mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Pete Ricketts (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-12-13

I have been hearing from a lot of families back home who are frustrated with the economy. prgtoken The numbers say it all. Americans are paying the price for failed omics. Since became President, prices have increased by 17.38 percent. Necessities continue to cost hard-working American families hundreds of extra dollars every month. Gasoline is up 42.18 percent. Groceries are up 20.28 percent. Energy prices are up nearly 35 percent. Electricity is up 23.5 percent. Rent is up 18.5 percent. prgtoken A CBS News poll recently showed that 76 percent of Americans say their income is not keeping up with 's inflation, 92 percent of adults have felt the need to reduce their spending, and 76 percent plan to cut back on nonessential items. prgtoken Another report stated that the average American family is spending $11,400 more each year to pay for the same standard of living they had when took office. That is several months of pay for an everyday household. prgtoken As anyone with a basic understanding of economics knows, they will tell you that people on low and fixed incomes are the ones that are going to be the hardest hit. This inflation is a tax on every American's standard of living. prgtoken President said that ``omics is just another way [to say] `the American Dream,' '' and yet the numbers show the American Dream is now more out of reach than at any time in recent history. Maybe that is why President has stopped saying ``omics.'' prgtoken Before , the average monthly payment for a new home was $1,787. Today, that number is almost double, $3,322. That makes a new home unaffordable for many Americans. prgtoken This inflation is caused by President 's failed policies and reckless spending. Americans are forced to pay more now because of inflation and pay more later to address the rising cost of our national debt. prgtoken President has adopted the term ``omics'' as a way to make Americans believe that they are better off. Well, it didn't work. prgtoken He has falsely claimed to have cut the national debt by $1.7 trillion when, in fact, the debt has increased by $6 trillion. He has falsely claimed that prices went down for holiday meals when, in fact, every single item that he mentioned has increased since he took office. prgtoken Once again, the numbers say it all. prgtoken An astounding 76 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. The President's war on domestic energy production has caused the price of energy to skyrocket. A wave of burdensome regulations has cost Americans thousands of dollars per household and limited their freedom. An avalanche of green energy spending has added trillions of dollars to the debt without building a single EV charger. prgtoken While Americans have tightened their belts in response to rising costs, our Federal Government has done the opposite. Federal spending is up
WHOLE MILK FOR HEALTHY KIDS ACT OF 2023
Troy A. Carter (Democrat, LA) \u2014 2023-12-13

. Mr. Chair, I thank Ranking Member Scott for his time and leadership in this matter. prgtoken I rise today in opposition to this bill. Monday night, the Rules Committee considered my amendment, amendment No. 16, to H.R. 1147, which would have provided an alternative, a healthy alternative to our young people, people that cannot digest milk. prgtoken I heard my colleagues on the other side of the aisle suggest that this was a choice. Well, if there were a choice, then why not add soy as a choice. Soy gives the equivalent of the nutritional values as whole milk, but it does not have the negative impact that whole milk has on a large swath of people in our community. prgtoken I will tell you those numbers. Ninety-five percent of Native Americans have lactose intolerance. Ninety percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant. Sixty-five percent of Latino Americans are, in fact, lactose intolerant. Asian Americans, 90 percent. These are real numbers. This is not about taste. This is not about profit. This is not about bottom line. This is not about a powerful lobby. This is about the safety, nutrition, and well-being of our young people. prgtoken We cannot ignore the impact that ingesting or attempting to digest things that your body cannot and what impact it has on one's ability to concentrate or do well in the classroom. prgtoken My colleagues and I formed a diverse group, represented by chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Asian Pacific American Caucus, and a vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus respectively. We all firmly believe that the full House should be allowed to debate this important measure, making sure that we were given the opportunity on the floor to debate this amendment. I believe if given the opportunity to be heard, even the other side could have and would have been able to support. prgtoken What is most perplexing is how this amendment aligns with the purpose of the underlying bill, to expand choice and to deliver healthy beverages to the school counter. Our amendment is based on the text of my bill, H.R. 1619, the ADD SOY Act. It amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program to strike the onerous ``milk note'' requirement and to stipulate that the USDA reimburse school districts to make a plant-based dietary alternative that is nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk available in school. Yes, a choice, a real choice. prgtoken When Congress enacted the milk mandate 80 years ago, the United States was less diverse, and we did not understand the exact science surrounding lactose intolerance. Between 70 to 90 percent of African Americans today are lactose intolerant. Ninety percent of Asians, 95 percent of Native Americans, and 65 percent of Latinos are, in fact, lactose intolerant. prgtoken The National Institutes of Health reports the majority of all people have reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy, and it adds that it is also very common in people f
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-12-13

as Jewish families across the country celebrate the last night of Hanukkah tomorrow, too many of their loved ones will not be there to join them. Dozens of American citizens were murdered by Hamas during the brutal October 7 massacre, and several remain hostages in Gaza. prgtoken It is critical that we continue to tell their stories. prgtoken I recently met with Ranae Butler, who lost six family members, including at least five U.S. citizens on October 7. She told me how her mother, Carol Siman Tov, and her mother's dog Charlie were both shot in the head execution-style. prgtoken Ranae's brother, Johnny Siman Tov, began texting with his sister when the attack began. As the terrorists set fire to the family's house, Johnny's final message read: They're here. They're burning us. We're suffocating. prgtoken Johnny and his wife Tamar were both shot through the window of their safe room. Their three young children--Arbel, Shachar, and Omer--were all killed. They were found with black foam in their mouths. prgtoken I have also worked with the family of 70-year-old Judih Weinstein and her husband, Gad Haggai. On October 7, the couple were walking in their kibbutz when the terrorists attacked. The family says they know both of them were shot, and that their phones were geolocated in Gaza. Based on a subsequent video of Gad's body, they worry he was killed. But as his death has not yet announced in Israel, they are still holding out hope that he might be alive. prgtoken Judih is believed to be the last older woman still held hostage by Hamas, but her family has heard nothing about her whereabouts ever since she disappeared. They don't know if she is alive or dead. They don't know what became of Gad. They don't know if they are suffering or if they will ever see them again. prgtoken The uncertainty is agonizing and nearly impossible to bear, but it is a feeling that is shared by many American families whose loved ones are still hostages. prgtoken They include: Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old from Long Island; Itay Chen, a 19-year-old who was born in New York City; Edan Alexander, a 19-year- old from New Jersey; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 35-year-old father and son to a former Brooklyn resident; Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old who was born in Berkeley, CA; Keith Siegel, a 64-year-old North Carolina native. prgtoken All of these people are American citizens. They were born in our communities, educated in our schools. They are teens, parents, and grandparents; husbands, sons, and mothers. prgtoken We owe it to our families--we owe it to all their families--to never give up hope. We must do everything we can do to bring them home. prgtoken . prgtoken .
CONGRATULATING FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL OF WOODBRIDGE FOOTBALL TEAM
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-12-13

I rise today to recognize Freedom High School of Woodbridge, Virginia, for winning its second straight Virginia Class 6 State football title. prgtoken Last Saturday, Freedom defeated Highland Springs in a hard-fought championship game. The Eagles won by a score of 42-34 to claim the title, making them the first Prince William County high school to win back-to-back State titles since 1999. prgtoken This win capped off an undefeated season for Freedom, and the Eagles extended their winning streak to an incredible 29 games. prgtoken As the Representative for Virginia's Seventh District, I officially congratulate Freedom High School's players and coaches, including head coach Darryl Overton. I also congratulate the parents and faculty for supporting these players and student athletes and guiding them through a perfect season. prgtoken Today, on the House floor of the United States House of Representatives, I proudly join my colleagues in recognizing the remarkable accomplishments of the Freedom High School Eagles of Woodbridge, Virginia.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-12-13

a question: Do we want a government surveillance state in the United States of America? prgtoken Movies like ``Gattaca,'' where citizens are tracked through their DNA, or ``Minority Report,'' where citizens are tracked through their retina scan, warn us what can happen under a fictional government surveillance state. But we don't need to depend upon movies and fiction to understand what a surveillance state means because we have, right now, a real-life government surveillance state in China. China's government surveillance state already tracks more than 1 million Uighur citizens through facial recognition. prgtoken As cochair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, I have had a front-row seat on how China uses facial recognition technology to track and to enslave a million people. And I have watched with some alarm as the U.S. Government has begun to expand its own use of facial recognition technology tied to databases, especially because there has never been a debate, let alone a vote, here in the U.S. Senate about whether or not we want to have a national facial recognition system controlled by the government. We have never had a debate related to the risks that that involves in terms of its potential threat to our freedom and to our privacy. prgtoken So I want to force there to be such a debate. I want to force there to be a vote. A government with power to track us everywhere we go is a real threat to privacy, a real threat to freedom. That is why Senator John Kennedy and I have introduced the bipartisan Traveler Privacy Protection Act to curtail the use of facial recognition technology by TSA. prgtoken Step-by-step, slowly, steadily, TSA is expanding its system of facial recognition technology. And let's just take a look at what that looks like. In 2018, TSA began with a 3-week test of facial recognition where passenger photos and data were deleted immediately. Then, in 2019, they did a second test, but they allowed the photos and data to be stored for up to 6 months. By 2020, we are talking about the ability by the TSA to hold photos and data for up to 2 years. In 2021, we are now talking about TSA beginning to match facial recognition photos against the Customs and Border Protection database--all of these steps taking place really with no recognition by Americans that this program is expanding in this fashion, certainly no discussion here in the Senate committees and Senate floor about this steady expansion. Ultimately, what the TSA is aiming at is a world in which your face is your driver's license; your face is your passport. Well, that means a massive database and massive tracking of Americans wherever they go. prgtoken This summer, the TSA announced plans to expand from the current 25 airports where facial recognition technology is used to 430 airports across the country. So no matter where you live, this system of tracking citizens is coming to your community. prgtoken
Introductory Statement on S. 3502
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-12-13

I am pleased to introduce the homebuyers Privacy Protection Act with the Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Hagerty. This bipartisan legislation restricts the use of so-called mortgage ``trigger leads'' and gives prospective home buyers control over their personal credit information. prgtoken Trigger leads are essentially tips based on information the major credit reporting bureaus sell to mortgage brokers and lenders when the bureaus learn that a consumer has applied for a mortgage with another lender. Each trigger lead they sell can generate dozens of calls and solicitations to the consumer from lenders, ostensibly to provide the consumer with better offers. In fact, one home buyer reported to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that they received over 100 calls from other lenders within 2 days of applying for a mortgage. Prospective home buyers who are bombarded by these kind of solicitations typically have no idea their information was sold without their affirmative consent. prgtoken Buying a home is often the most consequential financial decision a family will make. Getting ``spammed'' with additional offers, after a family has already shopped for a mortgage and chosen a lender, makes this already stressful process even more stressful. It can be very difficult, if not impossible, for a family to sift through dozens of offers over a few days and actually receive better credit. Consumers who are subjected to a deluge of solicitations as the result of a trigger lead are justified in feeling that their privacy has been invaded. prgtoken Many reputable mortgage companies see it the same way. They support curtailing trigger leads since prospective home buyers often blame their lender for selling off their personal information even though it is the credit bureaus that are providing this information. prgtoken Unrelenting, aggressive solicitations are more than just a nuisance. Indeed, some companies that buy trigger leads may not use them responsibly and may have poor track records of compliance. In 2018, the Washington Post reported that some mortgage lenders had used trigger leads to misrepresent themselves in calls by suggesting that they are underwriters for the consumer's current lender or by implying that they are calling from a government agency. According to reporting in the Chicago Tribune, unsuspecting home buyers are at risk of inadvertently handing over sensitive personal information, exposing themselves to identity theft. prgtoken The current system leaves consumers without control of their personal information when they apply for a mortgage. Our bill will fix the current system by significantly restricting the circumstances in which the credit bureaus can sell home buyers' personal information to generate trigger leads. The credit bureaus would be permitted to sell this information only in the limited circumstances when the consumer already has a significant financial relationship
INTRODUCTION OF THE IDEAL ACT
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2023-12-13

today I am pleased to introduce the Incentivizing Dual-Eligible Alignment (IDEAL) Act. prgtoken This legislation seeks to better coordinate and improve care for dual beneficiaries enrolled in integrated special needs plans (D-SNPs). Highly integrated D-SNPs (HIDE SNPs) and Fully Integrated D-SNPs (FIDE SNPs) already manage dual beneficiaries' Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and this legislation will improve their ability to deliver needed services. prgtoken First, this legislation creates a pilot program to give Safety Net Health Plan HIDE and FIDE SNPs a rebate to provide services related to social determinants of health. We all know that a person's health is affected by far more than what happens in a doctor's office. If plans can deliver services like meals for people with chronic conditions, rental assistance, and pest eradication, they can address all the factors that contribute to the health of their beneficiaries. This five-year pilot can help inform future policy decisions as Congress weighs how to better improve outcomes. Second, this legislation provides regulatory flexibility to states to align administrative processes between Medicare Advantage and a state's Medicaid plan, allowing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and states to determine better ways to coordinate care for HIDE and FIDE SNP enrollees. prgtoken Fundamentally, the way we approach our health care system needs to change. The United States spends nearly one-fifth of GDP on health care and more per person than other economically comparable countries yet has lower life expectancy. I'm grateful for organizations like Care Oregon that provide care to my constituents and try to challenge the status quo. The federal government must be a partner in delivering care in better, innovative ways, and I believe the policies proposed here can be a part of that.
BRIANNY NAVA VAZQUEZ
Brittany Pettersen (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2023-12-13

I rise today to recognize Brianny Nava Vazquez for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. prgtoken Brianny has achieved great things, all while overcoming adversity and challenges along the way. Students like Brianny, who strive to make the most of their education, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Brianny's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. prgtoken It is my honor to congratulate Brianny Nava Vazquez on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-12-13

due to a serious illness that required medical attention, I missed several votes last week. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted: NAY on rollcall No. 692; NAY on rollcall No. 693; YEA on rollcall No. 694; YEA on rollcall No. 695; YEA on rollcall No. 696; PRESENT on rollcall No. 697; YEA on rollcall No. 698; NAY on rollcall No. 699; YEA on rollcall No. 700; NAY on rollcall No. 701; YEA on rollcall No. 702; NAY on rollcall No. 703; NAY on rollcall No. 705; and NAY on rollcall No. 706.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2023-12-13

with regards to the motion to waive the point of order against the FISA section 702 provision in the conference report, I share the sponsor's concerns on the potential expiration of section 702 authorities, which are critical to foreign intelligence collection efforts and protecting the homeland. However, I am also deeply concerned that Section 7902 of the NDAA extends section 702 authorities without much-needed reforms to better protect the civil liberties of Americans. prgtoken Despite the fact that surveillance under this section is supposed to be limited to certain foreign nationals abroad, a FISA Court opinion released in July 2023 stated that the FBI conducted approximately 40,000-50,000 warrantless ``back door'' search queries of section 702 communications data targeting U.S. persons per quarter in 2022. I support the FBI's initiative to voluntarily adopt stricter internal compliance rules to address this problem, but the administration and Congress must work together to do more to balance the need for intelligence collection and the protection of civil rights. prgtoken Due to the FISA Court's certification process, the administration has acknowledged that, even in the absence of a formal 4-month extension, the government is able to conduct surveillance authorized under section 702 until April 11, 2024. I also understand that a formal extension of FISA authorities through April 2024, would effectively reset the clock and allow the administration to obtain a fresh certification from the FISA Court, thereby effectively extending the authority for an additional 12 months beyond the 4-month extension. That would only further delay our opportunity to review the program and propose necessary reforms. For the record, I would have supported an alternative that extended the formal authorization through April 2024, so long as it would have prevented the administration from obtaining a fresh certification to extend the program for another year after that. That alternative is not, however, before the Senate. The bottom line is that I agree that the section 702 program is necessary for our national security, but I also think it needs to be reviewed and reformed. prgtoken We should not short-circuit the robust, bipartisan discussions in Congress on how to reform this authority with a lengthy extension. I am voting against this motion to waive the point of order so we can pair the extension of section 702 surveillance programs with a serious and targeted reform effort that maintains critical national security capabilities in a manner consistent with constitutionally protected rights.