mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Harold Rogers (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-7-28

. Madam , to the amendment, and such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , this amendments en bloc contains several measures that could have enjoyed broad support. Unfortunately, it also includes several amendments that some on our side are unable to accept. One is by the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), which would transfer funds from foreign military financing to the development assistance account. prgtoken At a time when the United States is facing serious national security challenges around the globe, including from China and Russia, we should be increasing U.S. security assistance rather than holding it flat or, worse yet, reducing it to increase an account that this bill already increases by 15 percent. prgtoken We simply face too many challenges to be cutting national security funding at this time. prgtoken Madam , finally, I also need to mention the self-executing manager's amendment offered by our distinguished subcommittee chair relating to the expansion of global currency reserves by the International Monetary Fund. This amendment would require the Secretary of the Treasury to support the issuance of an additional $2.1 trillion of special drawing rights, an IMF reserve asset, to all member countries of the fund. This is in addition to a whopping $650 billion that was already issued earlier this year. prgtoken This is a highly controversial proposal that appears to run counter to other administration policies, including claims of prioritizing efforts to counter the maligned influence of Russia and China. prgtoken This plan could result in many billions in additional reserves being sent to the world's most notorious dictatorships and state sponsors of terror, such as Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and China. prgtoken Not only does this unwise scheme go against the stated goals and objectives of the White House, but it also could hinder Treasury's efforts to penalize and pressure these malign state actors through extensive U.S. sanction regimes. prgtoken Why go to all the trouble of putting in place and enforcing these sanctions when this proposal for the IMF to issue trillions in additional liquidity could significantly undercut years of pressure carefully designed to advance our national interest? prgtoken Madam , for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendments en bloc, and .
CRIME RISING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2021-7-28

I noticed this morning that in the last week there were a couple more homicides in the city of my birth, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee right now is on pace to exceed the record number of homicides they had last year. This did not happen in a vacuum. prgtoken There are some people who blame guns, but other crimes are up as well, which shows guns have nothing to do with it. The reason is that law enforcement is under attack and has been passive, not only in Milwaukee, but in Chicago, in Baltimore, in Philadelphia, and Washington. prgtoken And why are they passive? Because politicians in this Chamber and politicians around the country have tried to blame the police for incarceration rather than blame the criminal. And as a result, police are scared to act, afraid to be aggressive, and we have murder rates higher than we have seen in quite a while, and we recently hit 90,000 deaths a year from illegal drug use. prgtoken These additional deaths, to me, the blood is on the people who ignore the studies that show that police are not racist and continue to push the police into a more passive fashion. We must stop this cheap politicking.
Debt Ceiling (Executive Calendar)
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-7-28

in less than 72 hours, the suspension on the Federal Government's debt ceiling will expire. That leaves Congress with two options: continue with the reckless, wasteful spending it is accustomed to without any accountability to the American people; or finally face reality, make some tough choices, and chart a path forward that lowers the Federal debt and gets spending under control. prgtoken Washington is constantly spending more money and taking on new debt without any plan to ever reduce the debt. prgtoken Since 1960, Congress has raised or extended the debt limit more than 70 times. Washington's choice to keep prgtoken raising or suspending the debt ceiling is like raising the limit on your credit card month after month with no plan to pay it off. prgtoken It is reckless, and it is this kind of fiscal irresponsibility that is hurting American families and causing the rising inflation we are seeing. prgtoken As you can see here, 87 percent of Americans are worried about inflation--87 percent. Low- and fixed-income families are having to cut on purchases because of rising costs. prgtoken Look at these numbers: Gas up 52 percent in 12 months; milk, 11; bacon, 16 percent; eggs, 6 percent; used cars, 45 percent; utilities, 6 percent. prgtoken I am hearing from families all across Florida who are worried. Read you a couple stories. prgtoken A father of three in Jacksonville, who is temporarily helping to take care of two other kids because their father is out of work, has started working a second job driving Uber just to pay for groceries that are rapidly increasing in price. Now, his Uber job is becoming less and less profitable because the rising price of gas. prgtoken Mother of four in Wauchula said she used to be able to go to the grocery store and spend a certain amount of money for an entire month's groceries; now she can't. Two hundred dollars in meat is not--is no longer enough to feed her family of five. She is being forced to choose between gas to get to work and groceries for her family, and is picking up extra jobs just to get by. prgtoken I can relate to all this. I grew up in a family that struggled for money. My mom would take in ironing for extra money. She would send me or my older brother to the grocery store with exact change, but she told us: You have got to check the prices. The prices keep going up. And if it does, you have got to figure out how to get the food we need with less--with the money we have. prgtoken I have spoken to the owner of a construction company in West Palm Beach who says materials are going up. Twenty-four dollars for a sheet of plywood is now $80 a sheet. Drywall is going up a dollar a board. Prices of hardware, like screws, are going up 10 to 15 percent per month. Delivery prices are going up due to gas and the shortage of truck drivers. His employees are complaining about gas and are afraid what it might mean if the price continues to rise. prgtoken A restaura
Debt Ceiling (Executive Calendar)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-7-28

we have all experienced a bit of buyer's remorse this past year. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic had folks stockpiling too much or just doing a little online retail therapy for things they may never use. But when it comes to impulse buying, no one can compete with in Washington. If running up the taxpayers' tab was an Olympic sport, would easily take home the gold. prgtoken Over the past 6 months, the have run up trillions of dollars in new spending. And as we are just days away from hitting the Nation's debt limit, these same are preparing to charge trillions more to the Nation's credit card, paid for by taxpayers, of course, to purchase more of their pricey, partisan pet projects and other items on their progressive wish list. prgtoken Their reckless spending spree started in March with their strictly partisan $2.1 trillion, a so-called COVID bill. The assured us the $1,400 stimulus checks and $300-a-week enhanced unemployment benefits included in the bill would get America back on its feet. Well, folks, this July 28, we have 10 million unfilled jobs. Last week, jobless claims increased. And hard-working Americans are feeling the pinch and paying more for almost everything, from gas to groceries. The ' poisonous progressive policies are failing us, and Iowans and the rest of Americans know it. Yet prgtoken --they just keep on spending. prgtoken Right now, the majority leader is plotting to fast-track an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink tax-and-spending bill that could cost more than $3\1/2\ trillion. So what is in this latest bill? More poisonous progressive policies. prgtoken One of the most harmful provisions to families everywhere and especially farm families in Iowa is what I like to call the farm-to- table tax hike. The want to pay for part of their radical agenda by increasing the tax on family farms being passed from one generation to the next. But that tax won't only hit farmers and ranchers; it will increase the cost of producing and purchasing food for all of our families. prgtoken Americans recognize President 's budget-busting bills are a key factor in the skyrocketing costs; yet the keep packing their bills with progressive pet policies and projects they know won't make your life better but that will appease their political base. And their answer when things don't get better is always: Wait, we didn't spend enough. prgtoken Folks, it is laughable to argue that Washington hasn't spent enough when our national debt now exceeds $28 trillion. The shopaholics who control the purse strings in Congress are addicted to spending other people's money on things we don't need or that we can't afford. prgtoken Let's review the receipt for omics: $2.1 trillion for 's so-called American Rescue Plan, which includes $200 billion for enhanced unemployment payments, $1.7 billion for Amtrak, $1
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Jackie Walorski (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-7-28

I rise today to once again stand for life and to prevent American taxpayers from paying for abortion services overseas. Americans should never be forced to fund abortions against their conscience, period. prgtoken I have long supported the Hyde amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding from paying for abortions domestically. Yesterday, I proudly spoke in support of this key pro-life protection, which the stripped from these appropriations packages. prgtoken Now, are trying to force Americans to foot the bill for abortions abroad. For decades, the Helms amendment has prohibited abortion services from being included in our Nation's foreign aid. prgtoken Driven by a radical agenda, and the administration have removed this longstanding, commonsense prohibition from the State and Foreign Operations bill on the floor today. prgtoken To make it clear, congressional and the administration are trying to force the American taxpayer to fund abortions in foreign nations. prgtoken The facts are on our side. Seventy-seven percent of Americans oppose using taxpayer dollars for this purpose. It is deeply disappointing, but not surprising, that are continuing to attack our pro- life values and Americans' fundamental conscience rights. prgtoken Taxpayers in Indiana and around the country should never be forced to bankroll abortion services here at home, and we most certainly should not be forced to bankroll abortions abroad. prgtoken This is a dangerous path of destruction. I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill.
ECONOMIC POLICIES CRUSHING TO WORKING POOR
Stephanie I. Bice (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-7-28

from Arizona. prgtoken , I rise today to address the ongoing crisis happening at our southern border. Since President took office, he has stopped building the wall, brought back catch and release, and ended the remain in Mexico policy. prgtoken As a result, this administration has created the worst humanitarian, national security, and public health crisis ever seen at our Nation's southern border. prgtoken In the past 3 months, each month, we have seen more than 170,000 border encounters, a new 21-year high, totaling over half a million illegal border crossings. These numbers are resulting in overcrowded shelters, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and violence. prgtoken In addition, the surge of unaccompanied children coming across the border shows no signs of slowing down. prgtoken In June, the number of children arriving daily rose to 530. A journey like this is not only unsafe; it could lead to sexual exploitation or forced labor. prgtoken Despite the continuing increase of border encounters each month, House want to defund Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement by nearly $1 billion. Our CBP, ICE, and DHS officers have been putting their lives at risk protecting Americans. Calling to defund them during the worst immigration crisis in U.S. modern history is deeply troubling. prgtoken , the open border rhetoric from the administration has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people to make the dangerous trek to the U.S. We must secure the border. We must protect our border cities. We must support the men and women who honorably protect our border. We must end this heartbreaking crisis. prgtoken In addition to the immigration crisis that we are seeing on the southern border, we are now dealing with a COVID crisis that is not being addressed. The number of individuals crossing into this country with COVID has increased exponentially. prgtoken These individuals are not being tested. They are not being offered vaccinations. They are being put on buses and shipped across this country. prgtoken With the number of cases on the increase, it is imperative that this administration addresses the border crisis issue immediately. prgtoken , I again thank my colleague from Arizona.
INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS VACANCY REDUCTION ACT
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2021-7-28

. Madam , today, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts Vacancy Reduction Act. This bill would allow local District of Columbia court nominees to be seated after a 30-day congressional review period unless a resolution of disapproval is enacted into law during that period. Currently, nominees cannot be seated without affirmative Senate approval. The congressional review process for nominees would be the same as used for legislation passed by the D.C. Council. It is therefore a reliable process, long- recognized by Congress. My bill is prompted by the unique requirement that judges for the local D.C. courts be confirmed by the Senate, where nominees for the federal courts and executive branch, understandably, get the primary focus and priority. There has been a longstanding vacancy crisis facing the District's local criminal and civil courts, and the local D.C. courts have raised serious concerns about these longstanding vacancies. prgtoken Whether or s control the Senate, the local D.C. courts regularly face vacancy crises, which harm the operations of the local judicial system in the District. Congress created the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) to recommend candidates to the President, and Congress should generally defer to its judgment. This bill is a compromise, useful to all concerned, that retains a congressional role while saving the Senate time by removing the need for committee and floor action on local judges and increasing the odds that D.C. will have a full complement of local judges. prgtoken Currently, there are 12 vacancies out of 62 authorized judges on the D.C. Superior Court and three vacancies out of nine authorized judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals. prgtoken Both pre- and post-home rule, the District has never had control over the nomination and approval of local D.C. judges. My bill would not alter the role of the JNC or the President in the nomination process. Under the Home Rule Act, the JNC recommends to the President a list of three candidates for each vacancy on the Superior Court and the Court of Appeals. The President must nominate a candidate recommended by the JNC within 60 days to the Senate for advice and consent. If the President fails to nominate such a person within 60 days, the JNC must nominate a recommended person directly to the Senate for advice and consent. The Senate has no obligation to provide its advice and consent. Under this bill, once a nomination has been transmitted to Congress, the nomination would be deemed approved unless a resolution of disapproval is enacted into law during a 30-day review period. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
January 6 Select Committee (Executive Session)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-7-28

I come to the floor today to speak about how we must pass emergency security supplemental appropriations legislation to deliver needed funding to the Capitol Police and the National Guard. prgtoken Anyone who watched yesterday the moving testimony of the officers who protected this Capitol, I think, understands that we cannot wait. prgtoken I appreciate the efforts by my colleagues both over in the House as well as here in the Senate, Appropriations Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Shelby, as well as Senator Blunt who works with me on the Rules Committee, to reach a bipartisan proposal on this critical funding issue, and we should pass this agreement without delay. prgtoken But after passing this important legislation, we must also continue to work to ensure that all the funding needs in the aftermath of January 6 are met, including with respect to funding for the Justice Department to bring those who participated in the insurrection to justice and to ensure there is sufficient funding for security improvement for the Capitol. prgtoken When an angry, violent mob staged an insurrection on January 6 and desecrated this Chamber, the temple of our democracy--what they did over in the House, what they did in the hallways, spray-painted on the columns, the Parliamentarian office in shreds--it was an attack on our Republic itself. prgtoken As chair of the Rules Committee, I knew that we had to respond immediately in two ways: One was immediately finishing our job that day and getting the ballots counted; and then, 2 weeks later, making sure that inauguration took place on that platform, which they had also desecrated only 2 weeks before. prgtoken But the second piece was to get to the bottom of what happened. I am glad that the House, with their bipartisan Select Committee, is continuing this work. Our focus in the Senate was more limited, but Senator Blunt and Senator Peters and Senator Portman and I combined our committees to look, to get some immediate answers so we could achieve this funding, as well as do some other things that couldn't wait for a year, that we had to get done right away. prgtoken That is why we convened immediate hearings with both officials who are responsible for security at the Capitol, including people who are no longer in their positions and with representatives from key Federal agencies. prgtoken We held the first hearing of the event of that horrific day. Our bipartisan report focused on security, planning, and response failures related to the violent and unprecedented insurrection that includes key findings and recommendations that should be put in place without delay. prgtoken We learned about one Capitol Police officer who could be heard on the radio that day asking a tragically simple question: Does anyone have a plan? prgtoken Sadly, there was no plan. prgtoken We found out there was no departmentwide operational plan in place before January 6. We are pleased we have a new
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-7-28

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am pleased to come to the floor to salute him for his leadership as chair of this very important subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations that makes things happen for us in the Capitol to do the people's business. prgtoken The United States Capitol has always been a beacon of freedom, liberty, and justice to America and to the entire world. Here, lawmakers and staff, institutional workers, the Capitol Police, and members of the press enable the functioning of our very democracy. It is vital that we ensure that this institution has the funding and resources needed to serve the people. prgtoken The most exciting part of it is when children come to the Capitol safely and curiously and excited about seeing where laws are made and what our Founders' vision was and what our men and women in uniform fight for as we see in their eyes their aspirations to the future which is our charge for the children. prgtoken That is why today I am proud to rise in support of the Legislative Branch appropriations bill which meets these needs. I thank the committee chairwoman, Ms. DeLauro, and subcommittee chair, Tim Ryan, for their leadership. This takes a lot of attention and a lot of specificity and meticulous attention to detail, and I thank the distinguished chair of the committee for his brilliant attention to all of that. prgtoken This funding bill not only funds the legislative branch, it strengthens it. It does so by advancing a more diverse and inclusive congressional workforce. It has long been a priority for many of us to ensure that the Halls of the Capitol reflect the beautiful diversity of our Nation at every level. prgtoken The bill provides for strong funding for paid internships to support more hardworking interns from middle-class families. This has been such a priority prgtoken for many of us because these internships are an opportunity for young people. But if they are unpaid, they already self-select as to who can participate. We have seen this over time, where that opportunity cannot be taken advantage of unless there is funding for it. prgtoken It also provides funding for the Wounded Warrior program, which gives our heroes who served in uniform an opportunity to serve in congressional offices. prgtoken Proudly, it allows Dreamers to work in the legislative branch. Our Dreamers make America more American, and it is vital that their voices are heard here in the Capitol. prgtoken Most importantly, this bill is about security, and that is a moral imperative, funding and supporting our United States Capitol Police force, the heroes. In this legislation, we secured strong increases in funding for the Capitol Police force, which will provide for the hiring of over 2,100 sworn officers and 450 civilian members of the Capitol Police. prgtoken It also improves training and bolsters wellness support for the Capitol Police, many of whom are still suffering from the Janu
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-7-28

I stand in support of my amendment demanding action in response to the Havana syndrome incidents affecting Americans around the world. prgtoken The recent string of mysterious attacks on U.S. diplomats and personnel, often called Havana syndrome, is a serious threat to our national security. prgtoken Having spoken directly with individuals impacted, I know these attacks are having lasting and detrimental impacts on the health of our Nation's public servants. prgtoken I stand here today to call for a robust, interagency response, one that reflects the severity and urgency of the situation. prgtoken The State Department must play an active role in this response, share relevant information with Congress, particularly the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and make sure all affected personnel receive prompt and appropriate care. It is our duty to ensure our public servants get the care and answers they deserve. prgtoken As a former Federal employee, I intend to keep pressing the administration to better protect our diplomats and Federal employees serving at home and abroad. prgtoken I know firsthand their commitment to their missions, their devotion to our country, and the promises we have made to them. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to join me in this cause.