mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Introductory Statement on S. 597
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-3-1

I rise today, along with my colleague Senator Brown, to introduce the Social Security Fairness Act. The bipartisan bill would repeal two Social Security provisions that unfairly penalize many public servants in Maine and in other States. prgtoken Social Security is the foundation of retirement income for most Americans. This crucial program has made the difference between poverty and a comfortable retirement for millions of seniors. Yet, some teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants often see their earned Social Security benefits unfairly reduced by two Social Security provisions: the windfall elimination provision and the Government pension offset. prgtoken The Windfall elimination provision or W-E-P affects public servants who receive a pension from a job where they did not pay into Social Security but who also worked long enough in another job to qualify for Social Security benefits. Due to the WEP, their Social Security benefits are calculated using a different formula, which can reduce their monthly benefits. For workers who become eligible for benefits in 2023, the WEP reduction can be up to $557.50 per month, subject to other adjustments. prgtoken The Government Pension Offset GPO affects public servants who receive a pension from a job where they did not pay into Social Security and are also eligible to receive a Social Security spousal or widow(er)'s benefit. However, the GPO reduces Social Security spousal or widow(er)'s benefits by an amount equal to two-thirds of the noncovered pension. prgtoken According to the Social Security Administration, in December 2022, more than 2 million people, including nearly 20,500 people in Maine, had their Social Security benefits reduced by the WEP. Similarly, nearly 735,000 people were affected by the GPO in December 2022, including more than 8,100 people in Maine. While the effects of the WEP and GPO are most acute in certain States, including Maine, data from the Social Security Administration indicate that these provisions affect public servants in all 50 States. prgtoken Many Maine teachers have spoken with me about how the WEP and GPO affect their retirement security. I recently heard from a special education teacher in Kennebuck who has spent more than 40 years teaching and also held a second job in the private sector to help support her family after becoming a single parent. Due to the WEP, she is concerned about her financial security once she retires. A retiree in Mount Desert also reached out to me recently to share his story. He wants to make sure his wife, who is a public servant, will be taken care of after he is gone. Due to the GPO, he is concerned that any Social Security widow's benefits his wife receives will be substantially reduced. prgtoken The bill we are introducing today, the Social Security Fairness Act, would repeal both the WEP and the GPO for Social Security benefits payable after December 20
REVERSE FUNDING FOR ELECTIVE ABORTIONS
Richard McCormick (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-3-1

. Madam , the President is once again using the Department of Defense to advance the far-left agenda and pro-abortion policies. prgtoken The new policy to give servicemembers and their families paid administrative leave for up to 3 weeks and travel reimbursement to obtain out-of-state elective abortions is yet another extreme example. prgtoken The law is clear and vetted. No Federal funds are to be used for elective abortions. The military mission is equally clear: to be a lethal force to defend the innocents and to defeat those who would do them harm. This flies in the face of that mission. prgtoken I call on the President to reverse this policy, which is in violation of law and counter to the military mission.
Biden Administration (Executive Calendar)
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2023-3-1

I rise today really to take a moment and evaluate the repeated and unfortunately habitual overreach of the administration. prgtoken When our Founding Fathers established our Nation, they were certain to build a government that rejected undivided sovereignty, or the rule of a single person. They had the monarchy, and they didn't like it. This structure features three distinct branches of government: the legislative branch, where we are here, to create and pass laws; an executive branch, responsible for enforcing the laws; and a judicial branch to make certain these laws and actions hold just with our Constitution. prgtoken Typically, this is a lesson we all learn in high school, but it seems like President and his administration must have missed that lecture on balance of powers because their actions throughout the last 2 years have shown a lot of disrespect for our Constitution--and disregard. prgtoken A recent analysis by the American Action Forum found that in just 2 years, the administration has imposed 517 regulatory actions-- 517--creating $318 billion in total costs--a figure that massively outweighs the regulatory costs generated by the last two Presidential administrations. prgtoken Executive overreach has become synonymous with the administration and has created a desperate need for oversight from our colleagues here in the Senate, and certainly that is occurring across the way in the House of Representatives. prgtoken We have seen overreach from the administration in areas that impact just about everything, whether it is how we heat our homes or whether we are going to have a gas stove or not, how we fuel our cars, how we educate our children, how we move goods across the country, how we spend private investments, how we enforce law and order, even how we define ``water.'' prgtoken Plain and simple, President and unelected bureaucrats in Washington are continuously overstepping their boundaries, creating hurdles and interfering with how we live our everyday lives. prgtoken On top of this, congressional continue to obstruct critical oversight efforts on these harmful policies, and they are blocking opportunities for the American people to hear directly from the administration about policies that impact us directly every day. It is kind of--it is not ``kind of''--it is very unfair, and it is a disservice to folks across the Nation who want the leaders to be held accountable. prgtoken In the face of such rampant overreach, my Senate colleagues and I continue to push back on President 's out-of- touch mandates and bring the voices of the American people to the table. prgtoken My colleague from Tennessee, Senator Bill Hagerty, has introduced a bill that blocks Washington, DC's dangerous and irresponsible rewrite of their Criminal Code that lessens punishment for violent crimes. prgtoken My colleague from South Dakota, Sena
Department of Labor Rule Repeal (Executive Calendar)
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-3-1

I come here today--we are going to vote later this afternoon--on something else that involves overreach of the Federal Government, and I have witnessed it a lot. prgtoken I have been here just a little over 4 years. I jump in--I come from Main Street America--when it just doesn't make sense. The last time I was engaged in this was at the tail end of the COVID saga, when a rule from the administration was going to force the vaccination on all Americans working, if you work for a company down to 100 employees. That is a lot of people. prgtoken We weighed in on that. It was bipartisan. The Supreme Court jumped in a week and a half or two later and, thank goodness, said enough is enough there. prgtoken Here, we are talking about something you hear the acronym, ESG-- environment, social, and governance. In a nutshell, that just means now, when we are looking at hard-earned money that you save, your retirement--let me tell you how much it is going to impact: $11.7 trillion, 152 million Americans. prgtoken I really am OK with what you want to invest in, as long as it is going to push the best rate of return. Over the long run, if something changes, that is different. But, currently, this rule now allows the criterion of using those ESG goals, which would be simplified, being able to push a certain ideology, a certain point of view, into how retirement earnings are invested. prgtoken You have got to remember, this is a fiduciary thing. Most people, when they give money to their financial adviser, their broker, you would think they would think that it is going to get the best return. Bloomberg tracked it. If you would actually invest according to ideology over the last few years, it would have been the difference between an 8.9-percent return and a 6.3-percent return. prgtoken Imagine trying to explain that in a way where someone trusted that you would be doing the best thing with their hard-earned money to get the best financial return. That is nearly a 30-percent cut in what you would have had otherwise. I have got to believe everybody would be thoroughly upset with that. prgtoken It is a step too far. It is injecting the Federal Government, and how it has enterprised over the last couple of years, into many different arenas. I think it is a wake-up call. prgtoken We are going to vote on this later this afternoon. Everyone will be able to, I think, hopefully, vote in a way that they would tell their constituents would make sense, give me the best rate of return. Figure out all this other stuff here on the legislative floor, but don't make it impact hard-earned retirement funds. prgtoken The House just last night passed this in a bipartisan way. Hopefully, we will do the same thing later this afternoon. It makes sense to Hoosiers. It makes sense to Americans. prgtoken .
HONORING STEWART McNALLY
Cory Mills (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-3-1

. Madam , I come to the floor today to honor Stewart McNally, a United States Army veteran who sadly passed away last summer. prgtoken Before he began his honorable service in the United States Army in the late 1960s, Stewart was the captain of the Arthur Hill Tech football team and went on to work at GM shortly after graduating. prgtoken He served honorably, and after his service in uniform, he came to Florida in my district to begin another kind of service, his family. prgtoken He moved to Florida's Seventh to take care of his elderly father, another civil servant, who served in the United States Army during World War II. prgtoken His friends and family remember him as a loyal friend with a great sense of humor. He loved to cycle, fish, and run in his free time. prgtoken Stewart is survived by his son, Jacob, and I am honored to help celebrate his life and incredible service to the United States of America.
RECOGNIZING ERC; COUNSELORS AND CONSULTANTS
Mike Gallagher (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-3-1

I rise today to recognize the 30th anniversary of ERC: Counselors and Consultants. Founded in 1992, this thriving Employee Assistance Program based in Green Bay partners with organizations throughout Wisconsin and the Nation with the goal of enhancing the mental health of employees, improving business performance, and strengthening communities. While ERC remains focused on the Midwest, the company has a national footprint through their network of counselors. prgtoken Steve and Allyson Baue purchased ERC in 2014. Their strong leadership and passion for helping others led ERC to experience record growth in 2022 as companies sought better benefits for their employees. Today, ERC has more than 100,000 employees covered by their Employee Assistance Program, and they have more than 400 partnerships with customers throughout Wisconsin and the United States. ERC has an outstanding reputation for helping lift the mental health burdens that hold employees back. I commend Steve and Allyson for the hard work and dedication they have displayed towards helping companies improve employee mental health. prgtoken ERC is positively changing the workplace by embodying Northeast Wisconsin values in all that they do. It is exciting to hear of ERC's plans to continue promoting quality mental health benefits while expanding their footprint in underserved areas. They are a true benefit to the Green Bay area and all of Northeast Wisconsin. I am grateful to Steve and Allyson, ERC's counselors, and the entire ERC team for their continued support and dedication to helping individuals address mental health challenges with easy access to quality counseling services. prgtoken , it is my honor to congratulate ERC: Counselors and Consultants on its 30th year in advancing the mental health of employees. I wish this company many more years of continued growth and success.
KLAMATH RIVER BASIN
John S. Duarte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-3-1

. So it is interesting at times to understand some of the investigations and things that we need to write new laws for, or we claim we need to write new laws because one politician does this or his son does that. prgtoken We can't possibly need new laws to prosecute some of this corruption. I was prosecuted for planting wheat in a wheat field during a global food crisis. prgtoken My family purchased a property up in Tehama County, in Congressman LaMalfa's district and planted wheat where wheat had been grown many times before. prgtoken The Army Corps of Engineers thought we were doing something different. The field agent drove by and gave it a windshield test and said, hey, you are deep ripping. prgtoken You are not cultivating 4 to 7 inches deep; you are cultivating 3 to 5 feet deep. No, we are not. Come out and look at it. prgtoken Wouldn't come out, wouldn't look at it, wouldn't take our invitation. Next February, he files a cease and desist order and tells us we can't harvest our crop of wheat. prgtoken We asked for a hearing. The Army Corps of Engineers didn't have time to give us a hearing; barely had time to drive by and look at what they thought they saw out the windshield. prgtoken The Pacific Legal Foundation, a pro bono civil rights law firm for many, many property owners and clients around America, representing the Sackett and the current WOTUS cases at the Supreme Court, took up our case as a due process Fifth Amendment case. They can't tell you you can't farm your land without giving you a hearing. prgtoken Well, once that case started to progress forward, the Army Corps of Engineers went to the Department of Justice, and my family and I were prosecuted for planting wheat in a wheat field by the Department of Environment and Water of the Department of Justice under the administration. prgtoken We ended up never getting a trial. We were found guilty by an - appointed judge in summary judgment. Without a single day in court, we were found to have violated the Clean Water Act because our tillage implement lifted soil several inches and moved it laterally several inches while nearing a wetland; a wetland vernal pool that had been farmed many times before with the same farming systems we employed. prgtoken So America's food system is not only at risk because of water scarcity politics here in California or overregulation. prgtoken America's food system is at risk because we have regulatory agencies waiting with bated breath to prosecute any American farmer that stands up for their property rights, their right to farm, their right to produce food for American families. prgtoken It is a huge risk. Farmers all over America are making decisions to avoid these entanglements, avoid a fight, not farm, unless prices are incredibly high because it is just not worth it. prgtoken Add in the risk of water supply, add in the risk of inadequate infrastructure, add in the risk of arbitrary bureaucrats making decisions
CELEBRATING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TEXAS RANGERS
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-3-1

I rise today to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Texas Rangers, Texas's oldest law enforcement agency. prgtoken In 1821, Stephen F. Austin, the ``Father of Texas,'' brought 300 families to settle land in modern-day Texas. There was no regular army, so Austin assembled a fighting force to provide protection from Karankawas, Comanches, and eventually Mexican raiders--giving rise to the Texas Rangers. prgtoken Texans did what sovereign states have done throughout history: we stepped up and protected our communities. We stood up for the rule of law when there was none. prgtoken Much of the action seen by the early Rangers involved bloody conflicts with Comanche tribes and gangs of bandits who threatened the safety of Texans. prgtoken In the years following, the Rangers proved indispensable during major events such as the Mexican American War, the pursuit of criminals Bonnie and Clyde in 1934, and Hurricane Harvey rescue and recovery in 2017. prgtoken As local law enforcement slowly assumed much of the day-to-day peacekeeping role that the Texas Rangers held before the turn of the 20th century, the Texas Rangers now operate as a key investigative body for the State of Texas. prgtoken Rangers are renowned for conducting major criminal investigations, suppression of organized crime, border reconnaissance, SWAT, bomb squad, special rapid response, crisis negotiation, joint intelligence center management, and investigation of unsolved crimes. prgtoken The impact of the Texas Rangers on the Lone Star State cannot be understated. My home county, Hays County, is named for John Coffee Hays, a renowned Ranger appointed by Sam Houston. My great-great- grandfather John Vaughan Roy served as a Texas Ranger in Hays, Travis, and Blanco Counties, protecting our future home and holding the line against lawlessness. prgtoken To the west, Captain Charles Schreiner of Kerr County served with distinction and went on to donate land for the Schreiner Institute, a military school in my district. Today, I am honored to represent ``Ranger Ray'' Martinez, a living legend in New Braunfels with a long history of heroism and service. The Ranger spirit is also alive and well today in my friend and longtime Texas Ranger David Maxwell, who solved the over 35-year-old cold case in the unspeakable murder of his own sister. ``They were men who could not be stampeded.'' That's how former DPS director, Homer Garrison, Jr. described them. And they have certainly lived up to that. prgtoken As with so many other great figures of our history, some today wish to rewrite the legacy prgtoken of the Texas Rangers, focusing only on the harshest of narratives from the comfort of modern-day America while ignoring the sacrifice of these men to settle the west and establish the rule of law. prgtoken The scripture reminds us: ``Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.'' These heroes wake up every morning and put their lives
CELEBRATING NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-3-1

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate National Read Across America Day. prgtoken Tomorrow, classrooms across the country will celebrate the Nation's largest celebration of reading. On this day, we celebrate the joy reading brings to children and families, caregivers, educators, and adults alike. Reading unlocks new adventures and new ideas and brings about a world of imagination. prgtoken The day was established by the National Education Association in 1998 to help get kids excited about reading. prgtoken Madam , I want to highlight one celebration in PA-15. Students at Howard Elementary School in Centre County kicked off this celebration with the Pennsylvania State Grange. prgtoken This celebration started with an assembly to get the kids excited and will consist of a variety of events focused on reading. Perhaps the most exciting event taking place is ``Drop Everything and Read Day.'' Throughout the day, a sound will play randomly and students will be expected to drop whatever they are working on and pick up a book. prgtoken Madam , as a former Howard Elementary School student and now a senior member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I am always happy to see our students eager to learn.
HISTORIC BIG 10 BALLROOM
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-3-1

I have to tell you, this past weekend, I stood with the Williams' family and Shaw family, with hundreds of other folks, and I listened to live music in the Historic Big 10 Ballroom. prgtoken Now, that may not mean a lot to a lot of folks in this room, but it is a really big deal in my State, in Oklahoma, to hear live music in the Big 10 Ballroom. prgtoken Let me set the scene for you: Lonnie Williams was one of the first African-American police officers in Tulsa, OK. Now, I have spoken many times to this body about Greenwood and about the race massacre that happened May 31 and June 1 of 1921. prgtoken We have talked at length about what happened during that time for what is, in all likelihood, the worst race massacre in American history. It was in 1921. So for Lonnie Williams to be one of the first Black police officers in Tulsa was really a big deal. prgtoken He served in the police department, and he opened up several other businesses as his side hustle, and then, eventually, opened up what he called the Big 10 Ballroom in 1948. prgtoken It was a venue for Black artists to be able to come in because in 1948, a lot of Black artists couldn't play in a lot of auditoriums in America, including in my State. So they would invite these great musicians to be able to come through, that they would tour, and there was this kind of behind-the-scenes group of venues that was scattered through the country where Black artists could perform, and the one that we had in Oklahoma was the Big 10. prgtoken Now, it was no simple thing for them to be able to travel because at the time when those Black artists were traveling, they couldn't be in a lot of hotels; they couldn't eat in a lot of restaurants. But when they came to Greenwood, there were still families who would welcome them in. prgtoken The Williams' family, who owned the Big 10, their family, in fact, would host folks. They still tell stories about getting up in the morning and stepping over the Temptations sleeping in their living room. And when I talk about artists playing in the Big 10, I am not talking about just any artists in American history; I am talking about Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ike and Tina Turner, Ray Charles, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, B.B. King, Fats Domino, Little Richard, and I have already mentioned the Temptations. prgtoken Interestingly enough, the last place that Otis Redding played before he died in a plane crash was the Big 10 Ballroom in Tulsa, OK. prgtoken Now you know why we call it the Historic Big 10 Ballroom. That Ballroom was the place to be able to get music in North Tulsa for decades, and then it closed down in the 1960s. A lot of urban renewal was happening in that area, and a lot of things were shifting. The building was used for a while as a beauty supply warehouse, quite frankly. The roof caved in eventually as they abandoned it, and it sat idle for more than two decades. Quite frankly, an eyesore in the neighbo