mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-5-18

it may have taken a while, but it looks like prgtoken the White House may finally be coming to the debt ceiling negotiating table in a more serious way. prgtoken The President has now appointed members of his staff to negotiate directly with McCarthy's team--a logical and overdue step since the passage of debt ceiling legislation depends on an agreement between the President and the -controlled House of Representatives. prgtoken I was also encouraged by the White House's statement after Tuesday's debt ceiling meeting, which noted that the President is ``optimistic that there is a path to a responsible, bipartisan budget agreement if both sides negotiate in good faith and recognize that neither side will get everything it wants.'' ``[A]nd recognize that neither side will get everything it wants''-- that part is very important because previously the ' and the President's position was that should get everything they want and that s should get nothing--an extremely unrealistic position and one that suggested did not understand the nature of divided government. prgtoken So I am grateful that the President seems to be taking a more realistic view of what is necessary for an agreement. It is unfortunate that it has taken the White House this long. McCarthy has been ready to negotiate for months, and the President should have engaged seriously months ago, but better late than never. prgtoken I hope that over the next few days, the two sides will be able to swiftly reach an agreement. A good place to start would be with a good, long look at the policies in the House s' Limit, Save, Grow Act, which pairs a debt ceiling increase with commonsense spending reforms, things like reclaiming unspent COVID money; modestly strengthening work requirements in Federal entitlement programs for able-bodied Americans--a move, I might add, supported by more than 60 percent of the American public--in order to help individuals move from welfare to work; capping discretionary spending for next year at the fiscal year 2022 discretionary spending level--the same level we were successfully operating at mere months ago; repealing the green energy subsidies in the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, whose estimated cost has ballooned since the bill was passed; passing permitting reform--a bipartisan priority--to help get both conventional and green energy projects off the ground more quickly, which could help grow our economy; repealing the President's reckless student loan giveaway, which could otherwise end up costing American taxpayers close to $1 trillion; and other commonsense measures. prgtoken The provisions of the Limit, Save, Grow Act have been the subject of a lot of fearmongering from , who have been set against including any spending reforms as part of a debt ceiling package, but these are responsible ideas worthy of consideration as part of a de
REMEMBERING WILLIAM DESHAY ENGLISH
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2023-5-18

I rise to honor the life and legacy of William ``Bill'' Deshay English, an Alaskan who passed away on January 11, 2023. The stories of Mr. English's remarkable life began on a dog sled in a remote part of our State during the cold, snowy depths of winter. After seeing a ``giant mosquito'' buzzing in the sky as a child, he saw his passion and would go on to become a pilot. prgtoken Alaska prides itself as the ``flyingest state'' in the Nation and it is individuals like Bill English who pioneered that reputation. Even today, nearly 80 percent of our communities are not connected to the road system, so we rely on exceptional pilots to keep Alaskans safe as we travel across some of the most rugged terrain on the planet. Bill English was one of the best. Across more than 36,000 hours of commercial flight, he maintained a perfect safety record. That led to his selection as an Alaska Living Aviator Legend in 2012 and his induction into the Alaska Aviation Hall of Fame 2 years later. prgtoken A celebration of life was held for Mr. English in Anchorage last week, where guests shared stories and pictures of his life, including his service to our Nation during World War II, his flying adventures, and his acts of kindness. I join Mr. English's family and friends in mourning his loss, while remembering his quintessentially Alaskan life and the nearly 100 years he contributed to our beautiful State. prgtoken , I request that Bill English's obituary be printed in the Record. prgtoken The material follows: Obituary for William Deshay English William (Bill) Deshay English's life began on January 31, 1923, with an often-told and much-loved story. After going into labor, Bill's mother, Agorak, mushed her dog team into the dead of night and subzero temperatures. She was embarked on a harrowing ten-mile journey from her home in Wiseman, Alaska to Coldfoot where the region's only midwife resided. Charged with running the general store, Bill's father, William Sr stayed behind in Wiseman while he awaited the arrival of his newborn son. When Agorak drove her team back to Wiseman with infant Bill wrapped in furs, his father's worry burst into a celebration throughout the remote, scenic Arctic village on the banks of the Koyukuk River. It was here that Bill spent his childhood as a happy, active village kid. During the late 1920s, aviator Noel Wien made an historic excursion above the Arctic Circle in his open cockpit biplane, landing on a gravel bar near Wiseman. Young Bill was entranced by the ``giant mosquito'' buzzing in the sky, a fascination that would eventually turn into a deep passion for the art of flying and a dream of becoming a pilot. When Bill reached adolescence, his parents sent him to live with his father's family in California. Despite the culture shock,
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND CONDEMNING EFFORTS TO DEFUND OR DISMANTLE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2023-5-18

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to make one thing absolutely clear. There is not a single in the United States House of Representatives, to my knowledge, that does not condemn the violent acts on January 6; period, end of story. prgtoken If somebody wants to work on a resolution condemning the violence on January 6, I welcome that and will work with them, but let's not talk about January 6 when we are talking about a bill that is designated and intended to compliment and uplift those who have been the targets of really destructive action in terms of the defund the police movement. prgtoken I have heard my good friend from Washington--one of the leaders of the Progressive Caucus here in the House--say that Progressives in the House who we have quoted were not involved in that. That is fine. However, certainly the leftists in this country moved to defund the police. They succeeded. prgtoken As a result, we have seen rising crime, we have seen more victims, and nobody on their side--nobody--takes accountability for the fact that there are more murder victims, there are more robbery victims, there are more people getting their cars hijacked, there are more crimes being committed in this country as a result of failed leftist policies. prgtoken If you want to talk about January 6, let's work together and thank the Capitol Police. You want to talk about defunding the police, you want to talk about how we need to uplift the police for their great work, then we need to pass this resolution. prgtoken , .
TRIBUTE TO THE COVENANT SCHOOL OF NASHVILLE FIRST RESPONDERS
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-5-18

this National Police Week, along with my colleague Senator Hagerty, I would like to honor the unbelievably courageous officers of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. prgtoken On March 27, a depraved individual attacked the Covenant School in Nashville, TN, and took the lives of 9-year-old Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9- year-old Hallie Scruggs, 9-year-old William Kinney, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, custodian Mike Hill, and Dr. Katherine Koonce. Just minutes after receiving the emergency call, a group of dedicated officers arrived on the scene and immediately rushed toward the danger. Their unflinching courage and decisive action under fire allowed them to eliminate the threat against this gentle community just minutes after it began and saved countless lives. prgtoken Violence against children and their caretakers is an act of unspeakable evil that strikes at the heart of our purpose as parents, grandparents, neighbors, brothers and sisters in Christ, and community protectors. But even in the face of such tremendous loss, Nashvillians find comfort in the knowledge that uncommonly brave men and women have dedicated their lives to protecting us from harm. On behalf of all Tennesseans, I thank Officer Rex Engelbert, Detective Mike prgtoken Collazo, Detective Zachary Plese, Detective Ryan Cagle, and Detective Sergeant Jeffery Mathes for their incredible bravery on behalf of the students and teachers at The Covenant School. They showed true professionalism, courage, and selflessness--which is the very definition of heroism. I also recognize and honor Chief John Drake for his steady presence and clarity of mind on that terrible day. prgtoken During times of overwhelming fear and uncertainty, the people of the Volunteer State look to their leaders not only for swift action but for comfort and reassurance. The brave men and women in blue who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities deserve all the admiration, gratitude, and support we can offer, and I am so honored to represent them here in the U.S. Senate.
DESTROYING AMERICA FROM WITHIN
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-5-18

it is the time for authorizations, and one of the topics of discussion today, of course, is our armed services authorizations, military bills, as we get briefings on what is necessary to defend our country from our external enemies. prgtoken However, let us not forget that when Nikita Khrushchev spoke to the American public in the 1960s, he said: We will take America without firing a shot. We will bury you. We can't expect the American people to jump from capitalism to communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of socialism until, one final day, they wake up and find they are living in a communist government. prgtoken Now, how could our great country, the strongest country in the world, be destroyed from within? prgtoken I also point out that when the KGB was active in this country in the seventies and eighties, the majority of agents were not spies. They were not engaged in looking for our military secrets. They were, apparently, out in the open, trying to corrupt Americans into how they understood our country should be operating. They were taking advantage of our freedoms in what is supposed to be a constitution made for a moral and religious people. prgtoken How would you go about destroying America from within? First of all, briefly, we would try to destroy the currency. We know there has been wild and reckless spending recently, to the degree that our debt-to-GDP ratio is the highest it has been since the end of World War II. Our debt to gross national product is almost 100 percent. prgtoken We were there at the end of World War II, but we knew at the end of World War II, millions of people were going to be laid off from the military. We were going to stop building ships, planes, and tanks that we needed. Sure enough, we dropped from about 100 percent of GDP to a little over 20 percent during Nixon until we began to slowly creep up again. prgtoken More recently, in part because of irresponsible legislation like the American Rescue Plan or the successor to Build Back Better, which were able to pass because the had the House, the Senate, and the Presidency and were able to use something called reconciliation to get it done, we have now shot back up near 100 percent, near an all-time high. prgtoken This time, we don't see an area in the future in which hundreds of thousands of soldiers and sailors are going to be laid off or that we are going to stop building weaponry. Contrary to that, we do see an aging population in which the amount we spend on Social Security and Medicare is going to continue to go up. prgtoken I think you could say getting ahold of these people in this House and persuading way too many of them that spending doesn't work, we have approached an area, a crisis area, which could result in the end of the United States. prgtoken Secondly, I think if I were going to destroy America, I would try to destroy the family
CELEBRATING CLERMONT COUNTY DEPUTY BOBBY HAU PHAM, MEDAL OF VALOR
Brad R. Wenstrup (Republican, OH) \u2014 2023-5-18

I rise today to congratulate Clermont County Deputy Bobby Hau Pham, who was awarded the Medal of Valor by President for his heroic efforts while on duty, rescuing the life of a woman trapped in a car sinking underwater. prgtoken On November 23, 2021, Deputy Pham sprang into action after a woman drove her car into East Fork Lake, submerging it under water. Fighting through dark, frigid conditions, Deputy Pham sprang into action, jumped in the water, and fearlessly worked to rescue the driver from the sinking car. prgtoken Through his bravery, Deputy Pham saved her life, and he said he would do it all over again wherever needed. Deputy Pham is an example of the extraordinary actions our law enforcement officers make each and every day to protect our citizens and communities. I want to thank all who put on the uniform and risk their lives to protect us every day. prgtoken I thank Deputy Pham for his service and courage. I congratulate him on being recognized with the Medal of Valor, our Nation's highest honor for bravery by apublic safety officer, for his actions.
GOTION: BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY THE CCP
Lisa C. McClain (Republican, MI) \u2014 2023-5-18

I stand here today in strong opposition to the Chinese Communist Party's takeover of a town in my home State of Michigan. prgtoken The CCP is using one of their state-controlled companies to implant thousands of Chinese workers and billions worth of Chinese technology just outside of Big Rapids. prgtoken The company is called Gotion, and their technology is EV batteries. Now, Gotion likes to say that this is a good thing for Michigan and maybe even a good thing for America. prgtoken Why? prgtoken It is because they claim it brings jobs and money to our economy--but let's not forget the over $500 million worth of taxpayer dollars that will be used to subsidize and build this facility. That is, quite frankly, what I call BS. prgtoken Gotion is bought and paid for by the CCP, and let's be clear: the CCP is not our friend. prgtoken So I am not standing idly by and going to let this happen. I am going to stand with the people of the great State of Michigan to call this out and continue to bring attention to this and do something about this. That is why I am here today: to call out the CCP for this blatant attempt to overtake our State.
Issues Facing America (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-5-18

. Last week's inflation report reinforced what working families across America already know: Washington ' inflation is still packing a punch. Prices climbed 4.9 percent from this time last year. Just in the last month, they accelerated nearly half a percentage point. The administration called the news ``welcome breathing room for families.'' prgtoken Welcome breathing room for families? According to the latest data, families have paid thousands of dollars more just to put food on the table on his watch. In Colorado, your average family has paid over $2,000 in additional food costs since 2021. In Arizona, those same groceries have cost households $1,800; in Montana, over $1,700; in my home State of Kentucky, families have paid $1,600 more, on average, since President took office. It doesn't sound like breathing room to me, especially at a time when workers' wages are failing to keep pace with out-of-control prices. prgtoken Meanwhile, confidence with President to do the right thing with the economy is at its lowest point since the great recession. That is hardly surprising when his top economic advisers refuse to even admit there is a problem. The President's latest pick to lead his Council of Economic Advisers has repeatedly said this administration didn't miss a thing on inflation. prgtoken So, while the administration pats itself on the back for a job well done, let's remember where we were just 2 years ago. Since the President took office, prices have climbed a staggering--listen to this--16 percent--16 percent since the President took office. Gasoline is up 54 percent, electricity is up 22 percent, groceries are up 20 percent, and higher interest rates are making it harder for working families to borrow and save for the future. Washington ' reckless spending and green energy fantasies are sending our economy deep into the red. prgtoken For 2 straight years, Americans have had to tighten their belt just to get by. It is time for this administration to wake up and do more of the same.
Introductory Statement on S. 1705
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-5-18

I rise today to introduce the STEM Education in Accounting Act, which would help address workforce shortages in the accounting profession by recognizing accounting as part of a STEM education and adding accounting education programs as an allowable use of K-12 Federal grant funding. I want to thank Senator Rosen for coleading this bill with me. prgtoken Accountants play a key role in today's economy. They serve as trusted advisers for companies large and small, assist in measuring business performance, help individuals and businesses file their taxes in an accurate and timely manner, and even investigate instances of financial fraud. Yet, the United States is facing a shortage of accountants willing and able to fill this important economic role. In Maine, for example, municipalities have struggled to find public accountants to conduct their annual audits. prgtoken Recent trends suggest this shortage will continue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings for accountants and auditors are expected to grow by 6 percent from 2021 to 2031--about 136,400 openings each year. At the same time, fewer students are pursuing accounting degrees than in prior years. prgtoken The STEM Education in Accounting Act seeks to improve the accounting pipeline by expanding K-12 students' exposure to accounting programs. As with other areas of STEM education, this bill would qualify accounting instruction for Federal funds. This recognition aligns with the increasing need for accounting professionals to have high-level math and technology skills, including the ability to analyze big data, ensure data security, and manage cybersecurity risk. prgtoken In particular, this bill would allow States and school districts to use a portion of their Federal student support and academic enrichment grant funding to support accounting education, including accounting career awareness. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program was created as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act and aims to help States and school districts offer a well-rounded educational experience to all students. The STEM Education in Accounting Act would also allow school districts to use this flexible grant to strengthen accounting curricula, including increasing access to high-quality accounting courses for members of groups underrepresented in the accounting profession. prgtoken Businesses and individuals rely on accountants to help them develop and reach their financial goals. The STEM Education in Accounting Act would help address the shortage of accountants by promoting accounting education and improving the pipeline of future accountants. I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.
TRIBUTE TO THE COVENANT SCHOOL OF NASHVILLE FIRST RESPONDERS
Bill Hagerty (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-5-18

. I thank Senator Blackburn. prgtoken , I join Senator Blackburn today to honor the heroic, lifessaving actions by Officer Rex Engelbert of Nashville, TN; Detective Michael Collazo of Smyrna, TN; Detective Sergeant Jeffery Mathes of Nashville, TN; Detective Ryan Cagle of Charlotte, TN; and Detective Zachary Plese of Nashville, TN. These dedicated officers showed exceptional courage by putting their lives on the line to save others. prgtoken On March 27, 2023, an unspeakable tragedy took place at The Covenant School in Nashville, TN. A cowardly and depraved murderer's gruesome actions took six innocent lives--including those of three 9-year-old children. I join the families affected, the Nashville community, Tennesseans across our State, and millions of Americans in mourning this heartbreaking and outrageous act of evil. prgtoken What is unmistakably clear is the incredible bravery and heroism of the first responders, who prevented this tragedy from being even worse. prgtoken Officer Engelbert, Detective Collazo, Detective Sergeant Mathes, Detective Cagle, and Detective Plese, nobly and without hesitation, rushed into an active shooter situation at The Covenant School. Released body camera and surveillance footage shows that these officers confronted and eliminated the lethal threat within a mere 3 minutes. prgtoken The rapid response and swift assessments of the emergency not only underscore the strength of their training, but also their bravery as they quickly entered the school despite obvious risks to their own safety. Their actions likely saved countless lives. prgtoken I echo the words of Governor Bill Lee when I say, ``Gratitude doesn't begin to cover it.'' prgtoken Today, we honor the heroic actions of Officer Engelbert, Detective Collazo, Detective Sergeant Mathes, Detective Cagle, Detective Plese, and the other brave first responders who rushed to the aid of strangers, putting others before themselves that day. I join Tennesseans and all Americans to express our heartfelt gratitude.