mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CLOTURE MOTION
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2021-10-27

a number of us are down on the Senate floor here talking about the disastrous administration policies that from day one--day one--have sought to increase energy prices and put American workers out of work. prgtoken How have they been doing that? prgtoken Well, they are shutting down the production of American energy. All over the country, they are going after infrastructure, particularly pipelines, not allowing those to be built. prgtoken They have energy or climate czars not confirmed by the Senate--John Kerry, Gina McCarthy--who are going to financial intuitions in America saying: Don't invest in American energy. prgtoken And then we are hearing reports that John Kerry is going to countries in Asia, saying: Don't buy American LNG. prgtoken You can't make this stuff up. prgtoken Two days ago in the Washington Post, another story. John Kerry was saying to President : Hey, we have to be softer on China so we can get them to maybe commit a promise that they will never keep in Scotland. prgtoken You can't make this up. Let's be soft. The Chinese are mad about us raising issues about Hong Kong and Taiwan. John Kerry is saying maybe we should tone that down to get the Communist Party of China to agree to some empty promises on climate. You can't make this up. prgtoken So what we are seeing is spiking energy prices at the pump for working families. Here is the question everybody should be asking--I hope our friends in the media ask it, certainly--of the administration: Is this intentional? Are you really trying to drive up energy prices that is hurting working families? prgtoken My view is, I think the answer is yes. prgtoken The President had a townhall last week. He seemed to not have a clue about a bunch of issues, but particularly on energy prices. prgtoken And just yesterday, there was an article about how Gina McCarthy was quoted as saying there will be opportunities with these high energy prices: Soaring commodity prices stemming from a surge in energy demand and limited supply, should accelerate the move to renewables around the world. prgtoken This is a senior administration official saying: Hey, we are actually trying to drive these prices up. Sorry, working families in America. Winter is coming. You are really going to be hurting. Maybe the world will move to renewables. prgtoken You can't make this up. prgtoken To me, this is one of the biggest betrayals of working families and working men and women in U.S. history: an administration coming in on purpose to drive up energy prices--Gina McCarthy says so--knowing it is going to hurt working families. prgtoken Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if President will be calling on our citizens to wear a Jimmy Carter-style cardigan soon. prgtoken What they are doing is building back better to the seventies: high inflation; gas lines; high energy prices; empty shelves; lack of workers; energy-producing adversaries, like
WORLD SERIES
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-10-27

. Yesterday, I said there was going to be breaking news, and there is breaking news. Does anyone know that the great Houston Astros are in the World Series, and that this Congressperson representing Minute Maid and the Houston Astros is saying they are in it to win it? prgtoken Madam , I am challenging my sister from Georgia (Ms. Williams), with Dusty Baker as a coach and stellar baseball people, for some catfish and barbecue that you have never eaten before, against those Atlanta Braves.
EQUAL Act (Executive Calendar)
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-10-27

I first want to say before my colleague leaves--I know he has a packed day--when I came to the U.S. Senate, I found a friend, I found a mentor, and I found a leader on issues of justice. The incredible friend I have in the Senator from Illinois--he has been leading on issues from immigration reform and fighting for Dreamers all the way to being the principal leader on the ic side for the passage of the First Step Act. prgtoken I will never forget that he invited me to the White House in my earliest days with then-President , centering me on that table. I had just gotten here, and he then was talking about these issues--the issues of mass incarceration, the issues of racial discrimination and incarceration. What I rise to talk about really is an issue that my colleague has been dealing with for 35 years. He gave important history. prgtoken It was a bipartisan issue 35 years ago when the Senate and House of Representatives voted to pass the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, and the President signed it into law that year. He said, very specifically, one of the things it did was create a massive sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. The bill made it so that five grams of crack cocaine--the example that my colleague gave--carried the same mandatory minimum prison sentence as 500 grams of powder cocaine. That is a 100- to-1 disparity. prgtoken What is very powerful to me is what Maya Angelou said. She said: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. prgtoken And that is the leadership of Senator Dick Durbin. Understanding that this was a failure, that the policy did not achieve its intended purpose--in fact, it created, as he described, the opposite--Dick Durbin then led this body towards the long process of making reforms happen. prgtoken I was proud that when I got into the Senate, Senator Durbin told me the story of how we got it from 100 to 1 down to 18 to 1. It wasn't necessarily based on science. It wasn't necessarily based on law enforcement evidence. It was a negotiation between Senator Durbin and another colleague. I love the story because Senator Durbin pushed for what we are asking for right now. He then fought for 1 to 1. He couldn't get it but was able to negotiate down from 100 to 1 to 18 to 1. prgtoken So what I would like to do is read real quickly the research that looked at cocaine use in the United States from right before this bill was first passed up until 2013. I want to quote: Despite harsher ADAA penalties for crack compared to powder cocaine, there was no decrease in crack use following implementation of sentencing policies . . . although both powder cocaine use and misuse of prescription drugs (the negative control) decreased. prgtoken The report concluded that ``these findings suggest that mandatory minimum sentencing may not be an effective method of deterring
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2021-10-27

I was necessarily absent, but had I been present would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 433, on the confirmation of Karen McGlashen Williams, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey. prgtoken I was necessarily absent, but had I been present would have voted yes on rollcall vote No. 434, on the confirmation of Patricia Tolliver Giles, of Virginia, to be a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Sentencing Disparity (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-10-27

I would like to speak on another topic that, sadly, is still relevant today as it has been for so many years. And I want to start by recalling 35 years ago, when I was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I was faced with one of the most troubling votes in my whole career. prgtoken It was the height of the war on drugs. A new narcotic showed up. It was called crack cocaine. We didn't know much about it, but we knew several things: First, highly addictive; second, dirt cheap; third, if a woman who was pregnant used it, she could cause permanent harm to the baby she was carrying. prgtoken We started worrying that this was going to become the drug of choice across America and that the war on drugs was going to be lost forever. prgtoken And just about the time we were debating this, an event took place that really had no direct connection to crack cocaine, but it rocked the Capitol. prgtoken There was a basketball player at the University of Maryland, whose name was Len Bias. He was a very good basketball player, destined for the NBA. Sadly, he overdosed and died. It shocked everyone all across this region, and it certainly was felt in the House of Representatives. And, perhaps, it was part of the impetus for a measure that we enacted, which I later came to really regret. prgtoken Congress took action in 1986. I joined 400 of my House colleagues. We decided to take a stand--a really powerful stand--against crack cocaine. We decided to create a sentencing regime for crack cocaine that would be so overwhelming that anyone across America who considered using it would think twice. We went to an extreme. We decided to impose a 100-to-1 disparity between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine. prgtoken What does that mean? prgtoken If you are arrested with 5 grams of crack, you were subject to the same mandatory sentencing as someone arrested with 500 grams of powder cocaine, a 100-to-1 sentencing disparity. Our logic was there. If people knew that that kind of penalty awaits, they will surely stay away from this deadly new narcotic. prgtoken It turned out we were completely wrong. The net result of our 100-to- 1 disparity against crack cocaine didn't drive the cost of the drug up on the street. It drove it down. It didn't lessen the number of people who were addicted. It increased the number of who were addicted-- exactly the opposite of what we expected to happen. prgtoken And then for a decade, maybe two decades, we reaped the whirlwind. The 100-to-1 disparity meant that we were filling our prisons to a level we had never seen in the history of the United States, and, frankly, a level the world had never seen in terms of prison population. Sadly, the vast majority of them were African Americans. We stole away one or two generations of African-American males--and some females, too--in the process of making this terrible mistake. prgtoken It didn't make America any safer at all. In fact, it worsened the
HONORING RICHARD TRUMKA
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-10-27

. Madam , I am deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Richard Trumka. For those who knew him, Richard personified the integrity and selflessness he carried with him each day, sharing with all that he met. I was privileged to share a friendship with Richard, and when I first came to know him, I was immediately inspired by his passionate and courageous spirit. prgtoken I don't think there was a major election in Ohio over the past number of years where Richard was not in Niles or Youngstown or Akron campaigning and energizing union members. I was always impressed about how down to earth he was and how he had the common touch. But he was smart, he understood labor law, he knew the politics of the issues affecting workers and knew what the average worker was facing and the challenges, Most importantly, he understood the process of what needed to happen to make things better. prgtoken Richard was a hero of the labor movement and a champion for American Workers. He fought tirelessly to advocate for social and economic justice. As head of the AFL-CIO, he launched initiatives aimed at reaching younger workers, backed the ``Fight for $15'' effort to raise the minimum wage and called for employees to have a voice in ensuring their workplaces have proper safety protocols. prgtoken Richard served on the boards of the National Labor College, The AFL- COP's Solidarity Center, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, among others. He also sat on the boards of the Economic Policy Institute and the Housing Investment Trust and served as President Emeritus of the United Mine Workers. He spent his life working tirelessly as an inspiring advocate for the Catholic social justice principle of honoring the dignity of the worker. prgtoken Richard's work has motivated me to continue advocating on behalf of workers and ensuring them a safe and secure future by protecting their ability to organize and collectively bargain. I am forever grateful that I was able to work alongside Richard and witness the impact he had on the American people. His advocacy will live on to empower others to follow in his footsteps in pushing for positive social change.
CONTINUED STATE FLEXIBILITY TO ASSIST OLDER FOSTER YOUTH
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-10-27

I have no further speakers. prgtoken I will simply say that I am very pleased that we are considering this important legislation that would provide additional help to foster children and give States the flexibility that they need to provide all the assistance during this pandemic that foster children can make use of. prgtoken , I thank my ranking member tremendously for the bipartisanship we have been able to effect, and .
PROTECTING AMERICA'S FIRST RESPONDERS ACT OF 2021
Joe Courtney (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-10-27

I rise in support of the Protecting America's First Responders Act. This is an important bill that includes a provision that I have worked on for the last three Congresses to extend the PSOB program to fire police officers. prgtoken A dozen States have officers designated by law as fire police, who provide critical support at the scenes of fires, explosions, and serious accidents. They secure the perimeter so that other first responders can do their work safely. prgtoken However, because there is no uniform national designation for fire police, the current PSOB program doesn't cover these officers, even if they are killed or seriously injured on the job, which sadly has occurred. prgtoken It is only right that they receive the same protection as other public safety officers. This bill eliminates this exclusion and ensures that fire police and their families get the same benefits others do who provide first responder work. prgtoken I want to acknowledge the Gales Ferry Fire Department and Ledyard, Connecticut, Fire Chief Anthony Saccone, who has tirelessly advocated for fire police over the last few years. Thanks to their advocacy and engagement and Mr. Pascrell's great support, we will finally send this fix to the President's desk for signature. prgtoken , I urge passage of the bill.
THE GREAT LAKES: THE INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND OF AMERICA
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-10-27

. Madam , I thought I would like to place on the record this afternoon the fact that very important negotiations are going on on both sides of the Capitol relative to the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better bill, and I just wanted to point out to all those who hear my voice that there is no one from the Great Lakes a party to those dialogues with a major position in either Chamber. prgtoken I think it is really important to sensitize those who are in the room that whatever they do, don't forget the industrial heartland of America. prgtoken Our fine leaders in both parties come from both coasts and they come from other regions of the country, but the industrial heartland is notable by its absence in those in the rooms who are doing the negotiation. prgtoken I know if we alert them to the fact that we exist and that we have huge needs ranging from rail freight to seaborne commerce to industrial revitalization--the list is very long--but I just wanted to point that fact out. I know if my voice is heard by the administration and by those in the respective committees they will respond accordingly. prgtoken Madam , I am grateful for the opportunity to place these words on the record.
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF BISHOP PHILLIP BROOKS
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-10-27

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the life and service of Bishop Phillip Brooks, who passed away at 88 years old, as the First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. prgtoken After moving to Michigan in 1949, Bishop Brooks became a leader in the faith community for Detroit. He was also the first African-American pastor to broadcast on television in Detroit. prgtoken Bishop Brooks also stressed and taught the importance of relationships and service within the community. prgtoken The bishop became the supporter of several Detroit institutions, including the Charles Wright Museum of African American History, and he raised money and resources to aid displaced New York workers after 9/11 and supported relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. prgtoken His 36 years on the executive board of the Church of God in Christ was the longest of any bishop. Detroit and the faith community will always remember Bishop Brooks for his devoted service. prgtoken I take personal privilege to honor his spiritual leadership for me and for my family, the Cranford family.
CLOTURE MOTION
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-10-27

I rise to speak in favor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 in the expectation that the body will soon have a vote to proceed to debate on the bill, to proceed to debate in a forum before the American public, with an offer to our colleagues to offer amendments, offer improvements, offer adjustments. This is incredibly important. prgtoken We had a vote on the Freedom to Vote Act last week, a bill that I am proud to be a cosponsor of, along with the Presiding Officer. And I am proud to be a cosponsor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. prgtoken What does the John Lewis bill do? It basically does two things. First, it restores a vigorous preclearance requirement that was part of the original Voting Rights Act, section 5, that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 in the Shelby v. Mississippi opinion. prgtoken The Supreme Court in Shelby said that you could have a preclearance requirement but you couldn't apply that requirement only to the geographic jurisdictions that were covered in the original 1965 act; Congress would have to analyze and come up with a new set of criteria for who should have to get preclearance done. prgtoken The second thing the John Lewis bill does is it responds to a Supreme Court decision that was decided this summer, Brnovich v. ic National Committee, to specifically lay out the elements of a claim under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act--a claim that a local election practice or a State practice dilutes the strength of minority voting. prgtoken The preclearance requirement is the one that is the most important to me because, as a former mayor and Governor of Virginia, of Richmond and then the Commonwealth of Virginia, I lived under preclearance requirements, and I will spend a little bit of time talking about what that is like because it is actually pretty easy and pretty helpful. prgtoken But the way the John Lewis bill, in my view, very adroitly fixes the Shelby problem is it says: OK. Starting now, we are not going to treat the South differently than anywhere else in the country; we will treat every part of the country exactly the same. You are subject to a preclearance requirement as a State government or a local government if you have had a pattern of Voting Rights Act violations during the previous 25 years. prgtoken If you had just one, that isn't enough. This has to have been a pattern. And if there has been a pattern of Voting Rights Act violations, you are subject to preclearance. You have to submit proposed electoral changes to the Justice Department, and you have to keep doing that until you have had 10 years in a row where you haven't been subject to any voting rights violation. prgtoken So it doesn't penalize the South. Every ZIP Code in this country-- North, South, East, West, Midwest--is only subject to preclearance if there has been a pattern of voting rights violations--a significant pattern
CLOTURE MOTION
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2021-10-27

I rise today to discuss again the scheme by rightwing donor interests to capture prgtoken and control our Supreme Court, just like big industries have captured and controlled regulatory agencies through history. prgtoken In these speeches, I have covered the origins, motivations, and central players in the scheme; and, today, I am here to respond to a little bit of counterprogramming from the scheme. prgtoken So, obviously, Job 1, if you have captured an agency, is to pretend it is not captured; it is still legit. prgtoken Well, on Thursday, the minority leader, Senator McConnell, one of the principal operatives of the court capture scheme, traveled to The Heritage Foundation, one of the central dark-money groups in the court capture scheme, to toast Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the most ardent justices in pursuing the scheme's donors' goals and purposes. prgtoken Senator McConnell opened by lauding Justice Thomas for his campaign to overturn decades of precedent protecting women's constitutional right to abortion. That is an important point to note because the court is set to take up not one but two cases offering the new 6-3 majority a chance to tear down Roe v. Wade. prgtoken But his other mission was to defend the court capture scheme, and that is an important mission right now because the court just hit an all-time low on Gallup's national approval survey. According to a poll out this month by one of the most respected pollsters in the country, about two-thirds of Americans think politics guides the Supreme Court's decisions. And that is not a partisan opinion. s and share that view in equal proportion. prgtoken And Americans aren't wrong. When big donor interests come before the Court, they win--it looks like every time. I have shown the pattern. I have published an article on it. It is currently at 80 to 0. Lawyers would love to take evidence like that--an 80-to-0 record--into court as pattern evidence of bias. prgtoken So when the evidence is bad, what do you do? You blow smoke. There is an old, old propaganda technique of accusing your adversary of the exact wrong you are committing. It is such an old propaganda technique that it even has a Latin name: the ``tu quoque fallacy,'' from the Latin for ``you too.'' The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as ``retorting a charge upon one's accuser.'' It is a rhetorical trick. prgtoken At Heritage, Senator McConnell used this rhetorical trick, retorting a charge that critics like me of what has happened to the Court were trying to politicize the Court. Now, that is a particularly tricky version of this rhetorical trick because it is an accusation of something that we did not do, coming from people who actually did that. prgtoken We have all seen in plain view the mischief done by Senate s to capture the Court for big special interests. They weren't even subtle. So the ``tu quoque'' rhetorical tr