mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-6-21

I am honored to stand in support of Natasha Merle, whom I was proud to nominate for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. prgtoken Ms. Merle is a deeply experienced litigator. She has practiced at virtually every level of the legal system, and she has litigated in both State and Federal courts, handling both civil and criminal matters. prgtoken Ms. Merle doesn't just have the experience and training necessary for the Federal bench; she also brings a crucial and unique perspective as a former public defender. If confirmed, she would not only be the fourth Black woman on the district court but also the first person with experience as a public defender to fill this role in nearly 30 years. prgtoken Ms. Merle has demonstrated fairness in the courtroom and will uphold the rule of law as a judge. Nineteen senior lawyers from prominent national and international law firms submitted a letter in support of her confirmation. And I can tell you that her high ethical standards and reputation for fairness will leave a powerful mark on our communities and on the Eastern District of New York. prgtoken I hope she will receive a swift confirmation. prgtoken .
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Madeleine Dean (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 521 because this is not a serious resolution. prgtoken This is political theater by the author, who clearly was not here, to distract from 's history of transgressions and now indictments. It is also an attempt to punish Congressman Adam Schiff for effectively holding to account. prgtoken Congressman Schiff protected us from fascism at home and abroad. First, on the so-called perfect call, withheld a meeting and crucial weapons from President Zelenskyy to protect Ukraine from Russia unless they gave him dirt on now-President . prgtoken Mr. Schiff stepped up as chairman of the Intelligence Committee and eventually as lead manager to defend against executive corruption. prgtoken Then, when the former President lost the 2020 election and summoned his supporters to storm this very Capitol, Mr. Schiff stood up again on the January 6th Committee to expose the former President's grotesque role.
BUDGET ENFORCEMENT LEVELS
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-6-21

the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, P.L. 118-5, which Congress passed earlier this month, resolved a manufactured default crisis and avoided an economic catastrophe. In addition, the bipartisan bill provided a congressional budget for 2024. prgtoken Specifically, the legislation instructs the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget to file enforceable budgetary levels in the Senate consistent with current law. Today, I submit the required filing. prgtoken Section 121 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 requires the chairman to file a spending allocation for the Committee on Appropriations for 2024; spending allocations for other committees for 2024, 2024 through 2028, and 2024 through 2033; an aggregate spending level for 2024; aggregate revenue levels for 2024, 2024 through 2028, and 2024 through 2033; and aggregate levels of Social Security revenues and outlays for 2024, 2024 through 2028, and 2024 through 2033. Section 121 also requires the chairman to include a list of accounts eligible for advance appropriations. prgtoken The amounts included in this filing are consistent with the Congressional Budget Office's May 2023 baseline, adjusted for the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, including the discretionary spending limits established by that act. Because the legislation does not include budget enforcement for fiscal year 2023, it will not be possible to submit reports required by section 308(b) of the Congressional Budget Act until fiscal year 2024. prgtoken In addition, section 121 allows the deficit-neutral reserve fund in section 3003 of S. Con. Res. 14--117th Congress--to be updated by 2 fiscal years. Pursuant to that authority, that reserve fund shall be considered updated and available for use for legislation which does not increase the deficit for the time period of fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2033. prgtoken For purposes of enforcing the Senate's pay-as-you-go rule, which is found in section 4106 of the fiscal year 2018 congressional budget resolution, I am resetting the Senate's scorecard to zero for all fiscal years. prgtoken Section 111 of the act requires my counterpart, the chairman of the House Committee on the Budget, to file similar enforceable budgetary levels in the House of Representatives consistent with the discretionary limits in the act. That filing will help both Houses uphold the bipartisan agreement. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that the accompanying tables be printed in the Record.
TAX CONVENTION WITH CHILE
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-6-21

. This is an issue that we are going to return to. Justice Thomas, in his comments on the Dobbs decision, said that the decisions made by the Supreme Court that extended privacy rights were an overreach. This Supreme Court began with the Dobbs decision. It is very clear, because he mentioned it specifically, that the Griswold decision--the decision to, in fact, protect the right to contraception--is also now in the crosshairs of the Supreme Court. So it is imperative that we return to this law to begin the process of passing legislation to codify this protection for Americans. prgtoken .
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Lloyd Doggett (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-6-21

. Madam Chair, I would say to the gentleman from Michigan, I am sure there are many s who want to assure good healthcare to all people. The problem is with this specific bill. prgtoken The one-page amendment that I offered could have guaranteed these ICHRA employees that they would face no discrimination among classes of employees and no barrier of preexisting conditions. prgtoken That clarification would have solved this problem, and their failure repeatedly to accept that one-page amendment, with no explanation other than that they wanted to do the same thing, or that it was duplicative, betrays the promise of this bill and suggests that discrimination and denial of coverage based on preexisting conditions is what Americans in these plans will face. prgtoken The chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, our colleague from Missouri (Mr. Smith) closed by saying that his goal is to cut red tape. Well, that is a goal that I think all of us can share, but I am afraid that this bill, as written, will only throw more Americans into the red and into medical debt, which is already high despite the protections that we have provided to date. prgtoken There are so many families overwhelmed by medical debt, and some who will be denied the opportunity to get the protection they need from their healthcare providers because they simply cannot afford it. prgtoken Madam Chair, I would say at the appropriate time I will offer a motion to recommit to this bill and send it back to committee. If the House rules permit it, I would have offered this motion with an appropriate amendment to the bill. prgtoken My amendment would ensure that this bill does not take effect unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies that this bill will not result in anyone losing access to coverage of essential health benefits or see their healthcare costs rise, the very objective that the gentleman from Virginia has been discussing. prgtoken Madam Chair, I include in the Record the text of this amendment. prgtoken Mr. Doggett moves to recommit the bill H.R. 3799 to the Committee on Ways and Means with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith, with the following amendment: prgtoken Add at the end the following new title:
REMEMBERING JOE A. GARCIA
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2023-6-21

across more than five decades in public service, Governor Joe A. Garcia of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo was a leader among leaders, for his community and all of Indian Country. He was also a dear friend and close mentor. In so many ways, New Mexico will not be the same without him. prgtoken Governor Garcia was a three-time Governor of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, where he oversaw the Self Governance Initiative, under which the Pueblo now runs all of its Bureau of Indian Affairs programs. He was serving as the Pueblo's Head Councilman at the time of his death. prgtoken Governor Garcia served for two terms as the president of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving sovereign Tribal Nations. He also served as the vice president of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Fe Indian School and as the chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council-- now named the All Pueblo Council of Governors--which represents 20 Pueblos located in New Mexico and Texas. prgtoken In addition, Governor Garcia was a member of the Tribal Leaders Task Force, where he served as cochair for 3 years for the Federal Communications Commission. He was also a cochair of the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration--SAMHSA--and cochair of the Tribal Transportation Self Governance Program Negotiated Rulemaking Team. prgtoken As a young man, Governor Garcia served in the U.S. Air Force. After his military service, he earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico. Governor Garcia worked on the technical staff at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 25 years, working on electronics design and development for data acquisition systems. He also taught courses in computers, electronics, lasers, and math at the Northern New Mexico College from 1979 to 1983. prgtoken Governor Garcia fought to advance the mission of Tribal sovereignty over education through his leadership at the Santa Fe Indian School-- SFIS. The SFIS became the first former Federal Indian boarding school where a Tribal organization--the All Indian Pueblo Council--contracted for the education of their children. prgtoken Since the signing of the Santa Fe Indian School Act in 2000, the Pueblo Governors have held the school's land in trust and established an educational program based on the right and responsibility to educate New Mexico Indian children in a way that supports their cultural and traditional belief system. Governor Garcia championed both increased funding and support for SFIS and the establishment of Tribally controlled educational systems across Indian Country. prgtoken On a personal note, I was fortunate to be among the many who learned from Governor Garcia--his wise counsel and advice and the example he set prgtoken for all of us to follow. I will never forget sitting down with him years ago when he first enc
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-6-21

I had the honor of serving with the gentleman from California on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for 8 years. I had an in-the-ring view of his work. prgtoken Obviously, it is not what Mr. Schiff did that was wrong, it is what he did so well. That is what bothers the majority. He defended our country from threats, foreign and domestic. He defended the rule of law. He defended our democracy at one of its most critical and pivotal points. He held the ethically and legally challenged former President accountable. prgtoken What really gnaws on the majority and what really bothers them is that Mr. Schiff was way better than anybody on their team at debate, at leadership, at messaging, and at legal knowledge. He kicked their ass. He was better, he was more effective, and that still bothers them. prgtoken They couldn't beat him on the field, so they voted him off. We voted people off committees because they posted threats, not because they can't compete.
TRIBUTE TO HONOR JAN PEPPER ON HER RETIREMENT
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today to honor Jan Pepper, CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, for her groundbreaking work to bring 100 percent renewable energy to San Mateo County. Jan is retiring after more than 30 years of energy and utility experience dedicated to making clean energy accessible to all. Since 2016, she has led Peninsula Clean Energy, a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program made up of San Mateo County and all twenty of its component jurisdictions, serving more than 300,000 people. prgtoken As CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, Ms. Pepper negotiated for 300 MW of new solar projects in the Central Valley of California. In 2021, Peninsula Clean Energy started providing 100 percent emission free power to all its customers, and Jan Pepper's vision has prepared the organization to provide 100 percent renewable energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as early as 2025. prgtoken Ms. Pepper is a registered professional engineer with a B.S. and M.B.A. from Stanford University. Prior to her leadership of Peninsula Clean Energy, she worked at Silicon Valley Power, APX, and Clean Power Markets. At APX, she and her team implemented the first use of renewable energy credits which are the basis of our Nation's clean energy metrics today. With Clean Power Markets, Jan developed the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program for the State of New Jersey. She is recognized as a national leader in renewable energy, winning the Green Power Leader of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Resource Solutions in 2017. prgtoken Ms. Pepper served on the Los Altos City Council from 2012 through 2020, and as Mayor in 2015 and 2020. She believes transparency, integrity and consensus building are essential for good governance. prgtoken , I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring the career of an extraordinary woman, Jan Pepper. Our Nation has been bettered because of her superb work.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3564, MIDDLE CLASS BORROWER PROTECTION ACT OF 2023; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3799, CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT...
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-6-21

the balance of my time. prgtoken , I am surprised my friend has no further speakers. I thought because these bills were so important and unbelievably essential that there would be lots of speakers on the other side. prgtoken , we all know how valuable our time is here. We only have 13 scheduled legislative weeks until the end of the year--13 weeks that could be used to improve the lives of everyday Americans. prgtoken So how have s in the House decided to use this week? prgtoken Are we working to make our communities safer or our educational system better? prgtoken No. We are not. s would rather demonize immigrants and peddle hate than regulate guns or invest in schools. prgtoken They are in control. They can bring what they want to the floor. Don't take my word for it, . Look at what they are bringing to the floor. prgtoken Are we here to help regular Americans purchase their first home? prgtoken No. We are voting on a bill today that will make it easier for those well-off to get even further ahead while making it more difficult on middle-class home buyers. prgtoken , you can't make this stuff up, but that is what this bill does. prgtoken Are we passing legislation that will continue to expand people's access to affordable healthcare? prgtoken No. s want to chip away at popular policy that provides quality coverage to millions. prgtoken There are very real issues that regular people in this country face every day, and I wish House s could wise up and address them. prgtoken This is such a colossal waste of time. One of the bills is nonbinding, but the other bills aren't going anywhere. This is a waste of time. Rather than working across the aisle trying to find common ground, they continue to bring these messaging bills. These are bills that demonize immigrants and that continue to chip away at the Affordable Care Act. These are bills that continue to screw people in the middle class, and they continue to bring these bills to the floor. prgtoken I don't know who their base is, but apparently it is popular amongst their base. prgtoken This is not about legislating. It is not about making law, and it is not about improving the lives of anybody in this country. prgtoken So, , I urge a strong ``no'' vote on the underlying legislation and a ``no'' vote on this rule, and .
Nomination of Natasha C. Merle (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2023-6-21

today the Senate will vote to confirm Natasha Merle to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She is a highly skilled litigator who has practiced at virtually every level of the legal system. Ms. Merle received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her law degree from New York University School of Law. She then completed two Federal clerkships, one in the Southern District of New York and another in the Eastern District of New York. Following her clerkships, Ms. Merle devoted her early career to representing indigent clients, particularly as an assistant Federal public defender. She has also spent time in private practice, where she represented individuals, companies, and financial institutions in commercial litigation. prgtoken Since 2016, Ms. Merle has worked at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where she has devoted her practice to ensuring equal justice under law. She has also taught at two of the Nation's top law schools: Columbia Law School, as a lecturer in law, and New York University School of Law, as an adjunct professor of clinical law. Ms. Merle has significant experience in the courtroom at both the trial and appellate levels. She has litigated in State and Federal court on both civil and criminal matters, practiced before the U.S. Supreme Court, and successfully argued an appeal before the California Supreme Court. Ms. Merle's deep expertise, diversity of experience, and commitment to public service will make her an outstanding addition to the Eastern District of New York. prgtoken The American Bar Association rated Ms. Merle ``well qualified,'' and she has the strong support of her home state Senators, Mr. Schumer and Mrs. Gillibrand. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting Ms. Merle's nomination.
Loneliness (Executive Calendar)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2023-6-21

I am on the floor tonight to talk about a topic that rarely, if ever, gets discussed on the Senate floor. I am here to talk about loneliness. prgtoken Every single one of us, over the course of our life, has felt lonely, maybe really intensely lonely. I certainly have. It is an awful feeling, right? It creates this pit in your stomach. It creates a consuming melancholy for many. Sometimes intense loneliness can make you physically ill. Often, it makes you really agitated and angry, right? Why is this happening to me? prgtoken Now, there are, frankly, a lot of reasons to believe that less Americans today should feel lonely than ever before. More of us live in densely populated parts of the country than ever before. Technology now allows us to connect to friends and family and communities that share interests more easily than ever before at the press of a button. prgtoken But evidence from psychology and sociology tells us that the opposite is true. In recent decades, we have seen rising levels of both aloneness, which is defined as having fewer social contacts, and high levels of loneliness, which is defined as feelings of isolation. prgtoken We live closer to each other than ever before. We have technologies that allow us to connect to people with more ease than ever before, but people are feeling lonelier. As we look out at a country that seems to be kind of coming apart a little bit at the seams--I mean, people are getting shot at just for ringing the wrong doorbell or pulling into the wrong driveway. Hundreds are dying every day from taking a drug that is designed to deaden their emotions. Thousands of people engaged in violent rebellion right here in the Nation's Capital. prgtoken We need to be engaged in this search for the reasons why people are feeling more pessimistic, more frustrated, and angrier than ever before. And so about 8 or 9 months ago, I started talking about what I believed to be one of the most important political issues of our time: loneliness. prgtoken Millions of Americans are feeling this way. People report feeling more intense loneliness than ever before in our lifetime. And it is irresponsible for policymakers to just keep ignoring it. prgtoken Now, there are a lot of explanations for how we got here, but a few stand out as particularly important for my colleagues to consider. prgtoken So it is true that technology does allow us to stay connected to family and friends and find new communities, but on the whole, technology has left many Americans, especially young people, feeling more alone than ever before. prgtoken During the height of COVID-19, we learned the hard way that digital communication cannot replace the value of in-person experience. For example, studies show that face-to-face interactions create faster connections to humans and build stronger, more enduring relationships than anything that you can create online. prgtoken Of course, staying in touch electronically