mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-1-19

to hear the other side talk--by ``the other side,'' I mean the --they would never dream of questioning our democratic process. So I want to take you back in history just a little ways to just before the 2020 election. prgtoken Let's not forget the outlandish conspiracy theory promoted by leading in the runup to the 2020 election that somehow the Postal Service might not deliver absentee ballots. prgtoken Postmaster General DeJoy was slandered and slandered disgracefully based on no evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing. The Postmaster is hired by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service. He was neither appointed by President , nor did he answer to President . The fact that DeJoy had supported President 's election was just enough for the other side to concoct a highly implausible election- tampering plot. prgtoken Now, after the election of President , we heard no more about the problems of the Postal Service maybe not delivering mail. The necessary business transformation initiated by Postmaster General DeJoy to make sure that the ballots did arrive to be counted on time--that business transformation resumed after an election pause to allay irrational fears stirred up by partisans. We have heard precious little about this alleged threat to democracy since the election. Now, had the election gone differently, I suspect that we would have heard a lot more. prgtoken However, the effect of that scare tactic still lingers to this very day. Along that line, I hear from Iowans who dropped off their absentee ballots for the first time, scared that their vote would not have been counted if mailed because of that conspiracy theory against DeJoy that somehow the Postal Service was going to make sure a ballot didn't get delivered. prgtoken My State of Iowa is one of the few States that use the Postal Service's Intelligent bar code on ballot envelopes. That helps the Postal Service expedite the ballots and allows Iowans to track their ballot until it is delivered to the county auditors. Iowans continue to be able to vote absentee with great confidence that their vote will count. prgtoken So it makes me very sad that some were convinced otherwise as part of a political con game prior to the 2020 election. This denigrating of our election process for short-term political gain is disgraceful. prgtoken Now, I see the current false claims about State laws suppressing votes in the same light. Whether believe their own talking points or whether it is a cynical attempt to paint s as anti- voting, these false claims undermine faith in the democracy. prgtoken .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bill Hagerty (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-1-19

I am here today to address leadership's effort to demolish the Senate rules and structure, and thereby destroy the world's greatest deliberative body. Their ploy would silence millions of Americans, and it would substantially harm our Nation. prgtoken Abolishing the filibuster would end the Senate's unique role in American Government, which has kept us on the steady course of becoming a more perfect union for the past 230 years. This unique role is to ensure that Federal legislation, covering all 50 States, requires careful debate and broad support, often reflecting compromise, so that American policy is durable and lasting. prgtoken That way, as the senior Senator from Arizona put it in her courageous and patriotic remarks last week, we avoid ``wild reversals in Federal policy'' every few years on the basis of bare majorities, which would make our government far less effective and our economy far less stable. prgtoken know how integral the filibuster is to American Government. have said it themselves. Eliminating the filibuster would ``be the end of the Senate.'' That is a direct quote from the senior Senator from Illinois in 2018. prgtoken The ic leader, before assuming his current position, said that eliminating the filibuster would ``be a doomsday for democracy.'' prgtoken And President , when he was Senator , said that to eliminate the filibuster would be ``the arrogance of power.'' Apparently, he is now suffering from such arrogance. prgtoken Until they took control of the Senate last year, most passionately advocated for preserving this critical Senate rule. That is because it enables our representative government to function and reflect the will of the people. prgtoken Indeed, in 2017, when there was a in the Oval Office and a majority in the Senate, 32 , including then-Senator , signed a letter supporting the filibuster. prgtoken During the administration, routinely used the filibuster to block legislation, including bills on police reform, border security, and late-term abortions; important bills that impacted life, sovereignty, and community safety--certainly, bills that s wanted to enact. prgtoken Yet, when met with the filibuster, s didn't change the rules on a completely partisan basis. s didn't tear down this institution in order to score short-term partisan political points, and s certainly didn't use cheap demagoguery to create a fake hysteria to justify doing so. prgtoken Yet now that are in the majority, nearly every one of those 32 has completely reversed himself or herself, with a few notable exceptions. Why? Because this is about one thing: Power. Doing the exact same thing is a doomsday for democracy when it is a bill they oppose, but it is essential to save democracy when it is a bill they sup
HIGHLIGHTING ISSUES WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Pete Stauber (Republican, MN) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , I could speak for hours about this administration's multiple failures over the last year, but I only have a couple of minutes, so I will cover just inflation, one of them. prgtoken Since took office, inflation has risen every single month. Americans are paying more for just about everything while earning less in every paycheck. prgtoken This is not sustainable, and it didn't have to be this way. This administration is so out of touch with the average American that despite inflation reaching a 40-year high, they are still pushing for more reckless spending that will only make this crisis worse. prgtoken American families are paying substantially more for everyday products, from gasoline to groceries and to energy for heating their homes this winter, to heat their homes in northern Minnesota when it is 30-below for a week straight. prgtoken Make no mistake, inflation is a tax on us all, especially our working class and those on fixed incomes. It is no secret that we live in a very polarized nation right now, but there is one thing a strong majority of Americans agree on: 's first year in office has been disastrous to the American people. We deserve better.
AMERICA'S LUMBER CRISIS
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , over the last 2 years, the price of lumber rose at an astronomical rate. This followed prolonged shutdowns of lumber mills and production plants, despite the maintained demand for lumber for construction projects that continued as an essential activity during the pandemic. The resulting supply and demand inversion caused a nationwide lumber shortage. prgtoken Our economy struggles when businesses feel uncertainty in the market, which is why it is the government's job, in times of crisis like the COVID pandemic, to ensure stability. prgtoken In May of last year, I sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai urging action to prevent further disruption in the price of lumber. At the time I sent the letter, lumber prices had skyrocketed more than 300 percent over the previous year. With the support of nearly 100 bipartisan Members of Congress, Congressman Brian Higgins and I asked Ambassador Tai to resolve the crisis by resuming trade negotiations with Canada to reduce the price of softwood lumber. prgtoken While lumber prices temporarily declined following that letter, it took months for a meaningful portion of those decreases to reach the construction industry and its customers. Prices began rising again in September and have continued to increase in the months since, once again putting strain on the hardworking Americans who build our homes and communities. prgtoken In December, I once again joined Congressman Higgins and nearly 100 bipartisan Members of Congress to send a second letter to the administration, this time to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, voicing concerns over the Department of Commerce's decision to increase antidumping and countervailing duties on softwood lumber products from Canada. We are concerned that this will further exacerbate the lumber crisis. prgtoken The housing sector remains an integral piece of the U.S. economy. As we continue to recover from the COVID pandemic, sharp increases in the price of lumber will further harm our recovery and the costs faced by hardworking Americans. prgtoken It is our understanding that the U.S. and Canada discussed this very issue last year and expressed mutual interest in resolving the problem, but it is unclear if any action has yet been taken by either country. prgtoken We want to see stability and normalcy restored to the housing market. It is imperative that we do so. We want to see definitive action from the administration to solve this problem. prgtoken Madam , we in Congress stand ready to help in any way we can.
HIGHLIGHTING ISSUES WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , , Mr. Johnson. I appreciate this Special Order. prgtoken Of course, this week does mark the first year of the administration. Unfortunately, it was one of unprecedented crisis. Indeed, it is a target-rich environment for us to talk about here tonight. prgtoken have controlled the executive branch and both Chambers of Congress, allowing them to pass, so far, $2 trillion out of their $9 trillion plans. This act has also caused the highest inflation in decades, hitting the middle-class and lower income class hardest in this country. prgtoken This year, under leadership, Americans are paying more for just about everything, from housing, clothes, food, and gas--especially in energy. On the way to the airport in California, it was $5-plus, $5.39 at one place. Incredible. prgtoken In the dead of winter, people are seeing the cost of heating their homes skyrocket. When you stop all sorts of development of energy in this country, you are not going to have the supply. That sends a signal to the whole market to raise prices, including the administration telling OPEC overseas to go ahead and send us more while cutting off our own pipelines and further development on Federal lands. This, of course, ripples through everything else in costs. prgtoken In my real life as a farmer, we are going to see our costs of energy--whether it is diesel fuel, gasoline, fertilizer--skyrocket. That is either going to have to be passed along to the consumer at the store or farmers go broke in this country. Small business owners face the same thing. prgtoken Everything is going up--more in costs, vaccine mandates, less employees. I mean, I wish we could paint a brighter picture and not have it appear to be a partisan one. It really isn't partisan. It is about having success as a country. prgtoken Unfortunately, the administration doesn't seem to have a clue what that success would look like. Indeed, they are chasing their own mandates, putting us in a terrible position as a people and for the economy going forward. They need to change their thinking, or the voters need to change them out.
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Ben Cline (Republican, VA) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , I thank my friend from Wisconsin for yielding on this very important subject. I was unfortunate to catch COVID a couple weeks ago, and I think that the Vitamin D supplements I was taking in addition to Vitamin C, in addition to zinc definitely helped to minimize the length and the severity of the illness. prgtoken Madam , today marks 1 year since was sworn in as President, meaning it has been a year since prgtoken took unified control of the Federal Government. prgtoken And at this point there is no denying that Americans are worse off today than they were 12 months ago. prgtoken Consumer prices have risen 7 percent since won congressional majorities and the White House, marking a 40-year high rate of inflation. prgtoken Gas prices reached $3.28 a gallon last month, a 49.6 percent increase from a year ago. prgtoken 1.7 illegal immigrants were encountered unlawfully crossing the border in FY21, the highest number ever recorded. prgtoken Sixteen major U.S. cities set new homicide records this past year. prgtoken And just last week, COVID hospitalizations hit a record high. prgtoken Thirteen American servicemembers tragically lost their lives, and the Taliban captured Afghanistan as a result of this administration's disastrous withdrawal plan. prgtoken Madam , are certainly setting records, just not the records that they want to be breaking. Their party has utterly failed the American people.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2022-1-19

I had the privilege to listen to my colleague from California's oration and the privilege to hear many of the things spoken, both by the President and by colleagues here in the Senate, as regards to the voting rights bill that is here before us today. I want to start off with the President's comments because I think it frames the debate, if you will, in terms of how it is being framed to the American people. prgtoken The President considers Georgia's new law as Jim Crow. That is a manipulative statement. It is a cynical statement. It tries to make people think that 2022 is the same as 1965, which is laced with incredible irony, as our country has seen an African-American President, an African-American Vice President, and Lieutenant Governors of Virginia and Kentucky who are African American. Then, to brag of my own State, as long as things are being seen through certain prisms, we have Louisiana's Bobby Jindal, who is ethnically from India, who was our Governor, and the first Vietnamese American elected to the U.S. Congress. In fact, Louisiana has had a White elected mayor of predominantly African-American New Orleans and a Black elected mayor of predominantly White Baton Rouge. But no, this statement is somehow manipulating people to think that we are back in Bull Connor days. prgtoken Well, if this is Jim Crow, then States like Delaware must be Jim Crow 2.0. Why is there not an outcry against Delaware? prgtoken I will point out that Georgia has more permissive voting laws than Delaware, more early voting days than Delaware, no-excuse absentee voting, which, by the way, the voters of New York recently rejected. Georgia now makes ballot drop boxes permanent, which was not the case before the pandemic. Much has been made about restricting the number of drop boxes. I have been told that the one county pointed to is actually a ruby red county in which they dropped down to one. prgtoken If this is being done for partisan advantage, my gosh, they are not doing a very good job of partisan maneuvering, but I would argue that this bill is a wonderful example of partisan maneuvering. prgtoken What does it do? It is a Federal takeover of elections. prgtoken This innovation that the previous speaker, my colleague from California, was speaking of now has to run the gamut of a Federal official who says yea or who says nay. prgtoken It funnels tax dollars to fund political campaigns no matter how fringe that person's perspective might be, who no self-respecting donor would give money to online or in person, but because of this law, my gosh, they have got a chance. prgtoken It bans commonsense voter ID laws. Now, there is this kind of myth being promulgated that States are putting up these onerous laws that cannot be complied with. Courts reject those laws. Courts do not allow a State to use a mandated picture ID, issued by the State, as an ID, and to say so is manipulative. It is manipulative in the w
HIGHLIGHTING THE LEFT'S COVID HYPOCRISY
Andrew S. Clyde (Republican, GA) \u2014 2022-1-19

. Madam , I rise today to highlight the left's widespread misinformation and hypocrisy surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. prgtoken After repeatedly promising to shut down COVID-19 and vowing that all Americans would have access to regular, reliable, and free testing, the administration has added a new crisis to its growing list of failures: the COVID crisis. prgtoken As our Nation faces a testing shortage, which began before the holiday season, I find it appropriate to quote President himself from 2020: ``Where are the tests, ?'' prgtoken Considering all the coronavirus funding that Congress has provided the administration, that is the multitrillion-dollar question that has only been answered with deflection and poor leadership. prgtoken Interestingly, now that the coronavirus death count is higher under President than President , the Centers for Disease Control, or the CDC, is apparently separating the data now to reveal how many Americans have died with COVID compared to how many have died from COVID. prgtoken s have been shouting this difference from the rooftops for over 2 years, during which the left quickly labeled our valid concerns as conspiracies. Yet, when the important difference can provide cover to the President, jump on board, and the leftwing media hides the hypocrisy. How convenient. prgtoken In fact, CDC Director Walensky recently admitted that 75 percent-- yes, 75 percent--of COVID deaths occurred in people with at least four comorbidities. prgtoken Every life is precious, and families deserve the truth. The question must be answered: How many Americans died with COVID compared to how many died from COVID? Our government agencies should have been reporting health data accurately from the beginning, not as a matter of political cover. prgtoken Since can't shut down COVID, suddenly, this data is being shared publicly. It is no wonder polling indicates that public trust in the CDC is plummeting. prgtoken Science is respected when people are skeptical, when people ask questions. None of that is happening now. Nobody questions the outcomes. And we wonder why the CDC has lost credibility. We wonder why people think the new meaning of the acronym is the center for control. prgtoken Keep in mind, this is all unfolding as we discover more evidence that Dr. Fauci, the highest-paid government official--an unelected one, I might add--has continuously concealed the truth concerning gain of function research at the Chinese Wuhan Institute of Virology, including his own knowledge and his own involvement. prgtoken Meanwhile, the administration continues to seek his deceptive guidance to push the narrative that we need more government control. Fauci's lies, the CDC's total lack of credibility, and the President's inability to rise to the moment and effectively lead all contribute to the COVID crisis, causing great damage and harm to the America
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mike Crapo (Republican, ID) \u2014 2022-1-19

the current voting rights proposals or so- called voting rights proposals that the are proposing are not about increasing access to the ballot box. According to the Washington Post, the 2020 election saw the highest voter turnout in 120 years, and 94 percent of the voters said that voting was easy. These bills are really a power grab that would circumvent and federalize our entire elections process, stripping States of their constitutional authorities. prgtoken These power grabs would force taxpayers to pay for political campaigns, expand the practice of ballot harvesting, prohibit important voter ID laws, keep deceased people and those who have moved out of the area on voter registration rolls, and federalize election laws, which would violate the U.S. Constitution's clear directive that States administer the elections, to name just a few. prgtoken Article I, section 4 of the U.S. Constitution delegates the election processes to the States. This is a Union of 50 States. States are the best equipped to implement and enforce election policies that protect the integrity of all future elections. prgtoken Although many who have spoken today would have you believe that States across this Nation are seeking to violate the rights of American citizens and restrict their access to voting, the laws that are being proposed and adopted by the States are doing just the opposite. They are helping to expand voter access and improve security at the polls. prgtoken There are a lot of myths and untruths running rampant because the seem to want the public to think there is this widespread voter suppression in -led States, which there is not. prgtoken A couple of myths and the facts: prgtoken Myth: State legislatures are enacting laws that will roll back early voting. prgtoken The fact is that the States are expanding early voting. Georgia's bill, for example, which has been attacked, allows for and provides for--mandates 17 days of early voting with two additional optional Sundays of early voting. The list goes on. Arizona allows 26 days. Iowa allows 20 days. Texas, another State that has been attacked, allows 17 days. The fact is the States are expanding early voting. prgtoken Myth: States are implementing voter ID for vote-by-mail in order to disenfranchise voters. prgtoken The fact: As vote-by-mail is increasing in the States, the States are implementing some of the same safeguards--the same safeguards--that are used for in-person voting to ensure a secure election, such as voter ID, which the legislation before us seems to want to prohibit. Recent polls show that 80 percent of the people support being required to show ID in order to vote, including 62 percent of . prgtoken Myth: Prohibiting ballot harvesting and requiring people to vote in their own correct precinct constitutes discrimination outlawed by the Voting Rights Act. prgtoken Fact: In a recent Supreme Court ca