mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IMPENDING DEBT CRISIS
David Schweikert (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2023-5-17

. Madam , we are going to actually sort of walk through a couple things we did last week. We are going to do it again because I got the feeling no one was listening. prgtoken We had a joint economic hearing today, which, you know, I am blessed to be called the vice chair. We rotate the chairmanship back and forth between the House and the Senate. Have you ever had the occasion where in the hearing everyone knows the truth, but no one is allowed to actually say it out loud, and those of us who go and say it out loud sort of get fussed at? Well, as my father used to say to me: ``Screw them.'' We are going to actually have something unique around here. We are going to tell the truth. prgtoken First off, I had my heart broken. A Bloomberg reporter this morning broke my heart. I was listening to one of the news readers, and they go, well, the U.S. is going to default maybe in the beginning of June. Okay. Once again, someone go get your financial dictionary. Default is when you do not pay the interest on your bonds. Thirty percent of our spending is borrowed. That basically means 70 percent we have receipts, income, tax revenues. We have plenty of cash to cover the interest on our bonds. prgtoken Now, that doesn't mean there is not disharmony or unhappiness for that 30 percent that wants a check. If I hear one more idiot around here say we are going to have a default--that is not the definition of ``default.'' prgtoken As a matter of fact, there used to be a Treasury Secretary under Lew, and he and I went around and around on this, and we finally came to an agreement that we would clean up our language. This would actually be default, not paying interest on your bonds, and we created this magic term called a technical default. That is when we don't send the check out to the worker for the agency or that goes out late. That isn't default. prgtoken The financial markets care about U.S. sovereigns having their consistent cash flow because the fact of the matter is that is the basis of much of the world economy. prgtoken We will never default even if you pass the debt ceiling. You have got to stop making things up around here. prgtoken I was going to bring in the charts of the cash flow and showing what happens in mid-June tax receipts and how there is a quarterly spike and may produce another 30 days and what other extraordinary measures have capacity, but I realize that no one is actually listening to the facts anymore. prgtoken So I thought we would try something else. If I get another person from the left who basically comes up and goes, we should have a clean debt ceiling. Really? Okay. Walk us through when you have controlled this body or you controlled the votes in the Senate, is that what you asked for? Well, the fact of the matter is, if we go back to 2017 when they didn't actually control the body but they had enough votes to extort things in the Senate, they required about $15 billion of additional spending, an
Maiden Speech (Executive Session)
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-5-17

it is my honor to rise today to speak on behalf of the citizens of the great State of North Carolina. prgtoken I wouldn't be here today without some very special people: the love of my life, Amy Kate; our three kids, Joshua, Kathryn, and Macy; and my wonderful parents, Richard and Sylvia Budd. prgtoken I wouldn't be who I am or where I am today without all of your love, your support, and your strength. prgtoken I also want to thank the dedicated members of my team, both my official staff and campaign staff, who have helped me along this journey. prgtoken As this voyage unfolded, I was always grateful for my fellow Senators, whose presence was a constant source of encouragement and advice. I want to thank Senator Richard Burr and Senator Thom Tillis for their service to this institution and to our State. prgtoken I was also inspired by the Senators who are no longer with us, whose lasting imprints are signatures in these desks. As I open this desk, I see the signature of the late, great Senator Jesse Helms. He was one of our State's most legendary leaders, and I can only hope to be as fine a Senator for North Carolina as he was. prgtoken I also look to Senator James Broyhill, whom we lost just this year. He was a great friend to our family for decades, and his commitment to public service is one that I am going to try to emulate for as long as I hold this office. prgtoken As someone who was born and raised in North Carolina, I want you to know that it is a part of me. It is in my bones. prgtoken But you really don't know your State until you have visited every corner of it. Our State has 100 counties, and during our campaign, I visited each and every one of those counties, some of them multiple times, and not just the ones with the high populations or the ones with the big TV markets. It was that 100-county tour that helped me fall deeper in love with my home State, and I am going to be a better Senator for having done it. prgtoken But of all North Carolina's counties, one is near and dear to my heart, and that is Davie County. I was told a while back that I was the first U.S. Senator to come from Davie County. I owe a lot to the place that I call home. prgtoken It is the values of small North Carolina counties like mine that are my values too, and those aren't just another set of policy issues. North Carolina values are about how somebody goes about their daily life. It is about faith. It is about loyalty to our family and to your friends. It is about being a man of your word. It is about being honest. It is about being reliable. It is about working hard. And it is about serving others. prgtoken Our State's motto is ``esse quam videri,'' or, in English, ``to be rather than to seem.'' To put it another way, we tend to walk the walk more than talk the talk, and that is the sort of spirit that I want to endeavor with me during my time here in office. prgtoken In the relatively short time here in the Senat
Border Security (Executive Session)
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2023-5-17

``The border is not open.'' ``The border is not open.'' That is what DHS Secretary Mayorkas told the American people repeatedly. I guess that is pretty easy to say when you are sitting in your office in Washington, DC, but I rise to tell the truth to the American people. prgtoken Just recently, I led a group of Senators to the epicenter of this crisis in Brownsville, TX, on the eve title 42 was being lifted. Why Brownsville, you might ask, because that is where the cartel had moved the mass migration to. I reckon that was the easiest way to get all the people from Venezuela that they had recruited to come to America; that was the easiest, the most economical route to get them to the border was from Venezuela to Brownsville, TX. prgtoken I have to tell you, it is worse than I expected. The scene was bleak; the morale was at an all-time low. And there was no sign of this crisis ending anytime soon. At least that is what was going on, on our side of the border. On the other side of the border, these migrants were celebrating. They were having a party. The worst part of their journey was over. prgtoken We toured Camp Monument. Now, Camp Monument was a park just weeks before, but the Border Patrol had come in there and set up an emergency command post. prgtoken Now, again, the DHS Secretary is telling us the border isn't open, but this is what the Border Patrol told us: Just the day before, 11,000 illegal migrants had been recorded at this location alone and more than 3,000 ``got-aways'' the same day--3,000 ``got-aways.'' If you put those two together, that is the size of my hometown, Great Bend, America. prgtoken Now, we saw this week with the arrest of the Afghani on the Terrorist Watchlist in California, these ``got-aways'' undoubtedly include terrorists, convicted criminals, and the cartels' drug smugglers. prgtoken In fact, something, again, new on this trip--this was my fourth trip to the border--something new, they were averaging 90 Chinese military- aged nationalists crossing in the Rio Grande Valley every day, 90 Chinese nationalists every day crossing our border. prgtoken Probably the saddest thing I have heard about from the Border Patrol is they shared the horrific situation and the repeated sexual assault young women are enduring to come here. They compared it to a never- ending cycle of ``sex slavery''--that was their term--sex slavery by the cartels. In fact, the cartel had made $13 billion last year in the sex trade industry. And they told us that these young ladies enter a lifetime of debt to their criminal traffickers. So many other people turned into indentured servants. prgtoken These smugglers are also bringing in lethal fentanyl that is poisoning our children, 300 young adults dying every day in America from fentanyl poisoning brought across our southern border. prgtoken The data we received--and the briefing was given to us by the Border Patrol, by local law enforcement, and the
Border Security (Executive Session)
John Hoeven (Republican, ND) \u2014 2023-5-17

I am here today to join my colleague from West Virginia and others in, again, calling on the administration to secure our southern border. prgtoken Last Thursday, I traveled to Brownsville, TX, with my colleagues to show support for the Border Patrol agents and see firsthand the situation at the border as title 42 expires. I traveled repeatedly to the southern border; and each time I go, I see more and more people coming across illegally. prgtoken I have been to McAllen; I have been to Del Rio; I have been to Eagle Pass; I have been to El Paso, Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, Colombia-- both sides of the border. As I go each time, more and more people are crossing the border illegally. prgtoken In the 3 days leading up to the end of title 42, Border Patrol reported 10,000-plus encounters each day and almost 83,000 for the week. In the first 6 months of fiscal year 2023, CBP encountered more than 1.5 million individuals--that is 6 months--1.5 million individuals in 6 months. That compares to about 2\1/2\ million crossings illegally last year. That means, at the pace we are on, it will be more than 3 million coming illegally this year. prgtoken This truly is a crisis, and it is one that has been caused by the administration's unwillingness to enforce the law and reinstate policies that have been shown very clearly to work in the last administration. prgtoken In Brownsville, we saw the crisis firsthand. And we met with Border Patrol professionals who told us what needs to happen to stop the flow of illegal immigration. And we can get a handle on this right now if the administration will simply enforce the law. We know this from our Border Patrol professionals, the experts on the frontline. They are the ones telling us this. That includes enforcing the migrant protection protocols--MPP--or the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy, which would require people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case is adjudicated, and enforcing the Safe Third Country protocols--again, as the prior administration did--so that individuals seeking asylum from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and other countries must wait for their claim to be adjudicated before they come into the country. prgtoken But instead of requiring individuals seeking asylum to remain in Mexico or to submit an asylum claim in the first safe country they cross into, the administration is creating a demand pull for these individuals because they not only allow them to cross illegally and come into the country, but they allow them to stay in the country illegally, and they also provide a work permit and benefits. prgtoken So when Secretary Mayorkas says: Oh, the border is closed, that is not the message that goes to South America. And, now, actually, more than 100 countries where people are coming across our border illegally from more than 100 different countries. The message that the coyotes and others tell
THE CONCERNS OF SHERIFF JANIS MANGUM OF JACKSON COUNTY, GEORGIA
Mike Collins (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-5-17

while I was out campaigning, I had the opportunity to meet with Sheriff Janis Mangum of Jackson County, Georgia. prgtoken She was very open about her concerns to protect her citizens out there with the defund the police, the disrespect, and just the disdain for law in general. prgtoken There was also an internal concern. I saw a grief where she was expressing concern for a fellow deputy who had paid the ultimate price some 6 months earlier. prgtoken That is leadership, . That is pure leadership. prgtoken Anthony D'Esposito is quoted several times from the National Police Memorial this week: It is not how they died, but it is how they lived. prgtoken Sheriff Janis Mangum is a shining example of that quote.
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-5-17

yesterday, President took one step toward the debt limit solution we have been laying out for him literally for months. prgtoken After meeting with McCarthy, the President, finally-- finally--designated specific members of his staff to negotiate with the 's office directly. prgtoken I am glad the President has taken the advice that I gave him back in February; that this would ultimately end in a negotiation between the President and the . It is encouraging that the White House is now engaging seriously with the only counterpart who can help deliver an actual solution. But because it took the President 3 months to start dealing in reality, we now have a time problem. prgtoken So I am hopeful the President's team will join with House s to produce a responsible spending agreement to raise the debt ceiling, and I will continue to support McCarthy 100 percent.
DAVID ERICKSON EAGLE SCOUT
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-5-17

I proudly pause to recognize David Stengel Erickson. David is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 5, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. prgtoken David has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years David has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. David has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. David raised $3,800 to resod the playground at the Helping Hand Home for Children. He planned, coordinated, and recruited all of the volunteers. Furthermore, David handled the logistics of food and beverage donations for the volunteers, so that they had something to eat and drink while they worked. prgtoken , I proudly ask you to join me in commending David Stengel Erickson for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.
Border Security (Executive Session)
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2023-5-17

I rise today to again speak on the multifaceted crisis that has defined our southern border and how the inaction and misleading rhetoric from President and his administration has only exacerbated the continued fallout our country is experiencing. prgtoken Since the beginning of his tenure in the White House, President 's trademark has been border chaos with over 6.3 million illegal border crossings under his watch. Actions do speak louder than words, and President continues to prove that his priorities are miles and miles away from the southern border. He has only visited the southern border once since becoming President. He has supported funding cuts to the Department of Homeland Security in his recent budget proposal; and that Department is charged with securing the border. prgtoken Our Border Patrol agents deserve needed support from the administration who has laid the crisis they face squarely at their feet. In this past week, according to the U.S. Border Patrol, there have been 67,759 apprehensions, 15,780 approximate ``get-aways,'' 179 pounds of meth, 56 pounds of fentanyl, and 34 pounds of cocaine--all seized at our southern border in just 168 hours. prgtoken With our Border Patrol stretched inconceivably thin with little support from the administration, it is hard to fathom the true amount of illegal crossings, human trafficking, and illegal drugs that are currently entering our country through the southern border. prgtoken On top of all this, on Sunday, a person on the U.S. terror watchlist was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing in San Diego. This further proves the national security implications regarding this border crisis and the message displayed to the world about the State of our ports of entry. prgtoken The impact of the unprecedented amount of drugs entering through our southern border is certainly not lost on me either, nor anyone in this body. My State of West Virginia has seen the impact of this crisis directly, and it has created irreversible scars on our communities. prgtoken I just mentioned 56 pounds of fentanyl has been seized just last week alone. That is enough fentanyl to kill 12 million Americans. Recent data from the CDC shows that between 2016 and 2021, fentanyl overdoses have risen 279 percent in this country. Those between the ages of 24 through 44 have the highest overdose rates, and those involved fentanyl. prgtoken Through conversations I have had on this topic with the administration officials, I have found their answers to be highly insufficient. This is a crisis that is killing a generation, and we know that these drugs are flowing across our southern border. The administration needs a better answer, and they must swiftly act to stop this killer. prgtoken Now as the title 42 authority has expired, it has added to the confusion on the southern border. The administration is trying to reset a new normal based on failed pol
DEDICATION OF THE LILLIAN G. BURRY WOMEN'S WING
Christopher H. Smith (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2023-5-17

this week in my district in New Jersey, veterans, leaders and local officials will be dedicating the Women's Wing at the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community in Tinton Falls--and will be appropriately naming it in honor of my good friend and extraordinary public servant, Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry. prgtoken For more than a decade, Commissioner Burry has been the quarterback in the push to meet the compelling housing and service needs of homeless veterans in our community. prgtoken When Lillian and I first heard of and met with John Downing of Soldier On more than ten years ago, we decided that's what we need in Monmouth County. prgtoken We quickly discovered that Soldier On created world-class housing opportunities coupled with vital services for homeless veterans, and the impact has been enormous and life changing. prgtoken In July 2012, we secured a million-dollar grant to Soldier On to provide housing assistance and stability to our veterans so that they could remain in their homes even when times are difficult. prgtoken Although there were many setbacks along the way--including an inability to secure space at Fort Monmouth--Lillian never quit and helped lead the way through some of the toughest road blocks. Ultimately, Lillian's dream of creating a homeless veterans housing initiative in Monmouth County became a reality in 2021 with the grand opening of the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Village. prgtoken Set on a six-acre village-like setting, this amazing community offers a wide-range of supportive services, general wellness, health and social opportunities in addition to permanent housing for those who have courageously stepped up to serve our great nation and have put their lives on the line to defend our fundamental freedoms. prgtoken This state-of-the-art complex for homeless veterans that provides 70 fully furnished one-bedroom apartments--including its special wing reserved for women--would not have been possible without Lillian's tenacity and skill in making it happen. prgtoken As a devoted military wife to U.S. Coast Guard Captain Don Burry for over 65 years, Lillian has long known firsthand the tremendous sacrifices made by our nation's service members and their loved ones. prgtoken Residents across Monmouth County have benefitted from Lillian's courage, tenacity, can-do spirit, wit and determination. Along with helping our veterans, Lillian has expanded services through her work for open lands, libraries, infrastructure improvements, the arts and much, much more. A former Matawan councilwoman, mayor of Colts Neck and the first female Director of the County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Lillian has greatly enhanced our quality of life in Monmouth County. prgtoken Thanks to Lillian's unwavering commitment to our veterans and her enduring perseverance, for the first time in years--even decades--many veterans finally have a place to live and hope and thrive in Monmouth County.
Maiden Speech (Executive Session)
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-5-17

I want to just speak briefly on Senator Budd and how thrilled I am to have him as a colleague in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I think, if you heard his speech, he mentioned our State motto, ``esse quam videri'': ``to be rather than to seem.'' prgtoken What you saw here was a rational, reasonable, respectful Member of the Senate. I observed that for years when he was in Congress. Ted Budd and I met back in 2013. I watched him serve the State of North Carolina before he was elected to Congress. I admired the way he carried himself when he was in the House. I have been thrilled to see how well he has hit the ground running here in the Senate. prgtoken But I will tell you, much like my campaigns--they are not necessarily easy in North Carolina, and, truthfully, Ted was running in a primary. I had two friends running in a primary. The way he conducted himself there was also very rational, very reasonable, very respectful. That is why I think he is a U.S. Senator today. prgtoken That is the second reason. The primary reason he is a U.S. Senator today relates to a lady named Amy Kate, her son, and two daughters. prgtoken Now, if it wasn't in violation of the rules, I would look up in the Gallery and thank Amy Kate and her family directly, but that is a violation of the rules, Amy Kate, so I won't do that. prgtoken But I just want to let everybody know in North Carolina, you have picked a great partner for me to have in the U.S. Senate.