mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FIRE GRANTS AND SAFETY ACT OF 2023--Continued
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2024-6-18

in a few moments, I would like to ask unanimous consent for the Senate to take up and pass legislation I have introduced to support genuine solutions to infertility and empower couples with autonomy over how they build their families. prgtoken First, I want to take a moment to recognize the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, a ruling that underscores the great significance of bringing life into this world. It still doesn't feel real that we were able to overturn Roe. What a blessing for this country that that was. prgtoken However, we are still fighting daily to protect Americans from the harmful pro-abortion agenda being pushed by the . Pro-abortion advocates have been creative in spreading fear by using issues that s support, such as access to IVF. prgtoken I have been clear about my strong support for access to IVF and am grateful for its ability to bring God's beautiful creations into this world. And while the left wants to stoke fear in this arena, it is time that we hone in on the real problem and find long-lasting, affordable solutions. prgtoken Infertility affects 15 to 16 percent of couples in the United States and is a profoundly emotional experience. While IVF is a procedure used to create life, it does not treat the underlying conditions that cause infertility and make it difficult for a woman to sustain that life in the womb. prgtoken If we are going to address the issue of infertility, then we need to start with solutions that promote genuine healing. This is the mission behind the RESTORE Act, which I introduced with Senator Lankford last week. ``RESTORE'' stands for reproductive empowerment and support through optimal restoration. prgtoken Provisions of this budget-neutral bill include: educational tools for women seeking information about reproductive health conditions and restorative reproductive medicine, training opportunities for medical professionals who feel called to help couples build their families. prgtoken They will learn how to diagnose and treat reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, blocked fallopian tubes, hormone imbalances, and thyroid conditions, ovulation dysfunctions, and other health conditions that cause infertility and painful menstrual cycles. prgtoken The RESTORE Act also directs HHS to conduct data collection and implement ongoing reports to assess the access women have to restorative reproductive medicine and infertility care. prgtoken We also ensure strong religious and conscience protections in the bill. What we are trying to do here is promote long-term healing for couples struggling with infertility. We want to empower childbearing generations so that families can address fertility concerns in a cost- effective manner. prgtoken This bill is separate and complementary to IVF. We have seen great success numbers come from fertility clinics that take a holistic approach to healing the root cause
CLOTURE MOTION
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2024-6-20

. Thank you to my colleague, Leader Schumer. The leader has been working tirelessly to get this bill done. I have seen the work up close, and I have seen the benefit. After pushing and cajoling, we are much closer to ultimate success. prgtoken This bill, which has nearly 70 cosponsors, is a set of safeguards and accountability measures to protect kids from the clear and horrific harms created by social media and other online platforms. The bill is responsive to the countless stories that we have heard from bereaved parents and young people about the terrible consequences these platforms have had on their lives. prgtoken And just to repeat, I want to thank my colleague, Leader Schumer. The leader has been working tirelessly to get this bill done. I have seen the work up close, and I have seen the benefits. After pushing and cajoling, we are much closer to ultimate success.
CLOTURE MOTION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-6-20

. . prgtoken Like him, I have personally met with the families that have been harmed. I have seen their terrible stories, and I am committed, completely, to work with them to get KOSA across the finish line. With the hard work of Senator Blumenthal and Senator Blackburn, KOSA has passed through the Commerce Committee unanimously and has gotten up to 70 cosponsors. prgtoken Last month, I put together a plan to get KOSA done through unanimous consent for a time agreement on the floor. I personally helped resolve issues and mitigated unintended consequences of the bill. That effort has significantly reduced the opposition, but there are still holdouts.
FORT BELKNAP INDIAN COMMUNITY WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT ACT OF 2023
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2024-6-20

I appreciate the recognition. prgtoken I rise today to talk about an issue that is a disaster. Earlier this week, we saw a water diversion project, that takes water from the St. Mary drainage and puts it in the Milk River, literally blow up. That siphon that blew up had been around for over 100 years. It is critical for Northern Montana. The project is near a town called Babb, MT. prgtoken The siphon failure caused thousands of gallons of water to flood the surrounding area, leading to extensive damage to local businesses in that area, and will damage irrigation opportunities for 120,000 acres. What do I mean when I say ``damage irrigation''? They won't have any water to irrigate. It also provides water to four municipalities, two rural water systems, and two Tribes. It is a vital source of water for North Central Montana's water users and to so many farmers who feed the world. prgtoken Now, the timing of this could not be worse because there are literally hundreds of farmers and ranchers who are currently depending on the Milk River Project to irrigate their crops. Because of the severity of the situation, I immediately called on the administration to work to ensure that the local community and irrigators have the resources they need to fix this problem and include the Milk River Project in the administration's domestic supplemental package. prgtoken That is what the administration can do, but Congress also has an opportunity and actually an obligation to do our job. Congress can unlock critical funding for the Milk River Project once again by passing the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement. prgtoken The Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act is a critically important piece of legislation that addresses a wide range of issues. I am not going to get into all the details, but I will say this: When finalizing this settlement, the Fort Belknap Indian Community recognized how important the St. Mary Canal is to all the water users in North Central Montana. Because of the leadership and the vision from Tribal leaders like President Stiffarm, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement prgtoken was included and the St. Mary Canal project was included. Now, if this Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement passes, we can rehabilitate the St. Mary Canal, what exploded earlier this week. prgtoken The bipartisan bill passed the Senate earlier this Congress--this Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement--as an amendment to the NDAA, but Johnson and House s stripped it from the final version. prgtoken For nearly a year, the House has failed to act to provide the North Central Montana water users the certainty they need. These folks are farmers that need to feed the country and entire world, but they are also businesses that will go broke without water. prgtoken Now is the time to move forward. The siphon failures that o
Glioblastoma (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-6-20

I am a liberal arts lawyer. I am not a doctor, and I am not a researcher. So when I get into these fields, I want to say the words I use very carefully, not to misstate what is clearly the case. prgtoken But this was an amazing article, which is entitled ``Device uses microbubbles to open blood-brain barrier to treat glioblastoma in humans.'' prgtoken It is the story of Northwestern Medicine scientist Adam Sonabend: [R]eport results of the first in-human clinical trial using a skull-implantable ultrasound device to open the blood-brain barrier and repeatedly permeate large, critical regions of the human brain. prgtoken To try to translate this into simple words, the blood-brain barrier is something I don't understand. When we take two beers and drink them, we can feel it, so the alcohol has permeated the blood-brain barrier. But in the ordinary course of events, it is, in fact, a barrier for chemicals to enter the brain. prgtoken Dr. Sonabend is finding a way to get beyond that barrier, and it is for the treatment of what is known as glioblastoma, brain cancer. We know that very well on a personal basis here in the U.S. Senate. We have lost John McCain to glioblastoma; Ted Kennedy to glioblastoma; one of our ic cloakroom staffers, Tim Mitchell, to glioblastoma; and Hunter 's brother, Beau , died from glioblastoma. prgtoken Why? I am going to try to say this in simple words, and I hope I don't misstate it. Because when we discover the tumor, the first reaction is surgery to remove the tumor. And so you will see, with each of the people I have just mentioned, that experience take place. The tumor is removed, but unfortunately the chemotherapy that is common to stop cancerous tumors from emerging in the same area can't be used because of the blood-brain barrier. This barrier stops the application of the medicine. So the researchers are finding a way to get beyond that barrier to bring chemotherapy to the brain of those suffering from glioblastoma. prgtoken We lost the individuals that I mentioned earlier because the followup was so difficult because of this barrier. Now, that is as far as I can go in layman's terms explaining the situation, but the reason I raise that issue is because it is timely.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Alex Padilla (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-6-20

I rise today to celebrate the life of Dominga Bustamante, a selfless community leader and an adored mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who passed away in May at the age of 89. prgtoken Dominga Bustamante's family first migrated to California in search of agricultural work and settled in the town of Dinuba, CA, in Tulare County. It was there that she would meet her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Cruz Bustamante Jr with whom she would have six children: Cruz, Belinda, Dorothy, Ron, Andrew, and Naomi. prgtoken But it was further west in San Joaquin, CA, where Dominga would make her biggest impact. Though she held no elected office and had no formal obligation to serve, her personal moral convictions and her deep religious values made her a relentless force for good. prgtoken She was the unofficial ``Welcome Host'' to Hindu and Sikh families moving to town, an ally to families trying prgtoken to secure Social Security benefits, and a friend to seniors who needed a ride to appointments. She split her time between serving as a bilingual instructional aide, a San Joaquin Teen Club adviser and teen anxiety first responder, and even a law enforcement interdiction advocate. She was also a devout Catholic, serving for years as a Catechism teacher in San Joaquin and Fresno. prgtoken For her dedication, she was recognized by California Latina Leaders in Action with the Lifetime Achievement Award and by the Diocese of Fresno with the Bishop's Catechist Appreciation Certificate. prgtoken Whether seeking her help after just moving to town, praying alongside her in church, or even joining for her tamale-making parties, countless people felt welcome in California because of Dominga Bustamante. prgtoken My wife Angela and I pray for Dominga and the entire Bustamante family, and our hearts go out to her 6 children, 13 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.
SENATE RESOLUTION 743--REAFFIRMING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNITED STATES PROMOTING THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2024-6-20

today on World Refugee Day, I am here to honor the tens of millions of people worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes. World Refugee Day was first held in June of 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention and to shine a light on the needs and rights of refugees while giving voice to their aspirations. prgtoken At that time, in 2001, the number of forcibly displaced persons globally was close to 20 million. Today that number stands at 120 million people, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency. This staggering figure, the highest in recorded history, means that 1.5 percent of the entire world's population has been forced to flee their homes as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or natural disasters like drought, crop failures, or famine. prgtoken In the past 10 years, the number of forcibly displaced persons has more than doubled as new conflicts have arisen and longstanding crises have gone unresolved, made worse by the impacts of climate change, food insecurity, and poverty. prgtoken Of this 120 million, there are more than 31 million refugees who have crossed international borders to seek safety in another country--31 million people who are not safe from prosecution in their own country of origin. There are more than 68 million internally displaced persons, the majority of whom are women and children, forced from their homes but still within the country's borders. prgtoken In every region of the world, we see people pushed from their homes: in the Sudan, where the brutal and altogether avoidable conflict between the Rapid prgtoken Support Forces and Sudan Armed Forces has forced more than 9 million people to flee their homes, and without a ceasefire and sustainable peace agreement, these numbers will only continue to grow; in Ukraine, where Putin's illegal full-scale invasion has pushed nearly 10 million Ukrainians from their homes, including more than 6 million refugees; in Gaza, where approximately 75 percent of the population--1.7 million people--has been displaced and displaced multiple times since last October; and in Haiti, where widespread violence has uprooted more than 360,000 people in the past year. prgtoken Even as crises fades from the headlines, the impact to people's lives do not: for nearly 14 million displaced Syrians representing over half the country's population to the estimated 6.5 million Afghan refugees around the world, to the more than 6 million Venezuelan refugees, the long tail of conflict and crisis has left millions displaced year after year. prgtoken Behind every number is a story of a life uprooted, but there is also a story of courage, of resilience and hope for a brighter future, the hope of a refugee mother for her child to receive an education, the hope of a refugee woman to someday become a doctor, the hope of a family caught in the crosshairs of war to return to their homes and live in peace. prgtoken Achievi
CLOTURE MOTION
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2024-6-20

from Rhode Island for his dedication and perseverance on these important issues, and I also appreciate his mentioning the dividend concept because, obviously, we want consumers to be kept whole here and to make a transformation that they too want to make. So I thank him for his leadership. prgtoken , I come to the floor today to call attention to the high prices Americans are paying for their prescription medication and the urgent need to pass what is called the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act in the Senate that I have cosponsored along with my colleague from Iowa Senator Grassley. prgtoken At the beginning of this decade, the United States spent more on prescription drugs than any other country in the world, reaching an average of $1,432 per person per year. prgtoken So 6 out of every 10 adults are currently taking at least one prescription drug. More than a quarter of us take four or more prescriptions. So when drug prices go up, it really does stretch the family budget, cuts into our savings, and it puts us into health challenges if we can't afford those prescriptions. prgtoken About one in four residents in my State--the State of Washington-- have either rationed or stopped taking prescription drugs because of costs. Families should not have to make this choice. prgtoken One of the factors driving up the price of prescription drugs is pharmacy benefit managers and their profit-driven business model that is not transparent as to the price-setting and is causing pharmacies great harm. Pharmacy benefit managers operate behind the scenes but have a stake in just about every part of the drug distribution chain and exert extraordinary influence in the prices that Americans are paying for their medication. prgtoken PBMs decide which lifesaving medications most Americans will have access to through their insurance plans. They decide how much copay will be for prescriptions. They decide how much a pharmacy will be reimbursed for dispensing these drugs and whether the pharmacy will lose money when they fill a prescription. prgtoken PBMs don't actually handle or distribute the drugs, but they siphon off the profit at every step in the process, from the drug manufacturers and all the way up to the pharmacy counter. That is because the PBM market, these pharmacy benefit manager middlemen--think of them almost as the insurance company that is setting the price--are extremely consolidated, giving consumers no choice in which PBM they use. Just three PBMs control 80 percent of the market. prgtoken Can you imagine anybody controlling 80 percent of the market? But just three of these companies control 80 percent of the market. And, effectively, they have unchecked power on their ability to distort the market and engage in unfair and abusive practices. prgtoken So what are we trying to do, Senator Grassley and myself? We are trying to stop those unfair and manipulative
Inflation (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2024-6-20

summer is an exciting time of year for many Americans. It is a time for adventure, for relaxation, for quality time spent with friends and family. But, like seemingly everything else, summer activities are more expensive in the economy. prgtoken The cost of gas for a family trip is up 45 percent since President took office. Food for a summer cookout costs 10 percent more than it did last year. And fees for summer camp are giving parents sticker shock. Even just keeping the house cool has climbed 8 percent since last summer to over $700. prgtoken And, of course, this is a small sampling of what Americans have been going through for the past 3-plus years. Last week's inflation report confirmed again what Americans know all too well, inflation is still a problem. Overall, prices are up more than 20 percent since President took office. The prgtoken cost of groceries is up 21 percent. Energy costs are up 41 percent. Car repairs and maintenance are up 30 percent. And the list goes on. prgtoken All told, it costs a typical family $13,000 more per year to maintain the standard of living that family enjoyed when President took office--$13,000 more, just to buy the exact same things you were buying 3 years ago. prgtoken As one mother of three told the New York Times: We're spending way more to get the same amount of food that we were getting before. prgtoken The inflation rate has been elevated for 38 months. Understandably, many people are at the end of their ropes. Americans have dipped into their savings. They have taken out record levels of credit card debt, and a shocking report came out recently that said that more than a quarter of Americans have skipped meals because of inflation--skipped meals because of inflation. prgtoken The cost of dealing with inflation is adding to Americans' financial pain. To fight inflation, the Federal Reserve has been forced to keep interest rates high, which affects Americans' finances in a variety of ways. Many Americans turned to credit cards--racking up record levels of debt--to cope with inflation. prgtoken And higher interest rates, in part the result of the Fed's actions, are making credit card bills harder to pay down. The same is true for car payments. And Americans looking to own their own home are facing what one housing expert calls ``the most challenging home buying market we've ever seen.'' prgtoken The average monthly mortgage payment is a staggering $2,800. The result of a combination of higher mortgage rates and higher home prices. And if you do own a home, a recent report found that the cost of keeping and maintaining it has gone up 26 percent since 2020 to more than $1,500 per month. prgtoken It is worth remembering that it didn't have to be this way. Three years ago, President and forced through a reckless and partisan spending spree under the guise of pandemic relief. prgtoken They had been warned that
Ukraine and Energy (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-6-20

last week, a U.S. company announced it had reached an agreement to begin exporting American liquefied natural gas to Ukraine for the first time. That is certainly good news for our friends on the frontlines of Russian aggression, for allies across Eastern Europe, and for the workers and producers behind some of America's most affordable and reliable energy. prgtoken Exporting American abundance is a win-win proposition, and it is one that our closest trading partners in Europe have increasingly recognized as an opportunity to offset their reliance on Russian gas. prgtoken But setting aside last week's good news, the administration is still chronically confused about the role that affordable and abundant American energy can play as a geopolitical tool, a source of American leadership, and an engine of our own economy. prgtoken In a joint pledge issued 2 years ago, President committed to help reduce Europe's reliance on Russian energy and increase global energy security. Then, a few lines later, he reiterated his commitment to the unenforceable virtue signals of the Paris climate deal. prgtoken Sometimes it seems that cognitive dissonance is the most powerful force in the universe. prgtoken Remember, the President who continues to insist he is serious about helping America's closest allies resist the predations of Putin's Russia is the same President who made stunning American energy development a day-one priority. He is the same one who decided not to intervene when he had a chance--before Russia's escalation in Ukraine-- to block the expansion of European reliance on Russian gas with the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. And, of course, this is the same President who earlier this year issued a de facto ban on new permitting for LNG export infrastructure that would make it harder for American producers to respond to demand for reliable alternatives to Russian or Iranian energy. prgtoken As I have discussed at length, Russia's escalation in Ukraine prompted some of our closest European allies to finally start investing seriously in their own defenses. It has also been an opportunity to rethink their dangerous overreliance on Russian energy. prgtoken Back in February, one German state-owned energy provider was in the process of switching from buying Russian gas to buying American gas instead, but the plan was stifled by the administration's decision to appease its activist base instead of reinforcing America's allies. prgtoken So last week brought good news. But here is the rub: This new commitment to Ukraine relies, in part, on the completion of a new LNG export facility that is stuck in the administration's regulatory purgatory. And even as already permitted infrastructure comes online, producers who want to create new American jobs and expand their capacity to meet foreign demand are simply out of luck. prgtoken Since 2016, American LNG has been a remarkable success story. It had driven our