mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
The Economy (Executive Session)
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-7-12

when it comes to the economy, we hear a lot about numbers, the inflation rate, how much more groceries cost, or how many businesses are struggling to find employees. Those numbers are important. prgtoken They tell us the big picture story of where our economy is and where it is going. And right now, that is not a pretty picture. But as elected representatives, we work for our people. It is critical that we listen to the voices of the people who live in our States and who are being deeply affected by the numbers we read in Bloomberg or the Wall Street Journal. prgtoken In a speech he made last week, President promised that his economic policy is helping across the board ``in rural America, the heartland, all across America.'' prgtoken He claimed that omics is the silver bullet for financial struggles among middle-class Americans around the country. prgtoken I don't know who the President is talking to, but my experience hearing from Americans in the heartland is a lot different than what he said in that speech. Many Nebraskans are struggling under an unforgiving load of inflation, kick-started by this administration's almost $2 trillion stimulus package in 2021. prgtoken So today let's zoom in on Nebraska. When I am back in my home State, I am constantly hearing stories of hardship from my fellow Nebraskans, whether they are farmers, teachers, or small business owners. It is truly painful to hear about some of the experiences people are having due to inflation. prgtoken So let me tell you about omics in Nebraska. When I stopped by a coffee shop in 2022, the owner told me his electric bill had skyrocketed from $40 a month to over $300 a month, and that coffee shop owner is now gone. He couldn't afford omics, and he closed his shop. That is omics in Nebraska. prgtoken A year later, not much has changed. As one of our Nebraska farmers told me a few weeks ago, ``prices take the elevator up, but the stairs down.'' prgtoken Inflation causes costs to rise quickly, and they stay up there for a long time. One big economically irresponsible move from the administration--well, that sets the stage for years of struggle. That is omics in Nebraska. prgtoken Several rural businesses in the States shared their struggles with the local newspaper earlier this year. Many of these business owners feel ``at a loss'' for what to do as their livelihoods crumble under the pressure. prgtoken A honey farmer shared that consistently rising prices squeeze his family into a difficult position when doing things as simple as putting their honey in jars. Sometimes they could only afford to get the container; sometimes they could only afford to get the lids--but not both. prgtoken He said: We're kind of forgotten about way out here. prgtoken That is omics in Nebraska. prgtoken That doesn't line up with the President's boasts of an economy that works for middle-class Americans in the heartl
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Doug Lamborn (Republican, CO) \u2014 2023-7-12

I appreciate Chairman Rogers' leadership on this legislation. prgtoken , I rise today in favor of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. This bill prioritizes our military, safeguards their rights, and puts forward a fighting force that will stand against those who threaten the United States of America. prgtoken As chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I have had the distinct honor of working closely with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee on this year's NDAA. This bill fully funds modernization of our nuclear triad, establishes the nuclear sea- launched cruise missile as a program of record, prevents the administration from attempting to retire any element of our nuclear arsenal, and prohibits them from sharing nuclear information with Russia until the Russians reciprocate. prgtoken Additionally, the bill removes outdated missile defense policy limitations and crucially requires and funds acceleration in our development of hypersonic capabilities. prgtoken Finally, it advances our organization in military space, including with the establishment of a space national guard. prgtoken My colleagues in the House will be pleased to know that this bill also takes significant steps to end wokeness in the military by banning critical race theory and ending DEI overreach. Our military is not a social experiment. It is a fighting force that should be empowered to prioritize those missions. prgtoken To this end, the bill includes a 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, expands opportunities for military spouses, and expands access to childcare and schools for military families. prgtoken I also thank Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts for his bipartisan efforts as ranking member of the subcommittee. prgtoken , I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Richard McCormick (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-7-12

I applaud Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith and the House Armed Services Committee and its staff for crafting the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. prgtoken This is not an easy process, but even as a freshman member of the committee and as a veteran of over 20 years, I always felt my voice was heard, as well as my colleagues, and that we were heard and considered. prgtoken This NDAA secures the future of our military and our Nation. It makes critical investments to improve the lives of our servicemembers and give our warfighters the tools they need to meet tomorrow's needs. prgtoken H.R. 2670 also combats another concerning trend, which is on the mind of every American, particularly those who serve, the politicization of our military. prgtoken In the military we may be different shades of green, but we all bleed red. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I am pleased to support the NDAA that ensures our military is squarely focused on the mission set outlined in the oath of office that my fellow servicemembers and I swore to uphold. prgtoken Once again, I thank Chairman Rogers for bringing this year's NDAA to fruition, and I urge my colleagues to vote for this bipartisan piece of legislation.
The Economy (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-7-12

. We just heard my friend from Nebraska say that wants omics to be all about restoring the American dream. Well, for most Americans, it is turning out to be a nightmare. Inflation brought on by the administration's misguided policies has Americans trying to figure out how to afford everyday necessities. One thing that they are not buying is the administration's latest catchphrase: omics. prgtoken Over the Fourth of July break, I held meetings in 24 of Iowa's 99 counties. There was a very common theme there. That common theme was that families and businesses are struggling with the economic impact of inflation. prgtoken It is not just Iowans who are feeling the pain from the economy under the administration. According to a recent Associated Press survey, only 34 percent of Americans approve of President 's handling of our economy. President 's message to these Americans is: Don't believe your bank accounts. prgtoken Well, that message doesn't resonate. Iowa families are hit with ballooning bills and higher prices at every corner. For 2 years, Iowans have been stretched thin because of decades-high inflation stoked by ' reckless $2 trillion spending spree, a spending spree that would not have happened if they had listened to their own ic economists, particularly the outstanding Harvard economist and former Secretary of Treasury in the Clinton administration and economic adviser to other ic Presidents. Their own Larry Summers told them, before this President took over, that the economy was already turning around; don't spend any more money or you will have inflation. prgtoken So what do we see? On average, American consumers are facing prices that are 16 percent higher today than when took office. While prices have climbed, wages have failed to keep up. American workers have seen their paychecks shrink by more than 3 percent in real terms. prgtoken Now, we heard the word ``transitory''; that inflation was going to be transitory so you didn't need to worry about it. And this was what the administration claimed when they took office, and of course inflation has proved persistent. prgtoken Just remember, 1.4 percent inflation the day this President took office. It rose to 9.1 percent a year ago, and it is still at 4.5 percent. prgtoken In its effort to tame inflation, the Fed has hiked interest rates to the highest level in 16 years, putting mortgages and businesses and their loans out of reach for more and more Americans. Half of the small businesses report delaying plans to grow their business due to rising interest costs. prgtoken A rebranding of his far-left agenda as omics is cold comfort for Iowans and Americans everywhere who are coping with rising prices, falling real wages, and ballooning interest rates. prgtoken As we saw with last year's partisan tax-and-spending package that the named the Inflation Reduction Act, as
BIDENFLATION COSTS FAMILIES
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-7-12

the irresponsible decisions of and the liberal have caused inflation to reach a 40-year high, leaving American families in financial distress and jobs lost. prgtoken flation has increased the cost of everyday goods and services, reducing the annual purchasing power of families. prgtoken Worse, unintentionally revealed the reality of these policies. Recently, describing his economic policies, said: I don't know what omics is, but it's working. prgtoken The facts are inflation has caused costs to increase over the year. Lunch meats are up 6.2 percent. Margarine is up 23 percent. Flour is up 17 percent. Cereal and bakery products are up over 11 percent. prgtoken The House majority is working to correct this by having recently passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act to rein in government overreach and limit inflationary spending, creating jobs. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, who successfully protected America for 20 years, as the global war on terrorism continues, moving from the Afghanistan safe haven to America with open borders.
HONORING THE LIFE OF ROBERT "BOBBY" SMITH
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-7-12

I rise today to honor the life of Robert ``Bobby'' Smith, a close friend of mine, who was tragically killed in an airplane crash. prgtoken I knew Bobby well. In fact, he was my pilot for many years. He also flew for my predecessor, Congressman Jack Kingston. prgtoken Bobby's greatest passion was always aviation, and he also served as the chief flight instructor for MidCoast Aviation where he provided flight education for the VA and later served as prgtoken vice chairman of the Reidsville Airport Authority board. prgtoken Since 2012, Bobby volunteered as an Angel Flight pilot, arranging and piloting free flights for families in need of travel to and from healthcare services. prgtoken His generosity, his kindness, and willingness to help others through his passion for flight was unparalleled. prgtoken I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, but I know his legacy will live on for generations to come. Thank you, Bobby.
HONORING THE LIFE OF AARON SMITH
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-7-12

. Madam , on June 25, numerous thunderstorms in central Indiana developed into tornadoes with damaging wind and large hail. prgtoken I offer my sincerest condolences and prayers to those impacted by the storms, as well as thank our brave first responders who have never failed to respond and put their lives on the line for us. prgtoken God bless our first responders. Recognizing the Sixth District Agriculture Advisory Board
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-7-12

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I was just going to tell the gentleman that I have speakers that aren't here, so I am ready to move on, as well. I appreciate the ranking member. He has done a great job. He has been a great partner in this process, and I can't overstate how highly I think of him. prgtoken , I encourage my colleagues to support the en bloc package, and .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
Robert J. Wittman (Republican, VA) \u2014 2023-7-12

14 hours and 16 minutes--after considering over 1,000 amendments, that is the amount of time that it took to mark up the National Defense Authorization Act late last month in committee. The final vote was a resounding 58-1 to favorably report the bill. prgtoken Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith should be rightly congratulated on delivering this bipartisan bill to the floor today. I hope that we can similarly send to the Senate a bill that is equally bipartisan. prgtoken As to our national security, there is a quiet urgency demanded of us to move expeditiously on the passage of this bill. The Davidson Window of potential conflict with China in the late 2020s marks a day even closer. prgtoken Unfortunately, I am not convinced that our Nation fully understands this future peril. When we send servicemembers in harm's way, should we not also provide them with the best equipment and technology that our Nation can offer? prgtoken This NDAA provides that necessary assurance and a message to dissuade potential aggressors from future conflict. prgtoken As to the committee mark, it is worthy of support and includes advances in F-35 modernization and accelerates the fourth offset offered by the collaborative combat aircraft. It invests in the long- range precision fires that our military needs for the Indo-Pacific. prgtoken It aligns the Next Generation Air Domestic aircraft with its propulsion engine and, finally, accelerates Army ground modernization. I am confident that our Nation is better served with the passage of the tactical air and land forces mark. prgtoken , before I conclude, I specifically recognize Ranking Member Norcross for his partnership and leadership. He is dedicated to supporting our servicemembers, has the vision to see our national security perils, and the political fortitude to respond to our most serious threats. I truly appreciate his counsel and advice in delivering our bipartisan subcommittee mark. prgtoken My friends, the hour is late, we need to consider our constitutional responsibility required by the Davidson Window and respond with the urgency it demands. prgtoken , I encourage my fellow Members to answer the bell and support this bill.
APPROPRIATIONS
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-7-12

summer has arrived, which means Congress is turning its attention to appropriations bills for the coming year, and my hope is that this year Congress will consider all 12 appropriations bills under regular order. prgtoken Now, what do I mean by regular order? Regular order refers to allowing bills to go through the committee process--including hearings and a markup, where members of the committee have a chance to amend and improve the bill--and then a referral by the committee to the Senate as a whole. prgtoken Bills are then considered on the Senate floor. Some bills pass the Senate by unanimous consent, while others undergo a full debate, including amendment votes, before being voted on by the Senate as a whole. prgtoken Then, if necessary, the bill goes to a conference committee or is passed back and forth between the House and the Senate to reconcile any differences between the House and Senate bills before the amended versions are then put to the full House and Senate. prgtoken That is what is considered the ``regular order'' process, and it is generally the best way to make laws. Regular order allows for a truly deliberative process. It provides the time to fully consider all aspects of legislation and to hear input from a broad array of Members. It promotes collaboration, compromise, and a sense of ownership of the final legislation, which makes bills more likely to pass. And, it is a transparent process, one that ensures that both Senators and the American people can see how the legislation in question is made and have ample time to digest it--not to mention the key fact that, by ensuring the input of more Senators, regular order helps ensure that a broader swath of the American people is represented in any final legislation. prgtoken Regular order is something that I think most Members generally aspire to. But the actual use of regular order has all too frequently been in short supply around here in recent years. prgtoken Too often, major legislation has been written behind closed doors and dropped on Members at the last minute--bypassing the chairmen, ranking members, and Senators who sit on the committees of jurisdiction and would otherwise have the opportunity to consider and amend the legislation in committee, before being brought up for a floor vote with little or no opportunity to offer amendments. prgtoken Fifty years ago, most bills were going through regular order. In fact, 83 percent of the legislation considered on the Senate floor during the 1970s was a product of the committee process. But by the 2010s, those numbers had dropped sharply, along with the number of Senate floor votes on amendments. prgtoken But, of course, even while the use of regular order has decreased, some legislation does still go through the regular order process. And I can personally attest to the fact that the use of regular order can bring major bipartisan successes. prgtoken During my time as chair
UKRAINE
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-7-12

earlier this year, I had the opportunity to deliver an important message directed to our European allies in Munich. I told our friends that leading s are as committed as ever to American leadership and a robust transatlantic alliance. prgtoken I emphasized our resolve for helping Ukraine to defeat Russian aggression, not because of some vague moral obligation but because of what it means for America's own core national interests. prgtoken Letting Putin's brutality succeed would mean putting some of America's closest trading partners one border closer to a violent and revanchist authoritarian regime. It would mean emboldening Putin's ``friend without limits'' President Xi in Beijing to assert even more aggressive influence over on the other side of the world. prgtoken I spoke yesterday about how our allies recognized what is at stake in Ukraine and about how Europe's biggest economies have woken up from holidays from history and made serious commitments to helping Ukraine actually win. prgtoken For some perspective on this important progress, more than half of the Javelin anti-tank weapons Ukraine has received have come from countries other than the United States. In fact, we now rank 13th in terms of assistance as a percentage of GDP. prgtoken Even as America continues to provide critical assistance to Ukraine, some nations are digging even deeper into their own arsenals and making a much greater relative investment of support. Russian aggression has spurred our European allies to heightened vigilance and greater resolve. Here at home, the American people overwhelmingly share that resolve. prgtoken According to a recent survey, three in four Americans--three in four Americans--including big majorities in each party, think it is important to us, to the United States, that Ukraine win the war. A clear majority also supports sending U.S. military aid to Ukraine. And more generally, 85 percent of Americans say a strong U.S. military is essential to maintain peace and prosperity. prgtoken So the American people's view of our national security is really quite clear, but here in Washington, providing for the common defense remains our biggest and most pressing piece of unfinished business. President 's defense budget request is woefully inadequate, especially as we look at the growing military requirements to deter or defend against Chinese aggression. prgtoken Folks in Washington are using the threat of China to justify all sorts of other policies and initiatives, but the reality is, the primary area of geopolitical competition is part power. prgtoken This growing threat makes our work on funding America's Armed Forces especially important, but the process of setting the Senate's national security priorities begins with a long-overdue annual Defense authorization. prgtoken I am hopeful that the ic leader is taking the necessary steps to bringing the NDAA to the Senate floor next
The Economy (Executive Session)
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-7-12

I join my colleagues on the floor to talk about 's economy. prgtoken Over the past few weeks, the President has traveled across our great country. He has been giving speeches on what he calls omics. He is bragging about how good our economy is. prgtoken I have got news for the President: The American people aren't buying what you are selling. prgtoken Two-thirds of the American people disapprove of him on the economy-- two-thirds. Three out of four Americans say our country is on the wrong track. Most economists think we are going to have a recession within the next year. We all hope that doesn't happen. prgtoken Nevertheless, I agree with the American people. omics has been a disaster, a complete disaster, for the people of this country. prgtoken When took office, this economy was ready to take off. We were opening back up after the pandemic, but obviously took credit for that too. prgtoken The Congressional Budget Office said the economy didn't need any stimulus--no more money. We were expected to fully recover within just a few months. Guess what. Our President didn't listen. He signed the biggest stimulus bill in history. spent $2 trillion that we didn't need. It wasn't paid for. We didn't have the money, but we approved it anyway, in this room. That $2 trillion is going straight to the national debt--$32 trillion. Embarrassing. prgtoken Even the ' own experts warned them not to do this. President 's economic adviser, Jason Furman, said: I don't know any economist who is advocating for a spending bill that size. prgtoken Bill Clinton's Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, said it would cause inflation. Well, sure enough, a month after the passed their spending bill, inflation started going up, and now prices are 14 percent higher than they were when President took office--14 percent. Gas prices are still up by more than a dollar a gallon since this President took office. The price of diesel is raising costs for farmers in my State of Alabama and across America, and they are struggling. In total, inflation has cost the typical American family more than $8,000 annually since took office. prgtoken Last summer, and the started spending trillions in taxpayer money again. Didn't learn a lesson. It was an election year, and they must have thought it was going to help them in the election. prgtoken As of today, has authorized more than 4 trillion--that is not billion; that is trillion--dollars in spending. That is more money than we spent in World War II. Again, this is after the Congressional Budget Office said we didn't need any stimulus, and again, it was money that we didn't have. We didn't have it. It is no wonder we have had the highest inflation in 40 years, and it is no wonder is the least popular President since Jimmy Carter. prgtoken Record inflation has cau