mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT--Continued
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-8-3

I ask unanimous consent that the following amendments be called up to the substitute and be reported by number: No. 1, Van Hollen, No. 2354; and the second is Johnson, No. 2245; further, that at 7:30 p.m. today the Senate vote in relation to the Van Hollen amendment, and at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning the Senate vote in relation to Johnson, No. 2245, with no amendments in order to the amendments prior to a vote in relation to the amendment, with 60 affirmative votes required for adoption of the amendments and 2 minutes for debate equally divided prior to the votes.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT--Continued
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-8-3

last week, our Nation marked the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than three decades have passed since President George H. W. signed the ADA into law and proudly declared ``[L]et the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.'' prgtoken This past week was a time for celebration and reflection on the progress we have made over the last 30 years. Yet, when it comes to the ADA's guarantee of equal access to public transportation for people with disabilities, many transit and commuter rail systems continue to fall short. prgtoken This amendment is not racist. This amendment does not call any particular Agency racist. In fact, what this amendment does--the substitute amendment includes $1.75 billion to expedite accessibility upgrades at existing legacy rail fixed guideway public transportation systems. My amendment simply ensures that recipients of these critical Federal resources fully consider the goals and requirements of the ADA and develop a plan to maximize accessibility across their systems. prgtoken This is common sense and good government. It ensures accountability that taxpayer dollars are used to fulfill promises made decades ago and are used wisely, with maximum effectiveness prgtoken Thirty years after we committed to a goal of inclusive and equitable transportation, transit operators should be held accountable for meaningful accessibility upgrades. It is not enough for grant recipients to add cosmetic upgrades and pat themselves on the back. Disabled commuters deserve the accessibility that others take for granted. prgtoken This is not a partisan issue. I call on every Member in this Chamber to stand with me in supporting equity for people with disabilities and supporting good stewardship of taxpayer dollars
NATIONAL LOBSTER DAY
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-8-3

I want to start by thanking some of our colleagues--Senators Rounds, Ernst, and Kelly--for cosponsoring the provisions of this amendment, and thank the chairman and ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senators Carper and Capito, for their support as well. prgtoken I also want to acknowledge the good work of our House colleague, Congressman Steve Lynch, on championing this issue. prgtoken So what is this amendment about? It is a commonsense amendment to ensure that as we work on a bipartisan basis to modernize our infrastructure for the 21st century, we also work together to ensure that new infrastructure projects that flow from this bill and others are financed securely. prgtoken Most Federal projects are financed securely by law. Most require some prgtoken kind of surety bond. That has been the case for almost 100 years in this country. But because of an odd and old loophole, public-private infrastructure partnerships, or P3 projects, often do not maintain the same level of protection that has been required for public infrastructure projects over time. That can spell disaster for subcontractors, for workers, for taxpayers, and for the success of projects that are not so secure. prgtoken We know that contractor defaults can cause costly delays, waste taxpayer money, and leave residents and local stakeholders and project workers in the lurch. In fact, one developer defaulted on a P3 project in Indiana and left subcontractors without pay and left taxpayers on the hook for over $300 million in additional project costs. prgtoken This amendment simply requires that P3 projects using TIFIA financing--that is Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act financing--be secured with a surety bond. That way, in the event a contractor defaults, the protections by that bond ensure the completion of those projects. They protect taxpayers, and they ensure that workers and subcontractors and suppliers are paid for their work. prgtoken Not surprisingly, this effort is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the American Subcontractors Association, the National Association of Minority Contractors, and a wide range of other contractors, because it will ensure that they are paid for the work they do, and it will also protect taxpayers who otherwise are left in the lurch if a contractor goes belly up and we do not have the protection of this kind of surety bond. That is why this amendment has broad bipartisan support, and I urge its adoption. prgtoken .
INVEST IN AMERICA ACT
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2021-8-4

I thank the majority leader for allowing me to say a few words tonight, and I want to commend him and the Leader, Mitch McConnell, for allowing us to have this series of amendments. prgtoken The Senate has worked its will and will continue to work its will tomorrow. As was said, there have been 22 amendments on the floor. About half of them are ic amendments, and about half of them are amendments. prgtoken I will say, also, there has just been a lot of discussion that has ensued because of this amendment process. So a lot of people have had the opportunity to discuss their issues to try to improve the bill in certain ways, and, frankly, a lot of these amendments were accepted; they were voted on positively--well, one just recently with regard to a safety issue that was just discussed--and improve the bill. So that is the way this place ought to work, and I think it is consistent with what we tried to do in this process from the beginning, where we saw an opportunity to pull out core infrastructure from a much larger package and deal with it without raising taxes but by focusing on bipartisan solutions, and that is exactly what the underlying bill does. prgtoken The next step in that, then, was to say: Let's try to have an open amendment process too. And sure enough, we have. prgtoken I had some colleagues of mine come up to me tonight and say: You know, it is nice to see the Senate working its will again, because these are colleagues who were around in previous decades where, you know, they saw this more often. prgtoken So, again, I want to thank my colleagues for going through this process. It requires some patience. It requires some consensus. Some amendments had to be altered in some ways to be sure that both sides were comfortable having votes on them. But at the end of the day, we are able to say that people's voices are being heard. prgtoken This will continue tomorrow. I just saw a list of about 10 amendments, and I know there are others as well that people would like to offer tomorrow, and I am all for it, as is Senator Sinema. Senator Sinema and I are very pleased that Members have the opportunity to express themselves. prgtoken I also want to talk a little about what this bill does and why it is so important for our country. prgtoken For the past 2 days, we have been working through this amendment process, and sometimes we lose sight of the bigger picture here. The bigger picture is that we as a country have an infrastructure system that is badly in need of repair. We are consistently rated as a country with an infrastructure system that, frankly, hasn't kept up with the rest of the world. prgtoken There is a group called the World Economic Forum, and they give a report card every couple years, and America ends up, you know, 13th or 14th in the world in terms of infrastructure. That is not where we want to be. prgtoken By the way, on a broader gauge of competit
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-8-4

our Nation is nearly $30 trillion in debt. That is $233,000 in debt for every American family. prgtoken The American people are already feeling the pressure of rising inflation thanks to reckless government spending. And, make no mistake about it, inflation is a tax, a tax that hurts our prgtoken families on low and fixed incomes the most. prgtoken I am hearing it from families across Florida who are worried. I heard from a dad in Jacksonville with three kids who is helping to temporarily take care of two other kids because their father is out of work. As a result of having five kids in his home, he has started working a second job to pay for all of the groceries that are rapidly increasing in price. His second job is driving Uber, and that is less and less profitable by the day because of the rising price of gas. prgtoken Over the weekend, the suspension on the Federal debt ceiling expired. That leaves Congress with two choices: Continue this reckless, wasteful spending with no accountability to the American people, or start making the tough choices to put our Nation on a successful path. prgtoken I know we can make the right choices and start moving America in a better direction. That is exactly what I did when I was Governor of Florida. Our State was on a bad path. I had to make difficult choices, but I paid down one-third of State debt, all while cutting taxes 100 times. It can be done. prgtoken Washington's choice to keep raising or suspending the debt ceiling is like raising the limit on your credit card, month after month, with absolutely no plan to pay it off. It is irresponsible, and it is no way to operate. You would never run your business or family the way Washington runs. It is wasteful and dysfunctional. prgtoken I came to Washington to rein in this exact type of dysfunction. We have to get our debt and spending under control. We need to make Washington work for families in Florida and all across the Nation. That is why I am leading my colleagues in a proposed rule change that would require every piece of legislation passed by a Senate committee to include a report on how it will impact inflation. prgtoken It is very simple. When legislation, directly or indirectly, raises the cost of living or raises taxes on American families, families deserve to know. prgtoken Too many in Washington believe the lie that inflation is impossible, debt doesn't matter, and spending has no consequences. That is why this rule change is needed. prgtoken This rule change is to protect that father in Jacksonville who is struggling to get by. It is to protect those living on fixed incomes, low-income earners, and small businesses that can't absorb cost increases. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules be discharged from further consideration and that the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 327. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-8-4

I rise to support the Senator's motion and the amendment. This is a case where we are trying to eliminate the silos within the Federal Government. When it comes to cyber security, this is a really good example of one where you have multiple Agencies trying to work together. prgtoken This makes it very clear that it is not just a matter of discussing or consulting but, rather, that it will be a coordinated effort. It recognizes once again that the Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are taking the lead role. prgtoken With that, I would offer my full support as well. prgtoken Thank you, .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-8-4

around here, it is Members of Congress who typically get the spotlight. When we talk about a bill getting passed, for example, you usually hear about the prgtoken Members who introduced and pushed for the bill. You don't usually hear about the staffers. prgtoken But none of us in Congress works alone. We are supported by dedicated staffers who spend long days and oftentimes nights and weekends working to serve our constituents and our country. prgtoken Today, I want to talk about one of those staffers, my whip office chief of staff who is leaving the Hill after 26 years of government service. prgtoken Nick Rossi has been with me since 2013, when I became the ranking member of the Commerce Committee. He came on as deputy staff director and took over as staff director 2 years later. prgtoken There isn't one thing that we did in my years as Commerce ranking member and chair that wasn't at least partially owing to Nick Rossi: the 2018 FAA reauthorization; the FAST Act; Coast Guard legislation; FCC bills; broadband legislation; spectrum legislation; section 230 reform legislation, known as SESTA-FOSTA; legislation to reduce the number of annoying robocalls; other consumer protection legislation like the FTC Consumer Fairness Review Act; legislation to advance 5G; and the list goes on. prgtoken Nick came to my staff after an already illustrious career on the Hill. He had served as chief counsel at the Senate Judiciary Committee, as chief counsel and chief investigator on the Commerce Committee, and as staff director on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. prgtoken But his career in government started much earlier. He actually started his government service in the FBI, applying on a whim when he couldn't join the U.S. Attorney's Office because of a hiring freeze. prgtoken As is typical for Nick, he graduated first in his class at the FBI Academy and then went on to spend 11 years in the FBI as a special agent, a supervisory special agent, unit chief, associate legal counsel, and media spokesperson. prgtoken That sounds like a lot for 11 years but not so much when you know Nick. prgtoken I mentioned that he graduated first in his class at the FBI Academy. He also graduated with honors from Notre Dame and from Harvard Law School, where he was in the drama society with our colleague Ted Cruz. prgtoken I don't think I have ever asked Nick about any issue and gotten anything less than a thoroughly informed answer, whether the subject was technically in his area of expertise or not. prgtoken I will never forget when he accompanied me and former Senator Bill Nelson to the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD. This is a lab where scientists are conducting research in particle physics and the expansion of the universe. So it is pretty complicated stuff. prgtoken Well, apparently not to Nick. He was in the car with us, and he was throwing out technical formulas and the finer points of phy
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2021-8-4

I have an amendment that we are calling up. It is a very straightforward amendment. prgtoken This deals simply with how we handle E-Verify. The E-Verify system is very simple and straightforward. It has been used all over the country. It is a nonpartisan issue that we have used for decades now. prgtoken It verifies whether the people that we are actually hiring, and all this purchasing that we are doing, this massive billions of dollars will actually be--the simple, straightforward piece of it is, we are putting billions of dollars into our economy right now. We are doing a lot of infrastructure with this bill. prgtoken The promise should be that we are not just buying American, but we are actually hiring Americans as well. This is a bipartisan issue, quite frankly. prgtoken President , just today, released a statement that this is a once-in-a-generation investment in our infrastructure and will create good-paying union jobs, repairing our roads and bridges, replacing lead pipes, building energy transmission lines. prgtoken It invests in clean energy, manufacturing, and zero-emission vehicles, ensuring that the jobs in the clean energy industry are good- paying, quality American jobs. That is a great promise to be able to make, and it is a great statement to make. prgtoken What this amendment does is to make sure it actually is American jobs. We know there is a tremendous pull factor with the American good- paying jobs that are out there. This E-Verify requirement puts in place, both for the contractors and subcontractors, they will actually be American citizens. prgtoken So, with that, I ask support for this bill.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2021-8-4

I rise in support of this amendment. I am the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Appropriations for Homeland Security. The President's budget request included a rescission of $2 billion that we, as Members of this body, put, enacted, as the gentleman from Wisconsin has clearly illuminated. prgtoken And, at the same time, we are having a tremendous problem at our southern border. We all know this. We don't have the July numbers out yet, but we know that apprehensions are going to be in excess of over 200,000 in 1 month. prgtoken The July numbers also indicate that the number of unaccompanied children is the largest ever encountered in 1 month. prgtoken There are currently now over 150 miles of wall system projects that we as Congress legally funded that are now in jeopardy of being canceled. When you go to the border, you see millions of dollars' worth of steel slats lying on the ground that were to be constructed until President canceled those projects. Do you know who else sees those border walls on the ground? Human traffickers. Drug smugglers. prgtoken I have, as we all have, been to the southern border several times. Customs and Border Patrol agents have told us that a border wall is a necessary part of a system to stop the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs. prgtoken The border wall is infrastructure. It is infrastructure to keep America safe. It is infrastructure to keep drugs out of this country. It is infrastructure to control illegal immigration. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Johnson amendment to prohibit the cancelation of contracts to build the border wall.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2021-8-4

in quick response, the prior administration's--what the good Senator claimed a ``boondoggle'' worked. prgtoken During this comprehensive review by this administration--again, this administration is the root cause of this problem; they caused this--the problem is growing worse. It is not getting better. prgtoken Congress, by supporting a double layer of fence around this Capitol for months, spent hundreds of millions of dollars keeping us safe and secure, recognizes that fencing and walls work. prgtoken Again, this fencing has been paid for. This wall has been paid for. Two billion dollars will be wasted. Three million dollars a day will be wasted. This is just common sense, and it will improve the security of this Nation. prgtoken And, again, in 2006, this was a bipartisan type of effort. Building 700 miles of fence was bipartisan: 80 to 19. It should be bipartisan today. I am urging my colleagues, let's finish building this wall. Let's not waste billions of dollars in taxpayer money. prgtoken .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-8-4

first, let me offer to work with both Senators from Louisiana to secure the funding that their State so desperately needs, in my capacity as ranking member of the Transportation, HUD Appropriations Subcommittee. prgtoken Louisiana has been particularly hard hit, experiencing three hurricanes almost back to back, and, certainly, the need for disaster assistance is clear. But we also have other States that have been affected: Alabama, California, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Oregon, Puerto Rico--a Territory, not a State, obviously. But they need help too. prgtoken What I would propose is that we work together on an emergency disaster supplemental that will take care of all these needs, including the needs of the people in hard-hit Louisiana. prgtoken I pledge my personal help and support to both of my colleagues and friends from Louisiana to bring this about. prgtoken Finally, let me just say, I am surprised that the administration has not submitted a request for supplemental disaster assistance. And I look forward to see--
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2021-8-4

. I rise today, , to talk about the challenges facing the cattle ranchers in my State and across the country, challenges not just to their day-to-day operations but to their very livelihoods, and I rise today to talk about what we can do about it. prgtoken I have a simple message: We can take action today that will work and we can take action that will make a difference and we should take it now. prgtoken The situation that faces our cattle ranchers in Missouri and around the country, and, for that matter, many other livestock producers, is very, very serious, and the situation is, frankly, untenable. Let me tell you what I am talking about. prgtoken Just in the last year, the cost to consumers for beef has increased by double digits. That is year-on-year, from 2019 to 2020, a double- digit increase. What has happened, though, to cattle ranchers, to those who actually raise the beef, who raise the cattle, and then sell it to market? The price for them, has it gone up? No, it has gone down. In fact, over the last decade, cattle ranchers have seen their share of profits decline by double digits. prgtoken So what is happening here? Cattle ranchers are getting less, much less, in some instances--and, by the way, so are other producers of livestock--and yet the cost to consumers is going up. Somebody is getting wealthy in this transaction, and that ``somebody'' is the packers, the processing companies. prgtoken In America today, our meat processing supply chain, equipment--the entire apparatus--is owned by just a small handful of companies. prgtoken Here is what I am talking about: Four companies--four--together control over 80 percent of this country's beef processing operations, 80 percent. Even more remarkably, three of the giant meatpacking companies control 63 percent of pork producing, 46 of beef packing, 38 of poultry producing. That is just three of them. And two--two--are based in Brazil and China. So you have got four major packers that control 80 percent of the market, two of them based overseas. prgtoken This market concentration is squeezing out the farmers and the ranchers. It is enriching the packers, and it is ultimately hurting consumers. So I say, again, in this system, the only people who seem to win are the monopolists. We have got to do something about it. prgtoken It is made even worse--the situation--by the fact that these same monopoly packers have been found guilty or otherwise pled to criminal violations, criminal uses of their monopoly status. prgtoken For example, Pilgrim's Pride, a subsidiary of a Brazilian-owned company called JBS, received $107 million in criminal fines for price- fixing in chicken markets. JBS separately paid out at least three multimillion-dollar settlements over the past year, while Smithfield, which is owned by China, has paid $83 million to settle pork price- fixing allegations. prgtoken So here we have these monopoly companies, two of them foreign owned, that