mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SOCIAL SECURITY
John B. Larson (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2024-7-10

I rise today to talk about the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for our children. That program, Mr as you know, is Social Security. prgtoken , and for the members in the gallery, I think it is important to understand the statistics that we are dealing with, most importantly, that there are now close to 70 million Americans who rely on Social Security, 40 percent of whom rely on a pension which is the only benefit that they have. prgtoken It is a testament to the genius of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. What is required in an entrepreneurial capitalist system is that there be a safety net for people. prgtoken Even more so, imagine that 10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security. It is disheartening that Congress, the institution primarily responsible for Social Security's enhancement and protection, has not done anything in 53 years. Richard Nixon was the President of the United States the last time Social Security was enhanced. prgtoken Five million of our fellow citizens get below poverty-level checks from Social Security, the greatest insurance program in the Nation's history, but Congress has not attended to the program. That is why this is so vitally important that we do so. prgtoken , as you know, in Idaho in the First District there are 219,000-plus Social Security recipients, 170,000-plus who are retirees, and 21,000 who get disability. There are 10,000-plus widows, 5,600 spouses, and 11,000 children in Idaho who rely on Social Security. It brings in $388 million monthly to the First District and has not been adjusted in more than 50 years. This is an outrage. prgtoken When Members learn of this and when the public is aware of this, they say: Why hasn't Congress acted? prgtoken President has suggested, and it makes sense, that in this great Nation of ours, why shouldn't everybody pay the same? prgtoken So he said: Let's just simply lift the cap on people making over $400,000 who don't pay nearly the same that a person making $30,000, $50,000, $75,000, or $100,000 does who pay into the program. prgtoken In doing so, we would be able to enhance Social Security not only in Idaho but across the entire United States. prgtoken Even former President now is apparently changing the platform to say that we are going to protect Social Security. prgtoken It is not enough to protect Social Security. Congress hasn't done anything in more than 53 years. So that means whether you are in Idaho or whether you are in Connecticut, those very citizens, those 10,000-a- day baby boomers who expect their Congress to take action on their behalf, need to enhance a program that provides them with the benefits. That money goes directly into every congressional district and every congressional community. prgtoken Where do the citizens spend that money? prgtoken They spend it at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, and at the gas station.
SAFEGUARD AMERICAN VOTER ELIGIBILITY ACT
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2024-7-10

. H.R. 8281 says unless the birth certificate was issued by a State, you can't vote. The same is true for U.S. citizens in Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The same is true for all naturalized U.S. citizens throughout the country. All will be denied the right to vote because H.R. 8281 does not recognize these territories as part of the United States, and people being born in these territories are United States citizens. prgtoken , I urge a ``no'' vote on this poorly drafted legislation. I don't understand something that only Americans can vote and the U.S. citizens who are not Americans cannot vote.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-7-10

today, we are going to vote on a bill that offers a simple statement of values: Do you support a woman's freedom to make her own healthcare decisions? prgtoken For the vast majority of Americans, the answer is yes--without question. We know that because the American people have been speaking out loudly and repeatedly and at every opportunity to oppose s' extreme abortion bans. prgtoken The record here is remarkable and unmistakable: Since and s succeeded at overturning Roe v. Wade and ripping away a constitutional right from our daughters and granddaughters, every single time abortion rights have been on the ballot, abortion rights have won--every time. prgtoken But the American people have not just been speaking with their own votes; they have been using their voices and sharing their own, personal stories of the nightmares that s' abortion bans have put them through: women denied medical care for a miscarriage because of abortion bans; women turned away from hospitals because their doctors' hands were tied until they lost over half their blood, until their husbands found them unconscious on the floor, until the only option was an emergency hysterectomy or, tragically, until it was simply too late; children who couldn't get abortion care after being raped; a teenager delivering a baby, while clutching a teddy bear, being forced through a pregnancy by politicians. prgtoken This isn't some dystopian prediction. This has all happened recently in the United States of America because of and s' anti-abortion extremism. prgtoken Just last month, The New York Times profiled the story of one mother in Idaho who woke up with heavy bleeding in her 20th week of pregnancy. She was leaking amniotic fluid. She went to the emergency room. She was told there was nothing they could do to help. ``Sorry.'' Because of Idaho's extreme abortion ban, it meant that any doctor who gave her the abortion care she so desperately needed would be risking the loss of his medical license and jail time and heavy fines. The best they could do was give her an emergency flight to another State. And when she arrived, nurses remembered her saying: I just need to stay alive so I can be around for my two other kids. prgtoken That same hospital in Idaho has already had to airlift six pregnant women out of the State for emergency abortion care this year. That is just one hospital in one State and one horrific variation of the many nightmares that are happening on loop across the country as a direct result of the s' abortion bans. prgtoken I am going to keep saying it: A forced pregnancy does not have to make headlines to make someone's life a living hell. prgtoken This is not an issue that s can run away from no matter how much they try to. prgtoken --a convicted felon and a liar--is trying to tell us he doesn't know anything about Proj
SAFEGUARD AMERICAN VOTER ELIGIBILITY ACT
Jennifer L. McClellan (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-7-10

voting rights are sacrosanct and they are personal to many of us. prgtoken Over 150 years ago, Black men were allowed to vote for the first time in this country. Thousands were elected to office, particularly across the South, including into this body, including one of my predecessors, John Mercer Langston, the first Black man elected to Congress from Virginia. I stand here as the first Black woman elected to Congress from Virginia. I am the great-granddaughter of a man, who after reconstruction when voter suppression laws passed across the South, had to take a literacy test and find three White men to vouch for his character to be able to vote. He was an American citizen. prgtoken I stood in the well and took my oath of office on March 7, 2023, on my father's Bible. Inside that Bible, he kept the poll tax receipt from when he registered to vote, and his father paid a poll tax. I kept that. He kept it in the Bible to remind himself of the barriers put in place to him, an American citizen, to vote.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-7-10

I was unable to cast votes on July 8th and 9th as I needed to attend the funeral services of a close friend. prgtoken Had I been present for the following roll call votes, I would have voted Aye on: prgtoken Roll Call No. 336, July 8, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 897, Alabama Underwater Forest National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act; prgtoken Roll Call No. 337, July 8, 2024: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 5441, Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act; prgtoken Roll Call No. 340, July 9, 2024: On Motion to Recommit--H.R. 7637, Refrigerator Freedom Act; and prgtoken Roll Call No. 342, July 9, 2024: On Motion to Recommit--H.R. 7700, Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act. prgtoken Had I been present for the following roll call votes, I would have voted No on: prgtoken Roll Call No. 338, July 9, 2024: On Ordering the Previous Question H. Res. 1341, Providing for consideration of the bills H.R. 8281, Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act; H.R. 8772, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2025; H.R. 7700, Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act; H.R. 7637, Refrigerator Freedom Act; and the joint resolution H.J. Res. 165; prgtoken Roll Call No. 339, July 9, 2024: On Agreeing to the Resolution H. Res. 1341, Providing for consideration of the bills H.R. 8281, Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act; H.R. 8772, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2025; H.R. 7700, Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act; H.R. 7637, Refrigerator Freedom Act; and the joint resolution H.J. Res. 165; prgtoken Roll Call No. 341, July 9, 2024: On Passage--H.R. 7637, Refrigerator Freedom Act; and prgtoken Roll Call No. 343, July 9, 2024: On Passage--H.R. 7700, Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELATING TO "NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING...
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-7-10

. Madam , I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 165, the Congressional Review Act resolution aimed at repealing the - administration's Title IX rule. prgtoken This rule is crucial for three reasons. prgtoken First, it ensures protections against all forms of sex-based harassment and discrimination. It overturns problematic provisions from the previous administration's rule that allowed educational institutions to ignore harassment and discrimination that happens off- campus, even if it is at an event sponsored by a college organization. It extends this protection to LGBTQIA+ youth, aligning with recent Supreme Court precedent. prgtoken Second, it enhances accountability in how schools handle discrimination complaints, including expanding the number of employees required to report problems. It mandates timely responses and fair processes, unlike the previous rule that allowed unreasonable delays, and ensures equitable treatment for all involved. prgtoken Third, it empowers students and families to exercise their Title IX rights without fear of retaliation. It supports survivors and provides necessary services while maintaining due process for the accused. prgtoken By the way, this rule does not address participation in sports. As has been said, that is the subject of another rule that has not been finalized. The rule does not change anything about sports participation that is already happening. prgtoken Unfortunately, this resolution has been clouded by misinformation, unfounded fears, and with some just hatred of transgender individuals. We must reject these narratives and focus on real issues of safety and equity. prgtoken This resolution, if passed, would prevent future administrations from enacting similar protections, undermining progress and safeguarding women, LGBTQ individuals, and survivors of sexual assault. prgtoken Let us prioritize issues like reproductive healthcare, affordable childcare, and closing the gender pay gap instead of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. prgtoken Madam , I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this resolution.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2024-7-10

I ask unanimous consent that the following Senators be recognized to speak prior to the scheduled rollcall vote: Hirono for up to 10 minutes, Stabenow for up to 5 minutes, Klobuchar for up to 10 minutes, Murray for up to 5 minutes, and Schumer for up to 5 minutes. prgtoken Further, I ask unanimous consent that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 420, S. 4554, be waived; finally, that the cloture motion with respect to the Kiko nomination be withdrawn and, at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with the leader, the Senate vote on confirmation of the Kiko nomination.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELATING TO "NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING...
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2024-7-10

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken I just want to respond to ``the natural laws of this world.'' It is not a new concept. There are two-spirit people in Native-American culture. There are hijra people in South Asia and many more in Judaism. For example, the Talmud, the sacred text, lists six genders. The sky is not falling. prgtoken I also note that the gentleman referred to redefining ``sex'' to include sexual orientation and gender identity as some sort of novel or woke concept. I suggest you take that up with the -appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch because he wrote the opinion making clear that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. prgtoken I include in the Record letters from the American Library Association, the National Education Association, and the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities. These three letters are all in opposition to H.J. Res. 165. ALA American Library Association, June 11, 2024. Re H.J.Res. 165, Title IX rule disapproval--OPPOSE Hon. Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, US House of Representatives. Hon. Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce, US House of Representatives. Dear Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member Scott: On behalf of the American Library Association (ALA), I write to respectfully oppose H.J. Res. 165, ``Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to `Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.' '' The Department of Education's Title IX rule, issued April 29, 2024, applies the Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. 644 (2020), to codify that Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. By doing so, the rule clarifies that recipients of Education Department funding may not discriminate against LGBTQI+ library workers or students in employment opportunities or the delivery of library services (e.g removal of library materials in a discriminatory manner). All Americans deserve equal opportunity in education, employment, and the freedom to read. We urge Congress to defend the rights of students and library workers by rejecting H.J.Res. 165. If we can provide more information, please contact Gavin Baker (gbaker@alawash.org). Sincerely, Alan S. Inouye, Ph.D Senior Director, Public Policy & Government Relations and Interim Associate Executive Director, American Library Association.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION RELATING TO "STAFF ACCOUNTING BULLETIN NO. 121"--VETO MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE...
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-10

let me address the in this Chamber and say: Sustain President 's veto. prgtoken This is the worst possible week for to do anything else but to stand behind President 's veto. If you vote the other way, then you can explain to the press that you repudiated the President's decision and that you voted to override a Presidential veto--something I don't think we have done in a long time--because you had extensive conversations with Paul Munter, the chief accountant of the SEC, and he was unable to convince you that Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 properly lays out for generally accepted accounting principle purposes which asset should be on the balance sheet. prgtoken You can then discuss with them how you also commented on a host of other accounting principles that put assets on the balance sheet that are not actually owned but might be leased or held by the company on whose balance sheet they are listed. prgtoken You can then discuss with them your personal views on accounting theory and try to convince them that you repudiated the President because of deeply held concerns on what assets should and should not be on the balance sheet. However, they will not listen. They will tell you that you voted to override a Presidential veto this very week. prgtoken Now, we are told that somehow this is going to prevent banks from acting as custodians. It does not because we have three accounting systems in this country. prgtoken We have tax accounting, which is separate from GAAP, or generally accepted accounting principles, which are for disclosures to investors; and we have a third accounting system for regulated companies, particularly banks, called regulatory accounting principles, or RAP. prgtoken This pronouncement doesn't deal with RAP. Banks are free to do what they want. They must inform their investors what they did, and then the investors can decide whether that bank is one they want to invest in. prgtoken Now we are told that we should override SAB 121. prgtoken What effect does that have? prgtoken Not only does it take crypto off the balance sheet, it prevents the chief accountant from writing another regulation or staff accounting bulletin requiring footnote disclosure. So then you would be voting for no disclosure to investors of the very significant risk of holding these crypto assets. prgtoken You can argue for balance sheet disclosure. You can argue instead for footnote disclosure. However, if you vote today for no disclosure in the financial statements, then that is a repudiation of all modern accounting theory. prgtoken I did want to point out, as the ranking member has, that there is a substantial risk to banks in holding crypto assets, and Sam Bankman- Fried's fraud is just one of many in the crypto world. So this disclosure is necessary for investors to decide what risks they are taking when they invest in the stock of a bank. prgtoken So, in summary, if you believe that crypto asse
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-7-10

in reserving the right to object, it is interesting. Earlier today, there was a large bipartisan group of Senators that met with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. We expressed our bipartisan support for the United States continuing to support Ukraine's efforts to repeal the outrageous attack to their sovereignty by Mr. Putin and Russia. There was bipartisan support for Ukraine because we recognized that Ukraine is the frontline in the defense of our democracy. Ukraine is not asking us for our soldiers; they are asking us for our support. prgtoken So I want to start, in my concerns of the unanimous consent request offered by the Senator from Utah, in that the support for the defense of Ukraine enjoys overwhelming bipartisan support here in the U.S. Senate. That is why I was pleased to join Senator Wicker on the floor. When the supplemental funding bill came up for a vote, 79 Senators-- s and alike--backed it. prgtoken Why is that? It is because most Senators understand what is at stake. It is because we understand that Ukraine is not only fighting for themselves; they are fighting for the entire Western World. It is because we understand, if Putin is successful in Ukraine, it will endanger our security interests and those of some of our closest European allies. prgtoken Yes, they are asking for financial and military support. Their success--Ukraine's success--will help make it possible for our soldiers not to be in another war in Europe. So supporting Ukraine in this fight against one of the most dangerous adversaries in the world is clearly in the national security interests of the United States. prgtoken I also want to address one of the arguments offered by my colleague from Utah: the idea that this Executive agreement should have no effect unless submitted to the Senate for advice and consent. Multiple administrations have used Executive agreements to advance diplomatic goals that are in the U.S.'s national security interests. Along with my colleagues, I support this bilateral agreement because it does just that; it advances Ukraine's interests and our own interests in national security. prgtoken Unlike other administrations, in the case of this agreement, the administration proactively reached out to Members and staff in both Chambers of both parties to share the parameters of the negotiations while they were underway. They solicited reactions and input from Congress, and they took some of our input in regards to the final negotiations. Unlike the practices of previous administrations, the administration posted the text of the agreement on the State Department's website the day it was signed. prgtoken We in Congress were kept up to date on parallel negotiations with Ukraine by 31 other nations. They were negotiating with 31 countries in bilateral security agreements so that we could give comprehensive help to Ukraine in its defense of democracy. Many are in NATO
TRUMP TAX SCAM
Katie Porter (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-7-10

7 years ago, the trump tax scam let the largest corporations off the hook from paying their fair share of taxes. prgtoken The administration bogusly claimed that slashing the corporate tax rate would raise the average household's annual income by at least $4,000. prgtoken Unsurprisingly, economists from the Joint Committee on Taxation and the Federal Reserve found that never happened. Seven years later, the bottom 90 percent of workers still haven't received higher earnings from the tax cut. prgtoken Where did the extra money from 's tax changes go? Straight to the very tippy-top highest paid earners. They used them to line the pockets of their already wealthy executives and shareholders with $4.4 trillion in stock buybacks and dividends. Congress must end this rip- off.