mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1435, PRESERVING CHOICE IN VEHICLE PURCHASES ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4365, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Andrea Salinas (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-9-19

I thank my good colleague from New Mexico for her leadership and for yielding me some time. prgtoken , each year, hundreds of Oregonians die after overdosing on fentanyl. This drug has torn communities apart, from Salem to Sheridan and everywhere in between. It is not just our State. It is all across the U.S. prgtoken Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids account for more than 85 percent of all opioid-involved deaths in the U.S. This is an issue that harms all of us, and I think Members of both parties can agree that stemming the flow of these drugs into our communities is a bipartisan imperative. prgtoken The appropriations process is one of our best opportunities to deliver critical funding to the organizations and agencies on the front lines of this fentanyl fight. prgtoken Yet sadly, this process has been needlessly politicized by far-right politicians who would rather notch political victories than policy ones--and this shameful Defense appropriations bill is a prime example of that. prgtoken By attaching anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ and anti-choice riders to this bill, extremists in this body have turned what should be a straightforward funding package into a political wedge issue. prgtoken That needless politicization is especially concerning, given that this piece prgtoken of legislation contains critical funding to stop the flow of fentanyl into our country. prgtoken , we cannot afford to let politics stand in the way of our fight against the fentanyl epidemic. As a new Member of this esteemed body, I did not come here for political gamesmanship. We should all be prioritizing people over partisanship. prgtoken This is an all-hands-on-deck emergency, and I urge my colleagues to dispense with their partisan antics and focus on passing government funding legislation that meets the moment and delivers for all of our communities.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2023-9-19

I rise today to commemorate the centennial celebration of the Historic Westside School in Las Vegas, NV. This prgtoken school holds a special place in the history of Las Vegas and is a symbol of resilience, education, and strength in this community. prgtoken The Historic Westside School's story began in 1923 when it opened its doors as the Las Vegas Grammar School No. 1, consisting of just two rooms. Over the years, this unassuming structure played a significant role in the history of Las Vegas, particularly in the city's Black community. prgtoken Initially established to serve local Paiute children, the school's purpose evolved as the Black American population in Las Vegas grew substantially. With the opening of the Gunnery Range, known today as Nellis Air Force Base, and the construction of the Hoover Dam, the population of Las Vegas expanded dramatically. During this period, the school primarily educated Black children, reflecting the changing demographics of the city. prgtoken It is important to acknowledge the discrimination and persecution the Black community suffered during this era. In a stark reminder of the racial prejudice that stained our Nation, the city of Las Vegas forced Black families to move to the Westside and refused to allow the renewal of Black-owned business licenses unless they relocated. Despite this, the Westside School became a symbol of hope and perseverance for the Black community as it provided education and opportunity. prgtoken As the city of Las Vegas eventually moved towards desegregation, the school was closed. However, in 1979, the significance of the Historic Westside School was formally recognized when it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This designation highlighted the school's historical importance and its role in shaping the local community and preserving the heritage of the Westside of Las Vegas. prgtoken In 2015, the city of Las Vegas, with the assistance of Federal funds, embarked on a commendable effort to restore this historic landmark. Today, the Historic Westside School has been transformed into a vibrant community center, home to KCEP-FM and the Economic Opportunity Board, and a hub for various charitable foundations. It is a testament to the resilience of our community and the commitment to preserving our history. prgtoken As we celebrate the centennial of the Historic Westside School, let us reflect on the enduring legacy of this institution and its importance in shaping the history of Las Vegas. It serves as a reminder of the progress we have made in the fight for equality and the importance of preserving our history, no matter how challenging the chapters may be. prgtoken I commend the city of Las Vegas and the Historic Westside School Alumni Association for their dedication to preserving the memory of this historic school and for organizing the centennial celebration. It truly is an opportunity for our community to come to
RECOGNIZING 100 YEARS OF MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-9-19

I rise today to honor Mott Community College located in Flint, MI. Over the past 100 years, MCC has become a steadfast partner for local industry, providing high- quality, accessible, and affordable education opportunities. It is a privilege and honor to recognize the centennial milestone of the college on September 23, 2023. prgtoken Founded in 1923 by the Flint Board of Education, the institution was originally known as Flint Junior College. Tuition for the first year was a mere $20, and students could choose to study general literacy, pre-engineering, pre-dental, pre-medicine, pre-law, or business administration, as the college was initially designed to prepare students to transfer to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. prgtoken In 1950, Charles Stewart Mott donated $1 million to develop Flint Junior College into a 4-year institution in collaboration with the University of Michigan, a move that created the college and cultural center. C.S. Mott endowed the college with 32 acres of land and additional money for the establishment of an entirely new campus. In 1951, William Ballenger, Sr left a trust of several million dollars, allowing the college to hire well-qualified instructors and elevate Flint Junior College into a true community college. Ballenger also gifted the college $200,000 for the construction of an athletic field house. The Ballenger Field House would become the first new building on the new campus. prgtoken In 1969, the college was successful in securing a millage, transforming it into a countywide institution, becoming Genesee Community College. After the passing of C.S. Mott, the institution received its name known by the community today, the Charles Stewart Mott Community College. prgtoken The college has a rich athletic history as well. Coach Steven Schmidt has led the men's basketball team to 753 victories over 30 seasons, the most by any men's coach in Michigan college basketball history. The program finished fifth in the Nation in 2021 and has won three national titles since 2007. The college is also where Justus Thigpen, Sr the first athlete from Flint to play in the NBA, got his start as the basketball team's starting guard in 1965. Mott currently hosts five varsity men's sports teams, four varsity women's teams, and a co-ed e- sports team. prgtoken Today, MCC serves over 8,000 students seeking to gain knowledge and skills in a wide variety of occupational programs. Mott Community College continues to be a key partner that delivers on the workforce development prgtoken needs of the region through continual innovation and investment in their students' success. By creating programs such as the Mobile Learning Lab, Workforce Promise, and the operation of Applewood Cafe, the college has seized every opportunity to support the economic development in Flint by providing workforce training and experience to students and workers. prgtoken The college is also a leader in exp
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1435, PRESERVING CHOICE IN VEHICLE PURCHASES ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4365, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-9-19

. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. This is a question, , of readiness. That is what we believe in. That is what a Defense appropriations bill is. It is grounded in the readiness of the most powerful Armed Forces in the world. It is to ensure that they are ready. prgtoken Unfortunately for the Defense appropriations, we are being forced to put this bill on the floor today by the majority. It is unbelievable that they would cut vital civilian positions when the department is struggling to meet its readiness goals. prgtoken Civilians are a crucial part of ensuring that our men and women, our combat soldiers, are ready to serve around the world. prgtoken These are hateful policies. They want to undermine and attack the LGBTQ+ community, who have served in valor. We know them well. They have served without question. They have worn the uniform without question. prgtoken It is to stop a logistical provision that has nothing to do with abortion. It is to allow for that military person to receive reproductive medical services, which may come to be in many different facets; to ensure that someone is able to ensure the reproductive life that they may desire to have. prgtoken How ludicrous is it in this emerging, wonderful, diverse Nation that many look to as a place and a bastion of freedom, that we would eliminate funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion; that we eliminate climate change to ensure that our vehicles are well equipped for the new generation; that we would not ensure, again, that our personnel, our families get the medical care that they desire? prgtoken , what have we done in years past? We have provided Defense appropriations to be able to support our military. We now have a bill on the floor that is undermining our military. I am saddened by this. I am grateful for the Triple-Negative amendment that has been allowed to be in providing for breast cancer, and I look forward to that amendment. prgtoken , I rise in strong opposition to the rule governing House consideration of H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2024. prgtoken I oppose the rule, and the underlying legislation, for the following reasons: prgtoken 1. The bill, which should be earnestly attempting to best support the Department of Defense, is being used by s to sneak partisan and damaging policies under our noses. prgtoken 2. The underlying bill does not reflect the input of nearly half the Members of this body and is strongly opposed by the ranking members who sit on the very committee this bill originated from. prgtoken , in order to further promote a culture war, the Members who oversaw this bill are going to put many Americans at risk. prgtoken First, they are targeting the many brave servicewomen currently employed by the Department of Defense by directly going against the Secretary of Defense's promises for them to have access to reproductive healthcare regardless of their station. prgtoken Women curr
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2023-9-19

I want to thank my colleagues, and I want to thank the administration for the response to the devastating floods that we experienced in Vermont this August. prgtoken I am here to make a report and also to make a plea that we replenish the Disaster Relief Fund in the FEMA budget so that the work that needs to be done in Vermont to help our farms, our families, our communities recover will continue to be done. prgtoken Today, I had a telephone conversation that was set up by Senator Sanders. Our Governor was on the phone, and my colleague Congresswoman Balint was on the phone with the FEMA Administrator. And she has been doing a tremendous job. She has been extremely responsive. We are all grateful to her for that work. But what she did make very clear is that it is absolutely essential to the well-being of FEMA's capacity to continue to provide a response that this budget be supplemented and the FEMA supplemental be passed. prgtoken So I urge my colleagues--and, again, I want to thank them--from both sides of the aisle who have approached me and said: Peter, your folks have been hammered by the natural disaster, and we will be here to help you. But there is a long way from where we are with the precarious activities going on in the House. prgtoken First of all, we are pretty proud of the response. President Coolidge, who was our President in 1927 and was a Vermonter from Plymouth, VT, toured the flood damage when we had a catastrophic flood in 1927. And he nicknamed the State ``a brave little State.'' And that is who we are in Vermont. And his appellation of that term was his recognition of the indomitable spirit that our people in Vermont have to pick themselves up, to pull together, and to rebuild. prgtoken Nearly a century later, of course, this August we experienced another devastating flood. What we experienced in July and August was nothing short of catastrophic. Towns across the State were devastated, with homes and businesses and farms completely destroyed. prgtoken You can see here, this is our capital, Montpelier. And that was right after the rains that were parked over Montpelier and just would never leave. It is dry now, but these businesses along Main Street have not reopened. Some have; many haven't. To some extent, their decision is, will the FEMA aid be there so that they have a chance to open those doors and make up for the lost income and, hopefully, revive that downtown. prgtoken Damage estimates are still coming in; but, currently, it is totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars for our very, very small State. prgtoken The impact on Vermont's farmland is stunning. This is Paul Mazza's farm. That farm, with vegetables, row crops, that was under tremendous amounts of water. When the water receded--the crops, the berries, the pick-your-own crops are not only important to families and nutrition, but it was a revered activity by families in Vermont to come to Paul's farm and
ILLINOIS HISTORY MADE AS IT ELIMINATES CASH BAIL
Delia C. Ramirez (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-9-19

I rise today as the proud Representative of a congressional district in Illinois, a State committed to progress, justice, safety, and human rights. prgtoken Yesterday, Illinois made history as the first State in the Nation to eliminate cash bail, a standard used to punish poverty instead of upholding justice. A standard that kept those without means, especially Black and Brown Illinoisans, in jail for months as they awaited trial, while letting slip those who could afford bail independent of the crime that they were accused of. prgtoken Some may say we are reforming our criminal justice system, but we are doing more than that. I especially thank Senator Robert Peters, who led the effort in the Illinois General Assembly. We, unlike other States, are creating a justice system that protects the victims, ensures equal due process for everyone independent of their means. The Pretrial Fairness Act is a historic win for civil rights advocates across our Nation, and it is time Congress followed Illinois' lead toward progress.
Government Funding (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-9-19

we are days away from another MAGA government shutdown. Avoiding one will require the House majority to quickly accept a bipartisan solution. Yet, this week, House s are trying everything but bipartisanship. prgtoken Everyone knows that the GOP's proposed CR is a nonstarter here in the Senate. Let me say that again. Everyone knows that the House GOP's proposed CR will not pass the Senate because, instead of even pretending to aim for bipartisanship, this bill had zero--zero-- ic input. It calls for a crushing 8-percent cut to virtually all nondefense spending--8 percent. The House proposal, drafted and put together by the MAGA hard-right wing is slapdash, reckless, and cruel. prgtoken It includes cutting investments to the Social Security Administration, to law enforcement, to nutrition assistance, to K-12 education, to small business, to rural communities, to protections for drinking water, to lifesaving medical research--cancer and other research--and much more. prgtoken The American people need to know just how bad this MAGA CR truly is. This slapdash CR would decimate investments in lifesaving research, hollowing out the National Institutes of Health. prgtoken This reckless CR would lower public safety, cutting back on drug and food inspection; weakening wildfire prevention; and eliminating law enforcement officers in the Federal Government, weakening our battle against violent crime and the scourge of fentanyl. prgtoken And this cruel CR would gut investments in K-12 education, slash resources for suicide support services, upend Tribal investments, and cut loans to small businesses and rural communities. prgtoken Slapdash, reckless, cruel--that is the hallmark of this MAGA proposal in the House. prgtoken Then there is Ukraine, which the House GOP bill completely abandons. At the very same time that President Zelenskyy comes to the United States to make the case for standing firm prgtoken against Putin, the leadership in the House of Representatives is essentially telling him: You are on your own. prgtoken Nothing would make Putin happier right now than to see the United States waver in our support for the Ukrainian people. Nothing would make Putin happier. Providing aid is not just a matter of Ukrainian security but of American security, too, because a victorious Putin would be an emboldened Putin. That would make the world less safe for democracy and for America. For MAGA House s to oppose Ukrainian aid is a terrible, dangerous mistake that could come back to haunt U.S. security. prgtoken Ukrainian aid could have been an opportunity for bipartisanship, but the hard right--against what, I imagine, is the majority of s in the House--has prevented that from happening, too. prgtoken So let me say it again: The House package is slapdash, reckless, and cruel, and everyone knows it has no chance of passing the Senate. prgtoken
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-9-19

I will call this my ``let's say'' speech. Lawyers know what a hypothetical is. We will talk about some hypotheticals related to the scheme to capture the Court. prgtoken Let's say, , that you are a creepy billionaire and it is your plan to capture and control the Supreme Court, to take it over just like 19th-century robber barons would have taken over and captured the railroad commission that set the rates for their own railroad. prgtoken Let's say you sent millions of dollars--secret dollars--to the Federalist Society for it to funnel money to its employee and your operative, Leonard Leo. prgtoken Let's say that Leonard Leo got his cred with you and your rightwing billionaire pals when he helped you kill the nomination to the Supreme Court of President 's friend and White House Counsel Harriet prgtoken Miers-- a political hit job from the far right against a President's nominee, which produced none other than Sam Alito. prgtoken Let's say you also sent millions of dollars to Leonard Leo's Judicial Crisis Network, a fictitious-named front group for another front group operating out of the same hallway, on the same floor, in the same building as the Federalist Society. prgtoken Let's say you sent the Judicial Crisis Network secret millions of dollars--checks as big as $15 million, checks as big as $17 million--to run ads against Merrick Garland to help Mitch McConnell block his confirmation by the Senate. prgtoken Let's say you also sent millions of dollars, secret dollars, identity-laundered through front groups, like 501(c)(4)s and Donors Trust, which exist for the purpose of scrubbing off your identity from your money, and through the 501(c)(4)s and through Donors Trust to political groups, like super PACs controlled by Mitch McConnell. prgtoken Let's say, with those secret millions funneled into those super PACs, you acquired loyalty and obedience from political figures. prgtoken Let's say that worked. Let's say that for your millions of dollars to the Federalist Society, the Federalist Society allowed you to use its name on a list of Supreme Court nominees that you and your rightwing billionaire pals and Leonard Leo cooked up--a list that the Federalist Society never considered or approved, never an agenda item, never a vote, but a list from some back room of the Federalist Society, pulled together by Leo and the billionaires that Candidate promised to follow. prgtoken Let's say that for that promise to let you pick Supreme Court Justices, you agreed to hold your nose and not object to 's candidacy. prgtoken Let's say that kept that promise and nominated your chosen ones to the Supreme Court, and let's say that when kept that promise and nominated your chosen ones, you sent millions more to the Judicial Crisis Network and to Mitch McConnell's political operation, not just to stop Merrick Garland but to push th
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2023
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-9-19

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 20; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 4366; that the cloture motion with respect to the motion to suspend rule XVI ripen at 12:15 p.m.; further, that the Senate recess from 5 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. to allow for the all-Senators briefing.