mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2020-7-1

last night, the Senate approved legislation to extended the Paycheck Protection Program, better known as PPP, through August 8, while we continue bipartisan negotiations on a bill to provide additional assistance to our small businesses that have been especially hard hit by COVID-19 mitigation measures. prgtoken I very much hope that the House of Representatives will act quickly to extend this important lifeline for our small employers, as new PPP loans cannot be issued until the bill that passed the Senate last night is enacted and signed into law, even though approximately $130 billion remains available for the program. prgtoken Let me, again, commend my partners in this endeavor, Senators Marco Rubio, Ben Cardin, and Jeanne Shaheen, for their continued work on this vital program. prgtoken Back in March, the four of us formed a small business task force. We looked at ways that we could help our small employers and their employees survive this pandemic. We put forth a bold plan, the Paycheck Protection Program, to help small employers and their employees. Our concept was straightforward: provide forgivable loans to small employers to help them maintain that vital connection with their employees, so that both could rebound and thrive once the pandemic passes. prgtoken In some cases, that meant that a small business could retain an employee who, otherwise, would have been laid off. In others, it has meant that the small business could recall workers who had already been laid off. And in yet other cases, it allowed employers to continue to send paychecks to employees who had been furloughed so that we could keep that link between employers and their employees, so that when the reopening occurred, they could be reunited quickly and the business could get up and running much more rapidly. prgtoken The response to this program has been phenomenal. Since its launch in early April, it has provided $518 billion in forgivable loans to 4.8 million small employers across the Nation. prgtoken According to an ongoing U.S. Census Survey, nearly three out of every four small business respondents reported that they had received assistance under the PPP program. In Maine, nearly 27,000 small businesses have received forgivable loans, totaling more than $2.2 billion. Just to give you an idea of how much of a stimulus that is, that is equal to almost half of the entire State budget. That works out to an average loan size of $83,400, which translates into a small business with approximately seven employees. All told, this program is helping to sustain nearly 200,000 jobs in the State of Maine. prgtoken As Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin testified last month: The [Paycheck Protection Program] is supporting the employment of approximately 50 million workers and more than 75 percent of small business payroll in all 50 states. This is an extraordinary achievement. prgtoken It is, indeed. It has
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-7-1

thank you to my colleague from New Jersey for yielding me some time. prgtoken I sit on the Banking Committee with Senator Menendez, and it is my privilege. I have learned a lot from listening to him, along with our chairman, Senator Crapo. prgtoken While convictions are important to us on the Banking Committee, so is data. I believe that as much as we can be, America is and should be a colorblind meritocracy. I believe in that. prgtoken I also believe in data. I believe in facts. This is a data bill. This is a fact bill. This doesn't make anybody do anything except be transparent. prgtoken This bill applies to public companies. Some may call them Wall Street companies, but they are spread throughout America. I make that point simply to reaffirm that this does not apply to small, publicly held companies we sometimes call Main Street businesses. prgtoken This bill is endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This fact and data bill passed overwhelmingly in the House with a bipartisan coalition, and as Senator Menendez eloquently pointed out, it simply requires public--usually large, but not always--publicly held corporations to report data with respect to their Board of Directors, nominees to the Board of Directors, and their executive officers. prgtoken The data that these companies are being asked to report is data with respect to gender, data with respect to veteran status, data with respect to ethnicity, and data with respect to race to the extent that the board members, nominees, and the executive officers themselves report that data. prgtoken Frankly, and I will end on this note, I was very surprised that we didn't have this data. In fact, when I first read Congressman Meeks' bill and Senator Menendez's bill, I thought: This can't be necessary; we must have this data at the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not, but we will if this bill becomes law. For that reason, I rise in support of Congressman Meeks' legislation and Senator Menendez's legislation, and I support it. prgtoken With that, I would yield to Senator Menendez.
NATIONAL BORINQUENEERS DAY
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise today to recognize and honor a very important group of people in our Nation's history. The 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army known as the Borinqueneers was comprised of U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico. prgtoken The Borinqueneers courageously fought for decades to defend the freedoms we enjoy today. They answered the Nation's call to serve, and they are the longest standing and only Active-Duty Latino military unit in U.S. history. prgtoken On April 13, 2016, Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment in recognition of the Borinqueneers' numerous contributions to American history and outstanding military service from World War I to the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. prgtoken Today, I am honored to join my colleagues in recognizing the bravery, service, and sacrifice of the Puerto Rican soldiers of the 65th Infantry Regiment and to express deep gratitude for the contributions to the Armed Forces that have been made by hundreds of thousands of patriotic U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico. prgtoken I am honored to designate April 13 as National Borinqueneers Day to ensure their legacy lives on. History will forever pay tribute to the sacrifices these individuals and their families made to defend our freedom. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent to address the Senate in Spanish.
REMEMBERING JACK THOMPSON
Robert B. Aderholt (Republican, AL) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise this morning to honor and to recognize Mr. Jack Thompson from Montgomery, Alabama. He passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2020, after a full life of 88 years. prgtoken He was born in Colbert County, which is now the Fourth Congressional District, in 1932 and remained a resident of the State of Alabama for his entire life. prgtoken After graduating from Colbert County High School, Jack married his sweetheart, Ruth Hester, at the age of 20, and Jack and Ruth were married for 67 years and raised four wonderful children. prgtoken For 31 years, Jack worked for Auburn University Extension Service. After retiring, he went on to own a farm in Athens, Alabama, and served as assistant commissioner of agriculture alongside my father-in-law, who was commissioner at the time, Albert McDonald, from the State of Alabama. Then Jack, himself, thereafter was elected commissioner of agriculture and industries for 4 years for the State of Alabama. prgtoken Jack is now survived by his four children, David Thompson, Keith Thompson, Susan Woodham, and Janice Thompson, and his sister, Ann Thomas. He has 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. prgtoken Jack will be greatly missed by all his family and friends and all of us that knew him. Jack's legacy will live well into the future.
IN HONOR OF BARRY D. JOHNSON
John Joyce (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor Mr. Barry D. Johnson for his selfless service to our country. Mr. Johnson was enlisted in the U.S. Army for over two years and served our nation during the Vietnam War. During this time, he demonstrated a deep commitment to our nation. For his distinguished service, Mr. Johnson was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart. prgtoken Following the war, Mr. Johnson returned to Somerset County and raised a family. His daughter Lori describes him as ``a devoted family man and patriot'' who has worked in various industries from coal to construction to support his family. Throughout his life, Mr. Johnson has remained committed to our American values of patriotism, dedication and service. prgtoken Madam , it is my privilege to thank Mr. Barry D. Johnson for his selfless service and to recognize his many contributions to our nation and the Somerset County community. He is an outstanding role model for Americans today and for generations to come. As we honor Mr. Johnson today, I offer him my sincere gratitude and wish him all the best.
FOURTH OF JULY
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise today to speak about our Nation's independence. prgtoken Some 244 years ago this Saturday, the Founding Fathers of this country voted to declare our independence from Great Britain. prgtoken All Americans know the basics of this story, but not everyone knows the story behind one of our Nation's founding documents. prgtoken Thomas Jefferson was just 33 years old when the Second Continental Congress commissioned him to draft a declaration of independence. When he sat down in a rented room in the heat of the Philadelphia summer to write it, the American Revolution had already begun. prgtoken On one level, he was simply putting the reasons for independence into words. The first shot had been fired over a year earlier, after decades of increasingly tyrannical British abuses had culminated in open revolt in Massachusetts. prgtoken Even so, it was not yet clear whether the delegates from all 13 colonies would put their names to a formal document declaring our independence. They had to be persuaded. prgtoken After 17 days of writing and rewriting, struggling to find the right words, Jefferson presented his work to Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. He then submitted a draft to the Congress on July 1, which officially adopted it three days later. prgtoken Each year on the Fourth of July, we celebrate this moment--the moment that we declared our independence from the British Empire and began to see ourselves as our own nation. prgtoken I love Independence Day celebrations in Nebraska. Like many people, my family often spends the day enjoying the great outdoors before hosting friends and neighbors for a barbecue. prgtoken But the Fourth of July is about more than food and fireworks or parades and pancake feeds. It is an opportunity to reflect on the nearly two and a half centuries of our nation's history and remember what it means to be an American. prgtoken To me, America is a nation based on an idea. It is the idea, as Jefferson wrote, that ``all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'' prgtoken Belief in this creed is what unites us as Americans. And while we may not always live up to this idea, we can never stop trying. We should count ourselves fortunate to live in the greatest nation on earth, where the notion prgtoken of equal justice for all first came into the world. prgtoken I was touched to see that on June 22, 36 people became American citizens in the first naturalization ceremony held in Lincoln since February. This diverse group of people renounced their loyalty to their former countries and took an oath of allegiance to the United States. Family and friends in attendance brought homemade banners, red, white, and blue balloons, and other patriotic displays. prgtoken These 36 people, despite being citizens for only a few weeks, are just as American as you or me. And these new citiz
IN RECOGNITION OF RAY PETERSEN'S DECADES OF REMARKABLE PUBLIC SERVICE TO UTAH
John R. Curtis (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I rise to congratulate Mr. Ray Petersen on a remarkable career of indispensable service to the great State of Utah. By virtue of Ray's enduring commitment to overseeing proper land management practices, Emery County flourishes with beauty and opportunity. The residents of Emery County, and the countless visitors who enjoy the region, have Ray to thank for his 18 years as Emery County's Public Lands Administrator, and his lifetime of public service to rural Utah. prgtoken Ray has dedicated his career to addressing critical rural issues. As a fourth-generation prgtoken resident of Emery County, Ray understands well the challenges facing rural communities and the profound impact that federal, state, and local policy decisions have on the livelihoods of so many. In his role as Emery County Public Lands Administrator, Ray was consequential in assisting policymakers--from the county commission to the federal government--reconcile differences and find solutions for the county's land management, whose expansive plans fall heavily under state and federal domain. prgtoken Sustained opportunity and access to Emery County's lands are paramount for its economic vitality, particularly to its agriculture, recreation and tourism industries, and its local mining, gas and oil development. Ray has helped these key local industries navigate the challenges and opportunities of land management issues, to find compromise and success. prgtoken A fitting final accomplishment to his career, Ray was instrumental in helping Utah's congressional delegation secure a victory for Emery County and the state's public lands as the Emery County Public Lands Management Act was signed into law. This legislation marked the culmination of years of collaboration and cooperation with local partners and officials, ensuring ongoing uses will be enjoyed in Emery County without fear of a potential national monument designation from D.C and consolidation of Utah trust lands that will generate millions in revenue for our school kids. It also included long-sought local land transfers to meet city government needs while expanding Goblin Valley State Park, a truly unique place that will now be better managed for future generations. prgtoken Ray Petersen has championed rural lands issues of extraordinary significance to Utah throughout his esteemed career. Our great state owes him a debt of gratitude for three decades of selfless public service. I thank Ray.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-7-1

I thank my friend from Vermont for his courtesy. prgtoken Yesterday, Texas reported almost 7,000 new coronavirus cases, setting a new single-day record. prgtoken As cases have climbed in recent weeks, it has become clear that we need to take what we have learned about this virus and adjust our strategy. prgtoken In the beginning, we were still learning about this novel virus and how it is transmitted, while also trying to maximize scarce resources. I think the best analogy I can think of--we were trying to design and build an airplane while we were flying it. prgtoken Because of that, only individuals with symptoms or who had been in contact with a person who had tested positive could be tested themselves, but we know a lot has changed in the last few months. We have learned that individuals can have the virus even if they aren't showing symptoms. prgtoken Recent studies in North Carolina and New York have shown that somewhere between 12 and 20 percent of people could have the COVID-19 antibodies. In other words, they have had the virus, and they recovered, but they didn't even know they were sick in the first place, but the problem is they can still spread it to others. prgtoken As our knowledge about the coronavirus has increased, so have our testing capacities, but I think it is important to take stock of where we are and to see how we need to adjust further to, again, what we have learned by hard experience. prgtoken On Sunday, I traveled to Dallas, TX, with Vice President for a briefing on the coronavirus response efforts, and we were joined by two of those members--Dr. Deborah Birx and HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson. prgtoken On the flight down, I was able to spend some time talking with Dr. Birx about testing strategies and the ways we can more effectively identify positive cases and stop the spread, especially among asymptomatic individuals who have no incentive, no motivation to request a test in the first place. If I am feeling well, why would I go ask for a coronavirus test unless I am just curious. That is the conundrum. prgtoken Dr. Birx talked about the concept of pool testing, which is one of the most efficient ways to test large numbers of people using the least amount of time and resources. prgtoken Let's say, for example, that a number of employees at a meat packing plant are tested simultaneously. Rather than running each sample individually to see if any of the employees had the virus, you would pool the sample together and run it as a group. If the pool sample comes back negative, you know that each individual within that pool is negative. And if it comes back positive, each sample is run individually to identify positive cases. prgtoken But this is a way to magnify the number of testing cases we can do by maybe as much as a factor of 10. prgtoken This pool-testing model makes it much easier to conduct repeated tests for individuals in a single setting such as workplaces
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-7-1

reserving the right to object. prgtoken You know, someone watching this at home might think that Senate want to actually enact amnesty for the so-called DACA recipients. Of course, they could have done so earlier. prgtoken President offered Senate a deal that would have granted permanent amnesty for all the DACA recipients, and the turned it down. They didn't want the deal. They hoped, instead, to have an issue in November. prgtoken You know, we are right now in a time of crisis in our country. We have a global pandemic, and we have 44 million Americans out of work. This is, on the economic side, the greatest crisis our country has seen since the Great Depression. prgtoken Yet what we are seeing in the Senate is a continuation of something we have seen for several years, which is that today's ic Party doesn't value working men and women--American working men and women. prgtoken Last week, we saw a decision from the Supreme Court of the United States on amnesty. It was a particularly disgraceful opinion. Unfortunately, it was authored by Chief Justice Roberts; it was joined by the four liberals; and it concerned President 's illegal amnesty. prgtoken DACA, when it was issued, was illegal. Actually, for years, President admitted that. When activists asked him: Will you decree amnesty unilaterally, as an executive, he told them over and over again: I can't do that. I am bound by Federal immigration laws. I am not a King. I am not an Emperor. That is what President said repeatedly. prgtoken But then as the election approached, I guess they reassessed and decided that being a King or Emperor sounded pretty good, and so DACA, the day it was issued, was directly contrary to law. prgtoken Federal immigration law says in the statute books that if you are here illegally, it is illegal for you to stay, to get work permits, and the administration ignored Federal immigration law and simply printed what were called work authorizations. prgtoken My friend from Illinois has a picture of a lovely young lady whom he has spoken about. prgtoken What he doesn't have a picture of is what happened after Executive amnesty was granted for those who came illegally as kids, which is that the number of unaccompanied children skyrocketed. prgtoken In the State of Texas I have been down to the border many, many times. I have visited with the Border Patrol many, many times. You know, when you go online, you see cages with children in them. What many of the people online don't tell you is that it was the administration that built those cages, and it was Executive amnesty that resulted in tens of thousands of little boys and little girls being sent alone with violent drug traffickers, with coyotes. Far too many of those kids were physically assaulted and sexually assaulted. You are not helping children by incentivizing little boys and little girls being
DEFENDING POLICE
Steven M. Palazzo (Republican, MS) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , just a year ago, south Mississippi mourned the senseless murder of Officer Robert McKeithen, and this month, Mississippi lost one of our sheriff's deputies, James Blair, in the line of duty. prgtoken Despite the dangers from criminals and lawlessness in our communities, some in America continue to call for defunding and dismantling police departments across the country. While we watched stores looted and cities burned by street thugs and anarchists, the men and women of law enforcement were labeled as the enemy. prgtoken Madam , police officers are not the enemy. They are the thin blue line standing between good and evil, civilization and chaos. I stand here today in 100 percent support of defending our police officers and not defunding them. prgtoken Madam , I ask all the good citizens of America to stand up and do the same. Defunding law enforcement is not the answer to the problems of this country. Removing criminals from our streets is. prgtoken May God bless the men and women in blue and their families.