mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Inflation (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-6-7

when I was first elected to Congress in the 1970s, I ran as ``Grassley, the inflation fighter.'' Inflation was about 12 or 13 percent at that time. When I ran for the Senate, it was 12 or 13 percent again, and it hasn't been a major problem since then. prgtoken Those who remember that time of high inflation know that it is a time period when inflation was a real problem. It kneecaps middle-class prosperity and causes severe hardships for those already struggling. Inflation is nothing short of a regressive tax, as it hurts Americans more the less money that they have. prgtoken It is a stealth tax. With the income tax, you can see how much the government is taking out of your paycheck. With a sales tax, you can see on your receipt what the government took for its cut. With inflation, the value of the dollar in your pocket is reduced without even leaving your billfold. prgtoken When Americans suddenly notice that it costs more to buy the same groceries, it can be hard to know whom to blame. Did the store just decide to raise prices or is inflation caused by mysterious economic forces beyond anyone's control? prgtoken In reality, the Federal Government can directly cause inflation by printing too much money to feed its spending habits. Politicians like to promise freebies that someone else will pay for--maybe ``the rich'' will pay. prgtoken Who is ``the rich,'' you might ask. ``Don't worry; it is not you,'' the big spenders assure us. prgtoken Well, don't be so sure. President suggested that if rich people pay their fair share of taxes, we can afford to spend another $4 to $6 trillion. Now, in reality, if the government confiscated all the wealth of all the U.S. billionaires, it wouldn't cover that bill. Just asking them to pay a little bit more, as the President suggests, will barely make a dent. prgtoken So who is going to pay the bill? Don't be fooled. Each American is going to pay that bill. Hard-working Americans will be shouldering the costs of 's spending plans in the form of lower wages or higher prices at the gas pump or the checkout lines at Hy-Vee in Cedar Falls, IA. prgtoken Remember, prior to the pandemic, tax reform and a more predictable regulatory environment contributed to the best economy America had seen in decades. Yes, prior to the pandemic, as a result of the policies of regulatory reform and of the tax bill of 2017, we did end up with the best economy America had seen in 50 years. Unemployment reached a 50- year low. Family incomes and workers' wages experienced robust gains. In fact, wage growth was strongest for low-wage workers. As a result, income inequality actually declined. prgtoken My colleagues across the aisle like to repeat the falsehood that tax reform was just ``tax cuts for the rich''--not true. We eliminated loopholes that allowed some favored corporations to avoid millions in taxes. By having more corporations paying their fair share, we were able to
Economic Recovery (Executive Session)
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-6-7

I spoke recently about a serious crisis facing our economy, the workforce shortage. This has been brought on by many things that my colleagues from the left have spent and asked questions and brought about policies. prgtoken Today, I want to discuss another looming challenge to our economy, one where ic policies are adding fuel to the fire, if not starting the fire itself. I am talking about inflation. prgtoken Inflation is not an abstract idea thrown around by finance gurus. Inflation is a real threat to the pocketbooks of hard-working Americans throughout our great country. We haven't hit the inflation levels of Jimmy Carter's days yet, but the warning signs are here. prgtoken I recently spoke with a group of homebuilders from across my home State of Alabama. They told me how they are seeing prices increase that are even higher than the ballooning national average. As an example, in Alabama and across much of the South, homebuilding materials, such as brick, are up 10 percent. Insulation prices are up 15 percent. Sheetrock prices are up nearly 50 percent. Lumber prices are up 300 percent. And particle board prices, which are used in most homes across the country, the price is up almost 600 percent. prgtoken Although demand for houses went up during the height of the pandemic, the Commerce Department reported that U.S. homebuilding actually declined in April of this year. With the demand for housing so high right now, you would think new construction would be taking place everywhere you turn, but that is not the case. Builders are actually delaying construction projects because material prices have hit record highs. Prices are rising so rapidly that a project costing $300,000 at the beginning ends up costing more than $350,000 at the time of completion. This eats into builders' margins and discourages them from starting new projects, therefore, putting people out of work. prgtoken Folks back home can rest assured that I will be monitoring this closely. I will be listening to my constituents and other companies about their costs and supply chain experiences. But I shouldn't be the only one taking all these concerns into account. These price jumps should be concerning to all of us in this building because the national numbers don't paint a rosy picture. prgtoken In April, consumer prices jumped by 4.2 percent, the highest rise in over a decade. Energy prices went up 25 percent overall, with gas prices increasing nearly 50 percent. According to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve, price increases by one metric were the highest since 1980. prgtoken This level of inflation doesn't just affect a select few; it affects all American families. For many folks, a 4-percent hike on grocery bills takes a serious toll. Rising prices like these are the definition of a kitchen table issue. Paying 50 percent more for gas or having a costlier electric bill forces families to make a hard choice on what they
SENATE AGENDA
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-6-7

. Now, , on another matter, after a week of work with our constituents, the Senate reconvenes with a chance to refocus on the most important issues facing our folks back home. prgtoken Already on multiple occasions this year, we have demonstrated that even a narrowly divided Chamber is capable of taking productive, bipartisan steps on serious issues. Wide majorities have come together to extend access to the critical PPP loans, invest in drinking water infrastructure, and equip the justice system to better combat hate prgtoken crimes against Asian Americans. This week, the Senate is set to do the same on legislation regarding competition with China, and many of our colleagues are working hard to make further consensus possible on issues that have historically enjoyed bipartisan support, like transportation infrastructure. prgtoken Remember, this sort of collaboration on serious priorities is what the American people insisted upon just last November. They elected a 50-50 Senate, shrunk ' majority in the House, and took President up on a promise to unite the country. So the question at the outset of this work period is how will use their razor-thin majority over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, the ic leader already signaled his answer a week ago by laying out a June agenda that is transparently designed to fail. prgtoken As I understand it, Senate intend to focus this month on the demands of their radical base: exploiting the cause of pay fairness to send a windfall to trial lawyers; saddling hospitals, schools, and small businesses with crippling new legal burdens if they fail to keep pace with ``woke'' social norms; and opening an unprecedented new front in the left's war on the Second Amendment. prgtoken As written, these are not proposals aimed at earning bipartisan support. They are not designed to clear the Senate's necessarily high bar for ending debate. Bizarrely, it appears they are being floated in order to illustrate that the bar is too high. prgtoken After a spring in which the Senate has repeatedly passed mainstream legislation by wide margins, have decided that now--now is the time to argue that the legislative process is somehow broken. prgtoken Let's not forget the ' poster child for why the Senate should change its rules is a bill that would forcibly change the rules for elections in every State in America. prgtoken Let me say that again. ' poster child for why the Senate should change its rules is a bill that would forcibly change the rules for elections in every State in America. prgtoken Their marquee bill, S. 1, is such a brazen political power grab that the question isn't whether it could earn bipartisan support; the question is how wide the bipartisan opposition will be. This is the bill the ic leader has placed at the vanguard of his campaign to destroy the filibuster, even though multiple Members of
Nomination of Julien Xavier Neals (Executive Session)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-6-7

it is a fear that one should have as to who gets the microphone last, but nonetheless, no need to fear. I think that statement about better looking is a Pinocchio on your part, in any event. But I will stop before I get called out of order. prgtoken , it is with great urgency that I come to the floor to urge support for the confirmation of Julien Xavier Neals to be a U.S. district court judge in New Jersey. My distinguished colleague, who knows Mr. Neals extraordinarily well, can speak to all the elements of him as a human being, as a lawyer, and as someone who was a judge at one level and, in fact, can be and will be an extraordinary district court judge. prgtoken We are known in New Jersey as having one of the busiest courts in the entire country. As of last year, more than 46,000 cases were pending before it, many of them among the most complex and challenging cases in the Nation. Yet multiple judicial vacancies on the court have led the Judicial Conference of the United States to declare a judicial emergency. The court is short-staffed by a third, leaving each of our seated judges with a mind-boggling caseload of 2,700 pending cases. That is a caseload more than three times higher than the national average. prgtoken Fortunately, this week, the Senate has an opportunity to begin alleviating this judicial emergency by confirming Julien Neals to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey. Mr. Neals is an outstanding nominee who has devoted his entire career to the practice of law in my home State of New Jersey. Throughout his three decades in the legal profession, he has served in many diverse roles. Every step of the way, he has impressed those around him with his integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to equal justice and fair administration of the law. prgtoken He clerked on the Superior Court of New Jersey, practiced civil rights, employment discrimination, and intellectual property law as an associate and partner of a Secaucus-based firm. He served the city of Newark during my distinguished colleague Senator Booker's time as the mayor of that great city of Newark and since 2015 has worked as counsel for Bergen County, the most populous county in all of New Jersey. prgtoken As you heard, my colleague still speaks glowingly of Mr. Neals' achievements during his time as chief judge of the Newark Municipal Court, how he improved the efficiency and the culture of the institution, created the first community court in the State of New Jersey, and in less than 2 years presided over more than 6,000 cases, while supervising 11 full-time judges. prgtoken There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Neals will be an asset to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey as it emerges from this pandemic and works to reduce its backlog of pending cases. He is qualified, and he was qualified to serve on the Federal bench back in 2015 when President first nominated him to the U.S. District Court in
Election Protests (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-6-7

imagine this: In one of the great nations of the world, there is a controversy over transition of power, the peaceful transfer of power. And in this country, those who are about to lose power are concerned--so concerned that their backers are turning to the streets. They plan on demonstrations against the supposed new leadership in their country, and people fear violence. prgtoken It was against this background that Nadav Argaman, the director of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, made a rare public intervention on Saturday night, warning of discourse that is ``liable to be interpreted by certain groups or by individuals as one that permits violent and illegal activity that is liable, heaven forbid, to reach mortal injury.'' Without mentioning any politicians directly, Mr. Argaman added, ``It is our duty to come out with a clear and decisive call to stop immediately the inciting and violent discourse. The responsibility for calming spirits and reining in the discourse rests on all of our shoulders.'' prgtoken I bring this matter to the floor of the Senate because it parallels what we endured and experienced just a few months ago. I am sure you remember it well, . I do. The election last November, which was won by Joseph over , the incumbent President, by some 7 million votes--one of the largest turnouts, if not the largest turnout, in the history of the United States. It was a decisive electoral college victory in the same margin that had triumphed over Hillary Clinton just a few years before. Yet, because of the Big Lie and the denial by , he inspired his followers to come to Washington, DC, and participate in a rally to protest, and not to come just any day but to come on January 6, 2021, of this year because that is when the electoral college votes would be counted. prgtoken We know what followed. We know that mob was turned loose in the streets of Washington and turned loose on the Capitol Building, and those who were here that day will never forget it. I can recall the Vice President of the United States being pulled from that chair you are sitting in, . He was taken out that door. It was about 2:15 in the afternoon. Then a member of the Capitol Police stood before us and warned us: Stay in your seats. This will be a safe place to be. We are going to gather all the staff around the walls here. Just sit tight. prgtoken later, he came back and said: Change of plans. The mob is advancing on this Chamber as we speak. Leave immediately. prgtoken Everyone picked up as fast as they could and left. prgtoken It was a scene that seemed so unrealistic, you wouldn't imagine it could happen in the Capitol of the United States of America. But the insurrectionist mob inspired by President was here for business. They were here to stop the ordinary course of business in the Senate and the House, which wou
Nomination of Julien Xavier Neals (Executive Session)
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-6-7

I rise today with a lot of joy. I get a chance to speak about someone I have known for decades. I am rising to speak about Julien Neals and my hope that he gets to serve on the U.S. District Court of the great State of New Jersey. prgtoken I have spoken to many of my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee about Julien Neals. He is someone I have not just known for a long time, but even though he is not quite my height, I look up to him. We worked together when I was mayor of the city of Newark. So today what I really want to speak about is not simply his impressive career, his distinguished resume, but I really want to talk a bit about who he is. prgtoken I am not sure how many of my colleagues know this about the city of Newark, NJ, but when I became mayor in 2006, we inherited a lot of very complex, very serious challenges, and for the sake of our residents, we needed to make change quickly and very urgently. So I brought in this guy named Julien Neals, whom I didn't quite know that well, but he was so well highly recommended. prgtoken He moved from the private sector, where he was with a very prestigious New Jersey law firm, and decided to lead the transformation in New Jersey's largest municipal court. He knew that it was a court system that had to change, and he stepped up. He changed it. He changed the way our court operated. He centered it in common community values and made sure that everyone who came before that court was treated in a way that affirmed their dignity, no matter what the matter was. prgtoken He pioneered innovations that the whole State--in fact, many places in our Nation--took notice of. He created the first community court in the State of New Jersey, the first youth court, and the first veterans court. He realized that citizens all have, often, different needs, especially folks like our young people and our veterans, and that there is a different way to achieve a larger standard and a larger ideal of justice. prgtoken Well, the problem is, when you do so well in one job, you get pushed to another opportunity. I quickly moved him from being my chief judge of New Jersey's largest municipal court to come in and be my corporation counsel in my mayoral administration. prgtoken In the wake of the recession in 2008, he became the business manager, the person who runs the city day to day, and under the most difficult, savage of circumstances, he made challenging changes that helped us get through that very difficult period. prgtoken Cities all over New Jersey were being crushed financially, making massive amounts of layoffs, and in those financial times, he was able to get our city to be dramatically more efficient, to bring in new ideas that helped us to create everything from environmental sustainability to expanding access to municipal services to the public. He brought in innovations that became really par for the course all over New Jersey, but Newark did them first
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-6-7

. Finally, , I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Tuesday, June 8; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; further, that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the Neals nomination postcloture; that at 11:30 a.m all postcloture time expire; that following the cloture vote on the Rodriguez nomination, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly caucus meetings; further, that the postcloture time on the Rodriguez nomination expire at 3 p.m.; that the order of Friday, May 28, with respect to S. 1260 be executed immediately following the disposition of the Rodriguez nomination; that the cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 7 ripen following the disposition of S. 1260; and finally, that if any of the nominations are confirmed, that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-6-7

I rise to ask that the Senate be given the chance to consider and vote on the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act. prgtoken Before I discuss the bill, I would like to first acknowledge that we have just returned from Memorial Day recess and to recognize the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country and to protect our freedom. They got on a plane or they got on a ship; they went to countries they may never have been to before; they fought for our country; and they didn't come home. prgtoken We ask so much of our servicemembers and their families, and we owe it to them to take action when they are in danger. That is why I want to talk about this bill right now. prgtoken Sexual assault in the military is an epidemic. Year after year, reports of sexual assault have gone up, but conviction rates and prosecution rates have actually come down. This stems from a fundamental problem which has to be addressed: There is bias in our military justice system. prgtoken Right now, if you are a victim of sexual assault or another serious crime, the decision to prosecute goes to a commander, not to a trained military prosecutor. And while our commanders are exceptional leaders and exceptional warfighters, they are not legal experts, nor should they be asked to be. Nor can commanders be truly independent when considering charges against a subordinate or charges made by a subordinate. prgtoken This bill removes the decision of whether to prosecute sexual assaults or any other serious crime out of the chain of command and gives it to trained military prosecutors, where it belongs. This would establish something fundamental to our justice system: blind justice. It is a simple change. It is a change that is supported by legal experts, by JAGs, by commanders, by generals, by admirals, by veterans. prgtoken Opponents of this bill--and their numbers are dwindling--claim that this one change would somehow undermine good order and discipline. Well, I will tell you, I have heard that one before. It is the same weak argument they have made time and time again. prgtoken Many people stood on this floor and said that we could not repeal don't ask, don't tell because it undermined good order and discipline. When we wanted to integrate the military and have Black servicemembers serve, we were told we couldn't possibly do that; it would undermine good order and discipline. We made the case that LGBTQ members should be able to serve openly, that trans members should be able to serve openly. We were told: You can't possibly do that; it would undermine good order and discipline. When we asked for women to be able to serve in combat, something they had been doing for a very long time but not necessarily getting credit for it, we were told: You can't possibly do that; it will undermine good order and discipline. prgtoken But each of those times Congress rose to the occasion and did the ri
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-6-7

reserving the right to object, first of all, let me commend Senator Gillibrand. No one has been as relentless in terms of trying to improve the Uniform Code of Military Justice, particularly with respect to sexual assault. And I agree: These crimes involving sexual assault can be properly moved out, done so in a way that does not impede good order and discipline in the U.S. military. prgtoken The issue that is emerging is an issue of the scope. The Senator's bill includes felonies like burglary and larceny that do not involve sexual assault. The Senator has pointed out, and I think correctly, that Congress has risen to the occasion. In fact, I was with people who wanted to repeal ``don't ask, don't tell.'' I was fighting for those things, along with other provisions that she cited. prgtoken But Congress has done the right thing only after careful consideration, and we have that opportunity in the committee. That is the way we have done every piece of major legislation since I have been here over a couple decades. There will be an opportunity to vote on all these issues in the committee with men and women who have great insight and knowledge--combat veterans, others who have served for a very long time. And they have invested, as I know the Senator has invested, time and effort and can perhaps improve the bill and perhaps point out areas of the bill that have not been thoroughly analyzed. prgtoken So I think it is incumbent upon us to move forward to consider this bill in committee and then to bring it to the floor of the Senate. There will be opportunities for amendments, and at the end of the day, we will have, I think, one, a better bill, perhaps. But, two, we will have a bill that people can embrace because it has been thoroughly vetted by the committee of jurisdiction. prgtoken So for those reasons, I would object to the unanimous consent request.