mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HONORING THE GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ALLIANCE OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2021-3-19

. Madam , as the member representing the District of Columbia in Congress, I am proud and honored that the District has the oldest continuously active LGBTQ civil rights organization in the nation, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C. (GLAA). prgtoken GLAA has worked tirelessly for LGBTQ people in D.C. since its founding in April 1971. April of this year marks GLAA's 50th anniversary. This is an incredible milestone in the history of D.C.'s premier LGBTQ organization. Over the past 50 years, GLAA has worked tirelessly for the passage of many important legislative and policy measures that affect LGBTQ Americans, especially in the District. prgtoken Equality for all Americans has always been a priority for me in Congress, but equal treatment for LGBTQ people has long held even greater significance to me. Congressional opponents of equality for LGBTQ people have used D.C.'s unique status as a weapon against LGBTQ people in D.C. For example, I had to defeat many bills and amendments that would have blocked D.C.'s marriage equality law. prgtoken I was pleased to celebrate GLAA's work to help pass the D.C. Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act in 2010, which removed any doubt in the District of the right of same-sex couples to marry. The act served to recognize same-sex marriages five years before the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. This remarkable effort exhibits the dedication and success that GLAA has displayed throughout its history. Its work extends well beyond this and includes a commitment to strengthen and enforce the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977 to include protections for LGBTQ seniors and transgender Washingtonians. prgtoken GLAA has done extensive coalition-building and continues to defend the rights of LGBTQ youth and seniors, particularly when it comes to issues surrounding policing, healthcare, housing and consumer protection. What GLAA has done, and continues to accomplish, in these very personal and meaningful areas of life for LGBTQ residents should be applauded and uplifted. I have confidence that the future will bring even more success with GLAA's presence in our community, for which we should all be grateful. prgtoken I ask the House to join me in honoring GLAA and celebrating GLAA's 50 years of remarkable, distinguished service to and advocacy for the LGBTQ community in the District of Columbia.
False Claims Act (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-3-22

. A Civil War legislation called the False Claims Act has been on the books since that period of time. In 1986, I believe it was, I got some amendments to it that made it a much more valuable piece of legislation than it was before that time. prgtoken It is called the False Claims Act, and it has brought, I think, something like $64 billion back into the Federal Treasury of fraudulently taken money since then. prgtoken The problem today, even though it has been a successful law, is that the courts tend, from time to time, to neuter its capabilities by interpreting it in a way so it is not quite as effective. From time to time, we have passed legislation to overcome some of those court decisions. prgtoken I am here today to talk about another opportunity this Senate has to make the False Claims Act the effective piece of legislation it was. prgtoken So I want to alert my colleagues about the most recent limitations the courts have imposed on the False Claims Act. prgtoken The False Claims Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, for the very same purpose it serves today: to fight fraud, not just with military matters, as was the reason for doing it because the Union Army was being defrauded at that particular time, but, today, it fights fraud governmentwide. prgtoken Today, it is the government's most powerful anti-fraud statute. That is because amendments that I offered in 1986 empowered whistleblowers to sue fraudsters on the government's behalf with or without the government's help. Since then, we have recovered more than $64 billion of taxpayer money lost to fraud. prgtoken Now, when we talk about anti-fraud statutes like the False Claims Act, we use the term ``materiality.'' It is because of that term that the courts have caused--their interpretation of that term has caused-- the act to be less effective. The False Claims Act defines ``materiality'' as ``having a natural tendency of influencing the payment or receipt of money or property.'' Basically, if the government could have withheld payment, then it was likely material. prgtoken However, based on a 2016 Supreme Court opinion, the Federal courts are trying to reshape the act's materiality requirement. In the Supreme Court's opinion in Escobar, ``if the Government pays a particular claim in full despite its actual knowledge that certain requirements were violated, that is very strong evidence that those requirements are not material.'' prgtoken Citing this language, other courts have made the government's payment decisions in these cases a deciding factor. Consequently, the Justice Department now shies away from prosecuting these cases. That is the case even when the fraud is very obvious and then, obviously, material. prgtoken Recently, the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction briefed me on a report about a botched Defense Department effort to quickly buy cargo planes from an Italian manufacturer called Alenia.
IMMIGRATION
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-3-22

I thank the majority leader, and I thank the Presiding Officer for allowing me to speak this evening. prgtoken I just returned from the southern border and want to give a brief report and talk about some potential ways forward to deal with what is happening on the Mexican border. I went with Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas and also with the chair of the Homeland Security Committee, my colleague from Michigan, and also with my colleague from West Virginia and my colleague from Connecticut, who are the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee. We had a bipartisan group and those of us who were involved on the authorizing side and on the appropriations side. prgtoken You probably heard that the situation is bad, and it is. There is a record number of unaccompanied children coming to our border today, being let in, and ending up in Border Patrol detention facilities. prgtoken Just yesterday, CBP reported that there were more than 15,500 unaccompanied kids in Federal custody. That is a record. But it is not just children. More than 100,000 migrants were apprehended in February alone. This is a 15-year record, representing a 28-percent increase just since January. All the numbers from March look even higher. We won't know the final numbers for another couple of weeks, but the point is, it is getting worse, not better. prgtoken These numbers, by the way, are worse than the previous two surges at our southern border--both the 2014 surge, we all remember, during the administration and the 2019 surge during the administration. And, by the way, we have yet to prgtoken reach the predicted peak because that normally would happen in April and May. In fact, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who was with us on this trip, said that he believes this will be the worst year in 20 years for unlawful entry into the United States. prgtoken However, the numbers only tell part of the story. This is also a humanitarian crisis. Migrants often face violence, sickness, and tough terrain on their dangerous journey north--predominantly, those from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador. Many are abused by the smugglers who charge them large amounts of money and bring them. prgtoken Unfortunately, this is a crisis that could have been avoided. On day one, the administration issued five Executive orders to overturn policies and since has taken more than a half dozen additional actions to dismantle policies from the previous administration. prgtoken These included a 100-day pause on all deportations; no longer using the COVID-19 healthcare emergency under title 42 of the United States Code to turn away unaccompanied children and some families; suspending the construction of the border fence and technologies, such as sensors and scanners used by the administration to help our overworked Border Patrol ag
Immigration (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-22

from El Paso to Brownsville, my home State shares a 1,200-mile border with Mexico. If you were daring enough to attempt to walk that entire stretch, you would trek through deserts, mountains, big cities, small towns, and maybe even stick your big toe in the Rio Grande. You get to know folks who are proud of the strong bonds that our country has with our southern neighbor, including many who have relatives in both countries. You would meet entrepreneurs whose businesses depend on legitimate trade and travel between our countries. You would talk with local, State, and Federal law enforcement officials who go above and beyond the call to keep our communities safe. And I have no doubt that along the way, you could enjoy some great Tex-Mex, and depending on the season, you would find the best grapefruit you have ever eaten in the Rio Grande Valley. prgtoken Our Texas-Mexico southern border is a beautiful, vibrant region with a rich sense of community that you can't find in any other part of the country. I believe it is truly unique. prgtoken Throughout my time in the Senate, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in our border communities and work with their incredible leaders: mayors, county judges, sheriffs, school superintendents, NGOs--nongovernmental organizations--and countless others. prgtoken Well, I am sure you have heard the song ``God Bless Texas.'' It is true, I believe, and the folks I have come to call friends along the border are certainly doing the Lord's work. These men and women work around the clock to create safe communities and thriving economies, something that has been especially tough during the hand they have been dealt this last year with the pandemic. But they have lived through a pandemic, hurricanes, droughts, a winter storm that presented subzero freezing temperatures for a week. All have hit my State in the last 12 months. prgtoken Folks in these communities, as they have throughout the country, have lost friends and loved ones. They have lost jobs. They have lost businesses and opportunities and so much more. Now they are trying to deal with another crisis, one they had no hand in creating and should not be responsible for managing alone. prgtoken Unfortunately, the administration continues to play a high-stakes version of the game Taboo as they try to find a word--any word--but ``crisis'' to refer to what is happening along the southern border. President himself has called it a ``humanitarian challenge.'' Secretary Mayorkas prefers the term ``situation.'' And the President's Chief of Staff referred to it as a ``mess.'' The problem here isn't the choice of the word you use to describe it but the implication of downplaying the seriousness of this migration surge. prgtoken In an attempt to lessen the impact of this dramatic increase in illegal migration, the administration has revoked policies that were helping deter such an influx. It failed to rapidl
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-3-22

on Thursday, the administration officials had their first person-to-person meeting with representatives from the People's Republic of China. By diplomatic standards, the opening public exchange was tense. The belligerent grandstanding by PRC diplomats was, unfortunately, no surprise. It is what we have come to expect. prgtoken As China's military and economic might have grown, Beijing has found that the bullying tactics that people call their ``wolf warrior'' diplomatic strategy have often worked out for them. So I was glad the U.S. team used the opportunity to cut through the CCP's spin and tell some plain truths about China's regional bullying and disrespect for the rule of law, whether in Hong Kong or Tibet. prgtoken I am also glad the administration has sent U.S. personnel to join other diplomats in Beijing to protest the secret trial of Canadian citizen Michael Kovrig. prgtoken But like I said last week, calling out China rhetorically is just the first step. An effective U.S. strategy will require more than just tough talk and symbolism. prgtoken The PRC poses all matter of threats to the United States and to the free world. They want to control crucial sea lanes in the South China Sea. They want to expand their capabilities to menace other countries' forces, including ours, with increasingly accurate long-range weapons. They want to rewrite the rules of the international system to suit their interests instead of ours and our friends. prgtoken These are hard and real challenges. Facing them down will require strength and resolve from the United States and from our partners. So like I said last week, if the administration is serious about staying tough on China and strengthening our hand, they will have support among Senate s. prgtoken But any such serious strategy will need to start with maintaining and building up the backbone of our hard power--the competitive edge of the U.S. military. To defend America, defend America's interests, and deter adversaries, we need to sustain our military edge. And to sustain our edge, we need to modernize our forces and maintain our capability to project power. prgtoken Defense spending is the single most important policy lever available to us in our competition with China. The President's budget submission will tell Beijing a lot about whether the administration intends to back up tough talk with actual strength. prgtoken Finally, whatever Congress may do to step up our game on China, it will be essential that it be bipartisan. The legislative components of national security should not swing wildly every time the gavels change hands. prgtoken It is a perfect demonstration of why scrapping the 60-vote threshold for legislation would be catastrophic. For important bills to have a stable and lasting impact, they need broad bipartisan buy-in.
Immigration (Executive Session)
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2021-3-22

I am going to support the nomination of Mayor Marty Walsh to be the U.S. Secretary of Labor. prgtoken Now, why is a guy from North Carolina here to encourage my colleagues to vote for the mayor of Boston, MA? Well, it is quite simple. Mayor Walsh has the background and skills and the awareness for the need of balance in conversations between labor and management. prgtoken He has been a mayor; he has been a State representative; and he has also been a union leader. The Department of Labor serves an immensely important role in our economy and in the lives of the American people. Especially in the midst of a pandemic, with unemployment at 6.7 percent and 12.6 million Americans unemployed, this is a job that needs filling. prgtoken But our Nation can't have a Labor Secretary that will ever be accused of being in cahoots with labor or beholden to management. I have made it clear that the Labor Secretary's job is to play a balanced role and to confront both, when necessary, for the protection of the rank-and- file workers. prgtoken Mayor Walsh emphasized during his nomination hearing that he wanted to work with us collaboratively to help the American workers improve and expand opportunities. He respects the importance of job creators and the need for better coordination of numerous job training programs. prgtoken Mayor Walsh is committed to making sure commerce and labor work cooperatively. He stated that the workers in a representation election have the right to listen to both sides. Mayor Walsh agreed to be responsive to our oversight requests and to keep us updated on his plans and departmental actions. prgtoken Now, we won't agree on everything, but we should be able to find places that we can agree, in a bipartisan way, to move forward. I support the nomination of Mayor Marty Walsh, and I look forward to working with him. I encourage my colleagues to support this nomination as well. prgtoken . prgtoken .
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-3-22

I rise today to join my colleague from Arizona, Senator Sinema, in introducing legislation to support the ongoing operation of the national child abuse hotline, which is currently operated by Childhelp, a national non-profit. Of all the major national help hotlines, the crisis line for child abuse and neglect is the only one without a Federal authorization and dedicated funding. Our bill, the National Child Abuse Help Hotline Act of 2021, would give the Administration for Children and Families the authority to award funding to increase Federal support for this important hotline. prgtoken Tragically, on average, five children die every day from child abuse and neglect. According to the most recent Department of Health and Human Services' Child Maltreatment Report, 656,000 children were victims of child abuse and neglect in 2019, and a heartbreaking 1,770 children died--including three young children in Maine. The many stresses created by the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the risks for vulnerable children, and I fear that the data from 2020 and 2021 will show a worsening crisis. prgtoken According to the CDC, ``heightened stress, school closures, loss of income, and social isolation resulting from . . . . the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the risk for child abuse and neglect.'' As Michelle Fingerman of Childhelp, the current operator of the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, details: ``There is a wide range of fallout from pandemic anxiety and school shutdowns. There is more abuse already occurring in homes where caregivers are melting down from the stress, children are trapped at home with abusers, schools and daycare are closed, and therapists and other frontline providers are now more difficult to access.'' prgtoken Despite these risks, official reports to child protection agencies have declined across the country, in some places by as much as seventy percent. But, fewer official reports does not mean abuse and neglect are on the decline. To the contrary, less in-person contact between children and mandated reporters like teachers, physicians, and coaches is one explanation for this reporting decline. Additionally, while the number of emergency department visits related to child abuse and neglect decreased in 2020, the percentage of visits severe enough to require hospitalization increased. Better access to prevention and intervention services can help stop these troubling trends. prgtoken The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is a resource that is accessible to children and families across the country, especially while many children are still not attending school in person full-time. A simple phone call or text to the hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child can connect people with those who can come to a child's aid before the unimaginable occurs. The hotline saw 11,573 contacts in May 2020, which is more than 40 percent higher than during May 2019. Childhelp's text and online chat p
Business Before the Senate (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-3-22

the Senate Judiciary Committee has really been in business for a few weeks now, and I think we have begun this session addressing some of the relevant issues that I expect such a committee to address. prgtoken First, of course, was the appointment of Attorney General Merrick Garland. I thank Senator Grassley for his cooperation on a bipartisan basis in bringing that nominee to the floor, where he received 70 Senate votes--bipartisan support for his leadership at the Department of Justice. We continue this week with two more of President 's appointments to the Department of Justice: Lisa Monaco and Vanita Gupta. They will be considered by the full Judiciary Committee on Thursday. prgtoken We will continue to fill vacancies in the administration as we are sent nominees and have that opportunity, but in addition to that, we have had hearings on several relevant topics and have another one starting tomorrow. prgtoken Christopher Wray, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was called before the committee for an oversight hearing. It is the first time in more than a calendar year that the head of the FBI was actually brought to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, a committee that has the traditional oversight responsibility for his Agency. His testimony was important and timely. He talked about the -inspired mob that attacked this Capitol and the rise of domestic terrorism in the United States. He identified it as one of the major threats to security in our country, and we are considering legislation to empower him and others in the administration to address this threat. prgtoken That does not take anything away from our efforts to staunch any inspired international terrorism, but we have learned, unfortunately, that in addition to looking across the ocean for threats of terrorism, in America today, we have to look across the street. Unfortunately, there are domestic terrorism groups. We saw them on parade January 6, and they are still at their work. They must be stopped to make sure that America is safe for everyone. prgtoken That was an important hearing. We followed it up last week with the first ever Senate hearing on the Equality Act. The Equality Act, which has been passed by the House of Representatives, has been sent to the Senate for consideration. Senator Merkley from Oregon is the lead sponsor. prgtoken Simply put, the bill is there to end discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. I thought it was a very powerful hearing. Most Americans are surprised to learn that although we now recognize marriage by people of the same gender, in many States, there is no protection against discrimination for those same people. It is a gross disparity in justice in this country, and I thought our witnesses brought that point through very clearly. I hope that we can gather bipartisan support for that measure quickly and bring it
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-3-22

I have a request for one committee to meet during today's session of the Senate. It has the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committee is authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Foreign Relations prgtoken The Committee on Foreign Relations is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Monday, March 22, 2021, at 6 p.m to conduct a closed hearing.