mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Resumed)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-6-2

I come to the floor today with the remarks I had prepared while home in Wyoming last week, but first I need to comment on the tragedy that is facing our Nation today. prgtoken Anyone who has seen the video of George Floyd being murdered-- murdered--has to be heartbroken. The peaceful protests that followed-- peaceful at first--about police abuse against any--any--American are important and are necessary. These peaceful protests about George Floyd's death have been hijacked, though, by violent criminals. Anyone who sees the video of the wanton destruction and the looting and the rioting and the arson knows that those who are involved have no respect for the people they are harming. They dishonor the memory of George Floyd, and they dishonor the cause for which the demonstrators and the protesters first took to the streets. prgtoken Those who would desecrate the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Veterans Memorial, and the church that every President has worshipped in going back to James Madison--those are people who are set on undermining our Nation Coronavirus prgtoken My goal today is to come to the floor to talk about rebuilding our Nation--rebuilding our Nation as we recover from coronavirus. prgtoken Last week at Memorial Day services in Wyoming, I reflected on America's heroes and the sacrifices so many have made for the rest of us. prgtoken As I talk with people in Wyoming and travel the State, I am reminded how self-reliant, how resourceful, how independent, and how resilient we are as Americans. prgtoken Well, the worst of coronavirus does now seem to be behind us. People want to get back to work. The economy, forcefully shut down by the government, is now showing signs of life. Businesses are starting to reopen. As we say in the West, it is time to get back in the saddle. We are going to fully reopen our communities, and we are going to do it smartly, safely, and soon. Every Governor needs to speed, not impede, the process so people can return to work. prgtoken Just as important, our children need to get back to school. It is critical. Parents know how important it is for our students and our kids to be back in the classroom. The lockdowns have been hard on young people. Our kids miss their teachers, they miss their friends, and they miss their normal activities. prgtoken Every child learns differently. Many children are having trouble learning at home, and others are having difficulty learning on the screen. Some kids are basically teaching themselves. prgtoken What happens if an at-risk child misses an entire year of school? And what about the impact on child welfare? prgtoken I published an op-ed last week entitled ``Coronavirus Collateral Damage.'' In it, I noted that pediatricians are very concerned that with the shutdowns, a significant number of child abuse cases are going undetected and unreported. prgtoken Thankfully, schools are figuring out safe ways
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Resumed)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-6-2

I am here to talk about the pain, frustration, and anger that many Americans are feeling this morning. In the midst of an unprecedented healthcare and economic crisis that is disproportionately affecting our minority communities, we have seen protests spring up across the country in response to egregious examples of injustice and violence against African Americans. prgtoken Just in the past few weeks, there have been graphic videos of Ahmaud Arbery gunned down while jogging on a street in Georgia; a White woman in Central Park calling 9-1-1 to falsely accuse an African-American man of threatening her; and George Floyd pleading for his life as a White officer pressed his knee onto his neck for nearly 9 minutes in Minnesota, killing him. prgtoken Joining many others, I have made it clear that what happened to these Americans is outrageous and unacceptable. It was very hard to watch that video of George Floyd, a man whose family described him as a ``gentle giant,'' literally begging for his life. ``I can't breathe,'' he said. ``Don't kill me,'' he pleaded. Those were his final words. This simply cannot be allowed to continue in America. By the way, no one I know in law enforcement believes this behavior should be allowed either. prgtoken Each of these acts and other acts of injustice against Black Americans is deeply troubling in its own right. The combination of these injustices right now, in the midst of concerns about the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on communities of color, has created a firestorm. prgtoken Right now, many feel overwhelmed by the sadness, anger, and helplessness. Our hearts are with the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and every American who has experienced injustices in the shadows, away from the cameras, outside of the news headlines, in their daily lives. prgtoken It is good that Federal, State, and local investigations are underway in the Floyd and Arbery cases and that murder charges have been filed. We must all demand that justice be served fully and thoroughly. We are a nation of laws, and we must work to uphold those laws to protect everyone. But my fear is, like so many other times in our Nation's history, what will happen is that these killings will fade from the public's consciousness and we will move silently back to the status quo. We can't allow that to happen this time. It is past time for us to have a robust and inclusive national dialogue on racial inequities and some difficult but necessary conversations about how we move forward as a country. prgtoken Over the past couple of days, I have spoken with the mayors of Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus--our three biggest cities in Ohio, all three of which have had peaceful protests and destructive rioting. I commend each of them for their support of citizens demonstrating peacefully and for what they have done to try to stop the violence. We talked about cultivating hope for a better wor
Protests (Executive Calendar)
Lindsey Graham (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-6-2

I think we probably can get there if we talk. We just got this thing at 5:30 last night. It is a grant program to try to strive for better policing, less bias. I get that. Count me in for that concept. prgtoken There is a civilian review process about prosecutorial decisions that I don't quite understand. Senator Lee came up and asked me questions about the bill. prgtoken So with no animosity, I object at this time. I hope we can get it as part of a broader agenda. On June 16, we are going to have a hearing about all things related to police and race, and we will try to make this part of a package. prgtoken So at this time, I do object, and let it go through the committee.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICING REDUCTION ACT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-6-2

the virus pandemic is disrupting our daily lives in unimaginable ways. The National Institutes of Health is working with a private sector biotech company and has already begun early-stage human trials for a potential vaccine, so there is hope on the horizon. However, the soaring prices of prescription drugs are making lifesaving treatments and cures simply unaffordable for many Americans. prgtoken This pandemic made clear two issues: Americans urgently want a cure, and when lifesaving therapies and cures come to the market, Americans must be able to afford them when their providers prescribe them. prgtoken My bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act is needed now more than ever. prgtoken .
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-2

I have 5 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 02, 2020, at l0:30 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Finance prgtoken The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 02, 2020, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 02, 2020, at 10:30 a.m to conduct a hearing on the following nominations: Russell Vought to be Director, Office of Management and Budget and Craig E. Leen to be Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 02, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing on the nomination of Justin R. Walker, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for District of Columbia Circuit. Subcommittee on Intellectual Property prgtoken The Subcommittee on Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, June 02, 2020, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Resumed)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-6-2

last Monday, George Floyd died in the hands of a Minnesota police officer. This senseless death left Americans reeling, most of all because there have been too many George Floyds and Breonna Taylors and Ahmaud Arberys. prgtoken As a nation, we need to work to ensure that what happened last Monday in Minneapolis never happens again and that the perpetrators of crimes like this one are held accountable and brought to justice. We also need to acknowledge how deeply many of our fellow citizens are suffering in the wake of George Floyd's senseless death. A lot of our fellow Americans are afraid right now, shaken by another death and worried that that could easily have been their son or husband or brother. Too many Americans feel unsafe in their own communities, and we need to listen to them with humility, to listen to those whose experience of America has often been very different from many of ours. prgtoken In the wake of George Floyd's death, Americans took to the streets and cities across the country to express their outrage. They joined a powerful tradition and exercised a cherished right. Peaceful protest is an American institution, and as the civil rights movement demonstrated, a powerful agent for change. These protests aren't relegated to big cities. We are seeing them in towns across South Dakota and in many other places in the United States. prgtoken Unfortunately, though, there has also been counterproductive and unnecessary violence. Arson, looting, and destruction of property have happened in cities around the country, and communities have suffered damage that will be felt for years. Communities' faces and community buildings have been damaged. Local businesses have seen their shops defaced and their aisles ransacked, and innocent bystanders have been injured. This is not a solution to the problems highlighted by George Floyd's death, and this violence needs to end. Putting others' lives in danger cannot be an acceptable response to an unjust death. prgtoken Around our country, our law enforcement officers have been called out to respond to these riots. I just want to say a couple of words about our police officers. It was a police officer who caused George Floyd's death, and, around our country, other police officers are sickened by that officer's actions and the tragic result. Most of our Nation's police are like Houston's police chief, who went out and marched in solidarity with protesters, or like the police chief of Norfolk, VA, who did the same, or like the police officers in Camden, NJ, who joined locals to march, led by their police chief. prgtoken There are certainly exceptions, sadly--too many exceptions. But the vast majority--the vast majority--of our Nation's police officers are men and women of character who care deeply about protecting everyone in their communities and who strive to do their jobs with justice and with integrity. prgtoken For too many years, the promise o
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-6-2

as chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize a small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of our country. It is my privilege to recognize a small business that is known for excellence in its industry, outstanding craftsmanship, and creating dignified work in their community. This week, it is my pleasure to recognize Ideal Aluminum Products, LLC of St. Augustine, FL, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken In 2010, Michael Siegel and Doug Brady purchased Ideal Aluminum Products. Based in DeLand, FL, this fence, gate, and railing manufacturing company had recently gone out of business. Doug, an alumnus of the University of South Florida, had also worked with Michael at Ideal Gas, LLC. Together, the two planned to turn this new company around. prgtoken Over the next decade, Michael and Doug grew Ideal Aluminum into an industry leader. A favorable business environment and proximity to I-95 spurred Ideal Aluminum's relocation to St. Augustine in 2015. Their success as a local manufacturer and commitment to job creation was honored by then-Governor Rick Scott, who issued a monthly job report at their facility in 2016. prgtoken Ideal Aluminum has been an ardent supporter of community development. In 2011, Ideal Aluminum manufactured, donated, and installed railings for ABC's ``Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.'' They were recognized in 2015 by prgtoken GrowFL, which spotlights businesses that create quality jobs, enrich their communities, and broaden new industries throughout Florida. Ideal Aluminum was nominated for the Florida Sterling Manufacturing Business Award in 2017 for business excellence in Florida's manufacturing community. Michael and Doug were finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2017 and 2018. Ideal Aluminum has also been featured in the St. Augustine Record and industry publications. prgtoken Like many other small businesses, Ideal Aluminum stepped up to help their community during the coronavirus pandemic. When Michael and Doug heard about the shortage of blood donations, they organized a blood drive at Ideal Aluminum and collected donations for Feeding Northeast Florida. The company matched every dollar collected, resulting in a $3,000 donation to feed the hungry in the St. Augustine area. prgtoken When the U.S. Small Business Administration--SBA--launched the Paycheck Protection Program--PPP--Michael and Doug applied immediately. The PPP provides forgivable loans to impacted small businesses and nonprofits who maintain their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. In late April, Ideal Aluminum received a PPP loan and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the SBA. As a result, they were able to keep all of their employees paid. prgtoken Ideal Aluminum Products exemplifies how crucial small businesses are in creating jobs and building the local community. I com
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Resumed)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-6-2

I just finished watching 's speech to the Nation. President , watch 's speech. That is what real leadership looks like. prgtoken Now, it is difficult to express the moment we find ourselves in. Our country has been hit by a strange and contagious disease infecting millions and killing over 100,000 of our people. Our economy was put on ice for several months, shuttering scores of businesses, casting 40 million Americans on the unemployment rolls, and, according to government estimates, taking $16 trillion out of our economy over the long term. prgtoken Then this Nation suffered another trauma--a deeply personal and wrenching pain of another African American senselessly killed in police custody. It is another reminder of the racism that can infect not only our law enforcement and our criminal justice system but our entire society. prgtoken George Floyd's killing spurred justified, overwhelmingly peaceful protests from Minneapolis to New York, from Atlanta to right here in the Nation's Capital. Americans are frustrated. Americans are angry. Americans are upset at the country they see, and they want to change it. Can you blame them? It is a good thing that people protest and want to make our country better, especially when it comes to the scourge of racism, the poison that has been in American bones for far too long. prgtoken The millions of Americans of all races and backgrounds who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest are doing something noble: reminding the powers that the decades-long failure to reform police departments is unacceptable and that systemic racism is a knee pressing on the necks of tens of millions of African Americans. They are reminding the country that Black lives matter by holding their arms up in silence for 2 minutes and 53 seconds, which is the length of time that George Floyd was unresponsive while the police officer continued to press him into the hard pavement of that Minneapolis street. prgtoken The small minority who have exploited the protests to wreak havoc and violence are wrong. They are not taking part in the grand American tradition of First Amendment protests, and they are not peacefully assembling. They are breaking laws and destroying businesses already struggling to recover and putting their fellow citizens in danger. They do a great disservice to themselves, their country, and the righteous cause that so many Americans are now engaged in. prgtoken While over 4,000 protesters have been arrested over the past week, only 1 of the 4 police officers involved in George Floyd's death has been arrested. It does not excuse the violence in any way, but it explains, in part, why so many Americans are angry. There is accountability for everyday citizens and protesters when they violate the law, but there isn't always accountability for law enforcement when it does the same. Violence, wherever it occurs, is wrong, but not prosecuting la
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR (Resumed)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2020-6-2

the President's threat of using military force against protestors is a grossly inappropriate, unnecessary, and dangerous escalation at a time when Americans are looking for constructive and enlightened leadership. America's power and strength derives, above all, not from our military might, but from the values that are at the very foundation of this country, rooted in the First Amendment of the Constitution. prgtoken Our country has a long tradition of civilian policing. It is one of the many ways our government differs from regimes that routinely use the military to intimidate and silence their critics. The Insurrection Act was last invoked nearly three decades ago, to respond to the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles at the request of and by working closely with State authorities. prgtoken Its application is not a threat to be cavalierly bandied about, as if our Armed Forces are puppets of the President to evict peaceful protestors for purposes of a staged photo op. I am deeply disturbed that civilian and military leaders joined the President in this misuse of force. prgtoken Until the President and his senior military advisers make clear that they understand and accept this, I cannot vote to confirm further nominees to the Department of Defense.
Protests (Executive Calendar)
Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-6-2

first he said ``I can't breathe.'' Then he called out ``Mama'' for his late mother. prgtoken Last Monday, in broad daylight, George Floyd was slowly, publicly killed by someone whose responsibility it was to protect and serve. Officer Derek Chauvin, who has since been rightfully fired, spent about 3 minutes ignoring Floyd's cries of pain, refusing to move his knee from Floyd's neck, refusing to let up, to get up, even as the man under him begged for life and lost consciousness. Then he spent roughly another 6 minutes after Floyd had fallen silent ignoring the number of growing of witnesses who begged him to see the obvious--that the man under his knee was unresponsive, that he was dying. prgtoken As a mom, there are not words to describe the visceral, gut-wrenching feeling of hearing someone cry out for their mother in a moment of such desperation. prgtoken George Floyd's death was unnecessary and heartbreaking. It was a tragedy, but horrifyingly, it was not an anomaly. prgtoken From Eric Garner, who told us 6 years ago that he, too, could not breathe, to Tamir Rice, who never made it to his 13th birthday, the senseless killing of unarmed Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement has become an all-too-common occurrence. The horror of the moment, then the outrage and sadness and, yes, anger that follow have turned into a pattern that too many people appear to believe is normal. It is not, and we cannot--must not--let ourselves become numb to the reality in front of us. prgtoken George Floyd was someone's son who with his dying breath called out for his mother who had previously passed away. He had a 6-year-old daughter who will not only grow up without a father but knowing that she, too, would face the same danger every day just because of the color of her skin. prgtoken George Floyd was born in a country built on the belief that we are all created equal, but he died in a country that still has not fully realized that we must all be treated equally as well. prgtoken It is long, long past time for action. We needed it before George Floyd; we needed it before Breonna Taylor, before Laquan McDonald, and before countless others were killed too. prgtoken We need real leaders who listen to Americans' cries for help and give those fighting for justice a platform to be heard. But sadly, although unsurprisingly, has done just the opposite over the past few days, trampling First Amendment rights by ordering Federal law enforcement to assault those who stood in the way of his photo-op, exploiting our military and disrespecting our troops by using them as a cudgel to silence our neighbors and further divide our country. prgtoken may be our Commander in Chief, but tear-gassing peaceful protestors is not leadership; it is cowardice. Threatening military force against Americans exercising their constitutional right is not Presidential; it is tin-pot dictatorial. prgtoken You know, in m