mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INEQUALITIES IN COVID-19 ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTION
Mike Quigley (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-9-22

I rise today to highlight the inequalities that persist in COVID-19 assistance distribution. prgtoken Back in March, House recognized the global health crisis was causing an economic crisis. As Americans struggled, we provided them with stimulus checks to help them make ends meet during these uncertain times. prgtoken However, not everyone who was entitled to these checks received them. The Senate wrongfully included a provision in the CARES Act that prevented families with only one American citizen parent and another who is a tax-paying immigrant with an ITIN from receiving this financial assistance. prgtoken Let me repeat this. Citizens of the United States are being prevented from receiving stimulus checks because of whom they love. prgtoken This blatant discrimination must be corrected. We need to help people like Lacey, an amazing, hardworking citizen who works for the State government and isn't able to receive a stimulus check. Lacey and her spouse have been together for 14 years and were married in 2010. They have raised six beautiful children, all of whom are U.S. citizens. prgtoken For the past 7 years, Lacey has worked at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, Illinois. She works long hours to make sure her veteran residents are safe, healthy, and happy, and in March, this job made her an essential, frontline worker. prgtoken Lacey loves her job and loves her residents like they are her own family. Since the onset of COVID, she has continued her hard work and dedication to her job. Lacey has picked up overtime shifts to cover for coworkers who are sick and has worked hard to ensure the standards of care at the facility remain high. She is a United States citizen who works every day to care for our Nation's veterans. prgtoken Despite her service to our country and the fact that she and her children are American citizens, her family did not receive a check, all because her spouse is an immigrant using an ITIN and they file their taxes jointly. prgtoken She has done everything in her power to speak out and advocate for herself and has connected with others like her in the Facebook group Mixed-Status Families United. prgtoken She told me: ``I am being punished for who I married. My husband and I work and we pay our taxes. Why are we being treated like second-class citizens?'' prgtoken Her words resonate, because she is right. She is being treated like a second-class citizen. prgtoken I ask you, during a period of unprecedented challenges, when Americans are facing more than one crisis, when we are depending on essential workers more than ever, is it right for our country to treat people differently based on the immigration status of their loved ones? prgtoken As a country, I believe we can and should do better. There is no scenario in which citizens should be denied the help they are entitled to. Likewise, tax-paying immigrants who are paying their fair share should not be denied assistance, left out
TRIBUTE TO TEGAN ROOBOL
Elissa Slotkin (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-9-22

. Madam , today I rise to honor Tegan Roobol of Howell, Michigan. prgtoken Ms. Roobol has dedicated her career to helping others overcome obstacles. As a physical therapist who works with children with disabilities and those who have suffered traumatic injuries through the Livingston Educational Service Agency, Ms. Roobol has helped hundreds of children learn to walk, master basic motor skills, and gain independence. prgtoken Recently, the inspiring mother of two had the chance to try out some obstacles of her own when she competed on the popular TV series ``American Ninja Warrior.'' prgtoken Frustrated with the lack of recreation opportunities for those with disabilities, she developed a unique, adaptive ninja warrior program for children with special needs, and founded a non-profit organization to reach even more kids. prgtoken Roobol has worked to overcome the obstacles of the stigma around mental illness, and bravely shared her own battle with depression in a book she authored. prgtoken Regardless of what happens on the obstacle course, Ms. Roobol is a real-life warrior, fighting to make a difference for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
REMEMBERING JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-9-22

in the summer of 1920, America ratified the 19th Amendment. This breakthrough in our history, born of decades of setback and struggle by many unremembered women who never lived to actually cast a vote for what to us now is a self-evident proposition that women in this country should have the right to vote, moved this country one step closer to equality. That is why I think it is so fitting that, a century later, we pay our respects to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who, more than anyone, advanced the cause of equality between men and women over her remarkable career. prgtoken Justice Ginsburg's commitment to equality was not the result of lofty idealism but the hard experience of her life. prgtoken Thirteen years after ratification of the 19th Amendment, Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born to a working-class family in Brooklyn. It was the middle of the Great Depression, and her father sold furs at a time when no one would buy them. Tragically, her mother died of cancer before Ruth graduated from school. prgtoken But these challenges, like others she would face, did not defeat her. They didn't prevent her from graduating first in her class at Cornell. They didn't exclude her from Harvard Law School, where she was one of only 9 women in a class of 550 and had to justify to the dean why she had taken the place of a man. She finished her law degree at Columbia, where she once again was first in her class, and not a single law firm would hire her. She applied to clerk for Justice Felix Frankfurter on the Supreme Court, who said that, although she was an impressive candidate, he wasn't ready to hire a woman. prgtoken She understood these early firsthand experiences with discrimination not merely as barriers to her obvious talents and potential but as a vicious threat to our country's full potential. She knew that any country that would deny a single person's chance to make a contribution on account of their race or their gender or their religion or whom they loved will never fully flourish. Tearing down these barriers became the cause of her career. prgtoken She rose to become a full professor at Rutgers Law School and founded America's first law journal on gender issues. Later, she returned to Columbia Law School, where she became the first woman to hold a full professorship. She worked pro bono for the ACLU, cofounding their Women's Rights Project. She quickly became one of the most accomplished litigators in the country, writing a brief the Supreme Court cited in Reed v. Reed to rule for the first time that discrimination on the basis of sex violated the 14th Amendment. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's argument led the Court to overcome centuries of narrow views about the proper role of women in American life. As a result, the Court's holding redefined American law. prgtoken Ruth's accomplishments led to an appointment to the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and in 1993 President Cli
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021 AND OTHER EXTENSIONS ACT
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2020-9-22

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , obviously, we are here to consider a continuing resolution to allow the Federal Government to continue its operations, H.R. 8337. prgtoken At the outset of my remarks, I do want to thank the staff of the Appropriations Committee for all of their diligent work in some very difficult negotiations to bring us to this moment. People tend not to appreciate their good work. prgtoken This is a terrible way to govern the United States of America. I regret that I believe most of my colleagues here feel that a continuing resolution does no damage. It does serious damage to the agencies, to the budgeting process, and to fiscal discipline. prgtoken We should be having consideration today of 12 conference reports 8 days away from the beginning of the next fiscal year. The committee has completed consideration of all 12 appropriations bills. This body has passed 10 of them. Unfortunately, the other body has not acted at all. This resolution would take us to December 11. prgtoken I would point out there are anomalies in this continuing resolution. The majority have been submitted and requested by the Office of Management and Budget. prgtoken Additionally, there are some other anomalies where there were no government expenses to continue in 2020; for example, possible transition of cost; additionally, authorization legislation to continue programs which might expire on September 30, again, with the agreement of the authorizing committees. prgtoken Some Members are upset at this moment that items have not been included, but negotiations have taken place in good faith. We have an agreement, and I would ask for this body's support of the legislation. prgtoken Madam , .
REMEMBERING JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2020-9-22

I rise today to join my colleagues in mourning an American hero, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We called Ruth Bader Ginsburg the ``Notorious RBG,'' and we called her that for a reason. She lived an inspiring and historic life, and her advocacy and public service changed America for the better. prgtoken As a lawyer and a public servant and as a woman, I owe so much to Justice Ginsburg, and I know I am not alone. I join so many women in this body and across this Nation who will simply not allow for Ruth Bader Ginsburg's legacy to be diminished or disrespected. prgtoken Today, that means standing up and speaking out about what is at stake right now in this country. We are 8 months into a global pandemic--the worst public health crisis of our lifetime. It has taken 200,000 American souls and cost millions of Americans their jobs and their economic security. prgtoken Now, President knew that this pandemic was deadly, and he refused to take decisive action early in order to control the virus. He still has no plan to this day, and he has refused to lead. He has continued to put politics over science, and he still insists the virus will just go away. prgtoken In fact, this pandemic will not just go away, and in Wisconsin and in States across our country, things continue to get worse. As our Nation fights this unprecedented public health crisis, President continues his efforts, spanning the past 4 years, to sabotage our healthcare system and make it harder for people to get the coverage that they want and that they desperately need. prgtoken Since the President took office, more and more Americans are going without health insurance with each passing year. More than 6 million American workers have lost access to their employer-sponsored health insurance since the very beginning of this pandemic. prgtoken Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, they have a safety net in place that allows them to sign up for a healthcare plan while they are unemployed. But right now, we should be making it easier, not harder, for people to get healthcare. We should be building on the progress that we made with the Affordable Care Act by providing additional support for the navigators and those who provide enrollment assistance. We should be extending open enrollment and making sure that Americans know that they have options for comprehensive coverage. prgtoken But, instead, President has doubled down in his support for a Federal lawsuit to eliminate the Affordable Care Act completely, including the protections for millions upon millions of Americans who have preexisting health conditions. And, mind you, a positive test for COVID-19 is a preexisting condition. prgtoken Let me say that again. During the worst public health crisis of our lifetimes, President and s support a Federal lawsuit to eliminate the Affordable Care Act completely--taking healthcare away from prgtoken millions of Americans, includ
VETERANS BENEFITS FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2020
Elaine G. Luria (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-9-22

I am proud to rise today in support and as a co-lead of the Veterans Benefits Fairness and Transparency Act. prgtoken I want to start by thanking my colleague, Mr. Barr from Kentucky, for taking the lead on this. prgtoken And as you know, we have heard from countless veterans and countless veterans' advocates that this is a problem; that these forms are not available to our veterans and their providers to be able to provide the best information in the most timely manner in order to process these claims. prgtoken The simple fact is that we must act to make it easier, not harder, for our veterans to receive the benefits that they deserve. As mentioned, this bill will ensure that benefit questionnaires will be public-facing again on a website. prgtoken Mr. Barr and I learned from many veterans' advocates that these forms were removed and that veterans that needed to provide this vital information in order to process their claim couldn't simply have the forms that they needed in order to do that. prgtoken This bill also includes the use of older versions of the form, because how many times have we heard in our offices and from our constituents that a veteran has submitted their claim only to have it sent back again requesting a different version of the form, thus, delaying the process for our veterans who desperately need these claims to be adjudicated, and need the care from the VA. prgtoken This will also allow the VA to make prompt decisions on the disability claims and reduce their unfinished exam backlog, which is currently nearing 60 percent. prgtoken These questionnaires played a huge role in 2011 in reducing the massive claims backlog that we experienced at that time. And during our current public health crisis, while access to care at VA facilities is limited, what could make more sense than allowing veterans, in company with their civilian providers, to also be able to provide the information necessary to process their claims? prgtoken In my district in coastal Virginia, I am honored to represent more than 92,000 veterans in our district. And this is among my top priorities to ensure that we make this process easier, more transparent, and more timely for our veterans. prgtoken , I want to close by thanking Mr. Barr for introducing this legislation, and for allowing me to cosponsor it. prgtoken And I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill in order to help our Nation's many deserving veterans.
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021 AND OTHER EXTENSIONS ACT
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-9-22

. Madam , I am disappointed that we have to do this, pass a stop gap Continuing Resolution. But it must be done. The alternative is to shut down the government while our people are worried about their health, their jobs and their homes. prgtoken Under Chairwoman Lowey's leadership, the House did its job. We passed ten appropriations bills this summer, doing our jobs to meet the needs of the American people. We did this even in the face of a pandemic which forced us to adopt novel ways of working. Meanwhile, the other body has not marked up even one bill. prgtoken People across the country are waiting for their government to take action. Action to fight the pandemic. Action to take belated action to dismantle systemic racism in our society. Action to end endless wars. Action just to do our most fundamental job of keeping the government running. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support this continuing resolution.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2020-9-22

I was necessarily absent but had I been present would have voted yes on rollcall vote 182, on the nomination of Franklin Ulyses Valderrama, of Illinois, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent but had I been present would have voted yes on rollcall vote 183, on the nomination of Iain D. Johnston, of Illinois, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent but had I been present would have voted yes on rollcall vote 184, motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Edward Meyers to be a Judge for the United States Court of Federal Claims for a term of fifteen years.
CREATING A RESPECTFUL AND OPEN WORLD FOR NATURAL HAIR ACT OF 2020
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-9-22

as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security, and the Congressional Black Caucus, and as a cosponsor, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5309, the ``Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2019'' or the ``CROWN Act of 2019,'' introduced by Congressman Richmond, which explicitly prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair texture or hairstyles commonly associated with a particular race or national origin in areas of the law where discrimination on the basis of race or national origin is already prohibited. prgtoken It has long been my position that discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyle is a form of impermissible race discrimination. prgtoken According to a 2019 report, known as the CROWN Study, which was conducted by the JOY Collective (CROWN Act Coalition, Dove/Unilever, National Urban League, Color of Change), Black people are ``disproportionately burdened by policies and practices in public places, including the workplace, that target, profile, or single them out for their natural hair styles--referring to the texture of hair that is not permed, dyed, relaxed, or chemically altered.'' prgtoken The CROWN Study found that Black women's hair is ``more policed in the workplace, thereby contributing to a climate of group control in the company culture and perceived professional barriers'' compared to non-Black women. prgtoken The study also found that ``Black women are more likely to have received formal grooming policies in the workplace, and to believe that there is a dissonance from her hair and other race's hair'' and that ``Black women's hairstyles were consistently rated lower or `less ready' for job performance.'' prgtoken Among the study's other findings are that 80 percent of Black women believed that they had to change their hair from its natural state to ``fit in at the office,'' that they were 83 percent more likely to be judged harshly because of their looks. prgtoken The study indicated that Black women were 1.5 times more likely to I be sent home from the workplace because of their hair, and that they were 3.4 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional compared to non-African-American women. prgtoken Three years ago, the United States Army removed a grooming I regulation prohibiting women servicemembers from wearing their hair in dreadlocks, a regulation that had a disproportionately adverse impact on Black women. prgtoken This decision was the result of a 2014 order by then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to review the military's policies regarding hairstyles popular with African-American women after complaints from members of Congress, myself included, that the policies unfairly targeted black women. prgtoken In 2015, the Marine Corps followed suit and issued regulations to permit lock and twist hairstyles. prgtoken The CROWN Study illustrates the prevalence of hair discrimination but numerous stories across the country p
REMEMBERING JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-9-22

I have my favorite Abraham Lincoln quotation. One day, he was in the White House with his family and his staff. His staff said: You have to stay in the White House and win the war and free the slaves and save the Union, and Lincoln said: No. I have to go out and get my public opinion bath. prgtoken I don't think that too many people in this body are getting their public opinion baths. They are not seeing the pain out there. They don't seem to absorb that, one day in August, in my State, as an example, 600,000 people--just like that--lost their $600-a-week unemployment insurance. In Wisconsin and Rhode Island, for hundreds of thousands of people--just like that--their $600-a-week unemployment insurance expired. They couldn't find jobs. There is massive unemployment in our States. There are people who are hurting. What are they to do? If you are just getting by on that $600 a week and if the money doesn't come and if you can't find a job, what are you to do? How are you to feed your family? prgtoken There is so much anger out there and frustration and futility. People are hurting. Yet President and Leader McConnell refuse to do their jobs. We have asked them for weeks and months to come back here and help us open the schools safely, to help local communities and local governments, to help unemployed workers, to help people who are about to lose their apartments--who are about to be evicted. Leader McConnell says he doesn't have a sense of urgency, and President just turns his back and makes another speech. prgtoken Middle-class and low-income public schools can't open because McConnell and refuse to do their jobs. Parents and teachers are under an overwhelming amount of stress. School districts and families don't have the resources for the additional technology for the safety precautions they need, so schools either open unsafely or students need to do distance learning. None of that works for people. State governments and local communities are looking at massive layoffs, and small businesses are closing in larger and larger numbers, but Leader McConnell and President refuse to lift a finger. prgtoken The stock market is back up, so they seem to think everything is fine. They are just oblivious to the families. They are oblivious to the families who are staring at stacks of bills, who don't know what to do, and who have no good options. prgtoken Yet now, after months of inaction, Leader McConnell gets out of his office from down the hall, walks down here, makes a speech, and goes back to his office. He doesn't actually do anything except confirm young, rightwing judges. He doesn't do anything to help people who have lost their unemployment. He walks down here, through these doors, and doesn't do anything to help schools open safely. He doesn't do anything to prevent layoffs in State and local governments. He doesn't do anything to help these small businesses which are clo