Analysis · Floor speech · beta

Sheldon Whitehouse

Democrat on Remembering David Rosner 2026-07-22

239 words · 20 sentences · 31 clauses

Statement grade

A–

Average 88 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 15%Claims 50%Reasoning 19%The ask 8%Thanks 4%Anecdote 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. President, Procedure · 4 wordsI won’t speak long.Procedure Claims · 84 wordsDavid Rosner has died.¹ You have probably never heard of him, but I knew him. His research, along with his colleague Gerry Markowitz, helped expose the role of the lead paint industry in poisoning millions of children.² He was a great public health researcher. Here is his book with Gerry Markowitz, which I just took down from my Senate bookshelf, where I keep it: ``Deceit and Denial: ³The Deadly Politics of Industrial Pollution.’’ David had smarts, and he had discipline, and he had guts. Reasoning · 46 wordsThe smarts made him and Gerry path-breaking researchers. The discipline made their research incontrovertible, and the guts helped him weather the response, all too common, from American industry when faced with inconvenient truths: to lie, to bully, to disparage. Well, that behavior did not defeat David. Claims · 3 wordsHis work stands. Procedure · 7 wordsAs I said, I won’t speak long.Procedure The ask · 19 wordsI will instead ask unanimous consent that three obituaries be printed in the Congressional Record appended to these remarks. Claims · 33 wordsOne is his obituary in The Lancet, the distinguished medical publication.⁴ The second is a reminiscence by his professional peer Bruce Lanphear. And the last is a Substack reminiscence by his daughter Molly. Thanks · 9 wordsDavid was a special man. He did special work.Thanks Anecdote · 8 wordsI was proud to have worked with him.Anecdote Procedure · 26 wordsThere being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, ⁵as follows: How Rosner and Markowitz Revealed the Hidden Architecture of DiseaseProcedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 75

8 of 8 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I won’t speak long.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “As I said, I won’t speak long.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “David was a special man.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “He did special work.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
A story that illustrates instead of making a point.What the tags mean “I was proud to have worked with him.”An anecdote: it illustrates, it does not claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record,”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “as follows:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “How Rosner and Markowitz Revealed the Hidden Architecture of Disease”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · no score

Not applicable: nothing to answer. Excluded from the average.

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue.

Reasoning · no score

No score: nothing is concluded. Excluded from the average.

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

Conclusions found · 0

None: nothing is concluded.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 100

0 of 8 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Nothing lost points.

Claims · 5

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“David Rosner has died.”David Rosner has died.search
2“helped expose the role of the lead paint industry in poisoning millions of children”David Rosner’s research with colleague Gerry Markowitz helped expose the role of the lead paint industry in poisoning millions of children.search
3“``Deceit and Denial: ”David Rosner and Gerry Markowitz co-authored a book titled ``Deceit and Denial: The Deadly Politics of Industrial Pollution.’’search
4“his obituary in The Lancet”An obituary of David Rosner was published in The Lancet.search
5“the material was ordered to be printed in the Record”The Senate ordered three submitted obituary materials to be printed in the Congressional Record on July 22, 2026.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15