mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Bill Hagerty (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Dr. Gupta received a tie vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. There is a Senate process that has been agreed to by both parties by which the leader can discharge a nomination with a tie vote from this committee to bring it before the full Senate, if he so chooses. prgtoken I am saying this as a person who has been put through 30 hours of cloture himself when I served in the executive branch and went through this very process. prgtoken We should not break from Senate process and procedure with regard to Dr. Gupta's nomination. Members should have the opportunity to vote, and the majority leader can schedule it. prgtoken Additionally, I think the vast majority of Senators from both sides value the economic empowerment of women everywhere around the globe. The previous administration made economic empowerment for women worldwide one of its signature initiatives. prgtoken I served as a diplomat at that time in the previous administration, and the senior Senator from New Hampshire was a valuable partner in many of our efforts, which I very much appreciate. prgtoken So I think that there is a goal we share, but there are valid concerns on our side that the current administration is tainting this worthy goal and dismantling the bipartisan achievements of the previous administration. We deserve to have a better understanding of what this administration is doing before we rush ahead and totally bypass the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to confirm the person who will be the chief implementer of this administration's policies. prgtoken I am not comfortable giving consent to expedite consideration of this nominee. prgtoken Therefore, I object.
Internal Revenue Service (Executive Calendar)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2022-9-14

``Help Wanted.'' I see the signs in nearly every county I visit in Iowa on my 99-county tour. Small businesses and public services are struggling to maintain the workforce that is vital to our communities. The Des Moines Public School District, for example, has over 100 vacancies and is providing $50,000 incentives for retiring teachers, nurses, and administrators to stay in school. prgtoken Faced with a declining number of soldiers, the Iowa National Guard is offering signing bonuses to new recruits, prgtoken along with other incentives to encourage current members to reenlist. prgtoken Police departments across the State are also facing recruitment challenges so the Iowa State Patrol is raising salaries and starting outreach efforts with kids as young as the sixth grade to get them to start thinking about careers in law enforcement. prgtoken And this need for essential workers, well, it isn't limited to just Iowa. America is facing a shortage of teachers, doctors, nurses, childcare providers, construction workers, truckdrivers, pilots, and even accountants. prgtoken And with the ' latest tax-and-spend spree, a shortage of accountants is something taxpayers everywhere now need to be concerned about. The ' response to the nationwide need for essential workers is to hire 87,000 new IRS agents. The reckless tax-and-spending bill passed by DC last month more than doubles the size of the IRS, which already has nearly 80,000 full-time employees. prgtoken So what are the new IRS agents being hired to do? Well, audit America, of course--and very aggressively, if a recent job announcement on the Agency's website is any indication. The IRS says it is seeking armed accountants willing to participate in ``life-threatening situations on the job.'' prgtoken The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says, with the supersized staff, the IRS audit rate ``would rise for all taxpayers,'' regardless of income. CBO warns it will also result in audits of innocent Americans who have paid all of their taxes and don't owe the IRS a cent. That is right. Even if you have paid your taxes, you still could be subjected to an unfair and costly audit by the administration's army of IRS agents. prgtoken Folks, Washington doesn't need any more tax collectors; it needs to simplify the Tax Code. If it wasn't so complicated to calculate your tax bill, it would be a lot easier to complete your return and avoid making mistakes. prgtoken Ironically, hundreds of employees at the IRS itself may have willfully failed to pay their own tax bills, including tax collectors and even a criminal investigator. In total, 1,250 IRS employees were identified who had not paid their tax bills in full or on time by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. More than 300 of these employees were repeat offenders. Yet the tax-collecting Agency did little to discipline the tax evaders on its very own payroll
RECOGNIZING CONGRESSMAN HAL ROGERS AS DEAN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-9-14

I thank the gentleman for yielding. And as you spoke, you are runner-up, almost, to the dean, too, so I appreciate your service. prgtoken Before I begin, I do want to take a moment to recognize and talk about our former Member, Don Young. He took this job very seriously, and he is greatly missed. prgtoken And to the new dean, there are some similarities to you and Don. You both had your assigned seats. Don was in the back, but you are up front. prgtoken Don was a yeller. You are more of a southern gentleman. Don preferred a knife in his boot. You just like cigars, which I think is a little improvement. prgtoken , I have known Hal for the 15 years I have been here. I don't know of another person that has a greater respect for this institution or is more caring for Members on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken I have watched Hal in a position of power, as chair of the Appropriations Committee, work with people on the other side simply because the issue was right. I watched him defy his party, to stand up to do what is right. prgtoken I have traveled with him throughout his district, which is not a wealthy district at all, but I watched him, no matter how many years he has served, to continue to have the ability to listen. prgtoken I watched him be on the forefront of watching an opioid epidemic in America and him leading to do something about it, simply because he watched something in his district. prgtoken If you haven't ever had a moment of time--if you get Representatives Womack or Cole to step aside--take a moment and sit with Hal. He might speak soft and at times he is hard of hearing, especially when he goes through the magnetometers, but he will tell you stories that a historian would love. He will tell you the times before of what this body would do together. He will tell you the moments of the highs and the lows, and all of them would end in a story with America being a little better for tomorrow. prgtoken Now, Hal, I know the first question you are going to ask me. No, you get no more extra pay for being the dean, but you have a lot of responsibility, and, in essence, you are the mentor to the House. I know you will do your job well because all you have ever wanted to do was do what was right. prgtoken Your love for the institution, your love for the body, but more importantly, your love for the country.
RECOGNIZING JAMES WIMSATT
Brett Guthrie (Republican, KY) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Madam , I rise today to wish James L. Wimsatt a happy 104th birthday. James is a World War II veteran and fixture in the Owensboro community for his work to build up Kentucky through his artwork. prgtoken James Wimsatt was born in Ohio County on September 18, 1918, to Thomas and Iva Wimsatt. Due to not being able to afford books, James took up painting and drawing and was considered gifted with art at a young age. prgtoken Before leaving to serve during World War II, James proposed to Gertrude ``Trudy'' Mitchell. She would not accept at the time but told him she would wait for him. They were married in 1945 and had 77 years of marriage together when she passed away on July 28, 2022. A member of James' family said James and Trudy were one of the greatest love stories. prgtoken Following his military service, James worked at Kroger and then GE until his retirement. He also wanted to showcase the beauty of our Commonwealth, so he used his artistic talents to paint scenes of Kentucky, reminding us Kentuckians of the deep pride we have for our home. prgtoken I join the Owensboro community and James' family and friends in wishing James a happy 104th birthday and thank him for all he has done to serve our country and make Kentucky shine through his artwork.
IMPROVING SENIORS' TIMELY ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2022
Mike Kelly (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-9-14

the balance of my time. prgtoken I know Dr. Bera is leaving the floor right now. prgtoken So often, when I am home and I am here, we always pick winners and losers and, somehow, that becomes the main objective of who won, who lost. So we are worried today about the score. It doesn't matter on the score because everybody wins on this. There is no loser on this. prgtoken And if we can't look to the people who have supported us our whole lives and have created opportunities that exist in this country on their backs, what in the world are we doing here? prgtoken Well, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity to be with Ms. DelBene. This is incredible to get this done today. prgtoken I am urging every single Member to vote for this. Please throw out your scorecard and look at the picture in your wallet of who it is that parented you or grandparented you and say you know what, wouldn't it be nice to give them something back after they gave us their whole life? And let them have some peace of mind. prgtoken I don't think there is anything greater in your later years than peace of mind and being able to know that I am getting healthcare when I need it. I am not going to have to wait for somebody someplace else to determine whether I should get it. prgtoken So it has been a pleasure working with you. It has been a pleasure working with all of our colleagues. And for Dr. Marshall, who used to sit here with us but now is over in the senior area of this magnificent model--although, I think he is too young to be there. Now, I am sure my older Senators will say, hey, Kelly, please don't call us old. I won't. Let's just say the more seasoned Members. prgtoken But I am glad we can wrap this up on a really good note. I can't tell you how good I feel about this, that we can go prgtoken home and tell those people that we represent--I don't care how they vote. All I want them to know is we care about what they have done for us, and we are going to be able to supply them some peace of mind. prgtoken , .
RECOGNIZING RICARDO MARQUES, JR.
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-9-14

today, we recognize the late Ricardo Marques, Jr an outstanding American who passed away in July after battling cancer. prgtoken Everything that Rick did in his accomplished life was done for his family and in service to our great Nation. Rick was a marine who defended our Nation honorably prior to joining the Bureau of Prisons. prgtoken Rick spent nearly 30 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, working at both USP Lewisburg and FCC Allenwood in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District prior to retiring. prgtoken Having toured both of these facilities, it is clear that the men and women who work there are outstanding individuals. I can tell you, Mr that it takes an enormous amount of fortitude and sacrifice to do that work. prgtoken Everyone who knew Rick remembers him as a natural-born leader and as a man who left a lasting impression of love and respect on everyone he encountered. America is better off because of Rick's contributions and work. prgtoken It is my hope that Rick's family finds comfort in his legacy and lifetime of service.
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Calendar)
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2022-9-14

the letter says: At the founding of our nation, then-General George Washington penned, ``When the civil and military powers cooperate, and afford mutual aid to each other there can be little doubt of things going well.'' prgtoken As General Milley said, at one of the most dangerous times in recent history, it is vital that our civil and military powers cooperate. prgtoken What we need to do in this body right now is get back to the important work of bolstering our economy, of fighting inflation, of bringing down energy costs, of unleashing American energy, and, most importantly, of passing the NDAA so we can bolster the national security of this great Nation in very dangerous times. prgtoken I call on the majority leader, along with 20 of my colleagues and some of my ic colleagues, to bring the NDAA to the floor and not wait until the end of the year, which is what we hear he is planning to do. prgtoken .
HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF JOHN CRUTCHFIELD
John R. Carter (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Madam , I'm honored to celebrate and recognize the extraordinary work of John Crutchfield. His eighteen years dedication to his beloved city of Killeen are the reflection of a true and devoted public servant. prgtoken With his ``can-do'' spirit and high-minded vision, John is a trusted community leader. He brought his tremendous work ethic and commitment to excellence to every challenge he encountered. prgtoken As President/CEO of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, John won numerous awards and spearheaded many critical projects over the decades such as Texas A&M University Central, Interstate 14, business recruitment, the research park, as well as protecting and growing Fort Hood. He also had a part in setting up the Fort Hood Regional Economic Development Foundation. It's public servants like him that make Killeen the welcoming, successful city that it is. prgtoken While John isn't tired of the privilege of public service he knows that everything has its season and the time has come to allow the next generation of leaders to take the stage. Stepping away from his office won't give him much idle time as he remains a vital part of the Central Texas community and will spend more time with his beloved wife Sheila and their family. prgtoken Retirement is meant to be celebrated and enjoyed. It is not the end of a career, but the beginning of a new adventure. It is my honor to recognize the selfless service of John Crutchfield as he starts this new chapter of his life. On behalf of Central Texas, I thank him for his superb work and wish him the very best.
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2021
Jake Auchincloss (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act. prgtoken Historically, there has been a double standard between Federal and corporate whistleblowers seeking reprieve for retaliatory actions taken against them. While corporate whistleblowers can have their day in court, Federal whistleblowers' cases fall only under the jurisdiction of the Merit Systems Protection Board. The Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act would remedy this by allowing certain Federal whistleblowers to file their claims in district court. prgtoken My amendment would ensure that we continue to make evidence-based improvements to the Federal whistleblower case review process by requiring the GAO to study the outcomes of this bill. Specifically, my amendment calls on the GAO to report on the timeliness of MSPB rulings and the rates of Federal whistleblowers opting for district court trials. It requires the GAO to offer recommendations for the MSPB to make improvements to its review process so that Federal whistleblowers who put their jobs, careers, and reputations on the line to call out wrongdoing are given the respect of a timely review. prgtoken This bill is critical to improving protections for Federal whistleblowers and enhancing accountability across the Federal Government. My amendment would ensure that we collect the evidence necessary to continue to make improvements. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendments en bloc.
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Ambassador Rubin put it very starkly. He said: The U.S. no longer has the largest diplomatic service. China does. prgtoken He concluded by saying: We have to stop tying one hand behind our backs in our efforts to represent our country and advance its security and prosperity. It's malpractice. prgtoken It is malpractice. prgtoken The fact that too many people in this Chamber are dragging their feet on allowing Ambassadors to be confirmed, on allowing diplomats with the Department of State to be confirmed, on allowing other high level people throughout government to be confirmed because, only, of their opposition to the administration is just untenable, and it is against our national security. prgtoken So I think it is time now for the Senate to do its job to confirm Dr. Gupta. So let's move forward. Let's get our foreign policy with respect to gender throughout the world back on track. prgtoken .
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-9-14

my colleagues tempt me to wander afield from what we have come here to talk about since they want to talk about seemingly everything else. So let me try to respond to a few of the points that have just been lobbed in our direction. prgtoken First, they seem to want to assign responsibility to the President of the United States for the inflation rate. But then, surely, they will assign responsibility to the President of the prgtoken United States for the unemployment rate, which now stands at around 3.5 percent, the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. You have got to go back a half century to find the kind of job situation that President has brought to the United States of America. prgtoken Last week, we learned that payroll employment is up by 315,000 in the month of August alone. Since President came into office, we have added 668,000 manufacturing jobs. prgtoken Now, it is true the President has been fighting inflation ever since he got into office. Why? prgtoken Well, the economy started to come roaring back--not just in America, but all over the world in the wake of the pandemic. So we saw a tremendous demand with broken supply chains. So what happens under the law of supply and demand? The prices go up. But, unlike our colleagues who seem to want to chortle about it and use it as a campaign talking point, President and the have been acting to bring inflation down. Every single day. prgtoken Yesterday's Consumer Price Index data showed continued progress in bringing global inflation down here in the U.S. economy. Gas prices are down an average of $1.30 a gallon since the beginning of the summer. Price increases slowed at the grocery store this month. Still too high. But real wages went up again for a second month in a row, giving hardworking families more breathing room. prgtoken It is amazing to me that some of the time has been delegated to one of our distinguished colleagues who seem to want to blame these global economic conditions arising from COVID-19 and the pandemic and broken supply chains, as well as Vladimir Putin's filthy imperialist war in Ukraine, which fortunately, the people of Ukraine, with the support of a lot of people in this body--but not everybody--is starting to win. And we have seen dramatic reversal of fortune in that war as the democratic forces are beating Vladimir Putin and the autocrats in Russia. prgtoken But in any event, we just heard someone who wanted to blame all of these global economic conditions on an SEC regulation, which we are not here to discuss and, therefore, unfortunately, I can't address. I might agree with the gentleman, for all I know. It has nothing to do with the legislation before us, and it is hard for me to believe that that is the source of inflation around the world or the unemployment, which now is practically at the bottom level that we have ever seen in over a century. prgtoken But in any event, , back to the point at h
IMPROVING SENIORS' TIMELY ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2022
Judy Chu (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-9-14

I rise in strong support of my colleague, Representative DelBene's bill, the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. I have heard from countless patients in my southern California district whose care has been delayed for weeks and, in some cases, outright denied because of countless barriers and archaic approval methods. And I have heard directly from physicians who are at their wits end, unable to provide the care they know will help their patients because of endless red tape. prgtoken The Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act makes thoughtful and much-needed improvements to the Medicare system to correct these problems. The bill before us today will promote modernization of the prior authorization system to speed up approvals of routine procedures. prgtoken It moves the system of prior authorization into the 21st century, away from fax machines and toward electronic approval methods. By shortening the window by which insurance plans must respond to a prior authorization request, the bill will ensure patients get the care they need when they need it. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2021
Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat, DC) \u2014 2022-9-14

. Mr. Chair, I thank my good friend, the chair of our committee, for yielding time. prgtoken I come to speak in strong support of the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act, of which I am a cosponsor. I especially appreciate this bill since, as a Member of Congress for the District of Columbia, many Federal employees are my constituents. prgtoken Importantly, this bill would expand whistleblower protections and ensure due process and enable relief for whistleblowers. We should appreciate and celebrate our Federal employees, especially our whistleblowers, and I am particularly pleased that this bill would clarify that Federal employees cannot be retaliated against for sharing information with Congress. prgtoken It is important that Congress have full information about the operations prgtoken of our government, and this good-governance measure will help with that goal. prgtoken I am grateful to Chairwoman Maloney for introducing this important bill, and I am pleased to speak in support of it.