mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SLAVERY REMEMBRANCE DAY
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-7-28

. Madam , and still I rise. I rise today some 400 years after slavery was introduced to the United States in 1619. I rise today proud of this House of Representatives because on yesterday, the House approved a historic Slavery Remembrance Day resolution. prgtoken Madam , in the out years, this resolution is going to prove to be very beneficial to our country. You will find slavery remembrance commemorations going on across the length and breadth of the country. This is because we never want to repeat the horrors of slavery. prgtoken So, I thank every Member of this House who voted for this resolution. Each of you will receive from me a personal thank you as well as a commemorative booklet so that you can place this prominently some place in your home or your office because it was a historic occasion, and it will make a difference in the lives of people across the length and breadth of this country. prgtoken I am so proud of you, and I thank you. God bless you.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-7-28

I rise in support of the CHIPS and Science Act, a historic bill that should have strong bipartisan support because it will lower costs for American families and restore American leadership in industries that are critical to our economic and national security. prgtoken This bill is a strong response to countries like China that aim to threaten our industrial base, supply chains, intellectual property, and technology security. prgtoken This bill will help ensure that America cannot be threatened and will no longer accept the outsourcing of critical industries. prgtoken We took an important step to address this in the President's infrastructure act, which included an important measure I championed to ensure personal protective equipment is made in America. Never again will New York health workers be forced to wear trash bags to protect themselves from a deadly pandemic because China was blocking shipments of personal protective equipment. prgtoken The CHIPS and Science Act ensures we are making it in America, creating 100,000 good-paying jobs to manufacture critical semiconductor components right here in the U.S. employing Americans. prgtoken It also turbocharges our research and development investment and workforce to ensure America is leading in next-generation innovations. prgtoken I am so proud of the work of the Oversight and Reform Committee to support this legislation and proud to cast my vote for it today.
BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT
Ed Case (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-7-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the question that this bill addresses is whether the private, unregistered ownership and exploitation of big cats, meaning lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, and hybrids of them should continue considering significant and real animal welfare, public safety, and law enforcement safety concerns. prgtoken H.R. 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act says no, and would end the ownership of big cats as private pets and prohibit exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. prgtoken This bill is a culmination of over a decade of bipartisan effort. The Big Cat Public Safety Act, in one form or another, has been introduced by, cosponsored by, and generally supported by s and alike for well over a decade. Since the 112th Congress, Big Cats have garnered 933 bipartisan cosponsors. It was initially introduced by three different s over a number of Congresses, as well as the current ic sponsor. prgtoken We have continued to refine the bill in the decade since its first introduction. We passed it by suspension last Congress, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it again now. prgtoken The Big Cat Public Safety Act is endorsed not only by numerous environmental, animal welfare, and other organizations, but by countless law enforcement agencies and associations, including the National Sheriffs' Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, State- specific sheriffs' associations, and individual law enforcement officers. prgtoken We need to look no further than the compelling testimony from Sheriff Matt Lutz before our Natural Resources Committee to understand the broad concerns with the status quo. prgtoken In 2011, specifically, more than 50 exotic animals, including 38 lions, tigers, and cougars were released into the public from a private residence in Zanesville, Ohio, shutting down a highway and terrifying the neighbors. prgtoken Sheriff Lutz led the law enforcement response to the crisis. He testified at our hearing this year that his department didn't have any inventory of how many animals there were, they barely even knew that they were there to start with, and his officers weren't trained, obviously, to deal with big cats and other exotic animals released into a public setting en masse. prgtoken Incredibly, no one was killed or seriously injured in Zanesville that day, but as Sheriff Lutz testified: ``The outcome could have been much worse if any single condition had been just slightly different, and it could be far worse the next time.'' prgtoken Precisely because private ownership is unregulated and largely unknown, we don't know how many big cats are currently kept in private ownership in the U.S but estimates are as high as 20,000. prgtoken Privately owned big cats are often purchased or bred as cubs for photo ops, and as they grow larger, they are sold into the exotic pet t
SAFEGUARDING TREATMENT FOR THE RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS FROM ABANDONED MINES ACT
Alan S. Lowenthal (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, or the STREAM Act, introduced by our colleague, Representative Cartwright of Pennsylvania. prgtoken The STREAM Act makes a technical correction to existing Federal law so that States and Tribes can use a portion of the $11.3 billion that Congress has already appropriated for abandoned coal mine cleanup to restore streams that are polluted by acid mine drainage. prgtoken Acid mine drainage is heavily polluted water that flows out of abandoned coal mines into streams, making them toxic to all wildlife and often turning them a bright and unnatural orange. prgtoken Acid mine drainage renders streams biologically dead. They become unusable, undrinkable, unfishable, and unswimmable. It also severely limits a region's potential economic growth. prgtoken Thankfully, we know how to clean up this type of mining pollution, and we know that doing so will bring enormous benefits to impacted communities. prgtoken Investments made by existing Federal law for cleaning up abandoned coal mines are expected to create over 4,000 jobs a year over the next 15 years. That is 60,000 new, good-paying jobs in communities left behind by the coal industry. prgtoken Cleaning up acid mine drainage also restores natural areas and brings back wildlife. Under the existing Abandoned Mine Land Program run by the Department of the Interior, eligible States and Tribes can set aside 30 percent of their annual funding allocations to cover the long- term costs of operating acid mine drainage treatment facilities. prgtoken Unfortunately, newer Federal law passed in this Congress does not currently give States and Tribes the same authority for the $11.3 billion in supplemental funds. prgtoken The STREAM Act corrects this situation, giving States and Tribes the same flexibility to treat this devastating issue with legislation that has been passed in this Congress that they have had under the standard program for years. prgtoken I want to emphasize that this legislation does not--I repeat, does not--affect funding levels for any State. It simply changes the way that States may choose to use funds, depending on their individual needs when it comes to acid mine drainage. prgtoken The STREAM Act has strong bipartisan support. This legislation passed out of committee with strong bipartisan support and is endorsed by Governors, environmental groups, and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission. prgtoken I include in the Record some testimony in support of the STREAM Act from the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and letters of support from Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio, Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Trout Unlimited. Office of the Governor,
PACT Act (Executive Session)
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-7-28

I am coming down to the floor to speak briefly on our efforts to protect women's access to birth control and contraception, but before I do, I just want to note something that happened here today that was really odd. prgtoken So a few weeks back, we came together and had a consensus bipartisan vote to stand up for our veterans. A number of and ic legislators here in the House and the Senate worked together to develop something called the PACT Act. prgtoken This is groundbreaking legislation, decades in the making, that provides veterans access to healthcare for exposure to toxic chemicals, exposure that comes through being subjected to military burn pits-- these are pits where a lot of toxic chemicals and plastics are burned at military installations--but also for exposure to chemicals like Agent Orange. prgtoken So we had an 84-to-14 vote here just a few weeks ago in favor of the PACT Act and then the bill came back to the Senate due to some technical corrections having nothing to do with the substance of the bill. And yesterday the vote went from 84 to 55. Thirty Senators reversed their vote, and the bill failed. All 30 of those were s. prgtoken What happened in 2 weeks that convinced 30 s, who previously thought it was a good idea to help veterans, to decide instead to tank a bill that was helping veterans? prgtoken There are really only two explanations. prgtoken The more charitable explanation is that 30 s just changed their minds; that 3 weeks ago they thought it was a good bill, helping veterans was a good idea, and 3 weeks later they decided that it wasn't a good idea; that they would rather spend that money on somebody else instead of our most vulnerable veterans. prgtoken Now, that would be pretty fantastic to have 30 Members of the Senate change their minds on the merits of a bill, especially a bill that helps veterans, the most vulnerable veterans in this country, veterans who are dealing with cancer and respiratory illnesses. prgtoken The less charitable explanation is this. s are mad that are on the verge of passing climate change legislation and have decided to take out their anger on vulnerable veterans because that is the other thing that has changed in the last 3 weeks. s thought that weren't going to be able to pass a bill asking corporations to pay a little bit more, tackling climate change. Yesterday, news emerged that there is an agreement that makes it likely that a climate change bill is going to proceed on the Senate floor, and, magically, 30 votes flipped. prgtoken That is the less charitable explanation because that would be pretty horrific if s were mad about a climate change bill and decided to take out their anger on veterans--on vulnerable veterans. prgtoken So maybe in the coming days we will figure out which one it was. Maybe we will figure out if 30 votes flipped because
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-7-28

section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. prgtoken In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-7-28

I rise today in support of the confirmation of Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, or ASDHA. prgtoken The Defense Department is responsible for the health and welfare of over 1.3 million Americans who are entrusted with protecting our Nation. In order to ensure they get the care they need and deserve, the DOD must have an Assistant Secretary of Defense in place to lead their health affairs. prgtoken This position is the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense for all health and force health protection policies, programs, activities, and the Integrated Disability Evaluation System. The ASDHA is responsible for the execution of the DOD medical mission, to provide and maintain physical and mental health readiness for medical services and support to members of the military services, their families, and those held in the control of the military services. prgtoken Dr. Martinez-Lopez is eminently qualified for the position and has an impressive history of public service. Dr. Martinez-Lopez graduated from medical school in 1978. He retired from the U.S. Army as a major general and was the first Latino to head the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command at Fort Detrick, MD. He is the former director of the Army's worldwide medical research, acquisition, and logistics program, overseeing a vast research portfolio that included cancer, trauma, infectious diseases, aviation medicine, and telemedicine research. prgtoken Dr. Martinez-Lopez also directed the premier national biological and chemical defense laboratories and research program and led the development of the National Biodefense Campus at Fort Detrick. prgtoken He served as the commanding general of the Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, where he directed a worldwide public health organization and was responsible for preventive medicine, health promotion and wellness, global medical surveillance, occupational and environmental health, and health risk communication. prgtoken Dr. Martinez-Lopez has an extensive military and medical background that makes him eminently qualified to fill this critically important role. But obstruction has left us without a confirmed Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs for nearly a year, endangering the health of our servicemembers and the safety of our Nation. prgtoken Unfortunately, Dr. Lopez is not the only critically important civilian DOD nominee Senate s are blocking. Just yesterday, Chairman Reed came to the floor to ask for unanimous consent on the nominees to serve as inspector general of DOD, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. prgtoken This unprecedented obstruction must end, and we must fill these important positions, including Dr. Martinez-Lopez, as quickly as possible. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to confirm this nominee. prgtoken , I ask una
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-7-28

let me thank Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito and my counterpart on the Subcommittee on Infrastructure, Senator Cramer, for bringing us to this moment where we will soon be voting on the Water Resources Development Act. prgtoken I must tell you, this is an extremely important bill that gives the Army Corps the authorization they need to advance critically important water projects in our country. prgtoken , this was passed by a unanimous vote in the Environment and Public Works Committee. Due to the leadership of Senator Carper and Senator Capito, this bill involves the input of all the members of our committee and--dare I say--all the Members of the U.S. Senate. So I want to thank them for getting this bill to the point where we will be able to vote on it this afternoon. prgtoken This bill is truly bipartisan. It incorporates the input from every single Senator and reflects priorities for our prgtoken water resources in States and communities across the country. It provides crucial authority for projects and guidance for the Army Corps of Engineers to engineer better solutions to our Nation's toughest water infrastructure supply and quality challenges. prgtoken The work of the Army Corps of Engineers is vital for keeping commerce flowing in our waterways, for restoring aquatic ecosystems, and for helping communities deal with the risks and impacts of flooding. prgtoken In my State of Maryland, we have challenges in all of these areas, and we are partnering with the Army Corps to address them. The Port of Baltimore, for example, is critical in our national supply chains and an economic engine for the State of Maryland. prgtoken To enhance the port's ability to serve commerce and provide safe navigation, the Army Corps is moving forward with a Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project, or Mid-Bay, which will put dredged material to beneficial use restoring our ecosystems in the Chesapeake Bay, a major win-win for commerce and the environment. Here we are taking dredged materials and using it for environmental restoration, providing a very popular place to put dredged material so we can keep our harbors and our channels dredged but we also can restore our environment at the same time. prgtoken A project the size of Mid-Bay also has the opportunity to benefit smaller channels along the Chesapeake Bay. In Maryland, we have dozens and dozens of smaller channels that support economic activity, recreational opportunities, and are an integral part of the identity of the small communities they serve, but these channels have not received the maintenance that they require. prgtoken I am proud that this year's WRDA bill provides the Corps with new authorization to address these underserved harbors and channels, directing the Corps to take a closer look at them according to the significance to their community and not just based on the total amount of cargo they move. This is goi
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-7-28

the balance of my time. prgtoken I would simply like to say in closing that when we pass up an opportunity that we have like today in this bill, where we are looking out for our scientific enterprise, looking out for our space exploration and chip manufacturing, which will drive our future, we simply will be closing the door to our future to turn any of this down. prgtoken We cannot be competitive in the world without adequate research and adequate assistance to keep our research enterprise growing strongly. I am not willing to give up this opportunity and close the door on my Nation. prgtoken And I simply would ask all the people who possibly can, not to think about the bill that was passed or going to pass in the Senate yesterday, or last night, but think about the importance of keeping the doors and opportunities open for our Nation and having the jobs and talent right here in the United States. prgtoken It is bigger than all of us. We were sent here to look out for our Nation, and this is a measure that will do that. So I simply plead with everyone who can possibly see the future, or even dream about the future, to vote for this measure. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4346, and .
INCLUDING CERTAIN COMPUTER-RELATED PROJECTS IN THE FEDERAL PERMITTING PROGRAM UNDER TITLE XLI OF THE FAST ACT
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-7-28

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this is a commonsense bill that I believe has bipartisan support involving the construction of chip manufacturing and other computer-related manufacturing rights here in the United States. Obviously, this is a big effort that has been ongoing in Congress for some time. prgtoken The bill here simply adds key national security-related technologies, like semiconductors, to the types of projects that are eligible for an existing Federal program that improves the coordination between Federal departments on permitting. We oftentimes, as we know, have difficulty in getting the permitting process to work, and it creates delays in process. It not only takes time, but it increases costs. So this is an effort to try to address that. prgtoken The bill passed the Senate unanimously back in January. Sending this bill to the President will build on the progress we are already making today with the CHIPS and Science Act. prgtoken Both bills are critical to America leading in manufacturing of chips. We know that it is the future of the 21st century economy that creates good jobs and ensures our competitiveness in the global economy that we live in. prgtoken , I urge the House's adoption of this bill, and .
HONORING THE LIFE AND SACRIFICE OF RICHARD LOPEZ
Tom O’Halleran (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-7-28

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and sacrifice of Yavapai County Sheriff Deputy Richard Lopez, who was killed in the line of duty last month. prgtoken I was incredibly humbled to attend Officer Lopez's service, and to see and feel the outpouring of love and support. I saw right away that Officer Lopez left an indelible mark on Yavapai County. prgtoken Beloved by his community, respected by those he served, and mourned deeply by his family and his colleagues, I saw right away that he was a wonderful person. prgtoken As a former police officer and homicide investigator, I know that police work is an incredibly dangerous profession. Any arrest can turn dangerous in an instant, putting officers and all involved in jeopardy in a single moment. prgtoken We must always keep our brave law enforcement officers and their families in our thoughts and in our prayers. prgtoken Today, I extend my sincerest condolences to Lushana Lopez and their two children, and to the men and women of the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department.
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2022
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-7-28

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business, it adjourn until 3 p.m. on Monday, August 1; that following the prayer and the 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 day, and morning business be closed; that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Hanes nomination; further, that the cloture motion filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m.