mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION ELIGIBILITY EXPANSION ACT
Young Kim (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-9-28

. Madam , I rise in support of this bill, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I was proud to introduce the Millennium Challenge Corporation Eligibility Expansion Act along with my ic colleague from Texas, Mr. Castro. prgtoken In the nearly 20 years since its founding under President , the Millennium Challenge Corporation has demonstrated a strong track record of success in its mission of combating poverty through economic growth. prgtoken The agency has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, earned through strict project selection criteria and the ability to hold partner countries to a high standard of accountability. But the agency and its partners are facing new challenges. The Chinese Communist Party is increasing its malign influence in the developing world, often disguised as development assistance. The world is facing a food security crisis and other effects of Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine. prgtoken Many countries risk losing progress on development and poverty reduction made over previous decades. This bill will ensure that the world's 125 poorest countries are eligible for potential consideration as candidate countries in the MCC's rigorous selection process. It adds stability to MCC's partnerships, and it ensures its ability to focus on the world's poorest populations, who are often the most vulnerable to debt traps and other forms of outside manipulation. prgtoken This bill is an important step towards equipping MCC to operate in today's environment so, that it can continue to use its proven, evidence-based model to build sustainable economic growth, transparency, and stability in partner countries around the world. prgtoken Madam , .
TRIBUTE TO ERNIE MANN
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-28

first, this morning, the Senate and the entire country are watching the news and praying for the people of the great State of Florida, where a seemingly massive, massive hurricane is poised to make landfall soon. I understand the current forecast suggests that Hurricane Ian may be both extremely powerful and unusually slow-moving, a terrible combination for the citizens and communities in its path. prgtoken Our colleague the senior Senator from Florida reported this morning that State officials and the relevant Federal Agencies have been working well together and that, thus far, every request Florida has made of the Federal Government has been approved. The bipartisan government funding bill the Senate is on track to pass this week will ensure that the Federal Disaster Relief Fund is fully resourced at this critical moment. prgtoken We are all keeping the people of Florida at the forefront of our thoughts and will stand ready to help our colleagues from Florida, the Governor, and local officials however we can. Continuing Resolution prgtoken Now, , on a completely different matter, the path to keeping the government open and funded has been clear for weeks now. The solution was always going to be a clean, bipartisan continuing resolution, negotiated by Senators Shelby and Leahy, without any unrelated, partisan language jammed in. Our ic colleagues tried to complicate things by jamming in a phony, partisan figleaf on the subject of permitting reform. prgtoken s strongly support real, substantive permitting reform. We are actually leading that charge. Senator Capito has an outstanding bill that would make significant changes to make it easier to build things in our country, create jobs in our country, and unleash domestic energy in our country. prgtoken The problem was that the Schumer-Manchin language was not actual permitting reform by any stretch. It was a phony figleaf. It was designed to create the illusion of progress while sapping the political will to tackle the issue in any meaningful way. The carefully tailored the bill to avoid making any--any--impactful changes to permitting laws. In fact, we had panicked State-level elected officials from around the country writing the Senate to explain how the ' bill would actually make the existing problems even worse. Fortunately, the Senate saw through the political game, and the phony figleaf didn't have the votes. prgtoken So I am glad that our colleagues capitulated and abandoned their phony figleaf. I look forward to a bipartisan funding bill coming to the floor this week, and I hope our ic colleagues will push the liberal special interests aside and let actual, robust permitting reform become law someday soon. Administration prgtoken , on another matter, 2 years ago, the American people elected a President who c
TRIBUTE TO RETIRED SERGEANT HENRY SALAZAR
Jay Obernolte (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-9-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor Sergeant Henry Salazar. Sergeant Salazar lives in Highland, California and served our country faithfully during the Vietnam War. prgtoken Sergeant Salazar began his army career on June 8, 1966, when he enrolled for basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After completing basic training, be was sent to Huntsville, Alabama for missile base training where he specialized in ammunition. Sergeant Salazar then traveled to Fort Benning, Georgia for paratrooper school after which he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. Sergeant Salazar was sent to Vietnam in November 1967 on Thanksgiving Day and was stationed at such notable locations as Bien Hoa Village, Phuc Vinh, and Nam Hai. prgtoken I am honored to recognize Sergeant Salazar's incredible career, and to welcome him home during his visit to Washington, DC as all Vietnam veterans should have been decades ago. Our veterans have earned our undying gratitude and their heroic service to our country will never be forgotten, I wish Sergeant Salazar a safe and memorable trip to our nation's capital and thank him again for his dedicated service.
FARM OVERTIME WAGE THRESHOLD
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2022-9-28

I rise today to highlight a looming catastrophe for New York farmers, farmworkers, and consumers across New York State and the country. prgtoken On September 6, the New York State Farm Laborers Wage Board voted to advance a proposal to lower the State's overtime wage threshold for farm laborers from 60 to 40 hours per week, despite overwhelming opposition to the recommendation. prgtoken During the public comment period, farmers, farmworkers, and consumers all turned out in droves to oppose the recommendation. Farmers, who are struggling with inflation already, are now very worried about keeping up with yet another price hike. Farmworkers are gravely concerned about the possible lost hours on the job, cutting their wages. Consumers should fear even higher increases to food costs, which have already increased 11.4 percent over the last year, the biggest increase since 1979, with prices continuing to go up. prgtoken Their fears are real. Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences projected that the overtime rule's implementation could force two-thirds of dairy farmers to make significant changes to their operations, including, and dramatically bad, leaving the industry or investing in other States. prgtoken New York State already leads the Nation in the highest out-migration of people and jobs. This would be a disaster for our agricultural community. prgtoken Cornell University Ag Sciences also found that half of New York's fruit and vegetable farmers likely would have to reduce operations or leave the industry altogether. The second largest apple-producing county in the entire Nation is Wayne County, located in upstate New York. prgtoken Despite all this, the board still voted to advance the recommendation anyway. We are incredibly disappointed that the board ignored such compelling input from important stakeholders, worsening the already difficult headwinds for New York's agriculture industry. The board ultimately decided to undermine the very industry and workers they are supposed to be serving. prgtoken This week, I joined upstate farmers for a roundtable discussion hosted by Dale Hemminger and his son, Clay, at Hemdale Farms in Seneca Castle, New York. The feedback from the farmers was unanimous: Lowering the overtime threshold will devastate New York's agricultural industry and have a critically difficult impact on the future of family farms in New York and could leave New York as one of the few States in the country with such an onerous and unreasonable restriction on family farms. prgtoken Family farms, large and small, are the lifeblood of New York's economy. Everyone thinks it is New York City. It is actually agriculture. prgtoken Now, the recommendation is with the State labor commissioner, Roberta Reardon. I have and continue to urge her to reject this change and maintain the current 60-hour threshold. New York family farms and consumers simply cannot bear any further price increas
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3843, MERGER FILING FEE MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2022; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7780, MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS ACT; AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF S...
Byron Donalds (Republican, FL) \u2014 2022-9-28

. Madam , Metal Detectors stopped me. Had I been present, I would have voted ``NAY'' on rollcall No. 455. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Bacon (Stauber) Bilirakis (Fleischmann) Bowman (Tlaib) Brown (MD) (Trone) Buchanan (Bucshon) Carter (TX) (Weber (TX)) Cawthorn (Nehls) Chu (Beyer) Conway (LaMalfa) Curtis (Moore (UT)) DeFazio (Pallone) Demings (Dean) Deutch (Wasserman Schultz) Diaz-Balart (Reschenthaler) Dunn (Cammack) Fletcher (Pallone) Gimenez (Malliotakis) Gonzalez, Vicente (Garcia (TX)) Gosar (Weber (TX)) Herrera Beutler (Valadao) Jacobs (CA) (Garamendi) Jacobs (NY) (Sempolinski) Jayapal (Cicilline) Johnson (TX) (Stevens) Khanna (Garcia (TX)) Kirkpatrick (Pallone) LaHood (Wenstrup) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Maloney, Sean (Jeffries) Mast (Waltz) Mfume (Evans) Murphy (FL) (Peters) Newman (Beyer) Ocasio-Cortez (Neguse) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Pfluger (Ellzey) Porter (Neguse) Rice (NY) (Morelle) Rice (SC) (Meijer) Ryan (OH) (Dean) Salazar (Waltz) Sherman (Garamendi) Soto (Wasserman Schultz) Speier (Garcia (TX)) Steel (Obernolte) Steube (Reschenthaler) Swalwell (Gomez) Titus (Pallone) Torres (NY) (Correa) Upton (Meijer) Vargas (Garamendi) Wagner (Barr) Wilson (FL) (Cicilline)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING FOR THE ACQUISITION WORKFORCE ACT
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-28

. I have no further speakers. prgtoken In closing, , artificial intelligence is proving to be a game-changing technology for nearly every sector of our economy. For instance, artificial intelligence helps farmers efficiently grow crops, scientists develop new materials, and weather forecasters predict hurricanes more accurately. prgtoken In the Federal Government, the Social Security Administration uses AI to determine benefit claims. Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act will be invaluable to the Federal approach to artificial intelligence. prgtoken , I, once again, encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and .
AFFORDABLE INSULIN NOW ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-9-28

I think we know who is soft on crime. It sounds like I hit a nerve. I didn't stand up here saying I am not soft on crime five or six times in a row. It is the Senator from Illinois who said that, just like Senate have been saying it for the last several months, just like their candidates all across America are saying it. prgtoken Let's look at the first bill he mentioned, the American Rescue Plan. You know what that is, right, the American Rescue Plan? That is their $2 trillion wasteful spending bill from last spring that is responsible for 13 percent inflation. prgtoken Do you know what is also included in it? A measure that would get stimulus checks to prisoners. That is right--depraved, violent felons; murderers and rapists and drug traffickers all across America. People like the Boston marathon bomber got stimulus checks last year because the believe that criminals are really, at heart, victims as well, victims of an oppressive society and system. prgtoken If I am not mistaken, when I offered my amendment to prevent prisoners from getting stimulus checks, I think it was the Senator from Illinois who stood up and blocked it. I know that he voted against it. I know that he wanted prisoners to get stimulus checks. That is what he is talking about. prgtoken What about his objection to this bill, that it is going to target mothers and kids, the poor mothers and children of drug kingpins, a very common feature of American sanctions efforts--in fact, sanctions efforts that we are doing exactly against Russian oligarchs and regime figures, which I support, by the way. I support. No, the wives and the children of Russian oligarchs and Mexican cartel kingpins should not benefit from their ill-gotten gains. prgtoken But I care more about the lives of American citizens--the hundred thousand-plus American citizens whom we lose every single year--than anyone else in the world. prgtoken The administration's policy, though, is that we will use this tool against Russians, but we are not going to use it against Mexican cartel members. I think that goes to show you where their priorities are. prgtoken Again, just to recap, we tried to pass legislation that would have imposed heightened penalties on drug traffickers who misrepresent their drugs and say they don't contain fentanyl. The Senator from Illinois blocked it on behalf of the . prgtoken Just now, we tried to give the administration more tools to target the cartels that are smuggling these drugs into our country, that are killing a hundred thousand of our fellow citizens. Again, on behalf of Senate , the Senator from Illinois blocked it. prgtoken I say, again, over 108,000 Americans were killed by drugs last year. Yet the continue to refuse to crack down on drug traffickers and cartel kingpins. prgtoken Some of my other colleagues are going to offer similar bills today, just like I am going to offe
AFFORDABLE INSULIN NOW ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED--Continued
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2022-9-28

I rise today in order to ask for unanimous consent to pass S.J. Res. 63, a resolution to terminate the COVID-19 national emergency declaration. It has been more than 2\1/2\ years since the national emergency concerning the novel prgtoken coronavirus disease outbreak was declared, and it has been extended now twice already by President since the initial proclamation, most recently in February of this year. prgtoken It is this declaration, coupled with other additional emergency powers currently invoked by the President, which this administration is using to supersize government in order to continue their reckless, inflationary spending spree and enact their radical, partisan agenda. In fact, the White House uses these emergencies to justify their inflationary, out-of-control spending, their unconstitutional vaccine and mask mandates, and to forgive student loans. prgtoken This is not the first time I have come to the floor to terminate this emergency declaration. In fact, in March, I brought an identical resolution to this floor under the expedited procedures contained in the National Emergencies Act that passed this body by a vote of 48 to 47. At that time, the status of the virus in this Nation had greatly improved since the dark, early days of the pandemic. Everyone ages 12 and over was eligible for a booster shot if they wanted further inoculation. More than 550 million shots had been administered in the United States, with 215 million people being fully vaccinated. Two oral anti-virals had been made available for certain patients, and monoclonal antibody treatments were available for those at high risk of becoming seriously ill. prgtoken Fast-forward to today, 6 months later, and the status of our immunity and ability to fight the virus in the United States has improved further still. More than 660 million doses have been administered, and 225 million people are fully vaccinated--nearly 70 percent of the population. If you include natural immunity, immunity gained through natural infection, the CDC stated just last month that approximately 95 percent of Americans over the age of 16 have some acquired level of immunity. Everyone ages 12 and older can receive Omicron-specific boosters, and we have a growing roster of anti-viral drugs and monoclonal antibodies that are helping vulnerable populations avoid life-threatening infections. prgtoken Now, this is not the time to ignore the individuals still struggling with COVID or those who are tragically dying with the virus, but it does demonstrate that we have made major advances in our fight against COVID-19 and entered a less dire, more endemic phase. In fact, even President recently acknowledged during a ``60 Minutes'' interview that the ``pandemic is over.'' prgtoken Of course, the President's handlers immediately walked back this claim to argue that the pandemic is, in fact, not over. But why? Why would the Federal officials cal
TRIBUTE TO ERNIE MANN
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2022-9-28

we are all watching the news this morning, as a very, very threatening and ferocious hurricane is bearing down on Florida, a storm that is causing great anxiety. Hopefully, people are as prepared as they can be, but the consequences of these storms, these disasters that we are seeing, are ravaging in ways that are seemingly more ferocious than before. prgtoken We saw that last week in Puerto Rico, and, just about 10 days ago, we felt the effects of Typhoon Merbok on the western coast of Alaska. I would like to take just a few minutes here this afternoon because, as I was watching the news as this Hurricane Ian is approaching the coast of Florida, I can't help but think about what the folks back home are facing as they have lived through a very terrifying disaster like the typhoon and then what happens next, because, unfortunately--and you know in your State very well with the fires that ravaged New Mexico-- disasters come through and the attention of the country is focused on that, and we all want to be there to be of help and of assistance. prgtoken We have FEMA and we have the Red Cross, and we have everybody that is there, and it is all very important and very well intended. But then the next disaster comes. So maybe--I don't know--maybe, the people in New Mexico are thinking that we have forgotten them. I don't want the people of Alaska to think that we have forgotten what happened in their communities. prgtoken Typhoon Merbok came up from Japan, came across the gulf, up into the Bering Sea, and impacted an area of land on the coast of Alaska in excess of 1,000 miles. prgtoken To put it into context, it is as if the entire west coast of the United States--from the Canadian border all the way down to Mexico-- were impacted and inundated by one massive storm. That is the size and the scope of what we experienced: hurricane-force winds and, in the Bering Sea, waves as high as 50 feet. prgtoken The impact to the land was extraordinary, with the strength of the wind, but it was this massive storm surge that came. We get tough storms in the Bering Sea. We get really tough storms in the Gulf of Alaska. But what we saw this year was a storm that was earlier in its intensity than we have seen in previous years. prgtoken Oftentimes, people think about Alaska and think, man, it must be tough when the ice is formed out over the whole sea and everything is locked in. Actually, that is when we have safety, because when there is ice, it takes you all the way up to the shoreline, and these massive storms with the wind can't build the waves to that level to eat away at the shore, to cause the destruction that we are seeing with, again, the intensity of the impact of this storm. prgtoken We in Alaska are lucky. There were no people who were killed or injured. Really, it is astonishing, given all that the area sustained. I think part of that was just due to being prepared, knowing that everybody had to hunker dow
RECOGNIZING MALNUTRITION AWARENESS WEEK
John Katko (Republican, NY) \u2014 2022-9-28

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Malnutrition Awareness Week. prgtoken According to the Department of Agriculture, 33.8 million Americans struggle with food insecurity, and in my district in Central New York, nearly one in seven children are food-insecure. We have to do more to keep food on the table for American families and address the root causes of malnutrition. That's why in Congress, I have been proud to support crucial federal nutrition programs like SNAP, which millions of Americans rely on, and have been a consistent advocate for the Meals on Wheels program. prgtoken Madam , I ask that my colleagues in the House join me in recognizing Malnutrition Awareness Week and I urge continued work on efforts to combat food insecurity in America.
BIOSCIENCE INDUSTRY IN UTAH
Burgess Owens (Republican, UT) \u2014 2022-9-28

on December 2, 1982, the medical team from the University of Utah successfully implanted the first permanent artificial heart in the world. prgtoken Forty years later, Utah remains a trailblazer in healthcare innovation. Over the past 2 years, I had the pleasure of visiting many Utah businesses at the forefront of the healthcare industry. Ortho Development Corporation, Xenter, Canyon Labs, and Ultradent are among the leading biotech firms that call Utah home. prgtoken BioHive, a collaboration of 1,100 companies representing Utah's life science and healthcare innovative ecosystem is the driving force behind the Beehive State's success. prgtoken Additionally, the bioscience industry in Utah supports 130,000 local jobs, accounts for 8 percent of GDP, and produces hundreds of patents for lifesaving medical devices. prgtoken Behind these extraordinary accomplishments are the pioneering spirit, grit, and kindness of Utahns. I am proud to represent my State and know that we will continue to lead the Nation.