mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF RULE SUBMITTED BY OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY RELATING TO ``COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT REGULATIONS''
Denny Heck (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-6-26

. Madam , I thank the chairwoman for introducing this important measure, of which I am a proud cosponsor. prgtoken This resolution is especially timely as we reckon with the legacy of discrimination in our country. In that process, we must consider how housing policy has contributed to systemic inequality. prgtoken For decades in this country, we allowed a Federal agency to legitimize racial discrimination by creating those color-coded maps indicating where investments would be profitable, ``greenlined,'' or where it would not be, ``redlined.'' prgtoken We built institutional obstacles for Black families trying to purchase a home, and that resulted in devastating, intergenerational financial disadvantages. prgtoken Redlining prevented access to the single most important wealth- building tool an American has access to, that is, owning a home. The result? Black families have a median net worth of $17,000, compared to $171,000 for White families. In fact, homeownership by Black families is 44 percent, and by White families, 74 percent. prgtoken We have a responsibility to do everything we can to correct this. After all, we created it. prgtoken Yet, in the middle of a pandemic that has made racial disparities all the more pronounced, the OCC rushed out a final rule that undermined the legislation that made redlining illegal, and they even did it without the support of the Federal Reserve or FDIC. prgtoken The OCC's vague definitions and overly simplistic metrics do not do justice to what a crucial role homeownership and housing policy have played in racial inequality. prgtoken Their approach takes us backward. If you don't want to go backward, vote ``yes'' on this measure. If you believe homeownership should be available to all Americans, regardless of skin color, vote ``yes'' on this matter. If you oppose redlining, vote ``yes'' on this measure. If you want to stand for racial justice, vote ``yes'' on this measure.
WASHINGTON, D.C. ADMISSION ACT
Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-6-26

I thank my good friend, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is managing today's bill to right a wrong, but unfortunately, because D.C. does not have a vote here in the Congress, she won't be able to cast a vote on final passage of her own bill. prgtoken Today, we are being asked to right a wrong. And you hear the contortions on the other side of the aisle to continue to justify a fundamental right being denied 700,000 fellow Americans who pay taxes, who fight in our wars and serve in government, who have families, who are Americans, but have no votes in the United States Congress. They are bigger than five States. prgtoken They hide behind the Constitution. The Constitution was written before they even knew where the capital of the United States would be, before a blade of grass was touched to construct Washington, D.C. No one at that time could have envisioned the metropolis of 700,000 Americans, let alone that they would be denied their fundamental American right. prgtoken Let's cede it to Maryland. Two problems: Maryland doesn't want D.C. and D.C. doesn't want to be in Maryland. The consent of the governed is a fundamental part of the American architecture, which you conveniently overlook. prgtoken And then there is the right to be represented, another fundamental right denied D.C. prgtoken , it is partisan politics, yes. It is theirs. They want to deny 700,000 people their right to representation in this body and in the other body because of their politics, or likely politics. prgtoken When have we ever done that as America? We haven't looked at how people would vote before we decide to incorporate them into the Union as a State. We understood the right of people to petition to become a State, and Congress has that power. prgtoken Let's right a wrong, especially in the post-George Floyd world, and give people their rightful representation in the people's body and in the Senate.
WASHINGTON, D.C. ADMISSION ACT
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-6-26

I rise today in support of D.C. statehood. Today's affirmative vote in the House of Representatives to admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth as the 51st state in the Union is long overdue for the more than 700,000 disenfranchised American citizens who currently live in the District of Columbia. This is the first time a chamber of Congress has voted to approve D.C. statehood. I have long been a proponent of D.C. statehood and was the only member of the Virginia delegation to vote for D.C. statehood the last time it came before the House in 1993. And during my service as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, I introduced the resolution for Virginia to ratify the Constitutional Amendment to grant full Congressional voting rights to the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, neither my resolution nor the Constitutional Amendment were ultimately successful. prgtoken Today's vote marks a historic victory for the indefatigable advocates for statehood including my colleague, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has been a tireless advocate for the disenfranchised citizens of our nation's capital. Supporting D.C. statehood is about our nation's core constitutional principles of self-determination, opposition to taxation without representation, and giving an equal voice to all Americans regardless of where they live. I hope my colleagues in the Senate put aside politics and pass this bill and finally end the historic injustice that has persisted for more than 200 years for the people of Washington, D.C.
HONORING THE LIFE OF MARNY XIONG
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-6-26

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of Marny Xiong, the chairwoman of the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education, who passed away from COVID-19 on June 7 at the age of 31. We mourn the loss of this young woman, a rising star whose legacy was an inspiration to us all. prgtoken Marny was a trailblazing activist and a proud member of Saint Paul's Hmong community. She was a dedicated advocate for young people, and she stood up for equality and racial justice. She understood the disparities that students of color face in our State, and she worked to make sure that every child had an opportunity to succeed. prgtoken As chairwoman of the board, her leadership was critical to successfully resolving the district's first ever teachers' strike. When confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, Marny helped to steer the district's unprecedented transition to distance learning for 37,000 students. prgtoken It is heartbreaking that this pandemic has taken one of our community's rising leaders. prgtoken Madam , please join me in extending condolences to Marny's parents, her seven siblings, her extended family, and her friends at this time of great grief.
SENATE MUST PASS JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT
Grace Meng (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-6-26

I rise today because our Nation is screaming out, grieving for those killed by police brutality and racial injustice. prgtoken I rise today because, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, a police officer pressed his knee on George Floyd's neck, slowly killing him, but we know there are countless more who will forever remain faceless and nameless because their stories were never recorded. prgtoken I rise today because Black lives matter. prgtoken Last night, I proudly voted to pass this historic, transformative bill, the Justice in Policing Act. prgtoken This bill would finally put in place unprecedented and bold reforms to curb police brutality and racial profiling and combat the epidemic of racial injustice. prgtoken , we cannot turn our backs on the cries for justice. We cannot go back to a system that would look the other way when faced with police brutality. prgtoken The Senate must follow the House's lead and immediately pass this bill because this moment of national anguish demands nothing less.
HELPING BUSINESSES TO REOPEN SAFELY
Harley Rouda (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-6-29

. Madam , small businesses in Orange County and across the United States are struggling. States and local governments have given shops and restaurants the green light for reopening but have failed to provide businesses with the resources they need to open safely. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Helping Businesses Reopen Safely Act of 2020 with Congressman Brian Mast of Florida. This bill will provide a tax credit to small businesses, nonprofits, and local governments of up to $25,000 annually to purchase personal protective equipment and other supplies that are essential to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. prgtoken Madam , the science is clear. PPE, like face masks, is our most effective tool to keep Americans safe and keep our economy running. My bill would ensure businesses aren't financially penalized for providing safe and clean service. prgtoken Madam , the Helping Businesses Reopen Safely Act of 2020 would help businesses open while protecting the public health of workers, customers, and communities. I urge my colleagues to support and pass this crucial legislation.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-6-29

I come to the floor as we start further consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act and ask my colleagues to pay close attention to what is included in this legislation. No one is going to be surprised that the National Defense Authorization Act might include something that had not gotten the bright light of day shown on it, but I am here to say to my colleagues, what is in this act is really egregious, and we need to correct it before we continue to move forward. prgtoken This legislation--mostly done behind closed doors--is not unusual for the Senate Armed Services Committee, but when you think about the billions of dollars that we are spending, we need to make sure this policy out here on the Senate floor is not just another rubberstamp. prgtoken We are here to look at particular provisions that I think are troubling, particularly because it wrestles away civilian control of our nuclear arsenal and gives it to the military--provisions that, in the future, would allow the Defense Department to raid dollars used by the Department of Energy for cleanup of nuclear waste, R&D for our National Laboratories, or maybe other infrastructure investment. prgtoken I am aware that the Presiding Officer knows how much the quadrennial review called for in investment in energy infrastructure. So I find it troubling today to see that we are at a provision that would wrestle away control of our nuclear arsenal and give it to the military. These provisions are dangerous because, one, they would strip from the Secretary of Energy the power over his own budget by requiring that he agree to a sub-Cabinet member group of the Nuclear Weapons Council to approve the National Nuclear Security Administration's budget. prgtoken That is right. That is why the current Energy Secretary and past Energy Secretaries oppose this language. They oppose it because it basically tells the Energy Secretary what the majority or a big chunk of his budget will be, and it would allow DOD, then, to prioritize things within the Energy budget as they saw fit for making nuclear weapons instead of focusing on our Federal priorities of nuclear waste cleanup, R&D that we want to see in our National Labs, or other issues that we want to see an investment in that Energy is already doing. prgtoken I just can't even believe that this shift in control away from the Secretary of Energy into this sub-Cabinet so that the nuclear weapons complex would be moving away from civilians to the military is actually in this legislation. I do not believe the Nuclear Weapons Council understands the Department of Energy's priorities. How could they? Do they sit in on any of the meetings for the National Labs or the waste cleanup? prgtoken I do believe the DOD and the Nuclear Weapons Council know there is a long history of raiding the nuclear waste cleanup budget, and other administrations have tried this. These same individuals tried this in 2018, only
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2020-6-29

I thank the distinguished leader, and from Oregon, Senator Wyden, for joining in this motion and for making it. prgtoken I rise today to join them in calling for urgently needed funding for State and local governments to support our communities as they continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken Across our country, State and local governments have been at the forefront of responding to this crisis and providing people and businesses with the support they need. State and local governments also employ millions of essential public employees--including teachers, first responders, and others--who have been working around the clock to help keep the American people safe. prgtoken But in the face of these unprecedented circumstances, States and local communities are facing new, mounting costs and a catastrophic loss of revenue. Without additional Federal resources, we will see even more job losses and further economic harm. We must do more to support the American people. prgtoken Just last week, Moody's Analytics released a sobering report on what State and local governments are up against. This report indicated that without significant Federal support for State and local governments, 4 million additional people could lose their jobs. prgtoken Throughout this crisis, we have worked together to try to save American jobs. Why, then, would we now sit and do nothing for the people who make our communities run? prgtoken States and cities employ essential workers who have been on the frontlines of this crisis. We need these workers now more than ever. We should support the important work they are doing, not leave their jobs at risk. prgtoken In addition to job cuts, without additional support, State and local governments may also need to cut programs and services that the American people depend on. Forcing States to slash education, infrastructure, and public health budgets, among others, would be deeply harmful at any time, but in the middle of a pandemic and the recession it has helped create, the ripple effect of those cuts would be even more staggering. Already, States and cities are cutting or delaying fixing sewer lines or roads and delaying putting out critical contracts to bid, with a ripple effect felt throughout the economy. prgtoken It doesn't have to be this way. Senate are focused on providing significant economic relief for State and local governments across the country. This would mitigate the job losses and further economic damage that we are seeing as a result of this crisis. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to work with us to deliver this necessary relief and ensure that States have the flexibility to use this funding to backfill lost revenue and preserve jobs. prgtoken The recent spike in cases in many States reinforces that the public health threat remains extremely serious. Our economy will be feeling the effects of this pandemic for years to
EMERGENCY HOUSING PROTECTIONS AND RELIEF ACT OF 2020
David N. Cicilline (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2020-6-29

during this pandemic millions of Americans have lost their jobs and are dangerously close to losing their homes. The relief this Congress provided has kept millions of Americans housed. prgtoken We must continue to act. prgtoken Thirty percent of renters are not able to pay their rent in June--one in three. prgtoken We passed the HEROES Act to provide emergency relief for renters and homeowners who desperately need it, because everyone deserves a safe home, especially during a pandemic when being in our houses keeps us safe. prgtoken The Senate has chosen not to act on the HEROES Act so we must pass the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act to ensure that millions of Americans remain in their housing until this pandemic ends and they are able to go back to work. prgtoken At a time of a national crisis, I urge my colleagues to please put aside their partisan bickering and obstruction and pass the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act.
STATE HEALTH CARE PREMIUM REDUCTION ACT
Lloyd Doggett (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-6-29

. Madam , approaching July Fourth, we should be celebrating the greatness of our country. Instead, we are mired in a pandemic when we have more people infected and more deaths from this pandemic than any country in the entire world--with President floundering and whining. prgtoken His approach to this pandemic--denial, delay, and ongoing deception-- has been exposed for the fraud that it is. And because of his multiple failures, now is a time when more Americans desperately need the opportunity to enroll in health insurance, not the junk insurance that he has been promoting. Instead, he seeks to eliminate--as do our colleagues--the Affordable Care Act and the coverage that it has today for millions of our citizens. prgtoken Madam , today's bill offers a reaffirmation that the Affordable Care Act should be strengthened, not destroyed. Strengthening that would have been occurring long ago but for the fanatic decade of our colleagues in trying to destroy the Affordable Care Act. Next year, however, we have to do much more for healthcare than simply to return where it should have been. Millions of Americans, particularly in a State like prgtoken Texas, which has more uninsured children than any State in America, they are still likely to be excluded because of obstructionist State leaders. And even those who have insurance, are still often the victims of prescription price gouging. prgtoken Madam , the exceedingly modest pharmaceutical provision in today's bill excludes the uninsured and falls well short of what is needed to prevent monopoly prices for drugs developed at taxpayer expense. This bill pours more billions into pharmaceutical development with no assurance that the prices or the resulting cures will be affordable. We see only today with the pricing of remdesivir, a drug that would have been left in the scrap heap of failures but for taxpayer funding, that the same taxpayers that developed the drugs will be charged billions to get them. prgtoken Let's look forward to a day when we have a competent and committed President to bring healthcare for all.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-6-29

s. A number have already given eloquent remarks, and we still have more to come. I know, per the agreement, that it is time to propound the unanimous consent request. prgtoken So, with the support of thousands of firefighters, first responders, teachers, county health providers, and thousands more Americans of both political parties with an extraordinary work ethic, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the State, Local, and Tribal Fiscal Relief and Rural Stability Act, which is at the desk. I further ask that the bill be considered read three times and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2020-6-29

. I am honored to follow the Senator from Nevada who knows so well the importance of public service and public servants. prgtoken One of the reasons why we are here is because many of those public servants doing such great service for our communities will be laid off or furloughed to the detriment of their communities and their States. As the Senator knows in Nevada, and I know in Connecticut, what is necessary for them to continue their work is, in fact, the Heroes Act. prgtoken We have been talking a lot about the frontline workers, the heroes, like first responders, police, firefighters, the doctors and nurses, the grocery checkers, the delivery people far and wide, high and low. They have been doing great work. Many of them are going to be directly affected if we fail to pass the Heroes Act. Many of them and their work will be for naught if we fail to support the Heroes Act and enable State and local government to continue to employ them and support them. prgtoken I have been traveling across the State of Connecticut over these last 2\1/2\ months. What I have found is unparalleled hardship and heartbreak. prgtoken Yesterday, I visited a small business, a restaurant in Norwalk called No Leftovers, offering Caribbean food. It has been in business for 3 years. Its owner has received no Paycheck Protection Program funding, and it is hanging by a thread. That story is repeated again and again and again. prgtoken One of the reasons he is so fearful about the future is that zoning in Norwalk has been delayed because people are not at work. What happens to Norwalk and its Zoning and Land Use Department if there is no money to pay for it? That story writ large is about the future of America and the American dream that No Leftovers and small businesses like his exemplify, and it is a Black-owned business. The tragedy of the Black-owned businesses going under is one of the unwritten stories of this pandemic. Forty-one percent have failed during this pandemic-- often through no fault of those business owners--because they face this economic crisis, and they face the loss of service if State and local governments, in effect, have to cut their workforces and their services to those businesses. This is not only Black-owned but businesses owned across the board by all Americans and employing Americans. prgtoken Small businesses, as we know, no matter who owns them, are the major job creators today in the United States. There are linkages here, as I have been hearing. I go around the State talking to those business owners--not only the big contractors, the defense providers, like Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney, but their supply chain. Those small- and medium-sized businesses will be disastrously affected by a failure to keep faith, move forward, and pass the Heroes Act. prgtoken Those frontline workers deserve the Heroes Fund--hazardous duty pay up to $25,000, retroactive to the beginning of this national emergency. Again, recogn
STATE HEALTH CARE PREMIUM REDUCTION ACT
Joseph P. Kennedy III (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2020-6-29

. Madam , yesterday afternoon I spent a few moments on the porch of a woman named Therese in Lowell, Massachusetts. Through an oxygen tube and a mask, and surrounded by four generations of her family, she told me the challenges of living with COPD, even though she never smoked a cigarette. prgtoken Her mother and her brother both passed away in that home. She was adamant that she would, too. She was hoping to make it for just a few more months, but that survival, Madam , was contingent on having access to healthcare. Access that our President, in court just this last week, was still trying to take away. prgtoken Madam , how is our country made stronger by taking away Therese's healthcare? What kind of person, let alone administration, looks to the wreckage of nearly over 120,000 lives lost, 2\1/2\ million infected by a pandemic, and decides that the best response is to take away healthcare from millions more? prgtoken What is great about an administration that idly watches 40 million Americans lose their jobs, and then tries to take away their healthcare, too? How morally bankrupt that we can lavish praise on essential workers, and then thank them by trying to strip away their access to medicine? All so that the rich can become richer, the powerful more powerful, backed up by a massive tax cut and aggregation of corporate power. prgtoken Madam , this moment has proved, like many other moments of truth in our Nation, that our fates are linked. That our future is shared and uncertain. We have a choice to advance together or to scramble for our own. Four generations of Therese's family know the answer. We know that answer. Today is our chance to prove it.