mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-3-8

I join my colleagues this afternoon who come to the floor and speak about the introduction of the Women's Health Protection Act and codifying access to reproductive freedom for women in America. prgtoken It has been a little over 8 months since a radical Supreme Court overturned the 50-year-old landmark ruling guaranteeing the right to privacy and the right to obtain an abortion. prgtoken I want to take this time to highlight the impacts that this decision has had, not just on our country but even in my State, in the State of Washington. prgtoken We in Washington voted in 1991 to codify abortion as a legal right. We did that by a vote of the people. But we still need to worry about this issue because the problems that are causing the erosion of abortion rights in some parts of the United States are even causing hardship in our State. prgtoken Abortion clinics in Washington are facing rising caseloads and rising costs. Planned Parenthood in Spokane reported that in January, their clinics saw a 75-percent increase in the number of Idaho patients who were traveling across the line to get abortions. Physicians are rightly concerned that they could be arrested or sued for providing reproductive care to patients from abortion-restrictive States. prgtoken Pregnant women have it worst of all. If they go to a reproductive clinic for whatever reason, they can face a gauntlet of protesters. Yes, there are protesters right outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Spokane. They are trying to set up fake clinics with fake names to divert women into their facilities instead of the actual care that they need. prgtoken I will note that it wasn't that long ago--just a few years ago--that the Planned Parenthood clinic was bombed in Whitman County, just south of Spokane. So these issues are a problem. prgtoken We even have had healthcare officials tell us that Washingtonians trying to get access to the morning-after pill had to go to four different pharmacies, only to find that it was not available. This drug has been an FDA-approved drug for decades, but all of a sudden, in Washington, it is not available. prgtoken Since this ruling was released last summer, 24 States have enacted near-total bans or stringent restrictions on the ability to get an abortion. People are still getting pregnant, and they are coming to Washington to exercise that opportunity, and we want to make sure we have a healthcare system that can deliver. prgtoken You know, employers are starting to avoid these abortion-restrictive States. I don't know if someone has thought through this issue. But I recently spoke to the cofounder of a very successful aviation company that just had one of the best demonstrations of the future of aviation. They are building a new facility, and he told me point blank he won't even consider locating in a State that doesn't provide reproductive freedom. He said he couldn't imagine having to ask an employee, who was e
ORDERS FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2023
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2023-3-8

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned under the provisions of S. Res. 100 until 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 9; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; that following the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Werfel nomination postcloture; further, that all postcloture time be considered expired at 11:30 a.m. and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination followed by confirmation of the Simmons nomination; further, that following disposition of the Simmons nomination, the Senate resume consideration of the Kahn nomination and at 1:45 p.m. vote on confirmation of that nomination; finally, that if any nominations are confirmed during Thursday's session, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's actions.
FACTS ABOUT OUR DEBT CEILING
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2023-3-8

I rise today to lay out a few facts about the debt ceiling. prgtoken Raising the debt ceiling is about meeting obligations the government has already made and has nothing to do with new spending. prgtoken Since World War I, we have raised the debt ceiling under every single President--every single President. prgtoken So let's remember a few facts: The national debt under the administration rose significantly by $8 trillion, a total of roughly 25 percent of the entire debt at the time he left office. That is one- quarter of the entire debt by President . prgtoken s voted three times--three times--to raise the debt limit under the administration. prgtoken So where was the outrage then? prgtoken President has lowered the deficit by $1.7 trillion during the first 2 years of office and has a plan to reduce it even more. prgtoken , yet House s used their very first bill to hand a giveaway to big corporations and billionaires that cheat on their taxes, adding an explosive $114 billion to the deficit, and still no plan to reduce debt. House put people over politics, solutions over rhetoric.
SYRIA WAR POWERS RESOLUTION
Gregory W. Meeks (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2023-3-8

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 21. prgtoken , though I oppose an indefinite U.S. military presence in Syria, this measure forces a premature end to our mission at a critical time for our efforts. Forcing such a premature removal of U.S. forces not only endangers our national security, it threatens that of our allies and partners across the region and beyond and, most of all, the Syrian Kurds. prgtoken Our very small footprint in northeast Syria, alongside our courageous Syrian Kurdish partners, continues to serve a valuable purpose as we partner with them in ensuring ISIS does not reconstitute and again destabilize the region or use Syria as a base for attacks elsewhere. prgtoken We have seen how ISIS has wrought its brutality, not only on the populations of Syria and Iraq, especially against ethnic minority groups, but also launched brutal attacks, such as those in Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, and beyond. prgtoken Our military and intelligence leaders continue to warn publicly about the potential for ISIS to resurge if they are given the opportunity, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, who, just last week, made a public visit to northeast Syria. He highlighted the importance of finishing the job against ISIS and emphasized, if we ignore and turn our back, then we are setting the conditions for a resurgence. prgtoken Our presence also serves a critical advisory and assist role as the SDF continues to administer ISIS detainee facilities, including those holding experienced, highly trained ISIS fighters, as the United States, along with our coalition partners, works to safely and humanely repatriate them to their countries of origin. Pulling the plug now on this important mission jeopardizes the important work and support role that we play. prgtoken Finally, while I share the passion of the cosponsor of this legislation for Congress reclaiming its war powers, I do not think this concurrent resolution is the proper vehicle for doing so. prgtoken Last Congress, under my leadership, the House Foreign Affairs Committee marked up repeals of three of the four existing AUMFs that are on the books. The full House passed each of these measures as well but, unfortunately, they languished on the other side of the Capitol. prgtoken We need to continue this work, and I look forward to working with Chairman McCaul and the gentleman from Florida on these efforts. Congress must repeal outdated war authorizations once and for all, and I applaud the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for their bipartisan vote to repeal the 2002 and the 1991 AUMFs earlier today. prgtoken So we have important work to do. We should define hostilities in statute, not because it is an easy fix, but because it is a hard question that underpins key national security issues around the globe. prgtoken Toughest of all, we must repeal the 2001 AUMF and replace it with a
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2023-3-8

I am delighted to follow Leader Schumer, for whom this has been such an important issue. I am confident that we will gather our caucus together to be as effective as we can. prgtoken Today is International Women's Day, but this year it is shadowed by the freedom that women have lost in America to make their own choices and to shape their own lives. A radical Supreme Court captured by deep- pocketed special interests has shredded this constitutional right. It is a whole separate story how that happened, how big dark money interests went into back rooms at the Federalist Society, handpicked Supreme Court Justices, put them on the Court, spent millions and millions of dollars orchestrating all of that and putting TV ads on behind them--all run through phony front groups--and now instruct them what to do through a whole bunch of other phony front groups, also dark money funded, that go in as amici curiae and present these arguments in orchestrated flotillas to the Court--a separate issue but a very unfortunate situation behind this horrible decision. prgtoken What I want to talk about is how hurtful and harmful this is when things go wrong. Everybody hopes and prays that their pregnancy will be successful and there will be a healthy birth. But it is not uncommon in a pregnancy for things to go wrong. And when things go wrong, these extreme abortion restrictions put the doctors and the patient into impossible and wrong situations. prgtoken We hear about doctors who have postponed care until a patient's health or pregnancy complication had deteriorated so much that their life was in actual immediate danger. prgtoken You could have predicted it. You could have taken the prudent course, but the shadow of these criminal penalties--this assault on women's freedom--has made doctors postpone that decision, and it does, in fact, put patients' lives at risk. prgtoken There are committees that have been set up to determine whether a doctor making a decision about a woman's care should be allowed to proceed. You have to go through the hospital committee because of the risk of liability. Sometimes these things happen fast and sometimes people feel very privately about them. And the idea that this has to go to a committee is both a cause for delay and a huge lack of privacy for the women and the family involved. prgtoken So in Texas, oncologists have said they wait for pregnant women with cancer to get sicker before they treat them. Imagine being on the receiving end of that. prgtoken Some doctors have reported that they are unable to get other professionals to come and assist them with procedures because the other professionals are frightened of liability. And that, too, fouls up the ability of the patient to get care--even the forensic nurses who care for sexual assault victims. prgtoken So you are battered and you are raped, and the police respond and the EMTs respond, and they take you to the emergency room.
CELEBRATING COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2023-3-8

I rise today to celebrate March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. prgtoken Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. prgtoken This year, more than 153,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease, and more than 51,000 people will die from it. Yet, if we catch it early, 90 percent of patients can survive within 5 years. prgtoken The key is awareness and education. If we can educate more Americans about colorectal cancer, we can limit the number of deaths from it. We can remove the fears and stigmas that prevent people from getting screenings. prgtoken It is 11 years, 2 days ago, on March 6, that I lost my father, Congressman Donald Payne, Sr to colorectal cancer. prgtoken If more people get screened, we can prevent more families, more fathers, more mothers, more sisters, and more brothers from succumbing from the dreaded disease.
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2023-3-8

. Madam , on February 3, 2023, a train with 38 cars derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, and the full devastating aftermath of that tragedy is ongoing. The affected community needs answers and change to make sure that something like this does not happen again. prgtoken The administration rolled back train safety rules. Now, s want to make it easier for polluters to pollute. They put a chemical industry lobbyist in charge of the EPA office in charge of chemical safety. I mean, you can't make this stuff up. They rolled back regulations on train brakes, and they reduced rail inspections. prgtoken I just want to say one thing to my colleague from Kentucky. I have no problem with releasing all the tapes, but that is not what happened. The of the House selectively and carefully released them to one person, to one news agency, who then deliberately cherrypicked things to advance a distortion of what happened that day, an insult to the people who work here, an insult to the Capitol Police officers who were injured that day. That is not transparency. That is propaganda. That is deliberately distorting a horrific event in which this Capitol was attacked, our democracy was attacked. So, please, give me a break. prgtoken Madam , I urge that we defeat the previous question, and if we do, I will offer an amendment to the rule to provide for consideration of a resolution that affirms the House's unwavering commitment to protect and prgtoken strengthen Social Security and Medicare and states that it is the position of the House to reject any cuts in the program. prgtoken Madam , I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
SYRIA WAR POWERS RESOLUTION
Abigail Davis Spanberger (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2023-3-8

I stand here today as a Member of Congress who has proudly worked to fight and defeat terrorism as a CIA officer. I worked with my colleagues to protect the lives of the American people, our servicemembers, and our interests around the world. prgtoken I fully agree that we need to revisit our Authorizations for Use of Military Force. I have worked with Members of Congress, including the esteemed gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), to raise this issue. I am proud to see that we are actually seeing progress toward the repeal of the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs. That is encouraging. prgtoken However, that does not mean that we should abandon ongoing operations that keep the United States safe that are authorized under the 2001 AUMF. Should we discuss it? Should we debate it? Should we look toward reforming it? Perhaps. Should we order the men and women in uniform to come home over the next few months? Absolutely not. prgtoken We should not encourage a resurgence of ISIS. We should not abandon our work with the Kurdish fighters on the front lines. We should understand the implications for the long-term stability of the Middle East and the actions we take here today.
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2023-3-8

I rise with my colleagues today to continue to fight for women in every part of our country to once again be able to make their own healthcare decisions because ever since s succeeded in their decades-long effort to overturn Roe v. Wade and drag our country back a half a century and rip away the right to abortion for women across the country, we have heard one horror story after another: women left suffering, waiting for the care that they need; doctors worried that they could face jail time for doing what is best for their patients; abortion providers who are overwhelmed by patients who are having to wait weeks for limited appointments and travel hundreds of miles for care. prgtoken s have ushered in a crisis. It is a nightmare for women, for patients, and for doctors alike. And make no mistake, it is a choice extreme s have made. prgtoken They fought for decades to overturn Roe. They passed the dangerous abortion bans that are causing this pain for women and families, and they are choosing to continue their nonstop efforts to strip women of control over their own bodies. Every day, extreme politicians come out with some new awful idea to make women's lives worse. prgtoken Here in Congress, Senate s introduced a national abortion ban last year. This Congress, one of the first bills the House voted on was a Federal abortion ban. In just the few months since Roe was overturned, extreme abortion bans have gone into effect in 14 of our States, stripping over 20 million women of reproductive age of the ability to get abortion care in their own State. prgtoken And, by the way, transgender and nonbinary patients who already face so many challenges getting the healthcare they need in this country are being harmed by these bans as well. We are talking about truly cruel bans that set bounties for information about anyone who gets an abortion or helps provide one and bans that even lack exceptions for rape or incest or the life and well-being of the mom. prgtoken bans have tripled the average travel time for patients to get the abortion care they need since Roe was overturned. And they have been especially challenging for communities that already face barriers for the care they need: patients with tight budgets who cannot afford to pay for travel and lodging hundreds of miles away from where they live; Black women who already suffer much higher maternal mortality rates; patients in rural and Tribal areas who aren't close to providers to begin with; and patients with disabilities, to just name a few. prgtoken Now they are going further, seeking to pass new bans to try to get around State court rulings and laws to get around the fact that their own constituents backed the right to abortion in statewide votes just last year. When extreme s can't convince the American people to get on board with their extreme agenda, they ha
DISAPPROVING THE ACTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL IN APPROVING THE REVISED CRIMINAL CODE ACT OF 2022
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2023-3-8

I am really proud to join today with my colleagues to speak on behalf of American women of the fundamental rights of all pregnant persons and our freedom to make our own healthcare decisions. prgtoken Thanks to a radically conservative Supreme Court, reproductive freedom is no longer a constitutional right in the United States for any American. Roe v. Wade protected our freedoms for 50 years, until it didn't, and now today's young women have fewer freedoms than their mothers and their grandmothers ever did. And we are furious. Do you want to know how furious? prgtoken In Michigan, we turned our anger into action. In November, we had the largest voter turnout for a midterm election ever. One of the measures on the ballot enshrined the right to reproductive freedom in our State's constitution. It passed by a strong 13-point prgtoken margin, because Michiganders understand that health decisions should be made by individual people, not by judges and not by politicians. prgtoken Unfortunately, a lot of folks didn't get the message. s in Congress have pushed for a nationwide abortion ban. State legislatures across the country are making it harder and harder for people in their States to receive reproductive care. There are 24 States that have already banned abortion or probably will soon, and any day now, a Federal judge--one man in Texas--let me repeat that. One man in Texas is expected to hand down a ruling that could ban a medication that has been used to safely end pregnancies for 23 years. That decision would prevent patients from getting the healthcare they need even in States where abortion is legal. prgtoken That is why it is so incredibly important that we pass a law that says, once and for all, that women in America have the freedom to make our own healthcare decisions. That is just what the Women's Health Protection Act will do, and I am very proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill. prgtoken It will protect all Americans from State laws that limit access to abortion services. Right now, your freedom to make your own healthcare decisions depends on the ZIP code you happen to live in, and that is simply wrong. Women in Michigan and Mississippi and Montana all deserve to make decisions about our own healthcare, our own lives--not extreme lawmakers, not extreme members of the Supreme Court, not one extreme judge in Texas. It is critical that we pass the Women's Health Protection Act now. Our freedom depends on it. prgtoken Let's be clear. We will continue to fight until our reproductive freedom as Americans is restored. prgtoken .