mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CORONAVIRUS
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-5-20

I am here on the floor to talk about how Congress can do a better job in responding to the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped our country. prgtoken I just thought that debate was great, something we just heard a moment ago about what we should do going forward. prgtoken This crisis is unlike anything we have ever seen. I mean, it has devastated so many families. It has turned our lives upside down. It has put an enormous strain on our healthcare system; and our frontline healthcare workers, our researchers, our first responders are working around the clock to help patients and look for treatments. For the past couple of months, every American has been asked to do his or her part through social distancing, through doing smart things like wearing masks, like being sure that we are doing all we can within our home, within our workplace, and out in public to stop the spread of the dangerous virus. prgtoken I think these have helped. I think these measures have made a difference, and I think we are in a better place by most metrics on the public health danger. I just saw the numbers from Ohio a moment ago here, and we have fewer new positive cases today than we have had over the past week or the past few weeks on average, and so we are beginning to make progress, but it has come at an enormous cost to our economy, and I would say even at an enormous cost to our culture and our society. prgtoken Since the crisis began a couple of months ago, more than 36 million Americans have lost their jobs or filed for unemployment. Some estimates show that we could potentially hit a 25-percent unemployment rate before this is over. I think we probably will. By the way, that would match the worst of our country's unemployment that we have ever seen, and that would be during the Great Depression. That is where we are headed. prgtoken Some small businesses have had to close their doors; others are teetering right on the brink of bankruptcy. Hospitals have been closed for needed procedures like mammograms and cancer screenings. More are being missed every day, and basic healthcare is at risk. So that is one consequence that we don't always focus on, but our healthcare system has had to respond to the coronavirus appropriately. prgtoken But there is a balance here, and the result has been we have had other healthcare needs that have gone unmet. prgtoken Without that revenue, by the way, from surgeries--so-called elective surgeries, although some aren't very elective, like they are necessary surgeries for a back or a knee or something like that--many hospitals now are in very deep financial trouble because that is how they make most of their money. prgtoken Colleges and universities, of course, are losing revenue, and children are out of school, which is not a good thing because our kids, many of whom are not able to get the same help at home that they can get at school are falling behind. prgtoken We have also got to a
TRIBUTE TO MYRON LEPP
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-5-20

I want to honor the half century of distinguished Federal service of a remarkable North Dakota man who is retiring at the end of May. prgtoken Myron Lepp has been the administrative program director for the North Dakota office of USDA Rural Development for the past 13 years. He took this position after 37 years in the military, retiring as a full colonel. In these 50 years of service, Myron has brought knowledge, intelligence and dedication to everything he has undertaken. prgtoken He began his military service in 1971 and became a commissioned officer in 1976. Myron served in the North Dakota National Guard as director of information management for 12 years and later held other positions such as chief of staff for the adjutant general, State director of maintenance, and joint forces logistics director. In his final 2 years in the military, he was the national command logistics inspector for the National Guard Readiness Center in Washington, DC, traveling every other week to conduct combat readiness inspections at all State Army National Guard units prgtoken Myron brought this invaluable background to the USDA Rural Development office, giving exemplary guidance to the crucial work this agency does to support our rural communities in North Dakota. His lifelong background in farming and ranching enhanced this work. Myron has raised crops such as wheat, oats, and corn, and he has a cow/calf operation near his hometown of Lehr. prgtoken I came to appreciate Myron's dedication and professional expertise when we worked together on North Dakota's Roughrider Honor Flight program. As president of this program, Myron oversaw the work of many dedicated prgtoken volunteers who organized five flights for 500 veterans to visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. prgtoken The profound impact Myron Lepp has made over these 50 years to enhance the military and agricultural strength of North Dakota will never be adequately measured. We can only thank him for this service, which I want to do here on behalf of all North Dakotans. I congratulate him on his well-earned retirement and wish him many years of health and happiness in the future.
Memorial Day (Executive Calendar)
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-5-20

let me join my other colleagues in appreciation for Senator Ernst and her service in Iraqi Freedom, her two decades of service, being ready and able to go whenever she was called to go, and her continued service here, and her appreciation for those who serve, which she feels in such a unique way. prgtoken She pointed out that this is a different Memorial Day. Communities across Missouri and across the country have traditional events that were long planned on Memorial Day. Every year, Memorial Day looks the same. It will not look the same in very many places this year. If you did have a parade or an event planned, it was probably canceled weeks ago. Even with the best of efforts, it was probably not put together for Monday. prgtoken But it doesn't mean that we still don't have an opportunity and an obligation, in fact, to remember those who served. Also, Memorial Day has long become a time, at least where I live, in the middle of the country--and it may be more southern and in southern Missouri than in other places. Memorial Day really became a day to remember all of those who have gone before us, those who passed along values to us, those who have done things that made life possible today. prgtoken When I was growing up, sometimes we called Memorial Day ``Decoration Day,'' because it was the beginning of the tradition of Memorial Day, and people would go and decorate the graves of soldiers after the Civil War. That has continued. Memorial Day became a time when families would go to cemeteries, and you sort of had the genealogical lesson right there, as you walked from gravestone to gravestone, and it was explained to you how those people were related to you. prgtoken Many family members who were here last year aren't here today and will not be here on Monday. Clearly, the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on families. It has had a devastating impact on communities. It has had a devastating impact on lives. prgtoken As we support this Memorial Day, as we think about this Memorial Day, we will be remembering a unique Memorial Day, where so many have given prgtoken their lives in a war that was different than other wars, to an enemy that was not easily seen, to an enemy that turned out to be deadlier around the world than any would have predicted. And that is part of Memorial Day this year. prgtoken Part of Memorial Day is remembering the sacrifices that people have made, and we also on this day want to remember the sacrifices that people made to try to keep people alive with this virus--the sacrifices people have made to try to give care, to bring people out of the emergency room, to bring people off the ventilators, and to do those things. prgtoken It is, in fact, a unique Memorial Day. It is a Memorial Day where, 75 years ago, we were just finishing the incredibly devastating war of World War II. V-E Day ended the war in Europe on May 8. Seventy-five years ago right now, American so
China (Executive Calendar)
Josh Hawley (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-5-20

we have come to the middle hour of our struggle against this epidemic, against a disease unleashed on the world by the failures and falsehoods of a government in Beijing. This epidemic has brought devastation in its wake--lost jobs, lost lives, fear, and isolation. It is shaking old institutions and challenging old ways. prgtoken The international order, as we have known it for 30 years, is breaking. Now imperialist China seeks to remake the world in its own image and to bend the global economy to its own will, and we face a moment of truth. Will we acquiesce? Are we, in this Nation, willing to witness the slow undoing of the free world? Are we willing to watch our own way of life, our own liberties and livelihoods grow dependent on the policy of Beijing? prgtoken Already, we hear a chorus of voices telling us that America must accept a narrower future. We must live with slower economic growth. We must expect lower wages. We must accommodate ourselves to the rise of China. Well, I, for one, am not willing to settle for less. I am not willing to see blue collar workers go without work for months or years on end as their jobs are shipped overseas. I am not willing to watch wages flatline and fall. I am not willing to see families struggle for food and middle-class neighborhoods disappear, and neither are the American people. prgtoken The Nation that sent a man to the Moon and defeated German and Soviet oppression in the space of 50 years will not be content to take second place to the imperialists in Beijing. We will not be content with a small future. Now, as in times past, this Nation must again take control of our own destiny and lead the free world to a better day. prgtoken The free nations again confront a common threat. The Chinese Communist Party is a menace to all free peoples. It seeks nothing less than domination. It wants nothing less than word power. This is China's policy: to control Asia and to rule the Pacific. From there, the Chinese Government wants to spread its influence to Africa, to Europe, to South America--a master of home and abroad. prgtoken And they are well on their way. For decades now, China has bent and abused and broken the rules of the international economic system to its own benefit. They have stolen our intellectual property and forced our companies to transfer sensitive trade secrets and technology. They have manipulated their currency and cheated time and again on their trade commitments. They have been complicit in the trafficking of persons and relied on the forced labor of religious minorities. prgtoken America has suffered. Since Beijing won most favored nation status and joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, we have lost over 3 million jobs to China. During the past two decades, as we fought war after war in the Middle East, the Chinese Government systematically built its military on the backs of the American middle class. Oh, we were promised tha
Memorial Day (Executive Calendar)
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2020-5-20

. Memorial Day. If you travel door to door in neighborhoods across this country, all Americans will agree that this day is special. It is a day to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. Thanks to their heroism, we have our freedom, our strong democracy, and our country's greatness. For their contributions, we owe them a debt we can never repay. prgtoken It was 152 years ago that our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, enacted the first national Memorial Day. It was a day meant to honor the valiant soldiers who fought in the Civil War, and today we still heed Abraham Lincoln's timeless words: Bind up the nation's wounds to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan. prgtoken To me, Memorial Day is a day to reflect--reflect on the Hoosiers and other great Americans we have lost to causes greater than their own. prgtoken This day honors Alec, LCpl Alec Terwiske of Dubois, IN, a fellow U.S. marine. Alec lost his life in the line of service in Afghanistan in 2012, and I proudly wear his memorial bracelet around my wrist as a reminder of that sacrifice. prgtoken This day honors James, CPL James Bethel Gresham from Evansville, IN. He is in the history books for being among the first American soldiers to give their lives in the line of duty during World War I. prgtoken This day honors Charles, SGT Charles G. Ruble of Parker City, IN, who was killed in Europe during World War II in 1944. His remains were recently identified and returned to the United States, and in March, he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. prgtoken This day honors Christopher. Just 2 weeks ago, we lost SGT Christopher Wesley Curry. Only 23 years old, this Hoosier soldier from Terre Haute, IN, was stationed in Iraq. Those who knew Christopher said: Sgt. Curry's incessant optimism was the hallmark of his personality and often provided respite for others during times of stress. His honesty, lightheartedness, and wit will always be remembered by his brothers in arms. prgtoken To those who are not here today because they made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, we humbly say thank you. Their legacy lives on in the hearts of every American. prgtoken God bless America. prgtoken .
FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-5-20

. President has the opportunity to be the one who rescues these defrauded veterans from a rule that the American Legion has entitled ``fundamentally rigged against defrauded borrowers'' and give these Americans who served our country not just a pat on the back but a chance to get back in the game in their lives. prgtoken American voters are behind us, overwhelmingly, from both political parties. New polling by Third Way finds that voters in key red and swing States believe that the Federal Government should not make students who took out loans to attend fraudulent or misleading institutions of higher education pay back those loans. prgtoken In Ohio, 73 percent of voters believed this, 68 percent in Indiana, 64 percent in Colorado, 63 percent Pennsylvania, 61 percent Missouri and North Carolina, and 60 percent South Carolina. When asked if schools that mislead student borrowers should be held accountable, the numbers are dramatically higher, and 95 percent of s in North Carolina agree and 91 percent of s in South Carolina. The list goes on. prgtoken The DeVos borrower defense rule would make it impossible for defrauded borrowers to get the relief that the American people and I believe they deserve. It will lessen accountability for the schools that defrauded these borrowers. They are just going to do it again. God forbid we loan these defrauding schools money in the current economic crisis so they can continue to defraud veterans and other students. prgtoken This isn't a controversial issue among the American people, just among politicians. By signing this resolution, President will be supporting America's veterans, ic and voters. I hope he listens.
United States Park Police (Executive Calendar)
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-5-20

I rise today concerning the tragic death of a young Virginian, Bijan Ghaisar, who was shot and killed by two U.S. Park Police officers over 2 years ago. prgtoken While this tragic incident occurred, as I mentioned, more than 2 years ago, many questions remain unanswered regarding the circumstances of Bijan's death. Unfortunately, the Department of the Interior has failed to answer many of the basic questions that I have asked about the night of Bijan's death and subsequent actions the National Park Service has taken following the shooting. prgtoken In November of last year, I wrote the Department and requested information about the U.S. Park Police's use of force and vehicle pursuit policies, as well as information about the Park Service's response in the aftermath of Bijan's shooting. Unfortunately, there has been no response. prgtoken The Department found time to do some PR work. They provided copies of the updated use of force and vehicle pursuit policies to the Washington Post earlier this year, but I still have not received a response to my letter that was sent over 6 months ago. prgtoken To this point, the Department has failed to answer many basic questions about this incident--questions that I have asked, as well as my friend, the senior Senator from Wyoming. They are questions about the incident, such as these: Did the Department open an internal affairs inquiry into the incident to see if any violations of Park Police policy occurred? What is the timeline for such an investigation? Is the U.S. Park Police conducting a thorough after-action review of the incident? What is the status of the Park Police officers involved in the incident? Are they on administrative leave, desk duty, or are they back on patrol? prgtoken These are basic questions. If the Department of the Interior had any interest in transparency, they could answer them today. The Ghaisar family deserves answers about what happened to Bijan. The pain they have experienced over the last 2 years is immeasurable. As if the premature death of their son wasn't bad enough, they have waited 2 years for answers from a Federal Government that has failed completely to adequately respond to this tragedy. prgtoken I am not going to rest until the Ghaisar family has the answers they deserve about what happened to Bijan that night. If the Department wants to ignore these basic questions I have asked and if they want to disregard legitimate congressional oversight, then there will be consequences until their action changes. prgtoken In February, I voted against Katharine MacGregor's nomination to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior. I said very clearly at that time that if the Department of the Interior continues to ignore my questions about the killing of Bijan Ghaisar, I would hold up future Interior nominees. For this reason, I am today placing a hold on the nomination of Lanny Erdos to serve as Director of the Office of Surface Mining
SMART Act (Executive Calendar)
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-5-20

as our Nation grapples with the COVID- 19 pandemic, our State, county, and municipal governments have been on the frontlines taking a leading role in responding to this crisis. As a result, they have been squeezed on both sides of the ledger, spending billions of dollars in unforeseen costs on emergency response while watching as revenues dry up due to necessary stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses. prgtoken The emergency protective measures have been effective at flattening the curve and have no doubt saved thousands of lives, but they also came with a cost. All revenue sources are down. Sales tax revenue has plummeted with businesses closed. Highway trust funds won't have the resources to do basic road maintenance. Downtown parking meters are going empty due to people observing social distancing. Building permits and municipal court fees have fallen. prgtoken Unless we act soon, we will see mass layoffs, devastating tax increases, and a breakdown in public safety and essential services. Already, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that State and local governments laid off 1 million public employees in April. This challenge is true for every State, county, city, and town in the country. prgtoken The State Municipal Assistance for Response and Transition, or SMART Act, is the bold, bipartisan, and commonsense solution we need to give our communities a fighting chance and stop the economy from free- falling. It provides $500 billion in flexible Federal dollars that will help our communities dramatically expand the testing capacity and contact tracing we need to contain the virus--a necessary step in restoring consumer confidence and to restart the economy. It will help stave off massive layoffs, tax hikes, and deep, painful cuts to essential services. It will keep our police officers, firefighters, public health workers, teachers, and other essential employees on the job during this critical time, because it is not just about defeating COVID-19; we still need to keep our streets safe, our children learning, the trash picked up, the roads maintained, and the buses and trains running on time. prgtoken I hear some of my colleagues speak from this floor, calling not for unity but for division. They callously ignore the pleas for help from their fellow Americans, comforted by the selfish but mistaken belief that their communities are immune to the fiscal Armageddon facing our communities. Let me be clear. When your revenues drop 30 percent overnight, it really doesn't matter how fiscally responsible or conservative your State budget is; no one can prepare for that. prgtoken Moody's just reported that States like Ohio and Arizona are facing the fiscal shock of losing 20 percent of their entire budget, and West Virginia, 40 percent. This is not a red State or blue State issue; this is a red, white, and blue issue. It is an American priority. prgtoken In December of 1862,
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2020-5-20

I am proud to recognize Kearsarge High School's student group, Students Working on Community Outreach, SWOCO, for continuing to lift up their fellow classmates and support community members--even from a distance--amid the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken Even before the pandemic, SWOCO members worked hard to make a difference in their community. One of their most impressive accomplishments was hosting a conference for neighboring school districts on how students could become stronger leaders in their communities. The group also partnered with the National Honor Society to organize blanket drives and food drives for Liberty House, a veterans homeless shelter. prgtoken Like so many Granite Staters, these students have needed to adjust to the new realities of this pandemic, including finding ways to organize without being in the same physical space. Among other things, the students, who are now meeting over conference calls, organized both a student and teacher Zoom talent show in an effort to keep their classmates engaged with their school community during this challenging time. prgtoken The members of SWOCO also started a Little Free Pantry project in Kearsarge, which is a grassroots movement to help members of the community who are food insecure access essentials, such as food and personal care items. The members are coordinating all of the food pantries throughout the school district and have encouraged various student organizations to sign up to help stock the shelves. prgtoken The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Granite Staters to face unprecedented challenges, but even in the face of this crisis, they are coming together to support one another. For the members of SWOCO, this pandemic may have changed how they operate, but it did not change their mission or commitment to their community and fellow citizens. Their commitment to forging ahead in difficult times to help people from all walks of life and to support their community exemplifies New Hampshire at its best. I am, above all else, grateful for their hard work and look forward to seeing what they accomplish next.