I can't say that I am surprised. Just like with elections, if they can't do it legally, will find a way to hijack and steal it--all of this from the party who claims s are the obstructionists. Give me a break. prgtoken Madam , I demand that my name be removed from this Trojan horse, and I urge every single one of my colleagues to vote ``no.''
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 5746, NASA ENHANCED USE LEASING EXTENSION ACT OF 2021
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-1-12

. Madam , I include in the Record a December 24, 2021 Guardian Article entitled ``Report Shows the Extent of Efforts to Sabotage Democracy.'' [From The Guardian, Dec, 24, 2021] prgtoken Report Shows the Extent of Efforts To Sabotage Democracy The assault on free and fair elections instigated by is gathering pace, with efforts to sabotage the normal workings of American democracy sweeping state legislatures across the US. A year that began with the violent insurrection at the US Capitol is ending with an unprecedented push to politicize, criminalize or in other ways subvert the nonpartisan administration of elections. A year-end report from pro- democracy groups identifies no fewer than 262 bills introduced in 41 states that hijack the election process. Of those, 32 bills have become law in 17 states. The largest number of bills is concentrated in precisely those states that became the focus of 's Stop the Steal campaign to block the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the 2020 presidential election to . Arizona, where supporters insisted on an ``audit'' to challenge 's victory in the state, has introduced 20 subversion bills, and Georgia where attempted to browbeat the top election official to find extra votes for him has introduced 15 bills. Texas, whose ultra-right group has made the state the ground zero of voter suppression and election interference, has introduced as many as 59 bills. ``We're seeing an effort to hijack elections in this country, and ultimately, to take power away from the American people. If we don't want politicians deciding our elections, we all need to start paying attention,'' said Joanna Lydgate, CEO of the States United Democracy Center which is one of the three groups behind the report. Protect Democracy and Law Forward also participated. One of the key ways that -inspired state lawmakers have tried to sabotage future elections is by changing the rules to give legislatures control over vote counts. In Pennsylvania, a bill passed in the wake of 's defeat that sought to rewrite the state's election law was vetoed by ic governor Tom Wolf. Now hard-right lawmakers are trying to bypass Wolf's veto power by proposing a constitutional amendment that would give the legislature the power to overrule the state's chief elections officer and create a permanent audit of election counts subject to its own will. In several states, nonpartisan election officials who for years have administered ballots impartially are being replaced by hyper-partisan conspiracy theorists and advocates of 's false claims that the election
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 5746, NASA ENHANCED USE LEASING EXTENSION ACT OF 2021
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-1-12

. Madam , I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, the distinguished chair of the Rules Committee, for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor tonight to enable us to fight for voting rights tomorrow when we vote for the legislation. Many of us will have more to say tomorrow on the substance of that bill, but I just want to place this action in time. prgtoken Today is a historic day because we are taking a big step forward thanks to the leadership of the distinguished majority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer. We are in a position now to take a step forward with this rule to enable us to debate the bill tomorrow to fight for voting rights. prgtoken Yesterday, President made it crystal clear that the Senate must find a path forward to enshrine critical voting rights legislation into law. That was yesterday. prgtoken Today, House will take another step to defend our democracy with legislation called the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. We will send it to the Senate for urgent consideration after we debate it and vote on it tomorrow. prgtoken Madam , I want to thank John Sarbanes from Maryland. This is a bill that we have voted on in the last Congress but also in this Congress, in this House of Representatives. We voted for the For the People Act, which is the essence of the legislation we are considering now. It was H.R. 1 in the House. prgtoken In addition to that, it is attached to H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will be part of this package tomorrow because of the leadership of Chuck Schumer; John Sarbanes; Zoe Lofgren; Terri Sewell, who has carried this legislation again and again; Mr. Butterfield; the distinguished chair of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Nadler; and so many people. prgtoken We have had this debate over and over again in the House and in this Congress, so when I hear people say, ``Oh, here comes a bill that has never seen the light of day,'' no. We had a vote in the House on this already. We had a vote on this in the House already, and this is as it came back to us this time from the Senate. prgtoken Yesterday, as I said, the President made it crystal clear that we had to get something done. Again, Mr. McGovern is giving us that opportunity now. So I just want to say that is why this is necessary. It has been said in the gentleman's committee this evening--but let me just be brief because the night is getting on--since we passed the bill before, and in the course of the year, the s have continued their assault on voting rights in our country. prgtoken Nearly 400 bills were introduced, 20 of them enacted into law, which not only suppressed the vote, making it harder for people of color and people with disabilities--people--to vote, but also legislation to nullify the vote. prgtoken It doesn't matter how the people vote; it matters how the people we appoint decide how they vote. That is not a democracy.
HONORING THE LIFE OF OHIO STATE SENATOR EDNA BROWN
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-1-12

. Madam , I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to distinguished Ohio Senator Edna Brown, a trailblazer who recently passed away. prgtoken Edna Brown was a remarkable public servant from Toledo, Ohio, who dedicated her life and her three decades of service to improving the well-being and future of our community. prgtoken As the first and only African American to represent Lucas County in the Ohio Senate, she blazed a trail for many to follow at the highest level of elected office in Ohio. prgtoken She was a warm, inviting, and immensely kind person whose focus was always on public service and bettering the lives of the people she served, the people she truly loved. prgtoken Northwest Ohio lost a great champion. Her family lost a great mother and grandmother. America needs more people like Edna Brown in public service. prgtoken Her memory will live with us, and I know her legacy will inspire the next generation of Ohio's leaders, including women leaders. prgtoken I include in the Record her life story and obituary as a tribute to her persevering accomplishments for our Nation's betterment. Godspeed, Edna Brown. May the angels carry her very high, and may she rest in her peace. . Senator Edna Brown Biography Edna Brown was elected to serve Ohio's 11th Senate District in November, 2010. She came from the Ohio House of Representatives, where she served Ohio's 48th House District. The Toledo native was a public school graduate who attended the University of Toledo and Mary Manse College. Her dedication to public service led to a 32-year career as an employee with the city of Toledo, followed by a six-year tenure on Toledo City Council. She moved to the Statehouse in January 2002 to fill the House seat of then newly-elected Toledo mayor Jack Ford. Since her arrival, she worked tirelessly on issues of voting rights, health, violence against women and economic development. Her idea to bring ``no excuse'' absentee voting to Ohio was incorporated into a bill that became state law in January 2006. For her efforts, the Ohio Association of Election Officials and the Ohio Secretary of State honored her with the Jack Wolfe Memorial Award as one of two ``Legislators of the Year.'' In 2007, Brown introduced a bill to immunize young women from the human papilloma virus, and a bill addressing violence in teen dating relationships. Senator Brown served as a member of the House Finance & Appropriations Committee and as Chair of the Human Services Subcommittee. She also served on the House Commerce and Labor Committee, the Elections and Ethics Committee, and the Commerce and Labor Committee. Senator Brown sat on the Ohio Commission on Minority Health Board and served as Chair of the Ohio Children's Trust Fund. She was a member of the House Cancer C
Nomination of Gabriel P. Sanchez (Executive Session)
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-1-12

I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in confirming Justice Gabriel Sanchez to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. prgtoken Justice Sanchez has long be held in high esteem in California's legal circles. He brings thoughtfulness and empathy to every decision that he makes. prgtoken He was born and raised in Los Angeles and was the proud son of a single mother from Mexico. She raised him while working tirelessly to make ends meet. With her unwavering support, Justice Sanchez went on to earn degrees from Yale College, from Cambridge University, and graduated from Yale Law School. prgtoken He began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Richard Paez on the Ninth Circuit, the same court where he is now nominated to serve. Justice Sanchez then went into private practice, as many young lawyers do, but he committed himself to engaging in the community deeply by providing pro bono legal services, so much so that in the year 2010, he earned a social justice award from the ACLU of Southern California for his work representing farm workers in a lawsuit to enforce workplace safety protections to help prevent deadly heat illnesses. prgtoken Justice Sanchez went on to serve with distinction in California State government; first, as a deputy attorney general, and then as a deputy legal affairs secretary to then-Governor Brown. There, he proved himself to be a critical thinker, a creative problem-solver, and a dedicated public servant. prgtoken In recognition of his work and his service, his even-handed judgments, and his great legal talent, Governor Brown appointed Justice Sanchez to the California Court of Appeals in 2018. prgtoken Justice Sanchez has earned a reputation as an outstanding jurist committed to justice for all. prgtoken I am confident that he will bring the same dedication to the bench of the Ninth Circuit, and I am proud to support his confirmation today. prgtoken .
GUARD AND RESERVE GI BILL PARITY ACT OF 2021
Frank J. Mrvan (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2022-1-12

it is my honor today to rise in support of H.R. 1836, the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act. I am so grateful for the sacrifices and the services of all our National Guard and Reserve members. They stand ready at a moment's notice to protect our Nation, our democracy, and the health of our communities. prgtoken Two instances jump out at me when I think of the heroism of the Indiana National Guard members from this past year. The first was being able to spend time with our brave National Guard members last year in the cafeteria of the Department of Labor on the other side of the Capitol complex when they bravely rushed to our Nation's Capitol to defend our Constitution and to protect our democracy. prgtoken The second was when I was able to stand side by side with them in the city of Gary when they operated a Federal COVID-19 vaccine site, which provided over 60,000 vaccines in Northwest Indiana at a critical time during our pandemic. prgtoken The First District is also home to the proud Slovak community. And I am particularly appreciative that the Indiana National Guard has a flourishing military partnership with our strong ally, the country of Slovakia. We also have the 113th Engineering National Guard, which I have shared time with, who the men and women have sacrificed their time, dedication, and efforts to go over to Afghanistan. What this bill does is it gives us the opportunity to have equitable training and equitable educational opportunity for our National Guardsmen. prgtoken , our Nation today has the opportunity to treat their Active Duty service on par with all branches of the military and ensure that every day the National Guard Reserve member serves our Nation in uniform is a day that counts toward their GI Bill benefits. prgtoken Thank you to the leadership of Congressman Mike Levin, Chairman Takano, and all of my fellow members of the Committee on Veteran Affairs for your commitment to our Guard and Reserve members and for bringing this measure to the floor today. prgtoken I also thank Chairman Takano on his leadership to protect the National Guardsmen on the burn pits and the toxic fumes that we have passed and how we are providing benefits and making sure that that is distributed fairly and equitably and making sure they receive the benefits necessary. prgtoken , I urge all my colleagues to support this important legislation.
COMMEMORATING KOREAN-AMERICAN DAY
Jimmy Gomez (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-1-12

I rise to commemorate Korean-American Day. I am proud to represent the largest Korean-American population of any congressional district in the country. prgtoken Tomorrow we recognize the 119th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States, and the recognition that they have contributed to the life and well-being of the people of the United States for so many years. prgtoken One person that is an example of that is Erin Pak, who leads the Kheir Center, a community health center in Los Angeles. During the pandemic, they kept their doors open, taking care of anybody who needed help; everything from testing, to vaccine boosters, to people who are Korean, Latino, it didn't matter their background. But their doors were open during the toughest times. prgtoken It is with that kind of commitment that Korean Americans have really made not only L.A. a better place to live, but the United States a better place to live. prgtoken So I urge my colleagues to support my resolution to recognize the ideals of Korean-American Day and the essential contributions of Korean Americans to American life.