mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-5-6

I want to recognize the 50th anniversary this month of FirstLink, a vital North Dakota organization which provides free and confidential mental health, suicide prevention, and other services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. prgtoken FirstLink offers listening and support, resource referrals and crisis intervention. Across the entire State of North Dakota and parts of Minnesota, FirstLink answers calls for 17 agencies, notably the 211 helpline and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Those reaching out for help now have the ability to also communicate by text messaging at 898-211. prgtoken Last year, FirstLink answered 60,148 calls. Of those, 13,446 were related to suicide. Its Caring Contacts service receives referrals from hospitals and clinics across North Dakota in addition to the phone calls that come in. Caring Contacts offers informal resources and coping strategies, encourages mental health treatment, and provides nonjudgmental listening and support. These calls are offered around the schedules of the individuals in need. Additional training is also offered to staff and volunteers from other State organizations working with people of all ages. prgtoken FirstLink began as a grassroots volunteer organization in the Fargo area, first taking calls 6 hours a day. It has grown in hours and scope, thanks to private and public support, a staff of 20, a 12-member board, and many volunteers. prgtoken The profound impact of the work FirstLink has done over these past 50 years can never be adequately measured. On behalf of all North Dakotans, I congratulate and sincerely thank executive director Cindy Miller and all staff and volunteers for the difference their commitment has made to the quality of life in our State. May your next 50 years be just as meaningful.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2020-5-6

early last December or at least sometime later last year, people in Wuhan, China, began showing symptoms of what was at that time an unidentifiable respiratory disease in increasing numbers. We now know that virus as COVID-19, and it has completely upended our way of life in the United States and around the globe. This virus has infected over 3.5 million people around the world and killed, tragically, over 68,000 people in the United States, and that includes over 900 incredible and great Coloradans, my home State. We certainly mourn with those families who have lost loved ones, and we will keep fighting for a path forward as we get through this together. prgtoken I want to commend in the strongest terms possible our frontline workers, whether it has been our first responders, our healthcare professionals, or those who have allowed us to continue to enjoy a safe and secure food supply; people in the essential businesses who each and every day don't complain but go to work to help make sure our communities can get back to work. The list of heroes in our communities, those who have given so much, goes on and on and on. prgtoken I think it is important to recognize that as we have addressed the coronavirus challenge in this country--the measures we have taken, the steps that have been laid out by mayors and governors and the President--they have been to comply with guidances and health directives and to comply with the best science and scientists our country has, not out of fear of the coronavirus, not because people are afraid of COVID-19, but they have done it out of love--love for their community; love for their parents and grandparents, whom they hope to keep safe and healthy; love for our country, to stop the spread and flatten the curve. prgtoken So to all of our incredible healthcare workers, the frontline workers, essential workers, grocery store clerks and gas station workers, mechanics at farm equipment dealerships that have remained open to keep tractors running during planting, to our ranchers and farmers who have kept our food supply flowing: Thank you. prgtoken People everywhere across Colorado are hurting, obviously, because of this pandemic. I have heard numerous stories across our great State. I have held telephone townhalls in every congressional district in Colorado, speaking directly with Coloradans who have lost their jobs, who are unsure about how they will feed their family, and who have endless questions about what the future holds for them. prgtoken I have heard from restaurant workers in Denver who were laid off when their restaurant closed. I have heard from restaurant owners who have done everything they can to keep their restaurant workers employed-- preparing meals and providing them to the hungry and the homeless. prgtoken A small business owner in Monument, CO, shared with me how difficult it was to lay off 35 dedicated staff members but not having a choice. prgtoken I
CORONAVIRUS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-5-6

. COVID-19 has put America through the wringer. There will be many lessons learned and stories to tell from this chapter of our history. prgtoken Today, I salute the heroes working on the frontlines during this pandemic. I can't overstate the debt of gratitude we owe the healthcare professionals who selflessly put their own lives on the line to care for COVID-19 patients. Our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, nursing home workers, pharmacists, and first responders are among those who have shouldered physical and mental exhaustion to heal the sick. In fact, today is National Nurses Day. So I give our nurses an extra applause on this their day. To the legions of healthcare professionals across America, thank you for the full measure of devotion you have shown to your community and to our great country. prgtoken .
75TH ANNIVERSARY OF MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2020-5-6

for myself and Mr. Crapo, I want to recognize a very special nonprofit organization in our State that is celebrating its 75th anniversary on May 20. Mission Aviation Fellowship, or MAF, headquartered in Nampa, ID, was formed on May 20, 1945, by veteran pilots who returned from World War II with a vision that airplanes could be used for peaceful means, bringing medicine, education, and the gospel to isolated people around the world. prgtoken One of their founding members, Betty Greene, served as their first pilot, becoming the first woman to fly over the Andes in South America and the first female pilot in Sudan as she traveled the world on behalf of MAF. Betty also received a Congressional Gold Medal for her wartime service as a women Airforce service pilot, WASP. She piloted MAF's very first flight from La Habra, CA, to Tuxpan, Mexico, and little did she know at the time that Mission Aviation Fellowship would eventually partner with over 500 organizations in 13 countries, delivering medical services and vaccines, assisting with disaster response, and offering physical help and spiritual hope for those living in the farthest reaches of the world. prgtoken Their work among the most isolated people on our planet often goes unnoticed, but in 1956, the world was captivated by the story of MAF pilot Nate Saint and four other missionaries who were martyred on the banks of the Curaray River in Ecuador at the hands of Waorani warriors. Undeterred, MAF continued to expand its operations around the world, and in 2006, they moved their headquarters to Nampa, ID, to provide their pilots with quality backcountry flight training, favorable weather, and lower cost of operations. prgtoken The Nampa headquarters hosts MAF's maintenance and training facility, along with all of the back-office functions for its programs around the world. The nearly 200 local employees and 300 volunteers support another 400 staff members in foreign countries. MAF has a fleet of 47 airplanes that includes 13 Kodiaks that are made in Sandpoint, ID, and are especially well-suited for the short, rugged mountain top and jungle landing strips in the areas they serve. prgtoken Throughout their 75-year history, MAF has brought physical help and spiritual hope to those living at the ends of the Earth--even in the midst of wars, disease, and natural disasters. They look to serve those that are forgotten by the rest of the world, and I congratulate them on their 75 years of service and thank them for being there to provide hope and deliver needed resources in some of the world's most challenging places to reach.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-5-6

like other Senators, around this time of the year, I am used to being with folks from home who are traveling to Washington, DC. Between spring break trips and industry fly-ins, spring is normally a very busy season here at the Capitol. I always look forward to seeing both new and familiar faces and spending time with my constituents and talking about the challenges they are facing and the changes they would like to see coming out of Congress. prgtoken Yet, as we all know, this is not a typical springtime in Washington. Normally busy sidewalks and hallways are largely empty, as our constituents hunker down at home while we continue working to get them the help they need. Just as Texans have adopted new routines to meet social distancing requirements, so have I, as have all of us. prgtoken I know I am not alone among my colleagues when I say that over the last few weeks, I have logged some serious hours on phone calls and video conferences with folks across Texas. Actually, I have been a little bit surprised at how efficient it is in terms of reaching large numbers of people, and I think it will probably change some of the ways we work here and some of the ways we act with our constituents here in the future. prgtoken I spoke with those in the medical field about the ongoing challenges to our frontline healthcare workers, the progress toward developing a vaccine, antibody tests, and the like. prgtoken I have talked with the Texas Farm Bureau, our farmers and ranchers, our grocery store workers, and our food bank employees about the need to make sure that all Texans can access the food they need, especially during a time like this. prgtoken I have talked with mayors, county judges, and other leaders in our communities about the work they are doing. prgtoken I was listening to our friend and colleague from Connecticut who believes that the response needs to be coming out of Washington and that we all need to simply fall in line according to the dictates of the national government. Well, it raises interesting questions about the Constitutional Convention and the agreement to have a Federal system, not a national system. We have sovereign States that have their own sphere of responsibility. Our cities and counties are best able, in my view, to respond to local conditions. prgtoken Rather than a command and control response, what we have had in Texas and I dare say in most other places has been a collaborative approach. Working with the national government to provide the resources and some of the guidance is very important. But our Governors, who control the National Guard, which has come out to help do testing, help stock food banks, and help build temporary hospital facilities, and our mayors and county judges and local officials have really done an outstanding job. I am very proud of the work they have done. We haven't just taken orders on high from the Federal Government; we worked together, hand i
National Nurses Week (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-5-6

today is the first day of National Nurses Week--an annual commemoration each May celebrating the contributions of nurses--so today seemed like a fitting day to come down to the floor and talk about the contributions of nurses and other essential workers over the past couple of months. prgtoken When we think about heroism, we tend to think of striking actions that take place in extreme circumstances--running into burning buildings, jumping onto a grenade to save a fellow soldier, racing out under fire to rescue a wounded comrade. And it is right that when we think of heroism, we think of such acts--acts of superhuman courage, generosity, and self-sacrifice. prgtoken The past couple of months have also reminded us of another kind of heroism--the quiet heroism of doing one's duty, of getting up and going to work and doing your job day after day in difficult circumstances, even when you are tired, even when you are scared, even when you know that doing your job could place you in danger. We have seen a lot of that heroism over the past couple of months. prgtoken A lot of Americans have been able to telework during the coronavirus crisis, but many, many more have had to go out and do the work that can't be done from home: police officers, first responders, pharmacists, grocery store employees, farmers and ranchers, food supply workers, cleaning personnel, bank employees, utility workers, delivery drivers, and most of all, doctors and nurses. prgtoken Over the past few weeks, we have come to realize how much we rely on these individuals and that society couldn't operate without them. All the food in the world won't do us any good if it doesn't make it to grocery store shelves. That prescription from the doctor for lifesaving blood pressure medication is useless without a pharmacist to dispense the drug. We tend to take our utilities for granted, but what would we do during this crisis if no one was picking up our trash or making sure that the water keeps running and the electricity keeps flowing? prgtoken Sometimes heroism looks like running into a burning building, and sometimes it looks like putting on a mask and gloves and stocking the shelves with bread and pasta and cereal. prgtoken I want to say a special word about medical personnel. Of all the essential workers who have gotten up and gotten on with their duty in these days of the pandemic, medical personnel have displayed a special courage. They have been on the frontlines of this battle, the ones directly confronting the disease. Every day when they go to work, they go to work knowing that day could be the day they catch the virus from a sick patient, but they go to work anyway. They have read about and sometimes seen colleagues die from the disease. At times, they have lacked adequate protective equipment, but they have gone to work anyway. prgtoken Those nurses we are celebrating this week have worked 12-hour shifts providing medical care in
SENATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-5-6

it is good to be back in session. After 6 weeks away from this place, it is good that we are all together working on some very important things. prgtoken In the past 6 weeks, since we haven't been here in session working together, a lot has changed. America has been overtaken, really, not just by the coronavirus but by the economic damage it has caused. prgtoken More than 30 million Americans have now filed for unemployment, and most believe we are approaching the highest unemployment we have had in this country since the Great Depression. It is a concern and particularly troubling because, if you think about it, just a few months ago, back in February, we hit a 50-year low in terms of unemployment in this country. So we have gone from a strong and growing economy to one where many people are out of work and many businesses have been shuttered. Some of these businesses tell me they may have shuttered permanently. I hope not, but it has been a tough time. At the same time, churches and schools have been closed. prgtoken Some States have begun to reopen their economies, which is fantastic, but a majority of Americans are still living by very strict social distancing guidelines. prgtoken I hear constantly from Ohioans about how much this has upended their lives. Sometimes small business owners will tell me a heartbreaking story of how they spent 30 or 40 years building a business, and now they have seen it devastated. They are in a situation where they have no cash flow and can't keep the business open. prgtoken At the same time, a lot of Americans have been teleworking. They have still been working, but they haven't been going to the office or going to the factory. They have been working from home and figuring it out. prgtoken Just like everything else, here in the Senate, we have been affected by this pandemic. As I said, we have been shut down for 6 weeks. This started back in March. One of our colleagues actually came down with the virus, but it was really on the advice of health officials and public health experts that we decided not to reconvene. It was probably the safe thing to do at the time. prgtoken Again, it is good we are back now. We are back now with the recommendation of the attending physician and other top medical experts. We have been wearing our masks dutifully and when appropriate. We have been keeping our social distance. prgtoken My desk is actually over there, but there was another Senator over there, so they put me here, which is good. We have been doing this successfully this week, and that is great because we need to be here representing the voice of the American people. prgtoken However, I will tell you, during these 6 weeks when we weren't convening, there was a lot of work to be done too. Yet Congress was unable to do it. Why? Because, unlike probably the majority of the people whom I represent, we don't telework. We work, yes. We were home working hard. But we weren't invo
CORONAVIRUS
Kelly Loeffler (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-5-6

my first priority during the COVID-19 pandemic has been to do all I can to keep Georgians and all Americans safe and healthy. But while at home in Georgia these last few weeks, I have seen that the measures we needed to take to fight this unprecedented health crisis have created dramatic economic and societal impacts. prgtoken One in five Georgians is unemployed. In the last 6 weeks, the Georgia Department of Labor has issued more unemployment payments than in the previous 4 years combined. prgtoken Hotels in the Golden Isles were seeing 80 to 90 percent occupancy rates at the beginning of March, the start of beach season for our beach communities. As the number of tourists plummeted, the president of our visitors' center described the economic impact as ``absolutely devastating.'' prgtoken School districts, like Forsyth County schools, are organizing meal pickups and food delivery for students who typically rely on eating breakfast and lunch at school. prgtoken Then there is the emotional toll combating the virus has taken. A local law enforcement officer told me that his department has seen a dramatic spike in domestic abuse calls. An emergency hotline run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration saw a 1000- percent increase in calls last month compared to last April. prgtoken The full cost of this pandemic remains to be seen, but it is clear we need to look ahead and plan for a future that protects Americans' lives and livelihoods. prgtoken As a member of the President's Opening Up America Again Congressional Group, I am putting to work my nearly three decades of experience building companies and creating jobs. prgtoken Over the last few weeks, I have held more than 100 calls to hear directly from Georgia hospitals, State officials, first responders, food banks, small businesses, farmers, large employers, nonprofits, chambers of commerce, as well as the President and his administration, to address the needs of Georgians. prgtoken With my experience and the feedback I have heard from Georgians, I have developed the USA Restoring & Igniting the Strength of our Economy Plan--USA RISE. This is a plan to bring back our thriving economy. It offers a four-pillared framework for investing in America, growing jobs, and helping families without expanding the grip of the Federal Government. It builds on the success of President 's America First agenda. prgtoken The USA RISE Plan calls on all of us in Congress to ensure that the more than $2 trillion of relief already passed in the CARES Act and in phase 3.5 is targeted to the areas of the economy that need it most while providing prudent oversight. prgtoken The first pillar, Made in the USA, addresses the fact that for too long, our manufacturing has moved overseas. Now more than ever, we are reminded of how dangerous it is to rely on other countries, especially competitors like China. prgtoken The USA RISE Plan calls for incentivi
CARES ACT
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-5-6

let me first of all join with my good friend, Senator Cardin, in appreciating the incredible work that really so many Federal employees have done to make these programs work. prgtoken I was with the SBA Director about 2 weeks ago on Friday. She said that in the first 14 days of the PPP program they did 14 months of loans in that 14-day period. I thought many times that Secretary Mnuchin set these high standards for how quickly we would get to each of these points and probably only later realized just how difficult it is to get the Federal Government to move. prgtoken In this case, the Federal Government has moved. The Congress has moved working together. We didn't have the element of time on our side. We really had to move quickly. I think we all knew when we were doing so that we were going to have some miscalculations, whether it was the amount of money for PPP or a program that wasn't quite as refined as it needed to be. And, hopefully, we are right now trying to look at not only how we have filled in the blanks on the programs that we so quickly dealt with in March, but also to look forward to May and July and try to figure out what the prgtoken economy is going to need and where we are going to be in this healthcare crisis in May and July. prgtoken Certainly, a number of our States are beginning to reopen. States like Missouri are opening in what I think is exactly the appropriate way. The Governor looked at the whole State and said: We are going to step back from our initial order in the entire State. We are going to remove that order. He has worked thoughtfully and carefully with the mayor of St. Louis and the mayor of Kansas City, the county executives of bigger counties, and the mayors of Columbia and Springfield, and he has not gotten into fights with local officials about situations where they have every reason to know more than he does, just like the Governor of Missouri has every reason to know more than somebody in Washington, DC, about when our State should reopen prgtoken I am glad the President has let Governors have that sort of authority. I think in most States, including mine, Governors have stepped back and let local officials assert their view of what should happen in the area where they have been elected to be responsible. With that combination of things, we are going to reopen and begin to see the economy reconnect again like it has not connected for the last couple of months. prgtoken At the same time, we have these two fights. One is to save the economy and one is this important fight against the virus. I think in the 2 months since we went home after the CARES Act, I spent most of my time working on the healthcare side of this. Senator Alexander is the authorizing chairman for these healthcare programs. I am the appropriating chairman for most of them. These are programs that, certainly, in the last months, Americans have learned a lot more about than they ever knew