mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ALASKA TOURISM RECOVERY ACT
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-5-13

this week America celebrates National Police Week. It is a time for us to stop and pay tribute to those who died in the line of duty defending our communities and to thank those who continue to serve our communities. prgtoken Law enforcement is a calling answered by a select few. These men and women have chosen a difficult and often dangerous life dedicated to keeping our communities safe, defending our civil liberties, and protecting our neighborhoods. These jobs, obviously, require tremendous courage and sacrifice, not just from the officers themselves but their families too, and I am grateful to those who selflessly serve our communities every day. prgtoken Under normal circumstances, the events of this week bring tens of thousands of uniformed officers to Washington, DC, from across the country. Through laying wreaths, candlelight vigils, and church services, they ordinarily gather in remembrance of their fallen brothers and sisters in person. In previous years, I have had the pleasure of welcoming a number of Texas officers and their families who have traveled to Washington, DC, for this National Police Week observation, but as in so many other ways, this year is not like previous ones. prgtoken Over the last year, our country has faced unprecedented heartbreak and turmoil, which have made a career in law enforcement even more challenging. First came the pandemic. While millions of Americans hunkered down in their homes to slow the spread of the virus, law enforcement personnel continued to lace up their boots and go to work every day. prgtoken With the spread of COVID-19 and the lack of proper personal protective equipment in the early stages of the pandemic, even simple interactions with members of the community carried risks. prgtoken At the same time, the stresses of the pandemic led to a surge of drug overdose deaths and an increase in family violence. And across the country, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of homicides. prgtoken When a deadly winter storm hit Texas in February, police officers took on even more responsibility. They worked around the clock to help folks without power or water, often while worrying about the safety of their own families. prgtoken For all the ways the last year has taught us to appreciate the unique role that law enforcement officers play in prgtoken our communities, it has also put these men and women at the center of a tough, but necessary, national conversation about racial justice. prgtoken The killing of George Floyd shone a spotlight on issues in our justice system that absolutely must be rooted out and led to a national conversation about the need to do so. prgtoken There is no question we need to take action to improve transparency and accountability within our police forces. prgtoken We need to strengthen the relationship between police and the communities they serve. I believe everybody can agree on those points. prgtoken But as a country, we
JOYCE E. SPRINGER
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-5-13

. Madam , I proudly pause to recognize a very special member of the Tarkio Community. Joyce Ellen Springer is turning a very independent 90 on Sunday. prgtoken Joyce Davenport was born on her Mother Helen's Birthday in 1931 in Fairfax, Missouri. She grew up in Fairfax, graduated from high school, married her High School Sweetheart, Robert Hedrick, had two sons and built a family in Fairfax as well. When tragedy struck and Robert passed away, she displayed grit and self reliance as a true child of Northwest Missouri and the Great Depression. She picked herself up, dusted herself off and went from housewife to single working mother in a time when that was not the norm. Whether she was working for the High School Principal as a secretary, as the receptionist for the doctor's office or working at the Exchange Bank she always met challenges head- on and with a warm smile. She was blessed to find another great love in Bill Springer who she married in 1972 and was married to for 43 years until his passing in 2015. prgtoken It would be easy to dismiss Joyce's life as common or unremarkable. That would be a monstrous error. It would not account for the history that she has lived, the character and strength she has passed on or love she has both given and received. The legacy of Joyce Springer is one of her children, step-children, grand children and great grand children. Joyce has a legacy that anyone should be proud to have and it is undeniable proof of a life well lived. prgtoken Madam , I proudly ask you to join me in wishing Joyce Ellen Springer a wonderful 90th Birthday. I wish her all the peace, happiness and fulfillment that her heart desires, now and in the years to come. I am proud to represent her as a citizen of Missouri's Sixth Congressional District.
NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-5-13

I will begin this morning where I began on Monday, talking about National Police Week. Yesterday, I got to welcome members of Kentucky's Fraternal Order of Police here to my office. I was glad for the chance to share my gratitude for their service and hear what was on their minds. prgtoken Tragically, the past year's fallen officers, whom we will be memorializing this week, includes one of Kentucky's own. In early 2020, Detective James Kirk of the Stanton Police Department suddenly passed away from a heart attack in the wake of struggling with an armed subject. He was only 40 years old. prgtoken By all accounts, during James's nearly 20 years of service, he became a model officer. He even served as police chief of a nearby department. His colleagues remembered his easygoing, friendly nature and his total professionalism. prgtoken As our Nation honors this brave Kentuckian, we continue to hold his wife Brandy, their family, and the entire Stanton Police Department in our prayers. Later today, Detective Kirk will join the ranks of heroes enshrined on the National Law Enforcement Memorial. prgtoken We are also honoring our colleagues here in the Capitol this week, the U.S. Capitol Police. On Peace Officers Memorial Day this Saturday, we will especially remember Officers Evans, Sicknick, and Liebengood, all taken too soon. prgtoken Their sacrifices are a sharp reminder: Standing with law enforcement isn't something we can do only 1 week every year; we need to back the blue all year round.
COMPREHENSIVE DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2021-5-13

. Madam , I rise today in opposition to the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act, a partisan package of bills which threatens to limit access to credit and other financial products that Americans from all walks of life rely on. prgtoken Simply put, this legislation undermines the collections process, the very system that ensures that Americans can access credit in the first place. prgtoken Without a collections process, consumers' ability to obtain credit cards or other forms of credit would be restricted, and, in many cases, limited to a cash-only basis. If adopted, this bill will limit Americans' options and weaken our standard of living, a standard that every American deserves. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided, partisan legislation and instead support policies that expand financial inclusion, strengthen our system of credit, and support businesses that fuel our economy.
ENDLESS FRONTIER ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-5-13

you know, if there is one thing I have been hearing from my constituents lately it is this: We have to get people back to work so our economy can thrive and our people can make a living. prgtoken This isn't a new sentiment. I have heard this for months as I have traveled around the State. But what is new is the fact that we can't find people to work, and that is what I am here to talk about today. prgtoken Before the pandemic hit, we had the best economy in decades. The unemployment rate in January 2020 was 3.6 percent. Wages were up. Blue- collar wages were rising faster than white-collar wages for the first time on record. Unemployment for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans was at the lowest rate recorded, all thanks to President 's pro-growth policies and s' tax reform law. prgtoken There is no debating that the coronavirus pandemic hit our economy very, very hard. Many companies and businesses in Alabama, including family-owned small businesses, have spent the past year hanging on by a thread as the pandemic held its tight grip around the country. prgtoken Some States opened with a skeleton crew, making the decision to lay off workers in order just to keep operating, and some were forced to shut down entirely. Either way, American workers lost out. A few industries were spared, and unemployment numbers shot sky high. prgtoken But a year later, as vaccines became widely available and we better understood what we needed to do to keep Americans safe, many job creators thought: OK, this is when the tight grip loosens, and there is the light at the end of the tunnel. prgtoken As more and more people are feeling safe--safe to go places they used to go and do things--businesses are eager to open and respond but, today, even as vaccinations go up and cases go down, the administration is incentivizing people to sit on the sidelines, instead of encouraging them to join the workforce. prgtoken It is the opposite of what the Federal Government should be doing: Do the right thing now. And it is the opposite of what job creators want to do for millions of American workers. There are roughly 8.1 million job openings around our country, as we speak, but the would rather discourage folks from seizing the opportunity to go out and earn a living. That is exactly what the current unemployment payments do. prgtoken As part of their partisan stimulus bill, extended the $300 a week Federal unemployment benefit, a weekly payment, in addition to the State benefit that folks already get. prgtoken In Alabama, people could choose to receive, with no strings attached, up to $678 per week. That comes out to $16.95 an hour, which is even more than our colleagues' job-killing $15 minimum wage proposal just a few weeks ago. The result has been disastrous for small businesses across my State and throughout the country that are already ready to hire to meet th
ALASKA TOURISM RECOVERY ACT
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-5-13

I want to thank Senator Murkowski for her hard work. prgtoken For the Alaskans who are watching, what just happened here is kind of quick but important. The U.S. Senate just passed our bill, the PVSA suspension act, that is going to give our tourism season and the thousands of Alaskans in that industry and the hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses that are hanging by a thread a fighting chance for this summer--a fighting chance for the summer. That just passed the U.S. Senate and is going over to the House. prgtoken So, again, I want to thank Senator Murkowski for her leadership on this and, of course, the Senators that she mentioned who were very engaged: Senator Lee, Senator Markey, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Cantwell, Senator Wicker. prgtoken You know, this, to me, is an example of the U.S. Senate working at its best--at its best. What was going on here and what we did for the last several weeks is we went to all of our colleagues and said: Look, we have a unique problem right now. In the Great State of Alaska, we are so proud of how we have done in terms of getting through the health aspects of this pandemic, but our economy is getting crushed for a whole host of reasons I have talked about on the floor here many, many times. One of the huge areas is the tourism sector and the unique challenges we have with the borders being closed by the Canadians, which is not helpful; the cruise ship industry not being able to move; and the millions of passengers who were expected to come to Alaska on cruise ships. prgtoken So we were going to each Senator and saying: Look, we know you have big, philosophical differences on some things that relate tangentially to this issue, but right now this issue is very narrow. Help us help our constituents. That is it. It is not going to impact any other State. prgtoken And to our colleagues' credit, all of them said: OK, Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, we will help. prgtoken And that is a good spirit of cooperation. We essentially went to them and said: Hey, if your State had a problem uniquely focused on just your citizens, we would help you. prgtoken So that is what you just saw here. It took a little while. That is OK. Nothing moves fast in the U.S. Senate, but that is a step forward-- an important step forward. prgtoken But we still have work to do, as Senator Murkowski mentioned. This bill right now is going to be heading over to the House, right now, and we certainly hope, with the great leadership of the dean of the House, Congressman Young, and all his relationships in the House, that the House is going to show the same cooperative spirit that we just witnessed here on the U.S. Senate floor. So we are hoping for that. That is the next step. prgtoken But as Senator Murkowski mentioned, we are working all kinds of different angles--plan B, plan C, plan D. We need the CDC to continue its progress, finally--frustrating but finally. They need to con
ECONOMICS
David Schweikert (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2021-5-13

tonight, I am going to actually try to do something that is a little tricky, but I am going to first sort of explain the theme, and then I am going to sort of walk through some of the backup material. prgtoken We understand right now, our brothers and sisters on the left have, what, another $4\1/2\ trillion of spending--maybe it is 5--in the pipeline, a couple major multi-spending of that, let's call it that $4\1/2\ trillion over the next 10 years. They claim to have about $3 trillion in tax increases coming to pay for it. The reality--and hopefully I will be able to do this over the next couple of weeks as we try to get more details and work through it line by line--it also requires that you hit every mark on the revenue raised, that all sorts of programs expire, which is really unlikely around here, and also certain spending expires. prgtoken It is just not real. So our top-of-the-napkin math right now is at best over the 10 years it is a couple trillion dollars in new revenues. prgtoken Well, one of the sets of revenues that is being discussed is, well, let's tax the wealthy. Okay. Except when you walk through the math there, let's raise capital gains tax, let's raise basis, let's raise individuals' income tax, and also then you add in let's raise taxes on corporations, fine, but we are already starting to see the data coming in saying that just going to the 28 percent on the corporate tax rate is 1 million jobs over the next 24 months. prgtoken Okay, so the ic Party wipes out 1 million jobs and takes, oh, I think it was a little less, like $119 billion or something off just the GDP from those 2 years, and you start to lay out--that is just the corporate income tax. Now start to do the capital gains which the beauty of capital gains is it is risk-taking. It is the type of investment that makes the working poor less poor. It is the type of investment that takes risks that makes us more productive, because, Mr you all remember your high school economics class. prgtoken What are the two ways a worker gets paid more? prgtoken Inflation, which means you got paid for more but it didn't get you anything, or productivity. Without that risk capital, , you lose that productivity investment. prgtoken So, if the really intend to spend that much money and really intend to keep driving up the debt and deficits the way they are, then I want to make a modest proposal of where they can find some offsets. I am shocked this isn't discussed more around here. Instead of marching in and saying that we are going to tax rich people, even though much of that money actually goes to create jobs, investment, economic growth, and productivity growth for our brothers and sisters who are in the hardworking class, why don't we stop subsidizing the rich? prgtoken I am going to show a number of boards here today on how this government takes some of the very, very, very wealthiest in this country and on one hand says:
Afghanistan (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-5-13

on Tuesday, the Senate Rules Committee conducted its markup of S. 1, which is the Senate's version of the ' election bill that is designed to increase the ' chances of maintaining their currently tenuous hold on power. prgtoken We are told that passing this bill is urgent. We were told that in the last Congress, too, when the first proposed this legislation. They said the same thing--that there were serious election problems and that we needed to pass this legislation to address them. prgtoken Then, of course, we had the 2020 elections, which the won and which featured record voter turnout. In fact, it was the largest voter turnout since 1900. So it became just a little difficult for the to argue that there were grave problems with our electoral system. Yet they still really, really want to pass this bill--a bill that contains what one respected legal scholar has called ``some of the most blatantly partisan, most obviously unconstitutional, and most unwise provisions ever passed by a chamber of Congress.'' So they have had to come up with a new rationale for trying to jam through this legislation. prgtoken Now we are being warned about a new crisis: States, which under the Constitution, historically, have had primary responsibility when it comes to elections, are debating election administration measures that will return our Nation to the Jim Crow era, and so we have to pass S. 1 to prevent the damage these States are going to do. The only thing, of course, is that this crisis is as manufactured as the last one. prgtoken Take Georgia, the have made Georgia a poster child for the need to pass election legislation. ``Georgia's new voting law,'' the Senate ic whip asserted, ``is a deliberate effort to suppress voters, particularly voters of color.'' prgtoken The President feverishly described the Georgia law as ``Jim Crow on steroids.'' prgtoken The only problem with that argument is ``the law does not put up roadblocks to Black Americans registering to vote.'' prgtoken Those aren't my words. Those are the words of The Washington Post Fact Checker, but the haven't allowed facts or reason to intrude when it comes to their characterizations of Georgia's election law. prgtoken The ic whip has come down to the floor and claimed that the Georgia law makes it a crime to give water to voters in line. In fact, while the law does place restrictions on activists' and candidates' handing out water and other items--an obvious conflict--it explicitly permits neutral election officials to offer voters water. prgtoken The President has repeatedly claimed that the law is designed to keep working Americans from voting, except it is not. The Washington Post, as I mentioned, gave the President four Pinocchios, a rating that the Washington Post reserves for ``whoppers'' for that claim by the President of the United States. prgtoken In fa
STANDING WITH ISRAEL
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-5-13

the continuing attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip are a shocking reminder that Israel's very existence has been threatened throughout its seven decades as a nation. We strongly condemn these attacks and the terror campaign being waged against our Israeli allies. prgtoken As a sovereign country, Israel not only has the right but the responsibility to protect its own citizens. No nation could be expected to withstand these assaults without acting in its own defense. prgtoken Even in its military response, under constant threat of further attacks, with air raid sirens driving hundreds of thousands of Israelis to bomb shelters, Israel has shown remarkable restraint. Hamas has certainly not. prgtoken Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government should have the full support of this Congress and this President as it works to end the waves of terror coming out of Gaza. As the Prime Minister said in this Chamber 10 years ago, ``Israel is the one anchor of stability'' in the Middle East. prgtoken , we must continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel, united against all threats to its peace, stability, and its very existence.
COMMEMORATING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
Troy E. Nehls (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-5-13

as a 30-year law enforcement veteran, I have seen the very best of our law enforcement officers, brave men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day to protect and serve our communities. prgtoken I have seen law enforcement officers jump into flood waters to save a pet, run into a fiery crash to save an unconscious victim, resuscitate and save the life of a criminal who had just tried to shoot and kill them. prgtoken I have also seen the dangers of serving in law enforcement. Hundreds of law enforcement officers are killed every year in the line of duty across our country. In 2021, 394 names of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, right here in Washington, D.C and 59 of those brave men and women were from my home State of Texas. prgtoken How many people in this Chamber or watching at home can name any of the officers who died in the line of duty this year? prgtoken I would say a very small percentage, if any at all. prgtoken But how many know the name of George Floyd or Freddie Gray or Breonna Taylor? prgtoken I would say the vast majority. prgtoken What does that say about our media? What does it say about our culture? prgtoken I think it is a testament to just how divided our country is today, a time where some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle actually believe defunding or abolishing the police is a good idea. My friends, it is not rocket science to conclude that the society, our society is built on rule of law and it requires law enforcement. prgtoken Rather than recognize the bravery and service of the over 800,000 law enforcement officers in this country who do their job honorably, the far left has sought to demonize and defund our law enforcement, based off the actions of a few--a few--who have failed to uphold their oath. prgtoken Their hateful rhetoric has led to violence and destruction in cities across our country. We saw it in Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland. City blocks burned, businesses destroyed, and lives ruined forever. When faced with this violence in the streets, the far left doubled down on their hateful anti-law enforcement rhetoric and encouraged even more destruction. prgtoken It may come as a surprise to many, but there are over 10 million-- yes, 10 million--arrests in our country every year. Most Americans never hear a word about the millions of arrests that happen without incident. And why is that? Because it doesn't sell headlines. It doesn't sell headlines, and it doesn't fit the left's narrative. prgtoken Darian Jarrott of New Mexico, Chris Ward of North Carolina, James Smith of Iowa, and Chad Walker from the great State of Texas. Know their names? I am sure you don't, because their death didn't fit the left's narrative or sell headlines. All four of them were murdered in the line of duty for just trying to protect their communities. prgtoken Are their years of service or sacrif