mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RELATING TO "CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM NEW MOTOR VEHICLES: HEAVY-DUTY ENGINE AND VEHICLE...
Kelly Armstrong (Republican, ND) \u2014 2023-5-23

you would think after years of supply chain disruptions and skyrocketing consumer prices, this administration would make every effort to lower costs and streamline our transportation networks. prgtoken The heavy-duty engine and vehicle standard does exactly the opposite. This rule would force owner/operators to leave the market or keep older trucks on the road. prgtoken This rule is unrealistic, given the heavy-duty vehicle technology space, and this rule would add at least $8,000 to the cost of each new semitruck. The cost doesn't go to producers, the people who grow the grain or produce the oil or get the natural gas out of the ground. It goes to the consumers. prgtoken Instead of expanding the equipment market and recognizing the significant prgtoken reduction of nitrous oxide, this rule is another assault on liquid fuels that will further complicate the supply chain. prgtoken North Dakota is a producer State, but we have to get our products to market. We need heavy-duty vehicles to get our goods there. The rule jeopardizes our ability to feed and fuel the country. prgtoken The CRA has bipartisan support and for good reason. The underlying rule is unworkable, and I urge my colleagues to support the CRA.
FENTANYL IS A NATIONAL SECURITY CRISIS
Michelle Steel (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-5-23

I rise today in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. The flow of fentanyl across our unsecure borders is not only a public health crisis but a national security crisis, as well. prgtoken With as much as 90 percent of illicit fentanyl coming from China, the Chinese Communist Party has a hand in the poisoning of American citizens. prgtoken Our communities are becoming all too familiar with the danger that this toxic substance poses. Fentanyl poisoning is now the number one cause of death among adults between 18 and 49, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans. prgtoken That is why I am proud to cosponsor the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will permanently reschedule fentanyl and ensure the Federal Government recognizes this substance for the deadly threat it is. prgtoken It will give our law enforcement the tools they need to combat this danger, and it will empower researchers to better understand the full scope of the drug's impact on Americans' health. prgtoken We owe a solution to the families who have lost a loved one to fentanyl. This bill is that solution, and I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the HALT Fentanyl Act. Recognizing Dr. Clayton Chau
DOUBLING SENIOR POVERTY
David Schweikert (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2023-5-23

my last board, and then I intend to yield to my friend. prgtoken Look, this is the chart I was going to end with. Remember how we have been talking about what is happening when we start to have more deaths than births? Understand, that 18-year number, it doesn't just stop there. You basically have a society, as you get into 2041, 2043, we continue to fall more and more. We will have a population decline in the United States. prgtoken Understand the responsibility for someone like me on Ways and Means, the responsibility of all of us here, we have promises to keep. We made promises about Medicare. We made promises about Social Security. If you understand the demographics are ahead of us, you understand the difficulty, and it is why so many of the proposals--``If we just raise this tax''--and when we finally get the actual scoring on it, it doesn't actually work. It doesn't stop us from hearing it quoted all the time, but when you actually read the actuarial reports, the math doesn't work. prgtoken This is us. This is our country. It is continuing. It doesn't have to be dystopian. I come back, what is the single biggest thing you could do that is both moral and incredibly great economics and a major bend on the debt? All of us get together and decide we are going to take on diabetes, we are going to have an honest conversation of disrupting obesity, we are going to maybe look into should GLP-1's be available, should we actually take on some issues within the farm bill, which is always so difficult to talk about, of helping our brothers and sisters manage because there is some amazing math out there that says if you look at much of urban income inequality, is it racism? Is it education? You actually dig into the datasets, it is health. The number of our brothers and sisters who are sick or are taking care of grandma because she has gone blind because of diabetes, is that or to be willing to dive into an issue like that? I will argue it is just moral. prgtoken , from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott).
HONORING NOAH SHAHNAVAZ AND SEARA BURTON DURING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
Greg Pence (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-5-23

I rise today to raise concerns with the EPA's newest attempt to create the Clean Power Plan 2.0. prgtoken By setting unattainable emission targets and relying on untested technologies, this rule will raise utility bills and threaten the reliability of our electric grid. Once again, EPA is driving out affordable baseload power plants to fulfill their rush to their green agenda. prgtoken We are already seeing a reliability crisis play out across the country, and EPA is doubling down on their attempts to regulate fossil fuels out of existence. prgtoken It is past time for this administration to face reality and put our Nation on a sustainable path forward to keep the lights on. Green Agenda Will Raise Costs
HAPPY 235TH BIRTHDAY TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Russell Fry (Republican, SC) \u2014 2023-5-23

I rise today to wish the Palmetto State, South Carolina, a happy 235th birthday. prgtoken On May 23, 1788, South Carolina became the eighth State to officially join the United States of America. prgtoken From the stunning coast of the Grand Strand to the rich farmlands in the Pee Dee, to the rolling hills of the Midlands, to the historic charm of the Lowcountry, and to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the upstate, I cannot think of a better place to call home. prgtoken Our $29 billion tourism industry drives our State's economy. People flock from all over to witness our rich heritage and our incredible atmosphere. We welcome over 40 million visitors each and every year. I have lived in South Carolina my entire life, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Happy birthday to my favorite State, the Palmetto State, South Carolina.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND FAREWELL TO SAM WEST
Mike Kelly (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-5-23

. Madam , today I wish one of the members of my team, Sam West, a very happy birthday but also farewell. prgtoken Sam is originally from Indianapolis. He went to school at Indiana University and Purdue University, so he is both a Hoosier and a Boilermaker. He worked as an auto technician before coming to work here in Congress. prgtoken In healthcare there are a million acronyms. I don't know of any other place in the world than D.C. that uses more acronyms, and nobody seems to know what they stand for. prgtoken It is because of Sam's time working on automobiles that allowed us to see eye-to-eye on so many things. I spent my entire career in the private sector as an auto dealer, and Sam has always been able to translate a lot of Pennsylvania's healthcare priorities into terms that I have been using my whole life, and it just clicked. We really worked well together. prgtoken He is moving over to the Senate to be a health policy adviser for Senator Bill Cassidy. I know he is going to do a great job. prgtoken Sam, I tell people all the time, it is not so much the Member that matters, it is the staff. Here is Sam with a couple of his cheerleader friends, Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders. Wherever he goes, he will always be a part of our team, and he is always going to have great fans.
FARM BILL LISTENING TOUR ACROSS NEW YORK
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-5-23

I recently traveled across New York's beautiful and sprawling 24th District as part of my official 2023 farm bill listening tour. Our district is among the largest agricultural and dairy districts in the northeast and the largest apple growing district outside of Washington State. prgtoken I hosted several open-door roundtables in every part of the district to hear directly from farmers and producers about their concerns for our region's agricultural community. Ahead of our consideration of the farm bill later this year, feedback from farmers and producers is vitally important. prgtoken The farm bill reauthorization is always critical for communities like mine, but this year it is more important than ever. Our farmers are struggling, and they need advocates in Congress who will stand with them. In New York this is especially true, as a raft of new State laws and regulations from Albany are imposing unprecedented and costly burdens on rural communities. prgtoken Our farmers are counting on Congress to get this year's farm bill done and get it done right. prgtoken First of all, based on what I gleaned from my listening sessions, the following requests have been voiced: prgtoken Do not make any cuts to the farm bill programs that are pivotal to the vitality of the northeast agricultural community; prgtoken Next, reform the national crop insurance program to cover a wider range of items and better fit the needs of specialty crop farmers, including maple syrup, which is unique to the Northeast; prgtoken Support funding for the specialty crop block grant program as well as research and monitoring of invasive species that we have been experiencing in New York; and prgtoken Raise the 5-million-pound dairy margin tier 1 limit to reflect the consolidation that has occurred in the industry. prgtoken On a personal note, I plead and I beg of the farm bill appropriators and drafters, please don't ban chocolate milk in schools. It was a lifeline for me and my family. Even the one and only Elon Musk has recognized the value in chocolate milk. prgtoken , these were the requests that were echoed by farmers across the 24th District, and they are the priorities I am fighting for in Congress. I thank Chairman G.T. Thompson for his continued leadership as chair of the House Agriculture Committee and look forward to working with him in advancing these priorities. prgtoken I will continue to advocate for solutions that support our agricultural producers in New York and across the country. Members of this body must realize, without productive farmers, we have no food and we will not achieve prosperity. We must put aside partisan politics and come together to make this year's farm bill a path to growth in all of our agricultural economies.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RELATING TO "CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM NEW MOTOR VEHICLES: HEAVY-DUTY ENGINE AND VEHICLE...
Troy E. Nehls (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-5-23

I rise in strong support of S.J. Res. 11, which nullifies the administration's heavy-duty vehicle emissions rule. prgtoken I am proud to have led this effort in the House, and I commend my colleagues in the Senate for swiftly passing this important legislation. prgtoken The joint resolution before us today would overturn the EPA's aggressive heavy-duty vehicle emissions final rule, which provides 80 percent more stringent regulations than current standards and unfairly targets our trucking industry. By imposing these new emissions reduction requirements for vehicle models that are made in 2027 and beyond, it will significantly increase the cost of heavy-duty vehicles. prgtoken Whether you own an F-250 or a semitruck, this new regulation will directly affect you. According to the EPA, it is projected to cost between $2,500 and $8,300 per vehicle to adhere to this new final rule. Other estimates, such as the one from the American Truck Dealers Association, stated it is closer to $42,000 per truck. prgtoken , let me be crystal clear today. Woke bureaucrats in Washington are on a climate justice crusade, using the heavy hand of government to go after the trucking industry that keeps America moving. prgtoken In the last three decades, we have made significant strides in the right direction to decrease emissions and increase efficiency. Today's new trucks have reduced nitrogen oxide emissions by more than 98 percent since the 1990s. prgtoken The EPA's final rule is also ineffective, given that it incentivizes older and higher emitting trucks to operate longer due to the expensive technology required for compliant vehicles. prgtoken This is unacceptable and yet another blatant example of burdensome government regulation. prgtoken Simply put, the EPA has failed to address legitimate concerns for the prgtoken trucking industry. However, the EPA unilaterally imposes this detrimental rule, which could lead to a litany of further supply chain disruptions across the country, hit the smaller mom-and-pop trucking companies the hardest, and pass along increased costs to the American consumer. prgtoken Amidst record-high inflation and supply chain challenges, more expensive freight costs and fewer truckers on the road will only further perpetuate this problem. This is exactly why it is imperative that the House pass this joint resolution to nullify this burdensome regulation. prgtoken I thank OOIDA, Senator Fischer, and the trucking industry for being front and center on this issue. I proudly support our truckers, our small businesses, and progrowth policies to keep our economy strong. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this joint resolution.
HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-5-24

. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Madam Chair, 6 months ago I received an email from Ray Cullen, a resident of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, who, along with his wife, Deb, had raised their kids in my district, Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District. prgtoken Ray told the story of his son, Zach, who last year was out with a bunch of buddies when he was sold cocaine that was laced with fentanyl, unfortunately, a deadly poison that claimed Zach's life. Zach didn't know that the drugs that he and his friends had purchased were laced with this deadly synthetic opioid. prgtoken Because of how lethal the drug is in small quantities, fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 49. It was Franklin County Coroner Jeff Conner who put it so bluntly to me. He said: ``Fentanyl is easy to get and it is fast to kill.'' prgtoken The Cullens reached out to share the memory of their son because they wanted to make a difference. They wanted to make sure that the pain that they were feeling was not shared by parents anywhere else in Pennsylvania or anywhere else in our country. prgtoken Now, on the eve of the HALT Fentanyl Act vote, we in Congress have a chance to help prevent these needless deaths by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act, legislation to finally classify these deadly fentanyl substances as schedule I narcotics. prgtoken Deb and Ray Cullen have traveled and presented their case before the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee of Health. Deb and Ray Cullen will be here tomorrow. They will be in the gallery as we have a choice to make to vote in a bipartisan fashion to halt fentanyl and its deadly cause here in the United States.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-5-24

. Madam , reclaiming my time. prgtoken Maybe my colleagues on the other side are having buyer's remorse, or should I say voter's remorse, that every single one of them voted against addressing the debt ceiling over a month ago when we brought that bill to the floor. prgtoken Now, Madam , there is a remedy. If anyone in this Chamber, including my friends on the other side, would like to see this problem addressed, they should go over to the Senate side. prgtoken Frankly, there is no one there. They should get on the phone and call the Senators who run the Senate and chose to be out this whole week because they took this so seriously or call the White House and ask the President why he took 97 days off after the first meeting with McCarthy when the was ready to negotiate. prgtoken We are still here. We have done our job. We have acted. We are, in fact, the only body in this town who has actually taken steps to address the debt ceiling and the spending problem in Washington. prgtoken I encourage the Senate to take up the bill. I encourage the President to get engaged and address this problem, but we already have the votes on the board. prgtoken I ask that the House be in order and there be some decorum on the other side.
FENTANYL EPIDEMIC WREAKS HAVOC
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-5-24

I appreciate and thank the gentleman from Alabama for having this Special Order hour. prgtoken , we are here tonight to shed light on the fentanyl crisis that continues ravaging communities nationwide. I must say, I am infuriated when I think about this. prgtoken More than 100,000 Americans overdose each year, most dying from fentanyl poisoning and fentanyl-laced drugs. It is estimated that China is fully responsible for nearly all the illicit fentanyl in the United States. Beijing has literally launched a chemical war on the United States of America. prgtoken Instead of demanding accountability, the administration under continues promoting policies that actually increase our dependency on China, the very nation working tirelessly to ensure our annihilation. prgtoken Wait, there is more. Not only do we know where the drug comes from, but we know how it is getting into the country. About 90 percent of fentanyl flows across and through our open southern border, the same border that President has gone out of his way to destroy and erase. prgtoken Who is in control of our border now, bringing this poison into our people? The Mexican drug cartels, that is who. prgtoken It only takes 1-16th of a teaspoon of fentanyl to kill a person, an amount so minuscule that it can fit into Abraham Lincoln's ear on a U.S. penny. prgtoken I am a healthcare provider, a dentist. I have done hospital dentistry in my career. Fentanyl does not belong on the streets. It belongs in the operating room. prgtoken Border Patrol has already seized enough fentanyl this fiscal year alone to kill over 3.1 billion people. So ask yourselves, what kind of President knows this information and continues to look the other way? prgtoken We are already witnessing a death toll equivalent to 9/11 every 15 days because of this deadly drug. How many more stories must we hear from parents who are mourning a child who has overdosed on a counterfeit pill that had fentanyl in it? How many more Americans must die for this President to finally act? prgtoken Every single Member of Congress should be outraged by 's inaction and exacerbation of this horrible crisis. It truly is despicable. prgtoken , hold China accountable, secure our southern border, and save American lives.
HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT
Debbie Lesko (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2023-5-24

. Madam Chair, our Nation is facing a tragic fentanyl crisis. Our kids are dying. Our neighbors are dying. During the last 2 years, if I may remind my ic colleagues, they were in charge. They were in charge of the House, they had control of the Senate, they had control of the Presidency, and they did nothing to stop this fentanyl crisis. prgtoken Late last year, I visited the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office in Phoenix, Arizona. It is truly revealing. It is one of the busiest medical examiner offices in the Nation. In Maricopa County last year, fentanyl and its analogues were involved in 60 percent of all the drug-related deaths. Once more, there are record amounts of fentanyl coming across our southern border into our Arizona communities. prgtoken Did you know that last Thursday, officers at the Arizona Nogales Port of Entry seized over 207,000 fentanyl pills and over 16 pounds of fentanyl powder just in 1 day. With border officials only able to seize 5 to 10 percent of all illegal drugs, these numbers are truly terrifying. House s are taking action. We are the ones introducing this bill. We are the ones getting something done. We are introducing the HALT Fentanyl Act. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, to stop this deadly drug crisis and save lives.
HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT
Rick W. Allen (Republican, GA) \u2014 2023-5-24

. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act. I am a proud original cosponsor of this commonsense legislation that would permanently reschedule fentanyl-related substances as schedule I drugs. Far too often, we are hearing devastating stories from families across this great country who have lost loved ones to fentanyl-related deaths, and, in many cases, it is our young people. prgtoken Only a few milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, which is why it is now the number one cause of death among adults 18 to 49. Deadly fentanyl-related substances are being manufactured by China and the cartels and pouring across our borders into our cities, communities, and neighborhoods. prgtoken We must ensure that our law enforcement and Border Patrol officers maintain the authority necessary to seize these drugs. That is why this body must take action. prgtoken The HALT Fentanyl Act would supply law enforcement with the tools needed to keep this deadly substance off our streets. prgtoken Madam Chair, to put it simply: This bill will save lives. I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 467.
HALT ALL LETHAL TRAFFICKING OF FENTANYL ACT
Mike Garcia (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-5-24

. Madam Chair, for too long, a lack of national leadership has forced law enforcement into navigating this prgtoken fentanyl crisis without the proper tools or a defined mission. The HALT Fentanyl Act would provide both the tools and the mission by permanently classifying fentanyl analogues as schedule I narcotics. This bill, which I have long supported, will mitigate this crisis by empowering police to use every tool available to get the traffickers of poison off the streets and put them in jail. prgtoken Sell fentanyl, go to jail. Poison kids, go to jail. If you don't want to go to jail, don't sell fentanyl and don't poison our kids. prgtoken Right now we are failing as a Nation. We are failing to recognize the severity of this crisis, failing to hold China and dealers accountable for their role, and we are failing to protect the people who most need it, our children. prgtoken We have lost young Americans with bright futures like Daniel Puerta from my district who was a year away from graduating when he was poisoned by a counterfeit pill sold over Snapchat. For Daniel's memory and the memory of countless others, we must act. prgtoken Madam Chair, I urge support of this bill. One last thing, 30 times the number of people who died on 9/11 last year died of fentanyl poisoning.