mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO FRANK CALVELLI
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-10-1

I rise today to recognize and celebrate the career of an outstanding civil servant, Mr. Frank Calvelli, who is one of my constituents. Mr. Calvelli recently announced his plan to retire after 34 years of government service, most recently as the Principal Deputy Director for the National Reconnaissance Office, where he has provided commendable leadership and operational management for the past 8 years. Mr. Calvelli will complete his government service at the end of this year. prgtoken During Frank's 30-year tenure at the NRO, he has been responsible for leading various internal organizations and overseeing the acquisition and operation of many of our Nation's most vital overhead reconnaissance assets. These platforms perform essential intelligence collection roles to better inform U.S. Government and allied partner nation defense policies and deter potential aggressors. Frank contributed to 11-plus-years of consecutive clean financial audits, an unequaled record within the U.S. intelligence community. Mr. Calvelli has played an important role developing a permanent employee cadre and leading the more than 3,000 people who work at the NRO. When called upon in 2019 to take on the responsibility of acting in the capacity of the Director, he often testified on behalf of the NRO before Congress and specifically the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. prgtoken While Mr. Calvelli has shouldered the responsibility of overseeing large, complex government acquisition programs, his fondest memories will be of the NRO's people. Like any successful organization, the NRO relies on its talented and skilled workforce to accomplish its national security mission. Their wellbeing and success have always been a top priority for him, and it is especially important that the women and men of the NRO have leadership that backs them in their primary imperative as intelligence professionals: to speak truth to power. prgtoken I also understand that Frank's love of NASCAR is well known at the NRO. I, too, share an appreciation of NASCAR and hope he has greater opportunities to enjoy racing and more time with his family. On behalf of a grateful nation, as he transitions to future opportunities, I would like to publicly thank Mr. Calvelli for his valuable contributions to the Nation and our national security, and I personally thank the Calvelli family for their critical role in supporting him throughout his service to the Nation.
AMERICA CAN AGAIN BE A WELCOMING NATION
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-10-1

. Madam , one of the first actions of this administration was to shut down our Nation's doors to families, women, and children around the world fleeing violence and seeking refuge within our borders. prgtoken These bans showed a lack of decency and empathy, and they ignored the lessons of history. Immigrants built America, and they helped sustain and expand all that is good in a just and free society. prgtoken The President's ignorance of this history is perhaps the point of his policy, one that he uses to exploit and divide. Reports now show that the country intends to admit only 15,000 refugees this year, down from nearly 100,000 4 years ago. prgtoken The refugee community in western New York has helped revitalize entire neighborhoods, bringing diversity, culture, and new economic opportunity. prgtoken The organizations that support refugees, like the International Institute of Buffalo, Journey's End, Jewish Family Services, and others, continue to do their work with dwindling Federal support, but still they continue to do their good work. prgtoken I believe that we can once again be a generous and welcoming nation to the world's most vulnerable. It is imperative for our future that we do so.
PROTECT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-10-1

I rise to support the efforts of my colleagues to bring the unanimous House bill establishing legal procedures for dealing with White supremacy to the floor of the Senate. I do so in honor of four Virginians. prgtoken In August of 2017, a group called Unite the Right held a White supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA. They started on a Friday evening, when Jewish residents of Charlottesville were gathering in synagogues and when students were coming to the University of Virginia to start their academic careers. They rampaged through the campus and community chanting slogans from Nazi rallies like ``Jews will not replace us'' or ``Blood and soil.'' prgtoken As if that were not terrorizing enough, on the next day, they escalated physical attacks against many. Heather Heyer was a Charlottesville resident and paralegal with an amazing background and story who was peacefully protesting that day, and a White supremacist from another State revved his car up, hit her and killed her. prgtoken DeAndre was a special education instructional aide in Charlottesville, and he was set upon by a number of White supremacists and beaten severely with objects. prgtoken There were two Virginia State Troopers, Jay Cullen and Berke Bates, both of whom I knew. Jay Cullen often flew me in a helicopter when I was Governor, and I met Berke Bates, the trooper, because he was part of Governor McCullough's security detail. They were called out on that day, which would have been a day off. They were called out on that day because they needed to provide extra security as this White supremacist rally ran amuck in Charlottesville. On that day, both of them lost their lives as their helicopter malfunctioned. prgtoken I stand on the floor of the Senate thinking of these four Virginians--two of whom I knew, three of whom lost their lives, and one who was injured severely in this Unite the Right rally--to say that it is time we have laws in this country that would enable us to appropriately deal with the chief source of domestic terrorism. For that, . prgtoken
PROMOTING ALZHEIMER'S AWARENESS TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-10-1

so this is, of course, a very important initiative for helping to safeguard our elder population. prgtoken But more importantly, I want to say that we need to end Alzheimer's, or dementia, as we know it, and I join my colleagues in supporting this very important legislation. prgtoken I know Mr. Deutch's commitment to fighting Alzheimer's, ending it in our lifetime, providing a cure, and also to end elder abuse. prgtoken , I ask everyone to support H.R. 6813. prgtoken , as a senior member of the Committee on the Judiciary and as a cosponsor, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6813, the ``Promoting Alzheimer's Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act,'' introduced by Congressman Deutch of Florida. prgtoken This bipartisan legislation strengthens the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act passed by Congress in 2017, by providing for better collection and use of data on elder abuse and requiring the Department of Justice's Elder Justice Coordinator to develop best practices and training materials for professionals treating, protecting, and caring for people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias. prgtoken Companion legislation (S. 3703) passed the Senate on August 6, 2020. prgtoken , according to the National Council on Aging, seniors who have been abused have a 300 percent higher risk of death when compared to those who have not been mistreated. prgtoken During the current pandemic, the health and safety of people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia are at even greater risk. prgtoken Approximately seven out of ten residents in long-term care facilities have some form of cognitive impairment, with 29 percent having mild impairment, 23 percent moderate impairment, and 19 percent severe impairment. prgtoken According to one study, over 50 percent of nursing home staff admitted to mistreating (e.g. physical violence, mental abuse, neglect) older patients within the prior year. prgtoken With current social isolation measures limiting contact with family members and other visitors, these individuals are at even greater risk of abuse and exploitation. prgtoken Several federal agencies currently collect elder abuse data on an ongoing basis. Two distinct data sets include the National Adult Mistreatment Report System (NAMRS) (which collects state-level adult protective services data) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) (which collects data on suspected elder financial exploitation submitted by financial institutions). prgtoken Although many cases may go unreported, the National Adult Mistreatment Report System (NAMRS) (which collects state-level adult protective services data) reflects data on elder abuse cases reported to state and local authorities. prgtoken Based on the most currently reported data, neglect comprised the highest percentage across types of elder abuse, followed by financial exploitation. prgtoken Financial exploitation causes large economic losses for elders, families, bus
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION EXTENSION ACT
Jesús G. "Chuy" García (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-10-1

I want to thank Representative Lowey for this minute. prgtoken , I rise in strong support of the revised Heroes Act because my community cannot wait. prgtoken Schoolteachers, flight attendants, and working families are facing layoffs, and they need our help now. prgtoken Tenants and homeowners facing evictions and homelessness need our support now. prgtoken Immigrants with U.S.-born children and U.S. citizens who never received the stimulus check need our support now. prgtoken We passed the Heroes Act 4\1/2\ months ago. s in the Senate wouldn't even consider it. But this is a bill that we are offering as a compromise, and it is common ground because, just like my colleagues across the aisle, I am headed home to my constituents, and I don't want them to think that we failed them. prgtoken House have done our jobs. We passed relief, and we are doing it again. It is the President and Senate s who refuse to pass relief that have failed. prgtoken Give the American people the relief that they need so urgently. I urge adoption.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION EXTENSION ACT
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2020-10-1

the people of Connecticut and of the United States deserve no less than the full support of the Federal Government to get them to the dawn of a recovery. prgtoken While the House passed a comprehensive bill for the American people back in May, the Senate has failed to act. So we advanced this $2.2 trillion package that includes $2.7 billion for Connecticut to protect lives, livelihoods, and the life of our democracy. prgtoken As chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I am proud of the investments here for patients, working people, children, seniors, and public education. prgtoken For health, we provide $75 billion for coronavirus testing, contact tracing, and isolation measures, and $28 billion for a safe and effective vaccine. prgtoken For working people, we must save jobs, protect workers and their families, so we strengthen, expand, and protect emergency paid leave. We restore the expanded $600 unemployment benefit through the end of January. And we continue to support work share programs. prgtoken For children and families, we must not allow a generation to be lost or to let their bright futures darken. We provide $182 billion for K-12 education, nearly $39 billion for post-secondary; along with the Child Care Is Essential Act, which I introduced with Chairman Bobby Scott, for $15 billion to save the childcare industry; and then my legislation to make the child tax credit fully refundable, to make it accessible to all, including the one-third previously excluded, including half of Black and Latinx children. prgtoken I am proud of the provisions to increase the maximum SNAP benefit by 15 percent, to aid nutrition programs, food banks, farmers and producers, as well as small businesses and restaurants. prgtoken , let us put politics second and let us put people first. Let us vote ``yes'' on this relief bill for the people of this country, for the seniors, for the children, and those who every day are looking toward the Federal Government because they are in desperate shape and they need our help. They need this legislation.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION EXTENSION ACT
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-10-1

I rise in strong support of the House amendment to H.R. 925, the updated version of the Heroes Act. prgtoken , have been working every single day to respond to this pandemic and provide much-needed relief and protection for families across the country. 139 days ago, House voted to pass the Heroes Act. Unfortunately, President , Mitch McConnell, and Senate s have blocked the bill and prevented the essential relief the legislation provides from reaching our neighborhoods and our communities. prgtoken Meanwhile, the Nation continues to suffer during this crisis. Even before this pandemic, over half a million people in the United States were experiencing homelessness, including more than 50,000 families with children. It is likely that this number has grown significantly due to the pandemic. prgtoken We also continue to head toward a catastrophic eviction crisis as families struggle to pay rent and months of unpaid back rent pile up. Today, the rent is due, but an estimated 14.2 million renter households cannot pay it and are at risk of eviction and homelessness. prgtoken In my State of California, there are 1.7 million renter households who are behind on rent and facing eviction. At the same time, more than 8 million homeowners, including almost 780,000 homeowners in California, have already fallen behind on their mortgage payments. Making matters worse, over 1 million small businesses have closed. prgtoken To address the ongoing crisis, the updated Heroes Act creates a $50 billion emergency rental assistance fund and a $21 billion homeowner assistance fund, and it provides $5 billion in funding for homeless services providers. prgtoken Through no fault of their own, millions of people are also unable to make payments on credit cards, car loans, and their mortgages or rent. By suspending negative credit reporting during the COVID-19 period, the Heroes Act ensures that these innocent consumers do not suffer further damage. prgtoken The Heroes Act also suspends debt collection for consumers, small businesses, and nonprofits during this pandemic. Additionally, private student loan borrowers in economic distress, who are disproportionately people of color, will get up to $10,000 in debt relief under the bill. prgtoken The Nation continues to face shortages of essential medical supplies and equipment. For example, our heroic healthcare workers are still reusing N95 respirator masks at a time when cases of COVID-19 continue to rise. The Heroes Act strengthens the Defense Production Act to supercharge the production of these supplies and works to ensure that funds are directed to alleviate those shortages. prgtoken The updated Heroes Act also builds upon my efforts and those of members of my committee to remove barriers for Community Development Financial Institutions--that is, the CDFIs--and the minority depository institutions, better known as MDIs, trying to serve low-and moderate-
PROTECT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2020-10-1

we are here today on probably one of the most serious national security issues that we will confront. I say that as a member of the Armed Services Committee, having received a variety of classified briefings on threats to this country. Some of them regarding ongoing foreign interference in our election are truly chilling. But the threat to our national security from White supremacists, now operating so openly that the Director of the FBI has said they are one of the paramount threats and an ongoing security threat to our Nation, demands that there should be action now. prgtoken The bill that my colleague Senator Durbin is offering passed unanimously by the House of Representatives within recent days. Let me repeat. It passed unanimously by the House of Representatives. It reflects the real and urgent danger of this threat. prgtoken The President has refused to denounce White supremacists. The President has told one of the most prominent of those groups to stand by. That failure--an abject failure on the part of the Commander in Chief--to respond to an ongoing security threat demands this action now. We must stand up for the integrity of our elections, the security of our Nation, and the fundamental freedoms that we prize as American people. prgtoken We will not allow this cancer to metastasize in this country and thwart the will of Americans who are going to the polls, in effect, right now. The ballots are being cast. The threat to our electoral will is ongoing. prgtoken I am proud to join my colleagues who are here on the floor who represent an ideological spectrum, as did the House of Representatives in unanimously approving this bill. The paramount threat to our Nation and the integrity of our elections is White supremacy, violent extremism, and nationalism that potentially jeopardize the very pillars of our democracy. prgtoken .
HONORING KATIE DORSETT AND MARY McALLISTER
Alma S. Adams (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2020-10-1

I rise this morning to honor two exceptional North Carolina women who left us this year, former Senator Dr. Katie Dorsett and former Representative Mary McAllister. I admired and was friends with both of them. prgtoken They were both educators who went into public service, proud products of historically Black colleges and universities. Both advocates on behalf of African Americans, they founded and led organizations to combat sickle cell anemia. prgtoken They both knew the highs of winning elected office and doing exceptional work for their constituents and the lows of personal tragedy. Both women were predeceased by a child they loved like a best friend. prgtoken They were both county commissioners and State legislators and, most of all, trailblazers. prgtoken Katie Dorsett was the first Black woman on the Greensboro City Council, and I was proud to follow in her footsteps. After serving on the city council, she was elected to the county board of commissioners and went on to serve in Governor Hunt's administration and the North Carolina State Senate. We served together in the General Assembly, and Katie was a longtime friend and mentor whose friendship I cherished. prgtoken When the Greensboro News and Record remembered her in July, they wrote: ``She carried herself with dignity and always spoke her mind.'' prgtoken That was Katie. She was a great leader and a strong advocate for her community, and the State of North Carolina is poorer without her. prgtoken Mary McAllister was also a legislator, a county commissioner who broke barriers for Black women. She was the first Black woman to win a countywide election in Cumberland County, North Carolina. She changed the way the county commission elected commissioners so she wouldn't be the last. prgtoken A fountain of confidence, Mary had a sense of humor, and she could build relationships with anyone. She wasn't afraid to stand up to the good ol' boys club in the legislature, and we became fast friends. It is no surprise that her first campaign slogan was ``Mary Has Moxie.'' prgtoken I am humbled to have the opportunity to honor these strong, phenomenal women on the floor today. prgtoken Thank you, Mary, and thank you, Katie, for opening doors for the next generation of Black women leaders. I am here on the floor of the U.S. House today because you crossed the threshold first.
PROTECT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-10-1

I come to the floor today to speak to one of the most significant issues facing the security of our Nation. It is a question of domestic terrorism, specifically the threat of violent White supremacists. prgtoken In Tuesday's Presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked President to condemn White supremacists and rightwing militia. President refused. Instead, he replied--and I quote--``Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.'' prgtoken The Proud Boys, a far-right group that promotes and engages in violence, viewed President 's words as a call to action. The group's leader Joe Biggs said he took the President's words as a directive to ``[F] . . . them up.'' prgtoken I was appalled, but not surprised, by the President's words. He has a long history of inflammatory, racist remarks. Now, President claims that violence is a ``left-wing problem, not a right-wing problem''--his words. prgtoken Let me be clear. I join Vice President in condemning all violence, but we know that White supremacists pose a great threat. An unclassified May 2017 FBI-DHS joint intelligence bulletin found that ``white supremacist extremism poses [a] persistent threat of lethal violence.'' This was a finding by the lead law enforcement agencies of the administration. They went on to say that White supremacists were responsible for more homicides from 2000 to 2016 than any other domestic extremist movement. The director of the FBI, Christopher Wray, in response to a question I posed in the Senate Judiciary Committee last year, said that the majority of domestic terrorism arrests involved White supremacists. prgtoken Now, for years, I have urged the administration to respond to the ongoing threat of violent White supremacists and other far- rightwing extremists. Instead, they have repeatedly downplayed this very lethal and real threat. prgtoken Attorney General Barr has never responded to the multiple letters I have sent, asking what the Department of Justice was doing to combat White supremacist violence. prgtoken Unfortunately, as we have learned from former administration officials themselves, the administration has downplayed the threat of violent White supremacists. POLITICO recently reported that a draft homeland threat assessment report from DHS was edited to weaken language on the threat posed by violent White supremacists. And a DHS whistleblower alleged that DHS officials, including Ken Cuccinelli, requested the modification of the report to make the threat of White supremacists ``appear less severe'' and add information on violent leftwing groups. prgtoken It is not enough to just stand here and condemn the President's remarks at the infamous debate. The American people sent us to Congress to act. There is something we can do now. There is something that we can do that will show we are prepared to respond to this threat to law and order, to this threat of violent W
PROTECT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-10-1

before I get into the subject of this pending vote, I do want to thank my colleagues from Illinois and Connecticut for bringing this important topic before the Senate. prgtoken President 's refusal to condemn violent White supremacist groups in the Presidential debate has been around for several days. We have hardly heard anything out of most of our colleagues, and no one--no one, no one--is going to buy the argument that it came too suddenly. White supremacy prgtoken hasn't come too suddenly. The President's remarks have been out there for several days. It is the flimsiest of excuses to avoid criticizing the President even when every American of decency--the overwhelming majority of all Americans--would know he should be condemned. prgtoken They don't care if you are a or a or are liberal or conservative. You never know how low President can go, but his refusal to condemn White supremacy is among the lowest things he has done, and--boy, oh, boy--there are lots of them lined up. I am ashamed of my colleagues and ashamed--for America, for decency--that they have chosen to block this