mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2022-6-22

I rise today at a time in which families in Arizona and across America are scared. For too long, they have seen unacceptable levels of violence in their communities, and it threatens their sense of safety and security. prgtoken The morning after the tragic, horrible activity at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, we all felt that fear. We felt it when we spoke to our neighbors and our friends and checked on our loved ones to ensure they were OK. prgtoken For decades, parents have lived with the unnerving uncertainty of what might happen when they send their children to school or attend worship services, go to the grocery store, or even simply let their kids play outside. prgtoken For too long, political games in Washington on both sides of the aisle have stopped progress towards protecting our communities and keeping families safe and secure. Commonsense proposals have been tossed to the side by partisan lawmakers choosing politics instead of solutions. prgtoken Elected officials have made a habit of insulting one another for offering thoughts and prayers, for blaming violence on strictly mental illnesses or video games or particular kinds of weapons or any cause that didn't align with and confirm their own predetermined beliefs. prgtoken Casting blame and trading political barbs and attacks became the path of least resistance, but the communities across our country that have experienced senseless violence deserve better than Washington politics as usual. Our communities deserve a commitment by their leaders to do the hard work of putting aside politics, identifying problems that need solving, and working together towards common ground and common goals. prgtoken On May 24, as news spread of the shooting in Uvalde and the 21 beautiful lives cut short, my friend and colleague Chris Murphy came to the Senate floor, and he asked the Senate one simple question: What are we doing; why are we here, if not to solve a problem as existential as this? prgtoken I am grateful that colleagues on both sides of the aisle have answered Chris's question by resolving to do the hard work, build consensus, and find solutions. prgtoken Senator Murphy, a tireless advocate for families in Connecticut, reached out to my friend Senator John Cornyn of Texas, offering his condolences and assistance. Senator Cornyn was in Uvalde, comforting families who were experiencing the unthinkable, and Senator Murphy had, sadly, been in a similar place 10 years before at Sandy Hook. prgtoken That same day, I reached out to Senator Cornyn and Senator Thom Tillis, two friends I have worked with to craft lasting, bipartisan solutions managing the crisis at our border and helping veterans access the benefits they have earned. We all planned to get quickly together to identify realistic solutions. prgtoken Within 1 day, Senators Murphy, Cornyn, Tillis, and myself--all representing diverse States from across the country--sat down and started
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2022-6-22

I object. prgtoken Let me walk through why. My friend from Utah, in the spirit to try to work something out here, is offering a counterproposal. prgtoken The problem that I have with this is the amendment--now we are talking about the Department of Agriculture, which plays a role here. I will get to that in a moment. prgtoken But in this case, the amendment would direct this Agency, the Department of Agriculture, to allow formula to be included in the Women, Infants, and Children's nutrition program that does not meet USDA standards. So now, we have a concern that I initially raised about FDA standards. Now, we have USDA standards for safety and nutritional adequacy. prgtoken I would also add that this amendment is unnecessary because of action that was taken by the leaders of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. That committee passed a bipartisan bill, the Access to Baby Formula Act, that the President just signed into law. This already provides the Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the discretion it needs to expand the products available to WIC parents and babies--right now that is the law--while also continuing to meet those high nutritional needs of the babies. prgtoken So, again, the concerns here are standards--safety standards--for those infants.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2022-6-22

I take this time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the enactment of title IX. It was passed and enacted on June 23, 50 years ago, when President Nixon signed title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into law, which explicitly added the following sex discrimination provision into the law: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. prgtoken Broadly speaking, title IX prohibits any institution that receives Federal education funding from discriminating against students or employees on the basis of sex. prgtoken Today, I would like to reflect on how far we have come in terms of combating sex discrimination in the United States, how far we still need to go, and what steps we can take as we strive to guarantee equal rights and equal justice under the law for all Americans, regardless of their gender identification or sexual orientation. prgtoken Sex discrimination comes in many forms and historically has included discrimination based on pregnancy or sex stereotypes. We have seen sex discrimination that includes sexual harassment in our schools and in the workplace, dating violence, and sex-based stalking. Such sexual harassment and discrimination often leads to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts for the women affected and can lead to higher rates of dropping out of school. prgtoken Congress responded, in part, by passing the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and recently reauthorizing it and strengthening it in 2022. prgtoken Title IX is certainly responsible for much of the progress women have made in the last half a century. Today, women earn nearly 60 percent of the doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees conferred in this Nation. A stubborn disparity still exists, however, with respect to women--and, in particular, women of color--earning science, technology, engineering, and math--STEM--degrees. prgtoken In terms of sports, we have seen an enormous increase in women and girls participating in athletic activities, with more than a 1,000- percent increase in high school-level sports and a 600-percent increase in collegiate-level sports--an increase that helps them develop leadership and teamwork skills and, in some cases, earn athletic scholarships and become professional athletes. prgtoken In professions where women represent a majority of employees, women are still held back from obtaining leadership positions. For example, women represent more than three-quarters of the entire healthcare workforce, yet just 27 percent of chief executive officer positions in our hospital systems. prgtoken Looking at title IX progress and the road ahead, the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education, the National Women's Law Center, and others recentl
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Jack Reed (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-6-22

as we all know too well, rates of suicide have risen to epidemic levels in the United States, with suicide now the 10th leading cause of death in the country. On average, there are 130 suicides every day, roughly 1 every 11 minutes. These are staggering statistics behind which there are tragic stories of loss. That is why I am joining Senator Moran to introduce the Suicide Prevention Act. prgtoken Our bipartisan, bicameral bill would provide new resources to help turn the tide on this disturbing trend. It would authorize new funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, partner with State and local health departments to improve surveillance of suicide attempts and other incidences of self-harm. Data collection efforts regarding suicide often occur years after the fact, which limits the ability of State and local health departments, as well as community organizations, to recognize trends early and intervene. CDC has already begun some of this work as a pilot program, but the Suicide Prevention Act would expand these efforts and enhance data collection so we can respond to new trends quickly and save lives. prgtoken We know that emergency healthcare providers are often at the frontlines of responding to suicide attempts. Approximately 37 percent of individuals without a previous history of mental health or substance abuse who die by suicide make an emergency department visit within the year before their death. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, the risk of suicide is greatest within a month of discharge from the hospital. To help ensure our emergency healthcare professionals have the tools to respond, the bill would also authorize funding for a grant program within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, to help better train emergency department staff to implement suicide prevention strategies, screen at- risk patients, and refer patients to appropriate followup care. The legislation would also require SAMHSA to develop best practices for such programs, so that healthcare providers are able to provide their patients with the best possible care and advice. prgtoken Nationwide, suicide rates have skyrocketed over the last decade. In 2020, nearly 46,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide. That same year, there were 1.2 million suicide attempts. We must renew our efforts on suicide prevention and take a holistic approach. In addition to the Suicide Prevention Act, we must reauthorize the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which I am working with Senator Murkowski to do. Despite the troubling national trend, programs under this law have contributed to declines in the youth suicide rates in my home State of Rhode Island over the last decade. prgtoken We must also invest in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the new nationwide three-digit 9-8-8 number, which is scheduled to go live this summer. Senator Moran and I have teame
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4176, LGBTQI+ DATA INCLUSION ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5585, ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY-HEALTH ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R...
Deborah K. Ross (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , the balance of my time. prgtoken Madam , the three bills in this rule have the potential to transform the health and opportunities of millions of Americans. prgtoken The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act reauthorizes and establishes 35 critical programs that provide access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment across the country. prgtoken Recognizing the benefits of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, this bill promotes behavioral health integration into primary care through increased access to telehealth as part of the pediatric mental health care access grant program reauthorization. prgtoken The bill also requires self-funded, non-Federal governmental healthcare plans to comply with mental health parity laws. Mental health care is healthcare, and it is time we treat it as such. prgtoken The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health Act will jump-start our Nation's investment in medical research and innovation. I am privileged to represent part of North Carolina's Research Triangle Park and see the breakthroughs that happen there. By establishing and funding ARPA- H, we ensure that research like this will continue, that more people will be able to access groundbreaking treatments and cures, and that our Nation remains a leader in medical innovation. prgtoken The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act will equip our government agencies with the data they need to reduce barriers and challenges facing this community. Good data helps us make good policy. Without data, we are forced to legislate blindly and guess at solutions to close disparities. prgtoken Madam , I note that the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act does not mandate that anyone disclose information about their gender identity or sexual orientation. Under this bill, individuals choose whether to share that information or not. prgtoken This bill, which we take up during Pride Month, will help us ensure the LGBTQI+ community is represented in policies aimed at closing disparities and helping underserved groups. prgtoken Madam , I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the previous question.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2022-6-22

last month, the U.S. Department of the Interior released an investigative report on our country's Indian boarding school system. From 1819 to 1969, more than 400 of these schools operated across what today are 37 States. The Indian boarding school era is one of the darkest periods in American history and one that we as a nation have not properly reckoned with. prgtoken For nearly two centuries, the U.S. Government took Native American children as young as 6 from their families and sent them to boarding schools, but these schools were not solely for the purpose of teaching the children. They humiliated these children, and they harmed them. Indian children were forced to change their names, to cut their hair, to stop speaking their Native languages. They did military drills three times a week. Every day, they were assigned hours of grueling work that violated child labor laws: They had to raise livestock, sew clothes, work on the railroads. Those who resisted were punished with whippings and solitary confinement. Those who resisted were punished with whippings and solitary confinement. Often, older children were forced to punish the younger ones. prgtoken The conditions of these schools were awful: three to a bed, dirty water, no working plumbing. Disease and malnourishment were common. Physical and sexual abuse was rampant. We don't know how many children died at these U.S. Government-funded and -run schools, but the Interior Department estimates that the number is in the tens of thousands. prgtoken And all of this occurred for one reason--to steal Native land. prgtoken As far back as the 1700s, U.S. Government policy was officially to dispossess and break Tribes so their territories could be taken for American expansion. Erasing Native culture through assimilation was key to this. prgtoken As one official said, ``The love of home and the warm, reciprocal affection existing between parents and children are among the strongest characteristics of the Indian nature.'' prgtoken So the Federal Government acted accordingly. The Departments of War and Interior oversaw this forced assimilation. Congress passed laws appropriating school funding to ``civilize'' Native children. When families refused to send their kids to these schools, Congress made the food rations that were negotiated in treaties contingent on their doing so. To fill the schools, the government enlisted religious organizations, paying them on a per-child basis. A majority of this money came from Federal Indian trusts--money that was supposed to help the Tribes--and the Supreme Court ruled that all of this was legal at the time. prgtoken The result of these actions was a multi-generational trauma for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities and families that continue to this day. Adults who attended boarding schools are more likely to have everything from arthritis to depression. They are three times as likely to ha
45th Anniversary of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2022-6-22

later this afternoon, we are going to vote on Mary Boyle to be a Consumer Product Safety Commissioner. This organization, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, works on the frontlines to protect consumers from dangerous and defective products, and Ms. Boyle's confirmation will give the Commission a full complement of Commissioners to complete its important work. prgtoken The Consumer Product Safety Commission is responsible for regulating the safety of more than 15,000 everyday products and helps keep hazardous products out of our homes and away from our families. The Agency is responsible for investigating hazards, effectuating product recalls, issuing and enforcing product safety standards, and informing consumers and manufacturers about potential dangers and how to avoid them. The CPSC's work literally saves lives and prevents injuries. prgtoken We know that Ms. Boyle is well qualified for this position and that she will make consumers a top priority and their safety a top priority. prgtoken Now is an important time for the Consumer Product Safety Commission prgtoken to be well equipped to fight for these consumer safety issues. We need it to remain a strong force in keeping unsafe and defective products, including children's toys, infant rockers, household appliances, and other issues in the development space, like elevators and space heaters, out of the market. prgtoken When it comes to recalls, for example, this year the Consumer Product Safety Commission and three residential elevator manufacturers announced the recall of 70,000 residential elevators that posed a serious risk of injury and, tragically, death to small children. I am encouraged to see that the Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking action on this heartbreaking issue. There is more to be done, and we need a Commission that will follow through. prgtoken The Commission is also responsible for investigating tragedies, such as home fires that might have been caused by defective products. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission was quickly on the scene in the Bronx earlier this year when a fire from a space heater caused the death of 17 people, including 8 children. When I sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission asking them to look further into this issue, they acted quickly and knew that we had to investigate. prgtoken While these investigations are still ongoing, we need assurances that if a defective product is found to be the cause, that the Consumer Product Safety Commission is going to be fully equipped to take action. prgtoken I also want to mention with respect to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's rulemaking authority that the Commerce Committee recently passed the STURDY Act, a bill that would speed up the Consumer Product Safety Commission's rulemaking process to deal with furniture tipovers. prgtoken Unfortunately, many furniture items are designed in such a way that they can tip if a c
TRIBUTE TO ANNA MAE ROBERTSON
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2022-6-22

I rise today to honor the life, career, and achievements of Anna Mae Robertson. Her service to the American people during World War II in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the Six Triple Eight, is a shining example of hard work and courage in the face of cultural grievance. prgtoken In her youth, Robertson lost her mother suddenly, leaving her and her brother alone. Her mother had instilled the values of hard work and service in her children, which inspired Anna Mae to devote her time and dedication to the U.S. Army. In service, she worked strenuous hours, filing over 65,000 pieces of mail for every shift. Robertson's battalion consisted solely of Black women who excelled at their work in their respective department. Despite wartime anxieties and cultural unrest, Robertson and her team would complete 6 weeks of hard work in half the time needed, all while being stationed in Birmingham, England, amidst enemy attacks and wartime fears. prgtoken Had it not been for Robertson and her team's success, wartime communication would have been convoluted and inefficient. She handled the passage of information in the most dire of conditions at the darkest of times when communication was a necessity. Her service did not end there. While stationed in France, she served as a hospital aide, continuing to assist and nurse American soldiers. prgtoken Robertson's passion for helping those who have served would follow her home. When returning to Milwaukee, Robertson dedicated her time to working as a nurse aide at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. She also joined the ``I Am Not Invisible'' campaign headed by the Center for Women Veterans, advocating for equal recognition, awareness, and resources for women who have served in the American military. prgtoken Robertson served despite facing racial bigotry and discrimination. She stood for the American people unconditionally when some may have not stood for her. Robertson was previously been decorated with six awards for her service, and I am pleased that she, along with the members of Six Triple Eight, will now receive a Congressional prgtoken Gold Medal in recognition of their service. Anna Mae Robertson is an inspiring example of hope and service in the United States. I am pleased to share my congratulations and heartfelt gratitude with Anna Mae Robertson for her lifetime of service and devotion to our Nation.
RESTORING HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ACT OF 2022
Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2022-6-22

. Madam , I rise in support of this bill, which seeks to address our national mental health and substance use crisis. I thank Congressman Pallone for this package of bills, which includes my bill, H.R. 7105, known as the STOP Act. prgtoken The STOP Act advances a comprehensive and effective national effort on underage drinking prevention, which includes a national adult- oriented media campaign and grants for community-based prevention coalitions. prgtoken The legislation recognizes the importance of alcohol regulation and the fact that alcohol is different than other consumer products and is best regulated by states, consistent with the 21st Amendment. prgtoken Since the passage of the original STOP Act in 2006, we have witnessed a 12.7 percent decrease in alcohol use amongst 12-to-20-year-olds. Yet, alcohol continues to be the most widely used substance amongst youth, accounting for 3,900 deaths and 225,000 years of potential life lost annually. prgtoken We must continue to lead efforts to reduce underage alcohol use and ensure the safety of our youth. I urge my colleagues to vote YES on this bill.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2022-6-22

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate consider the following nomination: Calendar No. 1031, Vinay Vijay Singh, of Pennsylvania, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.