mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , I rise today to oppose H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act. This bill takes the wrong approach to dealing with these complex and complicated chemicals. prgtoken A de facto ban on all PFAS substances will do nothing but prevent secure disposal of existing chemicals and harm innovation of new, safer products. prgtoken As a physician, I have personally seen the benefits provided by these products. PFAS materials have a variety of uses in healthcare, ranging from heart valves, cardiac stents, to coatings on contact lenses. prgtoken Thanks to technology developed using PFAS materials, surgeries, such as those that are needed to repair a child's congenital heart defect, no longer require risky open-heart surgery and can simply be done through the arm. prgtoken Of course, we don't want dangerous chemicals in our water supply. But to outright ban an entire family of products is not the answer. We would not ban the entire periodic table because it includes arsenic and mercury. We need a science-grounded, risk-based approach that identifies the most harmful chemicals and treats them as such, rather than have Congress regulate the entire family as a single group. prgtoken Inclusion in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act has the potential to slow down the cleanup process of PFAS, divert resources from current higher-priority public health issues and create another unfunded mandate for critical public utilities and local governments. prgtoken Instead of interfering, it is time to let government agencies do their work. And so I urge my colleagues, join me, vote ``no'' on H.R. 2467.
Helsinki Commission (Executive Calendar)
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2021-7-21

one other thing that our colleagues might not understand about the OSCE is their role in election observation. prgtoken As we were leaving Sofia on the morning of July 11, we crossed paths with some other representatives from the OSCE from European countries who were there to observe the parliamentary elections being held in Bulgaria that very day. Also, on the same day, Moldova, another member of the OSCE, was having parliamentary elections. prgtoken We have every hope that the results of these elections will be a further resolve in those two nation members to counter the corruption at the highest level, and we want to congratulate both of those member states of the OSCE for free and fair elections in Europe. prgtoken With that, . prgtoken .
RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE FREDERICK DOUGLASS PARK
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-7-21

today I wish to recognize and celebrate the centennial of Indianapolis' Frederick Douglass Park. prgtoken In the early 20th century, recreational opportunities for Black Americans in Indianapolis were separate and unequal. There were no public swings or slides for children to play on, no designated green spaces for communities to gather in. When the city's government took notice of the polluted and dangerous swimming holes and streams in which citizens cooled off, it constructed sanitary swimming pools, in White neighborhoods only. prgtoken There were, thankfully, Hoosiers who recognized these injustices and resolved to right them: the physician and city council member Sumner Furniss and journalist Marcus Stewart, who both lobbied for the creation of a park to accommodate the city's growing Black population. And the family of local entrepreneur Edward Claypool, who donated the land on which to build it. prgtoken Because of their efforts, in the summer of 1921, a new park opened on the northeast side of Indianapolis where African Americans were welcome. It was fittingly named for the great champion of freedom, Frederick Douglass. prgtoken A year later, a large swimming pool filled with clean water opened. There were slides, swings, and merry-go-rounds too. Next came the adjoining Douglass Park Golf Course. Originally six tomato cans in a cow pasture, it later grew to nine holes and par 34 and is one of the only golf courses in the Nation named after an African American. Tennis courts, basketball hoops, and baseball diamonds were added as well. prgtoken When the doors to other communal gathering places across Indianapolis were closed and locked, Frederick Douglass Park didn't just provide an alternative, it created a beloved institution that brought people together. prgtoken Thousands of Hoosiers spent their weekends and holidays here. It was the site of civic gatherings, political rallies, family reunions, basketball tournaments, little league championships, and jazz concerts. Across the park on a typical summer night the thump of basketballs on pavement competed with the echoes of brass instruments. It was not uncommon to see the likes of champion boxer Joe Louis playing a round of golf or future basketball legends Mel Daniels or George McGinnis working on their game. prgtoken One hundred years later, Frederick Douglass Park continues to play an important role in the civic life of our capital city and bring joy to those who call it home. It is exactly the type of public place where Americans have always engaged, interacted, and found common ground. prgtoken I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this milestone.
Nomination of David H. Chipman (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-7-21

last week, I came down to the floor to discuss how the ``defund the police'' movement has contributed to the surging crime we see around the country. And as I noted, the ic Party bears a substantial degree of responsibility to the situation we find ourselves in because this is a party that either actively contributed to defund the police rhetoric or implicitly endorsed it largely by staying silent. prgtoken Now, however, have come to realize that attacking the police and the sharp spike in crime could hurt their electoral chances next year. And so the President and other leaders have, all of a sudden, announced their concern about rising crime rates. prgtoken But as I said last week, they are still trying to have their cake and eat it, too, because missing from their messaging is any real condemnation of defund the police rhetoric and the toll it has taken on our cities and police departments. And their plans for confronting the surge in crime are long on punishing gun dealers and gun manufacturers and short on going after those actually committing crimes. prgtoken It is typical of , for whom fighting crimes seems to involve controlling guns--specifically, guns owned by law-abiding gun owners-- more than it involves controlling criminals. What should be doing is training their attention on violent offenders, traffickers, and gangs, and illegal straw purchases; not finding ways to saddle law- abiding gun owners with burdensome regulations because it is not law- abiding gun owners who are responsible for most of the gun crimes in this country. prgtoken The majority of gun crimes are committed by individuals who have obtained their guns illegally--illegally--which is why fighting these crimes should involve improving enforcement of our laws and increasing prosecution of those who violate them, not creating new laws that will only serve to further burden the constitutionally guaranteed Second Amendment right of law-abiding individuals. prgtoken Unfortunately, as I said, are following their usual playbook during this recent crime surge, which they seem to see as a convenient excuse for pushing some of their gun control priorities. prgtoken The President recently delivered remarks on crime, and the first priority he discussed at length was going after federally licensed firearms dealers. That is right, firearm dealers. prgtoken While we can all agree that firearms dealers who violate the law should be punished, the rogue gun dealers that the President refers to are only responsible for a tiny fraction of guns being used in crimes. prgtoken Going after gun dealers as one of your top law enforcement priorities is not going to do much to stem the illegal flow of weapons or their use in crimes. Enforcement dollars and enforcement personnel are not endless. You can waste a lot of money and a lot of man-hours conducting checks of law-abiding gun dealers while
VACCINATING TO STOP RISE OF DELTA VARIANT
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2021-7-21

I rise today to discuss the issue of vaccinations, vaccine hesitancy, and the rising rates of the COVID-19 delta variant. prgtoken For the last few months, I have traveled across my district administering vaccines to Iowans. It has been a pleasure to see my constituents and the entire country have a renewed sense of freedom and begin to return to normal. prgtoken But fully engaged living is threatened by the delta variant, which is causing increased hospitalizations and death, especially among those unvaccinated. Those vaccinated have a much milder course of disease. prgtoken It is miraculous to have three safe and effective vaccines for COVID- 19 so rapidly. However, this speed of development may give some Americans pause. Therefore, it is critical to emphasize that no safety shortcuts were taken and reassure our constituents that they are safe and effective. prgtoken Decades of research informed the development of these breakthrough vaccines, and millions have been vaccinated with tremendously low risk. Given the rise in the delta variant, I would once again encourage everyone to get a vaccine as soon as possible so that we continue our path to normalcy and not go back to lockdowns and mask mandates. prgtoken This vaccine is how we get back to normal and get our lives back. If you have questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor. prgtoken , I would also like to take this time to wish the youngest of 10 in our family, Mari-Eleanor Martino, a happy birthday.
CLOTURE MOTION
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-7-21

in the last few weeks, I have been back home, and many, many people were finishing up wheat harvest. It is absolutely one of the joys of the entire year, when a year's work of hard work comes to fruition. Every corner of the State was speckled with combines, tractors, grain carts, and trucks, all doing their part in the harvest process. Inside those implements were fathers and sons, sisters, mothers, brothers, and my cousins, all working side by side to harvest the crop that will provide the financing for land payments, equipment loans, operating loans, and next year's inputs, like seed and fertilizer. prgtoken Now, agriculture is a capital-intensive industry, much more than I could have ever imagined. Harvesting wheat requires at least four different pieces of machinery, many costing $250,000, $500,000, or more each. It takes years for a farmer building up equity to purchase a new piece of equipment or land. And for many families, it is only by passing down the land and equipment that a family farm can remain viable. This is the only way a young farmer can truly survive. prgtoken Now, the common saying in Kansas is that farmers live poor but die rich. Across this great Nation, contrary to most people's beliefs, 98 percent of farms and ranches are family-owned-- prgtoken 98 percent, family-owned. Those families produce much of the food, fuel, and fiber we consume here in the United States and around the globe. These family farms, many in their fourth, like mine, fifth generation--and even sixth and seventh generation farms and ranches are out there now. They endure turbulent weather, inconsistent market conditions, and tight labor markets. It seemed like, growing up, a week never passed that my dad never looked at me and said: You know, farming has to be the biggest gamble there is in America. prgtoken In 2017, -led government passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which provided sweeping tax changes to encourage private entrepreneurship and economic growth. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the exemptions for the estate tax--as we call it, the death tax--more than doubled, keeping most family farms safe from redundant government taxation. prgtoken But now, the current administration and some of my friends across the aisle want to tax hard-working agricultural producers with the financing of their roughly $5 trillion reckless tax-and-spending bill. I think President Eisenhower--or Ike, as we call him, a fellow Kansan-- hit the nail on the head when he said: ``You know, farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from a corn field.'' prgtoken First, they proposed not only eliminating stepped-up basis on realized property but also on unrealized assets at the time of the owner's death. Their proposal would tax unrealized capital gains over $1 million at ordinary income tax rates, which would be levied at the top marginal rate of 39.6 percent. That means the
Infrastructure (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-7-21

today, the ic leader appears to be intent on calling a vote he knows will fail. For several weeks now, and ic Senators have been working together, trying to assemble a bipartisan package for our Nation's infrastructure. prgtoken It is an important and a complex subject. They are talking about big projects and big sums of money. They are still talking, still working, still negotiating in good faith across the aisle. But these discussions have yet to conclude. There is no outcome yet, no bipartisan agreement, no text, nothing for the Congressional Budget Office to evaluate, and, certainly, nothing on which to vote, not yet. prgtoken So, obviously, if the ic leader tries to force a cloture vote on a bill that does not exist, it will fail. prgtoken Around here, we typically write the bills before we vote on them. That is the custom. Of course, here in the Senate, a failed cloture vote does not mean no forever. prgtoken In the middle of the early COVID crisis, back in March of 2020, with Americans under stay-home orders and financial markets plummeting, Senate withheld cloture on the CARES Act multiple times so they could continue haggling behind the scenes. prgtoken Now, this was during a real emergency. Every day, every hour, was crucial. But Senate blocked cloture multiple times until various details were fine-tuned to their liking. prgtoken Here is what the ic leader said while his side tanked those cloture votes last March--March of 2020: The Majority Leader was well aware of how this vote would go before it happened, but he chose to move forward with it anyway, even though negotiations are continuing. So who is playing games? prgtoken That was the ic leader in March of 2020, in the middle of a national emergency. prgtoken That, of course, was a fast-moving global crisis, with bipartisan text already in hand. There was a bill. Yet Senate insisted on taking their time in the middle of this national 100-year pandemic. Now, we are talking about long-term infrastructure investments that will play out over many years, but he wants to vote before any agreement even exists. prgtoken So this stunt is set to fail. The ic leader will be free to change his vote and move to reconsider whenever a bipartisan product actually exists.
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2021-7-21

I rise here today to give emphasis to something I think is very important--it has been done basically annually--and that is talking about our Pledge of Allegiance. It is an expression of patriotism and commitment to our great Nation. prgtoken The United States is a symbol of freedom around the world. It is a beacon for ``the land of opportunity.'' prgtoken Today, let's reaffirm our allegiance to the United States. I urge my colleagues to pass this annual resolution that simply expresses support for our Pledge of Allegiance. prgtoken This resolution was first raised by Senator Tom Daschle back in 2002 and passed without objection. Now, nearly 20 years later, this resolution is probably more important than ever. prgtoken We have seen countless attacks on our flag and the values it represents. The American flag is a symbol of hope and perseverance across the world. Whether in Cuba, Hong Kong, or Venezuela, those suffering under tyrannical regimes proudly wave the American flag in protest. prgtoken The U.S. Senate must stand in support of the Pledge of Allegiance, one of our most powerful expressions of national unity. prgtoken , as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 309, submitted earlier today.
HYDE AMENDMENT
Tracey Mann (Republican, KS) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , I rise today to voice my strong opposition to President 's budget proposal for its exclusion of the Hyde amendment, which for 45 years has protected Americans from forced financial complicity in abortion and abortion services. prgtoken When Congress passed the Hyde amendment in 1976, our country's lawmakers had the sense and decency to agree that if abortions were going to take place in this country, then at least dissenting Americans wouldn't get stuck with the bill. Forcing people to pay for the killing of babies with their tax dollars is unconscionable. That is why the Hyde amendment was passed. prgtoken Now, the President wants to revoke this protection, as if his $6 trillion budget--which would blatantly require us to raise taxes or print money unto bankruptcy--wasn't already disastrous enough. prgtoken I believe that life begins at conception and that unborn children in our country have a right to live. Every Member of Congress should, but one does not need to in order to support the Hyde amendment, which prohibits the Federal Government from forcing the American public to do something that we should never ask them to do: pay for abortions. Hutchinson Football Championship
CLOTURE MOTION
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-7-21

a lot of time when people come to Washington, they come up with ideas for new policies, and they have a theory of how those policies are supposed to work. What they don't always know are the unintended consequences of what that law is going to produce. As a matter of fact, I have said on occasion that the most certain thing that will happen when we pass a law is unintended consequences, and I haven't been proved wrong very many times on that. prgtoken The unintended consequences are things that nobody saw coming. They are things you didn't expect to happen the way they did. Smart people writing the laws may do all they can to anticipate everything they can, but there is always something never thought of. So it is helpful to have information that tells us what the consequences are likely to be. prgtoken The topic we are talking about here today is filled with intended consequences if you look just beyond the comment you are making at the impact it is going to have. prgtoken In this case, the proposed laws are a couple of ideas my ic colleagues have as to how to pay for the spending spree they are on right now. The tax-and-spend plans include a lot of bad ideas, but two of the tax ideas are particularly bad and will have particularly devastating impact. prgtoken First is a proposal from Senator Sanders to raise the death tax on farmers and ranchers, to change the exemption and do things that simply raise that tax. The second would be to impose the double-death tax by eliminating what Senator Moran was just talking about, the stepped-up basis in calculating how much families have to pay. prgtoken The research tells us what we can expect to happen if these two bills pass. Research was done at the Texas A&M University that looked at a representative group of 94 farms in 30 States. You can look at this research. You can verify my facts. With 94 farms, 30 States, they found that under current law, 2 of those 94 farms could expect to be hit by a big death tax when the farm goes from one generation to the next. But if the step-up basis tax hike proposed by President and in Congress were enacted, the researchers found that 92 of 94 farms would be hit hard. The average additional tax liability would be $726,000. So 94 farms; 30 States; 92 farms affected; the average tax, $726,000. That is not the total taxes; that is just the additional taxes if these two bills pass. prgtoken If these tax hikes favored by the other side were allowed to pass, we would have 92 farms paying a higher tax bill. That average additional tax would add up to more than $1.5 million. Many families would be forced to sell all or part of their farm. And these aren't families who are inheriting big stock portfolios or families who are inheriting multimillion-dollar beach houses. They are not families who focus on every way you can think of to cheat the tax law. They are not billionaires looking for every way they
SERIOUS ISSUES FACING OUR COUNTRY
Ronny Jackson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , I rise today to bring attention to a serious issue facing my home State of Texas and millions of Americans, the border crisis. Things at our southern border have gotten worse by the day since and have taken office. prgtoken For example, illegal immigration numbers were up 450 percent in June compared to June of last year. June was the fourth straight month with over 170,000 apprehensions. Border Patrol officials have seized more fentanyl so far in 2021 than all of 2020. prgtoken COVID cases among illegal immigrants are up 900 percent in the Rio Grande Valley. Numbers don't lie. The administration's reckless approach to immigration has caused a full-blown crisis at the border, and there is absolutely nothing being done to stop it. prgtoken To be clear, the public health and drug crises that have been exacerbated by what is happening at the border are not just a problem for border States. The drugs being smuggled in at the border are coming to a neighborhood near you, courtesy of and . prgtoken Their hypocrisy on the public health threat, in particular, couldn't be more appalling. While pushing stringent COVID rules on the American people, the administration is simultaneously pushing an open- border agenda that includes placing COVID-infected illegal immigrants all over this country. It is absolutely unbelievable. prgtoken Every American will ultimately be impacted in some way by this border crisis. I plea with the President to reverse his failed immigration plan and start protecting the American people.
PFAS ACTION ACT OF 2021
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2021-7-21

. Madam , PFAS chemicals are life- threatening. They are forever chemicals and need to be cleaned up. We will act today to regulate these chemicals and protect public health. prgtoken Highland Dairy is a family-owned operation that has served the eastern part of my district for four generations. In 2018, Highland learned that PFAS from the nearby Air Force base leaked into the shared aquifer that watered the grass which fed the cows. The PFAS contamination poisoned the cows and the dairy could not sell the milk or the cows. Highland is on the brink of disaster merely by being a neighbor to the Air Force base. We cannot allow PFAS to work itself into our food system. prgtoken Madam , my amendment requires the EPA to consider the risk PFAS poses to water used for agricultural purposes, like that at Highland. prgtoken Madam , the EPA's work must be inclusive of farmers, rural America, and the food we eat. I urge my colleagues to adopt the amendment and pass this bill.