mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2021-7-13

I rise in strong support of the nomination of Julie Su to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Labor. prgtoken The U.S. Department of Labor is an important Federal Agency, but amidst a global pandemic that has left millions of Americans out of work, the Department's mission takes on outsized importance. The Department needs leadership with deep experience, knowledge, and a demonstrated ability to successfully lead an organization. prgtoken Just as importantly, the Department needs leadership with an understanding of the unique challenges of this moment. As we are seeing with President , leadership does make a difference. At this critical time in our Nation's economic recovery, we must ensure the President has the team he needs to move our country forward. Julie Su is a key member of that team. She is a highly qualified and proven leader. prgtoken As California's secretary of labor and workforce development, Secretary Su oversees and protects the workforce for the State of California, the fifth largest economy in the world. When you add her work as an attorney and a nonprofit executive, she brings a wide mix of experience to the table. Coupled with a collaborative work style that gives everyone a seat at the table, Secretary Su has not only delivered on her agency's mission but has also improved and transformed her agency. prgtoken Her success and effectiveness is best summed up in the words of her own staff at the agency she has led for more than 7 years: During Ms. Su's seven years as California Labor Commissioner, she remade the agency in ways that many would have thought impossible. She increased efficiency throughout the division and broke down departmental silos that had stifled effective collaboration and caused redundancy. Moreover, under her leadership, the Labor Commissioner's office reworked its investigative bureau into a cutting edge labor enforcement team that dug deep into complex cases that the Labor Commissioner's office had been previously unequipped to handle. Complex, high quality investigations that had previously been rare--if not unthinkable--became standard operating procedure. prgtoken Secretary Su is an excellent manager. Not only does she deliver results, she invests in her own staff by providing them with the resources and environment they need to get the job done. She builds diverse teams and then empowers them to do their best work--all while knowing who they are. I mean this literally. prgtoken Again, in the words of her staff: She was legendary for having learned the names of every one of the more than 600 staff within the Labor Commissioner's office, from secretarial support staff to investigators, deputies, and legal staff. prgtoken Julie Su will also bring diverse life experiences to the Department. She is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her immi
INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS VOTING ASSISTANCE ACT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2021-7-13

. Madam , I rise today to introduce the Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Congressman Peter Welch. This bill would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide to inmates from jurisdictions that allow inmates to vote, like the District of Columbia, Vermont and Maine, information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. It would require BOP to provide each BOP prison information on the criteria for voter registration, instructions on voter registration, voter registration forms and prepaid envelopes for voter registration forms, if provided by the state generally. Each prison would be required to post the information in the facility and give it to each inmate eligible to vote. prgtoken These are essentially the practices BOP used in the most recent presidential election, so this bill would codify an already successful practice of assisting with voter enfranchisement. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to support this bill.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2021
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-7-13

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m Wednesday, July 14; 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; further, that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Samuels nomination; further, that the cloture motions filed during yesterday's session of the Senate ripen at 11:30 a.m.; that if cloture is invoked on the Samuels nomination, the Senate immediately vote on cloture on the Nanda nomination; further, that the Senate recess following the cloture vote on the Nanda nomination until 2 p.m.; that if cloture is invoked on either of the nominations, all postcloture time expire at 2:35 p.m. and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominations in the order in which cloture was invoked; finally, that if any of the nominations are confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
Fentanyl (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-7-14

the countdown is on. Today marks the beginning of 100 days until the critical and lifesaving authority placing fentanyl-related substances in schedule I expires. In 100 days that expires. prgtoken Congress has extended this authority multiple times, most recently in May. However, when choosing how long to extend this authority, Congress shortchanged itself by providing only 5 months to contemplate how to permanently control fentanyl analogs. I pushed for a longer extension, even spearheading bipartisan legislation that would have extended this authority into the next year, but my colleagues on the other side of the aisle insisted that 5 months was sufficient to work with the administration to find a permanent solution scheduling fentanyl-related substances. prgtoken I had skepticism about this when the 5-month extension passed in May, and I have even more skepticism now. That is because we are only 100 days away from losing this essential authority and the administration still has not indicated how it intends to solve this problem. So Congress is operating in the dark. prgtoken The administration says that a legislative proposal will be sent to Congress as early as next month. But this proposal won't be a done deal once it arrives on Capitol Hill because, you know, Presidents propose, Congress disposes. prgtoken If it doesn't include measures to protect vulnerable communities, to prevent more drug overdose victims, and proactively deter and punish drug traffickers, then it won't be enough to solve the problems of a drug--fentanyl--killing several hundred thousand people. prgtoken I have been beating the drum on scheduling fentanyl analogs for a long period of time because it is a fight worth having. We simply can't afford to let these deadly substances go unscheduled. prgtoken What happens if we don't schedule fentanyl analogs in the next 100 days? Well, it is pretty obvious. Opioid-related deaths fueled by fentanyl analogs increased by 35 percent in my State of Iowa. What about the other 49 States? But 35 percent in Iowa last year. That happens to be in line with nationwide trends. So deaths will continue to rise if we don't buckle down and get onto this issue of scheduling fentanyl schedule I on a permanent basis. prgtoken Also, according to the Customs and Border Patrol, so far this year, enough fentanyl and its analogs have been seized to kill the entire population of the United States not once, but 10 times over. prgtoken Some may view drug crimes as victimless. You need to tell that to the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost their brother, sister, parent, or child to fentanyl. prgtoken Tell that to Rob and Deb Courtney, the parents of Chad Courtney from North Liberty, IA. Chad died 5 years ago because of fentanyl. He used painkillers and then turned to abusing heroin. Rod and Deb tried to help their son through rehab and treatment. Then one day they received the call that they had
The Economy (Executive Calendar)
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-7-14

this past week, we held 12 townhalls back home in my home State of Kansas. We heard from Kansans about a variety of issues, but thanks to this administration's economic policies, runaway inflation has replaced COVID at the top of the mountain of concerns for the people from my State. prgtoken Make no mistake about it--the inflation harming checking accounts of Kansans and all Americans rests squarely on the shoulders of the socialist economic policies coming out of the White House, otherwise known as omics. prgtoken As we all know, yesterday, the Department of Labor reported consumer prices climbed for the third straight month, jumping over 5 percent in June--the largest increase in 13 years. Gas prices are up, groceries are up, cars and truck prices are up, home prices are up, paper products are up, utilities are up, and I could go on and on. prgtoken Every day, we see the omics of inflation impacting hard-working Americans. In fact, inflation is a great social injustice. Inflation is really a regressive tax. It hurts everyone but none more than our seniors and young, hard-working families living paycheck to paycheck. prgtoken So what exactly is omics? Let's look at what they did to create this crisis. Stating the obvious, they are printing money, borrowing money we don't have, and implementing quantitative easing like there is no tomorrow, like there are no generations of America for our future. prgtoken Look no further than the cost of utilities. The administration has made it hard to use affordable, clean, traditional energy, and they leveled more and more regulations on the industry. prgtoken Manufactured products? Ditto. omics is paying people more to stay at home than go to work, creating labor shortages and government- created bottlenecks in manufacturing plants. And then, to top things off, we don't even have enough truckdrivers to transport goods to market. prgtoken As for gasoline, I bring your attention, which is up 31 percent since January, and according to AAA, it is expected to rise another 20 cents this summer. prgtoken Let's think about what all the administration has done. They shut down the Keystone XL. They stopped drilling on government lands and imposed harmful rules and regulations to slow down drilling and make it more expensive. We are now importing more oil from Russia than Alaska. prgtoken As a physician in rural Kansas, I had the privilege of delivering a baby most every day, and one thing I always noticed, when that price of gasoline got above $3 a gallon, all of a sudden, those moms were missing their appointments. Today, we are at that number, and we are expecting it to go even higher, unfortunately. Kansans aren't the only ones feeling the squeeze at the pump. prgtoken Many popular items we all regularly purchase at the grocery store increased in recent months. The cost of a typical all-American Kansas breakfast--two eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast,
Honoring Officer Kevin Dale Apple (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2021-7-14

. I thank Senator Boozman. prgtoken , Police Officer Kevin Dale Apple of the Pea Ridge Police Department protected the community he loved for 23 years, but Officer Apple's long and honorable career in law enforcement was cut tragically short just a couple of weeks ago. prgtoken It all began with a call to ``be on the lookout'' for a blue Jeep that was fleeing from police in Rogers. Officer Apple and a fellow officer spotted the vehicle at a convenience store, and they sprang into action, approaching the car to speak to its occupants. When they did, the driver of the Jeep rammed one of their police cars and then struck Officer Apple, dragging him to his death. He succumbed to his injuries at the age of 53. prgtoken Officer Apple's death is a tragedy and a crime, but it is also a reminder; it is a reminder of the grave danger that police officers face across the country every day when they put on the bulletproof vest and leave home, not knowing whether they will go home that night to take it off. This year alone, in being barely halfway through the year, 162 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty across our country. prgtoken Officer Apple's death is also a reminder that, every time an officer approaches a suspect, he or she may be exposed to hidden threats, which may be a concealed weapon or, in this case, a vehicle that has been transformed into an instrument of death. All of the comfortable critics of the police who love to second-guess their every move, while officers are under incredible stress and danger in the heat of the moment, can stand to learn that sobering fact. prgtoken Officer Apple's death is also a warning of the tragic consequences of ill- prgtoken conceived, soft-on-crime policies. The woman who killed Officer Apple, Shawna Cash, was known by police long before that fateful day. She was facing multiple counts of theft and other drug-related offenses, but she was reportedly released from jail due to the coronavirus. prgtoken When criminals get let out of jail and are put back on our streets, tragedy tends to follow. A brave officer would still be alive today if his killer had remained behind bars. The trade-off here should be obvious. This criminal, with a rap sheet longer than your arm, should have remained in jail, and Officer Apple should have gone home to his friends and his family. For every future Shawna Cash who gets let out of jail early because of the coronavirus or soft-on-crime policies or other foolish and naive reasons, just remember: There could be another Officer Apple or another murder victim or rape victim. prgtoken Like every victim of the terrible murder wave sweeping our Nation, Officer Apple's life mattered. He leaves behind loved ones like Dalene, his mother, and Kyle, his brother. He leaves behind fellow officers and comrades who remember his jokes and his goofy sense of humor. He leaves behind a legacy of 23 years of honorable, courageous service t
Texas (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-7-14

the leader was here a few moments ago discussing an issue which I think has gotten a lot of play here lately, and that is this attempt by members of the Texas Legislature to come to Washington, DC, to protest legislation that is being moved through the legislature in the State of Texas. In fact, this is the cover of one of yesterday's newspapers--or I should say today's newspapers. prgtoken It has a photo there of all the legislators from Texas meeting with the leadership here in the U.S. Senate. Allegedly, they are here, playing hooky from their jobs in Texas, having flown in, I am told, on private jets--so much for doing something about the climate--to protest the fact that in Texas their voices are not being heard and not being given input into the legislative process there. prgtoken I point that out simply because it is really incredibly ironic. I mean, it is rich with irony. Sometimes, around here, you just say you can't make this stuff up. They are here in Washington, DC, away from Texas, which is where their jobs are, to protest the fact that their views and voice are not being heard in Texas and that the majority in Texas is running roughshod over the minority and their rights. prgtoken The same , I would add, here in Washington, DC, are trying to get rid of the legislative filibuster in the U.S. Senate, the very mechanism that historically has protected the rights of the minority and given them a voice in the legislative process, the very thing that has been used historically in a way that ensures that the Senate has to come together behind big solutions, collaborate, find that common ground, find that compromise. The here in Washington and these from Texas are all in favor of getting rid of the legislative filibuster. prgtoken Think about that. It is really pretty remarkable that they would come up here to protest what is happening in Texas at a time when they support getting rid of the very protections that give the minority here in the U.S. Senate a voice in that legislative process. prgtoken And the other really remarkable irony about this is the issue that they are here to speak in support of S. 1, the bill that would federalize, that would nationalize elections in this country and take power away from States when it comes to regulating and administering elections, a power that has been held by States going back to the Founders. prgtoken And so they came here basically to say you need to pass H.R. 1. Well, again, what is H.R. 1? H.R. 1 is this massive Federal takeover of elections in this country, and it is also the test case for why we have got to get rid of the legislative filibuster. prgtoken I would be willing to bet that the leader at some point in the next couple of weeks is going to call up S. 1 again. We voted on it once already, but he is going to call it up again because he thinks it is good polit
BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2021-7-14

. Not until I finish my remarks, but I thank the gentleman. prgtoken A Senate confirmation hearing is probably the world's worst job interview, but there is a good reason for that. The various candidates who come before our committees are asking to take on some of the most important challenges that we face as a country. And so when the President sends us these nominees for consideration, it is our job to vet their resumes, to vet their records. To go through the motions is not enough. We need to meet with them and review their history. prgtoken So imagine our shock when the administration began to send us candidates that made it clear the President expects the Senate to act as a rubberstamp for some of the most controversial and unqualified nominees in recent memory. prgtoken His choice for Health and Human Services, Secretary Xavier Becerra, had no meaningful experience in healthcare before his very first day serving as the country's chief healthcare officer. He did, however, have quite a long history of weaponizing the full force of government against people whose views differ from his own. prgtoken Alejandro Mayorkas, 's choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security, boasted a proven record of corruption from his time serving in the administration. An investigation by the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security revealed that Mayorkas abused his position as the Director of USCIS to help politically powerful friends violate immigration laws. prgtoken Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta's record as a radical, liberal activist was so diametrically opposed to the beliefs of most Americans that she tried to ``evolve'' her positions on drug crime and defunding the police just to avoid scrutiny during her confirmation hearing. Of course, by ``evolve,'' I mean she outright lied about her position. And there have been many, many, who have stood on this floor and have challenged her nomination. prgtoken Another, David Chipman--this is 's pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He is so anti-Second Amendment, he has endorsed policies that would effectively ban all sporting rifles in the United States. He has no respect for the constitutional right to bear arms, no respect for the nearly 20 million Americans who hold a concealed carry permit, or the 15.5 million Americans who hold hunting licenses. President chose the anti-gun lobby over the American people when he nominated Chipman for this post. prgtoken President 's parade of genuinely unacceptable nominees continued this week. Today, the majority leader has decided to move forward with the nomination of Donald Remy to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. If that name sounds familiar to you, it is because you have heard about Mr. Remy's work in other controversial context. He served as the NCAA's COO and chief legal officer and was the architect of that organization's restricti
The Economy (Executive Calendar)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-7-14

like all of us, I just got back from spending some time at home. I got back from being there and making a difference. I think one of the important things of being outside of Washington is you get a chance to hear what people are really concerned about. We have all kinds of speeches given here every day of what Members of Congress are absolutely sure people are concerned about. I prgtoken think that topic becomes much more crystal clear when you get home. I know it is certainly much more crystal clear to me when I am home in Missouri. prgtoken Over the Fourth of July holiday, there were a number of visits all over the State--to Columbia, St. Louis, Montgomery City, Monroe City. There were lots of events everywhere in the State at which I talked about the importance of getting the vaccine and the progress we were making there, but the first thing that people wanted to talk to me about was inflation. People are already seeing that prices are well above the numbers that they believe they are seeing that the official numbers are confirming. prgtoken In May of this year, prices were 5 percent higher than they were in May a year ago. In June, they were 5.4 percent higher than they were a year ago, but people are seeing a lot of prices that are higher than that. The price of whole milk is up 7.5 percent from a year ago. The price of an airplane ticket has averaged up about 25 percent from a year ago. Used cars are more expensive than they were last June. In fact, they are 45 percent more expensive than they were a year ago in June. prgtoken There is an incredible increase in the cost of things that people not only want to buy but on those things that are more pressing: what people have to buy and need to buy. prgtoken A lot of people specifically talked to me about gas prices. I was on the road a lot, driving a lot while I was home, and I saw those prices for myself. The average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline nationwide is about $3.15. That is 45 percent higher than in June of last year. That is a hidden tax that working people pay every day. prgtoken Whether it is a hidden tax on a glass of milk, a hidden tax on a tank of gas, or a hidden tax on other things that they like to do or have to do, it makes a real difference for the people who want to take a vacation or have to travel to work. In the part of Missouri that I live in, there are a lot of little towns that have manufacturing jobs. It is not unusual for somebody to drive 40 or 50 miles one way to get to that job, and if gasoline is 45 percent higher than it was a year ago, it makes a real difference. That is a real hidden tax, and it is usually a hidden tax on the people to whom the President rightly would not want to pass on tax increases. prgtoken I think the administration has to start taking into account the issues that are out there. Larry Summers and others from the administration have warned of the great risk of inflation. Wh