mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-11-18

on November 15, the Pentagon announced that it completed its fourth consecutive annual audit and received a fourth consecutive failing opinion. prgtoken This is what the Pentagon believes: If it somehow merely just conducts an audit, then somehow conducting that audit is a success despite the fact that it has been a requirement under the law for the last 30 years for Agencies--and that means all government Agencies--to conduct and pass an annual audit. The Department of Defense is about the only one that doesn't meet the requirements of the law. prgtoken The Department points to other signs of progress, such as that they were able to downgrade one material weakness from a previous audit and the closure of some 450 adverse findings. That, somehow, is progress. It is not progress--at least, it doesn't meet the demands of the law. However, the fact remains that the Department of Defense is unable to accurately account for billions of taxpayer dollars it spends each year. prgtoken Funding for the Department of Defense is crucial to our national security. Men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform and, hence, defend our country--these people deserve to be well paid and well equipped. prgtoken In light of the rising threats around the globe, it is more crucial than ever that not one dollar is lost to fraud, waste, and abuse. A clean audit, which the Defense Department has never had, is the key to whether Department of Defense money is spent responsibly. prgtoken A key underlying problem to the continued failed audits is the financial management systems used by the various military Departments. The Department of Defense uses hundreds of different financial systems that are outdated and are unable to communicate with each other. They cannot generate reliable transaction data and are not auditable. prgtoken There are inadequate internal controls in financial management systems, presenting an environment that is ripe for waste and fraud. Without internal controls at the transaction level, military leaders can never know how much things cost. prgtoken I have tried to work with leaders in the Department on this subject for years, but time and again, I have been disappointed. prgtoken The Defense Department's inability or its unwillingness to make necessary and overdue changes should be unacceptable to any Senator. prgtoken I filed an amendment to the bill before the Senate this year to address the root cause of the Pentagon's failed audits. The underlying bill provides for an independent Commission tasked with examining the budgeting and planning processes at the Pentagon. My amendment will require that very same Commission to also make recommendations on bringing financial management systems up to snuff. prgtoken The Department of Defense will never be able to get a clean audit opinion while these systems remain unfixed, and the Department of Defense has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to deploy a
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-11-18

. Well, at long last the Senate will officially turn to the NDAA. Every day, world events remind us that America faces serious rolling threats. In too many cases President 's decisions have actually made things worse, so our annual opportunity for the Senate to have its say is as important this year as it has ever been. prgtoken Over in Russia, Putin is preparing to escalate military hostilities along the border with Ukraine, and he is using Europe's reliance on natural gas to bully our friends. But President actually removed obstacles to Putin's brandnew pipeline that will further extend his leverage and further enrich his cronies. prgtoken So I hope the Senate will consider an NDAA amendment to sanction this project and to provide additional lethal support to Ukraine. These initiatives have previously won bipartisan support, so I would hope would join s in pushing back on Moscow. prgtoken China is flaunting major military innovations, like hypersonic weapons systems, stepping up airspace intrusions over Taiwan, and blaming America for their bad behavior. But while President and our colleagues like to talk a good game about China, they have yet to really walk the walk. President 's budget request for our military and defense does not even keep pace with President 's inflation. prgtoken In addition, while Russia openly threatens its neighbors and China builds up its conventional and nuclear forces, there are reports that are considering unprecedented new constraints on America's own nuclear options through a ``no first use'' or ``sole purpose'' policy. prgtoken Our allies have strong concerns about this. I hope the Senate will use the NDAA process to demonstrate bipartisan support for finally modernizing our nuclear triad. That is the bedrock of deterrence and our strongest defense against these serious threats. prgtoken So, what about terrorism? prgtoken Following President 's Afghanistan disaster, we are facing new and growing threats there as well. The new Taliban government has made cabinet ministers out of terrorists whom the - administration let out of Guantanamo Bay. But the - administration still naively acted like these characters care one bit about international norms. prgtoken That is why s have an amendment to ensure that none of the funding for Afghanistan aid can flow to the Taliban. It is an indictment of President 's policy that such an amendment is even necessary, but yet that is where we are. prgtoken In the Middle East, Iranian-backed terrorists are rampaging from Yemen to Iraq to Syria. They are emboldened as our deterrence has eroded. Given the multiple attacks on U.S. forces and facilities, we are fortunate more Americans haven't been killed. It may only be a matter of time before we see U.S. casualties at the hands of Iranian- backed terrorists. prgtoken However, in the wake of these growing threats,
TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF CONGRESSMAN LARRY HOPKINS
Harold Rogers (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-11-18

. Madam , I rise to honor the memory of my good friend and long-time colleague in this House chamber, the gentleman from Kentucky, Larry Hopkins, who represented the people of central Kentucky for 14 years from 1979 to 1993. prgtoken Congressman Hopkins served with great charisma and humor, befriending folks in every corner of Kentucky and across Capitol Hill. Public service was second nature to prgtoken Larry; he fought diligently for investments in our communities and worked hard to pave a brighter future for Kentucky. In fact, Larry won the nomination for governor in 1991 before Brereton Jones succeeded in the general election. Prior to his federal service, he was also elected to serve in both chambers of the Kentucky state legislature. prgtoken As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he led the U.S. House Armed Services Committee with invaluable insight and expertise, leading the way for military modernization. He was a true patriot and champion for our U.S. Armed Forces on that committee. prgtoken Larry and I were close friends before arriving on Capitol Hill, often traveling together, and sharing stories from home and abroad. He deeply loved the people of Kentucky and worked tirelessly to improve this great Commonwealth. I count it a great honor to have called him a friend, and I send my deepest condolences to the Hopkins family.
BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-11-18

I hear all the time in this Chamber people say it is for the children or it is for the kids. What hogwash from the other side to say that this bill helps the children with the child tax credit. prgtoken Your child tax credit is for 1 year, but your tax break for millionaires is for 10? prgtoken You are spending $250 billion in tax breaks for millionaires and $130 billion for 1 year for families. prgtoken , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-11-18

I rise today to express my opposition to President 's nominee to be Comptroller of the Currency, Dr. Saule Omarova. prgtoken Although not the most publicly known office, the Comptroller of the Currency is a prominent and influential position that regulates and supervises all national banks. Given the undeniable importance of this office to the economy and to Americans, it has long been kept free of divisive politics and extreme views. prgtoken While I talk about the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and I talk about banks, my concerns are certainly more than just the financial institutions that are in our country's economy. It is the people, their customers who are served, that bother me or worry me the most. prgtoken Rather than offer practical ideas for strengthening our Nation's banks, Dr. Omarova advocates for the elimination of all commercial banks--the very financial institutions she should be interested in partnering with. Instead, she wishes to replace them with one bank--one bank--the Federal Reserve. prgtoken While the Comptroller might not have direct control of the Federal Reserve's structure, the reach of the position cannot be understated. The Office of the Comptroller is a member of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and even the Board of the FDIC, an Agency Dr. Omarova hopes to eliminate. prgtoken Although the doctor claims to support community banks, her plan would relegate them to mere franchises of the prgtoken larger Federal Reserve, and her comments have alarmed many Kansas community bankers. They have grave concerns about her policies that would ``end banking as we know it.'' prgtoken One Kansas banker says: I have severe concerns with the President's nominee to be the Comptroller of the Currency. Her support of moving the payment system entirely through the Federal Reserve and her commentary in favor of abolishing the FDIC moves the entire banking system toward a government-controlled financial system. Eliminating the dual banking system would be disastrous for entrepreneurs and consumers alike in the marketplace. prgtoken Another banker from Kansas said: We expect our regulator to supervise safety and soundness for banks in the system, not to propose and force feed social agenda items to us. prgtoken Local lenders--I certainly know this in the State of Kansas--are the cornerstone of many small towns, and the Comptroller should appreciate the value that community banking brings, what I call relationship banking. They provide crucial lending services for the underbanked populations in rural and urban areas alike. Eliminating the one-on-one, personal approach that allows community banks to thrive will do permanent damage to financial inclusivity and will further push people out of the financial system. prgtoken I have often said to my coll
PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5376, BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-11-18

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken My friend and colleague from Massachusetts was talking about taxes. I will stand here and talk about taxes all day because, at the end of the night, the American people will see that the second-biggest provision in this bill is actually a tax break to millionaires and billionaires. prgtoken Facts are facts. If you look at it, the Committee for Responsible Federal Budgets found that the SALT tax carve-out would ``be nearly 50 times as large as the benefit of the expanded child tax credits for a typical family over 5 years.'' prgtoken SALT gives tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires in blue States. Who pays for that? Working families all over the United States. prgtoken Madam , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-11-18

families back home in Texas are planning their Thanksgiving menus, but they are also bracing for steep grocery bills. Prices are up for just about every part of a typical Thanksgiving meal. The cost of a frozen turkey is the highest in history. Things like potatoes, butter, pumpkin pies, even salt, cost more than they did a year ago. prgtoken It is not just going to cost more to eat; it is going to cost more to cook. Appliance prices have skyrocketed over the past year, as have electricity bills, and family members will have to prgtoken pay a lot more just to visit their friends and relatives because gas prices are up 60 percent from last year. prgtoken As families are being pummeled by higher prices and inflation, our ic colleagues are planning to hand major savings to a select group of Americans, just not the ones you think and certainly not the ones who need the help. prgtoken Despite their cries of taxing the rich, the are plotting an absolutely massive handout to the wealthiest Americans. This windfall is not distributed through stimulus checks or lower tax rates. That would be far too obvious. Instead, our ic colleagues are relying on a range of gimmicky sunsets and expirations to dole out the millionaire tax break. prgtoken If they thought no one would notice, well, they would be wrong. For example, The Washington Post headline says it all. It reads: ``The second-biggest program in the ' spending plan gives billions to the rich.'' prgtoken That is not how our colleagues have tried to brand their legislation. They would portray themselves as modern-day Robin Hoods--stealing from the rich to give to the poor. prgtoken Strange in that it is really just the opposite. They talk about the wealthy paying their fair share and giving working families free programs, but the reality of the situation is far different from the picture they paint, and the wealthiest Americans stand to reap big benefits under this legislation. prgtoken For example, the have included a provision that will allow millionaires and billionaires in blue States to pay less in Federal taxes. As the headline notes, this handout comes with a big pricetag of $285 billion in tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. It is more expensive than the clean energy and climate provisions in their bill; more expensive than paid family leave; more expensive than the combined cost of the child tax credit and home-based services. prgtoken And there is no denying that the beneficiaries of this ultraexpensive provision are the wealthiest Americans. According to the Tax Policy Center, about 70 percent of the benefit goes to the top 5 percent of wage earners--70 percent goes to the top 5 percent. That is people making more than $366,000 a year, roughly six times the median household income of Texans. We were not talking about saving a few dollars here and there. The top 1 percent would save an average of $
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2021-11-18

I am reserving the right to object. prgtoken I want to speak today on behalf of my amendment, Risch No. 4794, which is not included on that list, which I have introduced with cosponsors Senators Portman, Cruz, Barrasso, Johnson, Cotton, Daines, and Wicker. prgtoken This amendment is the Senate companion to bipartisan language that already is included in the House-passed NDAA which would sanction Nord Stream 2, Putin's premier energy weapon against Ukraine and Europe. prgtoken The timing could not be more important. Ukraine stands on the brink of an invasion, and Europe is in the throes of an energy crisis created by Russia. prgtoken There is a reason Ukraine's President Zelensky tweeted an urgent request last week regarding this amendment, which said: [A]ll friends of Ukraine and Europe in the US Senate [should] back this amendment. prgtoken We are now seeing the consequences of the administration's decision to waive mandatory PEESA sanctions and refusal to impose CAATSA sanctions. prgtoken Russia has deliberately cut gas transmission to Europe through Ukraine and is using high energy prices to pressure the EU into approving Nord Stream 2 as quickly as possible. Putin has publicly stated as such. prgtoken Meanwhile, Russian forces have built up along the border of Ukraine in preparation for what could be a full-scale invasion, just as they did to the Crimea. prgtoken Remember, Nord Stream 2 is designed to replace Ukraine's gas transit system, meaning Russia no longer has to worry about destroying its own infrastructure in the event of full-scale war. prgtoken We cannot allow Putin's blackmail to succeed. Nord Stream 2 has always been a bipartisan issue here in the Senate, and it should continue to be. Not a single Member of Congress supports the completion of this pipeline. I would like to think a similar number of us don't think we should ignore our friends in Europe, particularly Central and Eastern Europe, who stand to lose the most from Nord Stream 2. prgtoken Our amendment would impose mandatory sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG, the company responsible for the project, as well as the companies involved in testing and certifying the pipeline before it can become operational. prgtoken We do provide the administration with a pathway to lifting these targeted sanctions, pending, of course, congressional review. This pathway is the exact same process for congressional input that 98 Senators voted for in CAATSA just a few years ago. prgtoken Nord Stream 2 is not set to become operational for months so there is still time to stop it, but we need to act quickly. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join our distinguished colleagues in the House of Representatives on this important endeavor and to vote yes on this amendment. prgtoken Therefore, I ask unanimous consent to modify the request of the distinguished Senator Reed and include my amendment No. 4794.
BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-11-18

today we are a simple majority vote away from the largest expansion of the Federal Government in the history of this great Nation, ushering a new era of dependence on socialized government. prgtoken We sit at a crossroads between two different directions: prgtoken Free will or government control. prgtoken Honest, hard work or cradle-to-grave welfare. prgtoken Generational debt or deficit reduction. prgtoken Tax increases or tax reduction. prgtoken Socialism or economic freedom. prgtoken American energy independence or pro-China Green New Deal. prgtoken Mass amnesty or secure border. prgtoken Keep jobs at home or send them overseas to China. prgtoken Economic growth or economic surrender. prgtoken The American people or D.C. politicians. prgtoken History will remember which road we decide to go down. I strongly encourage you to choose wisely and vote ``no''--vote ``no''--on the build back broke bill.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-11-18

in reserving the right to object, this is an astounding thing. This is a conversation that has happened today about amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken Now, I haven't been here very long, but, typically, an NDAA takes about 2 weeks on the floor to be able to process, and there is a lot of conversation about different amendments. There are managers' packages; there are big groupings of packages that come together that are noncontroversial; and there will be a series of votes that are side by side with other votes. It has already been set up for 20 votes. That is terrific. That is a great start. prgtoken Then there is a request for some other things that are pretty typical, actually. There have been requests just in the last couple of minutes on military contractors and the vaccine mandate that will certainly affect our military readiness. That is certainly defense related. prgtoken There is human trafficking in China and whether products are coming through. That is pretty straightforward. In fact, that passed unanimously through this body. That doesn't seem that controversial to be able to be in here. prgtoken There are conversations about fentanyl and the origin of fentanyl, where that is coming from. That shouldn't be controversial to try to protect the country, but, suddenly, that amendment has been blocked. prgtoken Nord Stream 2--Ukraine and Russia--has not been a controversial issue for us. This body has laid down sanctions multiple times on the NDAA on this exact issue, and now it is being blocked. You can't even debate it. prgtoken Myself and Senator Daines both brought up things tonight dealing with border security, which is certainly national security: 1.7 million people we know of have illegally crossed our southwest border this year. It is the highest number of illegal crossings in the history of our country--1.7 million. But, on January 20 of this year, President stopped construction on the border wall--in many places, literally where they only had to hang the gates and install the electronic infrastructure there. That was all that was left, but it stopped. prgtoken Why is this connected to national security? prgtoken Well, certainly, border security is national security. Also, part of this funding did come out of defense funding. It is being done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in many places. prgtoken On top of that, this year, so far--just so far this year--we have paid contractors $2 billion not to build the wall. These were contracts that had already been let out to do the construction. We are continuing to pay about $3 million a day to contractors not to complete the wall in sections, by the way, that career individuals had selected--that section and that design--and then had to prove that that was the right place and the right design to both and in this body, which they did. Now we are wasting $2 billion to not do nationa
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-11-18

I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all without intervening action or debate; that no further motions be made in order to the nomination; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate resume legislative session.
BUILD BACK BETTER ACT
Stacey E. Plaskett (Democrat, VI) \u2014 2021-11-18

with the Build Back Better Act, we are investing in a strong economy, in jobs, and ensuring that children, families, and all of our communities can compete and succeed equitably in the 21st century. prgtoken This will tremendously benefit all districts, including districts whose Members will not vote for the bill. No doubt many of them will try to take credit for this as they stand against this transformative investment in our economic future. prgtoken Build Back Better fights inflation because it is paid for and because it helps working people return to work, increasing supply. Build Back Better reduces the deficit, as we have seen from scoring that has been released as we developed the package. prgtoken Americans overwhelmingly support Build Back Better because the American people broadly agree we face an urgent choice between s who insist on keeping the economy that serves the wealthiest and the biggest corporations or the who are giving middle-class families a hand up at achieving the American Dream. prgtoken We have millionaires and billionaires paying lower tax rates than teachers, cops, and firefighters. prgtoken Stop pretending you care about balancing the budget, the deficit, and the middle class. We saw what you cared for in the 2017 tax grab. prgtoken , vote to build back better.