mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
375TH ANNIVERSARY OF KITTERY, MAINE
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2022-9-29

I rise today to commemorate the 375th anniversary of the incorporation of Kittery, ME. The oldest town in Maine has a history that is as fascinating as it is long. It is a history that exemplifies the determination, resiliency, and courage of my State and our Nation. prgtoken For thousands of years the rich fishing grounds where the Piscataqua River meets the sea sustained the Native American tribes. The first European settlers, drawn by the abundant natural resources, arrived in 1623, just 3 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Built on a foundation of forestry and fishing, the growing community was incorporated in 1647. With a protected natural harbor and ample supplies of lumber, Kittery soon became a key Colonial center for seafaring trade and shipbuilding. prgtoken Kittery's maritime heritage is inextricably linked to our Nation's independence and its ongoing defense of freedom. During the American Revolution, warships for the fledgling U.S. Navy were built at Kittery, including the Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones. Kittery is the birthplace of General William Whipple, a ship's captain who was the only Maine native to have signed the Declaration of Independence and was later a hero of the Battle of Saratoga. Kittery also is the hometown of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, who led American forces to victory at the Battle of the Margaretta at Maine's Machias Bay in 1775, the first naval battle of the American Revolution. prgtoken The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, our Nation's oldest continuously operating Navy yard, was established in Kittery in 1800. Its first commander was Commodore Isaac Hull, who achieved fame as captain of the USS Constitution--Old Ironsides--in the War of 1812. prgtoken The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard rebuilt Old Ironsides during the Civil War and constructed the USS Kearsarge, celebrated for its role in clearing the seas of Confederate raiders. During World War I, the shipyard took on the new task of constructing submarines, in addition to the overhaul and repair of surface vessels. Over the course of World War II, more than 70 submarines were constructed there, with a record four submarines launched on 1 day. Today, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, considered the gold standard of our public shipyards, continues its tradition of excellence by maintaining, modernizing, and refueling the Navy's submarine fleet. prgtoken The people of Kittery cherish their history and work to preserve its treasures. Some of the earliest homes in prgtoken New England are found there, lovingly restored and maintained. The First Congregational Church, built in 1730, is the oldest church building in continuous use in Maine. Two historic seaside forts now offer hiking trails, parkland, a museum, and spectacular ocean views. prgtoken As the gateway to Maine from New Hampshire and points south, Kittery has much to offer visitors and residents alike. From extensive shopping, excellent restaurants, a
REVERSE THE CURSE
Mike Garcia (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-9-29

from Texas for hosting this very important hour. prgtoken I think what you have captured here in calling our Nation's debt a curse is very important, very apropos. When you do the math with the $31 trillion worth of debt, that equates to roughly $94,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States. prgtoken As a head of a household of four and the father of two young boys, 15 and 6 years old, I echo your sentiments that we cannot put this curse on our children, our grandchildren. prgtoken , facts are cold, hard, stubborn things. In this world, it doesn't matter what you hope for. It doesn't matter what you wish for. It doesn't even matter what your intentions were, even if they were well-meaning intentions. What matters are the results. prgtoken The results stemming from this tax-and-spend policy brought on by this body, led by a very progressive majority with what I would submit are very regressive results, have resulted in a cold, hard reality for the average American family. prgtoken Today's reality for the average middle-income, lower-class family is one defined by record-high inflation, mortgage rates that are skyrocketing, retirement accounts that are down nearly 20 percent since their high was established in early 2021, and record debt. These are regressive economic indicators. prgtoken This reality is not just bad luck, , or the product of anything or anyone else besides your agenda to overtax and overspend, to overpromise and underdeliver. prgtoken , economics is simply physics with dollar signs. For every action, there is a reaction. For every input, there is an output. There are fundamental rules that don't bend to your desires, your hopes, or your wishes. These are cold, hard facts and cold, hard rules, just like physics. prgtoken With over $10 trillion now in obligations and liquidity injected into the system by Congress in just the last 2 years, and a war on American energy and a war on small business, the result is 40-year record inflation. That is a reaction as a result of an action. prgtoken With record-high inflation, the Fed is now forced to raise rates some 400 basis points just in the last 6 months--again, action and reaction. prgtoken With Fed rates now going up so quickly, banks now have to likewise increase their mortgage lending rates accordingly. Just 12 months ago, a home buyer could get a 30-year loan for just 3 percent interest. Today, that same loan is now close to 7 percent. It prices half of the new buyers out of the market--again, action and reaction. prgtoken Because people are suffering on a daily basis and can't afford to make ends meet, much less purchase homes, especially first-time home buyers, the housing market and the stock market are now pulling back significantly--action and reaction. prgtoken , the majority and White House policies over the last 2 years have tried to defy physics, and now gravity is taking over. prgtoken My constituents, es
MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD RECOGNITION DAY
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2022-9-29

I rise this afternoon to call attention to the Mississippi National Guard on the eve of the 60th anniversary of their largest ever deployment. prgtoken We have been fortunate since before Mississippi actually became a State to have a strong National Guard dating back actually to 1798. The Mississippi National Guardsmen have served honorably in armed conflicts, including the War of 1812, both World Wars, the Korean war, and the Global War on Terror. They have also been the backbone of disaster relief, responding to hurricane, floods, and tornadoes. prgtoken But what I want to talk about today is what they did to keep the peace at a time of civil unrest 60 years ago tomorrow, September 30, 1962. Many of us remember this. No doubt, the Presiding Officer remembers this. On September 30, 1962, a riot erupted at the University of Mississippi, my alma mater, as James Meredith arrived on campus. James Meredith would become the first African-American student to gain admission at Ole Miss. prgtoken James Meredith is being recognized in Mississippi this week, as he rightly should be. My wife Gayle attended a very impressive event last night on the campus of the University of Mississippi at our beautiful Gertrude Ford Center with Mr. Meredith present. We are glad he is still with us, and he was rightly recognized. prgtoken Today, for the first time, we have an opportunity to finally recognize those prgtoken young Mississippians and young Americans who were called up by President Kennedy and maintained the peace and did their duty. The soldiers arrived in Oxford on September 30. They came from small towns and rural communities across Mississippi, and like Mr. Meredith, some of them are still with us. prgtoken As we mark the 60th anniversary of that Ole Miss riot, it is right that today we honor the citizen soldiers who stood in harm's way to answer the call of the President to protect life and property. It was clear even before the violence erupted that many agitators--a vast number of them from out of State--were going to cause trouble. prgtoken There was a retired general in Texas named Edwin Walker. He issued a radio call from Texas suggesting that 10,000 people from across the region descend on the Ole Miss campus. In response, our Mississippi National Guard prepared for the worst. They responded to President Kennedy's call in the great tradition of our military dating back to the time of George Washington. The civilian leadership gave an order, and our military saluted and did their duty. prgtoken As night fell, the crowds grew increasingly violent, and the need for reinforcements became dire. At the command of Mississippi Brigadier General Charles Billingslea, the National Guard dispatched two battle groups from the 155th Infantry Regiment and one group from the 108th Armored Cavalry Regiment, a total of 3,086 men out of Laurel, Amory, and Tupelo, MS. prgtoken These young soldiers immediately met resistanc
COLUMBUS 2022 INDIANA COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2022-9-29

. Madam , I rise today to commend my hometown of Columbus on being named 2022 Indiana Community of the Year. prgtoken A town of 50,000, our flourishing manufacturing and agriculture industry community is home to some of the top automotive, electronics and aerospace development. prgtoken From Cummins Engine Company to Columbus Regional Health, Ivy Tech and Hoosier Transport--our Midwest city is the epitome of Hoosier hospitality. prgtoken I am proud to say that to this day and all my life, I am a Columbus resident. While I may be biased, I believe it is one of the communities that makes Indiana's Sixth Congressional District so great. prgtoken Much of this can be contributed to the leadership of the city and county, and especially Mayor Lienhoop. prgtoken Congratulations to Columbus on being named 2022 Indiana Community of The Year.
REVERSE THE CURSE
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-9-29

I thank Mr. Arrington for leading this discussion tonight and for his kind comments. prgtoken It is interesting, my friend talks about Pennsylvania's budget, and I was proud to serve there and be part of the process. prgtoken I thought it was a difficult and a broken process there. We would pass a budget weeks beyond the deadline or sometimes months. There would be vigorous discussions with the Governor on what that budget should look like, but at the end of the day, we did it. My friend is exactly right. We passed a prgtoken budget where expected revenues matched the appropriations that we put forward. prgtoken So it was a little unbelievable to come here and see that we haven't done that in about, at least, 20 years here. We certainly haven't balanced the budget in almost our lifetime here. And so as broken as I thought the process was at the State level, at least at the end of the process we had a product that balanced the budget. prgtoken So I want to just express my appreciation and thanks to Mr. Arrington for leading this discussion. I share--as he knows, we have had discussions about this--the deep concerns for the current state of our Nation's finances. We talk about this. We serve on the Ways and Means Committee together, and I think Ways and Means Committee members understand the problems we are faced with if we don't address this. prgtoken I also serve on the Budget Committee, and there we talk about the problems that we are faced with. But this has to extend beyond just those two committees. It has to extend to our conference and also to this entire body and entire system of government. prgtoken We need to be talking about how this impacts our constituents, how it impacts people at home, and why they should care about this. Some people maybe don't even understand that issues of Federal debt and deficits even matter. prgtoken Sometimes I like to put it in simple terms. Think of our national debt, say, like a balance on a credit card. We all do budgets in our homes and in our businesses. But think about the national debt. We can't even imagine the $30 trillion number which, by the way, is about $245,000 per American. But let's just talk about it as a credit card. Every one of us will have to shoulder this debt at some point, and we are going to have to make sacrifices. prgtoken If you have credit card debt in your home, then you have to make sacrifices to pay it down. The higher the balance, the higher the minimum payment, meaning less money at the end of each month for things that you would rather spend on than paying down and making that credit card payment, like healthcare or saving for retirement, whatever it may be. prgtoken If you don't pay down the balance--we haven't done that in a long time here--it will affect your credit rating. You will become uncreditworthy. That will result in higher interest rates, and you will face more payments. It is a snowball effect. That credit rating will plummet.
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ECONOMY
Burgess Owens (Republican, UT) \u2014 2022-9-29

President likes to brag about his handling prgtoken of the economy: ``I am responsible for the strongest job creation economy in modern times. ``The stock market has hit record after record after record on my watch. ``Since I took office, families are carrying less debt, their average savings are up. ``Our economy had zero inflation in the month of July. Zero percent. ``We're not in a recession.'' prgtoken Stop lying to the American people, . Here is the reality of your economy. Americans are facing the highest inflation in 40 years, up 13.7 percent since President took office, a recession. prgtoken In fact, inflation has increased by 13.7 percent since has become President. prgtoken Year after year, prices are up more than 12 percent, the largest increase ever. Nearly three in four employees say the cost of living is outpacing their salary and wages. prgtoken Gas prices have risen 55 percent since President took office. The average mortgage payment is up 42 percent higher than a year ago. One in six households are behind in utility payments. prgtoken -ruled Washington has spent trillions of your hard-earned dollars for liberal priorities that Americans don't want and can't afford. prgtoken House s have a plan to get our country back on track and to put an end to the wasteful spending that has crippled our economy.
REVERSE THE CURSE
Jodey C. Arrington (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-9-29

I am grateful to Mr. Kelly and proud to call him a friend and colleague. I am going to shake his hand as he leaves. prgtoken Listen, this is what it is going to require. It is going to require that level of push and punch and clawing and scratching, yelling if necessary, kicking a chair over in the Chamber, and saying the House is on fire. It is going to burn down before our children ever taste the sweetness of the blessed life in this country. prgtoken I believe we are going to do it. I believe in this country, and I believe that the American people, especially over the last couple of years of this spending frenzy, are waking up to this. prgtoken One of the sinister elements of a debt crisis is you don't feel the pain until you feel the pain. But once you feel the pain, it is too late. The world cannot afford to have America in any position besides the pole position for the sake of stability, freedom, and the fundamental rights of every human. prgtoken Nobody knows that freedom is nothing without security more than a Navy fighter pilot who hails from the 25th District of California. He is an Iraq war veteran and was a State assemblyman. He flipped a seat that was for years, probably over 20 years, not because he was a great but because he is a great man, and he is a great leader. He loves this country, and he just wants a safer, stronger, freer Nation for his two boys. prgtoken , from California (Mr. Garcia), my friend.
2023 ARKANSAS TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-9-29

I rise today to recognize the educators of central Arkansas who have been named finalists for Arkansas Teacher of the Year for 2023. prgtoken This year, Amber Leaton of Bryant High School and Capri Salaam of North Little Rock Middle School were recognized for extraordinary commitment to their students and enhancing the quality of education across central Arkansas. prgtoken These educators have demonstrated their dedication to the success and well-being of their students by teaching with innovation while promoting character education and civic engagement in the classroom. prgtoken Our educators are vital to the preparation of our future generation. I thank these teachers for their exemplary example and profound impact in the lives of hundreds of students. prgtoken Later this fall, after classroom visits, the selection committee will name the next Teacher of the Year. I wish Amber and Capri well and look forward to the long-lasting impressions that they make on their students.
RECOGNIZING DR. DANIEL HARRINGTON
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2022-9-29

I rise to recognize Dr. Daniel Harrington, the vice dean of Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke, Virginia, who is set to retire at the end of this month after more than 14 years of service. prgtoken From humble beginnings, Dr. Harrington attended West Virginia University for both his undergraduate and medical degrees. He then took a residency at the University of Virginia, and it was there that he learned about Carilion's nascent psychiatry residency program, which would give him a chance to develop something that was all his own. prgtoken Dr. Harrington took that opportunity in 1990, and he and his family moved to Roanoke. prgtoken In 2006, former Carilion CEO Ed Murphy approached Dr. Harrington with the idea of partnering with Virginia Tech and starting a medical school. prgtoken Dr. Harrington began traveling the country with then-Virginia Tech President Charles Steger and operated a public-private academic partnership to make the dream a reality. prgtoken Ever since, the school has been led on multiple fronts by the strong leadership of Dr. Harrington. prgtoken , I wish Dr. Harrington and his wife, Gil, best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.
MERGER FILING FEE MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2022
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-9-29

such time as I may consume to respond to comments made by my friend from Colorado. He used the term ``overcooked theory.'' Let me tell you what is not theory. prgtoken The Department of Justice's raid on a former President's home. Not theory. prgtoken The Department of Justice taking the phone of a sitting Member of this body. Not theory. prgtoken Fourteen whistleblowers coming to our office talking about the political nature of the Justice Department. Not theory. prgtoken Those are facts. That is scary stuff. prgtoken Now this bill, if passed, will give that agency $140 million each year for the next 5 years. prgtoken That is what we want to do? For that reason alone, we should be against this legislation. prgtoken , I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa), my good friend, a member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
FOOD SECURITY FOR ALL VETERANS ACT
John R. Moolenaar (Republican, MI) \u2014 2022-9-29

on Roll Call no. 469, I mistakenly voted yes when I intended to vote no. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Bacon (Hartzler) Beatty (Cicilline) Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Brooks (Fleischmann) Buchanan (Bucshon) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Cawthorn (Gohmert) Cherfilus-McCormick (Neguse) Chu (Beyer) Cleaver (Adams) Conway (LaMalfa) DeFazio (Pallone) Demings (Dean) Diaz-Balart (Reschenthaler) Dunn (Cammack) Evans (Beyer) Gallego (Correa) Garcia (TX) (Escobar) Gonzalez, Vicente (Correa) Gosar (Weber (TX)) Herrera Beutler (Meijer) Horsford (Garamendi) Jackson Lee (Cicilline) Jacobs (NY) (Sempolinski) Jayapal (Cicilline) Johnson (TX) (Stevens) Kelly (IL) (Cicilline) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) Lawson (FL) (Stevens) Lynch (Trahan) Mace (Nehls) Mast (Waltz) McEachin (Beyer) Meng (Escobar) Murphy (FL) (Peters) Newman (Beyer) Ocasio-Cortez (Neguse) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Pallone) Pfluger (Ellzey) Porter (Neguse) Rice (NY) (Morelle) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Rush (Beyer) Ryan (OH) (Correa) Salazar (Waltz) Sewell (Cicilline) Sherman (Garamendi) Simpson (Fulcher) Soto (Escobar) Speier (Garamendi) Steel (Obernolte) Steube (Reschenthaler) Torres (NY) (Correa) Vargas (Garamendi) Wasserman Schultz (Schneider) Waters (Takano) Wilson (SC) (Norman)
MERGER FILING FEE MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2022
Cliff Bentz (Republican, OR) \u2014 2022-9-29

I include in the Record an article titled, ``Lina Khan's Unfair and Deceptive Approach to Antitrust.'' [From U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Sept. 20, 2022] Lina Khan's Unfair and Deceptive Approach to Antitrust (By Sean Heather) In a recent speech at Fordham University, Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC) Chair Lina Khan outlined an aggressive new approach to the agency's competition policy. Under her leadership, she explained, the FTC will interpret ``unfair methods of competition'' broadly, block mergers that could reflect an ``incipient'' trend toward monopoly, reject efficiency defenses, and contend that ``conglomerates'' harm consumers, irrespective of economic evidence. In Khan's view, her agenda is ``fundamentally conservative'' because it shows ``respect for the rule of law'' as reflected in congressional intent. Khan's speech hearkens back to George Orwell's Ministry of Truth, where words apparently lose all meaning. Khan's agenda rejects the rule of law in favor of a progressive policy agenda that grants the government total discretion to challenge any merger for any reason whatsoever, ignoring basic economics, history, and decades of precedent from the Supreme Court. Most troubling is the fact that Khan's agenda would allow the agency to challenge any private conduct that conflicts with progressive notions of fairness. Section 5 of the FTC Act directs the agency to combat ``unfair methods of competition.'' Historically, the agency has tied this authority to what's in the consumers' economic interest, which hews closely to the other main antitrust statutes, namely the Sherman Act and Clayton Act. As a result, the FTC provided Section 5 with context, guardrails, and predictability, which are all integral to the rule of law. Under the FTC's new leadership, however, anything goes. The FTC's new strategic plan condemns ``unwarranted health, safety, and privacy risks'' and seeks ``equity for historically underserved communities.'' These issues, while important, lie far outside the FTC's statutory authority or competence. Yet under Chair Khan's reading of Section 5, the FTC can do whatever it pleases. Without guardrails, for example, the FTC could condemn as ``unfair'' a merger that would result in job losses even if that merger would lower costs and lead to lower prices for consumers. Congress never envisioned the FTC to serve as the morality police over the market. Cherry-picking History In fact, the last time the FTC embarked on a path of overreach of this scope was the 1970s. As a result, the Washington Post editorial board labeled the agency the ``National Nanny'' and Congress nearly eliminated
STANDING WITH PEOPLE OF IRAN
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-9-29

for 2 weeks now, the long-suffering people of Iran have taken to the streets to confront the thugocracy that has oppressed them for more than 40 years. prgtoken Today, America must stand with the people of Iran. H. Res. 118 has 257 cosponsors, representing both political parties, expressing its support for the Iranian resistance. I urge the leadership to bring it to the floor immediately for a vote. prgtoken It is time for the United States to step forward with material support for the freedom movement. They need direct satellite access to the internet that the regime has denied them on the ground. They need us to restore economic sanctions against the regime. prgtoken This time, in this hour, let the United States stand with the people of Iran and, by so doing, honor those proud words on our Liberty Bell: ``Proclaim liberty throughout all the land and unto all the inhabitants thereof.''