mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-12-1

I come to the floor and join my colleague from Washington to support a woman's right to choose and to make sure that we are making our voices heard loud and clear about the discussion that is happening before the Supreme Court and why it is so important to have the full reproductive health care choices for women in the United States of America. prgtoken In 1973, the Supreme Court decided the Constitution protects a woman's right to privacy and, thus, the choice to have a safe and legal abortion without excessive government restrictions. And so now that these cases are before the Court, it is important for our colleagues to know that the majority of Americans support Roe v. Wade. prgtoken In my State in 1970, the people voted to legalize early abortions and in 1991, by a vote of the people in an initiative process, we supported that ``Every individual possesses a fundamental right to privacy with respect to personal reproductive decisions,'' codifying Roe v. Wade into State law. That was in 1991. prgtoken So it is concerning to people of the State of Washington to hear now that these other States, once coming here to talk about just certain restrictions, are now coming to talk about overturning Roe v. Wade. Women should be allowed to have these fundamental rights dependent not where they live, but to make sure that they have access. And my colleague from Washington just expressed why it is so important for women and families to have access to those full reproductive rights. prgtoken Women across the country for 50 years have come to rely on these constitutional protections to make decisions for themselves, about their reproduction, their families, and their bodies. That is why it is important to realize that Roe is based on our privacy protections in the Constitution. The Justices wisely understood that, that a woman's right to choose was about privacy, a personal issue, a medical choice, one in which the State had very limited roles subject to the highest standards and scrutiny of the Court. prgtoken But some of my colleagues believe that it is their choice to make. They believe they should decide for all women; they believe that they should not make the decision for just themselves, but for other people and for other people's family when to have a child. I know that in Mississippi legislators have decided that rather than viability after 15 weeks, the State should take the choice away from women. prgtoken In Texas, the legislature decided that the choice should be taken away at 6 weeks, typically long before a woman might know she is pregnant. Why are these people who claim that they should be making decisions for women across the country now supporting efforts to take away these important rights. The Court in Casey said, ``The proper focus of constitutional inquiry is the group for whom the law is a restriction, not the group for whom the law is irrelevant.'' prgtoken But let's look at what happ
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-12-1

before my colleague leaves, let me just tell him what a wonderful speech he gave. That was the kind of talk we dreamed of back in the days when I was the director of the Oregon Gray Panthers. What Senator King has basically laid out--much more eloquently than I could have--is that what Senator Casey's legislation is doing is giving older Americans the opportunity to get more of what they want--good quality care at home at a price that doesn't begin to approach the alternative that Senator King is talking about with institutional care. So I want to commend him for it. It reminds me of my Gray Panther days. It was a great speech. prgtoken To my friend Senator Casey, I have been so proud to be a part of this effort because, as you and I have talked about, this is what we always hoped for. This was always the long-term agenda of advocates for seniors. prgtoken I just want to tell the Presiding Officer and colleagues who are following this that Senator Casey has been everywhere on behalf of this cause. prgtoken You have shown up at virtually every caucus meeting to say how important it is. You have come to our Finance Committee to stress it to colleagues on a bipartisan basis. We go together to rallies. You have been, basically, everywhere on this, and that, of course, is one of the reasons we are here on the floor--because it was your effort that did so much to get it into our bill. prgtoken Now, I am going to turn to the legislation in just a quick moment, but I want to respond to one question I have been asked nonstop over the last couple of days, and that is, Why is it so important for the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better legislation before the end of the year? prgtoken I am just going to respond with one sentence: With the Omicron COVID variant now in our country, it is urgent business to strengthen America's economic foundation. That is what Build Back Better is all about. That is what Senator Casey's provisions are doing. prgtoken Now I am going to kind of turn to some of the aspects of what our effort has been all about. Obviously, Oregonians and Americans from sea to shining sea have their hands full these days with school, work, family, with probably trying to get in a little Christmas shopping as well, and it is hard to follow day-to-day policy debates on the floor of the Senate. So I am just going to touch on some of the big picture issues that Senate are focusing on here. prgtoken First, we are all about breaking down barriers to good jobs that support American families. That is what this is about--more support for families. That is how everybody in America gets the opportunity to get ahead. Now, this is the second time in a decade that have had to rebuild the economy after a President has crashed it like a kid on a joyride. This time, families and businesses are still dealing with a pandemic. That is a lot of upheaval to deal with, and it is w
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-1

. Thank you. Thank you so much, Senator. prgtoken , I rise to join my colleagues in calling for the Build Back Better bill to include provisions that will solve the problems that working people are facing every day because of the magnitude of the problems caused by the COVID pandemic. prgtoken Paid leave is a perfect example of this. Today, nearly 8 in 10 workers in America don't have access to paid leave. Those numbers are even worse for lower wage workers, just 12 percent of whom had access to paid leave before the pandemic. prgtoken But we know nearly every single worker will need paid leave at some point in their lives, whether they are dealing with another pandemic or a personal emergency. prgtoken We have to recognize that workers are people first, people who get sick, have babies, adopt children, who need care for their children when they get sick, who have parents who will age and die. prgtoken They work to provide for those families, but providing for your family means, first and foremost, being able to care for that family member when they need you. Without paid leave, most people can't. They are forced to make the impossible choice of either providing for their family by going to work or leaving their job to meet that need. And nobody should have to make that choice between earning a living and providing for an urgent family need. prgtoken We send new mothers back to work when they are literally still bleeding, while they have stitches and they are still healing, before they can even recognize that they have postpartum depression. We force them to leave their infants when they are just days old. They can't nurse their infant. They can't bring them to work with them. They can't bond with them. They can't even put them in a childcare or a daycare center because most require an infant to be at least 6 weeks old. prgtoken Right now, many women get less time with their babies than dogs get before they are separated from their puppies. That is how we are valuing women workers right now, less than we value dogs. prgtoken This issue extends far beyond new moms. New dads should also be able to have time with their new children. Parents with sick children should be able to care for them without fear of losing their job. And workers who need to move a parent to a memory care facility or take them to chemotherapy or take them to doctors' appointments or nurse them when they are in very urgent care need--those are choices that families are making every day, and in this era of COVID, it is happening far more often. You shouldn't have to risk your job or professional future to meet those urgent needs. Without paid leave, far too many workers have to make that very choice and either risk losing their job or having to quit or not meeting that family need. It is inhumane. prgtoken Not having a paid leave program also leaves us vulnerable to future health crises. If we had paid leave in place before the pandem
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2021
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-12-1

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Thursday, December 2; 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; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-12-1

this morning, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether it is constitutional for Mississippi to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. This is by far the biggest threat to Roe v. Wade in almost three decades. prgtoken I am here today to sound the alarm and call on my colleagues to stand with me to protect the health of America's women. prgtoken There is every reason to think that extreme Justices on the Supreme Court are poised to either overturn Roe or fatally undermine it. If the Supreme Court gets rid of Roe, which has been the law of the land for five decades, each individual State will decide whether to let women control their own bodies and their own lives. prgtoken Without Roe, abortion will be immediately illegal in about 12 States, and more than a dozen others will likely put severe abortion restrictions in place. It is even possible that a future Congress would try to restrict abortion nationally. prgtoken Now, you know reproductive rights have been protected for so long in the United States that it has been easy for us to forget what happens when we don't safeguard them. But when women cannot control what reproductive care they receive, their health suffers--their physical, emotional, and economic health--and the health and welfare of their entire families. prgtoken We can see that now in Texas, where a new law creates incentives for vigilantes to pry into their neighbors' lives by letting anyone sue who would aid and abet abortions and get a $10,000 reward for doing so. prgtoken Texas doctors have reported that they are afraid to give essential medical advice to women at risk of life-threatening complications in their pregnancies. One woman in Texas was even refused care for an ectopic pregnancy, which cannot be carried to term and must be terminated to save the patient's life. prgtoken Women seek access to reproductive care for all kinds of reasons-- reasons prgtoken that are personal and intimate and sometimes heartbreaking. And Americans understand this. They get it. Three out of every four of us, including the vast majority of Nevadans, agree that the people who should be making decisions about pregnancies are women and their doctors. prgtoken It is unthinkable to me, then, that the Court is on the verge of taking that decision away from women and medical professionals and giving it to politicians instead. prgtoken If Roe v. Wade is overturned, nearly half of women nationwide will see the nearest clinic close. The average distance to the nearest reproductive healthcare clinic will go up by more than 10 times, from 25 miles to 279 miles. prgtoken Now, if you have ever worked for minimum wage, you know that taking days to travel across State lines for healthcare is a luxury that many Americans can't afford. That is reality for many low-income women, including women of color. prgtoken We have to stop treating women's healthcare as optional. prgtoken In Nevada--and I say
WOMEN WHO WORKED ON THE HOME FRONT WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ACT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2021-12-1

. Madam , I thank both of my friends for their kind remarks on my bill, the Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act. As my friend has just said, this is really an unusual bill because it came to me from a fifth grader. I am particularly pleased and proud to speak in favor of her bill, the Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act. This is all her idea, including getting the funds for the memorial. prgtoken This bill would authorize the establishment of a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia commemorating the efforts of the 18 million American women who kept the home front running during World War II. prgtoken Madam , I thank Senators Tammy Duckworth, Marsha Blackburn, and Mike Braun for introducing the companion bill in the Senate. Last Congress, the House passed this non-controversial bill by a voice vote, and I am hoping for that result again in this House and in the Senate. prgtoken As a teenager, Raya Kenney, the founder--and I emphasize ``founder'' for this very young woman--of the non-profit Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation--her own foundation--and my constituent, as she is, came up with the idea of a memorial to honor the women on the home front who supported World War II in its effort. prgtoken She rightfully questioned why the women on the home front, whose efforts were so instrumental in maintaining the stability of our country during World War II, have not received as much recognition for their contributions as the men who fought bravely in World War II. prgtoken This bill would authorize the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation to establish a memorial to honor these women. The memorial is designed to be interactive and to educate visitors on the important role women played during World War II. prgtoken Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of women in the workforce increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent. By 1945, one in four married women worked outside the home. The work done by women on the home front opened the doors for women in the workplace widely and has had a profound and lasting effect on the job market ever since. prgtoken As a result of their efforts, millions of American women on the home front redefined so-called women's work and paved the way for future generations. prgtoken Many women also played critical roles in support of the war effort. More than 10,000 women served behind the scenes of World War II as codebreakers. Due to the classified nature of their work, they did not receive recognition for their tireless efforts until recently. prgtoken Women were also trained to fly military aircraft so male pilots could leave for combat duty overseas. More than 1,100 female civilian volunteers flew nearly every type of military aircraft as part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, the WASP program. prgtoken The WASPs flew planes from factories to bases, transported cargo, and participated in simulated strafin
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-12-1

today, abortion rights are hanging in the balance at the Supreme Court, and the threat to Roe is very real. Why? Because, for decades, extreme s have attacked abortion rights from every angle, and they are continuing their nonstop efforts to build a country where patients are forced to remain pregnant and carry their pregnancies to term against their will. prgtoken But I want to make it clear that is absolutely unacceptable because the majority of Americans don't agree with extreme s. The majority of Americans want a country where everyone can choose if and when to start a family, free from political interference. prgtoken So I will not sit silently while s try to end the abortion rights affirmed by Roe v. Wade. No matter what happens, I will never stop fighting for reproductive rights, and that starts by passing the Women's Health Protection Act to ensure the right to abortion is finally protected at the Federal level. prgtoken But that is not all. I am also fighting for working families across the country who are struggling to balance caregiving and work, and who are counting on us to deliver, because we cannot build an economy that works for everyone if new parents can't take the time they need to welcome a new child, or if workers can't get paid leave when their loved ones are seriously ill. prgtoken We can't rebuild our communities when seniors and people with disabilities are not able to access the services and support they need to live in their homes and in their own communities. prgtoken And we simply cannot put our economy back on track and can't get people back to work, we can't return from this crisis stronger and fairer if we don't, at long last, address our Nation's childcare crisis. prgtoken For parents across the country, childcare is unaffordable, unavailable, and absolutely essential. Childcare costs more today than many families pay for rent or mortgage or even college tuition. prgtoken But even for those who can afford it, many can't even find it. Nearly half of families nationwide, including 60 percent of our rural families, don't have enough childcare providers in their communities. And as any parent knows, you can't go to work if you don't have any options to make sure your kids are taken care of. prgtoken That is exactly what we saw before this pandemic, when data showed 2 million parents with kids under 5 had to quit a job, turn down a job, or change their job due to childcare challenges. prgtoken We have seen that dynamic kicked into high gear during this pandemic. And as is too often the case, Black women, Latinas, women who are paid low incomes, and single mothers have been the most affected. prgtoken While the pandemic underscored how essential childcare is for families, it also made childcare harder to get by forcing many providers to close their doors. Twenty thousand childcare providers closed during this pandemic, and the childcare workers h
COMMEMORATING NOVEMBER 29TH AS THE ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AS DESIGNATED BY THE UNITED NATIONS
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-12-1

. Madam , the United Nations General Assembly has designated the 29th of November for the annual observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was on November 29, 1947 that the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine. prgtoken On November 29, 2021, in recognition of the Palestinian people and this annual observance I issued the following statement that I include in the Record: Today, the world reflects on the condition of the Palestinian people who struggle under a brutal military occupation, barely survive under a cruel blockade, exist as second-class citizens inside Israel, and live-in exile far from their homeland. The fundamental human rights all people seek, the rights that ensure safety and security, elevate human dignity, and promote peace and opportunity for the future, have been systematically denied to the Palestinian people for nearly eight decades. The international community has a moral obligation, and I personally feel this obligation, to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine--defending their human rights, promoting their right to self-determination, and working tirelessly for a path forward toward justice, equality, and freedom for all Palestinians. And, standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, I call on the State of Israel to end its military occupation, end its illegal settlement expansion and annexation of Palestinian lands, and end its blockade of Gaza. I also call on the international community, including the U.S. government, to end policies that maintain the status quo, allowing for passive acquiescence to Israel's systematical designed and executed actions to deny the Palestinian people a future in their own homeland. It is time for the world community, especially the administration, to take demonstrable steps toward holding all state and non-state actors in this conflict accountable to internationally recognized standards while working for a diplomatic outcome that will achieve peace, security, and a future of hope and opportunity for Palestinians, Israelis, and all people in the region. I am proud to stand in solidarity with the mothers and fathers, the elders, and the children of Palestine. And, pledge to continue to work in partnership with the Palestinian people to build a future of hope and opportunity for today and tomorrow.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2021-12-1

. We will come back to him because we have some other colleagues who are going to be here later. prgtoken I wanted to tell another story about another Pennsylvanian, Theo Braddy. prgtoken Now, Theo is another person I met because we were talking about these policies back home, and we had a lot of Zoom calls, and I hadn't heard Theo's story until--I guess the first time was June 2020. prgtoken And one of the points we have tried to make in this whole debate about quality, affordable childcare, care for seniors and people with disabilities, a whole range of caregiving issues we are trying to address and policies we are trying to advance, one of the refrains that so many of the advocates who have been traveling the country and knocking on doors and making the argument all across the country about why caregiving is important, they have been saying over and over again that care can't wait, that there should be an urgency to providing better caregiving. prgtoken So ``care can't wait'' is a pretty good way of expressing it. And when I think of Theo, I think of that phrase, ``care can't wait,'' because Theo has a story that a lot of families can identify with. prgtoken He is now a resident of south central Pennsylvania--burg, PA, our State capital. And he came before our Aging Committee back in June, and I heard his story then, and I have heard it more than once since then. prgtoken Theo was injured in a football game in the late 1970s. Theo and I happen to be the same age--I think almost exactly--and that is where his story really began, with that football injury. And as he was telling the story, I was thinking about myself. I was thinking: My goodness. prgtoken He was talking about high school, and I thought: All these years he has lived with that injury. prgtoken And this is what it means to him: He ultimately started talking about what it meant to him years later when he was sitting on the third floor of his apartment building. He said: ``Just looking out the window for weeks at a time.'' ``Looking out the window.'' prgtoken And there are a lot of Americans who have a disability who are doing something very similar: looking out a window, hoping, praying maybe, waiting for a better day when they are not limited to that room and that one view of the world. prgtoken That is, for many of them, the full scope and full expanse of their world because they are limited to that one place. A lot of them want to get good care in their home or in the community where they can be close to the people they love and still be the beneficiary of good care. prgtoken So Theo talked about looking out that window for weeks at a time. Now, when he completed his physical rehabilitation, he was still not able to feed himself or push his manual wheelchair. So even despite some help, he still had a long way to go. prgtoken You know what changed his life? prgtoken Home- and community-based services. prgtoken Here is what Theo's life has been since rec