mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
WE MUST FIGHT TO RESTORE ABORTION RIGHTS
Andy Levin (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-7-14

I rise to express my pure outrage at this extremist, right-wing majority of the Supreme Court stripping one of the most important rights in this country away from people: the right to have an abortion. This decision endangers marginalized communities and strips the bodily autonomy away from millions of Americans, including my own 17-year-old daughter. We must not rest until we restore people's freedom to control their own bodies and their own decisions. prgtoken I want to emphasize that abortion is still legal in Michigan. The very day that Roe was overturned in the Dobbs decision, our biggest health system, Beaumont-Spectrum, announced that they would end abortion services, counter to current Michigan law. prgtoken I worked privately and publicly to reverse that, and, happily, they did so the same weekend. prgtoken We will fight to restore abortion rights, to maintain them in all the States where they still exist. This is a fight for all of us, and it is up to us to protect everyone's rights.
CLOTURE MOTION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-7-14

I rise today to discuss a critical issue that continues to take a heavy toll on the health and financial well- being of Americans: high prescription drug prices. prgtoken This uniquely American problem has U.S. families paying the highest price compared to other countries, leading to millions of Americans having to leave their pharmacies with their prescription drugs left on the table. No one should have to go into debt to buy prescription drugs that they need to stay healthy, productive, and to have a healthy life. prgtoken Twenty-nine percent of Americans either cannot afford their prescription drugs or are rationing them. And the United States stands alone in this among the developed nations of the world. prgtoken The United States spends approximately $575 billion annually on prescription drugs, or about 14 percent of the total healthcare expenditures. In 2019, the United States spent, on average, $1,126 per capita on prescription medicines, twice as high as a comparable amount spent in the industrial world. prgtoken Americans and Marylanders are struggling to pay their prescription drug medications, and it is long past time for Congress to remedy this problem. Prescription drugs have been lifesaving for millions, but if they are not affordable, then their benefit is moot. High prescription drug prices drive health inequalities that we are fighting to eradicate since groups in fair or poor health most struggle to afford their medications. prgtoken For years, Congress has been working on commonsense solutions to increase access to affordable prescription medications, reducing costs for patients and taxpayers. It is now time to act. prgtoken U.S. prescription drug prices are set through an opaque process by manufacturers, pharmaceutical benefit manufacturers, and payers. Prices are often disconnected from the health impacts of the products being purchased. prgtoken Opponents of addressing the high drug costs claim that more affordable prices will come at the expense of innovation. I say, and the research agrees, this is a false choice. To ensure access through innovative treatments and prescriptions, the U.S. Government makes significant investments in biomedical research. The Presiding Officer knows that very well from his position on the Appropriations Committee. No greater example of this investment is the National Institutes of Health located in our home State of Maryland, which is the world's largest government funder of biomedical research. Almost all drugs rely on NIH-supported basic research, and the returns on these investments are very high. prgtoken Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that every $125 million NIH grant leads to $375 million more in private market value, 33 more patents, and one new drug. prgtoken Another study estimates that the rate of return on NIH investment is 43 percent and that each dollar in NIH funding leads to an additional $8.40
Inflation (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-7-14

the leader comes to the floor regularly with heartfelt concerns about the burdens facing America's families. I share those concerns. I think all Senators share those concerns. Inflation is a tough thing to deal with in the family budget. I go home to Illinois to see the price of gasoline at the gas stations. I shop in my local stores and see what it costs for the basics. I understand that, although it is an inconvenience for me, for many people, it is a hardship. So for the leader to come to the floor and remind us of that problem which we are facing in our economy is certainly understandable. prgtoken Yesterday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Consumer Price Index for the month of June. It came in higher than anticipated. Prices rose by 1.3 percent in June, and when compared to June 2021, prices are up 9.1 percent--the fastest year over year increase since 1981. When you dive into the data, you will see that prices jumped within categories that affect almost every household: food, energy, rent, gas. We know, for many American families, a break can't come soon enough. prgtoken So what are we going to do about it, give speeches? There are a lot of opportunities for us to do that, for the leader and the ic leader--or are we going to do something? prgtoken The think it is time to do something, and we have picked one category of cost that is particularly important to American families. It is the category of cost that not only is a life-and-death issue but that determines the cost of health insurance for families. We know that because we are told by the largest health insurers in the United States that the cost of prescription drugs is driving the cost of premiums for health insurance, so have decided to tackle this directly. prgtoken Credit should go to our ic leader, Senator Schumer, who is in negotiation now on prescription drug pricing with Senator Manchin of West Virginia. I have been skeptical of the outcome of that negotiation, but I am beginning to be encouraged by what I prgtoken hear from Senator Schumer and from Senator Manchin; that, in fact, we can give relief to American families on the life or death inflationary cost of prescription drugs. prgtoken Wouldn't that be a breakthrough? Wouldn't it be something if this 50- 50 Senate could end up doing something on a bipartisan basis that American families actually feel and for which seniors in our country would be able to say, ``There is a limitation on how much I am going to be asked to spend for prescription drugs, and beyond that, I won't have to pay''? That is amazing--a breakthrough. Would it have made a difference when it comes to the cost of living for families? Of course it would. prgtoken So you would think that the Senator from Kentucky, who comes to the floor every day to give a speech on inflation, would be the leading cheerleader in our effort to c
HONORING THE LIFE OF GILBERT FRANK COELHO
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-14

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Gilbert Coelho, long-time resident of Firebaugh, who passed away at age 80 on April 15, 2022. He was a strong man of faith and an excellent example of a man of great character. prgtoken Gilbert was born in San Leandro, California. He was one of four children born to Otto and Alice Coelho, and they were raised on the family dairy farm in Dos Palos. Gilbert was involved in 4H and FFA where he raised and showed animals with his brothers. He worked on the family farm until the 1960's and at Eagle Field and then on to custom farming with his father in the Hilmar area. prgtoken Eventually, Gilbert worked with Western Farm Service, TRI Farms, and Del Monte Fresh Produce. He became a melon growing and harvesting specialist, and a well-respected Pest Control Advisor. Gilbert retired in 2009 and continued with agricultural consulting part-time. prgtoken In the Dos Palos/Firebaugh area, Gilbert met Carol Cunha, the love of his life, and they married in November of 1973. Two years later, they made their home in Firebaugh, where they raised their children and attended St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Gilbert was an active member and served on the church finance council and the bereavement committee. prgtoken Gilbert gave back to his community and served on the City of Firebaugh/School District Community Recreation Commission and acted as President of the local Lions Club. He was also a member of the Firebaugh Service Club, Knights of Columbus and Firebaugh Rotary Club. He volunteered for countless local community activities and was always ready to assist. Another passion he displayed for over 37 years was his role as School Board Member and President of the Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School District Board. He was also a delegate to the California School Boards Association and an Executive Board Member for the Fresno County Trustees association. prgtoken Gilbert helped to establish the Westside Institute of Technology which provided invaluable job training to local youth. He developed the Firebaugh High School Ag Department Almond Orchard, farming it with the staff and youth of the community. He could always be seen working the Orchard and serving his community. prgtoken Gilbert is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Carol; three children, five grandchildren, three siblings, five in-laws, and many nieces and nephews. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Gilbert Frank Coelho. May he be remembered as an inspiration for all who knew him.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2022-7-14

my amendment No. 606, which is included in En Bloc 5, creates a VA advisory committee for veterans living in the U.S. insular areas and in the Freely Associated States. Veterans in my district, especially, and in the other insular areas, too, face barriers to VA services no vet should be forced to endure. prgtoken My amendment creates a Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee representing veterans living in the U.S. insular areas of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as the Freely Associated States of Palau, Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. prgtoken In my district, the Northern Mariana Islands, there are no VA clinics and no Vet Centers. Veterans there sometimes fly 3,700 miles to Hawai'i or over 6,000 miles to California to access VA services. Even reaching VA services in nearby Guam is a challenge. prgtoken That is why my amendment, establishing a committee to educate the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the obstacles insular area veterans face, is so important. Each U.S. insular area and each of the three Freely Associated States would have a seat on the advisory committee. They would be able to describe the barriers their veterans face in receiving VA services. prgtoken Establishing an advisory committee will not solve every logistical problem for veterans who live in geographically remote areas of America. But, at least, those veterans on the margins will have a way to communicate directly with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on how to improve VA programs and services in their communities. prgtoken This amendment is, with minor technical changes, the same legislation as H.R. 3730, which passed in the House last fall with strong bipartisan support. The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and Minority Veterans of America have endorsed the legislation. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to support En Bloc 5.
Inflation (Executive Calendar)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-7-14

yesterday, I chaired a hearing focused on driving home the devastating repercussions of the healthcare crisis s caused by overturning Roe and ending the right to abortion. prgtoken At that hearing, doctors and patients and experts spoke directly to the chaos and harm s are causing. Tens of millions of women across the country now live in States where abortion has been banned or is likely to be banned soon. prgtoken s have ripped away every woman's ability to decide for herself whether or not to keep a pregnancy. And it forced them to be pregnant when they do not want to be. s are denying women control over their own bodies, endangering their health and putting patients and providers in impossible, indefensible situations: doctors unsure if they can save their patients without being punished; pharmacists unsure if they can fulfill a prescription; people unsure if they will be able to get Plan B, unsure if they will be able to use IVF to start a family and afraid they could get reported or investigated or even arrested for having a miscarriage. prgtoken And so many women forced to travel across State lines to get the reproductive care they need. People forced to drive miles and miles just to get the care that could save their lives. Good God, this should be unthinkable. But as we saw at yesterday's hearing, that is exactly the sort of oppressive regime, exactly the sort of nightmare reality s have chosen to champion. prgtoken My colleague, the junior Senator from Kansas, actually said the fall of Roe was ``a positive development.'' Leader McConnell even called it a ``gigantic leap forward.'' My colleagues prgtoken really think the devastation, the harm playing out across this country is positive? That is despicable. prgtoken Of course, another thing we saw at that hearing is that s will do anything they can to change the subject from the damage that we will see, to ignore the reality of how deadly their policies are. prgtoken News flash: When you force someone to be pregnant, they are going to notice; they are going to remember; and they are going to be painfully aware of the difference between their personal decision and the reality politicians are forcing on them. prgtoken And the horrifying thing is s aren't just trying to mislead about the real impact of this cruel agenda, they are pushing for a national abortion ban. And lawmakers have already set their sights on ripping away the right to travel. prgtoken Let's be really clear what that means. They want to hold women captive in their own States. They want to punish women and anyone who might help them for exercising their constitutional right to travel within our country to get the services that they need in another State. prgtoken I hope everyone really absorbs how extreme and how radical and how un-American that is. prgtoken I mean, just imagine what bans lik
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2022-7-14

. Madam , I rise in support of En Bloc No. 4, which contains a number of provisions that the Committee on Homeland Security has advanced in a bipartisan manner. prgtoken I am pleased that it includes Amendment No. 390 that contains the text of H.R. 903, the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act of 2022, as passed by the House in May. prgtoken Under TSA's current personnel system, the agency regularly ranks at, or near, the bottom of the annual Federal employee satisfaction surveys and suffers from high attrition. prgtoken The most recent Inspector General analysis of employee turnover revealed that in a single year, TSA spent roughly $16 million on hiring and training nearly 2,000 people who left just months after they got the job. prgtoken Such costly and disruptive turnover risks hampering security operations and must be addressed meaningfully. prgtoken My amendment seeks to attract and retain a mature and stable workforce within TSA by placing the agency under the Federal personnel system set forth in title 5 of the U.S. Code. prgtoken Getting the TSA workforce under the personnel system under which most other Federal employees operate has been a priority for many of us for decades. The unprecedented support by the administration has significantly improved prospects for getting this done. And this amendment's inclusion in the NDAA provides an opportunity to engage with our Senate partners in a timely way. prgtoken Additionally, I am pleased that En Bloc No. 4 includes Amendment No. 420 that I filed with Rep. John Katko of New York, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security. It contains the text of 25 bipartisan homeland security measures that the House had previously approved. prgtoken These measures would strengthen community security, improve Department of Homeland Security acquisitions and supply chains, and enhance DHS operations. The bipartisan amendment includes provisions to increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program from $75 million to $500 million for each fiscal year through 2028, reform the way DHS procures uniforms issued to Department frontline personnel by encouraging the procurement of domestically sourced items by U.S. small businesses, reauthorize the U.S. Secret Service's National Computer Forensics Institute, authorize a one-stop screening process for certain arriving international travelers, and authorize grants to carry out the Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program, or CETAP--a program to strengthen K-12 cybersecurity education. prgtoken I am also pleased that the en bloc includes a measure (Amendment No. 526) authored by Rep. Al Green of Texas to bolster the authorities and operations of the Department's Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Office. prgtoken Finally, I am delighted to have the support of Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure prgtoken Committee, on Amendment No. 441, which is also included
Inflation (Executive Calendar)
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2022-7-14

I appreciate my colleague from Washington and the question posed because it is exactly part of the concern we have. I was home in Nevada just recently, and I am very proud Nevada is a pro-choice State. prgtoken Our providers are concerned. There is a chilling effect when they are hearing other States that are literally criminalizing--looking to pass laws to criminalize providers for providing healthcare and a woman traveling across State lines. prgtoken What I hear from my providers is we want to help women. We want them to come to our State, but if their State is going to pursue legislation or criminalize or penalize or prosecute us or a private citizen can come after us from that State, then we are having second thoughts about this because they do not want to be embroiled in some sort of litigation. That is part of this. prgtoken I think it is so important. Thank you for the question because that is exactly what their intent is. prgtoken These anti-choice States--individuals who are taking away the liberty and freedom of women are also utilizing this chilling effect, this threat, this scare tactic for providers, employers, and anyone else who wants to help women to get to States where they can seek this healthcare that they need. That is the challenge we see. That is why this law is so important because it is having an impact on our providers in these legitimate choice States like ours who want to provide this healthcare.
CONGRATULATING SHERIFF BRIAN ASBELL ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE PEORIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Cheri Bustos (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-7-14

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Peoria County Sheriff Brian Asbell, who is retiring from the Peoria County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) after 27 years of dignified service. prgtoken Sheriff Asbell has devoted his entire life to protecting and serving his neighbors and defending our great nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. His first experience in public service was in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer in the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, a post he held from 1990 through 1993. He transitioned to the Army National Guard (ANG) as a Combat Engineer, where he remained until 1996. In the last year of his service to ANG, he joined PCSO as a Correctional Officer. Though he now had two obligations to his immediate community, his commitment and dedication to PCSO flourished and in January 1997, Sheriff Asbell was promoted to Correctional Sergeant. His unrelenting work ethic continued as he was elevated to Patrol Deputy in December 2000, then Detective in January 2005. In this capacity, he strived to reduce crime and solve some of the most difficult cases in every corner of the county. After four years in this capacity, he accepted a new role as Undersheriff and Jail Superintendent, in which he excelled for seven years. He was appointed the 56th Peoria County Sheriff in August 2017 and was elected in November 2018. Not only did Sheriff Asbell carry on the honorable legacy of his predecessors, he helped to modernize PCSO and reshape its relationship with residents. prgtoken It is because of exceptional and valorous leaders such as Sheriff Brian Asbell that I am especially proud to serve Illinois' 17th Congressional District. Madam , I would like to again, formally congratulate Peoria County Sheriff Brian Johnson on his retirement and thank him for his 27 years of service to our community.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023
Susan Wild (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2022-7-14

my colleague across the aisle is arguing for the status quo. As I said before, it is critical for our own national security objectives of countering China that we maintain our credibility on human rights issues. It is absolutely vital that we do not undermine our own case for democracy. prgtoken If I have one message for all those who defend the status quo on this issue, all those who claim that we effectively need to choose between our security and our principles, it is this: It doesn't need to be this way. Abdicating our values makes us less secure in the long run. That is why I urge my colleagues to pass this amendment by a resounding margin and to cosponsor my bill, the Philippines Human Rights Act. prgtoken The vote on this amendment is just a first step of what must be a sustained commitment to standing with the people of the Philippines. Together, we can finally begin shaping a U.S. policy toward the Philippines that is anchored in respect for human rights and human dignity, those of the people of the Philippines as well as those of our people and all people around the world. prgtoken , .