mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Judicial Nominations (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-5-25

this week, the Senate continues the important work of confirming highly qualified, diverse nominees to the Federal Judiciary. Working closely with Senate , the administration has prioritized the selection of judicial nominees who are faithful to the rule of law, who are evenhanded and impartial, and who understand the critical distinction between being an advocate and being a judge. And together, we are building a Federal judiciary that is more representative of the Nation as a whole, both in terms of demographic and professional diversity. The five nominees under consideration by the Senate this week are no exception, and I want to speak briefly on each of them. prgtoken Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Judge Stephanie Davis to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Since 2019, Judge Davis has served as a U.S. District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Michigan. She was nominated for the District Court by President . And she was voted out of the Judiciary Committee by voice vote and confirmed by voice vote as well. prgtoken Prior to serving on the District Court, Judge Davis served as a U.S. magistrate judge for approximately 3 years, also in the Eastern District of Michigan. In total, Judge Davis has served as a Federal judge for more than 6 years. Before assuming the bench, Judge Davis was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for nearly two decades. During her last 5 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office, she served as the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney. She also spent 3 years as the deputy chief of the Controlled Substances Unit. While serving as a Federal prosecutor, Judge Davis prosecuted elder fraud cases, served on a committee that addressed a backlog of untested rape kits, and led one of the earliest prosecutions combating the opioid epidemic in the Eastern District of Michigan. Judge Davis also spent 5 years in private practice. During this time, she volunteered with the Women's Justice Center, helping victims of domestic violence obtain personal protection orders. prgtoken Born in Kansas City, MO, Judge Davis earned her college degree from Wichita State University and her law degree from Washington University School of Law. prgtoken Judge Davis has been unanimously rated ``Well Qualified'' for the Sixth Circuit by the American Bar Association, and she has the strong support of her two home State Senators, Ms. Stabenow and Mr. Peters. prgtoken Once sworn in, Judge Davis will be the first Black woman from Michigan to serve on the Sixth Circuit--and only the second ever Black woman to serve on the court. prgtoken With Judge Davis's extensive experience as a judge, a prosecutor, and a litigator in private practice, as well as her decades-long commitment to public service, she is clearly well qualified to serve on the Sixth Circuit. prgtoken This morning, the Senate also confirmed the nomination of E
CLOTURE MOTION
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2022-5-25

I urge my colleagues to support Sandra Thompson's historic nomination to be the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. prgtoken Ms. Thompson is an exceptional nominee, with decades of experience in mortgage markets and Federal financial regulation. prgtoken Since June 2021, Ms. Thompson served as Acting Director at FHFA, where she has played a vital role in promoting access to mortgage credit, to overseeing and supervising Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks, and to protecting the safety and soundness of the housing finance system. prgtoken Before being designated as Acting Director, Ms. Thompson served for 8 years as a Deputy Director for the Division of Mission and Goals at FHFA, so she is clearly very qualified. prgtoken She spent 18 years at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. While there, she worked for seven different chairpersons, obviously, from both political parties and in senior-level positions. prgtoken She will be the first woman. She will, notably, be the first Black woman confirmed to lead FHFA. prgtoken For the first time, we have an administration and a Senate Banking and Housing Committee that understand how important it is to have economic leaders who reflect the country, who look like the country and think like the country--people who make it work. prgtoken She will join a growing list of experienced, talented Black women who have come through our committee--Marcia Fudge, who was my Congresswoman in Cleveland. She is now Secretary of HUD; Cecilia Rouse, Chair of the Council on Economic Advisers at the White House; Reta Jo Lewis, a CEO of the Export-Import Bank; Lisa Cook, first Black woman ever in 109 years--109 years, the first Black woman--at the Federal Reserve; Alanna McCargo; Alexia Latortue, just to name a few. prgtoken Ms. Thompson has proven she will work and she will listen to lenders, and consumers, and both sides of the aisle. prgtoken Before the pandemic, housing was too expensive and too hard to find, even before the pandemic. Whether you are looking to rent or to buy, FHFA has an important role to play in bringing prgtoken down housing costs and empowering more families to be able to afford a safe and stable home. prgtoken I strongly urge my colleagues in supporting Ms. Thompson's nomination. prgtoken .
VOTE EXPLANATION
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-5-25

I was unavoidably absent for rollcall vote No. 200, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 857, Evelyn Padin, of New Jersey, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey. Had I been present, I would have voted yea. prgtoken I was unavoidably absent for rollcall vote No. 201, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 915, Charlotte N. Sweeney, of Colorado, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Colorado. Had I been present, I would have voted yea. prgtoken I was unavoidably absent for rollcall vote No. 202, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 806, Sandra L. Thompson, of Maryland, to be Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Had I been present, I would have voted yea.
Nomination of Lisa M. Gomez (Executive Calendar)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-5-25

I come to the floor today to support the nomination of Lisa Gomez as the Assistant Secretary for the Department prgtoken of Labor's Employee Benefit Security Administration, or EBSA. prgtoken EBSA has the massive task of helping retirees recover the benefits they are entitled to and forcing protections for people who get their healthcare coverage through their job, and overseeing millions of retirement plans, health plans, and other welfare benefit plans. prgtoken We need a strong leader at EBSA who will protect families' savings and futures and make sure people get the benefits they deserve under Federal law. prgtoken We need someone like Lisa Gomez. Ms. Gomez is a highly respected professional in the field of employee benefits law, who has represented a wide range of health plans, retirement plans, and more. And I am confident as Assistant Secretary she will fight to hold employers accountable to the law, ensure workers get the benefits they are owed, and protect families' financial security, and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm her.
TRIBUTE TO CRAIG McLEAN
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-5-25

I rise today to acknowledge the public service of Craig McLean who retired in April after a distinguished 40- year career within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. Within NOAA, Mr. McLean was as a dedicated leader, advocating for science to advance NOAA's mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts. prgtoken Mr. McLean has a deep dedication to our oceans and waterways, garnered from growing up along the Passaic River in Rutherford, NJ. As a child, he took a small boat out on the Passaic. As a teenager, he learned to dive and performed decompression diving in order to explore deep-ocean shipwrecks. These experiences helped inspire his career. prgtoken Mr. McLean began his NOAA career in 1981 as a uniformed officer in the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and served for nearly 25 years before retiring at the rank of captain. During that time, he was instrumental to the founding of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, OER. Later, during his 16 years as a Federal executive, he provided continued leadership in driving forward mapping of U.S. waters to advance oceanographic scientific knowledge and discover deep ocean secrets including new species, historical shipwrecks, and undersea mountains. His leadership underlies OER's astounding accomplishments including mapping 2 million square kilometers and collecting ocean data in the waters of 16 countries and the high seas. This work contributed to key conservation decisions for vital marine habitats. prgtoken Most recently, Mr. McLean served as Assistant Administrator for NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research--OAR--for more than 6 years, prgtoken leading an enterprise of 10 Federal laboratories across the country and six major programs performing vital research to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts for the benefit of the Nation. Mr. McLean's preeminent leadership of OAR enabled vital advancements, including improved forecasting of weather extremes such as hurricanes, winter storms, extreme precipitation, and drought as well as a greatly increased understanding of the Earth's climate system. His leadership has enabled NOAA to better prepare society in order to reduce the severe impacts of these events on life and property. prgtoken On the international stage, as the U.S. Representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization--UNESCO--Mr. McLean's skillful collaborative approach helped advance U.S. scientific goals and garnered support from our partners in ocean observing around the world. He helped broker consensus for global biogeochemical ocean sensors, known as Argo, which enabled a $53 million international commitment to expand deployments to improve ocean health and climate forecasting. Through this role, Mr. McLean served as a leader for the Unite
Introductory Statement on S. 4303
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2022-5-25

biologics, or complex large molecule drugs typically derived from living organisms, play a critical role in our healthcare system, treating a range of conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. Yet spending on these products accounts for an alarming and significant portion of overall drug spending in the United States. In 2018, biologics accounted for 40 percent of spending on all prescription drugs, with spending on biologics growing twice as quickly as overall drug spending since 2015. prgtoken Biosimilars are drugs that are highly similar to existing biologics, and interchangeable biosimilars are biosimilars that can be substituted for a biologic product without the intervention of a healthcare provider. Biosimilars and interchangeable biosimilars can play a significant role in reducing drug spending. For example, Medicare Part D spending for both beneficiaries and the program is less than spending on reference biologic products even as the use of biosimilars increases with increased availability. As of April 2022, there were 33 biosimilar products on the market including interchangeable prgtoken biosimilar products. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, approval of additional interchangeable biosimilars could provide patients with more treatment options, increase competition, and lower costs. We must take steps to provide clarity around the FDA's review process for interchangeable biosimilars to facilitate development of these products, bringing them to market faster. prgtoken That is why I am proud to join my colleague, Senator Collins, in introducing the Interchangeable Biologics Clarity Act, legislation that would make key improvements in the FDA's review process for interchangeable biosimilars. Specifically, this bill would clarify the FDA's authority to tentatively approve a second or third interchangeable before the end of the first interchangeable's exclusivity period, allowing additional products to enter the market more efficiently when that exclusivity period ends. This legislation would also specify that two interchangeable biologics approved on the same day could share an exclusivity period. These provisions would allow the FDA to issue additional guidance around the review of interchangeable biologic products and ensure increased transparency about the exclusivity periods for interchangeable products. prgtoken I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass these important improvements to the FDA's biosimilar review process that will increase patients' treatment options and help foster competition.
Robb Elementary School Shooting (Executive Calendar)
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-5-25

last night, as I was doomscrolling--as they say one does at 2 in the morning when you can't sleep--what I was looking up were places to buy ballistic protective backpacks for my daughters, who are 4 and 7, and places to buy ballistic protective white boards, which could be donated to my girls' school, that would act as shields should a shooter go to their school. It is bad enough that I felt I had to do that, but the fact of the matter is, those pages were already bookmarked because it was not the first time that I have had to look them up. prgtoken Just 10 days, 240 hours, less than 2 weeks is all it took. It took just 10 days from the racially motivated domestic terrorism attack in Buffalo before we had to mourn the loss of yet more Americans--this time, 19 babies and 2 teachers--to a senseless, horrific, and, importantly, preventable mass shooting in Uvalde, TX. These were children gunned down at their school, with their small bodies mangled, utterly destroyed by lethal weapons of war that are designed to quickly kill adults. prgtoken So, last night when I got home, I held on to my two babies so tightly. They didn't know why, but I wasn't going to let them go. I was just so grateful they came home from school. prgtoken Today, there are at least 19 more families in our country that will never be able to forget the horrific site of what happens to a baby's body, to a child's body when shot at close range with an AR-15 or similarly styled rifle meant for battlefields and not schools. prgtoken I come to the floor today because, as a mother, I am beyond angry. I am furious, heartbroken, and fed up. I am sick to my stomach thinking about what those parents are feeling right now. They sent off their babies to school yesterday morning, just like I did. They packed their lunch, like I did. They argued with their babies about hurry up, the bus is coming. You are going to miss the bus. No, you really do have to wear a sweater. I know that you don't think it is cold, but you have to wear a sweater or today is PE day, and you have to wear your tennis shoes. But unlike my daughters, those babies never came home again. They will never laugh their beautiful laughs again. They will never smile their wild, silly, gorgeous smiles again. That is a hell on Earth I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. prgtoken As a Senator, I ask my colleagues: How many more children will you allow to be murdered on your watch? How many more? How many more tiny bodies have to be ripped apart by weapons of war before you will stand up to the gun lobby and the NRA? How many more children will you allow to go to school each day traumatized, fearing for their lives; children, terrified of being gunned down in their classrooms, practicing active shooter drills instead of studying their ABCs and 123s. When will it be enough for you to do something, anything, to simply do your job? When will children's lives matter more than your check fr
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-5-25

. I do not want to keep the distinguished Senator from Maine on the floor any longer than we have to, so I am going to move rapidly to the unanimous consent motion. prgtoken But I do want to tell the Senator that I am actually rather sympathetic to her concerns. In Rhode Island, we have had issues regarding the black sea bass, which NOAA scientists have known for more than a decade were moving up into our waters, yet the fisheries regulation and the allotments have not moved accordingly. We have problems with evanescent species like butterfish and loligo squid that replicate more rapidly than the regulatory regime can keep up, so the information is really nonsense. And we have an urgent need to enhance electronic monitoring on our boats so that human monitors don't have to be taken out on the boat. prgtoken Yes, we have frustrations with NOAA about its pace in a lot of these areas, but I simply think that an understaffed NOAA is not a solution to those problems. prgtoken If I may, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, the Senate consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 768, Jainey Kumar Bavishi, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record.
CLOTURE MOTION
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-5-25

today America grieves. There is nothing partisan about being a parent and grandparent. I cannot imagine--I cannot imagine--the grief felt by the parents of those children. Unless you have experienced it, none of us can. prgtoken What is the solution? There is no one solution. Let's be honest about that. Following Sandy Hook, following Parkland, I met with the parents of those horrific and senseless tragedies. I have been blessed to get to know three parents quite well: Tom and Gina Hoyer, and Max Schachter. Tom and Gina are the parents of Luke Hoyer; Max is the father of Alex Schachter--two of the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School slaughter in Parkland, FL, that occurred on February 14, 2018. prgtoken In getting to know Tom and Gina and Max, you get some sense of the level of grief. I mentioned there is nothing partisan about grief. I listened to President 's remarks last night, I think the point he made that pierced my heart, because President has known tragedy, is when he said that those parents in Texas, they are asking themselves will they ever sleep again. prgtoken So we all grieve. We are all looking for solutions. The good Senator from Delaware said: ``We must take action.'' prgtoken So what I have always valued about Tom and Gina and Max is these are three individuals, parents who do know the pain, that still grieve the loss of their sons, and yet they have not approached trying to find solutions in any partisan way whatsoever. They are trying to find areas of agreement. prgtoken They advised the Federal Commission on School Safety. They came up with a pretty commonsense action. It may not solve all the problems, but it is a good idea. It is such a good idea that as chairman of the committee--Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, we codified it, we passed it unanimously out of our committee in November of 2019. It is called the Luke and Alex School Safety Act. It is pretty simple. It just creates a clearinghouse of information of the best practices for school safety. prgtoken It involves numerous Departments--Department of Health and Human Services, Justice, Homeland Security. All must approve what these best practices are. It ensures the parents, teachers, school officials, other stakeholders have input into what those best practices are. It doesn't allow the clearinghouse to mandate any school take any certain action. prgtoken And maybe, most importantly, it publishes the available grant programs and Federal resources available for school safety. Again, it passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs twice, unanimously, once under my chairmanship, once under the chairmanship of Senator Peters. There is nothing partisan about this bill whatsoever. It is just a good idea that can save lives. prgtoken It was such a good idea that under the previous administration, they set up that clearinghouse. It is up an
ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-5-25

our country is sickened and outraged by the senseless evil that struck Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, only yesterday. According to early reports from authorities, it appears that a deranged young man tried to murder his own grandmother, then crashed his car, and then ran into an elementary school and began killing. prgtoken At least 19 young children and 2 teachers were murdered--murdered-- for no apparent reason at all. These innocent kids were simply going to school. They put on their backpacks, said goodbye to their parents, and headed off for another day of learning and friendship. There were only 2 days left before summer break. And because of this maniac, at least 19 of these kids never made it home. prgtoken One of the victims was a 10-year-old girl whose father described her as ``full of life, a jokester, always smiling.'' A 10-year-old boy who loved sports and art had just received his honor roll certificate a few hours earlier. His mother says he was thrilled--thrilled--about moving up into middle school next year. prgtoken It is literally sickening--sickening--to consider the innocent young lives that were stolen by this pointless, senseless brutality; to consider the parents and families who sat waiting at the civic center, waiting to either be reunited with their son or their daughter or to learn they never would be. prgtoken The investigation is still underway. The authorities will continue to learn exactly what happened and how. In the meantime, we are also praying for the Border Patrol officer who, according to reports, was wounded after he responded to the scene, and for all the law enforcement, paramedics, and first responders whose dedication yesterday saved lives. prgtoken Most of all, the entire Nation's hearts are broken for the victims and for their families. Words simply fail. prgtoken Yesterday, the Uvalde school superintendent said: We're a small community [and] we're going to need your prayers to get us through this. prgtoken We pray fervently that in the midst of this nightmare of grief, our Heavenly Father will make manifest to prgtoken those families his promise in Psalm 34 that ``the Lord is near to the brokenhearted.''
TRIBUTE TO GUS MACHADO
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-5-25

I recognize and honor the life of Gus Machado, a long-time businessman and entrepreneur in Hialeah, FL, for his contributions to the south Florida community. prgtoken Mr. Machado was born in Cuba and moved to the United States at the age of 15, where he founded a vehicle export business. When the U.S. and Cuba broke ties in 1960 as part of the Cold War, Mr. Machado remained in his new home of Miami and built three more businesses that sold General Motors vehicles to inhabitants of Puerto Rico. During the 1980s, he began selling Buicks and Fords as well, and he eventually became the No. 1 Ford dealer in Miami-Dade County. prgtoken Mr. Machado's entrepreneurial legacy continues to employ and support the people of south Florida to this day. Moreover, he will be remembered for his charitable contributions, especially to St. Thomas University in Miami--where College of Business students study in the proudly named Gus Machado Building--as well as the American Cancer Society. prgtoken Mr. Machado's story is an inspiring example of the American Dream and a testament to the contributions of Cuban immigrants to South Florida. I admire his hard work and his commitment to his community and know that Mr. Machado's efforts will bear fruit for years to come. I send my deepest sympathies and condolences to the entire Machado family.