mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2022-6-23

today is a great day. Today marks the 50th anniversary of title IX. For half a century, we have witnessed the impact title IX has had on generations of women in sports. Title IX provided women the long-denied platform that had always been afforded men. It ensured female athletes have the same access to funding, facilities, and athletic scholarships, but it also gave young women the opportunity to compete, to learn the life lessons of hard work and perseverance, to go to college on an athletic scholarship, to overcome obstacles in order to reach their God-given potential. prgtoken Since 1972, female participation in sports at the college level has risen more than 600 percent, and today, 43 percent of high school girls participate in some competitive sports, compared to 50 years ago--only 3 to 5 percent. What a turnaround. prgtoken For all these reasons, decades later, we have proof that title IX has worked. Sports can transform lives. I have seen it. I began my coaching career as a high school girls basketball coach just a few years after title IX was enacted, and now, 50 years later, America's female athletes are not only the best performing on the world stage in team and individual sports, but they also are the leaders in our communities and in our country. prgtoken Title IX sent an incredible--an incredible--message to female athletes across the Nation, which is, you can compete, you can win, and you will be afforded a fair and level playing field to do so. prgtoken I have personally witnessed how title IX protections allowed young women to gain all the opportunities and life lessons that participating in sports has to offer. That is why, just 3 months into my time as a U.S. Senator, I introduced an amendment to prohibit Federal funding to schools that allow biological males to compete in women's sports. And I, along with 23 of my colleagues, introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. This bill would make it a violation of Federal law for a recipient of Federal funds who operates or sponsors athletic programs to permit biological males to compete in women's sports activities. The bill also establishes the long-needed definition of ``sex'' in title IX to be recognized based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. prgtoken have turned their backs on these efforts, and by doing so, they have turned their backs on female athletes all across our country. Just last month, I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warning the administration to rethink their rule change. prgtoken On this 50th anniversary, we should be asking ourselves how we can preserve title IX and preserve fairness for all female athletes across our country, but unfortunately, women's athletics are currently under attack by the administration. Just this morning, we learned that the Department of Education will publish a proposed rule to change
CELEBRATING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PELL GRANTS
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-23

today is the 50th anniversary of the Pell Grant Program. prgtoken This program was authorized in 1972 to provide direct financial aid to low-income students for access to higher education and the opportunity to pursue their full potential. prgtoken The effort that year was bipartisan, and the program maintains bipartisan support today, 50 years later. prgtoken More than 80 million students have received the Pell grant to attend college, and currently, 7 million students, about 40 percent of undergraduates, are utilizing the Pell grant to earn a degree today. prgtoken At Pennsylvania's land-grant institution, Penn State University, annually, about 18,000 students are using the Pell grant to access and afford a great degree at 20 undergraduate campuses throughout the Commonwealth, including two Penn State campuses in the counties I serve. prgtoken , for individuals, this program is critically important to access and affordability, but it also encourages degree completion, on- time graduation, and lower levels of student debt. For the Nation, this program is an essential investment to maintaining and strengthening our Nation's skilled workforce and enhancing global economic competitiveness.
JOSEPH WOODROW HATCHETT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND FEDERAL BUILDING-- Continued
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2022-6-23

I come to the floor tonight sharing the concerns of every Member of this body, to find the best way to protect children who go to school, so that children can go to school in safety and parents can send their children to school feeling that the children will be safe. prgtoken And after we have seen the tragedies across the country, I think every Member is here trying to find the best solution, and I think that the one that Senator Cruz and I have offered is one that will provide the kind of safety and security for our kids, for our schools, and for our communities; and that is why we have introduced this substitute amendment that we are bringing to the floor this evening in an effort to do just that. We bring this at a time when the Nation's attention is focused on what has happened at schools and communities across the country and how to best address it. prgtoken And as a physician, a doctor who served in a State legislature and now in this body, I have seen the devastating impact of mental health challenges and problems in families and how much that has contributed to what we have seen with these terrible acts. So what we bring here tonight is legislation focused on safe schools and mental health while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. prgtoken And, with that, I would turn to Senator Cruz to make a motion to that effect.
RED FLAG LAWS RIPE FOR ABUSE
Madison Cawthorn (Republican, NC) \u2014 2022-6-23

our Founders were clear. The Second Amendment was designed as the backbone upon which individual rights and liberties could be secured. prgtoken Efforts by the ruling class in our government are aimed at crippling this Nation and corroding our Republic. prgtoken It is true: Red flag laws sound benign on paper. Flagging dangerous individuals and keeping them from weaponry seems like a cut-and-dried issue, but a simple cursory glance at the actions of our overreaching Federal Government clearly shows that these laws are ripe for Federal abuse. They will abuse your rights and mine. prgtoken Make no mistake, red flag laws will be used to flag those who vote for freedom, strip them of their right to self-defense, and empower faceless bureaucrats to dole out or not to dole out the right of self- defense to a downtrodden and oppressed class of citizens. prgtoken They will be weaponized to demonize and destroy political dissidents in this country. If you raise your children to adhere to Proverbs instead of POTUS, you may be stripped of your gun rights. If you vote against the regime, you may be stripped of your gun rights. If you refuse the medical decisions pushed by the regime, you may be stripped of your gun rights. prgtoken To the American people, I say this: It is not a right if you have to ask permission to exercise it. We are very near to this government becoming the exact reason our Founders penned the Second Amendment, not to hunt deer but to defend against tyranny or invasion. prgtoken Red flag laws sound harmless on paper. We all want to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people, but remember who the government says that you are. The CDC has labeled you a national security problem for protecting your health. The FBI, last September, called your mothers and wives domestic terrorists for protecting your children. A House committee labeled half the country as coup-sympathetic just a few weeks ago. prgtoken The same faceless fact checkers who censor your speech will seize your sovereignty and come to your front door, and they won't be coming with a clipboard and a smile. prgtoken These liberal lackeys will show up before dawn, invade your home, seize your property, and smash any concept of individual liberty you may possess. Remember the actions the ruling elite took against those at Waco and Ruby Ridge. prgtoken We must wake up. We cannot trust this government, and we must not give them more legal avenues to persecute Americans that they took an oath to defend. Investigate Fires at Food Processing Facilities
A GAS TAX HOLIDAY IS AN ELECTION-YEAR GIMMICK
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2022-6-23

. Madam , Tennesseans are fed up with prices at the pump. They are paying double what they were a year-and-a-half ago because of the attacks on American energy that began on day one of the administration. Now, the President has asked Congress to consider a gas tax holiday. How curious. prgtoken This is what Washington does when there is a big problem. Politicians pretend they are looking out for you, but they are just looking out for their own poll numbers. prgtoken Those aren't my words, Madam . That is a quote from President 's former boss, , on the campaign trail in 2008. He said a gas tax holiday would threaten Federal highways and possibly cost jobs while only saving families pennies a day. He called the idea an election-year gimmick, not a real solution. I agree. prgtoken A real solution would be supporting policies that return our Nation to energy independence.
RECOGNIZING THE TULARE-KINGS POLICE ACADEMY
David G. Valadao (Republican, CA) \u2014 2022-6-23

. Madam , I rise today to recognize the Tulare- Kings Police Academy at the College of the Sequoias on its 60th anniversary. prgtoken Since its inception in 1962, the Tulare-Kings Police Academy has been a vital part of training our future law enforcement officers in the Central Valley. The program initially began its operations out of the Tulare County Sheriff's Office and trained future recruits there for over a decade. prgtoken In 1973, the program moved to the College of the Sequoias campus in Visalia, providing even more access to young students looking to enter a career of public service. The program spent nearly forty years at the Visalia campus, with dozens of students graduating each year eager to begin protecting and serving the Central Valley. In 2010, the program made its most recent move into a state-of-the-art facility on the Hanford College of the Sequoias campus. prgtoken After sixty years of operation, the Tulare-Kings Police Academy has produced over 150 graduating classes from its programs across three different campuses. These men and women have gone on to protect our communities throughout the Valley. Their service has been a consistent display of duty, honor, and commitment to their communities--all traits instilled into them by the Tulare-Kings Police Academy. prgtoken I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Tulare-Kings Police Academy at the College of the Sequoias.
ENHANCING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION THROUGH CAMPUS PLANNING ACT
Fred Keller (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-23

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken In closing, I want to discuss the importance of what we are doing. COVID-19 burdened young people with more anxiety, stress, and isolation than ever before. Now, they need support that works. prgtoken According to one study, mental health problems among young adults rose 50 percent over the past 10 years. Many of us have seen the young people in our lives struggling, and it is devastating to watch. prgtoken I am dedicated to serving the needs of students nationwide. To me, this bill is a no-brainer. prgtoken Empowering postsecondary institutions to develop comprehensive suicide prevention plans and partner with community-based mental health organizations will do much to solve this mental health crisis. This critical investment in the mental health of our young people is an investment in the future of this country. prgtoken Lastly, I express my gratitude to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working together on this important legislation. prgtoken Madam , I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5407, and .
ENCOURAGING THE PRESS TO REPORT ON EVENTS REGARDING UKRAINE
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2022-6-23

not a lot has been said about the conflict in Ukraine right now, but it doesn't mean we should take our eye off the ball. There is a division, I think, on elected officials between two groups, and it is important for the press to identify which one of these two groups has the upper hand, not only in Congress but in the administration. prgtoken Some people feel that it would be good to wrap up this war, including me. Ukraine has the second-lowest birth rate of any sizeable country in the world, and the population of Ukraine has sunk about 5 percent in the last few years. Russia also has a low birth rate and is having a lot of people leave their country. So we have two countries that should be primarily concerned about keeping the few young people they have alive rather than engaged in a war. For that reason, I would like to believe that if an off-ramp is provided for Mr. Putin then we could end the war before we have more people dying. prgtoken , I would like to ask the press corps to weigh in a little bit and find out where the administration stands on this.
JOSEPH WOODROW HATCHETT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND FEDERAL BUILDING-- Continued
Patrick J. Toomey (Republican, PA) \u2014 2022-6-23

reserving the right to object, and let me be clear that the nature of my objection is not about the fact that this legislation authorizes about $280 billion, I think, for healthcare for veterans that resulted from toxic exposure and it creates new categories of eligibility and it contemplates this and authorizes this $280 billion of additional spending over 10 years. prgtoken What everybody should be aware of is that absent of this legislation, existing statute already obligates the Federal Government, through the VA, to spend about $400 billion over the next 10 years on veterans' healthcare that results from veterans being exposed to toxic circumstances during their service. So there is $400 billion that preexisted this bill and $280 billion of new spending. prgtoken Now, the $400 billion that we were already going to spend--and we will spend--is put under the discretionary spending caps in that category of discretionary spending because, as you know, discretionary spending is limited. There is a cap every year on how much can be spent in this discretionary spending category. There is one other category of spending around here, and that is mandatory spending that is not subject to caps. That is just unlimited whatever is required. prgtoken The legislation puts the $280 billion in new spending in the mandatory spending category, and we can argue about whether that is a good idea or not. I don't think it is a great idea, but that is not what really is outrageous about what is going on here. What is really outrageous is in this legislation, they take the $400 billion that was going to be spent anyway that is already preexisting under existing statute--they take that out of discretionary spending and move it over to mandatory spending. prgtoken Why would they do a thing like that? Why would that be necessary to move $400 billion that is already authorized to be spent under current law and move it out of discretionary and into the mandatory spending? The reason is because that way you create a big gaping hole in the discretionary spending category, which can be filled with another $400 billion of totally unrelated spending. Who knows on what? That is why it had to be moved out of discretionary and into mandatory spending. prgtoken My objection isn't about the substance of this bill. It is about this budgetary gimmick that is designed to allow hundreds of billions of dollars of additional spending on totally unrelated, who-knows-what categories. We have inflation hitting a 40-year high. We have a government that has been spending trillions of dollars, too much money--printing the money to spend--and everybody sees it every day at the pump, at the grocery store, everywhere. And what this gimmick does is it makes it possible to spend yet another $400 billion. prgtoken This is terrible policy. I am going to suggest the modification to the unanimous consent request from my friend--and he is my friend--fro
JOSEPH WOODROW HATCHETT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND FEDERAL BUILDING-- Continued
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2022-6-23

. Just one final thought, we want to be sure that we are encouraging people to get the healthcare they need. You know, if this system works like it should work, you really never know what you are doing in terms of how you have changed people's lives in the future or the lives of people they might impact. prgtoken We don't want to create any stigma here that a resilient, broad-based mental health system that is part of this bill means that you should be hesitant to seek mental health help. You know, if you have a mental health problem, you are more likely to be the victim of a crime than you are the perpetrator of a crime. prgtoken But if those problems get out of control--often suicidal thoughts first before you have homicidal thoughts--but if this system works the way it should, who knows what good you have done by just letting people go through their normal lives as contributing citizens with treating their mental health and talking about their mental health. prgtoken As Senator Stabenow said, being able to talk about somebody in your family that has a mental health challenge as readily as you talk about somebody in your family that has a cancer challenge or a dialysis trip that they have to make multiple times a week to go somewhere or medicine that they take for something else and talking about this in the context of the good it does in making our society safer should, in no way, be interpreted to mean that people with a mental health concern are unsafe. prgtoken But if you don't deal with that problem in the right way at the right time, it has the potential to be unsafe. Most of these shootings we have seen, the shooter goes into that shooting clearly anticipating that they will not come out of that shooting alive either. So it is suicide; it is homicide; it is things that if you dealt with that problem a decade earlier--and maybe in some cases, the specific problem even a week earlier--but if you dealt with it a decade earlier, as people began to see that, you know, We need to get you some help. prgtoken Just like if your hearing is going bad or your eyesight is going bad, people say, ``Let's get an appointment and go see what we need to do,'' and anybody can be seen at these certified community behavioral health centers. Anybody can be seen if you are covered by--it is very much based on the federally qualified health center model. If you have insurance that covers this, you can go there. If you have a government program that covers it, you can go there. If you need to pay cash, you can go there on a very affordable sliding scale. But people are seen, and nobody--in our State, at least, and I think this would be the case in all nine of the pilot States--nobody who needs to be seen that day is not seen that day. Nobody who needs to be seen that day is not seen that day. prgtoken And nobody who needs to be seen isn't seen pretty quickly as you have time to schedule that appointment. It changes people's live
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2022-6-23

I rise today to commend the North Greenville University Crusaders baseball team for winning the 2022 NCAA Baseball Division II National Championship. prgtoken The Crusaders outscored their four World Series opponents by a combined 34-12. Their victory earned the program its first national championship and marked the second Conference Carolinas baseball team to win the title. prgtoken Throughout the season, Landon Powell, head coach of the Crusaders, was consistently a role model to the players. When he was hired in 2014, the Crusaders were 8-35 and had three and one-half scholarship players. Coach Powell turned the team around and guided them to a 29-25 winning record in his first year; since then, the Crusaders have consistently averaged more than 41 wins per season. prgtoken On the field, Jax Cash went three for four at the plate and drove in the final run of the game. Reece Fields pitched 5.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits, three walks, eight strikeouts, and was named the tournament MVP. Nate Roof pitched 3.0 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, and a walk. The entire team should be proud of their hard work and accomplishments. The North Greenville baseball team displayed outstanding dedication and teamwork throughout the season and brought pride to the State of South Carolina. The university, under the leadership of Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr and Coach Powell, has much to be proud of, and I look forward to another great season by the Crusaders. prgtoken I ask that our colleagues join me in congratulating the North Greenville University Crusaders baseball team for winning the 2022 NCAA Baseball Division II National Championship.
JOSEPH WOODROW HATCHETT UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE AND FEDERAL BUILDING-- Continued
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2022-6-23

this body has a choice before it: Do we pass legislation that will be ineffective in stopping violent crime, that has very little prospect of preventing the next mass shooting, that will do very little to make schools safer but, at the same time, will undermine the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens? That is the bill that is currently on the floor. prgtoken Or do we, instead, move to pass real legislation that will stop violent crime, that will put gun criminals in jail, that will prosecute felons and fugitives who try to illegally buy guns, and that will provide serious funding for school safety? prgtoken The Cruz-Barrasso legislation provides funding to double the number of police officers in schools across America so our kids can be kept safe--$36 billion total in funding, repurposed from unspent emergency funds. This bill also provides $10 billion in funding for mental health counselors in schools to stop troubled teens before they go down a horrible road. prgtoken The bill has much smaller funding for cops and schools, much smaller funding for mental health, but much more infringement of the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. prgtoken So it is a choice all of us have: Do we want to stop these crimes, or do we want to play politics? prgtoken And I would note, , that the proponents of this bill at the outset swore up and down: There will be amendments. We will have amendments on this bill. prgtoken Well, right now, the majority leader wants no amendments. And how do we know that? Because the majority leader has filled the amendment tree, has blocked amendments. prgtoken This morning, the majority leader was saying that he would allow a vote on Cruz-Barrasso, a straight-up vote. But, for whatever reason, that has changed; and so, right now, amendments are blocked. But, fortunately, it is the right of any Senator to move to table that blocking amendment, and that is what I will do momentarily. And the reason I am moving to table this blocking amendment is to take up Cruz- Barrasso. prgtoken And so this vote is a straight-up vote: Do you support serious law enforcement? Do you support prosecuting violent criminals who use guns in their crimes? Do you support prosecuting and sending to jail felons and fugitives and those with serious mental illness who try to illegally buy firearms? And do you support getting serious about prgtoken protecting our schools? Do you support doubling the number of cops in our schools so that our kids are safe? Do you support funding mental health counselors so our kids are safe? prgtoken This is an opportunity for every Senator to decide if they support doing something that actually fixes the problem or if they put a higher priority on partisan politics. On the merits, this vote should be 100 to 0. We will see what the vote is in reality. Motion to Table prgtoken , ac