mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
AFFORDABLE INSULIN NOW ACT
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2022-3-31

. Madam , when insulin was discovered, Warren Harding was the President and the New York Giants won the World Series, yet there was no television to watch the New York Giants. prgtoken Insulin costs are a national disgrace. For a drug discovered over 100 years ago, $1,000 price tag for a single vial is an outrage. You know it, and I know it. prgtoken So get beyond the argument that we are all a bunch of Socialists because we want to help people. We are doing what the folks sent us here to do. We can't do it on every drug. We need the technology. The gentleman from Arizona is right on target. It will save lives. prgtoken If we can't do that, then what the heck are we doing here?
MOTION TO INSTRUCT CONFEREES ON H.R. 4521, AMERICA COMPETES ACT OF 2022
Haley M. Stevens (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-3-31

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in strong and enthusiastic support of moving forward to conference the America COMPETES Act of 2022 with the Senate. prgtoken For those watching back at home, a conference committee is a joint committee between the House and Senate, a temporary ad hoc configuration to negotiate elements of a bill; and it is, frankly, the best of legislative action; Congress working for the American people, debating through democracy and deliberation to produce an end result. prgtoken As a Member of Congress, I often ask myself, I often pose the question, what will drive our economy for the next 10 years, 20 years, 30 years? What is our moonshot of the next 50 years? What can I do today to ensure that my neighbors in southeast Michigan are on a strong path to a successful future? What are the technologies and research investments that we can make today to ensure the success of the Nation for all of us? prgtoken The legislation that we are moving to conference today, the America COMPETES Act, tackles those big questions and secures our competitive edge for generations to come. This bill is an investment in our people. It reflects our ability to reach higher, to think deeper, and to invent solutions to not only today's problems but solutions for tomorrow's opportunities. prgtoken Americans are known for their hustle, for their ingenuity. My job, our job in Congress is to connect people to the tools to unlock a good life, to connected opportunity for everyone. And, frankly, the tools of the future are in this bill. prgtoken The COMPETES Act turbocharges America's scientific research and technological leadership while strengthening America's economic and national security at home and abroad. Even more, this bold investment in innovation ensures our top scientific minds have the tools to rise to the challenge of our climate crisis, from clean energy technologies to emissions measurement. prgtoken Not only does this bill look to the future, but it also mends the acute stressors that we are all feeling today due to our years of Federal underinvestment in science and innovation. A conference committee to discuss this, my friends, the America COMPETES Act tackles our supply chain vulnerabilities to make more goods in America and surges production of American-made semiconductors, chips, that which we invented here in this Nation, and in the 1990s were producing 40 percent of a crucial component in everything from cars to computers to medical devices. And the American people are ready; ready for investments that will spur innovative solutions to create jobs across the Nation, support American manufacturing, and build a strong and diverse STEM workforce ready to address the challenges we face as a Nation. prgtoken During President 's State of the Union Address, he called on Congress to get our innovation package to him for his signature. So we should
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2022-3-31

the process of confirming a Supreme Court Justice is supposed to be lengthy, thoughtful, rigorous. I am grateful to the Presiding Officer and Chairman Durbin for doing it right with Judge Brown Jackson. prgtoken Judge Jackson has answered hours of questions about her judicial philosophy, why she made certain decisions, why she represented certain clients, how her background has shaped her world view. Nearly every detail of her professional and personal life has been and will continue to be interrogated publicly as she goes through the final stages of this process. prgtoken But a strange thing is going to happen when Judge Jackson finally takes her seat on the Supreme Court. She will, after all of this review and scrutiny, become effectively immune from ethics standards. prgtoken Why is that? Because every Federal judge--circuit judges, district judges, court of international trade judges, court of Federal claims judges, bankruptcy judges, magistrate judges--every Federal judge is bound by a code of ethics in order to safeguard the judiciary's neutrality and transparency--all Federal judges, except for nine: the Supreme Court. prgtoken It is not because the Supreme Court is so highly regarded by the American people. In fact, the opposite is true. prgtoken Trust in the institution's reputation is in rapid decline right now. According to a recent C-SPAN poll, only 30 percent--about 37 percent, actually--of likely voters believe that the Supreme Court acts in a ``serious and constitutionally sound manner.'' prgtoken In a democracy that prides itself on a fair and independent judiciary, that is unacceptable. It is worrying, but it is not surprising. Recent revelations surrounding Justice Thomas and his wife's involvement in the events of January 6 have finally brought attention that prgtoken those standards we try to uphold during the confirmation process quickly disappear upon confirmation. prgtoken Now, this isn't some new phenomenon. We have seen Justices--both liberal and conservative--promote political fundraisers, speak at partisan events, fail to recuse themselves from cases with pretty clear conflicts of interest. And if the past is prologue--the recent incident that has gained a lot of attention regarding Justice Thomas's family-- it won't be the last. prgtoken Now, I first introduced a bill that would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of ethics 10 years ago. And I have reintroduced a version of that bill in every Congress since. prgtoken The majority of Americans agrees with me: There is absolutely no reason why the Supreme Court shouldn't be subject to a code of conduct just like every other Federal judge. prgtoken But the Court disagrees. John Roberts said in 2011 when he was asked about this: prgtoken The Court has no reason to adopt a code of conduct as its definitive source of ethical guidance. prgtoken Well, it has a reason now. And to be clear, I am not talking about a code of conduct
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-31

first on COVID negotiations, yesterday, I met with a group of my colleagues--Senators Murray, Coons, Romney, Blunt, Burr, and Graham--for another round of talks as we work toward a bipartisan COVID agreement. We spoke throughout the day; we talked late into the night; our staffs are continuing talks this morning. prgtoken The gap has been narrowed greatly, and we are intent on working with s to cross the finish line because this is vital for our country if, God forbid, a new variant arises in the future, and that is all too likely. We would like considerably more money than our colleagues, but we need to reach 60 votes to get something passed through the Senate, and so we are going to push as hard as we can. prgtoken When it comes to replenishing COVID response funding, we simply can't afford to kick the can down the road. The White House has been more than clear and more than transparent about the fact that public funds for COVID are at risk of running out. We all know that a possible future variant can quickly undo much of the progress we have made against the virus, so it makes no sense whatsoever to hold off on COVID funding that we know is very much needed right now. The more we wait, the bigger the problem will be later, God forbid a variant hits. prgtoken The bottom line is this: Both sides should work to complete COVID funding soon because that will mean more vaccines, more therapeutics, and more testing so we can keep schools and communities open. We can stay ``back to normal,'' which we are doing right now. Woe is us if a future variant extends its nasty tentacles across the country, and we don't have the resources in place to respond. Woe is us. So, again, I am pleading with my colleagues: Join us. We want more than you do, but we have to get something done. We have to get something done. prgtoken We will keep working to arrive at a deal in good faith, and we hope-- hope, hope, hope--our colleagues ultimately join us in supporting a robust enough package to deal with this problem. prgtoken As I said, we are making good progress. We are getting closer and closer, but the sooner we get this deal done, the better for the country. Business Before the Senate prgtoken , on cost cutting, it has been a productive few days here on the Senate floor as we pass legislation that will help reduce costs, relieve supply chains, and build on the incredible economic growth we have seen under President . prgtoken I am glad to announce that the Senate is on track to pass bipartisan legislation by Senators Klobuchar and Thune to reform unfair shipping practices that are clogging up our ports, diminishing American exports, hurting our farmers, and ultimately hurting consumers. It hurts both ways when shipping costs go way up, as they have. The exports we send over--a lot of it agricultural goods--the imports that come b
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-3-31

I am pleased to join Senator Grassley in introducing the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022. prgtoken Human trafficking and modern slavery are abhorrent crimes that are a scourge on our country and the world. In 2022, there are an estimated 40 million victims of human trafficking and modern slavery worldwide. These crimes generate approximately $150,000,000,000 of revenue annually. prgtoken Perpetrators of human trafficking prey on vulnerable and marginalized communities, which disproportionally impacts women and girls, migrants, people of color, and LGBT individuals. prgtoken According to Polaris--the anti-human trafficking organization that runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline--in 2021, the hotline was contacted directly over 13,000 times by victims and survivors of human trafficking in the United States. In the last 2 years, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotline has had a 60 percent increase in total contacts. prgtoken There is also evidence that labor trafficking in the agricultural industry may have increased during the pandemic. In June 2021, Polaris released a report finding that, ``[a]mong reported labor trafficking victims, there was more than a 70 percent increase in those who held H2-A visas.'' prgtoken This is unconscionable, and more must be done to combat human trafficking. That is why Senator Grassley and I have introduced the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022. prgtoken This bill builds on the pillars of anti-human trafficking policy-- prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership--in order to protect victims and rid the world of this heinous crime. prgtoken This bill aims to prevent human trafficking by requiring enhanced anti-human trafficking education and training for all Federal departments and agencies. prgtoken It would also require all Federal contractors to certify that they do not engage in the trafficking of persons and that no human trafficking occurred in that contractor's supply chain. The bill also encourages large private corporations to make the same types of certifications. prgtoken I am particularly proud of how this bill advances the goal of protecting victims and survivors of human trafficking. This bill not only reauthorizes existing grant programs, but it also creates a new grant for education and employment training for survivors of human trafficking. prgtoken The bill establishes a pilot program that provides services--such as education and employment programs, housing, and substance use disorder treatment--for youth who face a heightened risk of trafficking. prgtoken And to continue learning how to best support victims and survivors of trafficking, the bill calls for a study on the accessibility of mental health and substance use disorder services for survivors. prgtoken This bill also enhances the Federal Government's ability to prosecute human traffic
HONORING ROBERT DARDANO
Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2022-3-31

. Madam , I want to pay tribute to one of Monroe County's finest residents, Mr. Robert Dardano, Sr who died at the age of 93 in February of this year. prgtoken Mr. Dardano was well-known in the Rochester community for his life- long commitment to working on behalf of our nation's veterans. He was a veteran himself, having served our country in the U.S. Navy Seabees as well as the 58th CB Battalion in Okinawa, Japan during WWII. He also served as a Naval reservist during the Korean War. prgtoken At the conclusion of his active service, he devoted himself to serving the veterans of his community at the local, state, and national levels as a member of a plethora of veterans organizations including the Italian-American War Veterans, the Veterans Memorial, and Executive Council for the City of Rochester, the Veterans Advisory Committee of Monroe County, and among many others. prgtoken Mr. Dardano also organized the annual placement of American flags on the graves of veterans in cemeteries throughout our community, and he logged over 6,250 hours of community service at events for the local Canandaigua VA Medical Center. He and his wife Virginia also donated much of his paperwork and photographs from his service with veterans' organizations to the University of Rochester. prgtoken I extend my deepest condolences to the Dardano family during this time. We here in Monroe County will never forget Robert's selflessness and compassion, and I hope we as a community can do well to continue Robert's devotion to selflessness and helping others.
OCEAN SHIPPING REFORM ACT OF 2022
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-3-31

before I get underway with the business that brings me to the floor, I would like to take a moment to say farewell and thank you to a member of my staff who is going on to other pursuits. Her name is Leah Seigle. She is right behind me, and she was my scheduler for many, many years. prgtoken As every Senator knows, there is a special relationship between a Senator and a scheduler. They have to be on duty, more or less, 24/7 when we are up and about. They have to deal with our day-to-day life and how it integrates with our offices. They very often are close to and involved with our families, because of having to deal with keeping our family time extant and busy schedules. prgtoken So I want to say a word of appreciation to Leah. prgtoken I don't know how many speeches she has scheduled me here on the floor for--all the ``Scheme'' speeches, probably all of the ``Time to Wake Up'' speeches, and this one today. This one today she actually gets to be here for and doesn't have to watch on television. prgtoken So to Leah Seigle, thank you very much, and to schedulers everywhere, you are important to us. Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson prgtoken , the reason I am here is to announce my intention to vote for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and to congratulate her on the grace and dignity with which she withstood what Chairman Durbin called her ``trial by ordeal'' in the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken Last week, Judge Jackson set the gold standard for patience and courtesy from a Supreme Court nominee. She demonstrated, hour after hour after often-agonizing hour, in plain view the qualities that Rhode Islander and Reagan First Circuit appointee Judge Bruce Selya has praised in her, an outstanding legal mind, an exemplary judiciary temperament, and a depth of experience in the courtroom that none of the sitting Justices possesses. prgtoken Judge Jackson reminded us, through her personal story of perseverance and hope, how historic and important it is to have a Black woman about to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. That story of perseverance and hope stretches back beyond Judge Jackson's own life and work into the experience of Black women through American history, and it illuminates a brighter American future. So I will be proud to cast my vote for her confirmation. prgtoken During the Judiciary Committee hearing, there were persistent efforts to rewrite Judge Jackson's own history, to assign to her beliefs she has never espoused. She dispensed with those attempts so effectively that I won't dwell on them here. But there were other attempts in that hearing to rewrite history that I feel obliged to correct here today. prgtoken The first is the notion that a Justice must have a ``judicial philosophy.'' That is news to me. If a nominee has a judicial philosophy, it is definitely fair game. It is important to explore that, and it is
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Lauren Underwood (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-31

I rise today to mark the end of Women's History Month and highlight the contributions of women in my community: prgtoken From education leaders like Joliet-native, Margaret Haley, a teacher who led the Chicago's Teachers Federation to become the largest women's union in the country by 1900; and prgtoken Katharine Lucinda Sharp of Elgin, a founder of the Illinois Library Association who ran the Midwest's first library school; prgtoken To entertainers like Plainfield-native, Melissa McCarthy, whose comedy has graced our screens for two decades; and prgtoken Businesswomen, like Mary Foot Seymour of Aurora, who founded the Business Women's Journal, a publishing company led entirely by women. prgtoken These are just a few of the amazing women who have made a mark on my Northern Illinois community and our country, and I am proud to honor them.
AFFORDABLE INSULIN NOW ACT
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2022-3-31

. Madam , to my friend from Arizona, I appreciate his passion. I wish it were true that he had somehow cured diabetes. It would be great news for my daughter and so many other Americans who say that they are looking for that cure. In the meantime, while we are working to get there--and I appreciate the effort, I do, because I am on board, I am completely on board with the notion that we ought to cure this terrible disease--however, until that day comes, let's make sure that the people who depend on insulin in order to stay alive can live to see that day that I know he and I both are looking forward to. prgtoken Madam , I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), who is my colleague from the Ways and Means Committee.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2022-3-31

. It tells a story, and the story is very clear. We have a situation in this country where we have not upgraded the child pornography and sexual misconduct statutes in years. Across the board, 70 to 80 percent of sentences by Federal judges take the same position as Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. These so-called deviations from the guidelines have become commonplace. As I said, the overwhelming majority of Federal judges are doing this. prgtoken Well, is there a problem? There is. But the problem is that we have not upgraded the statute. We bear responsibility for this. The decision was made before the Supreme Court that these guidelines would not be mandatory. It was a decision joined by Antonin Scalia--the originalist, the conservative. It put the burden back on Congress, and we have not picked up that responsibility. prgtoken So you say to yourself: Well, if she were so soft on crime, it surely would have shown up in other places. Well, let me tell you what happened. The American Bar Association did a review of her career as a prosecutor, as a defender, on the bench. They interviewed 250 individuals--judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, other counsel who worked with her. prgtoken And I asked, pointblank, Judge Ann Williams, who led this investigation by the ABA: Did you hear from anyone who said she was soft on crime; that she somehow was not in the norm when it came to sentencing? prgtoken None. Not one. Two hundred fifty people interviewed, and not one came up with it. prgtoken All we have heard against her has come out of the mouths of three or four people on the committee, and that is it because there is no record for it. prgtoken Well, how did the American Bar Association grade her when it was all said and done? Unanimously ``well qualified.'' Unanimously ``well qualified.'' It doesn't sound like the same person just described, does it, because it isn't. What you have heard on the floor here is a mischaracterization of her record, and I am sorry to say it is unfair. And I wish it hadn't been part of the record today. prgtoken What about Guantanamo? Well, I have some serious differences with the Senator from South Carolina about Guantanamo. Hundreds of detainees have been sent to Guantanamo since the War on Terror began. Many of them should have been there, but hundreds and hundreds of them have been released by Presidents, and ic. We are now down to 39 detainees. We are spending over $10 million for each one of them each year at Guantanamo Bay. prgtoken And when it comes to the resolution of who was responsible for 9/11, the families have come and testified before us. They have waited over 20 years, and they still don't have an answer. They understand that the approach at Guantanamo Bay is not leading to justice, and it is not answering the basic factual questions. prgtoken So what is her situation? Why would she dare to call the President of the United States a war criminal? Wh