mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
VACCINES
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-8

one more issue--the upcoming vaccine CRA. prgtoken On another matter, reports this morning indicate that getting vaccinated and boosted offer significant protection against the Omicron variant. prgtoken As we learn more about Omicron, it is an important moment for national leaders to double- and triple-down on encouraging all eligible Americans to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. prgtoken But as soon as today, our friends are going to come to the floor to push an anti-science, anti-vaccine proposal to overturn the President's vaccines requirements for businesses with more than 100 employees. prgtoken My friends, America, we are in the middle of a public health crisis. Everyone sees the damage it causes to themselves, their friends, their families, and their communities, and the way to solve this is to be driven by science. prgtoken We have had hundreds of years of scientific advancement. It has helped us live longer and live healthier. My dad just lived until 98. That didn't happen in a vacuum, and it certainly wouldn't have happened when there were scientific advances and people said, ``Let's not listen to them,'' for political, ideological, or whatever reasons. We cannot go back to the days when people were driven by wild theories. prgtoken Some of the anti-vaxxers here in this Chamber remind me of what happened 400 years ago, when people were clinging to the fact that the Sun revolved around the Earth--they just didn't believe science--or 300 years ago or 500 years ago, when they were sure the Earth was flat. It is just like that. prgtoken The science is here. And what does the science show? The more people who get vaccinated, the greater chance we have to eliminate and, certainly, greatly reduce the virulence and ``widespreadness'' of this disease. prgtoken People are resisting. Is it political? Is it fueled by lies on the internet? Is it just because people fear vaccines? We never had this outcry when we had to give our kids--my kids--mumps, measles vaccines before they went to school. We never had this outcry as people lined up to get flu shots. prgtoken All of a sudden, something has happened here. It is wrong, and it is bad for the country, and it is not based on any scientific evidence whatsoever. prgtoken I know that wild stories on the internet, lies, sometimes get in people's heads, but we can't listen to people's lies. We are a fact- based society. We always have been. prgtoken The biggest thing standing between us and the end of the pandemic is Americans who have refused to get vaccinated. Too many Americans believe a wide range of conspiracy theories prgtoken about vaccines, and even those who seem to encourage those crazy theories often get vaccinated themselves and don't tell anybody. We have had so many of these hard-right leaders admitting: ``Oh, yes, I did get vaccinated,'' even though they are telling people they shouldn't have to take one. ``Oh, yes, I will
TRIBUTE TO STAFF
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-12-8

over the past couple of years, Ohioans and Americans around the country have worked and sacrificed to get our country through this pandemic. Among those who have risen to meet this historic moment are the dedicated public servants on our Senate staff. These patriots have given their all over these last 20 months to protect Ohioans' health, to put money in people's pockets, to keep a roof over people's heads, and to help our State and our country overcome this health and economic crisis. prgtoken I would not have been able to do the vital work we have done in the Senate without their expertise and dedication and talent, and we would not be where we are today as a country--with rising wages, record job growth, and lifesaving vaccines--without them. This holiday season, I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in thanking these dedicated professionals for their service to our country: Ben Ashman; Mohammad Aslami; Blair Austin; Brian Ayers; Diana Baron; Shilesha Bamberg; Sarah Benzing; Emily Blaydes; Gabriel Bitol; Chad Bolt; Alyssa Brockington; Alea Brown; Homer Carlisle; Dani Carlson; Megan ; Min Cheng; Emily Chipps; William Clayton; Beth Clodfelter; Beth Cooper; Alan Cox; J. Bradley Deane; Andrew Dickson; Abigail Duggan; Anthony Eliopoulos; Corey Frayer; Chanty Gbaye; Joe Gilligan; Francis Goins; Anna Gokaldas; Ross Griffin; Stanley Hardy; Sarah Harms; James Harnett; Diop ; Rachael Hartford; Jeremy Hekhuis; Joseph Henry; Christian Hill; Leah Hill; Mycheala Holley; Patrick Horn; Aarti Iyer; Alysa James; Marie Therese Kane; Matthew Keyes; Mike King; Zac Kiser; Sue Klein; Geoffrey Knight; Erica Krause; Ben Lockshin; Ann Longsworth Orr; Mayra Lozano; Brian Lyons; Megan Malara; Marilee Marks; Drew Martineau; Allison Mazzeo; Jonathan McCracken; Colin McGinnis; Rajani Menon; John Miller; Samantha Miller; Katie Mulhall Quintela; Paulanne Oakes; Tanya Otsuka; Sneha Pandya; John Patterson; Emily Pellegrino; Jordan Pennell; Trudy Perkins; Seth Pringle; John Richards; Charissee Ridgeway; Kate Rodriguez; Pam Rosado; Phil Rudd; John Ryan; Vincent Sarubbi; Vinny Sheu; Sarah Shalash; Ellen Short; William Shostrand; Fatima Sierra-Vargas; Jan Singelmann; Cierra Stewart; Laura Swanson; Che Thomas; Nora Todd; Mary Topolinski; Elisha Tuku; Elaine Vilem; Meghan Vogel; Dariah Williams; Carolina Young.
DR. LORNA BREEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDER PROTECTION ACT
Susan Wild (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2021-12-8

. Madam , I rise today in support of my bill, the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act, which will finally provide resources and support to our healthcare heroes who face burnout and mental health crisis as a result of their experiences with COVID- 19. prgtoken America owes an incredible debt of gratitude to these professionals who work to keep us safe and healthy. Doctors die by suicide at twice the rate of the general population. The trauma of their experience during COVID--and before--while treating patients is something we must address head on. prgtoken Dr. Lorna Breen was the emergency room director at New York Presbyterian Hospital and was a hero who embodied the spirit of service in our time of national crisis. She died by suicide in April 2020 at the peak of the COVID crisis in New York after contracting COVID herself, quarantining, and then returning to work. prgtoken Her father said, ``She was truly in the trenches of the frontline. She tried to do her job and it killed her. Make sure she is praised as a hero. She was a casualty of this pandemic as much as anyone else who died.'' prgtoken I am honored in her memory to lead this bill to prevent burnout among the health professionals answering the call of duty. I thank my seven co-leads, Raja Krishnamoorthi, David McKinley, Judy Chu, Fred Upton, Haley Stevens, Morgan Griffith, and John Katko, and to note that the strong bipartisan support that this bill enjoys is confirmation that Congress can still come together to tackle big problems. prgtoken I thank Jennifer and Corey Feist, Dr. Breen's sister and brother-in- law, who have championed this bill from the beginning to ensure that Lorna's legacy is codified here in the halls of Congress. But most of all, I thank every last doctor, nurse, EMT, custodial staffer, food service worker, and especially our emergency room doctors who put themselves into harm's way to keep the rest of us safe. Our work to secure for you the support you need is far from over.
RESPONSIBLE EDUCATION MITIGATING OPTIONS AND TECHNICAL EXTENSIONS ACT
Mark Takano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-12-8

such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing. prgtoken , I appreciate the work and cooperation of the ranking member, and I appreciate that he stands squarely behind this legislation. prgtoken What is at stake at the very end of this year is the housing of our Nation's student veterans, numbering in the tens of thousands. We need swift passage of this bill and the companion bill in the Senate. prgtoken I urge all Members of the House to support this bill, and I urge our Senate colleagues to act on this expeditiously. prgtoken , I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5545, as amended, and .
REMEMBERING SENATOR ROBERT J. DOLE
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-12-8

I rise tonight to recognize a great American, a man whose accomplishments during the 20th and 21st centuries are legend already. prgtoken Senator Robert Dole was a war hero who fought against Nazi forces in the horrific battles on the Italian front and was gravely wounded. Following the 20th century's Allied victory against tyranny, he went on to serve as one of America's finest statesmen. He was strong, faithful, honest, and indefatigable. prgtoken My friendship with Senator Dole was forged during the 17-year quest to secure a fitting World War II memorial here in our Nation's Capitol that honors the 16 million Americans who put it all on the line when the world needed them most. prgtoken Our Nation needs leaders like Bob Dole today. He understood that extreme partisanship could not bring about the common good. Instead, we must work together to deliver the promises of the American Dream. prgtoken He left us with this wise advice: ``America needs unity to rediscover its greatness.'' prgtoken Godspeed, Senator Dole. You will be greatly missed and remembered always.
HONORING THE LIFE OF LIEUTENANT GARRETT RAMOS
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-12-8

I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of Lieutenant Garrett Ramos of Sterling, Illinois. Thirty-eight- year-old Lieutenant Ramos served the Sterling Fire Department for a decade before losing his life late last week. prgtoken Late Friday night in Rock Falls, Illinois, Lieutenant Ramos responded to a call for help. As he was bravely fighting a house fire, the floor collapsed beneath him. But while Lieutenant Ramos' life was cut short, his memory will live on. prgtoken Described as an amazing individual of the highest caliber on and off duty, Lieutenant Ramos carried on his family's legacy of service when he became a firefighter, just like his father. prgtoken Lieutenant Garrett Ramos was a good man, a good firefighter, a good friend, and a good Cubs fan. But above all else, he was a son, a husband, and a father to two little children who will dearly miss him. prgtoken He was a true hero to the community he served. The community is asked to put a red light on their porch in honor of Lieutenant Garrett Ramos. prgtoken My deepest condolences to his loved ones. May they be comforted by his memory.
COMMEMORATING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF DR. ENID PINKNEY
Frederica S. Wilson (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2021-12-8

. Madam , from the 24th district of the great state of Florida, I rise today to commemorate the 90th Birthday of Dr. Enid Pinkney. prgtoken Whereas, Enid Curtis Pinkney was born October 15, 1931, in the city of Miami's Overtown neighborhood. She is the third of four children born to Bahamian parents, Lenora and Henry Curtis. She graduated from the all-black Booker T. Washington High School in 1949 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Talladega College (Talladega, Alabama) in Social Science. She continued her education and earned a Master of Science degree from Barry University (Miami, Florida) in Guidance and Counseling and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from St. Thomas University (Miami, Florida). Dr. Pinkney served on the Executive Board of the National Alumni Association of Talladega College, has been inducted into the Talladega College Hall of Fame, and received the Southern Regional Outstanding Alumni award from the National Alumni of Talladega College. The Enid Curtis Pinkney Humanitarian Awards Luncheon was named in her honor by the Miami Talladega College Alumni Association; and prgtoken Whereas, due to her civic involvement and knowledge as a historian, Dr. Pinkney was featured in Miami in Our Own Words, by the Miami Herald, Profiles of Miami by the University of Miami, and has been a columnist for The Miami Times. She wrote a chapter in Miami's Historic Neighborhoods entitled ``Brownsville.'' Dr. Pinkney conducted the African American Research for Burials in the City Cemetery, 1896 through 1990. She produced the television program Resurrection: Blacks Buried in the City Cemetery for WPXM TV and a twelve-part series on Historical Perspectives of Brownsville for WLRN TV; and prgtoken Whereas, Dr. Pinkney worked aggressively over the years to ensure that the role of African Americans in Miami's history is acknowledged and preserved. She appeared in several documentaries detailing Miami's history including Golden Side of the Tracks, a film Documentary about ``Overtown,'' which was directed by David Weintraub. More recently she appeared in a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. documentary regarding his visits to Miami, Florida, produced by WLRN TV and directed by Mia Lorenzo. Dr. Pinkney also produced the documentary the Hampton House which aired on WLRN TV; and prgtoken Whereas, Dr. Pinkney worked as a social worker from 1953 to 1955, after which she worked in the Dade County Public School System until she retired, in 1991, as Assistant Principal at South Miami Middle School. In the mid-1980s, she joined the Dade Heritage Trust historic preservation organization, and in 1998 was elected the first black president of the Trust leading the community in saving the Miami Circle from demolition. She also served as the first African American president of Natives of Dade. Under Dr. Pinkney's leadership, the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust prevented the City of Miami from building an Ec
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-12-8

I am here on the floor today to urge the Senate to move immediately to vote on the confirmation of Dr. Laurie Locascio to be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce and--this is a double-headed position--as the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. prgtoken As of today, we have 156 pending nominations on the executive calendar. These include Ambassadorial nominations to important countries like China, Japan, and others all around the world. It is harming our national security. We should be moving forward with them urgently. Then there are a whole number of nominations that relate to very important U.S. domestic Agencies, and one of them is this appointment at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. prgtoken Look, many Americans are aware of the NIH, the National Institutes of Health. They know that that Institute does very important medical research that helps save lives and that it develops treatments to help Americans and others around the world. In fact, they have played a key role in the development of the vaccines against COVID-19. prgtoken Less well-known but also very important is the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which plays a key role in supporting American economic competitiveness and supporting innovation for Americans and American companies around the world. They also play an important role in the supply chain effort of the United States. That, of course, has taken on added significance in recent months as we experience bottlenecks. prgtoken So we are only hurting ourselves, and we are only hurting our country by refusing to allow this body to move forward on a vote on her nomination. We are essentially saying to this very important institute, this important government entity: We are not going to vote on your leader. So it is time to move forward on this. prgtoken Now, I want to talk a little bit about why Dr. Locascio is an exceptional choice for this role. It is not only because she hails from the great State of Maryland; it is not only because she is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore and that she has been prgtoken a leader of the University of Maryland's research endeavors since 2017; but it is also--and most importantly--because she brings to this position three decades of experience in working at all levels at NIST, the institute to which she has been nominated to lead. prgtoken She began her time at the Agency as a research staffer and rose to become the Acting Principal Deputy Director and Associate Director for Laboratory Programs. She was responsible for directing the Material Measurement Laboratory, which is one of NIST's largest laboratories. She also has very intimate knowledge of NIST from her other years of experience there, and she has really touched upon every area of endeavor within the NIST portfolio. prgtoken As I indicated, this appointment wo
FIRING OF TENNESSEE TEACHER
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2021-12-8

. Madam , I was saddened when I read this morning about an incident concerning a teacher and a school board in East Tennessee. Matthew Hawn was fired for teaching about white privilege to his largely white classes of Contemporary Issues students in Sullivan Central High School in Kingsport, Tennessee. Mr. Hawn used both historical and contemporary examples, including the recent trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd. The General Assembly of Tennessee recently outlawed teachers from teaching critical race theory or ideas that any race is ``inherently privileged, racist, sexist or oppressive'' and backed the law with financial penalties. This sort of legislating is a throwback to an earlier period of intolerance and fear of history and science. Our state's reputation was stained in the 1920s by the prosecution of Dayton, Tennessee, schoolteacher John Scopes for teaching evolution. I had hoped those days were long behind us. I guess not. Confronting painful periods in our country's history--such as slavery, segregation, the Trail of Tears, women denied voting rights--will make our students more tolerant, aware and worldly. I am deeply troubled by what has happened to Mr. Hawn and I hope decision makers will restore him to his place in the classroom where he can challenge young minds with new ideas.
ADJUSTABLE INTEREST RATE (LIBOR) ACT OF 2021
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-12-8

I would simply say to my colleagues who may be watching: You don't have to trust the 21 business groups who have signed the letter that I just included in the Record, and you don't have to trust me. Listen to the words you just heard from our colleague, Mr. Hill: This bill does not increase government or regulatory power. You ought to vote for the bill. prgtoken , .
Government Funding (Executive Calendar)
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-8

. I just want to thank the Senator from South Carolina for his work and support in this area. He has worked with me in trying to find common ground, and I appreciate that work very much. I just want to respond to a couple of his concerns. prgtoken One of the reasons why we wanted to have a bright line at felonies is because we didn't want to marginalize women in the armed services. If you only remove a small number of crimes--just the 11 that are in this bill--that disproportionately affects women servicemembers. prgtoken Oftentimes, there will be a belief that these changes are made to give special treatment just to women servicemembers. The reason why both Senator Joni Ernst and Senator Tammy Duckworth--two of the female armed service veterans in the U.S. Senate from both the ic and Party--the reason they support this bill is because they believe that if you put the bright line at felonies and treat all servicemembers the same regardless of the crime, that you won't be further marginalizing women servicemembers. They won't be perceived as receiving special treatment. If they are being perceived as receiving special treatment, that is being perceived as a pink court, and we would like to avoid pink courts. We would like to avoid the perception of special treatment. prgtoken We believe that if you are reforming the military justice system, as Secretary Austin has said, that it needs to be unbiased, it needs to be professionalized, and it needs to be independent of the chain of command; that what is good for this set of crimes is good for all sets of crimes, just as the IRC has recommended. prgtoken Second, we know that this type of system actually strengthens commanders because it allows them to focus on winning wars and training troops. This bifurcated system under the NDAA is going to leave commanders without all authority to do what they would want to do and just some authority, so there will be a lot of bureaucracy that will take time and effort and may lead to undue command influence and unintended consequences. prgtoken So a system that gives all that decisionmaking directly to trained, independent military prosecutors is preferable and a commander-friendly system. In fact, our allies chose to do a bright line at serious crimes for this very reason. UK, Israel, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Germany--they did it specifically for both plaintiffs' and defendants' rights, so they had an equal justice system for all parties, and they allowed commanders to focus on commanding and doing the job of winning wars and training troops. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a list of the roles that still remain with the commander, this larger list of what remains with the commander under this NDAA, as well as a list of the offenses the NDAA takes out of the chain of command, which is 11, versus our bill, which would have been 38, as well as an analysis tha