mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Robert J. Wittman (Republican, VA) \u2014 2020-3-27

I rise today on behalf of the citizens of the First Congressional District of Virginia to say that America's glass is still half full. prgtoken While we face this unprecedented challenge, we see across our Nation the resolve and the spirit of America. It is alive and well. prgtoken This is a challenge for us here in Congress to show the same spirit and resolve, to get the job done for the American people. While this bill is far from perfect, it will demonstrate that we can come together and show what we have seen in the days past of what is going on across America. prgtoken America's best days are still to come, and we continue to be the greatest Nation the world has ever known. May God continue to bless our great United States of America.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Kay Granger (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-3-27

our nation is facing an unprecedented pandemic, and I am proud that Congress has come together again to provide desperately needed resources and relief to the American people. prgtoken The ``Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act'' is the third emergency relief bill to provide assistance to millions of Americans, especially for our healthcare workers, first responders, small businesses, and individuals who are unable to work because of this outbreak. prgtoken Eighty percent of the $340 billion in emergency funding included in the bill goes directly to state and local governments, supporting their frontline efforts to respond to the virus. More than $125 billion will be used to support our hospitals and purchase medical supplies likes gloves, face masks, and gowns and equipment like ventilators and respirators that our healthcare heroes desperately need. prgtoken The bill also provides small businesses with the capital to sustain operations and payroll, preserving the jobs of millions and ensuring that those job creators can reopen immediately once the virus passes. prgtoken Our around-the-clock efforts to negotiate this bill paid off--we've reached a historic bipartisan, bicameral agreement. While there prgtoken are some things in this bill that I wish were addressed differently, the bill will do what is intended: support the American people, lessen the impact of the virus, and jumpstart our economy. prgtoken As many of you know, Tarrant Country has a ``stay-at-home'' order currently in effect, and due to that order and travel concerns, I disappointingly will not be in D.C. to cast my vote in person today. Nevertheless, relief is on its way to the American people. prgtoken As we continue to fight this invisible enemy, it is vitally important that we remain in it together, follow the recommendations of the President, his task force, and our state and local leaders, and support those that need assistance during this time. The health and safety of our community relies on our partnership. prgtoken As the situation progresses, I will continue to work with President , Governor Abbott, and local leaders to keep our friends and family safe and ensure we win against this pandemic.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Bill Flores (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-3-27

a few days ago, White House and congressional s presented a bold, bipartisan plan of action to help hardworking Americans deal with our current challenges. This plan puts much-needed resources where they are most prgtoken needed: our families, our healthcare system, our small businesses, our other businesses affected by this crisis, and our State and local governments. prgtoken One of the things that we found out during this crisis is that our healthcare system supply chain relies far too much on foreign sources like Communist China. We can never allow this to happen again. prgtoken In order to fix that problem, I am pleased the Senate and House negotiators included my request to help fund $3.5 billion to utilize three existing centers in innovation for advanced development manufacturing. prgtoken One of these CIADMs is part of the Texas A&M University System, which I represent. These public-private CIADM partnerships are uniquely positioned to accelerate research, development, and manufacture of vaccines and therapeutics to mitigate pandemics, and they do it right here in America.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Gus M. Bilirakis (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-3-27

this is a historic moment in the U.S. House. We need to pass an unprecedented economic package that will prevent financial disaster for millions of Americans. We must get people working again. prgtoken This bill funds programs for small businesses, including independent contractors and nonprofits. It provides up to $1,200 for taxpayers who earn $75,000 or less, as well as $500 per child. prgtoken Additionally, seniors and disabled veterans are also eligible for checks. These payments will not be considered taxable income for 2020, . prgtoken Most importantly, critical funding to provide personal equipment and test kits for healthcare professionals is on the way. prgtoken For sure, this is a spending bill. I am not happy with everything, but I will vote ``yes'' to save the lives and livelihood of my constituents. prgtoken I ask for swift passage as soon as possible, .
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
John W. Rose (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-3-27

a month ago, our Nation stood on the highest mountaintop, marveling at the supposed limitlessness of our domain. prgtoken Today, barely 3 weeks later, awakening from an abundance-induced stupor, we find ourselves deep in the valley, peering perilously into the abyss. prgtoken I hope that the safety net we are attempting to purchase today with our Nation's scarce treasure doesn't dull too much the alarm that this crisis has sounded for our country to reform its ways. prgtoken I pray that from this low point, we will seek out a great revival of faith in our Almighty God and a renewed commitment to the principles of freedom, liberty, and self-reliance. prgtoken For those in this Congress who have used this crisis to loot the public treasury and serve special interests above the common good, I trust that our people and history will judge you as harshly as you deserve. prgtoken And today, I give thanks for our President.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-3-27

these are challenging times for our country, yet throughout our history, America has risen to every challenge. Today is no different. prgtoken I thank our President, , for his strong leadership during this crisis. prgtoken I don't like everything in this bill. While we kept out dangerous provisions like union bailouts, the Green New Deal, and dangerous election schemes, it still has items I don't agree with. And I worry about the price tag. prgtoken However, families, hospitals, and small businesses need immediate relief. I am talking about a small business in Concord where the owner is doing his best but still had to furlough many of his 30 employees. He told me he can put most of his employees back on the payroll using the SBA 7(a) loan program in this bill. prgtoken It is workers and small businesses like this one that are counting on this legislation. prgtoken It is not perfect, but I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Neal P. Dunn (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-3-27

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of the CARES Act. prgtoken COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, has seriously impacted our country, both medically and economically. During this unprecedented time, it is imperative that we not only take proper precautions, but react in an effective manner. prgtoken This bill is not perfect. It has a very large price tag. However, a crisis of this magnitude requires Congress to act swiftly and decisively. This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that can make this happen. prgtoken We have single household incomes, seniors on fixed incomes, and small business owners who need relief right now. My constituency is still rebuilding after Hurricane Michael, and I intend to do whatever it takes to get them the help they need right away. prgtoken This is an excellent opportunity for us all to come together and support our constituents. Please join me in supporting this stimulus package.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-3-27

I thank the gentleman for the recognition. prgtoken Our country is in a war crisis unlike anything that has been seen for over 100 years, but there are heroes. We know our first responders. We know our doctors and nurses on the front lines, in our intensive care units. We know what heroes they are. But, , not all heroes wear capes. prgtoken I have a furniture manufacturer in my district, Barbara Caldwell, who called me last weekend and said she wanted to transition her furniture manufacturing to manufacture personal protective equipment, and she is doing so. prgtoken I had an aircraft manufacturer that said they wanted to manufacture ventilators, and they are changing their clean room and hiring the engineers so that they can do that. prgtoken We do have heroes in this country. They don't always wear capes. prgtoken I also want to recognize the hard work done by the staff on the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee--J.P. Paluskiewicz, Kristen Shatynski, Kristin Seum, Caleb Graff; and then on my staff, Elizabeth Allen, Casey Patchunka, Rachel Huggins, and my chief of staff, James Decker--who are all over in the office right now making certain that this goes smoothly.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Adrian Smith (Republican, NE) \u2014 2020-3-27

I did not come to the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for stimulus packages or bailouts. prgtoken I didn't come here to spend trillions of dollars or grow the size of government. prgtoken However, the situation we are in today, in the United States and across the world, is different. prgtoken We aren't in this situation because we've come to the end of a business cycle. prgtoken We aren't here because mortgage lenders or Wall Street made bad decisions. prgtoken We are here because our economy, with the help of regulatory and tax relief, was going strong, and we want to resume that strength when conditions permit. prgtoken Three million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, not because the fundamentals of our economy changed, but because President , and governors and mayors across our country, asked them to stay home as much as possible for a while, to help protect their families, friends, and neighbors. prgtoken We should all be proud of how well most Americans have heeded that request. prgtoken We owe Americans the opportunity to resume their lives, return to their jobs, resume their education, keep their homes, and feed their families just as they were before this pandemic arrived, and this bill addresses many barriers to that happening. prgtoken Employers don't want to shut down and lay employees off. This bill will help many avoid having to. prgtoken Americans want to work and support their families. The short-term changes to unemployment help those who don't currently have that choice. prgtoken This bill also ensures our commercial aviation system, including the contractors who support it, which were strong prior to this pandemic, can resume serving our nation, including its most rural parts, when this pandemic ends. prgtoken Hospitals want to be there for everyone in their community. Provisions like the enhanced advance-pay assistance will help the 55 critical-access hospitals in Nebraska keep their doors open as they pause addressing less immediate needs, and expanded telehealth availability will benefit rural Americans even after this crisis is over. prgtoken And provisions such as funding for the Commodity Credit Corporation will help our ag producers get through this difficult time and continue to feed Americans, who more than ever are understanding the complexity and reliability of our food production system, from farm to table. prgtoken , this is not the bill any single one of us would have written on our own, but I will support it today because it is a strong compromise which provides our best available opportunity to help Americans get through this difficult period and return to their jobs, schools, churches, friends, and regular daily lives in the shortest time possible.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Anthony Gonzalez (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-3-27

COVID-19 is hitting our country hard and fast, but Americans across our country and in my home district in northeast Ohio are rallying together to confront and overcome this latest challenge. prgtoken In Ohio's 16th District, we have seen restauranteurs with now-empty dining rooms making free meals for students in Green Local School District. We have seen businesses, like Buehler's Grocers, do everything they can to prevent layoffs and support employees who come to work every day to ensure their shelves are stocked for those who need it. prgtoken Our hospitals are bracing for impact, but we have seen our healthcare providers, like at the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, working their hardest to innovate through this crisis by developing their own tests and launching drive-through testing facilities. prgtoken Our great Governor, Mike DeWine, is setting the gold standard of leadership in response to this crisis. He is taking decisive action to flatten the curve and save lives in the Buckeye State. prgtoken This bill provides critical resources for those who need it most: our heroic healthcare workers, our small businesses, the unemployed, and our local leaders who are fighting this virus on the front lines. prgtoken , I vote ``yes.''
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2020-3-27

I rise today on behalf of the people of west Michigan, for the individuals and families who have seen their world turned upside down by COVID-19. prgtoken Our neighbors, friends, and family members are losing their income. Small businesses are closing their doors. Manufacturers, big and small, are shuttering their facilities. All this is happening not because of bad business decisions or personal choices but because of a virus. prgtoken The CARES Act will deliver critical relief to west Michigan residents, small businesses, and our medical professionals. This package will help tens of thousands of constituents in my district stay employed. prgtoken While I don't agree with every proposal included in this bill, the vast majority of it will work directly to provide relief to the people who need it most. Communities across the Nation expect this body to act today. prgtoken Finally, I want to say thank you to the first responders, nurses, and doctors who are serving our communities on the front lines. Thank you to the farmers, the food processors, the truck drivers, and those stocking the shelves to make sure goods are available in this time of need. prgtoken We are all in this together, . God bless America. Let's pass this bill.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Kevin McCarthy (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-3-27

I thank you for the job you have done in the chair today. We thank you for the work that you are doing. prgtoken , before I begin, I want to say to everyone watching us at home right now, we hear your concern; we feel your anxiety; and we know what we need to do. prgtoken When this year began, Americans were enjoying a level of peace and prosperity unheard of in modern times. The economy was at record highs. Unemployment for American workers was at record lows. Take-home pay was rising, and business closures were falling. Our brave men and women in uniform were protecting us from threats across the globe. prgtoken But a few weeks ago, we learned about an invisible enemy from a distant land, an enemy like we have never faced before. prgtoken Now, the virus is here. We didn't invite it. We did not ask for it. We did not choose it. But we will fight it together until we win together. prgtoken We will win because we have the best of our country on the front lines. We will win because of the other people in uniform: our doctors, our nurses, our lab technicians, and our hospital volunteers. prgtoken Take one moment and imagine where we would be without their fortitude. They have the toughest jobs in the world, but they are truly the best in the world. prgtoken You, our medical professionals, are our heroes. We, this entire body of the Members of Congress, salute you. prgtoken We will always win because of our truck drivers, grocery store clerks, postal workers, farmers, and warehouse workers. You are working night and day. You are making a meaningful, measurable difference in the lives of everyone you serve. You are the foundation of everything we will do today. prgtoken We will win because of our scientists. Their bright minds and faster cures should give every American peace of mind. We are developing a victory vaccine faster than ever in the history of any virus. prgtoken On behalf of all Americans and on behalf of all Members of Congress, I thank those on the front lines for their professionalism and dedication. prgtoken Another critical front in our war against this virus is the home front, literally. prgtoken To slow the spread, the government is asking--and in some cases requiring--millions of small businesses and families to put their daily lives on pause and remain at home. prgtoken I am overjoyed that so many have taken the imperative of social distancing so seriously. Flattening the curve is the most important activity any American citizen can do today. It is even more important now that the virus has arrived in full force. prgtoken We are asking you to continue to remain at home as much as possible. I know this action carries substantial circumstances. prgtoken We all saw that tragic news just this week 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. We have never experienced that before in our lives, not even in the Great Depression. prgtoken What can we do for the hardworking taxpayers, their families,
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-3-27

one of the many leaders of the talented freshman class. prgtoken Thank you to Majority Leader Hoyer for his leadership. Thank you to Pelosi for her leadership and our very distinguished committee chairs for their work on this incredible, important bill. prgtoken As many have said, this bill is far from perfect, but let us be clear about one thing: The American people need relief now, not tomorrow, not next week, not next month--now. prgtoken And so the question before this Chamber is very simple: Will we step up for the American people? Will we step up for the healthcare workers sacrificing their own health to save the lives of others? For the millions of unemployed across our country in each of our States struggling to make ends meet to pay their rent, to be able to feed their families? For the small businesses in Boulder and Fort Collins and Broomfield and across our country on the brink of collapse? For the scientists at CSU and at NIH and everywhere in between working to develop a vaccine to the COVID-19 pandemic? prgtoken I pray and I hope that we will step up for them by passing this bill today. Let's get it done. Let's meet this moment.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Democrat, MP) \u2014 2020-3-27

the legislation we are considering to stop the coronavirus is not perfect. No legislation ever is, and we have more work to do. prgtoken But even amid the crisis, we should not forget to say thank you. For the third time, Pelosi has led this House to respond forcefully to the coronavirus, to give healthcare providers resources, to give families financial aid, and to support workers and businesses. prgtoken Throughout this unprecedented time, always the and her leadership team remembered that the United States of America includes the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, and for that I am grateful.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Lauren Underwood (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-3-27

I rise today in strong support of the CARES Act. prgtoken Over 2,500 Illinoisans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, 26 of whom have died. Countless more are in need of testing, and thousands of our frontline healthcare workers are desperate for PPEs. prgtoken Just this month, over 130,000 Illinoisans have lost their jobs. This is unprecedented. prgtoken The CARES Act provides immediate economic relief to individuals, billions in small business loans and grants, and improved unemployment protections. It will help States, local governments, and healthcare systems meet the enormous challenges that they are facing.
MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-3-27

I join my friend from Michigan. There should be no one who rises to object, in spite of the fact that we know there are challenges in this bill. prgtoken But I hear these words: ``We are scared. We are stressed,'' the words of an emergency room doctor. These are the ones who are on the front lines right now, today, when we have the largest number of cases as a nation and over 1,100 dead. prgtoken Now we have $500 billion for industries, with oversight; $350 billion for small businesses, which includes the microbusinesses, the gig economy, and faith institutions and nonprofits. I will fight to make sure all of our nonprofits get it. We also have direct payments for individuals, as well as $100 billion for hospitals. prgtoken I watched as the Memorial Medical Center gave out over 1,100 tests, a small hospital putting themselves on the front line. prgtoken Here are my words, : No man is an island. Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. prgtoken We must get this passed for the people of the United States. prgtoken , as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security, and founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Corona virus Task force, I rise in strong support of H.R. 748, the ``Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act'' or ``CARES Act,'' which is the third and latest bipartisan assistance and relief package passed by Congress and provides more than $2 trillion to address the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken I quote Dr. Megan Ranney, an Emergency Room Physician: ``We are scared. We are stressed. And we're worried about what comes next and about our ability to take care of our patients and our communities. As well as our ability to take care of ourselves.'' prgtoken Therefore, I rise to thank all of the First Responders all over the nation--medical personnel are First Responders. prgtoken I specifically, thank my Hometown Houston local leadership--mayors, the County Judge, School leaders and all volunteers--thank you. prgtoken COVID-19 is the great equalizer--we all can become ill from it--no matter if we are rich or poor; the powerful or the powerless. prgtoken We will all succeed, or we will all fail--today we are here to make sure that all of America succeeds. prgtoken Tens of thousands of medical personnel and professionals are on the frontlines of a battle over the survival of tens of millions of people in the United States. prgtoken We as a nation must place our trust and faith in these heroes as they take to the battlefield of emergency rooms, ICUs and beyond to win this war against COVID-19 because they are the only warriors capable of waging a successful battle against this implacable foe. prgtoken The title of the Greatest Generation that ever was--is held by the generation that fought World War II. prgtoken They did not bestow that title upon themselves--it was future generations who looked back on what they had d