hazylavender/hi huggingface dataset:
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1370-S1377] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. CARDIN: first, I want to thank Senator Durbin, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for his leadership on this issue but, just as importantly, for his leadership on somany human rights and civil rights issues. Thank you for the hearing that you conducted in the Judiciary Committee. It shed light on a lot of the ridiculous arguments that some have made against the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. More importantly, it showed why it is important for us to remove any ambiguity on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. I also want to just acknowledge your extraordinary leadership around the world. When there is a human rights struggle, Senator Durbin is going to be the spokesperson for those who would otherwise not be heard. I have joined him many times in those efforts, and I am proud to be on his team. I thank him for really giving us the leadership here in the U.S. Senate and the best values of America here at home and abroad. I thank him for his leadership on this issue and on so many other issues. I am joined by a couple of my other colleagues--first, Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut. I also want to acknowledge Senator Van Hollen from Maryland. Both have been real leaders in regard to the equal rights of women but also in regard to civil liberties and civil rights. Both are good friends. One I have the honor of representing the State of Maryland with, so I have seen him in action for equal rights in our State. As for the other, we have been together on the Helsinki Commission, fighting globally for human rights. So I thank them for being here.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1370-S1377] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. WHITEHOUSE: I am glad today to stand with my colleague to support S.J. Res. 4, affirming the validity of the Equal Rights Amendment. We have heard from Senator Cardin and Senator Murkowski why it is so important for Congress to pass this resolution and enshrine protections against sex-based discrimination in our Constitution. The ERA would bolster efforts to ensure equality in the fields of workforce and pay, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and violence, reproductive autonomy, and protections for LGBTQ individuals. Although we have indeed made strides in each of these areas, we know how fragile these gains can be without the durability of a constitutional amendment. Take, for example, the current Supreme Court's approach to the Constitution. As the Dobbs decision makes clear, a majority of the current Court believes that the meaning of equality under the equal protection clause was frozen in 1868 when the 14th Amendment was ratified. Well, in the hundred years after 1868, the Supreme Court has adopted and permitted all sorts of State laws that excluded women from jury service, that excluded women from admission to the bar as lawyers, that excluded women even from employment as bartenders, and allowed all of those laws under the 14th Amendment. This business now of the Supreme Court, looking back at history and tradition, is a backward look to bad history and regrettable tradition. So with the Supreme Court, it is particularly important that we not rely on its interpretation of the 14th Amendment alone to guarantee equal rights. Congress needs to stand up and act, and we have the power to do so. Congress has broad authority over the amendment process. If Congress has the power to impose a time limit, Congress has the power to extend or remove that time limit. I join my colleagues to urge swift passage of this resolution. As one witness at the Senate Judiciary Committee on the ERA eloquently put it, gender equality is not a zero-sum game, and ``we are all uplifted when everyone's rights are protected.'' I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1370-S1377] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. CARDIN: I want to thank Senator Whitehouse for his leadership on the Equal Rights Amendment. He is our leader on protecting our democratic institutions, which include equality for all. Senator Whitehouse's leadership in protecting the election process and protecting us against dark money and an independent judiciary will go down in history as one of the great contributions made. I thank him for his help in regard to the Equal Rights Amendment, and I thank him for his leadership on so many issues here in the U.S. Senate. Let me just conclude this part of our discussion. We will have a chance tomorrow to vote on this. What we are asking is very simple: to put the Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution without any ambiguity and remove the time limit. We have already done everything necessary for its ratification. This document is a precious document: the Constitution of the United States. Most Americans believe the Equal Rights Amendment is in this document. It is not. The consequences are that we are not protecting women's rights and discrimination against sex in the manner we should be protecting them. Now, the vote tomorrow is going to be on a cloture motion. You see, the majority of the Members of the Senate support the resolution that Senator Murkowski and I are bringing forward. And the way the minority can stop it is by denying us an opportunity to vote up or down on the resolution.  This is a matter of rights. I would hope that my colleagues would support the resolution or they will at least allow the majority of this body to make the decision on this resolution. I hope my colleagues will vote for the cloture motion so that we can have a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate on this resolution, which will, once and for all, make it clear equal rights are part of the American Constitution, part of our commitment to future generations. With that, I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1365-S1369] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Ms. HIRONO: reserving the right to object, I rise today in opposition to S. 613, legislation that would ban transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender. My Republican colleagues falsely claim that allowing transgender women and girls to play sports is harmful to cisgender women and girls. They continue to hurl insulting lies about transgender girls dominating sports. But what is true is that these bans are deeply harmful to transgender girls, particularly transgender girls of color, girls who are gender nonconforming, and cisgender girls as well. These ``sex tests'' invade every girl's privacy and open the door to harassment for anyone who is perceived as ``different.'' If my Republican colleagues were actually worried about women and girls in athletics, they would join in our efforts to address unequal athletic opportunities in school, unequal pay, sexual abuse and harassment, and more. But this isn't about supporting women and girls; this is about power and control. My Republican colleagues are obsessed with controlling women's bodies and our lives, as we are seeing yet again today. But instead of being honest about what they are doing, many on the other side claim that this bill is somehow a defense of title IX. That couldn't be further from the truth. Title IX says:  No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.  As someone who knew and was friends with Patsy Mink, the author of title IX, I can tell you she would be standing right next to me to say title IX in no way or shape supports what my colleague is attempting to do. Patsy spent her entire life fighting to advance equal opportunity for women and girls. It would pain her to know that the bill she fought so hard to make law is being twisted by Republicans to discriminate against the very people it was designed to protect. Republicans have the wrong priorities. We shouldn't be banning anyone from playing sports. We should be fighting the discrimination that all women and girls--trans, cis, or otherwise--continue to face in athletics, in the classroom, and in the workplace. For these reasons, I object.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1365-S1369] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. TUBERVILLE: I am truly disappointed but expected that the Democrats were going to block this legislation to protect young girls and women. Again, it is shameful. It really is. I see my colleague from Iowa is on the floor, and I want to thank her for joining me in this effort to protect women. I yield the floor to Senator Ernst.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1365-S1369] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. BUDD: I rise today to support Senator Tuberville's Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. For more than half a century, title IX has expanded opportunities for women and girls from the classroom to the playing field. According to the Women's Sports Foundation, our country went from a ratio of 1 in 27 girls playing sports in 1972 to 1 in 5 today. We went from fewer than 30,000 female collegiate athletes in 1972 to nearly 230,000 female athletes today. That is progress that should be celebrated. However, women's sports are fundamentally undermined when biological males are allowed to compete against them. There are biological differences between men and women. If we ignore those differences, we threaten future opportunities for female athletes and the entire notion of women's sports. It is unfair, it is unsafe, and it is unacceptable. That is why Senator Tuberville's bill is so important. It simply ensures that title IX protections are clearly defined by a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. The bottom line: Female athletes should compete against other female athletes. It is that simple. I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1365-S1369] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. TUBERVILLE: I thank Senators Ernst and Budd for their comments today. I also want to thank the 25 cosponsors we have signed on to my bill in the Senate. Rest assured, this is not the end. We will continue to fight for this legislation for all the girls and women across this great country. I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1362-S1363] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. KELLY: this legislation would reauthorize a Federal foundation, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act, which was established to honor the legacy of two great Arizonans: Morris and Stewart Udall. The Udall Foundation honors the legacy of the Udalls by awarding scholarships, fellowships, and internships for study related to the environment and for American Indians and Alaska Natives to study healthcare and Tribal public policy. The foundation also supports the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and the Native Nations Institute to conduct research on environmental policy, American Indian and Alaska Native healthcare issues, Tribal policy, and training. My predecessor, Senator John McCain, was a longtime supporter ofthe foundation and its work, and the foundation has honored Senate McCain's legacy through the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution. This legislation does not increase authorization levels for the foundation. It simply extends current levels through the end of fiscal year 2028 to allow the foundation to continue its important work. I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Page S1360] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. SCHUMER: first, to just inform folks, in our arcane processes in the Senate, I have to switch my vote from yes to no--even though I am a strong yes--in order to be able to reconsider this vote. So I enter a motion to reconsider.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Page S1360] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. SCHUMER: it is regrettable that this bill, which so much helps our veterans, went down. Our veterans need it. It was supported by all of our veterans groups. It had bipartisan, unanimous support in committee, and I hope that some of our Members on the other side of the aisle who didn't vote for it will reconsider.  Order of Procedure
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Page S1360] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. SCHUMER: I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session; that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of S.J. Res. 11; that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; that at 4:20 p.m., the joint resolution be considered read the third time and the Senate vote on passage without any further intervening action or debate; and that, upon disposition of S.J. Res. 11, the Senate resume the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 4, the Equal Rights Amendment.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1359-S1360] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. MORAN: the legislation that is before us, the Veterans Programs Improvement Act, just came out of the Senate Veterans Affairs' Committee. It is S. 326, as amended. We are here on a motion for cloture, and this bill will be, as amended, acombination of bills that are both Republican and Democratic bills, including one from the Senator who is presiding today. It includes a bill from Senator Rounds of South Dakota dealing with the loan process for Native American veterans. It includes a couple of pieces of legislation: the RESPECT Act, to help veterans with mental health or neurological conditions to get caregiver care; the Elizabeth Dole Act, to expand home- and community-based, long-term care programs so that veterans have more choices as they age; and the bill of the Presiding Officer that provides grants to county veterans service officers for outreach to veterans. In addition, it includes what has been perhaps the most discussed aspect of this piece of legislation: a bill that creates the authorization to allow for medical research for marijuana to be conducted--for cannabis to be conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs. But it requires retrospective research to take a look at the research that has already been conducted and to go and conduct research with veterans who are currently using cannabis. The outcome of that study is unknown, but this is an effort to make certain that veterans are not doing something that is harmful to them and to make an informed decision several years from now about the relationship between veterans and cannabis. The point I would like to make in my few comments today is that I have encouraged my colleagues to offer amendments. There are a lot of items that my particularly Republican colleagues--I understand there are Democratic colleagues who have amendments. While we have had some success this year in amendments coming to the Senate floor, I want to make certain that is the opportunity Republican colleagues and Democratic colleagues have as this bill--if it proceeds, that we have that opportunity. I had those conversations with both the majority and the minority, and I look forward to enforcing as best I can the capability to make certain my colleagues have that opportunity. If that is not the case, I reserve the right to then oppose this legislation. I yield the floor.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [Senate] [Page S1359] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. TESTER: last summer this body delivered on a promise to our toxic-exposed veterans. We passed a bill called the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act. With a historic number of veterans newly eligible for long-overdue benefits, the VA needs a steady, accountable hand to lead VA benefits and its more than 25,000 employees in delivering quality, timely benefits now more than ever. About an hour and a half ago, we confirmed a person by the name of Josh Jacobs. He is that person who is going to be heading up VA benefits. He is that person with the steady hand. I am glad that this body came together in a bipartisan way to make him the permanent leader of the VBA. The fact is, having a permanent leader in this role ensures that we can hold the VA accountable to their job, and that is critically important. I can't be prouder of this body to tell you that we have a person who not only understands benefits but has worked in this capacity for the past several months. With that, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Page H2046] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. SANTOS: I move that the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 1 minute p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 9 a.m.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Pages H2042-H2044] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. BERGMAN: when we talk about debt ceiling limits, as my colleague stated, we have already spent the money. Now it is time to pay our bills. When you think about how that all starts, it starts with responsible spending and allocation of funds on the front end, knowing that there are limits. In my first term in the 115th Congress as a member of the Budget Committee, I still remember very starkly a data point that was given to us as new members of the committee. The subject was improper payments by the Federal Government. Seven years ago, that number was $150 billion a year in improper payments by the Federal Government. When we talk about limiting debt and we talk about clawing back funds that have already been appropriated and are sitting in accounts, we always have to consider the fact that are we as the Federal Government really managing the expenditure of the dollars? Because of the fact that there is no incentive within Federal bureaucracies to attack improper spending, we haven't addressed the entire problem. When you think about an example of what that $150 billion annually would mean in improper payments, an example would be if a person who, God rest their soul, has been deceased, but yet, their Social Security check still comes, or other checks come. You know there is an end game for that. Another example would be that a person is receiving a check for $1,000 that really should be for $100. That is just an error. So we need to look inside ourselves, within the bureaucracies, within the Federal Government to cut downthe improper payments because we have to look at the debt control, if you will, and the debt reduction, or, as you have heard other people say, bending the curve down to a reasonable rate of repaying our debts without increasing the debt and increasing unnecessary wasteful expenditures. We have to figure out a way to incentivize the good, hardworking folks within our government bureaucracies to take a closer look at all those things and be part of solutions that are going to benefit our country as a whole and all of its citizens.  I will conclude by just saying we got a great start here about 30 minutes ago when we passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act. This is just the next step towards hopefully fruitful, honest, thoughtful negotiations with the White House to help us begin to be able to bend that curve of wasteful spending. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Page H2042] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Ms. JACKSON LEE: when I was in my district, commemorating and celebrating Eid, of course, with my many constituents who have just had Ramadan, I met one of the leaders of the Sudanese community. Clearly, this crisis in Sudan deserves our attention. I rise today to express great concern for the people of Sudan and the peace that they were attempting to implement. I ask for the United States to be diligent in seeking a cease-fire, a permanent cease-fire, between two fighting generals who have nothing to do but to fight over power. We must be concerned about women, children, and families. I have been to Sudan during the horrible genocide in Darfur. I know that they have overcome much. I have been to South Sudan with the right to return. Now it is time for peace. We have brought out our foreign officers, but we must also try to secure the Americans that are there. Sudan deserves peace, and the United States must be engaged in peace efforts.
[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)] [House] [Page H2042] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-26
Chamber: HOUSE
Mr. DAVIS : from cropping tobacco in the fields of eastern North Carolina to now walking the Halls of Congress, I am most grateful for the opportunity to work for the people of North Carolina's First Congressional District and our future generations. We are a little over 100 days into the 118th Congress. I have rolled up my sleeves to work hard for eastern North Carolina, rural America, and the American people. My highest priority remains the people of North Carolina's First Congressional District. I have traveled from Elizabeth City to Henderson, Greenville to Columbia, and everywhere in between, visiting all 19 counties. While there, I pushed to expand Medicaid and stood up for our farmers. I am proud to sponsor three critical pieces of legislation and have sponsored 40 bipartisan pieces of legislation. Our office has already resolved over 200 constituent cases. I look forward to continuing working to guarantee future generations can live the American Dream in eastern North Carolina.