mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Session)
Gary C. Peters (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-6-24

I rise once again in support of Jen Easterly's nomination to be Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, commonly referred to as CISA. prgtoken Yesterday, I came to the floor to urge my colleagues to swiftly confirm Ms. Easterly to lead CISA so she can get to work in strengthening our Nation's response to the recent onslaught of online attacks that have literally wrought havoc to our critical infrastructure, businesses, and even government. prgtoken With her more than three decades of service in the public and private sectors and her critical role in crafting vital cyber security recommendations as a member of the Cyber Solarium prgtoken Commission, Ms. Easterly is more than qualified to lead this critical Agency. Her leadership is needed now more than ever, after the damage and the chaos that recent cyber attacks have caused. We urgently need a qualified and Senate-confirmed leader in place before the next major breach, which could be even worse. prgtoken Yesterday, when I called on the Senate to immediately confirm this critical nominee, the Senator from Florida objected, not because he opposes Ms. Easterly's confirmation, and, in fact, he actually helped advance her nomination out of my committee just last week. Instead, he blocked the swift confirmation of this critical cyber security leader because he wants to extract a completely unrelated political concession from the administration. prgtoken As we now know, Vice President has announced that she will travel to El Paso tomorrow, along with Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, to assess the situation on the southern border. The administration and Secretary Mayorkas have worked hard to address our border challenges, and, as a result, we have seen a reduction in the number of unaccompanied children who are in DHS custody. prgtoken But this nomination is not about the border, as much as my colleagues try to conflate these issues. This nomination is about cyber security. This nomination is keeping American families safe and our economy secure. That is what this nomination is all about. My colleagues are continuing to stall the confirmation of Ms. Easterly at a time when we desperately need strong cyber security leadership. prgtoken The Senate is preparing to adjourn for Independence Day, which is a major travel weekend. As we have seen from recent cyber attacks, our transportation networks are vulnerable. Criminal organizations and foreign adversaries will continue their efforts to compromise our networks. We must be prepared for attacks that could disrupt trains or flights over the holiday weekend. prgtoken We must confirm Ms. Easterly as the CISA Director now, not in 2 weeks and not in 2 months. We must have a qualified Senate-confirmed leader in place to help us address these attacks. prgtoken If our colleagues won't consent, they risk weakening and slowing our cyber d
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-6-24

I rise today to introduce the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act of 2021. My colleagues Senators Collins, Shaheen, and Kelly are joining me as original cosponsors of the bill. prgtoken This bill will assist with the construction of facilities for mass timber, tall wood, and other innovative wood products, in order to make sustainable use of small-diameter timber from forest thinnings and other needed treatments in Eastern and Western forests. prgtoken The bill will also help to create jobs in disadvantaged rural and forest-dependent communities, and will help to reduce wildfire risk by removing dangerous fuels that can build up. prgtoken The Forest Service reports that 80 million acres of Forest Service lands alone are at risk of catastrophic wildfire or abnormal levels of insect and disease infestations. prgtoken While Federal land management agencies are working to increase the pace and scale of restoration activities, clearly we need to do more. In California we are facing a severe drought, and even before the onset of this most recent drought there were 150 million dead or dying trees due to insect damage. We are truly facing a monumental challenge. prgtoken A recent comprehensive analysis by The Nature Conservancy and Bain and Company management consultants found that creating a restoration economy can play an important role in expanding the pace and scale of ecologically based forest restoration. The report recommended funding and incentives to ``bridge the gap between the cost of ecological thinning and the economic viability of wood-processing infrastructure.'' prgtoken As the report explains, ``If more aggressive restoration targets can be met, there will be significant need for additional processing capacity to defray restoration costs and provide valuable end uses for thinned material.'' prgtoken Our bill responds to the challenge of developing funding measures to improve the economic viability of wood-processing infrastructure to reduce the cost of forest restoration and provide valuable uses for the small diameter material. prgtoken Fortunately, we do not need to create a whole new program to improve the economic viability of wood-processing infrastructure. The Forest Service has two existing grant programs that can help: the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program and the Wood Innovations Program. prgtoken These programs would benefit from amendments to increase their utility for improving the viability of wood-processing infrastructure. In particular, the program could benefit from higher Federal cost- shares and an increased ability to provide more funding for each project, in addition to a higher authorization of funding overall. prgtoken More specifically, our bill will revise the Forest Service's Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program, which provides assistance to the capital cost of small wood products facilities. Specifically, our bill would
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF CURRENCY RELATING TO ``NATIONAL BANKS AND FEDERAL SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS AS LENDERS''
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2021-6-24

. And still I rise, Madam . Again, I thank the chairwoman for the time and the opportunity. prgtoken I would say to all, I recall the debate around the yield spread premium, wherein a loan originator could say to a person, ``Here is a loan, you are lucky to get it for 10 percent'' when the person qualified for a loan at 5 percent. prgtoken We eliminated the dastardly yield spread premium and the harm that it caused. We have a similar circumstance with the rent-a-bank scheme that steals the American Dream, such that people who qualify for better loans will likely get higher loans because they don't always understand the scheme. prgtoken So I rise today, and I thank Mr. Garcia for what he has done to bring this bill to fruition. woman, and I absolutely support the legislation.
Fourth of July (Executive Session)
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2021-6-24

I rise today to speak about how far our Nation has come in the past 6 months. prgtoken Just for a moment, think back to where we were in January. Every day, hundreds of thousands of Americans were being diagnosed with COVID-19, and on many days, more than 3,000--or even 4,000--of our moms and dads and brothers and sisters and children and friends and neighbors were dying of this horrible disease. Meanwhile, millions of Americans were out of work just 6 months ago, and small businesses were unsure whether or not they could reopen safely. During these cold, dark days, it was easy to wonder if things would ever get better. prgtoken But something else happened in January. On January 20, President and Vice President were sworn into office, and with their inauguration came a laser focus on defeating this horrific disease and getting our country moving again. prgtoken They had some amazing tools in their arsenals: vaccines that proved to be more effective than anyone could have hoped--thank goodness. And I am so proud that Michigan workers at Pfizer have played a big role in producing these lifesaving vaccines and getting them shipped all over the country. prgtoken When President and Vice President took office, only 5 percent of American adults had received at least one shot. Now, only 6 months later, 70 percent of Americans over age 30 have received at least one shot. That is a total of 300 million vaccine shots in only 150 days, and we are seeing the results. prgtoken This week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was able to drop our State's pandemic restrictions. That is great news for our small businesses and our restaurants and our entertainment venues, just in time for peak travel season in beautiful Michigan. prgtoken Nationwide, more than 2 million jobs have been created since President took office--2 million jobs since he took office just 6 months ago. Half as many people are applying for unemployment each month as were in January. And, next month, families will begin to receive advance child tax credits that are going to lift half of the poor children in our country out of poverty--incredible. These monthly payments of $250 or $300 per child will help families pay for the things they need to care for their children, and it will also boost the economy. prgtoken We have made amazing progress, and it wouldn't have been possible without leadership from the White House, around $20 billion in funding for vaccines from Congress, the dedication of our medical professionals, the hard work of our small businesses that have done so much to keep their employees and their customers safe, and the willingness of so many Americans to literally roll up their sleeves to protect themselves and each other. prgtoken It is true that we have a lot more to do, of course. Many families and communities are still struggling to get back on their feet. We need to continue to suppo
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF CURRENCY RELATING TO ``NATIONAL BANKS AND FEDERAL SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS AS LENDERS''
Jesús G. "Chuy" García (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-6-24

. Madam , I rise in strong support of S.J. Res. 15, a resolution to repeal the OCC's so-called true lender rule. prgtoken Earlier this year, my State, Illinois, passed a law that protects our consumers from predatory, high-interest loans. Eighteen other States have done the same. prgtoken I introduced the House version of this resolution because the true lender rule undermines laws like ours, laws that keep working-class people out of cycles of debt they can't pay back. prgtoken The rule is a rubber stamp for rent-a-bank schemes, where a lender can dodge State law by having a bank's name on the loan paperwork. That is all. No skin in the game, no investment in our communities; just a name on the paperwork. prgtoken This rule doesn't encourage innovation. It encourages playing games. This isn't a partisan issue. As a matter of fact, last year, 82 percent of Nebraska voters joined States like Arkansas and South Dakota to protect their communities from unpayable debt, and this rule from the OCC provides bad actors with a new tool to ignore them. prgtoken So a broad coalition of over 400 organizations--rural, urban, suburban--have come together in support of this measure, and they include consumer advocates, labor advocates, veterans, credit unions, and many other actors, including evangelical congregations. prgtoken Madam , I urge this body to pass this resolution and empower working-class communities like mine that are targeted by predatory lenders, and voters across the country who support consumer protections.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF CURRENCY RELATING TO ``NATIONAL BANKS AND FEDERAL SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS AS LENDERS''
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-6-24

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I rise today in support of S.J. Res. 15, a resolution to invalidate the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's so-called True Lender Rule under the Congressional Review Act. prgtoken This resolution would end a dangerous -era rule that would allow predatory lenders to evade State usury laws and target consumers with high interest rate loans of 150 percent or higher through sham partnerships with banks. prgtoken I would like to thank Representative Garcia from Illinois for introducing the House companion to this measure and for his leadership in fighting to protect consumers from predatory lending schemes. prgtoken My committee has held several hearings that have exposed the consumer harm that results from these rent-a-bank schemes and explored how the administration's harmful rule erodes the consumer protections. prgtoken The OCC's rule undoes centuries of case law that ensured that nonbank financial institutions were subject to State interest rate caps when they partnered with banks, so long as they held the primary economic interest in a consumer loan. prgtoken 's OCC allowed nonbanks to launder their loans through OCC- chartered banks, as long as the bank is listed on the loan origination documents, effectively allowing nonbanks to ignore State usury laws. prgtoken Simply put, before this -era rule was finalized, if a nonbank in California, which has an interest rate cap of, for example, 36 percent, wanted to make a loan to a customer in California, the nonbank can't charge more than 36 percent. OCC's True Lender Rule turns this commonsense legal doctrine on its head. prgtoken What the -era rule says is that this nonbank can now partner with a national bank that is based in, for example, Utah, which doesn't have an interest rate cap, to now legally charge virtually any interest rate to the consumers in California. prgtoken This is true even if the bank in Utah has done nothing but put its name on the loan paperwork and intends to immediately transfer the loan to the nonbank in California. We have seen interest rates of more than 150 percent charged to consumers in this way. prgtoken The committee's work has shone a spotlight on heartbreaking stories of the harm that this rule has caused to consumers and small business owners. Let me give you a real-world example of a Black-owned small business that was harmed by one of these rent-a-bank schemes authorized by 's OCC. prgtoken A recent news report detailed the case of Carlos and Markisha Swepson, who were the owners of Boulevard Bistro, a restaurant in Harlem, New York. As they told NBC News, they took out several business loans for $67,000 and were charged a whopping 268 percent APR. prgtoken For all intents and purposes, their lender was World Business Lenders, a nonbank lender that has a partnership with Axos Bank. This is a bank in New York State. Even though the
ORDERS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2021, THROUGH MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-6-24

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn to then convene for pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted, on the following dates and times, and that following each pro forma session, the Senate adjourn until the next pro forma session: Monday, June 28 at 9 a.m.; Thursday, July 1 at 11 a.m.; Monday, July 5 at 2:30 p.m.; and Thursday, July 8 at 12 noon. I further ask that when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, July 8, it next convene at 3 p.m Monday, July 12; further, 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; further, that upon the conclusion of morning business, the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Zeya nomination; finally, that the cloture motions filed during today's session ripen at 5:30 p.m.
HONORING BSA TROOP 19 FROM SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY
Tom Malinowski (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-6-24

I rise today to honor BSA Troop 19 in Short Hills, New Jersey, and their historic first class of female Eagle Scouts. prgtoken Five members in the troop in my district earned this prestigious rank in the first year young women were able to obtain the status in the organization's 111-year history. prgtoken I first met Katelyn Cannon, Keira Lowden, Riya Tyagi, and Bridget and Morgan Lomax virtually in February and I was lucky enough to attend their Eagle ceremony earlier this month. Their pioneering leadership has paved the way for many more young women to follow. prgtoken From creating a nonprofit corporation, to leading conservation efforts for koalas; to preserving and digitizing hundreds of hours of music for the New Jersey Youth Symphony; to building and installing houses for bats in local open spaces, these Scouts have gone above and beyond. prgtoken The Scouting community is better with Katelyn, Keira, Riya, Bridget, and Morgan as Eagle Scouts. prgtoken Congratulations to these trailblazing young women, and thank you to their Scoutmaster, Daniel Cannon.
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-6-24

before we reach the conclusion of the June work period, the Senate will confirm yet another one of President 's highly qualified nominees to the Federal Bench: Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to serve on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken A graduate of Princeton and Yale Law School, Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi left a career at a big law firm to work for 10 years as a Federal defender in Illinois. She was a voice in the courtroom for Americans who often had no one else to speak for them: the mentally ill, folks who could not afford an attorney. prgtoken We have plenty of former prosecutors and corporate lawyers on the bench. Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi would bring a sorely needed perspective. The more our courts reflect our country as a whole, the more faith Americans will have in the equal application of the law. prgtoken Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi will make an outstanding addition to the Seventh Circuit, and I urge all my colleagues to vote for her later today. prgtoken Now, I want to reflect for a moment on the pace of judicial nominations in the ic-led Senate so far this year. Typically, the first several months of a new administration don't feature a ton of judicial nominations. New Presidents often have ambitious legislative agendas, and it takes a lot of time for a new President to make appointments and to get them to go through all of the background checks and for the Judiciary Committee to advance nominees to the floor. So in administrations past, the first 6 months are a fallow period for judges. prgtoken For all the focus that the leader put on judges during the previous administration, the Senate only confirmed one--one district or circuit judge--before July 4 in the first year of 's Presidency. By the end of today, the Senate will have confirmed more judges this week than in all 6 months of 's first year in office. prgtoken In fact, with the confirmations this week, the Senate will have confirmed more district and circuit court judges to the Federal bench in the first 6 months of President 's first year than any other administration in 50 years. prgtoken Let me say that again so people hear, because I know there is a lot of worry--justified--that President shifted the bench so far to the right that we need to rebalance it, and we need to make that a very high priority. Well, we have. After the confirmation of Ms. Jackson- Akiwumi, the Senate will have confirmed more district and circuit court judges in the first year of a prgtoken Presidency in over 50 years, including the first 6 months of 's Presidency. So we are making good, good progress, and we have done it with judges who break the Federal mold--Federal defenders, civil rights lawyers, voting rights lawyers, the first Native American judge, the first Muslim American judge. Those make me proud that we are constantly expanding who in America can get to the bench. All of these fol
CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY
Seth Moulton (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-6-24

our Afghan allies and friends risked their lives, not just for their country, but for ours. They put their lives on the line, not just for Afghanistan, but for America. And they are not just Afghan heroes, but American heroes, too. prgtoken They risked their lives because we made a solemn promise to them: We have your backs. Because we said that we have their backs, they now have a target on theirs. prgtoken Today, the administration has heard the call of veterans across America who have said: Save our allies. Do the right thing by the promise that we made. prgtoken They have heeded our calls to pursue an evacuation because there simply is not enough time for special immigrant visas to be processed. It is 80 days until our withdrawal. The average time to process an SIV is 800 days. prgtoken Today is, therefore, a bright chapter in the long story of the advocacy of veterans all over this country, and , who have called on the administration to execute a plan for evacuation. prgtoken But the story is far from over. We need to see a detailed operational plan, including a way to collect our allies from across this war-torn country, a way to ensure that their family members are saved as well, and a clear plan to get them COVID vaccines so they can travel safely to other countries, or to Guam, and not carry a risk of carrying the disease. prgtoken We also need to see an operational commander named to lead this effort, and we need a guarantee that this evacuation mission will continue until it is complete. prgtoken The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Milley, said yesterday that we have a moral obligation to fulfill this promise. I would add that that moral obligation is not just to our Afghan friends and allies. It is to every future young American on the ground in some conflict overseas who needs a friend, who needs an interpreter, who needs an ally and makes that promise once again: Come work with us. Come risk your life for us because we have your back.
CHILD TAX CREDIT
Jake Auchincloss (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2021-6-24

I rise today in support of the expanded child tax credit. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, working families across the country will receive a monthly child tax credit payment of up to $300 per child, covering nearly 90 percent of all children and cutting child poverty in half. prgtoken In my district, the expanded child tax credit will improve the lives of families from Newton to Fall River, helping almost 60 percent of children and lifting 3,800 children out of poverty. As a father, I am committed to providing parents with the support needed to navigate the high cost of raising a child. prgtoken From affording their food bills to paying for childcare, this substantial tax relief will set our parents and children up for success. The expanded child tax credit is a necessary investment in our families so that we can build an economy that works for everyone. We must make the expansion permanent.