mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-7-27

my colleague from Texas was just talking about how taxes go up and spending seems to increase. This week, we have had before us a bill that was going to be about 30 billion and then 52 billion and then 72 billion. Now it comes out, and it is almost $300 billion. prgtoken This is a piece of legislation that has had a variety of different names, and I have found it so interesting that it has had so many different names. Let's see. It has been called CHIPS, CHIPS+, CHIPS and Science, USICA, Endless Frontier, and ``China COMPETES.'' You know, it seems as if there was a name that was given whenever there was an occasion that you thought you could rename something and make it fit, and I know DC is just famous for having these bills with the acronyms and the fancy-sounding names. But when I talk to Tennesseans, it is so apparent they are tired of that. What they want are the facts. They want someone who is going to tell them the truth. What they know is that China is an adversary; they are not a competitor. They know that we have to work diligently to stay competitive with China and not let them get the upper hand. But when we talk about these issues, sometimes we lose sight of that big picture. I do feel that as we talked about the CHIPS bill and semiconductor supply chains, this is something we lost sight of. prgtoken You know, there are some of us who have worked on the issues of dealing with China going back into the early years of this century, looking at IP theft, looking at reverse engineering, looking at the way the Chinese Communist Party would dip in and grab up great ideas from American innovators and then off to the races they would go. We have a lot of companies that learned a lot of tough lessons trying to manufacture in China. And then we come up near the pandemic. prgtoken When I was over in the House and before that period of time, we had an issue and realized that our active pharmaceutical manufacturing was where? In China. We couldn't get penicillin. Why was that? It was because there was one factory in China that made that, and the factory had an explosion. So we had a shortage on that. Then we had an issue with Heparin, and we had some deaths that were caused by a tainted product that was coming out of a factory there. prgtoken So Senator Menendez and I had a piece of legislation that would have incentivized returning active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing to the United States. Then we got into the issues of the pandemic, and then everyone was saying: Critical supply chains--we need to bring them back. Indeed, that is something that is important to do. Chips are an important part of that. Our laptops, our electronics, our automobiles all need chips, and there was a shortage. People began to realize that our military aircraft, our radar systems, our major defense systems all needed the chips. But, likewise, we needed active pharmaceutical ingredients. We needed our tele
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I thank my friend for his faithful efforts and being such a clarion call and a voice of reason. prgtoken One of the things that is necessary to maintain a constitutional Republic as the Founders warned us is that you have to have an informed and engaged electorate. I think people are paying attention now. I think they are feeling the pain, and it is drawing awareness to our situation. I think they are going to evaluate. prgtoken I am hopeful and optimistic, so we can turn some of this around. I thank my friend for his efforts. prgtoken Madam , you heard a recurring theme here tonight, whether we focus tonight on the economic crisis, the border crisis, the energy crisis--all the many crises--the common theme is this: If you review the facts objectively, Madam , then the evidence shows that all of these are intentional. They are intentional. These are the foreseeable and obvious results of the ' policy choices of the prgtoken administration and the that run both Houses of Congress. prgtoken House s, on the other hand--as all my colleagues tonight have pointed out--are optimistic. We are so looking forward to the upcoming August district work period so that we can take our vision for a new direction for this country directly to the American people. prgtoken I believe that message is going to be well-received. I think people are desperate for the answers, and we have solutions to all the great challenges facing this country. prgtoken Madam , I thank all my colleagues, once again, for being faithful and being here tonight for this Special Order. prgtoken Madam , .
JOSEPH (BUDDY) MATISE
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I would like to honor the many accomplishments of Joseph ``Buddy'' Matise, a lifelong Hammonton, South Jersey resident. Buddy married his wife, Josephine, over 60 years ago and raised 2 children with her in South Jersey. In addition to being a family man, he is a World War II Navy veteran. Buddy fought in the Pacific Theater on the USS Norman Scott from 1943 to 1945 and fought for his country in many World War II battles. Buddy should be proud of his brave service to our great nation, and it is an honor to be able to recognize him for his sacrifices and courage. God Bless Buddy, and God Bless our United States of America.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2022-7-27

. So I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this legislation. It will expand American semiconductor production, create new opportunities for research into cutting-edge technologies, and enhance our ability to compete with China. prgtoken There is no more important competition than the one for technological supremacy between the United States and China. The outcome will shape the global balance of power for decades and will impact the security and prosperity of all Americans. prgtoken Regrettably, at this moment, we are not in the driver's seat on a range of important technologies; China is. China and other nations are increasingly dominant in tech innovation, posing a massive threat to not only our economy but to our national security. prgtoken But with today's vote, Congress has a chance to move us back in the right direction and put America back into a place to win the game. prgtoken This legislation--the CHIPS and Science Act, I will call it--will provide a historic boost to our semiconductor industry, which for too long has played on an uneven global playing field. prgtoken Increasing American chip production is absolutely vital, given the importance of chips to our economy, as well as our national defense. The pandemic taught us the hard way that we cannot be dependent on semiconductor production halfway around the globe. prgtoken But, of course, chip semiconductors are not the whole ball game. This legislation goes much further, advancing American innovation in quantum computing, advanced robotics, biotechnology, advanced materials, and artificial intelligence--the full suite of technologies that we need to outcompete China. prgtoken And instead of limiting those investments to a small handful of institutions in five wealthy States, this bill casts a wide net, enlisting the talent and expertise of STEM researchers nationwide. This legislation will guarantee that EPSCoR, a program designed to stimulate competitive research in 25 predominantly rural States, receives 20 percent of all R&D funding from the National Science Foundation, up from the current 13 percent--13 percent now, 20 percent when it is finally ramped up. prgtoken The bill will also reauthorize the National Science Foundation, the gold standard for funding basic research, and it will establish a new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships, called TIP, at NSF to supercharge the process of translating basic research into technology development, and then to the commercial market, enabling us to compete better with China across a vast range of technologies. prgtoken This legislation would not be complete without new safeguards against espionage--which we know is taking place right now--against intellectual property theft, for which the Chinese have become notorious. I am pleased we were able to include a number of long- overdue reforms to protect the fruits of our Nation's R&D investments. Even so, there is more work to be done to protect
TRIBUTE TO BISHOP TIMOTHY J. CLARKE
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-7-27

I rise today to recognize Bishop Timothy J. Clarke on 40 years of servant leadership to the congregation at First Church of God in Columbus, OH, as well as to the broader Columbus community and the State of Ohio. prgtoken Bishop Clarke came to Columbus in 1982 after serving as associate minister at First Church of God in his hometown of Far Rockaway, NY, and as pastor at York Avenue Church of God in Warren, OH. He has grown First Church of God into one of the largest ministries in Ohio and is known across Ohio and the Nation for his spiritual leadership and ability to help bring people together to address many of the challenges facing our communities. prgtoken Bishop Clarke is also the founder and chief prelate of the Berean Fellowship, an international assembly that partners and mentors pastors of small to mid-size churches and those who are new to the ministry. prgtoken I have had the pleasure of working with Bishop Clarke for a dozen years. I have benefited from his spiritual guidance and worked with him on efforts to battle addiction and human trafficking. He has also provided valuable counsel on our efforts to reduce recidivism and help people exiting our criminal justice system get jobs and get their lives back on track. prgtoken My wife Jane and I have had the privilege of joining Bishop Clarke and First Lady Clytemnestra Clarke at First Church of God, where we always leave inspired and rejuvenated from his powerful and practical Sunday sermons. prgtoken I thank Bishop Clarke for his friendship and counsel, congratulate him on reaching this impressive 40-year milestone, and wish him and First Church of God the best in the years to come.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-7-27

coming to the floor and listening to some of my colleagues talk about their concern for lack of access to contraception--and some have said we need to pass a bill codifying same-sex marriage when that is currently the law of the land by virtue of a Supreme Court decision, the Obergefell case--reminds me of the old story about the little boy who cried wolf. He cried wolf when there wasn't any danger; and then, once there was danger, people didn't come to his aid because they thought it was another phony crying wolf. prgtoken I can understand our colleagues--given inflation, given crime, given the broken borders--wanting to change the subject to something else, but that is all this is. This is mere posturing pre-November, pre- midterm elections. This isn't about changing the law because the law already permits ready access to contraceptives. The law already permits same-sex marriage. prgtoken So this idea that we ought to spend scarce time here in the Congress, which we have in limited supply, reaffirming rights that already exist, is a clear political narrative designed to divert the American people's attention from things that really are at risk--that is, the paychecks of every American family because of inflation, because of failed energy policies. prgtoken We know that the price of gasoline and diesel and fuel to fill up your car so you can go to work or take your child to school or summer camp has increased. We know that our cities are on fire due to spiking crime waves connected to drugs that are coming across the southern border. And, of course, we know that the southern border is completely open with a big red carpet and a welcome mat out for anybody who wants to come to the United States illegally. prgtoken And the cartels that are rich and getting richer because of the flow of their human traffic are also getting rich because of the flow of illegal drugs that took the lives of 108,000 Americans last year alone. prgtoken We know where those drugs are coming from and that the administration is doing absolutely nothing to stop them. I would want to change the topic too. CHIPS Act of 2022 prgtoken , on a more positive note, the Senate approved funding earlier this morning to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing by a vote of 64 to 33. This funding will help kick-start the development of these prgtoken microprocessors, these chips that go into everything from your cell phone to the F-35, to Javelin and Stinger missiles that we send to Ukraine to defend their country from Russian aggression. This funding will help kick-start a domestic production of these semiconductors in a way that will prevent a vulnerability of our supply chain, since 90 percent of those advanced semiconductors currently come from Asia, with 60 percent coming from Taiwan alone. prgtoken One other benefit to this bill is that this bill could create roughly 185,000 jobs eve
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2022-7-27

I rise to express deep appreciation for Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, a friend and leader to all of the frontline healthcare workers in my State. prgtoken Dr. Dobbs joined the Mississippi State Department of Health as the State health officer in December 2018. After 3\1/2\ years and a global pandemic that none of us saw coming, he will soon step down from his role and return to the clinical side of medicine. prgtoken Mississippi's State health officer is responsible for directing public health activities related to the State's many health challenges, which included my State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken Dr. Dobbs' experience and his expertise made him the perfect professional to lead Mississippi through this pandemic. With a belief that each person in Mississippi was his patient, Dr. Dobbs worked tirelessly throughout his tenure to care for our nearly 3 million residents. From the start, Dr. Dobbs was steadfast in informing and advising citizens, policymakers, and healthcare providers on the best practices to combat the deadly coronavirus. He never wavered despite evolving challenges and so many tragic COVID-related deaths. prgtoken He is one of the country's most respected public health officers, having earned a stellar reputation for his clinical work in the field of infectious diseases. Dr. Thomas Dobbs proved himself to be the leader Mississippi needed during a very difficult time. I am saddened to see Dr. Dobbs leave the Mississippi State Department of Health, but I am confident he will continue to do great things. prgtoken There are not enough thanks in the world that could cover all that Dr. Dobbs has done for Mississippi, but I say from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Dr. Dobbs. Your service and sacrifice on behalf of Mississippi reflects well on you and your profession. prgtoken I am also grateful for his wife, Dr. Kim Dobbs, and their two sons, Wyn and Max, for sharing so much of their husband and father during this time. prgtoken As Dr. Dobbs departs the State department of health, I look forward to continuing to work with him and the new State health officer, Dr. Dan Edney, in making Mississippi healthier and happier. prgtoken Thank you again so much, Dr. Dobbs. prgtoken .
SUSAN MUFFLEY ACT OF 2022
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , such time as I may consume to close. prgtoken Madam , again, I don't think we need another study. We don't need to delay action on this 2 years. What we need to do is increase premiums and impose stronger funding requirements. prgtoken The plans are underfunded. It doesn't take an accountant or a rocket scientist to figure that out. Pogo said, ``We have met the enemy, and he is us.'' We, in Congress, are the problem. We need to do this. prgtoken Madam , .
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2022-7-27

reserving the right to object, this nominee has been failed by the bureaucracy that he attempts to join. prgtoken For months, I have been working with the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security--USCIS specifically--to rectify an egregious immigration case. prgtoken A North Dakota family, an American family, is being forced to live apart from each other after one of the parents, a Canadian, inadvertently overstayed their visa after receiving poor advice during the chaos of the COVID pandemic. This forced separation has been ongoing since last year. In fact, the Canadian citizen, the Canadian mother, is barred for 10 years from returning to her home. prgtoken The family has complied with every request our government has thrown at them and, as we speak, are working on fulfilling another dilatory and unnecessary request for more information. prgtoken The review of this case could have been done a long time ago, but instead bureaucrats are expediting nothing, stringing out request after request, actually forcing my constituent to prove the hardship of being separated and even show why moving to Canada would be a problem. Think of it. Their own government is asking them to justify why they can't just move to Canada. They are past the point of exasperation, and I don't know how we can blame them. prgtoken It is wrong and unjust, especially when my constituents witness the same Agency allowing thousands of people to pour across our southern border without a scintilla of review every single day. prgtoken The government is not without fault in this case, and I could share many more frustrating details of their saga, but I will refrain for the sake of their privacy as they work through this grueling process. However, my holds on DHS nominees will remain until this case is resolved. And I will add, if there is no meaningful change soon, these holds will expand to other Agencies that are involved in this case-- specifically, the State Department. prgtoken It is not a decision I make lightly and one I would rather not make at all, but I would like to state the obvious: It shouldn't take a U.S. Senator personally calling Agencies and the administration while holding up nominees to get the so-called public servants to actually serve the public. prgtoken Get this done. prgtoken With that, I object.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-7-27

the border crisis continues to rage. Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 207,416 individuals attempting to cross our southern border illegally, the highest June number ever recorded. And April and May successively set records for the highest numbers for any month ever. prgtoken During the 2021 fiscal year, Customs and Border Protection encountered a record number of individuals attempting to cross our southern border illegally--1,734,686, to be precise--a record. We still have 3 months to go for this fiscal year, but we have already exceeded last year's number by more than 11,000. That is right. In just 9 months, we have already exceeded last year's record number of apprehensions. prgtoken The situation on our southern border is out of control, although you would never know it to hear the President and his administration. ``The border is secure'' the President's Homeland Security Secretary said just a few days ago. Again, The border is secure. My only question is how he said that with a straight face. prgtoken Our southern border is the opposite of secure. It is in crisis. The flood of illegal immigration is so great that huge numbers of Customs and Border Protection officers have been pulled off the border to process migrants. A May article from the Economist reported that: Around 60 percent of CBP agents have been assigned to process migrants, taking them away from field work. prgtoken That, of course, leaves our borders wide open to illegal activity, including the drug trafficking that is flooding our country with fentanyl. prgtoken It also means even with all the apprehensions the Border Patrol has made, many more individuals are getting through unstopped. One source reports that so far this fiscal year, there have been more than half a million got-aways--in other words, individuals the Border Patrol saw but was unable to apprehend. prgtoken The Economist article I mentioned also noted: One border expert estimates that less than 20 percent of people trying to cross the border undetected are stopped. prgtoken Less than 20 percent--that is a security nightmare. prgtoken Our Customs and Border Protection agents are giving this job their all, but there is no way for them to keep up with the flood of illegal immigration, especially when they are being pulled off the border to process migrants. prgtoken It is President 's job to help stop this border crisis, but when he is not pretending this crisis doesn't exist, he is taking actions that are contributing to this disaster. On his very first day in office, President rescinded prgtoken the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border. He halted construction of the border wall. He revoked a administration order that called for the government to faithfully execute our immigration laws. And his Department of Homeland Security issued guidelines pausing deportations, except