mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I want to thank my colleague from Texas for his leadership on this issue. prgtoken I, too, rise in support of the Paycheck Protection Program and the Health Care Enhancement Act. This provides a fourth installment of funds to continue to address the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the American people. prgtoken We have heard all the stories about how people have lost their lives, lost their loved ones, lost their business, lost their jobs. This bill will replenish the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses, and it will provide additional funding for healthcare providers and expanded testing. prgtoken And I am glad we are finally here. For too long, leaders in the House and Senate played partisan politics. They needlessly delayed the initial passage of the CARES Act, and then they prevented a quick replenishment of the funds for the PPP. That left our small businesses and the people they employ in the lurch. prgtoken With record unemployment claims, we have seen that every single day, every day, counts in this pandemic. That is why s and President were so adamant over the last two weeks about the need to not let these programs run out of money. We all knew that was going to happen. We could have done this unanimously. prgtoken Painfully, took an ice-cream break while small businesses were left empty-handed, a pointless weeklong shuttering of the Paycheck Protection Program that hurt Americans and undoubtedly cost thousands of jobs. prgtoken As a member of the President's bipartisan task force on reopening the economy, I remain committed to ensuring that there are resources and strategies in place for widespread testing that our health and economic experts have said is needed to reopen the country. prgtoken And while I support additional funding for healthcare-related expenses, it should never have been at the expense of bankrupting more small employers and throwing more people into the unemployment lines. prgtoken The American people's plight should not be used as leverage for partisan priorities, especially in the midst of a crisis. We must move forward in a united way that puts the needs of the American people first. prgtoken Now, let's pass this measure, get it to the President's desk, so we can begin to safely reopen this country.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , for America's struggling small businesses, there is just no substitute for safely reopening the economy; but until that happens, the Paycheck Protection Program is a lifeline. prgtoken The first wave of funding delivered $350 billion in forgivable loans to 1.6 million firms nationwide, including over $4 billion to save jobs in my home State of Kentucky. prgtoken For the Wells family at Green Tree Forest Products, the funds meant that they could keep their sawmill open and retain 93 employees in eastern Kentucky. prgtoken For Upper Right Marketing, a Lexington tourism company impacted by the postponement of the Kentucky Derby and the closure of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, funding arrived the day before the company was set to lay off 30 employees. prgtoken So it is unfortunate that some in this House dithered the last 7 days, making partisan demands after the program ran out of money and an additional 4\1/2\ million Americans filed for unemployment. prgtoken But today's replenishment of funding restores hope for workers, families, and business owners, including Dennis from Lexington, who has operated a car repair shop for 17 years, has 10 employees, but has yet to receive a loan. prgtoken Congress must ensure that, by flattening the curve, we don't flatten small business with it. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Russ Fulcher (Republican, ID) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , a month ago we stood on the floor and we authorized a $2.2 trillion stimulus package. Today, we will authorize another $480 billion to keep it going. By law, the U.S. economy is mostly shut down. As long as that is the case, we have an obligation to facilitate relief. So with anxiety, I will support an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program. prgtoken Madam , most of the Members have not been here the last month. We have been working, but we have been working from home due to health concerns. And by most of Congress not being here, that means only a few negotiate the deals, and these are very big deals. prgtoken Madam , our job is here. No more bypassing of regular order. This virus may threaten our health, but when all of us aren't involved in the work of Congress, our Republic is threatened.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Anthony Gonzalez (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I rise in support of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. prgtoken Throughout this crisis, our small businesses have done everything we have asked, and it is past time that we add this necessary funding to help them maintain payroll and survive this crisis. prgtoken But we all know that this cannot be the end of our work in response to COVID-19. Local leaders across my northeast Ohio district have made it clear that their finances are in dire shape. This is forcing difficult decisions about essential services, including fire departments and police officers. prgtoken While we should not bail out badly run States and cities, it is vital that we provide targeted funding to municipalities like Parma, North Canton, Medina, Orrville, Rootstown, and Green, municipalities that have done things the right way and need our help. prgtoken I look forward to working with all of my colleagues on this.
HEROES IN THE WUHAN VIRUS PANDEMIC
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , in the midst of the national emergency being successfully faced by President and Vice President , there have been so many citizens stepping forward to help fellow neighbors in need. I am grateful to recognize heroes who are making a difference. prgtoken Journalist Kara Gormley Meador has initiated highlighting innovative citizens efforts to address the Wuhan Virus with former S.C. Revenue Director Burnie Maybank of the Nexsen-Pruet Law Firm. There is free streaming at www.buzzpodcast.com. The first conversation was with President Lou Kennedy of Nephron Pharmaceutical where she explained retooling her operation almost overnight to respond to the virus. She has been welcomed to the WVOC Radio in the Midlands with Gary David and Christopher Thompson. prgtoken Dale Hatchell and Elizabeth Burt of Lexington have organized Support a Nurse to provide ``Light of Love'' care kits to nurses on the front lines. These kits are donations of nutritional and immunity products with a support message helping the Dorn Veterans Administration Hospital, Lexington and Prisma hospitals, and Department of Juvenile Justice. prgtoken Talk radio host Kevin Cohen has been relentlessly providing important updates for the Midlands of South Carolina, fulfilling his goals on The POINT promoting charities and local events. prgtoken Halsey Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Milliken & Company of Spartanburg is continuing the visionary tradition of the late Roger Milliken. Milliken & Company of Spartanburg is developing the manufacturing process for a new nanofiber with antiviral properties. prgtoken Scott Gottlieb of the American Enterprise Institute in The Wall Street Journal (April 12) has thoughtfully presented a plan to reopen the economy for jobs with companies diagnosing coronavirus cases in the workplace. He understands healthy citizens need a healthy economy. prgtoken Ambassador Andre Haspel of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has thoughtfully forwarded encouragement to members of the. Congressional Caucus of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The alliance of the Netherlands and the United States is strong and appreciated to defeat the Wuhan Virus. prgtoken General Milford Beagle, Commander of Fort Jackson, with Army Chief of Staff Major General James McConville have been pro-active to protect the lives of new recruits and the dedicated personnel at Fort Jackson. The installation trains nearly 50 percent of all Soldiers and more than 60 percent of all women entering the Army each year. prgtoken Cecil Staton, President and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners of America, with Vice President Chirag Shah have worked tirelessly to promote the gruesomely impacted hospitality industry. AAHOA is the largest hotel owner's association in the world with 20,000 members owning half of hotels in America. prgtoken Walgreens Drug Stores with the dedicated staff in West Columbia is appreciated for featuring ``Thanks to our front
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Jeff Fortenberry (Republican, NE) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Steve called me recently. He has one of the businesses that has been hardest hit by coronavirus. He is down 90 percent. We talked through some issues. Steve decided to fight back. He got in line early for the Paycheck Protection Program and made a decision to bring his employees back, and then he had a virtual ribbon cutting where he announced his reopening. prgtoken Madam , our country is in dire need of some good news, and this PPP has been a bright spot in the trauma that we have all faced here. prgtoken Where I live, Madam , the banker knows the farmer, the banker knows the barber, the banker knows the cafe owner. CPAs, financial advisers, credit unions, we have all pitched in. This is what I call community solidarity. prgtoken It was clear from the beginning that this program would run out of money, and we have reached that point. This has been a bipartisan airlift, a lifesaver for so many people who make things with their own two hands and take care of others under their employ. I wholeheartedly support this bill.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Brett Guthrie (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman, my friend, for yielding. prgtoken Madam , the PPP program came out with astonishing speed. The President and the Secretary implemented the legislation we passed, bipartisan, in astonishing speed, but there were criteria to get the money because we were spending $350 billion. prgtoken I did have smaller banks and smaller businesses who did not have experience working with the SBA, with the Federal Government, who needed to come up to speed. I think all of us, hopefully, were home, and I certainly was, talking to our small businesses, our small banks, getting them online and getting them ready. prgtoken I had small businesses saying, I don't have my 2019 taxes prepared yet, and I have to have that to show my income for 2019. prgtoken But it all came together right before we ran out of money, at least in my district. Everybody was in the portal or the small businesses were ready. And that is what we wanted, was $250 billion to go forward, keep the program running, and they would be flush today. prgtoken Doing the things we are doing now today, they are important too, they are bipartisan, we agree, but we didn't have to have this interlude. prgtoken So help is on the way. prgtoken Our small businesses are now ready. It did take some time for some smaller banks and smaller businesses, but I am proud to say they are ready, and I am proud to vote for this bill today.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Ron Estes (Republican, KS) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , 2 weeks ago, my colleagues and I asked for more funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. More than 1.6 million small businesses and their employees were helped before the money ran out, including $4.3 billion in PPP loans for more than 26,000 small businesses in Kansas. prgtoken Now, hundreds of thousands of applications sit, because Congress would not act in time. As a result, small business owners are laying off employees, they are losing the businesses that they worked so hard to build. prgtoken This bill will save 201,000 Kansas jobs. While late, this bill provides more funding to the program, representing a small step towards reopening America. This money will save businesses and jobs and allows more hardworking Americans to provide for their families. prgtoken Increased testing is a vital step in our return to normalcy. This bill provides $75 billion for healthcare providers and another $25 billion for testing capacity to combat the virus. Testing is critical to reopening Kansas and getting America going again. prgtoken Today, I am grateful for the Americans who stepped up to help their neighbors in this unprecedented time, and I will continue to show up for Kansas by supporting this legislation.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
J. French Hill (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the chairman for yielding. prgtoken I rise in support of the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act. In Arkansas, there are more than 13,000 pending PPP loan applications, representing over $1.1 billion, Madam , of loans in limbo. Likewise, many await the SBA's disaster loan funding and wait for it now. prgtoken The timing of this additional funding is critical, and yet, again, I regret the delay by many leaders on the other side playing politics one more time with the livelihoods of our constituents. prgtoken After the passage of this important package, I am confident that our employers and our consumers will prudently be able to combine common sense and follow the CDC precautions and get back to work, back to seeing patients, back to the barbershop, back to their faith communities, and back to some semblance of normalcy. prgtoken Americans always come together in times of crisis. We will defeat this foreign invader. We will get our economy back to full capacity.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Will Hurd (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , 134,700--that is the number of small businesses in my home State of Texas that have received Paycheck Protection Program loans amounting to more than $28.4 billion. prgtoken This money helps small business owners catch their breath because they didn't have to fire their employees. This money prevented thousands from going on unemployment and standing in line at already- overrun food banks. prgtoken Madam , this money has been a Band-Aid helping small businesses stop bleeding. This program has and will help many survive this moment of darkness. More funding for PPP will save jobs. More funding for testing will save lives. Let's get it done. No more delays. prgtoken Madam , I am proud a solution to add funds to this program finally came about, but I am disappointed partisanship delayed it. Our neighbors and communities are stepping up and working together to help one another. Congress should follow that lead.
PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF H. RES. 935, ESTABLISHING A SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken Madam , in a very short period of time, this body has moved an unprecedented amount of money at an unprecedented speed, and rather than taking a step back now and looking at the effectiveness of what we have implemented so far, here we are today rushing forward, not only with additional funds, but also to rig up an unnecessary and duplicative select subcommittee for the purpose of investigating the President of the United States. Make no mistake. That is the purpose of this subcommittee. prgtoken It is entirely political in nature, designed to influence the 2020 elections. From the moment it is gaveled into life, there is no question that the mission will be to prevent the reelection of President . prgtoken There are already eight real oversight and watchdog processes in this body. Eight. prgtoken The Oversight and Reform Committee, of which I am a member, has the broadest jurisdiction in this body, and we have the power and the experience needed to oversee any Federal coronavirus response. prgtoken So why does the want a ninth? Why are we here looking at a ninth oversight subcommittee, especially when the are already in charge of the eight that we already have? Why would the appointment of this new select subcommittee be a member of her own leadership team who has already publicly stated that this virus creates for the a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit their vision? prgtoken That makes it clear what the purpose of this is all about: it is because this is an election year, it is because they hate the President of the United States, and because of that, I strongly encourage my colleagues to reject this resolution, which is intended to create an un-needed and duplicative committee. prgtoken Madam Chair, I again thank the gentleman for yielding.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Michael T. McCaul (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank my good friend from Texas (Mr. Brady) for yielding and for his great leadership on this bill. prgtoken Today, America is in a crisis. Not since the Spanish flu of 1918 has the world faced a global pandemic of such epic proportions. This virus, which came out of Wuhan, China, has created fear and devastation across the globe. prgtoken COVID-19 has infected more than 2.6 million people around the world and killed nearly 200,000. It has paralyzed our economy, forcing more than 26 million Americans into unemployment in just a few short weeks. And that is why we took the risk, Madam , to fly back here today so we can do our job and vote for this important legislation. prgtoken This rescue package throws a lifeline to small businesses and the American worker to keep them whole during this hard time. It provides much-needed funding for testing and for our hospitals that need it desperately. prgtoken In closing, I want to take this opportunity to thank the brave American heroes who are on the front line today: our doctors, nurses, and first responders who are risking their lives every day. We honor their sacrifice to our Nation. prgtoken At the end of the day, as Americans, we are all in this together, and together we will get through this hard time and be stronger than ever before.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I have one question: Where has Congress been? prgtoken Forty-three percent of American households have had a significant or total pay cut; 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment; schools are shut down, placing burdens on families; and hospitals are laying off doctors and nurses. Where has Congress been? prgtoken Congress has met twice: first, to pass a $2 trillion bill that in many cases is harming the very businesses it purports to help; now, again, to spend more borrowed money without asking the important questions--no hearings, no oversight. prgtoken Today, I am holding my nose voting for a bill I had no chance to shape because there are 700,000 businesses closed by the power of government on the outside looking in while Harvard qualifies for $9 million. prgtoken But this is it, Madam , enough. No more half-assed legislating. No more picking winners and losers. No more asking a small restaurant to gamble, to borrow money in hopes that money will be forgiven by their government if they rehire people. They can't rehire because those same overlords are paying workers more in unemployment than to do their job. prgtoken Congress must convene not just today, but every day until America is back on track. Our job is to make policies that will save lives by moving us forward with deliberation, facts, and balanced reason, not reaction, panic, and fear. prgtoken Congress should be here, Madam .
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken April 1, Secretary Mnuchin warned us that the PPP has high demand and will likely need more funding. prgtoken April 4, President tweeted out a statement supporting more funding a day after the program opened up. prgtoken April 7, Secretary Mnuchin requests more funding for the program, warning that we will run out. prgtoken April 9, Senate block replenishing this funding, winning praise from fellow . prgtoken Members, colleagues, we had ample warning of the funding running out on numerous occasions during this month of April that we have been away. How many small restaurants, hairdressers, bookstores, et cetera, in your districts have suffered and closed because the majority is too busy looking at the election in November to see today's crisis in April? prgtoken Yet, so after all this time and the travel it took us all to get here wearing masks, what is the first thing we bring up? A duplicative, partisan select subcommittee to make a political spectacle of the virus. prgtoken I sit as a member on the Transportation Committee. We can oversee the oversight of FEMA just fine. prgtoken Our Commerce Committee can have oversight of HHS. We don't need extra, duplicative committees. prgtoken We are 22 days behind. We need to get back to work and put the people back to work and get this done.
CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hot Springs Village. The largest gated community in North America with land spreading across 20,000 acres of Garland and Saline Counties, Hot Springs Village has long been a community vital to the Fourth District of Arkansas. April 20, 2020 marks 50 years since the community's founding by local developer John Cooper Sr. and his family. prgtoken Boasting an extensive list of recreational activities, a deep appreciation for local art, culture, and history, beautiful scenery of the Ouachita Mountains and nearby Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs Village has become one of the premiere retirement communities and tourist destinations in the United States. prgtoken Using the expression ``Proud Past and Strong Future,'' the Hot Springs Village 50th Anniversary Planning Committee strives to make this year-long ``party'' a celebration of the Village's rich history and a platform to discuss its future successes. While the Village leadership has already hosted several celebration events throughout the early part of this year, local citizens can expect a schedule of events to celebrate the founding of this close-knit community until December 2020. prgtoken I take this time to recognize the work of this citizenry's leadership, their commitment to community, and their 50 years of success. For many in the Fourth District of Arkansas, Hot Springs Village serves as a model reminder of the values we all hold dear and the homes we all strive to create.