mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RELATING TO ENDANGERED AND THREATENED...
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-5-11

the administration's reckless policies have created chaos on our southern border, and further mistakes from the are taking things from very bad to even worse. prgtoken For more than 2 years now, President and Secretary Mayorkas have proven they are either incapable, unwilling, or uninterested in defending and maintaining our borders. Illegal crossings at our southern border have exploded under this administration--2.38 million in fiscal year 2022 alone. And that is just the subset of people whom the authorities actually found and stopped. It doesn't count the ones who got away. prgtoken The vast majority of these crossers are single adults--not families, not children but unaccompanied grownups. prgtoken Customs and Border Protection stopped 67 known terrorist suspects at the southern border ports of entry last year alone, but they found 98 attempting to cross the border elsewhere--more than six times as many as the previous year. As of March, authorities had already seized nearly three times as much fentanyl this fiscal year as they had by this time last year. prgtoken All of these terrible numbers have come with a stopgap pandemic policy called title 42 actually in place. Every month of the Presidency, anywhere from 20 to 75 percent of the illegal crossers have been turned right around and expelled, rather than apprehended and processed in the typical way. But the administration has failed so badly that even with this stopgap in place, our border facilities have still been overwhelmed and overrun. prgtoken Now, as the finally give up the COVID state of emergency, title 42 is going away. That wouldn't pose a crisis for an administration that was willing to get tough on its own and enforce existing immigration law, but don't seem to be willing to do that--just the opposite. prgtoken President 's team has designed a bizarre Rube Goldberg system that amounts to a special concierge service to help even more illegal immigrants come here more easily. It is a whole parallel system with processing centers in foreign countries--not to make people come in our front door but to help even more people surge in through the back door. Now I understand there is even an official U.S. Government smartphone app to help illegal immigrants along the journey--your taxpayer dollars hard at work. Our colleague, the senior Senator from Missouri, has correctly summarized the ' plan as ``Ticketmaster for illegal immigrants''--``Ticketmaster for illegal immigrants.'' Remember, things are already at an unacceptable level before this new craziness. prgtoken According to one public report, the authorities are already considering--listen to this--``street releases of migrants [into] communities across [the] border if NGO shelters and CBP facilities do not have the capacity to hold them . . . releases of migrants at bus stops, gas stations, supermarkets, etc.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS AND VICTIMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ACT
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-5-11

. In it, my State's workforce directory notes their experience with tiger teams. prgtoken It says: ``More recent funding opportunities, such as the equity and tiger team grants, provide limited flexibility to address program integrity and ongoing fraud prevention strategies.'' prgtoken This doesn't sound like a glowing review. prgtoken I welcome to share any information that they have that the Department of Labor's efforts have helped us recover dollars for American taxpayers. prgtoken , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS AND VICTIMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ACT
Mike Carey (Republican, OH) \u2014 2023-5-11

I rise in support of H.R. 1163. prgtoken Our jobs recovery has been hampered by bloated COVID relief benefits that paid people more not to work, while criminals and fraudsters were lining their pockets with billions in taxpayer funds from expanded UI programs. prgtoken We are not talking about everyday fraud or administrative error. We are talking about fraud that was committed with intent, both domestically and by foreign nation-state actors that, frankly, used COVID relief to conduct economic warfare against American citizens and put our national security at risk. prgtoken In my home State of Ohio, it was estimated that $1 billion may have been paid in fraudulent unemployment from March of 2020 to June of 2022. prgtoken Now, my friends on the other side are arguing against this bill and the administration has just released a Statement of Administration Policy opposing this bill. prgtoken The fact is, the President's Fiscal Year 2024 budget request includes several of the very same fraud recovery and prevention measures that my colleagues across the aisle are railing against today. Three of the proposals in the President's budget are nearly identical: prgtoken Allowing States to keep 5 percent of recovered overpayments and reinvest those dollars in program integrity and fraud prevention; prgtoken Matching unemployment claims data against the National Directory of New Hires to verify when somebody that is receiving unemployment becomes employed; and prgtoken Extending the statute of limitations for criminal charges and civil actions for prosecuting fraud from 5 to 10 years. prgtoken After declaring that ``the watchdogs are back'' in his first State of the Union, it has taken the President nearly 2 years to finally embrace the antifraud policies that we s are calling for today. prgtoken Were the President to veto this bill, he would be vetoing the very same policies he endorsed.
SECURE THE BORDER ACT OF 2023
Scott Fitzgerald (Republican, WI) \u2014 2023-5-11

I thank Chairman Jordan, Chairman Green, and Chairman McCaul for their leadership and contributions to the bill that we see before us today. prgtoken , I will comment briefly on my experience and what I saw at the border at the invitation of members of the Judiciary Committee. I was able to kind of see, I think, two very diverse parts of the border. prgtoken First and foremost, in McAllen, Texas, where we spent a couple of days and had an opportunity not only to talk to border agents themselves, but also sat through a full presentation by Homeland Security, one of the things that struck me, and I think is very pertinent to what we are discussing today, is every time I asked a border agent or every time I spoke with someone from Homeland Security, I would say: What can we do as Members of Congress? prgtoken There are a lot of times you go on these trips and there are tours, and you feel like when you are done, it is overwhelming, and you really want to know how we can have an impact. prgtoken What made an impression on me was every person I spoke to said title 42. I don't think you could find somebody, probably at the times when I was at the border, who could really describe what title 42 meant or what the impact would be. prgtoken Guess what? Those agents knew. They knew what it meant. They knew it would be an unbelievable unleashing of many different factions of people that were immigrating for any number of reasons across the border, and they knew it was going to overwhelm them. prgtoken As we stand here today and debate this bill, when you are watching it on TV right now, quite honestly, it is overwhelming. You can see the masses of people that are gathering. prgtoken , I will, once again, thank Chairman Jordan, Chairman Green, and Chairman McCaul for putting all this together.
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS AND VICTIMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ACT
Blake D. Moore (Republican, UT) \u2014 2023-5-11

I rise today in support of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act, which addresses the urgent need to safeguard taxpayer dollars from unemployment insurance fraud schemes. prgtoken One of our most crucial oversight duties is to ensure the responsible use of taxpayer funds. Recent reports from the White House, GAO, the Department of Labor, and other organizations have exposed the alarming theft of up to $400 billion in taxpayer dollars due to unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID pandemic. prgtoken This revelation demands immediate action. What we are trying to accomplish here is to show a plan that is feasible to be able to go after this fraud. prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about wanting to go after fraud, too. These arguments that we are talking about are missing the point. This bill will go after the fraud that took place. We introduced H.R. 1163, and it will help enable the recovery of lost dollars, ensuring that this stolen money is reclaimed. prgtoken While fraud has been widespread across this Nation, some States have demonstrated success in minimizing these losses. In Utah, my home State, overpayment due to fraud consisted of less than 1 percent of total benefits disbursed. I am proud of this. prgtoken Our leaders in Utah have done an excellent job managing and protecting these resources thanks to the systems and processes implemented by former Governor Herbert, Governor Cox, their administrations, and the Utah State legislature. prgtoken The Federal Government must now work to restore public trust. It starts with holding bad actors accountable. This bill will enable that by strengthening the integrity of our systems for the future and encourage States to be proactive rather than reactive. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this fiscally responsible bill.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-5-11

as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week it is my privilege to recognize Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery of Boone, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery was founded by husband and wife duo Denny and Terri Van Hemert in 1983. The bakery's motto is, ``A Little Dutch in the Heart of Iowa,'' and the Van Hemert's have accomplished that. Operating as a full-line scratch bakery, Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery is famous for their Dutch letters, which are made by creating a light pastry shell and filling it with homemade almond paste. Although they craft a wide range of letters, they claim that the Dutch letter ``S'' is their most popular. They also offer other Dutch pastries on their menu including almond horns, Dutch windmills, and creme horns. In addition to Dutch pastries, they also have pies, muffins, donuts, cakes, and seasonal items on the menu. prgtoken Another unique aspect of the bakery is that their menu is more than just pastries and sweets. They have goods for all occasions, including homemade bread, a breakfast and lunch menu, and a ``Koffie Haus'' with a wide range of caffeinated beverages. prgtoken Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery has been recognized for their hard work. They have locations in Boone and Ames, IA, and were named by the Iowa State Daily in 2016 and 2017 as the student choice best bakery. They have even been recognized nationally, placing fifth in the Dawn Food's America's Sweetest Bakery competition in 2017. prgtoken Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery's commitment to providing quality pastries in central Iowa is clear. I want to congratulate the Van Hemert family and the entire team at Van Hemert's Dutch Oven Bakery for their continued dedication to providing Dutch sweets and treats to Iowans. I look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.
SECURE THE BORDER ACT OF 2023
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-5-11

we are here today because of the abject failure of the administration to do its fundamental duty to protect the United States. prgtoken We have a wide open border, empowering cartels, empowering China to the detriment of American citizens and to the migrants who seek to come here, supposedly in the name of compassion. However, that is in the false name of compassion. prgtoken Dead migrants, lying along the Rio Grande and in ranches in south Texas. The extent to which migrants suffer in the Texas heat--53 dying in a tractor-trailer last summer in San Antonio; thousands being sold into the sex trafficking trade, being used as crass political pawns by a party devoid of anything substantive to take this country forward. prgtoken s are standing up strongly to make sure that this country will stand for the rule of law that sets our country apart around the globe and attracts so many to want to come here. prgtoken Border Patrol right now apprehended over 10,000 migrants on Monday and 11,000 on Tuesday, the highest single-day totals ever recorded. There were 26,000 got-aways and 660,000 migrants waiting in Mexico. The President of Guatemala has confirmed 80,000 Venezuelan migrants are traveling to the U.S. ahead of title 42's expiration; 15,000 Venezuelan migrants crossed into Brownsville; Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said he estimates 60,000 to 65,000 migrants are in northern Mexico. prgtoken I got a text from local law enforcement yesterday saying: We are almost at broken arrow. Every sector is near 150 percent capacity. DHS is calling for border agents from other northern and coastal sectors to help the southern border. The first 550 in a group of 1,500 servicemembers from the Army and Marines were set to arrive. A shootout between the Mexican Army and human smugglers erupted at the Pharr- Reynosa International Bridge. Schools in El Paso are adding more security. El Paso ran out of shelter. El Paso declared an emergency. Brownsville declared an emergency. Laredo declared an emergency. San Antonio is preparing; their migrant shelters are expressing concerns about being overwhelmed. Even our Nation's Capital is being overwhelmed. Now, the New York City mayor--a sanctuary city-- criticizing bussing, is bussing migrants outside of New York City out to the suburbs because my ic colleagues and the ic administration and ic leaders in so-called sanctuary cities don't give a whit about migrants. It is about political power, and they are costing lives. They are endangering Americans. They are causing children to die from fentanyl poisoning, and they know it. That is what is so pathetic and sad. prgtoken s offer legislation today that would force this administration to do the job it refuses to do, by ending the magnet, by stopping the releases, by forcing us to do the job we are supposed to do to protect unaccompanied children from being atop train cars, being subjected to the a
Introductory Statement on S. 1576
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-5-11

I rise today to introduce the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies Act, the CREST Act. I want to thank Senator Cantwell for her partnership in working on this bill. Our bipartisan bill would direct the Department of Energy to research and evaluate the feasibility of innovative carbon removal and storage pathways. The name the ``CREST Act'' alludes to the fact that we have reached the ``crest'' of our emissions, and we must work to reduce them. prgtoken With more and more private and public sector commitments to reach net-zero emissions within certain timeframes, companies are scrambling to invest in quantifiable, durable, and verifiable carbon removal solutions. Microsoft, for example, has made a commitment to be carbon negative by 2030. Even though Microsoft plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by more than half, it will need to remove the rest of its carbon emissions. In order to do this, Microsoft plans to invest $1 billion in carbon removal technologies, such as direct air capture, forestation, and carbon mineralization. prgtoken Despite the growing number of companies that are looking to offset their emissions, current cost estimates show that private sector investment alone will not be sufficient to research and deploy carbon removal pathways. I supported the Energy Act of 2020, which authorized the first comprehensive Federal carbon removal research and development program, and the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which invested $3.6 billion in direct air capture. Although these investments have been significant, more work is needed in further research, increased testing, and enhanced public-private partnerships to help aid in scaling carbon removal technologies. prgtoken The CREST Act would expand the Department of Energy's carbon removal research and development programs to include carbon removal pathways that can permanently sequester carbon dioxide or use carbon dioxide to produce biofuels or products. The key areas of focus for research and development in our legislation are biomass carbon removal and storage, geological removal, atmospheric and aquatic removal, carbon dioxide storage, and carbon dioxide removal quantification. prgtoken Our legislation also aims to accelerate the commercialization of innovative carbon solutions through a pilot program at the Department of Energy. This pilot program would be charged with accelerating the deployment of affordable and proven carbon removal technologies. This reverse-auction style pilot program would position the government to purchase innovative and promising technologies, subject to certain criteria, and reduce the costs of those technologies. This would allow companies that may not have as much purchasing power as Microsoft to participate in carbon removal to help offset emissions. prgtoken This pilot program could also support companies that are leading the way in carbon removal technology, like Running Tide i
PROTECTING TAXPAYERS AND VICTIMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ACT
Rudy Yakym III (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-5-11

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1163, the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act. prgtoken The Department of Labor's inspector general pegs pandemic-era unemployment insurance fraud at $191 billion, though other experts say it could run as high as $400 billion. These are staggering figures. prgtoken This fraud enriched criminals. It harmed innocent Americans who faced processing delays, stolen benefits, and stolen identities. These were not victimless crimes. prgtoken H.R. 1163 takes a couple of important and commonsense steps toward addressing this fraud. prgtoken First, it extends the statute of limitations so that we can continue to investigate reports, recover taxpayer dollars, and prosecute the fraudsters. prgtoken More importantly, it incentivizes States not just to recover fraudulent payments but to shore up their systems against future fraud by allowing them to use a portion of recovered funds for program integrity and fraud prevention efforts. prgtoken The unemployment insurance program is an important part of our safety net that helps Americans recover from a job loss. The pandemic exposed major flaws that are in desperate need of attention. prgtoken I support the bill before us today because we shouldn't just catch the fraud that was. We need to stop the fraud that will be. H.R. 1163 takes steps to ensure that we in Congress and Americans across the country have faith in this program to deliver during difficult times.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RELATING TO ENDANGERED AND THREATENED...
Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican, WY) \u2014 2023-5-11

later today, we will be voting on legislation I introduced with 20 of our colleagues, S.J. Res. 23. This resolution rescinds the administration's 2022 rule that rolled back a commonsense and necessary definition of ``habitat'' under the Endangered Species Act from the previous administration. prgtoken When Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, it granted the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce, through the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, respectively, the authority to prgtoken designate areas as ``critical habitat.'' Section 7 of the Act prohibits the ``destruction or adverse modification'' of these critical habitat designations. prgtoken There is no doubt that habitat loss is a contributing factor to species' declines, so protecting habitat that is necessary to the survival of species is appropriate. The problem that has arisen, however, is that these designations have, on occasion, been weaponized to the detriment of landowners, the American public, and the very species we are trying to protect. prgtoken Two-thirds of all endangered species are located on private lands. For these species to be recovered, private landowners must be part of the solution and not treated as the enemy. Unfortunately, through aggressive critical habitat designations, as well-intentioned as they might be, private landowners are penalized and harmed instead of incentivized to help with species recovery. prgtoken A recent study that examined more than 13,000 real estate transactions for land within or near critical habitat for two listed species in California found that a designation ``resulted in a large and statistically significant decrease in land value,'' specifically 48 percent for the red-legged frog and at least 78 percent for the Bay checkerspot butterfly. prgtoken This is true across the country. Let me tell you a story from Louisiana. prgtoken In 2001, the Fish and Wildlife Service listed the dusky gopher frog as an endangered species. After litigation by the Center for Biological Diversity, in 2010, the Service proposed to designate critical habitat for the species and included 1,544 acres on a Louisiana site owned by Weyerhaeuser Company and a group of family landowners. The Service included the site even though the frog was last seen there in 1965. prgtoken Additionally, the site would require substantial modification to support a sustainable population. According to the Service's own report, designation of the site could cost the landowners nearly $34 million in lost development value. Weyerhaeuser sued the Fish and Wildlife Service over the designation, arguing, among other things, that the site could not be critical habitat because the frog, which did not exist at the site, could not survive there without the site's being transformed from a closed canopy timber plantation to an open canopy, longleaf pine forest. In other words, their land could not b