mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise in support of this en bloc of 10 amendments. As was done in the 116th Congress, the PFAS Action Act was subject to a subcommittee markup, a full committee markup, and debate and amendment on the House floor. prgtoken During these processes in the 116th and 117th Congresses, there has been an effort to continue to strengthen the proposal at each and every stage. The ten amendments included in this en bloc, which includes several bipartisan amendments, would build upon this past work and make further improvements to the underlying bill. prgtoken Several of the amendments help protect Americans from PFAS in their drinking water, especially those relying upon private wells, which would not be subject to the national drinking water standard required to be developed by this bill. prgtoken We know communicating the risks of PFAS is challenging: What are safe levels? What is a reliable testing technique? And what do you do if your water is contaminated? prgtoken These amendments would help ensure people have better, clearer, and more accessible information on this and other issues. This en bloc also includes amendments that would increase grant funding to community water systems and ensure all communities dealing with PFAS contamination can access these funds, including insular territories. And it would establish a new grant program to support PFAS testing and filtration at schools. prgtoken We know the cost of PFAS remediation can be significant. Ensuring these costs do not fall squarely upon the households that rely upon these water systems, who are not responsible for the contaminations, should be a high priority of this effort. More Federal funding can help in this regard. prgtoken Finally, the en bloc would expand the PFAS-free labeling program to cover food package material, luggage, and cleaning products. This will allow Americans to make certain that they have more informed choices on the products they choose to purchase. Overall, these are good improvements to the bill, and I do not believe they should be controversial. prgtoken Madam , I encourage Members to support the en bloc, and .
NOMINATION OF BONNIE D. JENKINS
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-7-21

I rise today to express my support for the nomination of Bonnie Jenkins to be the next Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. prgtoken The position for which Ambassador Jenkins has been nominated is one of the most vital senior security positions in the Department of State. This individual is responsible for overseeing nuclear policy and nonproliferation efforts, directing U.S. arms sales and security assistance policy, dealing with the legacies of unexploded munitions and landmines, and orchestrating global cooperation among both allies and adversaries on critical national security issues. prgtoken As the United States is preparing for its first Strategic Stability Dialogue with Russia, which will occur later this month, it is absolutely critical we have a Senate-confirmed leader in the State Department to effectively compete with and confront Moscow's challenges to our national security. This meeting will set the tone for U.S. diplomatic efforts to limit Russia's nuclear arsenal, which is crucial at a time when we are also witnessing the initial stages of a major build-up of Chinese nuclear forces. prgtoken I am pleased to be supporting Ambassador Jenkins's nomination for this position, and I am confident that her extensive experience in the State Department and her 22 years in the Air Force and Naval Reserves provide her with the type of background and knowledge required to meet the challenges that await her, if confirmed. prgtoken During the administration, Ambassador Jenkins' spearheaded efforts to fight nuclear terrorism. She helped coordinate four nuclear security summits which sought to persuade nations around the world to secure vulnerable nuclear material that might fall into the hands of dangerous actors. prgtoken For over 20 years, she served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Naval Reserves, retiring as a lieutenant commander. She also holds multiple degrees, including a Ph.D a master of laws, a law degree, and a master in public administration. prgtoken Outside of government she has consistently empowered voices rarely heard in national security debates, providing a different but important perspective on how the United States should tackle the threats we confront. prgtoken The fact that Ambassador Jenkin's nomination, someone whose leadership is so essential to the State Department and to our national security, has languished on the Senate floor for 56 days is a travesty. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support her nomination and make sure that this critical national security position is filled without further delay. Vote on Jenkins Nomination
Debt Ceiling (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-7-21

first, before I get into the substance of my remarks, I just heard Leader McConnell's statements on debt ceiling. prgtoken The leader's statements on debt ceiling are shameless, cynical, and totally political. This debt is debt. It is COVID debt. joined three times during the administration to do the responsible thing. The bottom line is that Leader McConnell should not be playing political games with the full faith and credit of the United States. Americans pay their debts.
Nomination of Jennifer Ann Abruzzo (Executive Session)
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-7-21

you know, this pandemic has made it clearer than ever that our economy is working great for those at the very top but not for our workers. prgtoken Saturday actually marks the 12th anniversary of the last time that we raised our Federal minimum wage. Twelve years. That is unacceptable, and our workers really deserve better. No one working 40 hours a week should be making wages so low, their family is living in poverty and they can't even afford to pay for even their most basic needs. It is past time that we finally give workers, who are the backbone of our economy and have kept us going through this pandemic, a hard-earned and much deserved raise. prgtoken Another important step the Senate can take to build back an economy that is stronger and fairer and works for everyone is to ensure that Agencies like the National Labor Relations Board work effectively and protect workers' rights. Jennifer Abruzzo is the type of dedicated public servant who will make sure the NLRB is enforcing the law and protecting the rights of workers. prgtoken I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm her as general counsel of the NLRB. She has dedicated her career to upholding the law and protecting workers from unfair treatment. She has won victories against companies that attempted to undermine workers' right to organize and call for better wages. She has 23 years of experience at the NLRB, including her time serving as acting general counsel, the role she is now nominated to fill. prgtoken It is clear she has the right experience, qualifications, and values for the job, and we need her to be able to get to work right away because we have seen 7 years of--we have seen years of unprecedented obstruction of the NLRB nominees. There has been an empty ic seat on the NLRB for nearly 3 years, and there wasn't a single on the Board from late 2019 to mid-2020. That obstruction tipped the scales of justice in favor of big corporations, and workers have suffered the consequences. prgtoken When workers stand together to form a union, it is the NLRB that makes sure the election is fair. If a worker is fired or unfairly punished because they want to join or form a union, the NLRB is tasked with protecting their rights. If companies refuse to negotiate fairly with unions fighting for higher wages and better benefits or a secure retirement or safer working conditions, it is the NLRB that protects unions and union workers who have helped build our country's middle class. prgtoken Working families simply cannot afford an NLRB that fails to protect workers' rights when they are threatened. So we have to confirm nominees like Jennifer Abruzzo who will protect workers' rights and make sure their voices are heard if we are serious about building back a stronger, fairer economy. If we are serious about standing with working families, then we need to confirm Jennifer Abruzzo as general counsel
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-7-21

I thank Chairman Pallone for yielding, and I thank him for his work on this piece of legislation, along with Mrs. Dingell, a member of the committee. Obviously, the gentlewoman's deceased husband was chairman of this committee and ranking member for many, many years and was a leader in many respects on addressing environmental challenges. This is an environmental challenge. There is no disagreement on that. There, obviously, is disagreement on specifics. prgtoken The gentleman who just spoke, in a very knowledgeable and thoughtful way, said he hopes this legislation moves forward, but he is in opposition to it. I understand he does not want it to pass. But his comment was that, hopefully, this would be perfected in the legislative process. prgtoken Now, I do not claim to be, , an expert on this chemical. I do know, however, that it affects my district, and every single congressional district in our country is affected by this challenge. That is because every district has faced the challenge of PFAS contamination, which has affected nearly 2,800 communities according to an analysis by the Environmental Working Group. I heard a figure of about 9,200 sites as well from the ranking member. prgtoken Like countless other districts in the country, Maryland's Fifth District, which I have the privilege of representing, contamination has been detected at military installations. We are proud of our military installations. Pax River is a, I think, world leading air test, research, and evaluation center for naval air, as well as other air, including helicopters of the Army. Also in my district is the Naval Research Laboratory, Chesapeake Bay Detachment. prgtoken The citizens surrounding them are concerned, rightly, about what the contamination may have done to the water they and their children drink or bathe in. Thankfully, the defense authorization that we enacted in 2019 required our military to transition away from the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting fluids, a major source of contamination. prgtoken However, the PFAS pollution that has already occurred needs to be cleaned up, and this legislation would set requirements and deadlines for EPA to do so. Our citizens deserve to have that done. We must prevent PFAS chemicals from entering drinking water used by our communities. I think there is no disagreement on that. prgtoken PFAS has been called a forever chemical. Apparently, the biological fact of life is that it does not degrade over long periods of time, because they can linger in the human body for a whole lifetime, causing health effects ranging from cancers to reproductive and immune system deficiencies. prgtoken For 4 years, the previous administration claimed that it would take action through the EPA to protect Americans from PFAS contamination. Perhaps if they had done so, we wouldn't have this legislation; but they did not do so. They failed to protect the American people from these harmful chemicals
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
Lori Trahan (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , I rise in support of the PFAS Action Act of 2021 because this overdue legislation will save lives. prgtoken We know that PFAS chemicals, otherwise known as forever chemicals, have been linked to harmful health effects, including increased rates of cancer. prgtoken Yet, for far too long, they have been unchecked and unregulated. prgtoken Now, these same chemicals are being discovered at toxic levels in drinking water supplies in communities that I represent and across our country. prgtoken In fact, as many as 200 million Americans are currently drinking PFAS-contaminated water, often without even knowing it. prgtoken While my home State of Massachusetts has led the way in responding to PFAS contaminations in recent years, including the groundbreaking of a new 10,000-square foot treatment plant in my district in Littleton, most States are falling further and further behind, leaving their residents at risk. prgtoken Madam , we have the ability to change that today. prgtoken Passage of the PFAS Action Act will bolster State and local initiatives like those already under way in Massachusetts. prgtoken This legislation will provide the resources and policies necessary to clean up contaminated drinking water sites, support families who have been exposed to PFAS chemicals, and take critical steps to prevent future exposures. prgtoken I am grateful to Representatives Dingell and Upton, as well as our chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Pallone, for their bipartisan work on this issue. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, not because it will hurt corporations who want to continue the unregulated use of these dangerous chemicals, but because the health and well-being of the hardworking families they represent are at stake if they don't.
CLOTURE MOTION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-7-21

I rise today to join Senator Leahy and a number of our colleagues to remember our friend, John Lewis, and reflect on his legacy. prgtoken It was a little over a year ago when John shared his final message to the American people. He wrote, ``Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.'' prgtoken John devoted his entire life to building that ``Beloved Community.'' And in prgtoken his final moments, he called on all of us to carry that mission forward. He told us it is now ``your turn to let freedom ring.'' prgtoken We have an obligation to live up to John Lewis's legacy--and his call to action to protect our most fundamental freedom of all: the right to vote. And we can do that by restoring and revitalizing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. prgtoken When President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, it marked the beginning of a new era of American democracy. It ensured that our constitutional rights were not merely sketched onto a piece of paper, but enforced as well. It ensured that poll taxes, literacy tests, and other Jim Crow laws could no longer be used to deny Black, Brown, and indigenous voters access to the ballot box. In the words of John Lewis, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 ``helped liberate not just a people but a nation.'' It brought America closer to our foundational ideals. prgtoken But today, this monument to American freedom is under attack. At this very moment, State officials are working to pass laws that make it harder for people, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, to vote. prgtoken Nearly 400 of these bills have been introduced in 48 States. Some of these laws set new limits on voting by mail, others cut hours for polling locations, but the hundreds of restrictive voting provisions we have seen in recent years have achieved the same outcome: erecting new barriers to the ballot box. prgtoken The proponents of these laws claim they are designed to help prevent so-called voter fraud. But the truth is, ``voter fraud'' is nothing more than a fabricated phenomenon. Nearly every investigation into the 2020 election, for instance, has found no meaningful evidence of voter fraud. The Department of Homeland Security called last year's election ``the most secure in American history.'' And more than 80 judges, including many conservative judges appointed by President himself, have thrown out baseless challenges brought by the former President's lawyers. prgtoken But even though the ``Big Lie'' of widespread voter fraud has been debunked, many lawmakers are still standing by it. In fact, they are using the Big Lie to wage an assault on voting rights in America. You see, the laws I mentioned really aren't about securing our elections; they are about preventing eligible Americans from voting. prgtoken Under section 5 of t
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , I still remember how I felt when I learned that one of the worst PFAS sites in the entire country was discovered right in my backyard in my district at the Marathon petroleum refinery. Shock, horror, and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach just happened instantly. prgtoken I called Congresswoman Dingell, because that site borders our districts. And it is a community that continues to struggle with air quality and clean water. That ZIP Code, where Marathon Oil Refinery is now, that is the most polluted ZIP Code in all of the State of Michigan. So we wonder why the forever chemical was found right there and how it is impacting people's public health. prgtoken We are finding in Michigan, as folks know, where we lead in the country in prgtoken PFAS testing, if you start looking for these toxic forever chemicals, you are going to find them. prgtoken Madam , we have an urgent crisis in front of us that requires swift and decisive action. So it is great news that the House is now considering passing PFAS Action Act of 2021 today. prgtoken The bill will require EPA to take urgent PFAS action by requiring site cleanups, identifying health risks, and developing a drinking water standard to keep our community safe. We cannot wait another day to start taking strong action to protect our residents from forever chemicals. prgtoken As a Member of Congress, I was shocked--I think many of my residents were shocked--that we weren't protected from PFAS in the Clean Air Act. Today, we, at least, get closer to changing that. Again, our residents deserve to live without being poisoned.
GREEN NEW DEAL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Jamaal Bowman (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , it is amazing, whether we are talking about the Bronx, New York; St. Louis, Missouri; or New Mexico, it is obvious that a Green New Deal is needed now. prgtoken Madam , I would like to close by returning to one particular aspect of the Green New Deal for Public Schools because I think it highlights something about the framework as a whole. For me, one of the most exciting parts of the Green New Deal for Public Schools is how the learning environment in every school will be enriched, putting our young people at the center of the green energy revolution. prgtoken Students will delve into every aspect of the building retrofit process and immerse themselves in the broader sustainability and social challenges that we are tackling as a society. Each school will become a living lab for the Green New Deal. I cannot think of a better way to nurture the curiosity, ingenuity, and imaginations of our children. We will be kick-starting climate, STEM, and STEAM careers across the United States, and our country will reap the benefits of all that creativity. prgtoken The Green New Deal for Public Schools and the entire Green New Deal framework is built on the foundation of care and healing and allowing everyone in this country to unlock their full potential. prgtoken This is an idea that is expressed in Tupac Shakur's brilliant poem ``The Rose That Grew from Concrete.'' Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk without having feet. Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared. prgtoken Madam , .
CLOTURE MOTION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-7-21

there is a reason that the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act bears his name, and the reason is that John Lewis was truly a civil rights hero, an icon, a trailblazer, a model, and a mentor to so many of us, not because of what he said but because of what he did. prgtoken In marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where he was beaten and bloodied in leading those civil rights activists, in fighting for equality and justice here in the Halls of Congress, he set a model of courageous public service that inspires us today. prgtoken It has inspired voting rights since 1965, when those acts of courage led the Congress to adopt that Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was bipartisan then; it has been a bipartisan cause since then. In fact, it was most recently reauthorized in 2006 by an overwhelming bipartisan vote. prgtoken There should be nothing partisan about voting rights, which go to the core of our democracy. They are the lifeblood of our democracy, as we know better or as well as anyone in this Chamber, because we know that we act here with authority by the consent of the governed, as the Founders said. We govern by the consent of the people who elect us, hopefully fairly. That is the reason we need now the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, because the U.S. Supreme Court, in two decisions, Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. ic National Committee, has in effect eviscerated--more bluntly, gutted--two key sections, 5 and 2, of the Voting Rights Act. prgtoken Now, we have the opportunity--in fact, we have the obligation to make sure that the memory and the cause of John Lewis in advancing voting rights are upheld. We have that obligation not for ourselves but for the country, which is why John Lewis fought so hard and so well. prgtoken Today, State legislatures are taking advantage of the gaps and defects opened by those two Supreme Court decisions to attack America's right to vote. What we are seeing is the greatest assault on voting rights in the history of this country, maybe with the exception of Jim Crow. prgtoken I know some have called these laws a second Jim Crow. It may be the son of Jim Crow or the nephew or niece of Jim Crow, but the goal is the same: suppression of voting rights, discriminating against individuals who have that right to vote. prgtoken Last week, I chaired a hearing in the Constitution Subcommittee on the impact of these two Supreme Court decisions on voting rights. What we heard from the witnesses appearing there was nothing less than a call to action to protect our democracy and live up to America's founding ideals. We heard from men and women who have been litigating-- in the trenches, on the frontline of this battle to preserve voting rights--about the impact of these two Supreme Court decisions and the lower court decisions that have been in their wake. prgtoken Since Shelby County in 2013, approximately 21,000 polling places nationwide serving