mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Unanimous Consent Request--S. 658
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-5-19

. First, let me say to my friend and colleague from Idaho, thank you. The tone of your remarks are positive, constructive, bipartisan. That is exactly what the American people are looking for, at least in Illinois, and I will bet you in Idaho as well. prgtoken This national emergency, this public health crisis, should bring out the best in us and not the most political side of our nature. Thank you because I think your remarks were offered in that respect. prgtoken We have been here now 3 weeks. This is the third week since returning from a break where most of us were at home. I think this is the longest period of debate on the coronavirus we have witnessed on the floor of the Senate in 3 weeks. prgtoken I thought this 3-week period would be all about COVID-19, all about the vaccine. It hasn't. We have taken up many other things that have nothing to do with it. What we have talked about here this morning is encouraging to me. If bringing this resolution up with a unanimous consent request is going to lead to the Senate Foreign Relations and other committees moving forward on important policy questions that you raised, and I hope I raised as well, then it was not time wasted. It was time well spent. prgtoken We do agree on so much more than we disagree, I am sure of it, when it comes to this. I invite you, I encourage you, I beg you, as soon as we return from next week's recess, the sooner we can bring a hearing before your committee and others the better. prgtoken I would like to address the unanimous consent request of my colleague from Indiana as well. prgtoken It has been my good fortune in the House and Senate to work with the Food and Drug Administration. It is probably one of the most underrated agencies of our Federal Government. They make decisions, literally, life-and-death decisions, every single day of things unimaginable to us. It is hard to look at all of the things they regulate and inspect and not be impressed. I have been impressed over the years with the Food and Drug Administration. But the gold standard of the Food and Drug Administration, which was established at least 60 years ago with the Thalidomide scandal, was that this agency was to take a look at drugs that were about to go on the market in America and conduct tests, ask questions, do their own research to determine two things: Are they safe, and are they effective? Safe and effective. That is it. But it is a lot. prgtoken Over the years, for 60 years or more, they have used this standard to judge drugs, clinical trials, which carefully measure the impacts of a drug on the human body over a period of time and the like. It is frustrating because, at times, it takes longer than we wish. There are exceptions that have been created at the Food and Drug Administration for extraordinary circumstances wherein it can accelerate the process, but by and large, it has to judge drugs as being safe and effective. prgtoken Nearly three-quarters of dru
HONORING THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM P. BOWES, Sr.
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-5-19

. Madam , I wish to take this opportunity to mark the passing of a former constituent, William P. (``Bill'') Bowes, Sr who dedicated much of his life to bettering his community and future generations in the North Shore/North Channel area of Houston, TX. Bill resided in his later years in Mont Belvieu, TX--but his contributions to the North Shore/North Channel area, where he spent much of his life, were truly inspiring. I want to take a moment to remember his extraordinary record of community service, even as we mourn his passing on March 28. prgtoken Bill was a proud graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. He may have been born in Des Moines, IA--but, as we say in Texas--he became a Texan as quickly as possible. Along with his beloved wife, Barbara, Bill moved to Houston in the late 1960s to work for a cargo surveying business, which grew with the growth of the Port of Houston. He raised a family and dedicated what extra time he had to serving his community. Bill's obituary, which follows, explains the impact he had on his community--my constituency. That impact was, in a word, extraordinary. prgtoken Few people have had a more positive effect on the North Shore/North Channel area than Bill Bowes. His work with the North Shore Rotary Club, of which he served as president at the age of 81 years young, benefited a multitude of local, national and international charitable organizations. For decades, working with two Members of Congress, Bill helped select the most deserving young men and women in the Houston area for nomination to the nation's service academies, including his beloved U.S. Merchant Marine Academy--helping them obtain an outstanding education while serving and protecting our country. In his later years, after moving to Mont Belvieu, he served on that town's Planning and Zoning Commission. prgtoken All of that is encapsulated in the obituary that follows. One characteristic of Bill's that his obituary doesn't fully convey is his modesty. If you met Bill once, you were an instant friend--and you were a friend forever. But, if you met him just once, you'd never know the depth of his compassion; you'd never know how much time he devoted to his community; and you'd never know just how much he loved his family. That was because of his modesty and humility. But ask anyone else, anyone who knew him, and they would tell you how much he'd done for others and how enormously proud he was of his family. Not all lions feel the need to roar. prgtoken Madam , today, we ask ourselves how, and if, our nation will overcome the daunting challenges we face. We have no doubt, most of us, that we will persevere and overcome--building a better life for future generations. But we ask who will give us the leadership and inspiration going forward. I suggest that the example of Bill Bowes shows us that each one of us--and all of us, together--can work to overcome the challenges that confront us
Coronavirus (Executive Calendar)
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-5-19

I first want to give a thank-you to everybody who is working right now and all the folks who are required to be here with the Senate in session. I wish we were focused on those things right now that are directly related to making sure everybody is going to be able to continue to be safe and to focus on what we need to do to safely reopen the economy rather than what we are voting on this week. I want to thank all of you for being here. prgtoken I also want to send condolences and thoughts to everyone who has lost a loved one in this crisis. We are approaching, this weekend, 100,000 Americans. If that doesn't give us a sense of urgency right now to effectively address this health pandemic and to get this right and to work together, I don't know what does. prgtoken I rise today with a real sense of urgency. I think it is important to understand how we got here so we know what we need to do going forward. prgtoken On January 20, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States, the same day as the first case in South Korea. Our White House didn't act. They were, unfortunately, more worried about the stock market than people in the supermarket. prgtoken In South Korea, they did act. Within 8 weeks, they were testing 40 times more people per 1 million of their citizens than we were. By April 14, they had 10,000 cases, and we had over 600,000 cases because there was no sense of urgency to do what needed to be done to take this seriously. Now we know that we are well beyond that. prgtoken Unfortunately, on the American side, in the weeks and months that came after January 20, the White House slow-walked declaring a national emergency. They failed to quickly implement widespread testing that was being done all around the world and in every other country, and they dropped the ball on getting the essential medical equipment and supplies doctors and nurses still need to treat people and keep them safe. Their reckless delay made us the world leader--the world leader-- in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. When you think about it, we are a little over 4 percent of the world's population; yet we have about 30 percent of the deaths because of a lack of urgency and the inaction from the very beginning to be able to get our country's arms around this deadly virus and what was happening. prgtoken Now 4 months have passed, and as I mentioned, more than 90,000 to 100,000 Americans have passed away from COVID-19. Think about that. When we look at over 90,000 lives, that is as if a whole city in Michigan just disappeared from the map; yet the White House and the leader and our friends across the aisle continue to show a lack of urgency about this crisis. prgtoken On March 14, the House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. It had a whole range of things that were incredibly important in it: COVID testing so that you could get free testing if you needed it,
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-5-19

today I wish to honor the distinguished life and career of Aliquippa Chief of Police Robert William Sealock, who passed away on April 11, 2020. prgtoken Chief Sealock dedicated his life in service to his community, his Commonwealth, and his country. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he later served as a police officer in the Borough of Bridgewater and Crescent and Center Townships, located in Allegheny and Beaver counties in western Pennsylvania. At the time of his passing, he was the chief of police for the city of Aliquippa. Beginning as a patrolman and working his way up through the ranks of the Aliquippa Police Force over a period of 23 years, he assumed the role of chief of police in 2018. Chief Sealock was a graduate of Moon Area High School and became a member of the Fraternal Order of Police James Naim Memorial Lodge No. 26 as well as a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 672. prgtoken Chief Sealock's leadership has been widely praised by both the public and his peers in the law enforcement community. At a time when his community faced a surge in crime and an understaffed police force, Chief Sealock stepped up to meet the challenge. In just a few short years, Chief Sealock enhanced the reputation of the police department by working tirelessly to rebuild trust and bridge the gap between local law enforcement and the community it served. He also instituted several programs across multiple city offices that were designed to reach Aliquippa's youth and increase participation in group activities. prgtoken Chief Sealock led by example. He recognized and understood how important it was to police officers to have the support of their chief and his hands-on approach inspired confidence. As a result, his fellow officers had tremendous respect for his leadership and endearingly referred to him as a ``cop's cop.'' prgtoken Tragically, Chief Sealock suffered a medical emergency while on duty which led to his passing. His dedication to the Aliquippa Police Department, his beloved community, his family, and country were guided by a sincere commitment to public service and improving the lives of people he encountered. He will be remembered for his compassion, loving spirit, and warm personality, and his legacy will be felt for many years to come. prgtoken I extend my thoughts and prayers to his devoted wife, Donna; his daughter and son-in-law Taylor Sealock-Smith and husband Taner; two stepchildren Jonathan Peterson and Stephanie Snyder, Leslie Patterson and husband Derek Trohaugh; his parents Patricia and James Blaha; his sister Colleen Sealock; his father and mother-in-law William and Dorothy Fontana; and all of Chief Sealock's family and friends as they mourn his loss.
WELCOMING THE HONORABLE MIKE GARCIA TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Brad Sherman (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-19

. Madam , by tradition, the dean of the respective State delegation introduces new Members from their State at a swearing in after a special election. Our dean, the dean of the California delegation, is also the of the House. And while I have seen her do amazing things, I have never seen her be in two places at the same time. prgtoken So I have the distinct honor of filling in for her here as dean, and the pleasure of introducing Mike Garcia, the new Member from the 25th Congressional District. The election has, as I noted before, not been certified by the Secretary of State, but there is no dispute about the result. prgtoken Congressman Garcia was born in 1976, and is a native of Santa Clarita, California, and is a first generation American citizen. Congressman Garcia moved to Saugus, which is now part of the city of Santa Clarita, in 1982 with his mother and stepfather at the age of six. prgtoken Mr. Garcia received his bachelor's degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1998. He was nominated to that academy and to the Navy by our long-time colleague, the former chair of the House Armed Services Committee, our friend, Buck McKeon. prgtoken He later earned a master of arts in national security policy from Georgetown University. He is a former U.S. naval officer and flew as a pilot in the Navy from 1998 until 2009. After the Navy, Congressman Garcia worked in the aerospace industry, and now owns his own real estate business. Mike is the husband of Rebecca Garcia and the father of Preston, age 13, and Jett, age 3. prgtoken I represent the district that lies immediately to the south of Mike Garcia, and the gentleman who represents the district immediately to the north is the distinguished minority leader, who I know has additional words to say about our new colleague. prgtoken Madam , from California (Mr. McCarthy).
Nomination of James E. Trainor III (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-5-19

we are here to vote on a nominee, James Trainor, to be a Commissioner at the Federal Election Commission--the independent agency responsible for enforcing Federal campaign finance laws. prgtoken I am deeply disappointed in today's vote, which is a departure from the Senate's longstanding tradition of considering FEC nominees on a bipartisan basis and another step in eroding the traditions of the Senate--all for a candidate who holds extreme views toward the agency to which he would be appointed. prgtoken Prior to today, the Senate has voted to confirm 47 FEC nominees, and 42 of those nominees have been confirmed through a bipartisan process. As the ranking on the Rules and Administration Committee, I have repeatedly urged my colleagues to work with us to get the FEC running again, as it is unacceptable that the agency charged with protecting the integrity of our campaign finance system has been without a quorum for 261 days--the longest period without a quorum in the agency's history--but this is not the way to do it. prgtoken The FEC has been plagued by partisan gridlock for years. With a general election only 168 days away, we should be working together to make sure that the agency is working to the fullest extent possible. Americans are tired of hyperpartisanship and gridlock. This is not the time to abandon the bipartisan tradition of moving FEC nominees together. We need to work to restore their trust in our political institutions, and with this vote, we are taking a step backward. We all know that our campaign finance system is broken. Everyone in this room knows it. Spending on campaigns has gotten out of control, and special interest groups are a major part of the problem. prgtoken Experts suggest that at least $6 billion will be spent in the 2020 election cycle on political advertisements alone. That doesn't count the billions that will be spent by the campaigns themselves and the additional billions spent by dark money groups and special interests which are trying to influence this election. In order for our democracy to work, we need strong rules for campaign spending, and we need a strong agency to enforce those rules. We should be working together, on a bipartisan basis, to propose solutions to try to get the FEC back on track. prgtoken I have a few ideas. We should work together to pass legislation to reform the FEC's rules so it functions better. We should establish a working group that will investigate bipartisan solutions to improve the function of the FEC. We should also work together to elect strong nominees from both parties who will serve on the Commission with the understanding that they are there to enforce the law and protect our election system--and, oh, does this election system need protecting right now. prgtoken We are in the midst of a pandemic. We have people standing in garbage bags and homemade masks in the rain in Wisconsin just trying to
RECOGNIZING THE DAILY IOWAN
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-5-20

. Journalists, as we all know, serve as the watchdog for accountability, particularly to keep government responsible. These journalists inform and investigate issues important to their readers, from human interests to public interests. Right now, a lot of focus is upon the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken The University of Iowa's independent newspaper, the Daily Iowan, has been named the ``Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper'' by the Society of Professional Journalists. This prestigious honor follows its recognition as the 2020 ``Newspaper of the Year'' by the Iowa Newspaper Association. prgtoken I come to the floor to commend the team of collegiate journalists in the student-run newsroom at the Daily Iowan. These awards show that the staff's hard work and commitment to their craft rise above the rest. prgtoken You are the cream of the crop. Congratulations and keep up the good work. prgtoken .
REMEMBERING DONALD FRANCIS SHULA
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-5-20

today, I honor the life and achievements of Coach Shula, who passed away on May 4, 2020, at the age of 90. I am pleased the Senate passed a resolution honoring the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach, with the following: prgtoken Honoring the life and achievement of Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Donald Francis Shula and expressing condolences to his family on his passing. Whereas Coach Donald Francis Shula (referred to in this preamble as ``Coach Shula'') was born on January 4, 1930, and grew up in Painesville, Ohio; Whereas Coach Shula's father immigrated to the United States from Hungary; Whereas Coach Shula attended Harvey High School and later played collegiate football at John Carroll University; Whereas, in 1951, the Cleveland Browns selected Coach Shula in the ninth round of the National Football League (referred to in this preamble as the ``NFL'') draft as a defensive back; Whereas, in addition to playing for the Cleveland Browns, Coach Shula also played for the Baltimore Colts and the Washington Redskins; Whereas Coach Shula-- (1) began his coaching career at the University of Virginia; (2) also coached at the University of Kentucky; and (3) coached as a defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions; Whereas, in 1963, Coach Shula became the youngest coach in the NFL when he took the head coaching position at the Baltimore Colts; Whereas, as the head coach of the Baltimore Colts, Coach Shula-- (1) compiled a record of 71 wins, 23 losses, and 4 ties; and (2) won the NFL championship in 1968; Whereas, in 1970, Coach Shula became the head coach of the Miami Dolphins (referred to in this preamble as the ``Dolphins''); Whereas Coach Shula remained the head coach of the Dolphins for 26 seasons, took the Dolphins to 5 Super Bowls, and led the Dolphins to victory in 2 of those Super Bowls; Whereas Coach Shula led the 1972 Dolphins team to a perfect season; Whereas, in Super Bowl VII, Coach Shula led the Dolphins to victory over the Washington Redskins with a score of 14 to 7; Whereas, in Super Bowl VIII, Coach Shula led the Dolphins, the reigning Super Bowl champions, to victory over the Minnesota Vikings with a score of 24 to 7; Whereas, after 33 years of coaching, Coach Shula retired from coaching in 1995 with the NFL record for most wins by a head coach, compiling a regular season record of 328 wins, 156 losses, and 6 ties and a postseason record of 19 wins and 17 losses; Whereas Coach Shula was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997; Whereas, following his coaching days, Coach Shula-- (1) supported many charities; (2) gave generously to his local parish; and (3) established the Do
Presidential Transition (Executive Calendar)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-5-20

the hallmark of American democracy, the single greatest feature that sets us apart from every other country in the world, is the peaceful transition of power that occurs every 4 or sometimes every 8 years on January 20. It is a legacy we inherited from our forefathers and one that generations of Americans have fought hard throughout our history to protect. It is a remarkable moment. The most powerful person in the world bows to the will of the people and sits only a few yards away as the next President takes the oath of office. prgtoken Think about the wars that have been fought throughout history over who the next leader of a country would be. Yet, in America, dating back to 1797, when Washington willingly passed the torch to Adams, the peaceful transition of power has defined the American Presidency. But a growing body of evidence suggests that the January 20, 2017, inauguration of President was an exception to that hallowed tradition. prgtoken Since the FBI launched its Russia probe in July 2016, there has been no shortage of stories about what did or did not happen in the months leading up to that election. For the better part of 3 years, the speculation dominated headlines and news feeds, with even the smallest details consuming hours of airtime. prgtoken Beyond the Russian active measures campaign, which we know did happen, there was a lot of attention focused on the campaign itself. Now, almost 4 years later, we know a lot about what happened and what didn't happen. For example, we know from the Mueller report that there was no crime of collusion or obstruction committed by the President or his campaign. But since the special counsel's report was completed more than a year ago, we have learned a lot more about the outsized role played by some very senior administration officials in what can only be described as an insurgency campaign against the Presidency. prgtoken To be blunt, these revelations have given the American people good reason to be concerned about the outgoing administration, which took aggressive, possibly unlawful steps to interfere with initially the campaign and then to undermine the incoming administration. prgtoken For starters, there was the Department of Justice inspector general report on the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which was released in December of last year. The inspector general's findings provided evidence that the concerns were more than warranted. prgtoken Inspector General Horowitz detailed a series of errors and missteps made by the FBI throughout the investigation, including alarming abuse of the powers of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. This act confers extraordinary power on the FBI and the intelligence community. prgtoken In the FISA application for Carter Page, Inspector General Horowitz identified 7 errors in the initial application and 10 additional errors in 3 renewals. We are not talking