mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4431--Continued (Executive Calendar)
Rand Paul (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-8

in reserving the right to object, the proponents of antitrust laws are famously zealous in their desire to eradicate the curse of bigness. To them, big is always bad except, of course, when it comes to the size and scope of government. The same people who supposedly fear the concentration of power in the marketplace celebrate the concentration of power in the State--a State that asserts itself into and nullifies private contracts, breaks up companies it deems too large, and inflicts punishment on those who succeed in the competition for customers. In short, antitrust seeks to cap the amount of success any company or business can enjoy and the benefits reaped by customers. prgtoken As economist Yale Brozen wrote, antitrust law seems to say that firms should compete but should not win; firms should be efficient enough to survive but should not share the fruits of greater efficiency with their customers. prgtoken And that is the fatal defect of antitrust policy. prgtoken Antitrust fails to accept the lessons of economic history that voluntary exchange is a win-win proposition and that consumers are incredibly powerful in a free market system. A company that continues to reward its customers with superior products and innovations will, in turn, be rewarded with greater market share--with more--and will do better than their competitors and they will grow in size. Size is not necessarily a bad thing. The size of a business reflects its ability to please its consumers. prgtoken But no company can achieve a strong position in the market and rest on its laurels. Consumers are too demanding, and competitors will arise to steal customers away from any firm that ceases to treat its clients well. Unlike players in the marketplace who must take note of consumer trends to survive, antitrust enforcers often fail to see what it is that is right in front of their faces. prgtoken Just take the issue of video services. In 2005, when Netflix was already several years old and growing in popularity, the FTC--believe it or not--busied itself in blocking a merger between Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. So this is the inside of government. Netflix is beginning to take off, and the antitrust busters--the trust busters-- are breaking up VCR companies and DVD companies. They are going after Blockbuster. This is the incompetence of government, and we should not encourage this. Blockbuster and Hollywood Video no longer exist. Even now, Netflix is one they are worried about. So Netflix was the competitor that put Blockbuster out of business. They wanted to get Blockbuster in order to forbid them from merging. It makes no sense at all. prgtoken No such fear exists today, though, that Netflix will be a monopoly since they are competing with Hulu, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+, and others, but 5 or 6 years ago, you might have thought: Netflix is going to take over the world, that we have g
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4431--Continued (Executive Calendar)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2022-12-8

part of China's strategy to defeat the United States includes unfairly helping corporations buy out American companies. We can prevent these propped-up companies from gobbling up American businesses, but we don't always know which companies China subsidizes or by how much. prgtoken A bill I introduced with Congressman Fitzgerald, the Foreign Merger Subsidy Disclosure Act, would require companies to disclose any subsidies they receive from foreign adversaries before a merger. If a company has received subsidies from a nation like Russia or China, U.S. antitrust regulators can use that information to determine whether or not the merger is fair. This bill has support from s and , the administration, and the House of Representatives. prgtoken We should pass this package of bills today to protect American businesses and consumers and to stop China's economic war against the United States. prgtoken I yield to the Senator from Utah.
Tribute to Rob Portman (Executive Calendar)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-12-8

we all just had the opportunity to hear from our colleague--somebody who I am really going to miss--with his final remarks here on the Senate--well, I don't think his final remarks but certainly his, I guess you call it, going-away speech. prgtoken But I just appreciate so much having had the opportunity to work with Senator Portman. prgtoken I know that, as he pointed out, staff not only here in the Chamber, around the Capitol, his personal staff--all people who have made profound contributions to that incredible record of accomplishments that he just talked about. That doesn't happen. Anybody who works here for very long realizes the incredible contributions that staff make to getting things done around here. And so I express my appreciation, as he did, to all of them for all you did to make Senator Portman's time here so productive. prgtoken And it is great to see his wife Jane, daughter Sally here as well, who are all part of this partnership and this team that all of us know are so critical to being able to make a difference here in the Senate and the many sometimes sacrifices, contributions that they make on a day-in and day-out basis. prgtoken But Rob is someone I have gotten to break bread with a lot of times during our years together here in the Senate, and we have become really good friends, and I am going to miss having him here, as I said. prgtoken Rob has spent a lot of years in public service serving this country-- 12 years in the House of Representatives, where I first got acquainted with him; U.S. prgtoken Trade Representative; Director of Office of Management and Budget; and, finally, 12 years here in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I have served with him on the Senate Finance Committee for nearly 10 years, and his going, I will tell you, is a huge loss. He played an indispensable role in the historic tax reform legislation we passed in 2017, particularly with the transition to a modernized international tax system. Our outdated international tax rules had left America's global businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy. And one of our priorities, when it came time to pass tax reform, was ensuring that American businesses could compete on a level playing field with their foreign counterparts. prgtoken Between his time in Congress and as Director of OMB and the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, Rob has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to American economic competitiveness and in the international tax system, and he quickly became the lead on that aspect of tax reform-- and not just on that, but on so many aspects on that very complicated piece of legislation. prgtoken Our final legislation brought the United States international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so that American businesses are not operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign competitors, and we saw an almost imme
FAREWELL TO CONGRESS
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-12-8

I have to say, about Dr. Foxx, I remember when I first got here, and they were working out committees because I came in in a special election. I had to promise not to create any trouble for Dr. Foxx, I think is what it was. But I think what it really meant was you better work hard. I think that is what it meant. You better contribute. You better work hard. prgtoken There isn't anybody who runs a better ship when it comes to making sure that we accomplish the goals on behalf of the people we represent than a great mentor, a great person who has become a friend over the past few years, Dr. Virginia Foxx.
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2022-12-8

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the want Americans to believe that the Supreme Court at any moment--in fact, the chairman just referenced this--at any moment could step in and overturn its opinions in Obergefell and Loving. It is just not true. The Supreme Court is not poised to overturn its opinions in either of those decisions. prgtoken Just look at what the Court has said. The Dobbs opinion does not undermine other substantive due process rights in any way. Just in case anyone is not clear on the meaning of does not undermine them in any way, the Court later reiterated that the Dobbs decision should not be misunderstood or mischaracterized `` . . . to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.'' prgtoken The Court condemned the alarmist idea that the Dobbs decision would lead to the overturning of other cases as ``perhaps . . . designed to stoke unfounded fear that our decision will imperil those other rights . . . '' prgtoken It is that unfounded fear that brings us here today. prgtoken have conjured up this nonexistent threat based on one line in Justice Thomas' concurrence in Dobbs, and they are misunderstanding or deliberately misrepresenting what Justice Thomas wrote. prgtoken Justice Thomas made the same point that he has made for years: that the collection of rights secured by the doctrine of substantive due process is better understood as being a function of the Constitution's privileges and immunities clause. That is it. prgtoken From his statement that a body of law should flow from one place in the Constitution instead of another comes the hyperbolic arguments that we have heard about the necessity of this bill. prgtoken After the House last considered this bill in July, the Senate was forced to make significant changes to the bill. Unfortunately, those changes do not go far enough in protecting religious liberty. prgtoken For example, the Senate amendment does not protect a private entity that is determined to be a State actor as a result of the services they provide on behalf of a government. These entities could be adoption agencies, shelters, or other service providers operated by a religious organization under contract with a city or State. prgtoken Across the country, people of faith serve their neighbors and their communities through these charitable efforts, but this bill could force them to abandon their faith or abandon the service. That is an unacceptable outcome in the United States. prgtoken For years, the have been playing a dangerous game with the Court. They want Americans to believe that the Court lacks transparency and struggles with its ethics. That is simply not true. prgtoken This bill is simply the latest installment of the 's campaign to intimidate the highest court in our land. They have engaged in a smear campaign against sitting Justices and nominees. have stood on the steps of the Court and thre
One-Year Anniversary of Western Kentucky Tornadoes (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-12-8

Kentucky is approaching the 1-year anniversary of one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in our Commonwealth's history--1 year since 80 lives were lost and a deep scar was cut through Western Kentucky. We still remember the lost and pray for their loved ones. prgtoken A few days after the storm, I visited some of the hardest hit towns. I saw how the pictures of the damage in the newspaper and on television didn't even begin to capture the local devastation in places like Mayfield, Campbellsville, Bowling Green, and Dawson Springs. Homes were literally ripped off their foundations; trees scattered like twigs; whole neighborhoods gone in an instant. The pain is still fresh, but as I have seen in multiple return visits, slowly but surely, Western Kentucky is coming back. prgtoken This weekend, Kentuckians are carving out time to honor those whose lives were lost and continue helping those whose lives were severely disrupted. Dawson Springs just erected a beautiful, solemn memorial to the 19 residents that the city lost that day. In Bowling Green, an organization is delivering handmade Christmas ornaments to storm victims. In Mayfield, even as members of the high school football team fought to rebuild their families' lives off the field, the community cheered the team to an undefeated regular season. Even in tough times-- actually, especially in tough times--Kentuckians stick together. prgtoken I am thankful to all the volunteers and charities helping us in Kentucky remember this tragic anniversary and for all the men and women who spent days and weeks working tirelessly to remove debris and to rebuild. prgtoken Things are looking hopeful in the region this Christmas. Homes and businesses are coming back. Families will gather again under one roof. The road to recovery remains quite long, but Kentuckians will stand shoulder to shoulder until the rebuilding is done, and I will keep standing right beside them.
TCU HORNED FROGS HEADED TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Roger Williams (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-12-8

from given no chance in the preseason polls to making it to the Big 12 championship game, the TCU Horned Frogs have come a long way and are officially headed to the College Football Playoff game. prgtoken I am tremendously proud of the team for an incredible season, with 12 consecutive wins, ranking third in the Nation, and making history with being the first team in the State of Texas to make it to the College Football Playoff. prgtoken Needless to say, this has been a historic year for TCU, and it could not have been possible without our first-year coach and coach of the year, Sonny Dykes; our quarterback, Max Duggan; all the players and staff who work tirelessly on the sidelines and on the field to make the team one of the best in the country; and most importantly, all the fans, the best in the Nation, who showed up to every game decked out in TCU purple to cheer and support the Horned Frogs. prgtoken As a proud alumnus and trustee of the university, I look forward to watching the fighting TCU Horned Frogs take the field on December 31 at the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona. prgtoken As Coach Dykes says, I can't wait to watch you play. prgtoken So riff, ram, bah zoo, go Frogs. prgtoken In God we trust.
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 4431--Continued (Executive Calendar)
Thom Tillis (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-12-8

reserving the right to object. prgtoken I have to begin by thanking my friend and colleague, the Senator from Pennsylvania, for his efforts to ensure that pregnant women have access to accommodations--reasonable accommodations at work. They need to have healthy pregnancies. prgtoken As the husband of a wife who had two children while she was working and a grandfather of two grandchildren with a daughter who is a nurse, I absolutely want to make sure that those reasonable accommodations are accounted for. prgtoken However, in its current form, this legislation before us would give Federal bureaucrats at the EEOC authority to mandate that employers nationwide provide accommodations such as leave to obtain abortions on demand under the guise of a pregnancy-related condition. Worse still, the legislation would subject pro-life organizations, including churches and religious organizations, to potentially crippling lawsuits if they refuse to facilitate abortions in direct violation of their religious beliefs and their moral convictions. prgtoken Unlike title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act, this legislation contains no exemptions for religious organizations. prgtoken I and a number of other people do not believe that abortion is healthcare. I believe it is a brutal procedure that destroys an innocent child. prgtoken The Federal Government should not be promoting abortion, let alone mandating that pro-life employers and employers in States that protect life facilitate abortion-on-demand. prgtoken I hope that we can work together on this legislation and amend it to address those concerns so that all the reasonable accommodations they worked so hard to achieve can be passed and can gain my support and the support of other colleagues. But until such time, sir, I have to object; and on behalf of Senator Lankford, Senator Daines, and myself, I do object.
Tribute to Rob Portman (Executive Calendar)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-12-8

you know, it is often said here that everything has been said, but not everybody has said it yet. (Laughter.) prgtoken This is actually a case where everything won't be said today and can't be said. The remarkable legislative accomplishments that Rob has made are truly that--they are just remarkable. prgtoken When we were serving early in the House together, there was this big retirement bill. I thought, for a while, of Senator Portman that then- Congressman Cardin's first name was ``Portman'' because it was all about the Portman-Cardin Act, the Portman-Cardin ``this and that.'' (Laughter.) prgtoken I had a little piece we were able to put in that was called the SIMPLE Plan. Maybe that is because the only thing I understood was the SIMPLE Plan. It was a helpful plan, but we probably wouldn't have gotten it done if Rob hadn't been constantly making the legislative things happen that he makes happen. prgtoken As I have said in my remarks, I have never served on a committee with Rob Portman, in the House or in the Senate, in our more than 20 years of working together, but I have probably spent more time with him in meetings, as we have tried to figure out how to move forward, than I have with almost anybody else, whether they had been the House leadership meetings or have been the Senate leadership meetings. I knew so much about Rob that not only did Abby I and really know and appreciate the friendship with him and Jane--and I knew their kids--but there was a while when I knew the names of both of their dogs. That shows that you spend a lot of time with somebody if you know the names of both of their dogs. I did that with Rob. prgtoken He has done so well here. I was the whip in the House when Rob was the U.S. Trade Ambassador, and those trade bills are always hard to get done no matter how easy it seems. There was the Central American trade deal that we took to the floor, and like with so many was the case, we just decided: OK. Now is the time to go. I think we are going to get this done today. The work is good. Now we have just got to get the Members willing to go home and admit that they did this. prgtoken Trade agreements are good for the country, but often Members don't want to talk about them when they get home because you can always find, somewhere, somebody in your State who might think you could have done a better job in negotiating part of this. prgtoken Then there is another thing, I think, that Rob and I had in common and understood. I just heard today, on NewsRadio, while I was driving in this morning, their talking about the new, highly competitive States. They mentioned, for decades, Missouri and Ohio were always considered to be the two bellwether States. Those were the two States. I think, in our State, for 100 years, we voted for the Presidential winner every time but one. Ohio had about that same record. prgtoken We have also seen a political transition in our States--where they
FAREWELL TO CONGRESS
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-12-8

. As we say here sometimes to save time, I certainly associate myself with the very eloquent words of Congressman Kelly. He is so good. You see that he needed no notes. He can just come up here and speak without anything. prgtoken This is a tough day for me to come in and talk about your leaving, Congressman Keller, but we want to let you know how much we appreciate you. That is why we are here. prgtoken One thing I have learned about Representative Fred Keller while serving with him in Congress is that he is someone who always shows up prepared to work on behalf of job creators and workers, and he is committed to upholding the Constitution. prgtoken I am so glad your staff and family are there in the gallery with us today because I know they have heard positive things about you before, but I think it is helpful for them to hear us come here today in this special place to say these things to you. prgtoken I have greatly appreciated and admired Fred's strong commitment to conservative principles. As a businessman and job creator himself, he knows the free market works and is dedicated to protecting it. prgtoken It is clear why Fred recently received the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business. prgtoken His stalwart defense of limited government and fiscal responsibility will serve as an example to current and future lawmakers alike. prgtoken Fred has been an important leader on the Education and Labor Committee. As the leader on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, Fred worked hard to protect the rights of workers and job creators. prgtoken He was well suited for this function because he has real-world experience in business. Managing a plant of 250 people for 25 years gave Fred the experience needed to serve our country's workforce. The committee and this Congress have benefited from his insight and wisdom. prgtoken I have also admired Fred's commitment to the sanctity of life, which has been second to none in this body. I will never forget the story Fred told during a hearing that none of us had ever heard before and were not expecting to hear. prgtoken The story was about his son, Freddie, who suffered a traumatic brain injury at a young age. Doctors told Fred and his wife that there was zero chance his son would recover. Despite pressure from doctors, Fred and his wife refused to take their son off life support. Freddie recovered and is now in his thirties, working for the healthcare industry. What a victory for parents' love for their son and the principle of life. prgtoken Fred's commitment to life didn't end back in his son's hospital room. It is something he has been dedicated to throughout his life. prgtoken No matter where he goes, Fred wears a pin on his collar that represents the exact size and shape of baby's feet at 10 weeks after conception. It is a daily reminder that life is sacred, and it is our duty to protect the most vulnerable. prgtoken It