mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Economy (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-2-10

the average American household spent an estimated $3,500 more in expenses last year as a result of inflation-- $3,500. Now, that may not sound like much to a wealthy politician, but for most American families, that is a lot of money. For a lot of families, $3,500 is the difference between putting something in savings or living paycheck to paycheck. An additional $3,500 in expenses can mean having to forgo essential home repairs or needed car work. It can mean putting off braces for a child or forgoing needed medical care. prgtoken Now, the White House Chief of Staff may have the budget to regard inflation as a high-class problem, which is how she referred to it, described it, but for ordinary Americans, inflation is a very real problem--a problem that is eating up their wage increases and lowering their standard of living. prgtoken We are in the midst of an inflation crisis, a supply chain crisis, and as if those weren't enough, a border crisis. Huge numbers of illegal immigrants are pouring across our southern border and have been pouring across our southern border for months, creating a security, enforcement, and humanitarian nightmare. prgtoken So there is a lot for our country's leadership in Washington to be focused on right now. What is the majority party doing about these crises? Well, not much. In fact, most of the time, you can be forgiven for thinking that neither the President nor leaders even realize there is an inflation crisis or a supply chain crisis or a border crisis. The President, for one, seems to be hoping that if he ignores these crises for long enough, they will just go away. prgtoken So what are the President and congressional doing with their time if they are not addressing our border crisis or inflation crisis? Well, for one thing, they are attempting to double down on the strategy that helped get us into this mess in the first place. That is right. The inflation crisis would like to ignore is actually something they helped create by flooding the economy with excessive government spending in their so-called American Rescue Plan last March. prgtoken For months, they have tried to double down on that bill with another massive spending spree that would flood the economy with more government money and undoubtedly make the inflation crisis worse. prgtoken The President has attempted to justify this massive spending legislation by claiming that it will help inflation. Right. So the first massive spending spree helps push us into an inflation crisis, but a second massive spending spree will fix it? I am pretty sure that the definition of ``insanity'' is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. prgtoken But massive inflation concerns haven't stopped . After all, why deal with a boring inflation crisis when you could be thinking up new ways to expand the Federal Government and new ways of taxing Americ
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2022-2-10

I rise today to celebrate the distinguished career of a Nebraska public servant, U.S. District Court Judge John Gerrard. prgtoken After just over 10 years on the Federal bench in the District of Nebraska, prgtoken he announced Monday that he will move to senior status starting next year. Judge Gerrard's impressive career has spanned more than four decades, and it is not over yet. After his successor is confirmed, he will remain on the bench with a reduced caseload. prgtoken Judge Gerrard is a native Nebraskan. He grew up in Schuyler and attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. He left the good life, temporarily, to pursue an MPA at the University of Arizona and a JD at the University of the Pacific in California. prgtoken I am grateful that he came home to Nebraska after law school. In 1981, Judge Gerrard began his career in private practice in Norfolk. A year later, he also began serving as a part-time city attorney for the neighboring community of Battle Creek. That was the start of 40 years and counting of selfless public service. prgtoken In 1995, he was appointed to the Nebraska Supreme Court by then- Governor Ben Nelson. He was just 41 years old at the time, making him the youngest-ever Nebraska Supreme Court Justice. prgtoken After more than 15 years on our State's highest court, he was nominated by President to the Federal judgeship he holds now in 2011, serving as chief judge for 3 of those years. prgtoken At every turn, Judge Gerrard has used his respect for the law to advance the greater good of Nebraskans and all Americans. During his time on the bench, I have appreciated hearing his views about many pressing judicial matters. His perspective as a sentencing judge has also been crucial in helping me to unpack how proposed legislation in Congress would affect Federal judges. prgtoken It has been an honor to know Judge Gerrard and to work with him for over a decade. He is an accomplished, skilled, and respected jurist, and I am glad that he has chosen to continue his service after moving to senior status. prgtoken Everyone who knows Judge Gerrard can attest that his wisdom extends far beyond the law. He has never failed to impress me with his keen observations about life. He is a good man with a servant's heart, and I am proud to call him a friend. prgtoken On behalf of all Nebraskans, I would like to thank him for his four decades of dedicated public service. I look forward to working with President to confirm a district court judge who will live up to Judge Gerrard's legacy of ruling fairly in accordance with the Constitution. prgtoken . prgtoken .
H.R. 4445
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2022-2-10

. I will be real quick. prgtoken Senator Schumer, thank you for making this happen. You made sure it would come up today, we would get a voice vote. prgtoken Senator Ernst has been great. prgtoken Kirsten, it has been a hell of a ride. We talked to Microsoft about 3 or 4 years ago about this. They jumped onboard and started changing it internally. prgtoken I have heard from the Chamber. I am open-minded about making sure we don't hurt business. It does not hurt business to make sure that people who are harassed in the workplace get treated fairly. It is better for business. prgtoken I just want to say, this shows that we can function up here, that we are listening to the world as it is. So the days of taking sexual harassment and sexual assault claims and burying them in the basement of arbitration are over. prgtoken Arbitration has its place between business. It can be a good thing. But when you sign a document--multiple pages--just to get a job, you really don't know what you are signing. We are saying, you are not going to sign away your life in terms of having your day in court if somebody treats you poorly. You still have got to prove your case. The defendant has robust due process rights, which they should, but the abuse of arbitration that perpetuates sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace is soon to be done away with. prgtoken Thank you, Senator Schumer. prgtoken Thank you, Senator Gillibrand. prgtoken And to all of my colleagues on the side, thank you. prgtoken This is not bad for business. This is good for America. Vote on H.R. 4445
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-2-10

reserving the right to object, here we are 6 months since the last foreign policy disaster into which this administration led this country, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan: 13 servicemembers killed, including 1 from my home State of Missouri; dozens more wounded; hundreds--hundreds--of civilians killed; hundreds more, maybe thousands, of American civilians left behind enemy lines to terrorists, to fend for themselves; still hundreds of Americans stranded there in Afghanistan as we speak. prgtoken And what accountability has there been in this time? Who has been relieved of duty? Who has been shown the door? What have we learned? prgtoken The answer is there has been no accountability. No one has been relieved of duty. No one has been shown the door. prgtoken And now this administration has bumbled to the brink of another foreign policy crisis that they have helped create, having denied Ukraine military aid, lethal aid, when it asked for it last spring; having stuffed dollars in Vladimir Putin's pockets by greenlighting the Nord Stream 2 energy pipeline. And now here they are, on the verge of another foreign policy crisis, and still we have no answers, still we have no accountability. prgtoken I will say this, though. We did learn a few interesting details this week about what happened in Afghanistan. And by the way, if you think that Vladimir Putin and the other dictators around this world weren't emboldened by this administration's weakness, by their utter failure in Afghanistan, then you have got another thing coming. prgtoken But what have we learned this week about Afghanistan? What have we learned? Actually, a couple of interesting things, a number of interesting things. We learned that, in fact, the White House and the State Department were warned for months on end--months on end--that their failure to evacuate civilians would result in disaster; that the Afghan Government was on the verge of collapse. They were told over and over. prgtoken One servicemember who was in Kabul told investigators ``the writing was on the wall. The country and its government were actively collapsing,'' and ``we should not have waited [to start evacuations] until every provincial capital had fallen except for Kabul.'' prgtoken Yet that is exactly what the administration did. Our top military commander in Kabul tried to get the Ambassador on the ground to see the security threat for what it was but to no avail. As one military official told investigators--we learned this week--``The Embassy needed to position for withdrawal.'' Yet they weren't doing it. prgtoken Why weren't they doing it? Why weren't civilians evacuated in a timely manner? Why wasn't the White House prepared? Because the White House wasn't taking it seriously. prgtoken According to Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Farrell Sullivan, as late as August 6, ``the National Security Council was not seriously planning for an evacuation.'' Mind you, by thi
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-2-10

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 3 p.m Monday, February 14; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 266, H.R. 3076, the Postal Service Reform Act; that the cloture motions filed during today's session of the Senate ripen at 5:30 p.m.
CONTINUING RESOLUTION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-2-10

this week has been a continuation of that commitment to working with the other side when possible. The legislation on forced arbitration is a prime example. And yesterday we saw another example: Appropriators from both parties announced that they reached a framework agreement for a yearlong appropriations package. prgtoken This is a huge step forward for arriving at an omnibus, and it is great news for our goal of avoiding a yearlong CR, which would have been painful and costly. prgtoken There is a lot of work left to do before we pass a government spending bill, but yesterday's announcement shows appropriators are now on a very good path. prgtoken We are driving forward toward an omnibus, and I am very, very hopeful and optimistic that we will get there. prgtoken In the meantime, the Senate will do the responsible thing by passing a temporary CR next week in order to give the appropriators enough time to put their funding packages together.
H.R. 4445
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-2-10

I just want to thank my colleagues Senator Graham and Senator Ernst for their outstanding work in this regard. prgtoken We have worked over many years to get a bill that can be agreed upon. Senator Ernst made sure that her concerns were met in several ways. But I agree with both of their statements. I do not believe that survivors of sexual assault and harassment will abuse the ability to file cases in court. prgtoken The bill plainly reads, which is very relevant to Senator Ernst's concerns, that only disputes that relate to sexual assault or harassment conduct can escape the forced arbitration clauses. ``That relate to'' is in the text. The language of the bill specifically states that ``the term `sexual harassment dispute' means a dispute relating to conduct that is alleged to constitute sexual harassment under applicable Federal, Tribal, or State law,'' and ``the term `sexual assault dispute' means a dispute involving a nonconsensual sexual act or sexual conduct.'' prgtoken To be clear, there are no new legal burdens to sexual harassment established in the bill. This was another concern that Senator Ernst had. It is all tied to existing Federal, State, and Tribal law. prgtoken This bill will basically give survivors the ability to go to court where they are ``alleging conduct constituting a sexual harassment dispute or a sexual assault dispute.'' When a sexual assault or sexual harassment survivor files a court case in order to seek accountability, her single case may include multiple claims. But as Senator Ernst said, if those claims on harassment or assault are dismissed, then she would go back to the arbitration process. prgtoken But it is--and this is important to Senator Graham and I--it is essential that all the claims related to the sexual assault or harassment can be adjudicated at one time for the specific purpose that Senator Ernst is well aware of. We don't want to have to make a sexual assault or harassment victim relive that experience in multiple jurisdictions. So we want to be able to deal with all the harassment- and assault-related claims in one goal. But, again, if those aren't part of it, then this bill does not apply to it. prgtoken So you are quite right in your clarification, and that is exactly what we intended the bill to do. prgtoken Every State and Federal court in the country requires a person to allege certain things in a certain way in order to properly plead a case such that it won't be immediately dismissed. Victims here must follow the rules and plead a case correctly, and then they must also affirm to the Court that they have a good-faith basis for doing so. Attorneys must do the same thing. prgtoken If victims and attorneys break those rules, they can be sanctioned in court, as Senator Graham mentioned. To ensure that a victim is able to realize the rights and protections intended to be restored to her by this legislation, all of the related claims will procee
ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-2-10

I was proud to support and cosponsor S. 2342, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021. This bill is critically important in supporting survivors who have experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace. prgtoken Forced arbitration clauses have become increasingly common in employment contracts. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 56.2 percent of private sector, nonunion workers are subject to forced arbitration. That means approximately 60 million workers in the United States are denied the right to have their employment cases heard by a court. prgtoken When it comes to matters of sexual assault and sexual harassment, forced arbitration clauses protect predators and prevent survivors from seeking justice in the courts for the wrongs they have experienced. prgtoken This practice of forced arbitration is deeply concerning. Employees are often not aware that their employment contracts contain arbitration clauses, and they often do not understand their effect. Scholars have estimated that 98 percent of workers will abandon their legal claims instead of pursuing them through the arbitration process. Employees who choose to arbitrate are then forced to use company-appointed arbitrators and are not able to appeal the decisions. prgtoken Even more troubling, forced arbitration clauses have been used to silence survivors of workplace sexual assault and sexual harassment, and that is unacceptable. prgtoken This bill will help protect the rights of survivors by allowing courts to invalidate forced arbitration clauses when the case involves sexual assault or harassment. This will ensure that survivors can bring their claims in court if they choose to do so. prgtoken I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill, and I am happy to see my colleagues overwhelmingly support it on the floor today.
ENDING FORCED ARBITRATION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OF 2021
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-2-10

now I would like to turn our attention to an issue that is also dealing with our supply chain, and that is the issue of Congress moving forward on the differences between the House and Senate bills on America's investment in R&D and innovation. prgtoken As the chart shows, our investment today equals U.S. jobs in our economy tomorrow. So the United States Competition Act or, as we passed it here, the United States Innovation and Competition Act is at a crossroads because we need to get it into conference. prgtoken Other countries definitely aren't waiting--I guarantee you that. They are making investments in innovation and technology. Where we are in the United States is we are at a 45-year low in the amount of investment in R&D against our GDP. So we are not keeping pace. prgtoken Many times I have been out on the floor here talking about why we are not keeping pace. We tried. Unfortunately, we tried several years ago and then had an economic downturn. So everybody signed up: Let's put more into R&D investment. Then we had an economic downturn, and we never fulfilled that promise. So the real consequences of that are we are now behind in some very key sectors that we need to make investments in. prgtoken The good news for us is that people are willing to make those investments, like the Intel company, which just decided recently to make a multibillion-dollar investment in the State of Ohio to grow chip fabrication there. So we have opportunities if we make these investments. prgtoken When the world presents a challenge, the American people, the people in our State--they rise to the challenge, and the American spirit has never ceased to amaze me. I guarantee, innovation is in the DNA of Americans. Why? Because we live in a country where you are free to do what you want. You are free to go and start a company and try your skill set. We encourage it. We need to have that same spirit here working collaboratively to get this legislation rectified and onto the President's desk. There isn't a moment to wait for revolutionizing science, creating jobs, and invigorating our new economic centers around the Nation. prgtoken My colleague Senator Wicker and I worked on a very important aspect of the bill, which is driving more innovation dollars into research institutions in States that haven't traditionally had large research footprints. This will be an issue of contention, I am sure, with some of our colleagues, but my point is, innovation can happen anywhere, and innovation infrastructure should be everywhere. So if we want that to happen in Reno, NV, we need to make an investment in Reno, NV. I believe in that because I am pretty sure the Sierra company is a very big leader in the aerospace sector, and I think they are headquartered in Reno, if I am not mistaken. This is what I am talking about. You can build. prgtoken Guess what. Not everything has to happen in Seattle or San Francisco or Boston or ou
BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND HONORING BRIGADIER GENERAL CHARLES E. McGEE AND STAFF SERGEANT WAVERLY B. WOODSON, JR.
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-2-10

as we celebrate Black History Month, I rise today to honor two American heroes from our Greatest Generation: Brigadier General Charles E. McGee and Staff Sergeant Waverly B. Woodson, Jr. prgtoken McGee was a Tuskegee Airman who passed away peacefully in his home in Bethesda, MD, on January 16, 2021. He was 102. Woodson, an Army medic assigned to the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, landed on Omaha Beach on D-day and saved the lives of as many as 200 soldiers over the next 30 hours of continuous duty. prgtoken Both of these Marylanders fought with valor and distinction on behalf of a Nation that discriminated against them. prgtoken Brigadier General McGee's incandescent spirit, courage, and resolve led us to victory through some of our darkest times. He has left lasting impact on our country as a pilot, patriot, and civil rights advocate. He was born on December 7, 1919, in Cleveland, OH. His mother died soon after. His father, who was a minister, teacher, and social worker, moved the family frequently during McGee's childhood in search of work opportunities that were not easy to come by. Despite this adversity, McGee graduated from high school in Chicago in 1938 and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC. prgtoken McGee used the money he made in the CCC to help pay for college, attending the University of Illinois as an ROTC student. prgtoken When we look at the extraordinary life of Charles McGee, one thing is explicitly clear: No matter how dangerous or difficult the call, if his country needed him, he always answered. This inspiring pattern of behavior started during his sophomore year in college when, on McGee's 22nd birthday, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. McGee began searching for a way to serve in the war. After he heard that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had authorized a unit of Black soldiers to train as pilots in the Army Air Corps, he applied and to start flight training at the Tuskegee Army Field in Alabama and was accepted. prgtoken Charles McGee battled racial discrimination but completed flight school as 1 of only 1,000 pilots, earning his spot as a Tuskegee Airman in the first-of-its-kind, all-Black 332nd Fighter group. In 1944, just a year after graduating, he deployed to Italy as a fighter pilot in World War II. He moved up the ranks quickly, from lieutenant to captain. McGee's squadron was responsible for escorting heavy bombers of the 15th Air Force across Europe and for target-of-opportunity missions. McGee flew 136 missions across Europe. Our victory in World War II, however, was not the end of McGee's service. He remained in the Army Corps and the Air Force for another 30 years, flying in both the Korean and the Vietnam wars. He tallied a record of 409 aerial fighter combat missions over the course of three wars. In 2020, McGee received an honorary promotion to brigadier general. prgtoken While there are few individuals living or dead who have had career