mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FLAG DAY AND THE U.S. ARMY'S 247TH BIRTHDAY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-14

today is Flag Day and the U.S. Army's 247th birthday. prgtoken Every year on June 14 we celebrate our Stars and Stripes. We celebrate on June 14 because on this day in 1777 the Continental Congress approved the design for our first flag. prgtoken Over the years our flag has been changed to reflect the growth of our Nation, but one thing remains the same: It will always stand for freedom. prgtoken Our flag is a glorious symbol of hope for our brave servicemen and - women who salute it, defend it, serve it, and, in some cases, die to protect our freedom and liberty. prgtoken Today is also the U.S. Army's birthday. For the last 247 years, our servicemembers have been defending freedom at home and abroad. prgtoken Today, our Nation celebrates our Army and our flag, which symbolize both America being the land of the free and the home of the brave.
HONORING JUNETEENTH AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
Barry Loudermilk (Republican, GA) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , I rise today to honor the upcoming Juneteenth National Holiday, a day in which we celebrate the freedom of African Americans. prgtoken On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, proclaiming freedom for more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans. On June 19, 1865, more than two years later, enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, received the notice from U.S. General Gordon Granger that stated, ``The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.'' In 1866, black Americans celebrated the first of many annual celebrations of Juneteenth on June 19. Beginning with a proclamation in 1938 and legislation in 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday. More than half of the United States have, in recent years, recognized Juneteenth in some capacity, including Georgia. I have been a part of this celebration for the past several years, speaking at local ceremonies; and I appreciate the history of this commemoration. prgtoken I further believe it is important to celebrate freedom and liberty at every opportunity, which is why I supported S. 475, Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, when it came up for a vote in Congress in 2021. This national holiday is a celebration of freedom, and should be recognized by all Americans; as well as a day where we remember the moral stain that slavery had on our country. On behalf of the 11th Congressional District, and the United States House of Representatives, I join others throughout America in recognizing the freedom and individual liberty that Juneteenth represents.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SURVEY ON REMEDYING THE EFFECT OF DISCRIMINATION IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , I include in the Record the executive summary of a report by the Department of Justice (DOJ) titled ``The Compelling prgtoken Interest to Remedy the Effects of Discrimination in Federal Contracting: A Survey of Recent Evidence.'' The DOJ summary and associated report illustrate how systemic discrimination continues to create barriers for women- and minority-owned businesses to fairly compete for federal contracts and how federal contracting programs can respond to, address, and remedy the harmful effects of discrimination. [From the U.S. Department of Justice, May 16, 2022] prgtoken The Compelling Interest To Remedy the Effects of Discrimination in prgtoken Federal Contracting: A Survey of Recent Evidence--Executive Summary On January 27, 2022, the Department of Justice posted a notice in the Federal Register announcing the publication of a Department of Justice report surveying the evidence supporting the use of race- and sex-conscious contracting programs by the federal government in order to remedy the effects of discrimination. This report is third in a series created by the Department of Justice since the Supreme Court determined that federal race-conscious contracting programs must meet the strict scrutiny standard of review to survive a constitutional challenge based on the Equal Protection Clause in Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200, 227 (1995). Each report has compiled and summarized the evidence of discriminatory barriers that businesses owned by women and people of color face that impede participation in government contracting. Both previous reports have been cited in federal court as evidence that there is a compelling governmental interest in programs that support the ability of businesses owned by people of color to compete on an equal basis. Strict scrutiny is the most exacting standard of review, and it requires, among other things, evidence supporting the conclusion that such measures are necessary to further the compelling governmental interest in remedying the effects of past and present racial discrimination. If a program contains affirmative measures based on sex, those measures are subject to the somewhat lower standard of intermediate scrutiny. That standard demands that any gender-based preference be substantially related to an important governmental objective. In assessing whether race- and sex-conscious government contracting programs could continue to survive heightened levels of judicial review, the Department of Justice reviewed hundreds of state and local disparity studies, dozens of congressional hearings and related testimony, government reports on public contracting, academic and expert reports on public and federal contracting, academic and government
RECOVERING AMERICA'S WILDLIFE ACT OF 2021
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) for offering this very important piece of legislation and to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer) for his support on the amendment that I am offering and all of our dedication to the Great Lakes being quite evident by this work. prgtoken Growing up in Michigan, my family would camp and fish every year in East Tawas, Michigan. We grew up on the Great Lakes. These are really fond memories I have from my childhood, and it is a particular honor as a result to represent 118 miles of Lake Huron shoreline in Congress. prgtoken Over the past couple of centuries, nearly 200 non-native species have established populations in the Great Lakes. In my home State, invasive species like Asian carp, zebra mussels, and phragmites threaten the health of our Great Lakes. Zebra mussels have clogged our water infrastructure costing millions in cleanup. Asian carp eat the wetland plants that are critical habitats for native fish and waterfowl. We have to prevent the spread of invasive species in our Great Lakes, we have an obligation to do that. prgtoken This bipartisan amendment would expand the ability of the Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery and Habitat Conservation Legacy Fund to manage and prevent invasive species. We believe this simple amendment makes this very good bill stronger and will have a positive impact on the Great Lakes economy. prgtoken When we protect our wildlife and natural resources, we strengthen our economy and we preserve our way of life. The Great Lakes are a source of drinking water for millions, a critical wildlife habitat, and help support 1 million jobs in boating, fishing, and tourism industries. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan amendment to protect our Great Lakes and strengthen our natural resources, and .
RECOVERING AMERICA'S WILDLIFE ACT OF 2021
G. K. Butterfield (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , in closing, let me thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for supporting this amendment. It is a very simple amendment. It is a very commonsense amendment. It will allow and authorize nonprofit organizations, as Mrs. Dingell said, to compete for funding. prgtoken It will not be a guarantee of funding. It will be an opportunity to compete for funding. It is a worthwhile amendment, and I ask my colleagues to vote ``yea.'' prgtoken Madam , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-14

it is hard to believe it was 50 years ago this week--50 years ago--when five men were caught breaking into the offices of the ic National Committee here in Washington. prgtoken Two years after that, the so-called Watergate break-in and the coverup by the Nixon White House, it brought down the President. prgtoken For nearly half a century, the Watergate scandal really ranked as America's greatest constitutional test since prgtoken the Civil War--then came January 6, 2021. prgtoken An angry mob, summoned by a defeated President, attacked this Capitol building, attacked this Chamber, and those of us who were in it knew it was an attempt to overthrow an election, an election which lost but never admitted. prgtoken How did we respond? prgtoken Well, the proposal was made--the right proposal--to create a bipartisan commission to investigate what happened on January 6, 2021. Unfortunately, the s, led by Senator McConnell in the Senate, filibustered the creation of an independent commission to investigate January 6. Fortunately, the House went forward to proceed on its own on a bipartisan basis to get to the truth. prgtoken Now, after 11 months and 1,000 interviews--more than 1,000--the bipartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol is sharing its findings with America, and the revelations are so damning. prgtoken In its first two public hearings, the committee has shown that the attack on the Capitol was not a demonstration that changed spontaneously and became a riot. The attack on our Nation's Capitol, the attack on this Chamber, was the result of a plan: a violent effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from the administration to the administration, to stop the peaceful transition of power in America for the first time in our history. prgtoken To quote Congresswoman Liz , the former President ``summoned the mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.'' prgtoken When the mob beat our police officers and ransacked the Capitol-- going through our desks here on the floor, posing for pictures where the Presiding Officer is now sitting, all sorts of things to make them look famous with their friends at the expense of the integrity of this building and this Chamber. prgtoken They beat the police officers. did nothing to stop them--nothing. He wouldn't order the National Guard to defend the Capitol, the Senate, the House. He watched the mayhem on TV, rewinding it to watch it over and over again. He gloried in the moment. prgtoken When the crowd threatened to hang Vice President , said, ``He deserves it.'' Deserves it. The Vice President of the United States deserves it. prgtoken His own advisers told him repeatedly that the voter fraud conspiracy theories that he was pedaling were false. They were called ``idiotic,'' ``amateurish,'' ``detached from reality.'' Who said
CONGRATULATING NICHOLAS PATRICK FOR HIS WIN AT THE IHSA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TENNIS
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Nicholas Patrick, a freshman from Alleman Catholic High School, who won the Illinois High School Athletic Association Class 1A State tennis title. prgtoken Nicholas won the 1A state tennis title in singles, becoming the first Quad Cities area IHSA boys state tennis champion since 1996. As a former athlete, I commend him for his determination and attitude. Nicholas is an example of the importance of dedication and a strong work ethic. I am proud to see him represent Rock Island so well throughout the state and the country with his talent and passion. prgtoken It is because of student leaders such as Nicholas that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again formally congratulate Nicholas Patrick on his Class 1A State title in tennis.
HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2021-- Continued
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-6-14

I rise today in support of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, also known as the Honoring our PACT Act. prgtoken Our Nation asks a great deal of our servicemembers and their families. We ask them to be ready to fight and to win against a wide range of security challenges across the globe. Our Armed Forces know and understand the threats they may face on the battlefield. Unfortunately, servicemembers also face threats that aren't as apparent--exposure to toxic materials. These exposures can result in rare and sometimes fatal medical conditions. prgtoken From exposure to Agent Orange to radiation from nuclear tests, veterans have carried an extra burden because of their service. It has too often been a struggle to recognize and address those impacts. prgtoken Now, a new generation is dealing with the long-term effects of toxic exposure. Indeed, during their service, up to 3\1/2\ million veterans have been exposed to toxic burn pits. As the name implies, burn pits are pits where all forms of waste, including toxic waste, are disposed of by burning. Our servicemembers lived and worked in close proximity to these burn pits, often without knowing the potential consequences to their long-term health or any way to avoid it. prgtoken Since 2009, the Department of Defense has recognized the harm burn prgtoken pits can cause. The health consequences are so serious that in the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, within that legislation, we included a provision that says that the only way the Department of Defense can now use a burn pit overseas is if the Secretary of Defense personally issues a waiver. It is an authority that cannot be delegated to anyone else in the Department. prgtoken The bill we have before us today would really honor our obligation to care for other veterans by acknowledging the injuries and illnesses they sustain in serving our country and providing them with treatment. prgtoken The bill would expand eligibility for VA healthcare for the 3\1/2\ million veterans who were exposed to burn pits. It would also eliminate the burden of proof for veterans for 23 conditions presumed to be caused by toxic exposure. It will create a new framework for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the science around burn pits and establish other presumptive conditions associated with toxic exposure. It will also provide significant resources for the VA to carry out the expansion of benefits in this bill, including provisions on staffing, retention, pay, and leasing of new VA facilities. prgtoken Every generation of Americans has had men and women who were willing to serve our country in uniform. As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, I have had the honor of traveling across the globe to meet with our deployed servicemembers, including numerous trips to Afghanistan and Iraq. prgtoken Our servicemembers and our veteran
CELEBRATING THE 245TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-6-14

I ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in consultation with the leader, and notwithstanding rule XXII, it be in order for Senator Paul or his designee to make a motion to proceed to Calendar No. 397, S. Con. Res. 41 on Wednesday, June 15, 2022; further, if the motion to proceed is agreed to, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 388, H.R. 3967, postcloture, and that upon disposition of the Calendar No. 388, H.R. 3967, the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 397, S. Con. Res. 41.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Thank you, Senator Cornyn, for the work you are doing and working with Senator Murphy and so many other Senators. You and I have done so many bills together, including the historic Save Our Stages bill, which made such a difference. And I am very pleased that we are finally advancing gun safety legislation. And a lot of these provisions are things that we have been working across the aisle on for many years, the boyfriend loophole--something that I introduced in 2013, 10 years ago--to close the boyfriend loophole. That is a part of this negotiation, part of the framework. We have so many women killed, 1 every 14 hours, from domestic partners--1 every 14 hours from domestic partners--with guns in this country. And, sadly, half of those involve dating partners, people who aren't married to someone, but they are in a romantic relationship with them in some way. And the way the law works in all but 19 States where it is fully closed, in many of these States, you get convicted of domestic abuse, and you can still go out and buy a gun the next day. prgtoken So I am really pleased that we are moving forward on this provision. This isn't the first time we have heard the call to action from America when it comes to guns. We heard it after 23 people were killed at a Walmart in El Paso; after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland; after 59 people were killed at a country music festival, just out there on a beautiful evening enjoying the music; after 59 people dead in Las Vegas; and after 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. prgtoken Today, we hear calls for action because of more tragedies: a White supremacist murdering 10 people who are simply shopping for groceries; one guy out buying a cake for his little boy, a birthday cake for his son, who never returned; 10 people killed. prgtoken The American people are demanding that we do something after the senseless murder of 19 children and 2 teachers who died putting their very lives up to protect those children in Uvalde, TX. We have seen the pictures of those kids in their confirmation-communion dresses, in their sports uniforms, the Converse green sneakers, the glasses, the smiles. In some photos, they were actually holding awards they had won just that morning. prgtoken But today, after too many of these tragedies to name, I rise with renewed hope that we are finally working together to help keep Americans safe from gun violence. While there is so much more work to be done, reforms outlined in the bipartisan framework, like encouraging States to enact risk protection orders, which are also known as red flag laws, expanding access to mental health services, and supporting school violence prevention--Senator Grassley and I led that bill after Parkland that we passed with significant funding for schools. Clearly, more must be done. prgtoken As I noted, I am particularly pleased to see that the framework will includ
HONORING THE GIRL FRIENDS, INC.--NEW HAVEN CHAPTER ON THE CELEBRATION OF THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , it is with great pride that I rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc. as they celebrate their 90th Anniversary at their annual Kentucky Derby Luncheon. The oldest African American female service organization in New Haven, the New Haven Girl Friends is a unique organization within our community. prgtoken Chartered just five years after the national organization, the New Haven Girl Friends have been a center of service and community for African American women in our community. Their work to promote friendship, social interaction, charitable and cultural activities has enriched our community and the lives of its residents. From their success in housing all visiting members at the organization's 1942 Conclave and integrating the Taft Hotel in downtown New Haven to their generous support of projects like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture as well as the NAACP and The Girl Friends Fund Scholarship program, the New Haven Girl Friends have left an indelible mark on our community. prgtoken Each year on the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, members gather in fellowship to raise funds for scholarships that are awarded annually to students throughout Greater New Haven and Hartford as well as to benefit local community-based programs, the nonprofit Girl Friends Fund Foundation and other initiatives of the New Haven Chapter. Their mission has been to actively engage the community and their goals are rooted in the understanding that our communities thrive when every member contributes to its success. The members of the New Haven Girl Friends include some of our communities most prominent social advocates--many of whom dedicate both their professional and personal lives to public service. These women stand as role models for us all, but particularly for our young people. They inspire us with their deep commitment to community and compassion for others. prgtoken It is my great honor to rise today to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the members of the New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc. for their innumerable and invaluable contributions to our community. It is my honor to congratulate you on your 90th Anniversary and, as we say in Italian, C'ent Anni--to another hundred years.
TRIBUTE TO DR. C. WARREN DERRICK, JR.
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2022-6-14

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. C. Warren Derrick, Jr. Born in Mullins, SC and raised in Marion. Dr. Derrick was the eldest son of Helen and Warren Derrick, Sr. After graduating from Marion High School as president of the student body in 1954, he entered Wofford College where he was a member of Blue Key and President of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated in 1958. prgtoken Deciding on a career in medicine, he matriculated at the Medical College of South Carolina, graduating in 1962. While in medical school, he married Ann Marie Berry of Spartanburg. prgtoken After completing a rotating internship at Greenville Memorial Hospital, he was inducted into the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Medical Corps and stationed in Nuremberg, Germany. He served for 2 years as Battalion Surgeon for the 34th Artillery, 2nd AC. He was discharged in 1965 and accepted a position with Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan as a physician in their student health center for one year. In 1966, he started a 2-year pediatric residency at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama which was followed by a 3-year fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at the Children's Hospital of Alabama. prgtoken Upon the completion of his fellowship, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. He rose to Associate Professor in 1975 and served as Director of Outpatient Services at the Children's Hospital. It was during their 10 years in Birmingham that their 3 children were born. prgtoken Dr. Derrick returned to South Carolina and accepted a position with Sumter Pediatrics in Sumter in January 1977. After 10 months in private practice, he was offered, and he accepted, a faculty position with the fledgling new medical school in Columbia as Professor of Pediatrics and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, University of South Carolina School of Medicine--a position he was to hold for the next 29 years. prgtoken During his tenure with Children's Hospital and the medical school, he was instrumental in the growth and development of the pediatric department and establishment of the state's first free-standing children's hospital. Under his leadership, the department developed a national reputation for its educational excellence and patient care. He retired in 2007. prgtoken His many honors include distinguished alumni/service awards from the Children's Hospital of Alabama, USC School of Medicine, and Wofford College; The Presidential Merit Award, MUSC; William Weston Distinguished Service Award, Department of Pediatrics, USC School of Medicine; and the Order of the Palmetto, State of South Carolina. prgtoken He was predeceased by Ann, his wife of 58 years. Surviving are his 3 children: Andrea Derrick Truitt (Chip), Hope Derrick (Marc Turner), and Scott Derrick (Melissa); six grandchildren: Abby, Shelby, and Rachel Truitt; Ethan and Emery Turner; and Tripp Derrick, all of Columbia. He is also survived by his