mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Inflation (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-7

Washington have spent nearly 2 years--2 years--borrowing, printing, and spending our economy into turmoil. Families and businesses across Middle America are paying the price. I met with many of them in my home State of Kentucky over the past few weeks. prgtoken Since President took office, prices in the Commonwealth have spiked by 13 percent. At the same time, we still have 19,000 fewer workers than before the pandemic. prgtoken During a meeting with the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers in Louisville, I heard directly from employers who would, under different circumstances, be powering our recovery. Instead, many are struggling to find enough workers to meet consumer demand. prgtoken In Hopkinsville, I spoke to farmers who have watched the price of energy skyrocket, raising the cost of everything from fuel to fertilizer. As a result, all Americans are paying higher prices at the grocery store. prgtoken While Eastern Kentucky struggles to recover from devastating floods, supply prgtoken chain issues and the increased cost of building materials are hamstringing the repair process and making it even harder to rebuild. prgtoken I am sure my ic colleagues heard similar stories during their own August travel. Kentuckians aren't the only Americans feeling pinched. prgtoken The official inflation numbers confirmed that yet again just after the Senate adjourned last month--a fifth straight month of inflation above 8 percent. Inflated gas prices, inflated utility bills, the worst explosion in grocery costs since 1979--these are the painful effects of ' reckless spending. prgtoken Americans keep communicating over and over and over that runaway costs are their top concern, and they didn't like what President and his party are doing about it. prgtoken Ah, but amazingly, just a few days before the latest inflation report, had just pushed through hundreds of billions of dollars more in liberal waste on a party-line basis. packed their bill with an environmentalist wish list that won't even affect climate. They sold it--listen to this--as an Inflation Reduction Act even though experts found it would do absolutely nothing meaningful to reduce inflation. They did find room for massive, job-killing tax hikes that will hit manufacturing especially hard and kill jobs on the brink of a possible recession. prgtoken It is not getting any easier to put food on the table, pay rent, or even keep the lights on, but here we are again, starting another Senate work period with not one word from the ic leader about plans to bring bills to the floor to cut inflation, fight the crimewave, or secure the border. prgtoken The American people have communicated loud and clear what their priorities are, and keep communicating loud and clear they simply do not care.
Inflation (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2022-9-7

sometimes around here, in what a lot of people refer to as the ``ivory tower,'' we talk about issues like they are abstract issues, like they don't have any real world effect. And I just wanted to touch on something, before I begin on my other subject here today, which is related to recent information that has been put out by the Department of Agriculture, the USDA's Economic Research Service, which is the arm that does projections on the economy and the farm economy, generally. What they are now concluding is that in 2022, there are going to be record cash receipts--record cash receipts--crop production, livestock production--record levels, 14-percent higher year over year. But what they go on to say is that even with record cash receipts up by 14 percent, net cash farm income is going to be down. Net cash farm income is going to be down by 1 percent. prgtoken Why is that? Well, because if you look at what has increased, increased costs on farmers in this country, they have reached some record levels. If you look at, for example, fertilizer. Farmers will spend 84 percent more, or $21 billion more, on fertilizers than they did in 2020; 65 percent, or nearly $8 billion, more on fuel and oil; and more than $18 billion more on feed for livestock. Then you add in, on top of that, debt, which, for a farm operation, obviously, they are a very debt-intensive operation. So with higher interest rates and record farm debt of $496 billion, that is expected to increase interest payments by 37 percent, or more than $7 billion, from 2020, or 2 years ago. prgtoken So my point, simply, is that, at least in my part of the country, with corn, soybeans, wheat, livestock, and cattle prices expected to go up in record numbers in terms of overall gross farm income--gross cash receipts--that you would think would lead to good times in American agriculture, because of inflation, a 14-percent increase in gross cash receipts is going to result in an actual loss, a reduction year over year from 2021, when it comes to inflation-adjusted net farm income. prgtoken So I make that point simply to illustrate how critical it is that, as policymakers, we acknowledge what is happening in the real world, because I think around here the administration tries to downplay this inflation issue like it is a nonissue. prgtoken It is a real issue. It is hitting the pocketbooks of every American in this country to the tune 8\1/2\ to 9 percent for a family. I said this before, but the analysis is out there. For an average family in this country, you are talking about, year over year to buy the same basket of goods you bought last year, an additional $9,000 over last year--$700 and some per month, year-over-year, month-over-month increases in costs for average families in this country. That is a $9,000 tax increase on every family in this country. prgtoken Now, it is borne arguably more easily by people in high-income categories, bu
VOTE EXPLANATION
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-9-7

had there been a recorded vote, I would have voted no on the confirmations of Executive Calendar No. 1069, Carlos Felipe Uriarte, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General; Executive Calendar No. 1070, Carlton W. Reeves, of Mississippi, to be Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission; Executive Calendar No. 1071, Carlton W. Reeves, of Mississippi, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2027; Executive Calendar No. 1072, Laura E. Mate, of Iowa, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2027; Executive Calendar No. 1074, Luis Felipe Restrepo, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2025; and Executive Calendar No. 1076, John Gleeson, of New York, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2023.
TRIBUTE TO BOB FEE
Jerry Moran (Republican, KS) \u2014 2022-9-7

I rise today to recognize my good friend Mr. Bob Fee as he nears the end of his term as the 116th chairman of the Nation's largest insurance association, the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America--IIABA--also known as the Big ``I.'' He was installed as chairman of the Big ``I'' in September 2021 in Kansas City. Over the past year, he has done a remarkable job leading the association as a strong and thoughtful leader for independent insurance agents and small businesses across the country. prgtoken Bob is a graduate of the University of Kansas and the USF&G School of Insurance in Baltimore, MD. He is currently the president of Fee Insurance Group in Hutchinson, KS. He joined his family's agency in 1987, continuing a long family tradition of serving the community. The Fee Insurance Group can trace its roots back to 1883 in its hometown of Hutchinson and now has four locations throughout the State. prgtoken At the national association level, Bob has been a member of the Big ``I'' government affairs committee and the Trusted Choice board of directors, including a term as the Trusted Choice board chairman. He received the Big ``I'' Chairman's Citation in 2011. At the State association level, Bob served on the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents--KAIA--board of directors and as the Kansas director on the national association board. He has also served on several KAIA committees, including the government affairs committee, and was the 2007-2008 KAIA president. prgtoken As chairman of the Big ``I,'' Bob has represented his country, his industry, and the great State of Kansas with distinction. prgtoken The State of Kansas is proud of Bob Fee and wishes him and his wife Annie well following his successful term as chairman of the Big ``I.''
Border Security (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-9-7

since President took office on January 20, 2021, he has willfully ignored what has been happening at our southern border. The President and leaders of his administration try to convince people that what they were seeing with their eyes was not a crisis but was merely a challenge. When that flopped, they attempted to blame the previous administration for the flood of humanity coming across the southern border, even though the immigration surge has now reached epic proportions since President took office. prgtoken Now, once again, they appear to be ignoring the problem altogether. We have had 17 months with more than 150,000 illegal border crossings each month--17 months, 150,000 migrants each month--and the administration seems to be saying: What is the problem? Their decision, apparently, is to stay the course. prgtoken What little attention there has been to the impact on the border crisis tends to focus, though, solely on the migrants, and, of course, that is part of the concern. No one is suggesting that we treat them with disrespect or in an inhumane manner. In fact, just the contrary is true. We know that people coming into the country outside of the legal immigration system endure a brutal journey just to get here. They pay thousands of dollars to cartels and coyotes--or human smugglers--and often the women and girls are raped and abused. Migrants who slow down the coyotes will be abandoned and frequently left to die. We see that particularly in South Texas around the Falfurrias checkpoint, where we see the migrants coming across the river. prgtoken Then they are put in stash houses in inhumane conditions and then driven north through the Border Patrol checkpoints. But because of their fear of being discovered, the coyotes tell them: Get out of the vehicle and walk around the checkpoint and meet us on the north side to continue our journey. The problem is, this time of year, the weather and temperatures are brutal. Frequently, ranchers in Brooks County, which is the county where the Falfurrias checkpoint is located, find the bones of migrants who did not make it or otherwise dead bodies. prgtoken Migrants are certainly the face of the border crisis, but they are not the only ones being hurt by the failure of the administration to deal with this crisis. When thousands of people a day illegally cross our border, it impacts our entire border security apparatus. We are seeing unprecedented numbers of people showing up at the border, and unfortunately it is part of a plan to overwhelm the capacity of law enforcement to deal with these numbers. This is part of a business model of the drug cartels. Flood the border with migrants. Distract the Border Patrol, who have to leave the frontlines to transport, process, and care for the migrants, creating huge security gaps. prgtoken There is no question that the cartels and criminal organizations are exploiting those gaps to tr
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-9-7

I rise today to recognize Mr. Burton ``Burt'' Albert, a Connecticut native and remarkable man. Sadly, Mr. Albert passed away in 2019, at the age of 86. He will be remembered for his tireless commitment to community service and his deep devotion to his wonderful family. prgtoken Born in Waterbury, Burt spent much of his life in Connecticut, attending Cheshire Academy and Amherst College, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts in 1954. A member of the ROTC program, Mr. Albert went on to serve for 2 years as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force. Burt remained proud of his time in the military, and I applaud his strong sense of patriotism and record of military service. prgtoken It was also in the Air Force where Mr. Albert met the love of his life, Sylvia Meisel, who would become his wife of 61 years. They would go on to build a wonderful family together, having three children-- Eric, Jonathan, and Debbie--and many grandchildren they adored. Mr. Albert was a remarkable family man and cherished time with his loved ones above all else. prgtoken Mr. Albert returned to Connecticut to work in his family's scrap metal recycling business. Burt became the third generation of Alberts to lead Albert Bros. Inc a company that recently celebrated 125 years of outstanding industry in the State of Connecticut. I have visited Albert Bros. and seen firsthand the amazing new methods for turning waste material into a useful new resource. The company is an integral part of Waterbury commerce. prgtoken Under Mr. Albert's leadership, Albert Bros. grew substantially, and he was respected by employees and customers alike. Amid all his success, working with his sons and grandson in the family business was one of the highlights of Mr. Albert's professional career. prgtoken Mr. Albert devoted much of his time to serving the Waterbury community, bringing his tremendous leadership skills to many organizations including St. Mary's Hospital, the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, the Harold Leever Cancer Center, and the Connecticut Community Foundation. Mr. Albert was also very active in the United Way of Greater Waterbury and B'nai Israel Synagogue. In these endeavors, Burt generously gave so much of his time and resources to helping others. prgtoken Burton Albert leaves behind a remarkable legacy of service--to our country, the State of Connecticut, and his community. But he will be remembered most by his loving family as an extraordinary husband, father, and grandfather. Burt's sense of humor, passion for learning, and conviction in his beliefs are models for all of us. I hope my colleagues will join me in celebrating the life of Mr. Burton Albert.
Judicial Nominations (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-9-7

our democracy cannot hope to hang together for very long without a trusted, balanced, and fairminded Judiciary. As we have seen in stark and frightful ways in recent months, the men and women who preside from the bench hold immense power over our Nation's destiny and over our people's liberties. prgtoken When it comes to nominating people to the bench, it is imperative that we get it right. So, today, the Senate will continue its duty to advance President 's highly qualified, highly diverse, and highly accomplished judicial nominees. prgtoken We will begin this afternoon by voting on the confirmation of Judge John Lee to serve as circuit judge for the Seventh Circuit. If confirmed, Judge Lee will make history as the first Asian American ever to preside on the Seventh Circuit, joining the proud company of other nominees who are making our courts more reflective of our country. prgtoken I expect Judge Lee to receive bipartisan support and his record certainly merits it. He has already been confirmed by this Chamber when appointed to serve as district judge roughly a decade ago. Over the course of his tenure, Judge Lee has authored over 800 opinions, while being reversed only 11 times. prgtoken Later today, the Senate will vote to advance the nomination of another outstanding individual, Andre Mathis, to serve as circuit judge for the Sixth Circuit. Mr. Mathis would be the first Black man confirmed to the Sixth Circuit in nearly a quarter of a century and the first to hail from Tennessee. prgtoken Growing up, Mr. Mathis knew what it was like to go days without food, water, or heating, and yet, despite immense adversity, he was the first in his family to attend college and graduate from law school with honors. He spent over 15 years in private practice and has an extensive pro bono record. If confirmed, I am confident Mr. Mathis would make an excellent circuit court judge. prgtoken Confirming judges will continue to be a very top priority for the Senate in the days and weeks and months to come. Last night, I filed cloture on two additional circuit nominees which Members can expect to begin voting on as soon as Thursday. prgtoken Now, I want to take a moment--a moment--to emphasize how far Senate have come in keeping our promise to bring balance back to the Federal bench, which under President skewed dramatically to the hard right. To date, Senate have confirmed 76 Federal judges, far more than the number confirmed at this point in President 's Presidency. In fact, we have confirmed more judges than either President or President did this far into their administrations. prgtoken In a dramatic break from the past, 75 percent of these nominees have been women, half of them women of color. That is a figure, I dare say, that has never been seen before when it comes to judicial nominees. prgtoken We are going to continue prioritizing judges moving forward
HONORING PRIVATE JOHN SHAUGHNESSY
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2022-9-7

I would like to share a few words today to honor the life and service of Private John Shaughnessy, a first- class Montanan and World War I veteran. prgtoken A native son of the Treasure State, John was born and raised in Missoula. His father, John A. Shaughnessy, was one of Missoula's pioneer builders who constructed a portion of the original buildings at Fort Missoula. prgtoken Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, John answered the call to duty at the outbreak of World War I by enlisting in the U.S. Army. He was a member of the 339th Infantry and served in the American North Russia Expeditionary force, more commonly known as the Polar Bear Expedition. prgtoken During that expedition, Private Shaughnessy sadly contracted and died prgtoken of pneumonia in Archangel, Russia, on September 15, 1918. He was buried in the American cemetery in the town until his body was able to be removed and returned to Missoula in 1929. prgtoken While Private Shaughnessy was finally laid to rest in his native land, he never received the proper military headstone he deserved and earned. prgtoken It is my honor to say today, 104 years after his passing, Private Shaughnessy will at last receive his long-overdue military headstone in Missoula. prgtoken While our debt of gratitude to him can never be fully repaid, this military honor rightly ensures his sacrifices in service to our Nation will never be forgotten. prgtoken He is an American hero who has made Montana proud, and our country would not be what it is today without him and others in uniform who put their life on the line in return for our freedoms. prgtoken On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family.
Student Loan Debt Relief Plan (Executive Calendar)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-9-7

October 4, 1957. Many in the Chamber were not alive at that date. I was. I was a teenager, maybe in high school, just starting, or at the end of grade school. But it was a big day in the history of the world, October 4, 1957, because at 7:28 p.m. at night, the Russians launched Sputnik. prgtoken Sputnik was a basketball-size satellite, and we were concerned because we believed the Russians--then the Soviet Union--had the capacity to drop an atomic or nuclear bomb on the United States, and if they could do it from space, for goodness' sake, how would we defend ourselves? prgtoken So a mild panic hit America, particularly in this town of Washington, and out of that panic came a pretty good idea, as far as I was concerned. They decided that for the first time in the history of the United States, we would start loaning money to college-age students so they could go to college. The notion was, if we had to fight the Russians or the Soviets in technology, we better have people educated and prepared to do it. prgtoken So someone who in those days sat down and wrote up the names of these wonderful ideas came up with a great one. It was called the National Defense Education Act. The National Defense Education Act said that those who applied for Federal college loans could borrow money and pay it back at 3 percent interest but not have to pay until 1 year out of college, and then they had 10 years to pay it off. prgtoken I didn't know at the time, but that turned out to be my ticket to college. There was no way that my family could afford to send me, nor could I afford to go to school at good schools from any money that I had saved or could earn during the summer. It was the government loans that got me through it. And I wasn't alone. By the tens of thousands, students all over the United States took out these National Defense Education Act loans. prgtoken Well, what happened as a result of that idea that we could educate ourselves out of this problem? It worked. It worked dramatically. In the early 1960s, there was this explosive expansion of our economy, of technology and research and scientific endeavors that we took advantage of for decades and still do to this day. prgtoken I think about the race to the Moon and all the other things that we set our sights on, and they were all based on enough well-educated people at every level who could compete with countries around the world and do it successfully. So the concept is sound, and I think it was executed--not flawlessly, but very well--for myself and for many others, and I ended up borrowing that money to get through college and law school. prgtoken The amount of debt if I even said it on the floor maybe would draw a laugh by the pages and everyone else because it was so small, but it was enough debt that it just scared me to death. It was the equivalent of 50 percent of my gross pay coming out of law school in 1 year. But most students today would a