mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2024-6-5

thank you to my partner Senator Hirono from Hawaii and to all of the Senators who today are going to lead on this issue of ensuring that people in the United States have access to contraception. I am joined by Senator Smith from Minnesota. But we will be joined by so many others out here on the floor because this Friday, June 7, will be 49 years since there was a decision made in the Roe v. Wade question before it got repealed in 2022--49 years, from 1973 to 2022. prgtoken And the Supreme Court, 59 years ago to this day, June 7--the Supreme Court recognized in Griswold v. Connecticut the right of Americans to use contraception. Just a few years later, in 1972, the Supreme Court expanded on that holding and wrote: If the right of privacy means anything, it is the right of the individual, married or single, to be free from unwarranted governmental intrusion into matters so fundamentally affecting a person as the decision whether to bear or beget a child. prgtoken That was the Supreme Court in 1972. prgtoken In recognizing the fundamental right to contraception, the Supreme Court affirmed what we know: The right to contraception is essential to Americans' health and freedom. This decision was a step toward freedom and away from decades of reproductive coercion rooted in this Nation's history. prgtoken In 1927, the Supreme Court in Buck v. Bell approved forced sterilization in a decision steeped in ableism. Federal funds were used to sterilize 100,000 to 150,000 women, half of whom were Black. Teaching hospitals in New York and Boston experimented on Black and Puerto Rican women as practice for medical students. In recent history, immigrant women in detention faced forced sterilization, and Black, Brown, immigrant, disabled, LGBTQ, low-income and rural Americans still face significant--and sometimes insurmountable--barriers to getting reproductive care. prgtoken Left up to the extremism of the far right, they would let this injustice grow deeper into the American soul. Just 2 years ago, the Supreme Court majority did so when they took settled precedent and placed it on shaky ground. prgtoken In Dobbs, the Supreme Court majority overturned decades of settled precedent to strip away the constitutional right to abortion. On June 24, 2022, Americans had one less right than they did on January 23, 2022. prgtoken In his concurring opinion in Dobbs, Justice Clarence Thomas distilled the threat to American freedom. He outlined a long-held rightwing reactionary belief that Americans had too many privacy rights under the Constitution, that the Supreme Court erred in recognizing those rights, and that the Court should take them away. The rights he was talking about? The right to marry whom you love and the right to contraception. prgtoken Justice Thomas put that in his concurring opinion, a preview of what he wanted the Supreme Court to take up in future years. prgtoken Emboldened b
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2024-6-5

I rise in support of the Right to Contraception Act. prgtoken I would like to thank Senators Markey, Hirono, Murray, and Duckworth for their leadership on this bill. Senator Hirono is here. Senator Cantwell is also with us, who has been such a strong supporter of this bill. prgtoken We are at a pivotal moment for women's rights in this country. This month marks 2 years since the Supreme Court issued the ruling shredding half a century of precedent protecting a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions. This ruling was against the wishes of somewhere between 70 and 80 percent of Americans, who believe that a woman's most personal decisions about her healthcare should be made not by politicians but by a woman, her doctor, her family. prgtoken In the wake of this disastrous ruling, women have been at the mercy of a patchwork of State laws that are creating chaos when it comes to accessing reproductive health care. Since the Dobbs decision came out, extremist judges have attempted to ban mifepristone, undermine IVF, and even criminalize doctors. Legislatures have introduced bills to criminalize doctors for simply doing their jobs. Twenty-one States have fully or partially banned abortion, and the number of U.S. patients traveling to other States for abortion care has skyrocketed to one in five. prgtoken This is unacceptable. My daughter should not have fewer rights than her mother or her grandmother. prgtoken So what is next? Well, what we must do is to codify Roe v. Wade into law, but as we work to do that, we have something else we have to watch out for, and that is that some political leaders have called for restrictions even on contraception. prgtoken In his concurring opinion in the Dobbs case, Justice Thomas actually laid out a roadmap for how the Court could overturn the right to contraception. He said that the Supreme Court ``should reconsider'' whether the Constitution protects the right to access contraception. prgtoken This Friday marks 59 years--59 years--since the Supreme Court recognized the right to access contraception, but the current Court has made it clear that it won't hesitate to overturn decades of precedent in other contexts. prgtoken This threat is not hypothetical. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, nearly 20 million American women live in what we call contraceptive deserts, where they struggle to access birth control. I am thinking about Delilah, who lives in northern Texas. There are no health centers in her county and the dozen surrounding counties. To talk to a doctor about birth control, she has to travel more than 400 miles, nearly 7 hours. There is Maya, who lives in Arizona. The wait times at her nearby health centers are so long that she needs to request an appointment at least 3 weeks in advance. Then there is Leah, who lives in Ohio. She has access to a clinic but has to take time off work to go to appointments--something she can't always affor
HONORING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRINCE WILLIAM RESOLVES AND CELEBRATING THE MARKER DEDICATION
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2024-6-5

I rise to celebrate and honor the 250th anniversary of the Prince William Resolves. prgtoken Today, I am honored to commemorate the unveiling and dedication of a historical marker in remembrance of the Price William Resolves, a celebration co-hosted by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Prince William Resolves Chapter and the Prince William County Historical Commission. prgtoken In 1774, the Prince William Resolves were passed in opposition to the British crown and in response to the call for support from patriots in Boston, Massachusetts following the Boston Tea Party. This moment marked the first act of public defiance against British rule in Virginia. Today, the Prince William community gathers to celebrate the bravery and patriotism of those who came before us. Through this marker, visitors and the community alike will continue to learn about the courage with which Prince William's residents stood up to achieve rule by the people. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Prince William Resolves. I am honored to represent the Prince William community and am proud of the work they do to keep our history alive.
DECOLONIZE PUERTO RICO
Ro Khanna (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-6-5

it is time to finally decolonize Puerto Rico. We have kept Puerto Rico as a territory since 1898, more than 125 years. Over 3 million people have been denied full political rights. prgtoken My grandfather, Amaranath Vidyalankar, was in jail with Gandhi for over 4 years as part of India's independence movement. prgtoken Self-determination is essential, and it is essential for Puerto Rico. We must either grant them full independence or statehood. I am committed to working directly with Puerto Ricans on this issue. prgtoken It is not our place to tell them what they should choose, but we must end harmful policies like Act 22 that enables tax evasion by the wealthy at the expense of Puerto Rico. We also need to end the lack of food sovereignty in Puerto Rico. prgtoken We must end Puerto Rico's colonial status. It was wrong for India, and it is wrong for Puerto Rico in 2024.
HONORING THE LIFE OF CATHY MARCUCCI
Grace F. Napolitano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-6-5

I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Catherine ``Cathy'' Marcucci, who proudly served the City of Industry as Mayor Pro Tem until her passing on April 26 at the age of 60, after a hard-fought, three-year battle against aggressive anaplastic thyroid cancer. prgtoken Cathy was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, and sister, and a dear friend to many. A lifelong resident of Southern California, Cathy began her civic career in 2017 as a member of the City of Industry city council, where she served continuously, stepping into the role of Mayor Pro Tem in 2019. Always eager to be involved in meetings with my staff and me, she was very gracious to all and never wavered from her commitment to assist her constituents. prgtoken Throughout her tenure, Cathy demonstrated exemplary leadership, fostering collaboration and championing causes that uplifted the lives of people and furry companions alike. An avid animal lover, Cathy spearheaded efforts to establish the first no-kill animal rescue in the San Gabriel Valley. prgtoken Cathy is survived by her husband Steve Marcucci; daughter Lauren Eigel and son-in-law, Pete; parents, Larry and Etta Colson; brother and sister, Tim Colson and Chrissy Lowe, and their families; and countless dear friends. She is also survived by her rambunctious four dogs and two cats, all equally beloved and in no particular order: Nemo, Lola, Rosie, Louee, Lucy, and Laci. prgtoken I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, colleagues, friends, and constituents of Cathy Marcucci, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing her life and public service. She will be solely missed.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2024-6-5

I am thrilled to be joining Senators Markey, Hirono, Duckworth, and all of my colleagues today in support of the Right to Contraception Act. prgtoken This month marks the second anniversary of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which upended a woman's right to choose and paved the way for former President and anti-choice politicians to further erode women's rights in this country. prgtoken We knew these anti-choice s wouldn't stop attacking reproductive rights after Roe fell. We knew they would keep trying to diminish our freedom to make decisions about our own bodies, including the right to attain and use birth control. prgtoken You don't have to take my word for it. Look at what is happening in States across the country, as you heard from my colleagues. Even though the right to birth control has strong bipartisan support, anti-choice lawmakers are passing bills left and right to chip away at access to contraception. prgtoken And listen to the leader of the Party. Just 2 weeks ago, former President said he was open to restricting women's right to contraception if he wins another term. For the anti-choice right, this is about controlling women. prgtoken On the other hand, my fellow pro-choice colleagues and I believe in reproductive freedom. We are working every day to protect access to birth control and other basic forms of women's healthcare, and we are making real progress here. prgtoken Last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved Opill, the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill. Once it was approved, Senators Murray, Hirono, and I, along with others, pushed the manufacturers to make sure that Opill is widely accessible without a prescription. It is now available online and in stores across the country. prgtoken We are not alone in this fight. The - administration has worked hard to expand access to contraception and make it more affordable for American women. We have made important progress, and we have seen that the anti-choice movement won't stop coming after our reproductive rights. That is why we have to pass the Right to Contraception Act and protect access to birth control in every State across our country. prgtoken We know that, despite dishonest efforts from anti-choice politicians to label it as dangerous, birth control is an essential part of healthcare. And for me, contraception was about my healthcare, as it is for millions of women in America. prgtoken I will tell you what, to my female colleagues here, if a man were able to give birth, we would have universal healthcare by now. But we don't because they don't feel it; they don't see it. So they disregard it, and they disregard the impact to women and the essential care that we need when it comes to our bodily health. prgtoken That is why this legislation is so important. It would protect the fundamental right to access essential healthcare. It would emp
TRIBUTE TO SENATE PAGES
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2024-6-5

. Thank you very much. prgtoken Om, stand here. Not too close to me, Om. prgtoken When I signal to you, do what I signal. There is one moment in this whole thing, don't mess it up. All right. prgtoken This may be the first embarrassing poem a U.S. Senator has written and recited on the Senate floor. This is history, people. Here we go. Pages! Young wise, future sages, you have all had access passes to the Senate's back stages. Look at you, hanging out on the Senate floor. You do more than just bring us water or open our doors. You bring life to this August body; You bring the average age down in this place from 90. You remind us of our virile past; a testimony to the truth that youth and hair go so darned fast. You were told to stay silent. Though, on some days, perhaps you wanted to scream, because you went without sleep and, thus, were denied your chance to your own sweet American dream. And yet you witnessed the sausage-making of American truth, debates, partisanship and perhaps--believe it or not--one or two Senators acting a little uncouth. Foreign leader visits and State of the Union speeches, only to have to get up the next morning and pay attention to whatever your teacher teaches. God, you Pages! Out of your comfortable home cages. You jumped into this experience despite all better wisdom and a host of warnings: You signed up for really late nights and some too many early mornings. What were you thinking? You are clearly too young to have been drinking. (Laughter.) And yet, with a full-time job and a relentless academic course load, you came; you saw; you conquered with a pace that never slowed. You may think what you do perhaps didn't make a difference at all, but that is ridiculous because, at this end of the historic Washington Mall, Pages sit humbly in the well of the Senate, but their contributions stand tall. Every day, I walk through those doors, to your smiles and kind spirit in this Chamber so round. Good days or bad days, you still gave me a solid pound or a smile or an earnest nod of your head. You should know you subtly remind every single Senator of what for this country is truly ahead. Yes, a divided floor-- and , left and right--but you all unify us because, in you, we see that America's future is bright. And you scramble to us after every speech, Please, may I have a copy, you beseech. But in the very gesture of us handing you our own words, something more than symbolic occurs. We hand tradition; we hand history; we hand off to a courier that is you. We both stand on the stage of history, but briefly, someday soon, it will be over; for here, in the Senate, we all are just passing th
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2024-6-5

I am here today with the same concern that we heard from my colleagues--that this country is failing women in New Hampshire and across the country when it comes to protecting our fundamental freedoms--fundamental freedoms like the right to contraception, which we thought was safe just a few short years ago. prgtoken From the beginning, the right to full access to contraception was hard fought. Since that right was first recognized by the Supreme Court in Griswold v. Connecticut nearly 60 years ago to the Affordable Care Act's expansion of contraceptive coverage in 2010 requiring insurance companies to pay for it, there have been incremental yet vital steps forward for women to determine our own reproductive futures. It put us on a path to making sure our daughters and granddaughters had more fundamental rights, not fewer. But as with so many things, this progress has been met with resistance. prgtoken In the year since the Affordable Care Act, attacks on contraception have increased at both the State and Federal levels. prgtoken Like many Americans--like those of us here today--I was very alarmed when Justice Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion in the Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling that the Court should ``reconsider'' its ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut--should reconsider women's rights to access to contraception. That is my editorial analysis of what Justice Thomas was saying. prgtoken Then, of course, just last month, the former President, , implied that States should be allowed to decide access to contraception, potentially setting a dangerous precedent that would harm millions of women and families who rely on contraception. And we heard Senator Murray talk so eloquently about how the laws are being interpreted to raise concerns about access to contraception. prgtoken And as Senator Schatz said so well, we have heard people suggest that our concern about access to contraceptives is really a scare tactic. But for all of us who worked for years trying to protect Roe v. Wade and the right for women to make our own healthcare decisions, we heard that same argument for decades on the Roe decision: The Supreme Court is never going to overturn that; we have already heard the Justices say that is settled law. Well, we saw what happened in the Dobbs decision. prgtoken These threats against women are felt acutely in my home State of New Hampshire, where our critical family planning providers can't make ends meet because elected officials continue to block Federal and State funding vital to ensuring that Granite Staters have access to reproductive care. prgtoken That care doesn't just encompass contraceptive services--though that is critically important--but it also includes basic reproductive education. It includes things like breast cancer screening and sexually transmitted disease screenings and treatment. prgtoken By throwing up roadblock after roadblock, MAGA s are showin
EXTENDING THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION PROGRAM
Dina Titus (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2024-6-5

today, I rise in support of the Radiation Exposure Compensation program, which is set to stop accepting new claims on June 10. prgtoken RECA is an essential program for those who are exposed to radiation connected to aboveground nuclear weapons tests conducted here in the United States from 1945 to 1962. Many of those tests took place in Nevada. prgtoken While these tests helped the United States keep the peace during the Cold War, they also caused long-term health problems for on-site participants, uranium miners and transporters, individuals, veterans, and all who lived downwind from the Nevada test site. RECA provides compensation to those individuals who have developed various kinds of cancer. prgtoken To date, the program has paid out $2.6 billion to over 40,000 individuals, including 2,500 Nevadans, but these residents are in every State and territory. It is imperative that we not let this program expire. prgtoken I urge the to bring forward legislation that extends RECA so that our government can compensate these Cold War warriors who sacrificed so much for our national security.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-6-5

I join my colleagues out here on the floor. from Minnesota for her unbelievable advocacy on behalf of women and healthcare and for her constant leadership on this issue, and I am glad to be joined by my colleague from Hawaii, who also has been such a great leader--both of them serving on the Judiciary Committee, the frontline of making sure that women's rights are protected. I thank them so much. prgtoken Most Americans alive probably don't remember a time when they didn't have the freedom to use birth control. We hear a lot about family planning. Well, what is family planning if you don't have access to contraception? Most people don't remember a time when they didn't have the freedom to decide whether and when to have children. prgtoken In Idaho recently, they have banned abortion. Now several of the State's colleges have banned their staff from even speaking to students about contraception. Imagine keeping college students in the dark about something as basic as a healthcare service. prgtoken We heard from an OB/GYN doctor from Idaho who moved away from their State after their reproductive care law, like so many other physicians have done in other States, and one thing really stuck out about what she told us. She said that anti-choice activists really stood out to her because they told her that ``they're not done.'' prgtoken After Texas banned abortion, the State's Governor said women should just use emergency contraception to avoid getting pregnant, but Texas had already stopped covering emergency contraception under their State- funded family planning programs. prgtoken , when they say they are not done, I believe them. prgtoken In Iowa, the abortion ban is blocked for now, but the State attorney general temporarily paused a public funding program that helped pay for emergency contraception for rape victims, and 362 reimbursements have been delayed. prgtoken , I believe them when they say they are not done. prgtoken In Arizona, where abortion rights have been in legal chaos due to a practically Civil War-era ban, s there unanimously blocked a vote to protect the right to access contraception. prgtoken In Virginia, people still have abortion rights, but the Governor chose to veto a bill to protect and expand birth control access just hours before the deadline. prgtoken So, yes, they are not done. prgtoken In Florida, where a near-total abortion ban just went into effect, lawmakers granted so-called crisis pregnancy centers a fivefold funding increase. These centers pretend to be real clinics while spreading misinformation about reproductive care, including contraception. prgtoken Across the country, anti-choice organizations are pushing false claims about contraception, fighting access to contraception, and basically even saying that birth control should be illegal. prgtoken So they are not done, and that is why we are here today. prgtoken The S