mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 963, FORCED ARBITRATION INJUSTICE REPEAL ACT OF 2022, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2116, CREATING A RESPECTFUL AND OPEN WORLD FOR NATURAL HAIR ACT OF...
Lance Gooden (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , I rise to oppose the previous question so we can immediately consider legislation to force President to restore our energy independence. prgtoken The United States was the largest producer of oil and gas in the world under President . In less than a year, President has destroyed our energy sector, created the highest gas prices in American history, and crippled our economy in the process. prgtoken There is no logic to this administration's refusal to unleash our full energy potential. It is time to ask if this administration is holding the reins of power, or if radical environmentalist groups are calling the shots at the White House. prgtoken For 2 years, I have been demanding an investigation into foreign funding of these environmental organizations. Vladimir Putin has a long history of spreading misinformation and using activist groups to deter domestic energy production. In just 10 years, the European Union went from producing more natural gas than Russia to relying on them for 40 percent of their natural gas consumption. Russian dark money is to blame, and we have to prevent the same thing from happening here at home. prgtoken Russia will use every tool at their disposal to undermine our national security. And by listening to these radical groups, the administration has allowed them to succeed. prgtoken Madam , we are relying on foreign adversaries and authoritarian regimes when we have the resources here at home to bring down gas prices and help our allies in Europe. Instead of calling Venezuela and Iran, the President should be calling Texas.
Sunshine Week (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-3-16

I come to the floor today to celebrate what we say annually is Sunshine prgtoken Week, a very important week in our system of self-government. For the last 17 years, advocacy groups, good-government watchdogs, media organizations, and many Members of this body have joined forces to observe the importance of transparency in government and freedom of information. As a longtime champion for open, accessible government, I speak today in support of what we all ought to consider enduring principles. prgtoken Sunshine Week coincides each year with March 16. That is the day one of our Nation's Founding Fathers and fourth President of the United States James Madison was born. Madison is widely known as the father of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. From his writings, particularly in the Federalist Papers, you might say he was the architect who framed our system of checks and balances. Madison believed all powers of the government are derived of, by, and for the people, and that is what brings me to the floor today. prgtoken The public has a right to know what their government is doing and how it is spending tax dollars. There are very few things in government that should be kept secret: national security, so we don't tell our enemies what we are going to do; the privacy of American citizens; and some intelligence-gathering information. I will bet that is 1 percent of everything the government is involved in. Yet there are some people who think that a lot more ought to be classified or secret, et cetera, et cetera. prgtoken So we have the Freedom of Information Act that is to protect the public's right to know. Through Freedom of Information Act requests, everyday Americans can ask a Federal Agency for information. Unfortunately, now--and it is a growing problem--Federal Agencies seem to have the unstated goal of releasing as little information as possible to the public. prgtoken Agencies rely on exemptions to FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act, to withhold information. A 2021 Government Accountability Office study found this: that Federal Agencies use FOIA exemptions to avoid disclosing documents. That problem has doubled between 2012 and 2019. prgtoken Most Americans may not be familiar with the section of the code that we call the (b)(3) FOIA exemption, and, of course, they don't have to be aware of this, but they should know that it is the most used justification by the Federal Government to withhold information from the public. prgtoken The increase in the use of this FOIA exemption to withhold information from the public is unacceptable to me, and it ought to be unacceptable to anybody who believes that we should not have secrecy in government. prgtoken In another recent report, the Government Accountability Office found that FOIA request backlogs increased by nearly 20 percent in just the 1 year of 2019 to 2020. In fact, backlogged FOIA requests are up 97 percent since 2012. Sixteen Fede
HONORING BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , I rise today to honor the Burlington High School Boys Basketball Team for their first appearance in the Iowa High School State Tournament since 1987. prgtoken These extraordinary young men have worked tirelessly to hone their skills and overcome obstacles during this season. I am extremely honored to represent these young men in Congress and proud that their hard work was rewarded by an appearance in the state tournament. I look forward to seeing this program continue to grow and develop and cannot wait to see more tournament appearances soon.
Ukraine (Executive Session)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-3-16

I want to thank my colleagues Senator Durbin, Senator Feinstein, and Senator Murkowski for joining me on the floor this morning to talk about a very important topic and one that we can finally celebrate, which is the passage and the signing of the Violence Against Women Act. prgtoken Nine years--it has been 9 years since the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized, but, finally, the Senate reauthorized and modernized this very important bill. prgtoken Last week, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 passed the House and the Senate, and yesterday, at long last, it was signed into law. prgtoken I have been a proud champion of this bill over the last 3 years. And while no bill is perfect, I am extremely grateful for the bipartisan work to get it over the finish line. prgtoken This bill is personal. Many of you know my story. I am the one out of three women who has experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. prgtoken Similarly, one in four men have had the same experience. This means nearly 20 people per minute, more than 10 million women and men in the United States every single year have suffered this horrific personal abuse. prgtoken I am not a victim. I am a survivor. It took me a long time to say those words out loud. And my hope is that with this bill some women will never have to, and those who do will have the necessary support and resources in a moment of crisis to cope with and ultimately overcome their trauma. prgtoken The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is a bright light in our current troubling reality. prgtoken The bill includes so many critical resources, especially in our rural communities, that have been drastically overlooked. prgtoken Specifically, the bill doubles the support for both the rural domestic violence assistance program and the Rape Prevention and Education Program, both of which are of great importance to my home State of Iowa. prgtoken And my sincere hope is that the resources contained in this new law will finally help truly move the needle on domestic violence around the country and that some of our Nation's most vulnerable will have access to the support that they so desperately need. prgtoken To my colleagues, thank you, especially to Senators Feinstein, Durbin, and Murkowski for your diligent work on domestic violence- related issues over the years. prgtoken I also want to thank Senators Cornyn, Collins, Capito, Portman, Cramer, Tillis, Moran, Burr, and Blunt for supporting this vital bill at introduction. prgtoken The negotiations were, at times--my colleagues will recognize this-- very tough, and there were several doubts along the way as to whether the bill would actually ever happen. But with a little bit of tenacity and good-faith negotiating, we got there. prgtoken To those who work every day around this great country to help domestic violence survivors, including our law enforcement officers
Nomination of John H. Chun (Executive Calendar)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2022-3-16

reserving the right to object, I appreciate the dialogue on education. A degree is an education. My mom is a lifelong educator. I spent my summers growing up in the school library, putting books in the Dewey Decimal System, putting the new piece of tape on the outside of it, and actually, back in the old days, filing a new card in the card catalog, which half the people listening to me right now have no idea what that is. prgtoken I am passionate about education. I have two daughters, and I stay very engaged in the issue of education. So it is always interesting to me when my ic colleagues say: When s get serious about education. prgtoken It is always interesting. We will pass a bill, like what happened in the omnibus or what happened in any Education bill before, and there will be billions and billions of dollars in education, but the comment will always be ``Well, if you really loved kids, you would do just $1 billion more, but because you don't love kids, you did $1 billion less.'' It is never enough on it. prgtoken This resolution that I brought today was not about an extra $1.3 billion in education to be able to hire more people; it was just about empowering parents. prgtoken It is an interesting side by side to say what families need more is more employees at school, and what I am seeing is that we need more empowerment of parents. prgtoken One costs $1.3 billion; the other one is just free. One says: Let's have folks at school know how to be able to take care of your kids best. The other one says: Well, let's make sure there are certain things, like critical race theory, that we don't teach at school to make sure every child is taught the same. And if that parent wants to teach that at home, they are welcome to teach that at home, but let's not impose that on every child. Let's not call some children oppressors because of the color of their skin. prgtoken Why don't we do that? prgtoken So the resolution I brought is not about a billion dollars; it is just a statement of support of parents, a statement of support of what parents want to be able to teach. It is not about more school employees; it is about stronger parents. That is what I think that we ought to continue to be able to address. prgtoken This is not about who loves education more. Quite frankly, I know my colleague from Washington is passionate about kids and about education. She has lived it as a mom, as a leader in the Senate, and as someone I watched negotiate with Lamar Alexander some of the toughest education policy conversations. She is a remarkable legislator and is passionate about this. prgtoken We have some disagreements on some of these issues. I am just passionate about doing whatever we can to be able to honor parents as often as we can and to tell them: No, you are not going to be investigated. prgtoken She mentioned parents in Texas being worried about being investigated. I will tell you, parents
BRING BACK AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , I greatly appreciate Chairman Johnson for heading this up day after day. prgtoken I just wonder, have the been to the gas pumps lately? I used to love to go to the gas pumps and talk to folks to see what was going on. Now, honestly, I am afraid to even make eye contact with somebody because they are going to light you up, Madam . prgtoken I know we see a lot of these little, cute stickers. That is not my thing. I don't want to cause any vandalism with our President pointing at the pump saying, ``I did that,'' but the truth is, he did do this. prgtoken If they would listen to what is going on, they would know that America is ticked, and they should be. The national gas average today is $4.30 a gallon. The average a year ago was $2.87. prgtoken In 2020, gasoline or oil was around $17 a barrel, and today, I believe it has dropped to $95. I heard someone from the White House earlier bragging about how oil has dropped. I mean, that is the Washington way, to not talk about how it was at $17 a couple of years ago, but talk about how it has dropped from over $110 down to $95. prgtoken Madam , we need to turn the spigots back on. We need to get back into the oil business. The oil and gas companies, we have been told that they have the permits, and then they boast about that, that they are not drilling because of it. prgtoken The truth is, Madam , not enough pipelines have been permitted to move the product. If they get it, there is nowhere for it to go. There is no storage capacity. There is no way to move the product. The pipelines have to be completed, and that is part of the master plan here. prgtoken As has been stated by Members on this floor and other times, I have heard, $7 a gallon and electric vehicles are in. That is no way to drive innovation, Madam . Innovation is prgtoken driven through creativity, through capitalism, not by crooked politicians and evil folks trying to change the American agenda. prgtoken Electric cars are not affordable yet. Over $50,000 a car. That is ridiculous. You have got over eight adapters on the plugs. It takes several hours to charge. I don't know if you have ever driven across country or not with a family but stopping 8 hours at a truck stop is not my idea of a vacation. prgtoken Renewables aren't reliable sources for our power grids. seem to double down, though, on these crazy woke environmental agenda issues. It just creates higher energy bills for Americans, Madam , and increases costs for business. That is why everything is up. prgtoken If you look at the price of fuel, I filled up my daughter's Dodge diesel the other day, and it cost me over $100. Why are we doing this to ourselves? We can turn the spigots back on. We can put Americans back to work. We can increase our economy. We can show the world that we are leaders. prgtoken As the Ukrainian President stated so eloquently this morning, our President needs to lead the world. It is a shame when
Inflation (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-3-16

on Thursday, the February inflation numbers were released, and the news wasn't pretty. Inflation for February was 7.9 percent, the highest inflation since January of 1982-- January of 1982, 40 years ago. We are in the grip of the worst inflation in 40 years. prgtoken American families have been hit hard by this crisis as the price of everyday necessities has soared, and energy prices, particularly gas prices, are one of the top challenges facing Americans. Energy prices are up 25 percent on average from a year ago. Electricity is up 9 percent. Propane, kerosene, and fire wood are up 19 percent. Utility gas services are up 23 percent, and prices at the pump for gasoline are up 38 percent. prgtoken The national average for a gallon of gas was $4.31 on Tuesday, up from $2.86 a year ago. That is $1.45 more per gallon. That is a big problem for American families. That is a big problem for our entire economy. prgtoken High energy prices don't just have an impact when Americans fill up their cars; they affect prices across the economy. High energy prices drive up the cost of operating a factory. They drive up the cost of raw materials, and they drive up the cost of getting goods to customers. prgtoken President would like to blame the inflation situation, particularly high energy prices, on Vladimir Putin. I don't need to tell anyone how ludicrous that is. Our inflation crisis has been going on for a year. Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine 3 weeks ago. I am afraid passing the buck to Putin doesn't hold water. prgtoken Now, it is true that the uncertainty surrounding Putin's war and corresponding sanctions on Russia are partly to blame for the most recent spike in gas prices. But had gas prices been lower to start with, Americans wouldn't be feeling the sanctions-triggered bump to the extent that they are. prgtoken ' American Rescue Plan spending spree helped create our inflation crisis. Americans need to look no further than the White House when wondering how the United States, a recent net exporter of energy, is not on stronger footing to weather these tumultuous times. prgtoken The President has pursued an energy agenda that has done next to nothing to help drive energy prices down and is, in fact, almost guaranteed to increase energy prices long term and increase our reliance on foreign sources of oil. prgtoken From the moment he took office, the President sent a negative signal to energy producers by making it clear that his administration was not going to be embracing conventional energy production. prgtoken He set the tone for his administration on day 1 by canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline--an environmentally responsible pipeline project that was already underway and that was to be paired with $1.7 billion in private investment and renewable energy to fully offset its operating emissions. prgtoken He also almost immediately froze new oil and gas leases on Federal lands, sending a clear
BRING BACK AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Scott Franklin (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , I always appreciate my colleague from Louisiana's leadership on these important issues and I appreciate the time he is yielding me. prgtoken Madam , as my colleagues have shared, the administration prgtoken has been defined by a series of self-inflicted crises. These include failed leadership on the world stage, runaway inflation, and a deliberate failure to secure our borders. In fact, you could say they are having a record year, record high inflation, record violent crime, record gas prices, record numbers of illegal immigrants, seizures of illegal drugs all at our southern border. The common denominator in each of these disasters is the President himself. prgtoken The President listened to the State Department over the recommendation of his generals, which led to last year's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. prgtoken He shut down American energy production, which led to skyrocketing gas prices long before Russia invaded Ukraine. prgtoken He catered to the radicals, flooding our economy with trillions in free money, and that has created the rampant inflation that we are experiencing today. prgtoken On the border, his reversal of President 's policies has led to nearly two million migrants pouring across our southern border since he took office. That is more than the population of 15 of our States. Think about that, the equivalent of creating a State or two every single year with the number of people crossing the border. prgtoken These disasters were completely self-inflicted, and American families are paying the price. prgtoken Despite our political differences, I take no joy in watching this administration fail. When our President fails, America fails. prgtoken Madam , the American people need and deserve a true leader. If the President is incapable of leading, he has a duty to surround himself with smart people willing to give him good counsel in the best interests of our Nation. Listen to the smart ones and not those with a track record of failure, and then act on it. prgtoken The President should focus on American energy independence, which will bring down gas prices here at home and help our allies abroad. He should not be talking to a Venezuelan dictator when we have reliable, affordable energy right here at home. He also needs to stop the out-of- control spending and reinstate tough border policies to protect our communities. prgtoken For the sake of our country, this administration must stop administrating and implementing the worst ideas of the D.C. political class and lead decisively.
IN RECOGNITION OF WEAVER HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING STATE TITLE
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2022-3-16

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Weaver High School wrestling team for winning the AHSAA Class 1A/4A state title in dramatic fashion. prgtoken On February 19, 2022, The Weaver Bearcats beat Ohatchee High School 82 to 81 thanks to pins by Devin Anderson and Joshua Johannson in the final two matches to secure their title win. The event was held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. prgtoken Devin Anderson earned 1A-4A most valuable wrestler. This was head coach Andy Fulmer's first state title and the Bearcats' 10th state title. Their last state title was in 2004. prgtoken Madam, , please join me in congratulating Coach Fulmer, the wrestling team, students, faculty and all the fans. Go Bearcats.
Ukraine (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-3-16

this morning, Members of Congress received an update on the situation in Ukraine directly from President Zelenskyy. His presentation was powerful and heart-wrenching. It reinforced our sympathy, our outrage, and our resolve. prgtoken President Zelenskyy's courage and leadership have earned the attention and the admiration of the entire free world. He has marshaled Ukraine's brave and defiant resistance against Russian invasion. He has steeled the resolve of his people beyond what anybody expected and offered the entire world a master class in leadership. prgtoken This morning, President Zelenskyy didn't mince words about what Ukraine needs urgently to keep up the fight: more lethal capabilities and heavier sanctions against Russia and especially the air defense systems that we should have helped Ukraine get weeks ago. His people face a long and difficult road ahead, and the entire world knows what they are up against. prgtoken The scale of Russia's aggression wasn't just foreseeable; it was foreseen. For 30 years, every step toward democracy and sovereignty in Eastern Europe has tempted the wrath of revanchist autocrats like Putin. That is why I have asked the administration early and often to demonstrate America's commitment to our allies and partners most squarely in Russia's crosshairs. prgtoken Last June, 8 months before the Russian invasion, I urged the President to ``provide serious, lethal support to Ukraine and other vulnerable states on the front lines of Putin's aggressions''--8 months ago. In December, I specifically called on President to deploy extra U.S. forces to reinforce NATO's eastern flank--last December. I urged his administration to expedite and expand shipments of lethal aid like anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. But, as we know, a security assistance package for Ukraine sat down at the White House for months before being approved. Once approved, efforts to transfer the weapons moved at the speed of bureaucracy. And the President waited until February to order U.S. personnel to the frontlines. prgtoken The administration had over a year to get this right. They had a year to translate rhetorical support for NATO into leading real, collective defense. But they took 5 months to even nominate an ambassador to the alliance. prgtoken On the campaign trail, President called Putin a ``KGB thug.'' He was right about that. But after 1 week in office, he announced an agreement with the Kremlin to extend the New START treaty for up to 5 years, reducing our leverage to get a better deal that caps Putin's nuclear ambitions. prgtoken As the threats to Ukraine gathered, whenever an opportunity to act has presented itself, the administration has hesitated until political pressure became overwhelming or balked outright. prgtoken Since Russia's invasion began, the administration has publicly shot down efforts from a NATO ally to get working aircraft to Ukrainian