mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Jack Bergman (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I thank Representative Johnson for yielding. It is an honor to be here on the floor with him tonight. prgtoken Our country recognizes leadership at all levels, regardless of party ideology, prgtoken and I see here on the floor real leadership, committed leadership. prgtoken I rise today to express deep concern for the state of our Nation's southern border. Words matter, and it is time we start calling this situation what it really is: a crisis. In simple words, it is what it is. Don't try to paint it in many different ways. prgtoken President has invited this crisis through his words and in his executive actions, including terminating construction of the wall on our southern border. prgtoken We need real leadership now. Now is not the time to be hiding. We need the leaders to step out and step up. It is time to put up and put out the political gamesmanship, put that all behind us and take a serious look at what is happening on the southern border. When I say a serious look, I mean that literally. prgtoken Vice President , let alone President , has yet to visit the border since being charged with addressing the crisis there. The United States is and must always remain a free and welcoming Nation. prgtoken We are all immigrants. We are immigrants by generations who came here for one of two reasons, for an opportunity or fleeing persecution. That hasn't changed. prgtoken We are also, and by all standards measured, a Nation of law and order, and our laws must be followed. prgtoken Madam , I urge Congress to take up critical legislation, such as Representative Andy Biggs' Stopping Border Surges Act and Representative Jeff Duncan's H.R. 88, Build up Illegal Line Defenses with Assets Lawfully Lifted Act of 2021. These bills will begin to address the root cause of our immigration issues. prgtoken In addition, the bureaucracies here in D.C. can play a positive role, such as Department of Labor and DHS. They can help. Because when you look at those who seek to come here legally and work as guest workers, we can bring good people from around the world here through the H2B and H2A programs. They do not seek permanent status; they come here to work, and they go home. The bureaucracies can get involved to help good, legal immigration occur after you separate out the guest worker programs. prgtoken Madam , we can secure our border, protect those wishing to come here legally, and crack down on those who wish to do us harm--and I mean, crack down on those who wish to do us harm. It is time this body gets to work to address this critical issue immediately.
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I would like to address the Chair with regard to the upcoming infrastructure bill. I am going to talk about some numbers. I don't mean to bore you with numbers. prgtoken When you put together a bill, you don't want to be an outlier. I am going to address two areas in which I think this bill makes this an outlier in very, very serious ways. prgtoken The first one is, you have changes in the tax law. And when you look at the taxes that a business pays in this country, a corporation, you have to look at kind of a double taxation. They will tax you at a corporate rate when the business earns the money; and when the business gives the money to its shareholders, you will be taxed at a dividend rate. prgtoken There is a graph here comparing all of the OECD countries around the world as to where they stand on this combined tax rate. The lowest countries, the Baltic countries, Latvia and Estonia, are 20 percent. prgtoken Right now, the United States, even after the last tax cut, at 47 percent, is middle of the pack. Actually, a little bit higher. If the tax hikes are put in effect that are published right now, you are going up to 62.7 percent. In other words, of the over 20 countries here, the United States will have the highest combined dividend, plus corporate tax rate. That is an outlier and a dangerous place to be an outlier. prgtoken There are a lot of things that go into a decision as to where you put a manufacturing facility, but taxes is certainly one of them. And given one of our goals should be to bring manufacturing back to the country, it is a bad place to be as the highest combined corporate tax rate, plus dividends. prgtoken The next area I am going to address is the money supply. To a certain extent, because of previous bills passed during the COVID crisis, we have had a rather dramatic increase in the money supply. prgtoken I would suggest you google ``M1.'' You will see that, in the last 6 months, the amount of dollars floating around has gone through the roof. Some people, including me, would say M2 would be a better measurement. But even if you look at M2, we have a 27 percent increase in the money supply over the past year. That is just screaming we are going to have a lot of inflation in the very near future. prgtoken It is certainly not the only reason, but we already see the rapid increase in the cost of housing construction. We see an increase in food prices and an increase in energy prices. This is given what we have already done. prgtoken Now, you are going to tell us--or some people are going to say that we are going to raise enough taxes to pay for this spending. But we are going to be raising enough taxes over the next 10 or 15 years. We know around here that when we say we are going to make a pay-for the next 10 or 15 years, a lot of times that pay-for never materializes. prgtoken So I am afraid we are going to have another big increase in the money supply when we have already had a 27
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Mike Garcia (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. I thank Mr. Johnson for hosting this very important Special Order hour. prgtoken I rise today to share my concerns about our crisis at the southern border. As a first-generation American, I understand the opportunities that this Nation provides and why every human being on this planet should want to come to the United States. I am a product of the American Dream, but I also value the law. I value law and order. prgtoken The first step in fixing our broken immigration system must be securing our border. In March we saw over 172,000 migrants attempt to illegally cross our border. That is a 71 percent increase in just one month. prgtoken The administration continues to fail to address this crisis. This is no doubt a product of the administration's policy, but make no mistake, this is now our collective problem. It is affecting our local neighborhoods, it is affecting our governments, it is affecting those who have come here legally, who are now being cut in front of by folks who are breaking the law to come here. prgtoken Communities in border towns are stretched thin and running low on local resources as more migrants flood their communities. This isn't just about the border. The crisis impacts all of us across America, including my district, the beautiful 25th District, where we see a rise in crime tied to illegal immigration and human trafficking. This is being aggravated by the defund the police movement. prgtoken The crisis at our border is about security. It is about safety, and it is about humanity. No human being should be experiencing in their entire lifetime what hundreds of thousands of humans are experiencing right now at our own southern border. prgtoken Let me be clear. We can be a welcoming nation, but we can also be a nation that abides by its own laws and enforces them simultaneously. We need to secure the border, provide the resources to our Border Patrol agents, and stop incentivizing people to come here illegally. When we do those things, we can address the rest of our problems.
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Jay Obernolte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , infrastructure is a bipartisan issue. We all agree that one of the primary functions of government is to provide for the people collectively what they are unable to individually provide for themselves. I am talking about things like highways and roads and dams and harbors and airports. Things that represent long-term investments in the future of our country. prgtoken Unfortunately, the infrastructure package we are currently considering only devotes 12 percent of the over $2 trillion of spending to infrastructure projects like those. prgtoken To give you some egregious examples, the proposed infrastructure package devotes substantially more money to subsidizing the purchase of electric vehicles than it does to building the roads and the highways that those vehicles would drive on. prgtoken The proposed infrastructure package devotes over ten times as much money to expansion of Medicaid than it does to the construction of water infrastructure, of dams and of airports put together. prgtoken It is not to say that these other projects are without merit, but the problem is that almost every dollar of this spending contributes to our national debt. That means that we need to consider only the projects that represent a true, long-term investment in our country. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pare this package down to the projects that accomplish exactly that.
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
James R. Baird (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , from Louisiana for yielding. I appreciate the opportunity to be here. prgtoken Madam , this evening I really rise to voice my concerns over the President's $2 trillion infrastructure plan. prgtoken One concern is the steep price tag, but a bigger concern is what the administration is trying to classify as infrastructure. These attempts from some on the other side of the aisle to classify their partisan priorities as infrastructure, is inexcusable and it is irresponsible. prgtoken The President is asking American taxpayers to fork over $2 trillion. If the President is asking Americans to make a substantial investment, it is Congress' responsibility to ensure that these tax dollars are spent wisely. prgtoken Unfortunately, the President's proposed bill doesn't do this. How can it be infrastructure legislation when less than 6 percent goes to roads and bridges and less than 5 percent goes to broadband infrastructure? prgtoken There is a true need for infrastructure. For instance, in my district, our rural communities need help getting their last mile of broadband. This pandemic has proven that high speed broadband must be addressed. prgtoken Madam , I hope we can remove the partisan approach to this bill and solve the real infrastructure challenges of our country.
250TH ANNIVERSARY OF VASSALBORO, MAINE
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-4-21

. . I rise today to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Town of Vassalboro, ME. Vassalboro was built with a spirit of determination and resiliency that still guides the community today, and this is a time to celebrate the generations of hard-working and caring people who have made it such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. prgtoken The year of Vassalboro's incorporation, 1771, was but one milestone in a long journey of progress. For thousands of years, the land along the great Kennebec River was the home of the Abenaki Tribe, who hunted, fished, and tilled the fertile soil. The reverence the Abenaki had for the natural beauty and resources of the region is upheld by the people of Vassalboro today. prgtoken Vassalboro's roots run deep into American history. It originally was part of the lands granted to the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony in the 1600s. Later, the town became home to a large settlement of Quakers and a center of the movement to abolish slavery. The Society of Friends continues to have a positive presence in the town today. The statue of the Union soldier in Monument Park stands in silent tribute to the many patriots who have stepped forward to serve the cause of freedom. prgtoken With the mighty Kennebec River providing power, Vassalboro was home to many lumber, grain, and textile mills. Built in 1850, the Olde Mill on Main Street was one of the largest mills in New England and world famous for the quality of the cashmere it produced. The wealth produced by hard work and determination was invested in schools and churches to create a true community. prgtoken Today, visitors and residents alike enjoy Vassalboro's quiet parks, beautiful historic buildings, and exciting outdoor recreation opportunities. The energy and planning that are going into the town's 250th anniversary celebration demonstrate the pride townspeople have in their town. prgtoken , Vassalboro's 250th anniversary is not merely about the passing of time, it is about human accomplishment. We celebrate the people who, for longer than America has been a nation, have pulled together, cared for one another, and built a great community. Thanks to those who came before, Vassalboro, ME, has a wonderful history. Thanks to those there today, it has a bright future.
THE BIDEN BORDER CRISIS AND SO-CALLED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Jerry L. Carl (Republican, AL) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , I rise today to express my concern for the unprecedented crisis at our southern border because of the administration's reckless open-border policy and failure to enforce our Nation's immigration laws. prgtoken We are seeing thousands of illegal immigrants crossing the border every single day, and there is no sign of letting up. The President and the Vice President are nowhere to be found. prgtoken That is not leadership. We need leadership. We have a crisis at the border, and leadership, we are making a call for help, please. prgtoken The Vice President was appointed as the border czar weeks ago and has yet to take a single trip to the southern border. That is unacceptable. prgtoken We must have strong border protection for the health, safety, and security of American citizens. It is time for this administration and the far left to put America first by enforcing our immigration laws and putting an end to this horrific crisis at our southern border.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO OBJECT TO PROCEEDING
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-4-21

I intend to object to any unanimous consent request relating to the nomination of Samantha Power to be director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (PN 114). prgtoken Throughout the 116th Congress, I conducted an investigation that found that a non-profit organization transferred funds to an entity known as the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA). This entity had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department for helping funnel funds to terrorists and terrorist organizations including Osama Bin Laden. During this investigation we came across redacted State Department emails that imply that, while she was prgtoken Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power worked through back channels to trigger a Treasury review of ISRA's sanctioned status in an effort to have them delisted. prgtoken In an effort to have these emails un-redacted and better understand Ms. Power's involvement in what could be an alarming abuse of power, I sent a letter to Ms. Power and USAID requesting information on February 18, 2021. Ms. Power responded to my letter on March 23, 2021, the date of her committee hearing, but failed to answer the questions or provide the un-redacted versions of these emails. On March 31, 2021, I sent a second letter to Ms. Power urging her to fully respond to my initial letter. I have yet to receive a response. prgtoken Unfortunately, due to Ms. Power's lack of transparency, I must object to any consideration of this nomination. I cannot in good conscience vote for Ms. Power until I have received a full response to the questions posed in my letter, reviewed the un-redacted versions of these emails, and confirmed that she did not attempt to utilize her office to delist ISRA through back channels.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-4-21

I am honored to be on the Senate floor with my colleague Senator Scott from the great State of Florida. We are here to talk about an issue that really matters to both Alaska and to Florida and, I would say, that actually matters to the whole country. prgtoken Let me begin by saying that, like all States, my State, the great State of Alaska, struggled through the pandemic. There were a lot of challenges. I am proud to say that, with regard to the health challenges of the pandemic, I am very honored and privileged and proud to represent a great group of Americans, my fellow Alaskans, who came together on the health side despite our huge challenges in terms of its being a giant State with a dispersed population. prgtoken We worked together, and on so many indicators of health that were directly related to the pandemic, Alaskans did very well. We were the No. 1 per capita in terms of testing throughout almost the entire pandemic. Remarkably, we have been the No. 1 State per capita in terms of vaccine distribution, which is a mini miracle, if you know Alaska, given how big it is. We had vaccines going out of snow machines, dog sleds--you name it. We were getting it out to everybody in a more efficient way than in any other State in the country and, importantly, thank God, with one of the lowest per capita death rates in the country. We are proud of that. prgtoken Yet our economy--like many but I would say almost uniquely--is getting hammered, and people are suffering economically, first by the pandemic, of course, and now, unfortunately, by our own Federal Government. Let me just give a couple of examples. prgtoken The energy sector is very important to Alaska and very important to America, and, yes, we still need energy. Oil and gas, we need them. We have some of the greatest workers in the world in my State, but the administration thinks we don't need them. It has been crushing my State with nine Executive orders directed solely at the State of Alaska to shut us down--nine by this administration. There is no State in the country that is getting that kind of attention. We don't want that attention. prgtoken Regarding commercial fishing, our State has been what I like to call the superpower of seafood. Over 60 percent of all seafood harvested in America comes from Alaska. This has been hurt by the pandemic. prgtoken The issue that we are here to talk about today is tourism, which is so important to Alaska and so important to Florida, and it is what I want to talk about with my good friend Senator Scott. It is about bringing relief to our fellow Americans--Floridians, Alaskans--and working to immediately pass the CRUISE Act. That is our bill, which would provide relief to coastal communities in our country--in Alaska and in Florida--and would enable a responsible return of cruise ship activities, which are so important to the small business owners in our States, whose livelihoods depend on hav
For the People Act (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-4-21

it is another day and another manufactured crisis. Yesterday, I came down to the floor to talk about the supposed crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court that requires us to immediately add four additional -chosen Justices. prgtoken Today, I want to talk about another manufactured crisis, and that is the supposed election crisis that requires us to pass H.R. 1, a piece of legislation designed to increase ' chances of maintaining their current tenuous hold on power. prgtoken H.R. 1 is not new legislation. introduced a nearly identical version of this bill in the last Congress as well. Back then, we were told that we needed this bill to address profound electoral problems in our democracy--in other words, didn't like the results of the 2016 elections. prgtoken Then, of course, last year, we had an election with record voter turnout--the highest voter turnout since 1900--an election that gave the Presidency and paper-thin majorities in Congress, and the story changed. Now we are told that we need to pass H.R. 1 and federalize elections because legislatures around the country are passing ``voter suppression'' laws. prgtoken The State of Georgia recently passed an election reform measure--a law that keeps Georgia squarely in the mainstream when it comes to State election laws. prgtoken The of the Georgia House of Representatives noted yesterday in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee that while Georgia has made its no-excuse absentee voting more secure with this law, States like Delaware and New York--among many others--don't even allow no-excuse voting. prgtoken Delaware, of course, is the home State of the President of the United States. New York is the home State of the ic leader. I haven't noticed the President or the ic leader criticizing their home States for voter suppression. Nevertheless, decided that the Georgia measure would serve as a useful rallying cry for H.R. 1, so they spread a web of misinformation and outright lies, attempting to get people worked up by portraying Georgia's fairly ordinary election reform laws as a radical attempt to suppress voters and to suppress votes. prgtoken President irresponsibly described the law as ``Jim Crow on steroids,'' as if the Georgia Legislature had decided to reinstate the evil of segregation. The President has been repeatedly rebuked by none other than the Washington Post for repeating a completely false claim about the Georgia law. In fact, the Washington Post gave the President four Pinocchios--a rating that the Post reserves for ``whoppers''--for his false claim that the law is designed to keep working Americans from voting. In fact, as the Post's Fact Checker piece makes clear, there is reason to think the law might actually--wait for it, -- expand access to early voting. prgtoken A fair-minded piece in the New York Times, hardly
GREEN NEW DEAL
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2021-4-21

. Madam , there is no denying that we need to support an all-of-the-above solution for energy policy to secure our energy independence. But the Green New Deal which was recently introduced, yet again, seeks to fundamentally change our way of life, cripple American businesses, and explode our national debt--$93 trillion, with a T, which is how much their proposal will cost over the next 10 years. prgtoken Let's put that into perspective. $93 trillion is more money than the Federal Government has spent for the entire period from 1979 until the present. Madam , that is absurd. Worse yet, how do the propose that we pay for it? By raising the taxes, of course, up to 70 percent. This is outrageous. prgtoken It crushes jobs, costs an average American household nearly $700,000 through 2029, provides paychecks for people unwilling to work, abolishes airplanes, cows, and fossil fuels, and would require rebuilding and retrofitting every building in America. This is a crazy policy.