mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO REV. McKINLEY WASHINGTON, JR.
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend, whose life was a testament to the biblical admonition ``faith without works is dead.'' Reverend McKinley Washington, Jr. spent his career in the pulpit while serving a quarter of a century in the South Carolina legislature. His passing on July 24, 2022, has silenced a beloved faith and community leader along the Sea Islands of South Carolina. prgtoken McKinley was one of eight children born to the late McKinley Washington, Sr. and Mattie Peterson Washington in the Stackhouse community of Sumter County, South Carolina. He graduated from Goodwill Parochial School, the same institution that educated Mary McLeod Bethune. He subsequently attended Johnson C. Smith, a historically Black college, in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, he joined the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, helped organize civil rights marches, and was arrested for his activism. McKinley also made time for his studies and earned a B.A. in 1961 and a master's degree in divinity from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary in 1964. prgtoken Although both of us were born and raised in Sumter County our paths did not cross until we arrived in Charleston County around the same time in the early 1960s. He had accepted a call to pastor at Edisto Presbyterian Church and I had accepted a teaching position in the Charleston County public school system. We both became actively engaged in local politics and it was not long before we and our wives became great friends. prgtoken He was young, energetic, and determined to make a difference in his community and throughout the Sea Islands of Charleston County. In Charleston he rekindled his activism, establishing the Edisto Branch of the NAACP, helping to stand up the Franklin Fetter federally qualified community health center, and later, the Sea Island Comprehensive Health Care Corp. prgtoken When I left the classroom and became a Counselor with the Charleston County Employment Security Commission in 1965 and later Director of the Charleston County Neighborhood Youth Corps and New Careers project, McKinley helped in my effort to get part time jobs for high school students and work experiences for high school dropouts. Our signature effort came through the creation of a Talent Search project that sent hundreds of low-income high school graduates to colleges and universities across the country. Most of those students went to Wilberforce University in Ohio. Among them were Larry Whaley pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church and the Rev. Nelson Rivers, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church and Vice President of National Action Network who is a dynamic faith leader in his own right. prgtoken It was during this time that McKinley became an active board member of the South Carolina Commission for Farm Workers, an agency created to aid migrants and seasonal farm workers. After some fits and starts, that Commission hired me to be their Executive Director in 1968. <
SUSAN MUFFLEY ACT OF 2022
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , H.R. 6929, the Susan Muffley Act of 2022, will restore the hard-earned pensions of more than 20,000 Delphi salaried retirees, including 5,000 in my home State of Michigan. prgtoken The Susan Muffley Act is a bipartisan bill supported by s and in both the House and the Senate. I worked most particularly with Mr. Ryan of Ohio and Mr. Turner of Ohio on this legislation along with the other cosponsors. It is endorsed by the AARP, the AFL-CIO, and the UAW. I am glad we can come together finally to do what is right for these workers. These are workers who lost their pensions through no fault of their own. prgtoken In this country, Madam , if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to retire with dignity and with peace of mind. Instead, these workers had the rug ripped out from underneath them and lost their hard-earned benefits. When General Motors filed for bankruptcy during the Great Recession the Federal Government--I repeat, the Federal Government--made the unprecedented step to move in and save the auto industry. At the direction of the Federal Government, however, the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the PBGC, assumed responsibility for the Delphi salaried retiree pensions. After negotiations with the Federal Government, the PBGC cut those hard- earned benefits by as much as 70 percent for 20,000 Delphi salaried retirees. prgtoken These retirees were treated differently than other retirees impacted by the GM bankruptcy. They suffered significant cuts to their benefits, upending the lives of thousands and thousands of families. prgtoken In September of 2019, the Delphi Salaried Retirees Association filed suit against the PBGC to have their pension benefits restored. It went all the way to the Supreme Court until the Court declined to hear the case, making it clear that only congressional action could restore these earned pension benefits. prgtoken Our legislation would make this unique group of retirees who had their pensions unfairly and disproportionately cut will make them whole again. This means that beneficiaries will receive a payment of the difference of what was actually paid to them by the PBGC and what they would have earned had they been able to keep their pensions like everyone else did. Moving forward, beneficiaries will receive their full earned pension. prgtoken This bill is fully paid for and will not add to the deficit. prgtoken Delphi salaried retirees deserve to have their pensions made whole because it was the Federal Government that singled these workers out. It was the Federal Government who stepped in to rescue General Motors but decided to treat these workers differently and cut their earned pensions. It was the Federal Government, not General Motors, who directly negotiated with the PBGC. prgtoken What happened to these hardworking retirees was wrong, and now it is the Federal
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 263, BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4040, ADVANCING TELEHEALTH BEYOND COVID-19 ACT OF 2021, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Lloyd Doggett (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-7-27

telehealth is good. Telehealth fraud is not. The bill is remarkably similar to a bipartisan measure that I worked on last year and got the support of 22 health-related stakeholders after holding a productive bipartisan hearing. prgtoken I applaud Representative 's support for telehealth and her valued service to our Nation in general. Through no fault of hers, this bill contains a glaring omission. prgtoken Whenever billions of Federal dollars are available anywhere, some will try to steal it. That is what has happened with telehealth. The Justice Department has brought one charge after another against hundreds of defendants for stealing through fraud billions of taxpayer dollars, including charges that they brought last week. prgtoken What happens is that someone using the telehealth mechanism is ordering expensive genetic tests, allergy tests, and medical equipment that the patient does not need and billing the taxpayer through Medicare. prgtoken My effort to address this is not just to see a prosecution of theft after it has occurred, but to prevent it and to protect taxpayers with an amendment that was designed to employ the recommendations of a nonpartisan commission to prevent and reduce this kind of fraud. prgtoken It enjoyed bipartisan support. I saw that it was not included under this rule. I think that is unfortunate. Accordingly, , I do not support the rule or the bill.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 263, BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4040, ADVANCING TELEHEALTH BEYOND COVID-19 ACT OF 2021, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-7-27

I also thank Mrs. Torres for being very generous with the time of the Rules Committee. prgtoken I support all aspects of what I consider to be historic legislation. I would like to also thank Mr. Hoyer who has worked tirelessly to help us to bring this legislation to the floor. It will mean a lot to many people. It will mean an awful lot to me. prgtoken I appreciate anyone who is going to vote for it, and I encourage everyone to vote for it. prgtoken Today is a unique day in history, and I trust that this bipartisan legislation will prove such to be the case. prgtoken I am not going to prolong my time. I just want to be grateful to all Members of the House, including the , the whip, the caucus chair, persons on both sides, and the minority leader--everyone. I am grateful. I trust that we will vote to pass the legislation.
HONORING ASSEMBLYMEMBER MARK STONE
Jimmy Panetta (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I rise today to recognize California's 29th District Assemblymember Mark Stone as a long-standing champion of the LGBTQ+ community. prgtoken Assemblymember Stone's efforts to combat social injustices dates back to his time as a Santa Cruz Country Supervisor. As a two-term Supervisor, he overhauled the county's child welfare system. The improved system increased family and community support for foster youth and provided more integrated care, including culturally competent care for LGBTQ+ youth. Engaging with stakeholders around this issue led to a long-standing partnership with the Queer Youth Task Force of Santa Cruz County. Additionally, he supported funding the Queer and Trans Youth Council of Santa Cruz County and has been a speaker at multiple LGBTQ+ youth-led events, where he encourages future leaders to create communities that celebrate diversity and pride. prgtoken Since his election to the California State Assembly in 2012, Assemblymember Stone's mission has remained consistent. During his tenure, he has authored successful legislation that prohibits dismissing prospective jurors based on gender identity and expression and removed gender terms from the Fair Employment and Housing Act, effectively ensuring that transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people are offered equal protection. Notably, Assembly member Stone co-authored legislation to add a non-binary gender marker on California birth certificates, drivers' licenses, and identity cards, as well as a bill to protect incarcerated transgender people. prgtoken Assemblymember Stone's efforts in advancing the rights and protections of all Californians have earned him consistent recognition by Equality California, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and the Courage Campaign, just to name a few. Taking full advantage of his time in office, Assemblymember Stone has honored outstanding members of the LGBTQ+ community in state commemorations, including Dayna Sinopoli, a transgender woman, as the Assembly's Women of the Year for the 29th District and Dr. Jen Hastings, the Assembly's first non-binary Person of the Year. Additionally, Assemblymember Stone proudly named Dr. Chris DiMaio, co-founder of the Rainbow Veterans of Santa Cruz County, as his 2015 Veteran of the Year. prgtoken Madam , I offer my sincere congratulations to Assemblymember Mark Stone on being commemorated by Santa Cruz County's 47th Annual Pride Festival. We are all so grateful for his leadership and his advocacy.
EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS A STABLE WATER SUPPLY
Susie Lee (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2022-7-27

I rise as the water level in Lake Mead sits at yet another all-time low. Today, Lake Mead, which provides water for 25 million Americans, holds just 27 percent of its capacity. prgtoken Just 40 years ago, as you can see here, Lake Mead was actually above full capacity. But now we face the threat of the worst megadrought in 12 centuries. prgtoken The clock is ticking, and we must act now. prgtoken That is why I am supporting the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. This package includes three of my bills to tackle our drought, conserve water, enhance our research capabilities, and keep more water in Lake Mead for Nevadans. prgtoken We cannot let politics get in the way of this. Water is not a partisan issue. prgtoken Every Nevadan, every American, whether , , or Independent, needs a stable water supply. prgtoken Let's pass this package and help secure our future.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-7-27

. prgtoken I respectfully disagree with the Senator from Missouri on this matter. The Senate Armed Services Committee conducts and has conducted extensive oversight on Afghanistan. Committee actions include seven public and closed hearings regarding the War in Afghanistan, lessons learned, and ongoing regional counterterrorism requirements prgtoken since the withdrawal last August. And Senator Hawley has participated in all of these. prgtoken The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 contained a provision, section 1092, that mandated the Department of Defense deliver quarterly briefings, in both unclassified and classified form, on the security situation in Afghanistan and ongoing counterterrorism efforts. prgtoken The classified briefings have taken place on January 20, April 14, and July 21. The unclassified briefings have taken place on February 14 and April 25. An additional unclassified briefing will be held tomorrow, coincidentally, and Senator Hawley has full access to all of these briefings. prgtoken The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 also contains a provision, section 1069, which requires a yearly assessment of our over-the-horizon counterterrorism capabilities in Afghanistan. While the first installment has not yet been delivered to the committee, Senator Hawley will have access to those assessments, as well as will all of my colleagues. prgtoken The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 further mandated the establishment of the Afghanistan War Commission, which will spend 3 years examining all aspects of the 20-year war in-depth. All the Commissioners have been appointed, and we expect the Commission to commence work in the near term. And Senator Hawley will have the same access to the Commission's findings as everyone else. prgtoken What I think the Senator does not understand is that the events that took place at Abbey Gate were not unique to that moment in time. They were the culmination of 20 years of actions by Presidents from both sides, by commanders on both sides. And in order to understand what truly happened at Abbey Gate, we have to look at all of those periods. prgtoken What was the effect of 's agreement with the Taliban, excluding the legal government of Afghanistan, to essentially leave? And what other events created the situation that led directly to the situation at Abbey Gate? Without that context, this will simply be a way to vilify the administration, a way to point out shortcomings, and it won't get to what we really should be focused on: What profound lessons can we learn from 20 years in Afghanistan that will assist us in the future, that will protect our men and women in uniform? prgtoken Again, if the focus is on political retaliation and retribution, that is part of this organization. But if we want to focus on protecting today the lives of men and women who serve and their f
COMMENDING JEFFREY F. WERLING
John A. Yarmuth (Democrat, KY) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and honor the outstanding service of Jeffrey Werling, who is retiring this week after almost 40 years as a dedicated public servant, educator, and economist, the past six of them at the Congressional Budget Office. prgtoken Jeff has served as the Director of CBO's Macroeconomic Analysis Division since 2016. In that capacity, he has overseen the production of the economic forecasts that underlie CBO's budget projections, led the agency's macroeconomic analyses of major legislation, and provided guidance to the Director and staff on economic issues under some of the most challenging circumstances that the agency has experienced. Jeff has been a leader in enhancing transparency in CBO's economic analyses and promoting public understanding of the key economic issues facing the nation. Drawing on his diverse experience, deep understanding of economic relationships, and strong intuition, he helped make CBO's analyses clearer and more helpful to the Members of Congress and more accessible to the broader public. prgtoken Jeff started his career in 1981 in the United States Peace Corps as a secondary education teacher in West Africa. After receiving his Ph.D. in economics from University of Maryland, he made many contributions to economics research and education as an analyst, teacher, and leader in private and public organizations in the United States and abroad. He came to CBO from Inforum, an economic research organization, where he was the executive director, providing guidance on government policy analysis and a variety of economic issues. prgtoken In his leadership role at CBO, Jeff has been a constant source of support, encouragement, and constructive feedback to his colleagues. He has always been generous, especially to junior staff, with his time, ideas, and mentorship. His colleagues in CBO will miss his guidance, wisdom, keen sense of humor, and softball prowess. prgtoken I know my colleagues join me in extending our thanks and appreciation to Jeff for his service to our country. We wish him well in his future undertakings and hope that the Nation will continue to benefit from his expertise and commitment.
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HEATH ROBINSON HONORING OUR PROMISE TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE TOXICS ACT OF 2022--Resumed
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-7-27

a group of us will be speaking and then asking for unanimous consent on a measure called the Right to Contraception Act. It is called the Right to Contraception Act because it guarantees the right to contraception. prgtoken If you had asked me a year ago, 6 months ago, would we need a Right to Contraception Act, I would have thought not in my lifetime. But the fact is we live now in the post-Roe era. It is a unique moment in our Nation's history, not just because the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade in the recent Dobbs decision but because, for the first time in our history, we are rolling back rights. prgtoken The history of our great country, the greatest in the history of the world, is that we advance and expand rights. From the time of our founding, the ethos and tradition of America is that we increase rights and liberties that are protected from governmental interference. prgtoken And now with Dobbs, one of the core freedoms--the right to decide when and whether to have children--has been stripped from women and given to government officials. But it isn't only reproductive rights under Roe, because the U.S. Supreme Court has very carefully, deliberately sent signals about where it is going in this rollback of rights and liberties. And it isn't just Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion, which now has become infamous for its signals. It is the opinion of the Court itself that clearly shows that this Court threatens not only abortion rights, but also contraception rights. And in addition to mentioning Griswold v. Connecticut, Clarence Thomas also--or I should say Justice Thomas, with all due respect--mentioned Loving, Lawrence, Obergefell--all of them on the chopping block, all those rights on this Supreme Court's hit list. And perhaps the most deeply rooted of them all in Griswold v. Connecticut is the right to contraception. prgtoken Now, let's be clear. The right to contraception wasn't stated in the Constitution, but the right to privacy is at its core. ``Don't tread on me.'' The right to be left alone--that is the reason that we have the Bill of Rights. That is the reason why the Founders rebelled against England--undue, unjustified interference in their personal lives. And so the right to privacy is referred to often as a conundrum; but, actually, it is at the core of the Constitution. It is so fundamental to the mindset and the mantra of those constitutional guarantees from the very founding of our Republic, and the respect for the right of privacy should be bipartisan and, indeed, has been bipartisan throughout our history. prgtoken The simple fact is that the most important decision any of us make, at least in my view, is whether to become a parent. And it ought to be a decision--not something that just happens. It should be a decision that is made deliberately. Every American should have that right to decide when and whether to have children. And politicians shouldn't b
SOUTH ASIAN HEART HEALTH AWARENESS AND RESEARCH ACT OF 2022
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-7-27

. Madam , I rise in support of H.R. 3771, known as the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2021. prgtoken This bill establishes programs that support heart-disease research and awareness among communities disproportionately affected by heart disease, like the South Asian community within the United States. prgtoken The South Asian American community across the United States grew by nearly 40 percent between 2010 and 2017. Today, there are over 5 million South Asian Americans in the United States. prgtoken South Asian Americans are four times more likely to suffer from heart disease than other ethnic groups, and experience heart problems nearly a decade earlier on average. prgtoken Globally, South Asians have emerged as the ethnic group with the highest prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of heart disease. prgtoken Type 2 diabetes often occurs due to a combination of a patient's genetics, and environment. Those with South Asian heritage contain a genetic predisposition that places them at an even greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, and by extension, heart disease. prgtoken Studies have shown that South Asians in the United States--people who immigrated from or whose families immigrated from countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal--are experiencing dramatic rises in rates of heart disease when compared to other immigrant groups within the United States. prgtoken As a co-chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and a member of the Congressional India Caucus, I've had the pleasure of engaging with members of the South Asian community, especially within my hometown of Houston. Texas has one of the highest populations of South Asian Americans, along with California and New Jersey. prgtoken This bill would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary to create grants to provide funding for community groups involved in South Asian heart health advocacy, while also developing culturally appropriate materials to promote heart health in the South Asian community. prgtoken These culturally appropriate materials to promote heart health would be tailored by health care providers who best understand the specific needs of the South Asian community within the United States. prgtoken It would also direct the HHS Secretary to fund grants through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research on cardiovascular disease and other heart ailments. prgtoken Organizations like the South Asian Heart Center and the South Asian Health Initiative would be eligible for these opportunities. prgtoken These organizations work to educate members of the South Asian American community prgtoken about their increased risk for heart disease, lead prevention efforts through programs that promote healthy lifestyles, and work on research towards understanding why South Asian Americans are at an increased risk for heart disease. prgtoken This legislation would be in