mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2022-6-22

in March, I spoke here on the Senate floor about the highest reported gasoline prices ever. At that time, according to AAA, the average price in West Virginia, my home State, was $4.12. Well, today--today--West Virginia's average is up to $4.90 while the national average is $4.96. prgtoken Last week, the national average for a gallon of gas was more than $5--more than $5. Think about that. And, worse, these high gas prices hit our hardest working Americans the hardest. As Axios reported, ``Americans who earn less than $50,000 a year are currently spending . . . 10% of their credit card bills on gas, compared with 6% for those households earning . . . $125,000.'' prgtoken These prices are not sustainable for the American families, especially when you consider not only gas, but with out-of-control inflation, they are battling gas, electricity, groceries, and other necessities. prgtoken As the New York Times reported, ``Prices climbed 8.6 percent in the year through May, a reacceleration of inflation that makes it increasingly difficult for consumers to afford everyday purchases.'' prgtoken So people ask me: How did we get here? Unfortunately, we shouldn't be surprised, even if it is hard to imagine that things would get this bad. From the earliest days of his Presidential campaign, President promised to be anti-American-energy. As President, his policies and personnel choices have delivered on his campaign promises, and high prices are just part of the bargain, as they would say. prgtoken The administration has canceled pipelines, rescinded previously issued approvals for other pipelines, and raised barriers to building new ones. They have frozen oil and gas leasing and proposed raising royalties--costs that are passed on to every consumer and, remember, those hardest working Americans who are now paying 10 percent of their income. prgtoken They are revising the NEPA process, which is the environmental review process, undoing the streamlining that was done during 2020 to speed up project delivery. That means faster pipelines, faster infrastructure development of all kinds. 's EPA has hammered small refineries, including the one in my State, by denying hardship relief that could immediately help lower fuel prices. And 's EPA has also recently announced a proposal under section 401 of the Clean Water Act to make it easier for activists to work to prevent infrastructure projects. prgtoken Then there is the regulation on the power sector. The EPA has publicly announced plans to slam the electricity sector--already the most regulated sector by EPA--with a fresh new slate of new requirements. prgtoken The damaging policies I have laid out today have led to the energy crisis and skyrocketing energy and electricity prices that we face today. These policies are going to continue to fan the flames of this crisis, making it worse and not better. As costs continue to climb and energy productio
45th Anniversary of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2022-6-22

I have come to the floor this morning to recognize and commemorate the 45th anniversary of the first oil moving through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. We actually reached that milepost on Monday so I am here to speak this morning about what this 800-mile-long pipeline continues to mean for Alaska, our Nation, and really the world itself. prgtoken TAPS, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, is truly a modern marvel. It is the backbone of my home State's economy. It supports great jobs for Alaska. It helps generate critical revenues for our State. It ensures that our energy is transported safely, and it really is a vital component of America's energy security. But I think it is kind of nice, as we reflect on decades past, to appreciate some of the history behind the Trans-Alaska Pipeline because, for a period of time, there was a question of whether or not this extraordinary energy infrastructure would be built at all. prgtoken After oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay, there was vigorous debate as to how we were going to move this resource, how we were going to transport it. Some wanted to use trucks or tankers; others actually thought that massive jets would be the way to go. There were some who wanted to build an overland pipeline across Canada. That would have been about a 3,200-mile line in length. But, thankfully, it was an all- Alaska pipeline route that prevailed. prgtoken So when you look at the map of Alaska and where our pipeline sits today, it truly does just bisect the entire State of Alaska. From Prudhoe to Valdez at Tidewater is an 800-mile line. Thankfully, an all- Alaska pipeline route was the one that ultimately prevailed over all of the alternatives that were considered. Congress authorized it in 1973-- an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis of authorization. prgtoken There is an interesting side story--it is actually not a side story; it is pretty pivotal--in terms of whether or not this Trans-Alaska Pipeline actually came into being. But it was a tie-breaking vote cast by Spiro Agnew that really helped to facilitate the line because it effectively determined that there would be no further litigation about the line moving forward. prgtoken The preconstruction process for TAPS lasted for about 6 years, mostly concurrent with the final passage of its authorization act; and as part of that, the Federal Task Force on Alaskan Oil Development--this is a group that we should probably be bringing back--completed a six-volume environmental impact statement, so a six-volume EIS. prgtoken And that EIS, along with Congress's decision to shield TAPS from litigation--again, this tie-breaking vote that I have alluded to-- allowed the construction to begin. So it did. prgtoken Several companies joined together to form a joint venture, called Alyeska, and they set forth to build and operate the line. And Alyeska ultimately acquired 515 Federal permits, along with more than 832 from the State of Alaska, in order
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION INSISTS ALL IS WELL
Barry Moore (Republican, AL) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , when it comes to the economy, the administration continues to insist that all is well. His press secretary claims the economy is in a better place than it has been historically. prgtoken Historically? Perhaps she needs to read a history book. Inflation is at a 40-year high in this country. President himself makes the false claim that inflation is worse elsewhere in the world than here. prgtoken , the United States has worse inflation than Germany, France, Japan, Canada, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and the list goes on. What is this explanation? prgtoken The administration blames the pandemic and Putin, but each of those countries has also had to deal with the same problems we have dealt with. Why is their inflation not like ours? prgtoken , the answer is easy: Quit overheating the economy with government spending. Cut red tape and regulations hampering our industries. Let the American people keep more of their hard-earned money. prgtoken Conservatives once warned against our economy turning into Europe. Unless we change course, Europe will be worried about becoming us.
CONGRATULATING CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DRAGONS AND EVERETT HIGH SCHOOL WARRIORS
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate the Central High School Dragons and the Everett High School Warriors baseball teams on winning the PIAA Class 3A and Class 2A championships, respectively. prgtoken Through practice, hard work, and determination, these teams battled through difficult seasons in order to seize their championship victories. prgtoken For the Central High School Dragons, their championship came after an undefeated season. For the Everett Warriors, a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the final game of the year was needed in order to raise the championship trophy. prgtoken For both these teams, their refusal to quit when games were close is a testament to their commitment, to their communities, and to each other as players. prgtoken I am proud of what these young men have accomplished, and I look forward to seeing their continued success as they embark on careers. end the southern border crisis
RESTORING HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACT OF 2022
Young Kim (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-6-22

I thank Ranking Member Rodgers for yielding. I rise today in support of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022. prgtoken The pandemic and shutdowns left many Americans, especially women and children, feeling isolated, anxious, and alone. Depression, self-harm, substance abuse, and suicide have reached crisis levels. prgtoken I am glad we can help provide meaningful, targeted hope and healing to communities who need it. I am proud that two bills that I worked on, the Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health Act and the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, were included in this package to prevent student suicide and support women facing mental health and substance abuse disorders during pregnancy. prgtoken We must keep working to turn despair into hope. prgtoken As a mom of four and a new grandma, I will always fight for the health and well-being of communities in southern California and across our Nation. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to pass this commonsense, bipartisan H.R. 7666.
HONORING THE CAREER OF MATT LIFFREING
Michelle Steel (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , I rise today to honor the service and career of one of my constituents, Matt Liffreing. prgtoken Whether with the City of Huntington Beach, or the chamber of commerce, his commitment to serving our community spans many roles prgtoken and more than 4 decades, where he recorded and reported the events of Huntington Beach. prgtoken Not only is he a lifelong Southern Californian, but he is truly a trailblazer in the field of cable journalism. With programs like his ``Local Cable Update. ``Made in Huntington Beach,'' and ``Surf City Highlights,'' Mr. Liffreing has brought everything from important current events to exciting local businesses to the airwaves, sharing the stories of our vibrant communities. prgtoken Today, on behalf of all Orange County, l want to thank Mr. Liffreing and congratulate him on his 40 years of service to our community.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2022-6-22

I come to the floor today to talk about this -caused economic crisis that is impacting our country. prgtoken Last week, said his spending is ``changing people's lives.'' Well, for once, I am in complete agreement with because I have been traveling the State of Wyoming this past weekend, talking to a lot of people, and 's policies have been changing people's lives. 's inflation is changing people's lives for the worst. It is costing American families about $5,000 more this year than it did last year just to break even. 's inflation is driving families to the breaking point. Right now, working families all across this country are hoping for a summer break. This year's summer break might just break working families. prgtoken Inflation remains at a 40-year high. Prices are going up everywhere-- gas station, grocery store, and even paying rent. Household staples like ground beef and chicken--highest prices ever. Inflation for eating at a restaurant--highest ever recorded. Families are paying $100 a week more than they did just a year ago just to stay afloat. prgtoken According to a study from the University of Michigan, this is the biggest decline in disposable income since Herbert Hoover was President--; Herbert Hoover. Families' savings accounts are depleted. We now have the lowest savings rate since the great recession. Household debt is breaking records. Families are being forced to cut back in ways they didn't think possible. prgtoken The fastest inflation of all, of course, has been on energy. Overall, inflation has been nearly 9 percent, but inflation for gasoline under is more than double--over 100 percent. The price of a gallon of gas has more than doubled since walked into the Oval Office. High energy costs mean high costs for everything else. High gas prices mean it is harder to get goods to the market. Diesel prices are also at record highs. Americans depend on farmers, and farmers depend on diesel. That is just a fact of life. That is why America needs energy now more than ever, in spite of the policies of . prgtoken Rather than producing more energy, what does do? He is producing one excuse after another. He prgtoken continues to tighten the stranglehold on American energy, making it harder and harder to produce American energy, which is making American energy even more expensive. prgtoken Last week, , President of the United States, sent a threatening letter to American energy companies. Now, he claims he wants more energy, but his actions speak much louder than the words he writes or speaks because has done just about everything possible to keep American energy buried in the ground. He has blocked so many different ways to get American energy out of the ground and to refineries and to export or to production. In fact, his Secretary of the Interior explicitly made tha
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-6-22

it is important to honor key leaders who have made a positive impact in their communities. Pastor William ``Bill'' Wade is the shepherding and care pastor at Living Hope Baptist Church in Bowling Green, KY. He has been married to Dianne Harbin of Vicksburg, MS for 41 years. They are blessed with two grown children, Joey Wade and Katy Owen. They also have two grandchildren, Clare and Judson Owen. Pastor Bill received his master of religious education degree in December 1981 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. prgtoken Pastor Bill is a leader who cares deeply for those within his sphere of influence. It is this caring heart that motivated him to establish a counseling center in Bowling Green in 2016. His vision was to provide anyone who is hurting in the community the opportunity to receive free biblical counseling. His leadership has provided counselors who are prepared to help those struggling with addiction, those with marriage difficulties, those caught in debilitating conflict, and those contemplating suicide. As an extension of his love for the community, he served alongside first responders as a chaplain during the search and rescue efforts following the December 2021 devastating tornados in Bowling Green, in which 18 individuals lost their lives and hundreds lost their homes. Pastor Bill's primary goal that individuals will begin to experience God every day and live out a God-honoring life. prgtoken In addition, he led efforts to open a pregnancy support center in 2019 in Bowling Green to care for those mothers and fathers who feel overwhelmed by unexpected news that a baby is on the way. Much-needed care is provided during the pregnancy and after delivery. Many mothers have since decided to continue their pregnancy, bringing forth the joy of new life to celebrate. These two organizations are known collectively as the Centers for Hope. Through Bill's wise and caring efforts, his dream has become a reality, and lives have been forever changed for the better. Pastor Bill's legacy will remain strong for many generations to come.
RESTORING HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACT OF 2022
Tom Emmer (Republican, MN) \u2014 2022-6-22

I thank the ranking member, soon to be chair, for yielding. prgtoken I rise in support of H.R. 7666, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act. prgtoken After years of lockdowns and social isolation, the mental health of our Nation's citizens, and especially our youth, is at an all-time low. But H.R. 7666 begins to return us to a better path, so I thank the chairman and ranking member for all their hard work to make this a reality. prgtoken I am especially pleased that portions of two bills that I had the pleasure of working on with my colleague from Maryland were included in this legislation. One such provision would amend the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy to allow incarcerated juveniles who have been detained pending trial to continue to receive Medicaid coverage. Pretrial detainees are, by definition, presumed innocent. As a matter of due process, we should not be denying critical health benefits to anyone who has not been convicted of a crime. prgtoken From a practical standpoint, reforms to the Medicaid Inmates Exclusion Policy will help our local law enforcement better manage the shockingly high percentage of inmates who suffer from mental illness. prgtoken H.R. 7666 also includes language to create a behavioral health coordinating office, another issue that I have had the pleasure of working on. Many Federal programs to address the mental health crisis currently lack clear, unified direction and coordination, which is a recipe for redundancy and waste. prgtoken The reforms in today's bill will bring all the major agencies into the room, including the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Director of National Drug Control Policy to develop a unified approach to addressing topics ranging from substance abuse care to delivery of better telehealth. prgtoken There is always more work to be done to improve the mental health of our Nation, but H.R. 7666 is an important step, and one we need now more than ever. prgtoken Madam , I once again urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation.
SHOCKING REMARKS ON GAS PRICES
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , recently, Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, was trying to explain away the challenges that runaway inflation presents to most American households, and she said, ``Most American household balance sheets are strong and can provide some cushion for rising prices.'' prgtoken I was shocked to hear these remarks coming from one of the President's top economic policy advisers. Madam , most Americans, in fact, do not have a cushion for rising prices. A recent survey found that 56 percent of Americans cannot cover a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings. prgtoken That is why I led a letter demanding that Chair Rouse apologizes to the millions of Americans struggling with skyrocketing prices due to the failed economic policies of the administration. I include this letter for the Record. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, June 15, 2022. Dr. Cecilia Rouse, Chair, White House Council of Economic Advisers, Washington,
RANDY MARION RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-6-22

I rise to recognize Randy Marion, the owner of Randy Marion Automotive Group and a true titan of entrepreneurship in North Carolina. prgtoken Recently, Randy was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association. His automotive group is one of the largest car dealerships in the Carolinas, and he has built a reputation that is second to none. prgtoken This award is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, civic leadership, and commitment to furthering the automobile industry within the Tar Heel State, as well as his being a wonderful role model and citizen. prgtoken Congratulations, Randy, on this tremendous accomplishment. Here is to many more years of serving the State of North Carolina and continuing to serve as the great role model that you are.
RECOGNIZING SIMON'S SHOES
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-6-23

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Simon's Shoes of Henderson, KY, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken Operating a small business requires unparalleled commitment and perseverance, traits that have been inherited to each successive generation of the Simon Family. Jacob Simon immigrated to Henderson, KY, from Lithuania in 1910, following his two brothers who made Henderson their new home years prior. He began as a peddler selling merchandise across the county, but at times found it difficult to attract clients due to his lack of English. Insistent on improving his craft, Jacob developed a sense of trust with the locals as his career as a peddler led him to become a steadfast member of the community. As such, it did not take long for Jacob to embrace Henderson as his home. In the following years, Jacob mastered English, became an American citizen, and opened Simon's Shoes in January 1919. prgtoken In addition to footwear, Simon's Shoes offered a diverse array of clothing, and the store quickly became known for carrying any type of garment one could desire, from suits to base layers. His childhood in Lithuania and initial years in America had taught Jacob key principles of saving and being conservative with money, which were integral to the success of his business and the store's ability to survive the Great Depression. When Jacob's son, Larry, became involved in the family business, they decided to narrow the focus of the store to specialize in shoes. prgtoken As the store continued to flourish, Larry, who eventually took ownership of the business, was able to purchase the former J.C. Penny building next door and use this space for the store's inventory. The decades of success made Simon's Shoes a destination for people across the State and beyond. To this day, residents from Evansville, Owensboro, Louisville, St. Louis, as well as tourists traveling along the Ohio River make the journey to visit Simon's Shoes. Customers are continuously attracted by their wide range of shoes, inclusive of varying sizes and widths, and their benefits as a full-service store. prgtoken Three generations of the Simon family have been involved in the operations of Simon's Shoes, the latest Simon to take the reins being Larry's son Bruce Simon. Even as the store passes down through the successive generations, the Simons remain active members of the business for as long as possible. In 1975, then 85-year-old Jake Simon told local newspaper ``The Gleaner'', ``When I draw my last breath, that store will be in my consciousness.'' Likewise, Larry continues to visit Simon's Shoes often, stating that he would be in the store up to 6 days a week for several hours each day at 84 years of age. The Simons' pas