mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2020-5-21

I rise today, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Every year, throughout the month of May, the people of the United States join together to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, AAPI, who have enriched the history, culture, and traditions of this country. prgtoken Today, there are approximately 23,000,000 AAPis in the United States, representing more than 45 distinct ethnic groups and speaking over 100 language dialects. As the fastest growing minority population, the AAPI community continues to have an increasing impact on our national discourse. There are now 20 AAPI members of Congress, and a record number of AAPIs are serving in State and Territorial legislatures across the Nation. prgtoken This year, as we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month amid a pandemic, we recognize the over 2,000,000 AAPIS working on the frontlines as healthcare professionals, first responders, transit operators, and in supermarkets and other essential service industries. Every day, these heroic individuals risk their lives to protect the health and safety of Americans during the COVID-19 public health emergency. prgtoken We also reflect broadly on the achievements and contributions of the AAPI community in the areas of politics and government, education and the arts, music, writing and literature, sports, business, medicine, and law. We pay tribute to the leaders before us, who overcame great adversity and paved the way forward. prgtoken We honor great statesmen like Daniel Kahikina Akaka, the first person of Native Hawaiian ancestry to serve in the U.S. Senate. Throughout his nearly four decades in Congress, Senator Akaka worked to change the public's perception of the AAPI community and helped to preserve and restore Hawaiian language, culture, and traditions. Although he recently passed away, Senator Akaka's spirit as a true champion of aloha endures. prgtoken We also remember influential labor organizers like Larry ltliong, Peter Velasco, and Philip Vera Cruz, who in 1965, led the Filipino- American farmworkers to strike alongside Cesar Chavez, demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions. The Delano Grape Strike was one of the most pivotal civil rights and labor movements in American history. It opened doors for immigrants and people of color and inspired countless others to stand together and demand their rights. prgtoken Around the time that the Filipino-American grape workers began their strike in 1965, Congress enacted the Immigration and Nationality Act, INA, also known as the Hart-Celler Act. This landmark legislation overturned discriminatory race- and nationality-based immigration policies that previously barred immigration from Asia. The INA established new policies based on reuniting families and attracting skilled professionals and helped refugees fleeing violence or unrest, no
Senate Accomplishments (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-5-21

we will adjourn today and be gone next week for the Memorial Day recess and then return the following week. The Senate, at the request and call of the Senate leader, Senator McConnell from Kentucky, has been in session for 3 weeks. Senator McConnell has said that we are here because we need to be at our ``duty stations.'' He has used that term over and over again--a military responsibility to stay where you are assigned and to be prepared to fight. prgtoken Well, those that take a look at what we have done over the last 3 weeks have to ask: Where is the battle? Where is the fight when it comes to COVID-19? The simple fact is this: The United States Senate, in the last 3 weeks, has not considered one piece of legislation on this floor relative to COVID-19, not one. It has reached the point where the press told me this morning that two Senators are now complaining publicly that we have done nothing on COVID-19 and shouldn't leave for the Memorial Day recess until we do. prgtoken Well, I think they ought to take their appeal not to the American public but to their leader because he decides what comes to the floor of the Senate, and he has decided, over the last 3 weeks, that nothing will come to the floor of the Senate relative to the biggest issue in the modern history of America: the national emergency, the public health crisis over COVID-19. prgtoken I listened to my friend from South Dakota talk about the amount of money that has been spent. It is an amazing amount--I will be the first to concede it--almost $3 trillion so far. It is the largest ever I can remember--well, I will just flatout say ever when it comes to a rescue package or a relief package. Of course, it comes at a time when we are facing the worst economic crisis in America for almost 100 years, going back to the Great Depression. There are 38 million uninsured Americans. There are 1.5 million Americans so far infected by this virus. The United States, sadly, leads the world--leads the world--when it comes to these infections. I would say, when the President calls that a badge of honor, I do not. We could have done much better. We should do much better in the future. prgtoken Now, in just a matter of days--not sure when--we will reach the tragic milestone of 100,000 Americans who have died from the coronavirus--100,000 Americans will have died. I join with the ic leader in saying that we should mark that tragic milestone with grief for the families and their loss and standing as Americans in honor of the sacrifice they have made. prgtoken More than that, we need to do what needs to be done, and to argue that we have done enough now and let's sit back and see what happens is to ignore the obvious. Jerome Powell is the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and he went on ``60 Minutes'' last Sunday and said to Congress, to the Senate, to the House, and to the President: Don't stop doing your p
TRIBUTE TO WILLIE K
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2020-5-21

with the passing of Willie K, Hawaii has lost a music legend. Through his raw talent and unmatched musicianship, Willie K blazed a trail that redefined music in Hawaii and across the country. prgtoken Born William Kahaialii--and known affectionately as ``Uncle Willie'' throughout our State--Willie K wouldn't be tied down to any single genre or instrument. Instead, he did it all. Willie could play or sing almost anything. prgtoken Willie's love for music came from his family. Raised in a family of musicians in Lahaina, Willie started performing at just 8 years old. Taught by his father and renowned guitarist, Manu prgtoken Kahaiali`i, Willie mastered the blues at a young age. He became a virtuoso instrumentalist--learning how to play every instrument that might be needed in a show from a guitar to a bass to a ukulele. And his voice was one of a kind. No style was off limits, even opera. He was able to effortlessly bridge blues and Hawaiian, local and mainstream, music and culture. prgtoken Over the course of his career, Willie recorded numerous albums and performed with icons like Prince, Steven Tyler, Willie Nelson, and Santana. Always humble, he described himself as ``a working musician''--despite earning 19 Na Hoku Hanohano awards, a Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Grammy nomination. prgtoken Willie devoted his life to music and understood its power. He went to great lengths to help other local artists in Hawaii succeed and organized his BBQ Bluesfest annually. Even after he began to feel the effects of his illness, he continued to share his music. prgtoken Willie showed us all so many things. He was talented, energetic, passionate, and authentic. But what really separated him from the rest was his unrelenting zest for life and aloha spirit. prgtoken My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his ohana and all those who loved him. He will be well remembered and greatly missed. prgtoken May his memory be a blessing. May his music live on.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-21

I rise to speak in support of the Restoration of Essential Conveyance Act, which I introduced today. Representatives TJ Cox and Jim Costa, both of California, have introduced companion legislation in the House. prgtoken This legislation would help California water users and California's nation-leading agricultural industry comply with a recent State requirement to end the overpumping of groundwater. The stakes are huge: Bringing groundwater into balance will reduce the water supply of the San Joaquin Valley by about 2 million acre-feet per year. prgtoken Unless local water agencies and the State and Federal governments take action, a recent U.C. Berkeley study has projected severe impacts from these water supply losses: 798,000 acres of land would have to be retired from agricultural production, nearly one-sixth of the working farmland in an area that produces half the fruit and vegetables grown in the Nation; and $5.9 billion would be lost in annual farm income. prgtoken How the bill would help: One of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to restore groundwater balance is to convey floodwaters to farmlands where they can recharge the aquifer. California has the most variable precipitation of any State. When we get massive storms from atmospheric rivers, there is plenty of runoff to recharge aquifers--but only if we can effectively convey the floodwaters throughout the San Joaquin Valley to recharge areas. prgtoken Here is where the challenge arises. For a variety of reasons, the ground beneath the major canals has dropped by as much as 10 to 20 feet which has caused canals designed to convey floodwaters to buckle and drop in many places. Other parts of the canals have not subsided, so the water gets stuck in the low points. prgtoken As a result, these essential canals for conveying floodwaters have lost as much as 60 percent of their conveyance capacity. The bill I am introducing today would provide Federal assistance to help fix these Federal canals. prgtoken Specifically, the bill would authorize $600 million in Federal funding-cost share for three major projects to repair Federal canals damaged by subsidence to achieve their lost capacity: $200 million for the Friant-Kern Canal, which would move an additional 100,000 acre-feet per year on average; $200 million for the Delta Mendota Canal, which would move an additional 62,000 acre-feet per year on average; and $200 million for California Aqueduct repairs, which would move an additional 205,000 acre-feet per year on average. While parts of the California Aqueduct are State-owned, the majority of the repairs are on its federally owned portion. prgtoken The bill would also authorize $200 million in additional funding for the Environmental Restoration Goal of the San Joaquin River settlement. This provision will ensure that the bill helps to restore not only the San Joaquin Valley's water supply, but also its native salmon runs. I
CONFIRMATIONS OF DAVID A. WRIGHT AND CHRISTOPHER T. HANSON
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2020-5-21

today, the Senate confirmed the nominations of David Wright and Christopher Hanson to serve as Commissioners on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC. While I am pleased that these nominees will provide the NRC with a full Commission, I remain deeply concerned with Mr. Wright's history of strongly supporting efforts to move the Yucca Mountain repository forward and oppose his confirmation today. prgtoken Shortly after Mr. Wright joined the Commission in 2018, the State of Nevada called for Mr. Wright to recuse himself from matters pertaining to Yucca Mountain licensing. He refused. Mr. Wright is on the record calling for the ``expeditious implementation of the Yucca Mountain program'' and founded the Yucca Mountain Task Force. His refusal to recuse himself denies Nevada its right to an unbiased Commissioner on the NRC and furthers the distrust that plagues the Nation's management of nuclear waste. prgtoken More than 30 years ago, Nevada was thrown into the center of the nuclear waste debate, when Congress dismissed the siting process it established in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and named Yucca Mountain the sole nuclear waste repository for the Nation over the strong objections of Nevadans. The site is physically unsuitable and puts at risk the safety, security, and economic well-being of the State. The decision broke the trust of the American people in the government's ability to responsibly manage nuclear waste. The reappointment of Mr. Wright to the NRC does nothing to regain the trust of Nevadans or establish confidence in nuclear waste repository licensing processes. prgtoken Commissioners serving on the independent agency must be neutral and unbiased in order to ensure confidence in the guidance, regulations, and determinations issued by the NRC. Mr. Wright can make the decision to recuse himself from Yucca Mountain licensing matters, and it is my hope that he will chose to do so to bring integrity to the Commission and to restore the rights of the State of Nevada. prgtoken I also acknowledge the importance of Mr. Hanson being confirmed to the NRC today. He will help bring balance to the Commission with his decades of experience on nuclear energy and waste issues. prgtoken I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure Congress continues to utilize its authority to oversee the work of the Commission and hope all Commissioners will approach all matters, including those that pertain to Yucca Mountain licensing, without preexisting bias and conflicts of interest.
Senate Accomplishments (Executive Session)
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-5-21

in a few minutes, the Senate is going to vote on the nomination of John Ratcliffe to be Director of National Intelligence. I have come to the floor to discuss this important nomination. prgtoken Senators often come to this floor to talk about the importance of speaking truth to power. John Ratcliffe, in his statement before the Intelligence Committee and in his written responses, revealed he would not speak truth to power; he would surrender to it. He demonstrated that he is so eager to serve power, he will twist the truth, and he showed this again and again. prgtoken For example, in the name of helping power, we saw him dance around direct questions about whether he would respect or even understood the law. John Ratcliffe made a number of extremely disturbing statements that make it clear that he has and will misrepresent and politicize intelligence without a moment's hesitation. prgtoken I asked the Congressman at his hearing about a law that requires a public, unclassified report on who was responsible for the murder of the Washington Post journalist and U.S. resident, Jamal Khashoggi. This was a law passed by the Congress and signed by the President of the United States. This law required the Director of National Intelligence to produce that unclassified report on who killed Jamal Khashoggi and what the circumstances were in February. That has never happened. prgtoken At his nomination hearing, I simply asked the Congressman whether the government was bound by the law. In his response, the Congressman called the law a request for unclassified information. That is how he referred to this law. Then the Congressman promised to take a look at it. In his own words, John Ratcliffe wouldn't commit to following that important law without knowing the circumstances of who killed Jamal Khashoggi. I believe it is open season on journalists. prgtoken How John Ratcliffe danced around that question of whether he would comply with the law is a disqualification by itself to be the head of national intelligence. prgtoken This was a pattern throughout the hearing. John Ratcliffe had his talking points down, but the moment he was asked anything specific, he danced away. I am just going to take a few minutes to give some examples. Obviously, it is critically important to know a nominee's views for this position on the question of spying on Americans. prgtoken I asked John Ratcliffe three times in prehearing questions, at the hearing, and again after the hearing, whether the statute that prohibits warrantless wiretapping on Americans was binding. Each time, John Ratcliffe left himself lots of wiggle room to suggest that whatever this law said, the President might have ways to go around it. He also said he would work with the Attorney General, who we know has explicitly said that he doesn't believe the foreign intelligence surveillance law is binding on the President. prgtoken This is really where J
NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-5-21

I am pleased that earlier this week the Senate passed S. Res. 586, a bipartisan resolution designating this week National Public Works Week. National Public Works Week celebrates the profound impact our public works professionals have on our safety and quality of life. Public works are the shared assets that make up the backbone of our Nation. Public service professionals build, manage and operate our nation's most essential services. prgtoken Many of us take for granted work that goes into the services we rely on every day. This week provides an opportunity to reflect on the men and women behind those services. Let us consider the way our daily life is powered by public service professionals: We wake up in the morning to turn the tap on and expect water to come out. We place our trash bins on the street and expect it is collected in timely manner. Some of us may drive over bridges built to last generations and follow traffic signals that were carefully planned to keep us safe. prgtoken The work of public service professionals has a tangible impact on our lives every single day. Consider the employee who replaced the aging pipe that brings water to your home or the scientist that ensured that water is safe to drink. Consider also the sanitation worker who keeps your street clean and healthy. We can also think of the engineer who designed the bridge and the construction worker who started the workday before dawn to ensure the construction minimally impacted your routine. National Public Works Week gives us a formal opportunity to humanize these services and say thank you to the people working behind the scenes to keep our communities running. prgtoken There is no more important time than now to recognize these individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our communities in ways previously unimaginable. However, we can count on public works employees to rise to the occasion. Public works employees are often on the frontlines, risking their own health to ensure that services are delivered. While much of public life has come to a standstill, the rhythm of public services continues. Water mains break and require repair and garbage must still be collected. prgtoken The pandemic has thrust millions of Americans into financial uncertainty, unsure how they will pay for basic services. Many public works agencies, like the Baltimore Department of Public Works are continuing to offer discounted water rates as the pandemic continues. prgtoken Public works also offer hope for our Nation's economic recovery. From the Great Depression came a formative era in the history of public works in America. President Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the power of transformative projects to jumpstart America's economy and provide a higher quality life than previously known. The New Deal made an indelible impact on the structure of our government and trajectory of America's financial recovery. The projects themselves
TRIBUTE TO PETER M. HAYES
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2020-5-21

I rise today to honor the esteemed career and public service of Mr. Peter M. Hayes, who is retiring as associate general manager and chief public affairs executive of the Salt River Project, or SRP. prgtoken The Salt River Project is the Nation's third largest public power utility. It manages an extensive system of dams, reservoirs, wells, canals, and irrigation laterals, providing water and electricity to more than 2 million people in metropolitan Phoenix. As associate general manager and chief public affairs executive, Mr. Hayes has not only been integral in providing utilities to Arizonans' homes; he has also supported many issues that have advanced Arizona's economy, including the expansion of public education, the development of transportation systems, and the construction of infrastructure necessary to support Arizona's sports and tourism industries. prgtoken Mr. Hayes has also served as chairman of the board of the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute, the chairman of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, a trustee of the Arizona Science Center, a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the Arizona State University Barrett Honors College, and a member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. He served as an aide to the former Minority Leader and Arizona Congressman John J. Rhodes, as Deputy Director of Congressional Liaison for two Secretaries of the Interior, and as chief of staff to former Arizona Governor Fife Symington. In both the public and private sectors, Mr. Hayes has been a leader in public policy. He has wielded his expertise and vision to manage a wide array of energy and water issues to benefit the State of Arizona. prgtoken I thank Mr. Hayes for his years of dedicated work and public service on behalf of Arizona.
HONORING THE LIFE OF MASTER PATROL OFFICER SPENCER BRISTOL
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-5-22

. Madam , today I rise to honor the life of a distinguished public servant from Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District, fallen Master Patrol Officer Spencer Daniel Bristol. Officer Bristol committed his life and career to keeping the city of Hendersonville, TN safe from crime, after serving 5 years in the United States Navy. prgtoken His loss has been profoundly felt in and around Hendersonville and across the law enforcement community in Tennessee and beyond. Hundreds of Hendersonville residents from all walks of life lined the town's main street to pay their respects the day he was laid to rest. It is important that we recognize the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers, not only during police week, but every day. We have them to thank for keeping our families, neighborhoods, and communities safe. prgtoken Everyday heroes like Officer Bristol are the ones who continue to make this nation great. I offer my condolences to the family he leaves behind; his wife, Lauren, and their 3-year-old daughter, Eloise.