mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AMATEUR ATHLETES PROTECTION AND COMPENSATION ACT
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-6-14

I am on the floor this afternoon to discuss the issue of student athletes having greater control over their name, image, and likeness. prgtoken Over the years, intercollegiate athletics have become a staple in American culture and higher education. No other country in the world has a sports college model that compares to ours, which affords thousands of young adults each year the opportunity to leverage their athletic ability into a quality education and continue playing the sport they love. But over the years, college athletics have grown into an increasingly profitable, billion-dollar industry, and the rules surrounding athlete compensation have not kept pace. prgtoken Now, individual States have created laws that will guarantee an amateur athlete the ability to profit off their name, image, and likeness without fear of being reprimanded. Again, I highlight that individual States have made those decisions and are creating laws. Nineteen States have now passed NIL legislation, and of those 19, 6 will go into effect in less a month--July 1, just, really, a few days away. prgtoken As more and more States continue to pass their own legislation, we are quickly headed for a system of inconsistent State laws that will be cumbersome and in some cases unworkable for athletes and the schools to navigate. Intercollegiate athletics are an inherently interstate matter. Our model makes certain the best teams and the best athletes compete against one another no matter their geographic location. This requires a single Federal standard that all schools and all athletes can operate under. prgtoken College sports and the opportunities they provide student athletes will be dramatically harmed if we are unable to pass a Federal standard. Each year, we will have States introducing or updating their NIL laws in order to gain just a bit more of an advantage in attracting athletes to their institutions. prgtoken We have already seen this begin to play out. Following California's passage of the first State NIL law in September 2019, there has been a rush of action by 18 other States to quickly follow suit, hoping to remain competitive as athletic departments recruit athletes to their States' schools. The floodgates will fully open on July 1--only 16 days away--when State NIL laws begin to take effect. prgtoken The time to act is now. There is a compromise to be found to both empowering amateur athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness and guaranteeing greater protections, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of our one-of-a-kind collegiate model that has provided millions prgtoken of people the opportunity to get a quality education. We can accomplish both of these goals and provide college athletics with the certainty that it needs. prgtoken In February, I introduced the Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation Act--my proposal to accomplish this necessary balance. My legislation would c
FAILURE OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2021-6-14

. Madam , nearly 50 years ago, President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law, which was designed to do two things: Number 1, prevent species from going extinct; and Number 2, promote their recovery back to health and healthy populations. prgtoken Since then, hundreds of plants and animals have joined the endangered or threatened species list, spurring conservation and recovery efforts at all levels of government. prgtoken While this landmark species protection law is well-intentioned and has accomplished many good things, it has become an endless source of conflict and, unfortunately, many rightly consider it a dismal failure. prgtoken The Endangered Species Act hasn't seen meaningful reform since 1973. And since then, less than 3 percent of species have recovered and been delisted. prgtoken The Congressional Western Caucus has long advocated for improvements to modernize the ESA and make it more effective for our species and more transparent for the American people. My colleagues in the caucus have advocated on behalf of the rural communities that we represent who are severely impacted by the ESA listing decisions and who, in many cases, are working in collaboration with private landowners, community groups, Tribes, and local governments to promote successful species recovery and land conservation. prgtoken And we have advocated to administration after administration the need to follow the science and fulfill the congressional intent of the law, which is to promote recovery of these species and then remove them from the endangered species list. prgtoken That is why I am so proud to host this Special Order tonight, where you will hear from several of my Western Caucus colleagues about successful, locally led recovery efforts taking place across the country; the different impacts that ESA listing decisions have had on local communities and economies; and some of the legislative reforms needed to finally bring the ESA into the 21st century. prgtoken Over the past few years, the administration made great progress by finalizing several updates to the ESA to modernize this bedrock law and to improve our ability to protect endangered and threatened species and celebrate our recovery successes. prgtoken The administration created a transparent process for designating critical habitat for listed species, and finalized a commonsense definition that a critical habitat must indeed be critical to the species at hand. prgtoken Who would have thought? prgtoken They streamlined and modernized the process for consultation between government agencies to determine the scope of listing impacts, including requiring the consideration of the economic impact a listing could have on local economics. prgtoken Lastly, they finalized a rule that rewards State and landowners for successful recovery actions by loosening mandated regulations on species management as the species begin to recover and are down-listed from end
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 256, REPEALING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1187, ESG DISCLOSURE...
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-6-14

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 1187 is House ' latest attempt to force a radical progressive agenda on the American people by turning the SEC into the social policy police. prgtoken While my colleagues across the aisle continue to capitulate to the woke yuppies, continue to bow down in fear to the woke mob, House s will fight for policies that help everyday Americans build better lives for themselves. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and ``no'' on the underlying measure. prgtoken Madam , .
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-6-14

. . I rise today in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the State Annual Singing Convention in Benson, North Carolina. prgtoken The Sing will be celebrating its centennial June 25 to 27, 2021 in the Benson Singing Grove with some of the biggest names in southern gospel music. Local choirs, gospel groups, and recording artists from near and far will be sharing their talents and memories of the Sing throughout the years. prgtoken Prior to 1921, choirs would assemble on fifth Sundays in early summer to sing in Benson. Whether in an open field or under a brush arbor, large crowds would come to hear these glorious choirs. Mr. Simon Honeycutt, a regular attendee, conceived of the idea for a singing convention and reached out to four other men--Mr. T.C. Miller, Mr. J.B. Raynor, Mr. J.V. Barefoot, and Mr. J.H. Rose--to help organize the event. The first State Annual Singing Convention was held in a tobacco warehouse in 1921. A silver cup was awarded to the best all-around group, along with prizes for the best quartette and duet. Impartial judges had to be found from a great distance away, and picnic baskets filled a table 110 feet in length as 200 people came to enjoy the wonderful singing. prgtoken After a fire destroyed the tobacco warehouse in 1922, a new location for the Sing was found in an oak-shaded grove at the center of town. This land was donated by Miss Catherine Benson, a member of the family for which the town is named. In its early years, a temporary stage was constructed and lumber stacked on pine blocks served as seating, These materials were borrowed from a local sawmill and returned at the conclusion of the Sing. permanent stage in the center of the grove was dedicated in 1950, thanks to town merchants and patrons of the Singing Convention. Folding chairs have now replaced the early lumber-on-block seating. The Singing Grove would fill to capacity long before the singing started as people reunited with old friends and relatives, caught up on the latest news, and forgot about their worries as their souls were lifted through song. For those not able to attend in person, local radio stations allowed listeners to tune in and for a time, the State Annual Singing Convention was broadcast to a national audience. prgtoken As the joy-filled weekend wound to an end, singers and spectators alike anxiously awaited judges tallying scores and winners being announced in several different categories. The people have changed, but the Sing remains because of a steadfast commitment to what it represents. As an early leader once wrote, ``The multitude of voices blend in `God be with you till we meet again' to reassure the world that there will always be a song of love in the hearts of God's people everywhere. That is the faith of the State Annual Singing Convention.'' prgtoken It is my honor to commemorate this notable centennial. The State Annual Singing onvention has nurtured countless souls through
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 256, REPEALING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1187, ESG DISCLOSURE...
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-6-14

. Madam , I will just plead to the House , I will plead to you, Madam , please be transparent with the American people. We don't want a government shutdown. prgtoken But the fact that you won't even bring forth a budget to be debated, your President's budget, you will not bring it to the House floor because you don't want the American people to see exactly how you are trying to destroy the working class, to raise taxes on the low-income and the working class, to put 87,000 tax auditors to go after the working class. prgtoken The people see it. They see right through it. And history will definitely, definitely not read well for the House .
Introductory Statement on S. 2047
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-6-14

I rise today to introduce the No PFAS in Cosmetics Act. I am pleased to be partnering with Senator Blumenthal on this important legislation. Our bipartisan bill seeks to ban the inclusion of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetics products, such as make-up, moisturizer, and perfume. prgtoken PFAS are a class of man-made chemicals, which includes PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. These chemicals can bioaccumulate in our bodies over time and have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, decreased fertility, and hormone disruption. First developed in the 1940s, PFAS are traditionally found in food packaging, nonstick pans, clothing, furniture, and firefighting foam. prgtoken Unfortunately, Maine has experienced considerable PFAS contamination, which has not only threatened our water supply, but adversely affected the livelihoods of farmers. Several dairy farms in Maine recently discovered serious levels of PFAS in their operations, with milk containing as high as 1,420 parts per trillion. This is more than twenty times EPA's established health advisory level for drinking water. prgtoken In addition to these agricultural and water supply contaminations, we now also know that PFAS appear in products across the spectrum-- including cosmetics. A new peer-reviewed study led by the University of Notre Dame published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters found high fluorine levels--indicating the probable presence of PFAS-- in just over half of 231 makeup products tested, including waterproof mascara, liquid lipsticks, and foundations. prgtoken A subset of 29 samples was studied further to identify specific PFAS chemicals. Between four and 13 specific PFAS were identified in each of the 29 samples, some at high concentrations. Remarkably, only one of these 29 products listed any fluorochemical ingredients on the product's label. While some of these PFAS may be present in trace quantities as impurities in the manufacturing process, those found at high concentrations are likely being used intentionally to impart performance characteristics to the product. Since fluorinated chemicals are not disclosed on the labels, this study suggests that consumers unknowingly are being exposed to PFAS in their cosmetics. prgtoken The findings of this study are particularly alarming, as many of these products are subject to direct human exposure. For example, lipstick is often inadvertently ingested, and mascara is sometimes absorbed through tear ducts. In addition, during the cosmetic product manufacturing process, workers are exposed to the chemicals that are used, and discarded products with PFAS can cause the potential for additional human exposure if drinking water sources are contaminated. prgtoken PFAS pose an unnecessary and avoidable risk to human health and do not belong in our cosmetic products. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines cosmetics as ``articles intended to be rubbe
Introductory Statement on S. 2039
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2021-6-14

I rise today to introduce a piece of legislation called the Tougher Enforcement Against Monopolists Act, or the TEAM Act. I am grateful that my good friend and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, the senior Senator from Iowa, Chuck Grassley, has joined me as a cosponsor of the bill. prgtoken Now, I am aware that our House colleagues just recently introduced several bills intended to fight anti-competitive conduct by Big Tech. Those bills, in my view, don't go far enough. America is facing a panoply of competition concerns not just in Big Tech but across the entire economy. We need a holistic approach that benefits all consumers, in every industry. We need to deal with all the monopolists hurting competition. prgtoken Even worse, the House bills not only have too small of a target, but they use too big of a sledgehammer to hit it. They create a truly massive expansion of Federal regulatory power and are the first steps toward a command-and-control economy. prgtoken Responding to Big Tech with Big Government is adding insult to injury, not to mention something I doubt any conservative will be able to support. We don't need a bigger government. We need to make the one we have work better. prgtoken The TEAM Act avoids each of these mistakes. Instead of a narrow focus and Big Government approach, this bill will improve Federal antitrust enforcement for the entire economy without making government bigger. prgtoken The TEAM Act improves antitrust law in two ways. The first is putting all of our antitrust enforcers on one team. The TEAM Act unites our two Federal antitrust enforcement Agencies into one. For over a century, American antitrust enforcement has been something of a two-headed creature sometimes at odds with itself. The results have been delays to enforcement and consumer redress, uncertainty for businesses, and even conflicting antitrust enforcement policy. prgtoken Just recently, the two Agencies actually argued against each other on opposite sides of an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This arrangement isn't working for anyone--anyone, that is, perhaps, except corporations looking for an opportunity to game the system. prgtoken I hope that the bill can also put our two parties on the same team when it comes to antitrust reform. Our present reform movement is filled with bipartisan fervor to improve the lives of our constituents by improving competition in the markets that serve them and protecting them from the monopolists that exercise so much unearned power over huge swaths of our economy. Now, we don't agree on everything, but we do agree on this. It is my sincere belief that this bill represents the best and, hopefully, most bipartisan path forward. prgtoken That brings me to the second focus of the bill: preventing antitrust harm by monopolists. I use the term ``antitrust harm'' here very deliberately. In certain corners of the antitrust policy world,
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-6-14

Ronald Reagan said: We maintain peace through our strength; weakness only invites aggression. prgtoken The United States of America remains a beacon of strength and freedom. Generations of Americans purchased this strength through blood, treasure, and self-sacrifice. We do not want to be the first generation of Americans to abandon that tradition, but we will unless we give our men and women in uniform the tools they need to do the job. prgtoken The President's proposed budget does not deliver for our military. In fact, it tells our military to do less every day than what they have in the past. President 's budget proposal cuts money from the Department of Defense when accounting for inflation. I have said before that this budget is disappointing, dangerous, and a disservice to our men and women in uniform prgtoken The President's advisers surely know the threat our country faces. Here is what the Office of National Intelligence said in its annual threat assessment: The Chinese Communist Party will continue to undercut the United States, drive wedges between Washington and its allies and partners, and foster international norms that favor the authoritarian Chinese system. prgtoken That is from the President's own Director of Intelligence. But talk is cheap, and cheap talk is what we are getting because this budget does not rise to meet that threat. prgtoken Question: Does the President not believe the dire warnings of his own advisers? prgtoken At the same time, President and congressional ' policies are giving us a weak economy when it should be roaring. The last two job reports fell way short of expectations. In April, economists expected 1 million jobs, but we only got one-fourth of that--25 percent. prgtoken ' out-of-control spending is driving inflation to levels we haven't seen in over a decade. President 's own budget assumes policies will only lead to a weak 2-percent GDP growth--2 percent--when it should be double that amount. prgtoken aren't stopping at a weak military and a weak economy. They have put forth thinly veiled attempts to strip our country of what makes it so great. They want to undo our very system of federalism and local control by eliminating States' right-to-work laws through the PRO Act. They want a Washington takeover of every State's election laws through S. 1 or, as I like to call it, the corrupt politicians act. But worst of all, it is teaching our kids to hate our country. The administration has embraced the divisive curriculum of critical race theory to rewrite history and paint the United States as a villain. prgtoken Question: How can we expect the administration to defend America's ideals abroad if the President won't even defend them at home? This isn't Building Back Better. prgtoken Teddy Roosevelt, another successful President, always said: ``Speak softly and carry a big stick.'
UNITED STATES INNOVATION AND COMPETITION ACT OF 2021
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2021-6-14

on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. This comprehensive legislation includes the Endless Frontier Act as Division B. The Endless Frontier Act will establish a new Directorate of Technology and Innovation at the National Science Foundation, NSF, focused on research and development in 10 key technology focus areas, which include ``biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology.'' prgtoken Although the NSF funds minimal research involving human embryos, it is absolutely critical for the proposed new Directorate of Technology and Innovation and the NSF as an institution to protect human life and to prohibit research that would create or destroy human embryos. First enacted in 1996, the Dickey-Wicker amendment incorporated into annual appropriations bills ensures that such protections apply to research funded by the National Institutes of Health, NIH. prgtoken The NSF reports that it applies all NIH guidelines, including the Dickey-Wicker amendment, to its research. The Chief of Government Affairs at NSF, Mr. Robert Moller, confirmed this in an email to my staff dated May 16, 2021: NSF supports very little human embryonic stem cell research. NSF incorporates the NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research through our award Terms and Conditions, which govern, among other things, the allowable uses for NSF funds. Those NIH guidelines clearly address the Dickey Wicker amendment in Section V. As NSF incorporates this guidance, it also incorporates the Dickey-Wicker amendment and its restrictions. prgtoken It is clear from NSF's response and a review of the research terms and conditions that are binding on awardees that NIH guidelines, including Dickey-Wickery protections, apply to NSF-funded research. Since nothing in the Endless Frontier Act or the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act modifies these legal protections, it is therefore the clear intent of the Senate that the protections for human life afforded by the Dickey-Wicker amendment continue to apply to the NSF.
RECOGNIZING SHERIFF CRAIG NOBLES
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2021-6-14

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Sheriff Craig Nobles of Long County, Georgia, for his heroic actions saving 22 dogs on May 24, 2021. prgtoken Sheriff Nobles was responding to a brush fire and discovered 22 dogs tied to trees in the wood line. After containing the scene, first responders successfully saved all 22 dogs that are now safe and healthy. prgtoken The First Congressional District is fortunate to have Sheriff Nobles serving and protecting not only the people in the community, but man's best friend as well. prgtoken After seeing the faces of the 22 dogs, I am thankful for the first responders who rescued these dogs that are now able to find a loving home. prgtoken I am proud to rise today to congratulate Sheriff Nobles, the Long County Sheriff's Office, and the Long County Fire Department for their great work in saving these precious animals.
CONGRATULATING VICKI CHRISTIANSEN
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-6-14

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate and congratulate USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen on her recently announced retirement. prgtoken Chief Christiansen has dedicated 40 years as a professional forester, wildland firefighter, and land manager. prgtoken I have had the great privilege of working with Vicki and appreciated her visit to the Allegheny National Forest. prgtoken While visiting, it was made clear her passion for problem-solving, connecting people with their natural resources, and her commitment to local collaboration. prgtoken The ANF is Pennsylvania's only national forest, and it plays a vital role in our communities throughout the region. prgtoken Vicki's work as USDA Forest Service chief focused on saved natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality for all communities. prgtoken Madam , I thank Vicki Christiansen for her leadership, dedication, passion, and advocacy for our Nation's national forests in rural areas. May she enjoy her retirement.