mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
JUNETEENTH
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-6-16

this Sunday, we commemorate the 157th Juneteenth, a portmanteau of June and the nineteenth, which celebrates the liberation of the last remaining enslaved Black Americans at the end of the Civil War. This is our newest Federal holiday, which we will observe on Monday, but African-American communities have celebrated Juneteenth as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, or Black Independence Day as far back as 1886 in Texas. prgtoken On this date in 1865, U.S. Army Major General Gordon Granger arrived at a Confederate outpost in Galveston, TX, where he delivered the news of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation to 250,000 still- enslaved Texans. Many United States Colored Troops--USCT--who fought for freedom and to preserve the Union, accompanied Granger. Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which granted Black Americans their freedom, 2 years earlier. Robert E. Lee had surrendered to U.S. Army Lt. General Ulysses Grant 2 months earlier at Appomattox. prgtoken In my home State of Maryland, abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman paved the way for future civil rights activists by risking their lives to help bring enslaved people to freedom. Their work has had a profound impact on our community and on Maryland's rich cultural history. prgtoken African-American history is American history. We all must learn the lessons of Juneteenth and understand how our lives have been changed because of it. We cannot celebrate the freedoms brought forth on Juneteenth without acknowledging there was slavery in the United States of America. Slavery is a part of American history. The Constitution originally protected slavery through the fugitive slave clause and three-fifths clause. prgtoken We cannot and should not hide from these facts or try to erase them from our history books or suppress them in our classrooms. prgtoken In Maryland, we often look to the work of Justice Thurgood Marshall, who spent his life fighting for the rights of Black Americans and trying to reverse systemic discrimination. Marshall, arguing before the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education and later serving as the first African-American Associate Justice on the Court, set a precedent for future generations of Black men and women that even the highest honors are within their reach. The Senate recently confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. prgtoken While Thurgood Marshall was an inspiration, his work of reversing systemic racism is far from complete. It is our responsibility as a Nation to continue the work Justice Marshall and activists like him started. Though we have made progress, the fight for racial justice will never be complete until we have achieved equitable treatment for people of all races and can truly guarantee equality of opportunity. The pursuit of racial justice will ensure that we live up to our Nation's promise of equality for all people, regardless of
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2022-6-16

I want to thank Senator Moran for his comments. I didn't hear everything he had to say, but when I came in, one of the things he said was we may not be the most important people in this process. And he is 100 percent correct. We are simply the conduit that was utilized to get this bill put into law. prgtoken There are way, way too many people to thank on this legislation, and I am going to get to that. And I will forget a bunch of folks, and I apologize right now. prgtoken But the truth is, we today, the U.S. Senate today, has the opportunity to make history by passing the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics--PACT-- Act. prgtoken This is not a new issue. Generations after generations of Americans have gone to war backed by a promise that we made to them when they signed up that we would care for them when they got home. Unfortunately, that didn't happen in the case of toxic exposure. We failed them. prgtoken This bill is about righting a wrong that has been ignored for just way too damn long. It is about Will Thompson. It is about SFC Heath Robinson. It is about every American who has lost their lives through toxic exposures because of the duty that they have performed for this country. prgtoken Sadly, it is too late to do right by Will and Heath and so many others, but today, this body has a chance to do the right thing by their families and future generations of our All-Volunteer military by passing the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act. prgtoken The days of ignoring the wounds from toxic exposure, wounds not seen until years after those days are gone--conditions like hypertension and MGUS found in veterans like Robert Hunter, a proud Montanan who served in the Army as an engineering officer during the Vietnam war. Robert was exposed to Agent Orange during his service and contracted MGUS years later. He is one of the 66,000 veterans in Montana who would become eligible for relief under this bill--not to mention every post- 9/11 veteran in this country who would automatically receive VA healthcare. This includes more than 3.5 million post-9/11 combat veterans exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. prgtoken This bill would also remove the burden of proof for 23 presumptive conditions caused by military toxic exposures, from cancers to lung disease, and it would codify a more transparent framework to establish future presumptions of service connections to ensure future generations of veterans are treated more fairly than the last. And probably, most importantly, it will allow the VA to make the decisions on toxic exposures instead of an act of Congress. prgtoken In short, the PACT Act will allow hundreds of thousands of veterans across the country to access the VA care that they have been denied and give them the benefits that they have earned. Make no mistake, the VA will be given the tools it needs to hire more medi
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-6-16

as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 190, S. 2340; further, that the committee-reported substitute amendment be withdrawn; that the Menendez substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
MEAT AND POULTRY SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ACT OF 2022
Angie Craig (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2022-6-16

Americans across the country are justifiably frustrated by the higher prices they are experiencing at the pump, in the grocery store, and across the board. prgtoken Right now, working families in every district across this country are crying out for relief. They are tired of political games, and they are tired of partisan attacks. Our constituents don't want Congress in a food fight. They want compromise, and they want solutions. prgtoken My friends, today, we have a bipartisan, commonsense solution at our fingertips. prgtoken The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act will lift up our constituents by lowering prices at the grocery store aisle and at the pump and creating a situation where we are seen as acting together. prgtoken My provision, the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act, will allow for the year-round sale of homegrown biofuels, which can sell for as much as 40 cents less per gallon than traditional gasoline. Why would we deny that low-cost alternative to working families who are so desperate for savings? prgtoken My Strengthening the Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Act will help lower prices at the grocery store by getting products from ships to shelves faster and shoring up our food supply chain for future generations. My friends, why would we deny these critical savings to our constituents who are simply trying to put food on the table? prgtoken The American people want action. They are calling for us to use every tool at our disposal to fight inflation and lower costs. We must respond to their call. prgtoken I appreciate the support of this package from my ic colleagues and many of my colleagues, and I encourage all of you to vote ``yes.''
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-6-16

as we await completion of the gun safety bill, today, the Senate is taking another important step to protect communities from gun violence, moving forward with the nomination of Steven Dettelbach, to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. prgtoken In a few moments, I will move to discharge Mr. Dettelbach's nomination from the Judiciary Committee. After that, I am going to make sure his nomination moves through this Chamber rapidly. prgtoken The bipartisan gun safety legislation currently being negotiated is crucially important but so is having a fully staffed ATF. And my colleagues, listen to this: We haven't had a Director of ATF since 2015. Gun violence is ripping through the Nation, killing so many, and we still don't have a Director of ATF. That is just outrageous, at a time when we need one more than ever. prgtoken At a time when Americans are sick and tired of our country's gun violence epidemic, we should be sprinting--sprinting--to confirm someone whose job would be precisely to keep Americans safe from gun violence, and that is exactly what the new ATF Director will do. prgtoken The ATF may not always capture the spotlight, but it is vital in stopping gun trafficking, in preventing illegal possession of firearms, and making sure our kids can't get their hands on dangerous weapons. prgtoken It is still so confounding to realize we haven't had somebody there because people have blocked it since 2015. An organization as important as the ATF absolutely needs to have a Senate-confirmed Director in place, and though we haven't had one in 7 years, we are going to change that very, very soon. prgtoken Having a strong, qualified nomination like Dettelbach will certainly help reduce the scourge of gun violence in the country. prgtoken So, once again, after I move to discharge Mr. Dettelbach, I am going to make sure his nomination moves rapidly through this Chamber. We need to fill this vacancy that has been blocked by the other side far too often. prgtoken Now, pursuant to S. Res. 27, the Committee on the Judiciary being tied on the question of reporting, I move to discharge the Committee on the Judiciary from further consideration of Steven M. Dettelbach, of Ohio, to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
MEAT AND POULTRY SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ACT OF 2022
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-6-16

the chairman has done a wonderful job as the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, and I know that you are working together to bring people together. One of the things that I most admire about Chairman Scott is that he wants to have a bipartisan result coming out of his committee, and I think in this bill he has. prgtoken , every day Americans across the country must contend with prgtoken the rising prices caused by inflation. Whenever they pull up to the gas pump, they face the repercussions of Vladimir Putin's criminal invasion of Ukraine, which has made gas prices skyrocket--not just because of the sanctions, not because of Russia's production, but because of the lack of confidence in the future that this war has caused. prgtoken Whenever our people go to the grocery store, they suffer the consequences of the havoc that the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted on global supply chains. Unfortunately, we cannot erase the past crises that led to our current economic situation. prgtoken I say to the Members of this Congress that we can take the meaningful steps today to lower prices for consumers and to stimulate America's economy in the weeks and months to come. That is why House are focusing all week on easing inflation and bringing costs down. I know that is what my colleagues want to do as well. prgtoken While this may not be a perfect alternative--there are no perfect alternatives--this is a positive step toward decreasing the costs to our people of things that they must buy: fuel and food. To support that mission, I am proud to bring the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act to the floor today, at Mr. Scott's request. prgtoken America's farmers and ranchers have long fed our Nation, and indeed, much of the world. Despite their essential work, however, they have often struggled to turn a reliable profit in recent years because of rising expenses, associated particularly with fertilizer--the costs of which have gone up very substantially as a result of the crisis that we confront. prgtoken By making fertilizer more affordable and by improving farmers' access to loans for precision agricultural technology, this legislation will help lower these production costs, which burden smaller farmers and contribute to higher consumer food prices. prgtoken Additionally, this bill will lower gas prices by increasing biofuel adoption and investment, and by giving consumers greater fuel choices at the pump. prgtoken Lack of competition in the meat and poultry processing industries has also jeopardized many of our family farmers and the people they feed. Competition is the essence of a free market. Competition is the essence of establishing prices that are reasonable and fair, both to producers and to consumers. prgtoken Fortunately, , this legislation will help level that playing field for small and independent producers trying to break into the industry, which will both boost our meat processing capacity and sto
RACIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-6-16

. Madam , and still I rise. And I rise today with an expression of gratitude and great appreciation. prgtoken I thank the many persons who voted for H.R. 2543, the Financial Services Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Economic Justice Act. I rise to thank persons for this because I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to manage the bill on the floor. prgtoken The Honorable Maxine Waters is the sponsor of this piece of legislation. It is a compilation of some 13 bills that were used and packaged so that we could bring about some racial justice in this country. Racial justice that is long overdue, I might add. prgtoken The Honorable Maxine Waters, but for her, I can say without reservation, hesitation, or equivocation, this bill would not have come to fruition. She has been a champion for those who have been left out, left behind, locked out, those that I label as being among the least, the last, and the lost. prgtoken The least, those who don't inherit a legacy of wealth but, rather, a legacy of poverty. The least, those are persons who are still finding themselves living in the streets of life. prgtoken The last, those are the last hired and the first fired. prgtoken The lost, those who are lost in the richest country in the world, but lost perhaps in chemical consumption, drugs, if you will, lost because of mental issues, but they are lost in the richest country in the world. She has been a champion for them. prgtoken I will always be grateful to her for working with me to help me to acquire a position on the Financial Services Committee. I think that probably but for her, I might not have the position that I have. So I know that she is not doing well today, but she will be back, and I want her to know today that I am appreciative for the many opportunities that I have acquired by virtue of her being there at the right time when these opportunities were available. prgtoken I also thank the Members who had those bills, the 13 bills: Mrs. Joyce Beatty, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Torres, and of course, Ms. Waters, had a bill as well. I had two bills associated with this package. prgtoken This package, the Financial Services Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Economic Justice Act, why is it needed? Why is it needed on this day some few days away from Juneteenth? And I celebrate Juneteenth, by the way. I commend my colleague, Ms. Jackson Lee, for her work on Juneteenth. prgtoken I knew the father of Juneteenth, Al Edwards. Al Edwards was a State representative in Texas, and he was a person who was tenacious about Juneteenth. It was his legislation that passed the Texas House and Senate and was signed by the Governor of the State of Texas, making Juneteenth a holiday at a time when, quite frankly, people thought that it was impossible to get it done. prgtoken Al Edwards, the father of Juneteenth, I always remember him, a dear friend. We celebrated Juneteenth together on many occasions. W
MEAT AND POULTRY SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ACT OF 2022
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-6-16

I rise today in support of the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act. prgtoken Across the country, workers are calling out sick because of COVID, truck deliveries and other shipments are facing delays, and people are panic-buying, all leading to product shortages and soaring prices. prgtoken Yet, while we know the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly challenged our Nation's supply chain, we also know there are systemic imbalances in our economy. Decreased competition, driven by market concentration, has allowed companies to further drive up costs and their profits at the expense of hardworking Americans in one of our most vulnerable moments. prgtoken In the beef-processing market, for example, four dominant companies control 85 percent of the market. The four largest poultry processing companies made up more than half of the market in 2015, up from 35 percent of the market in 1986. prgtoken We have seen this trend all across our economy, as large corporations have squeezed out independent businesses, eliminating competition. As a result, hardworking Americans throughout this country are paying more as food prices skyrocket, particularly for meat. prgtoken Provisions included in the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act will help us tackle this very issue and help bring prices down across the board. prgtoken The Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act and the Butcher Block Act, for example, will help strengthen our investigatory and enforcement tools to address market competition issues while also investing in additional meat processing capacity. prgtoken The PRECISE Act will improve farming efficiency and help ensure farmers' resiliency to future disruptions in fertilizer supply. prgtoken The Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act and the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act will help drive down prices at the pump for Americans and increase available fuel supply. prgtoken These are just a few of the provisions in this comprehensive package that will help ease the economic burden on American families and help create an economy that works for all of us. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to come together to help hardworking Americans by driving down these costs and supporting this legislation.
HAPPY JUNETEENTH, AMERICA
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-6-16

. Madam , this morning I introduced the 2022 Observance of Juneteenth Independence prgtoken Day Resolution. I thank my cosponsors and those who recognize this important Federal holiday. prgtoken H. Res. 1182 is to celebrate Juneteenth, but I was pleased to be the first Member of Congress, after years of introducing resolutions, to introduce the actual language of the Federal holiday signed by President on June 17, 2021. prgtoken What is Juneteenth? It is a recognition of one of America's original sins, the slaves that were held over 200 years, and the brutality that they experienced but the freedom they experienced on June 19, 1865. prgtoken We can come together as a Nation to celebrate freedom in many, many ways. I am delighted that over the weekend in Houston and Galveston, we will be lifting up our voices of celebration, but we know that there are next steps. prgtoken As I have been introducing the resolution on Juneteenth, I also commend my colleagues to move forward on H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. Again, what are reparations? It is healing, it is restoration, it is repair. We look forward to responding to the indicia in African- American communities that should be fixed. Happy Juneteenth, America. Let's celebrate together.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-6-16

I rise today to speak about the need for the Senate to act to protect Federal judges. prgtoken In the past few years, the growing use of political violence has endangered elected officials, police officers, flight attendants, school board members, election workers, and judges. We all must condemn all violence and threats of violence against public officials in the strongest possible terms, regardless of whether it comes from the right or the left. prgtoken Last week, news broke that an armed man was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. This man made it clear to law enforcement that he desired to kill Justice Kavanaugh. Importantly, court documents showed that the gunman outside Justice Kavanaugh's home said he found the address online. prgtoken This week, the House approved a bill that unanimously passed the Senate prgtoken last month and would give the Supreme Court Police greater discretion to protect the Justices' families. I am glad that this important legislation is headed to President 's desk. prgtoken But it has been over 6 months since the Judiciary Committee unanimously reported the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act. This bill was first introduced by Senators Menendez and Booker in response to a tragic incident in which a disgruntled litigant found the home address of Judge Esther Salas on the internet, went to her house, and shot and killed her son. prgtoken The bill is directly responsive to the threats that Federal judges face, including the threat to Justice Kavanaugh. It would allow judges to safeguard their personal information from being posted on the internet and would empower the judiciary to monitor online threats. We have tried to pass this bill in the past, and it has been blocked by at least one Senator. The bill's sponsors have negotiated changes to address these concerns, and I am hopeful that objection will be lifted today. prgtoken The threat to Justice Kavanaugh and the tragic death of Daniel Anderl underscore the need to pass this bipartisan bill quickly and get it signed into law so we can protect all Federal judges and their families.