mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-5-15

I rise today in strong opposition to this bill. prgtoken This great Chamber has passed four bills, four bipartisan, bicameral bills that the House, the Senate, s, , and the White House could agree on. This bill is not that. It is 3 trillion more dollars of unrestrained spending. prgtoken When given the opportunity, the people's House does need to speak up and does need to lead, but we need to lead on economic common ground, not on partisan grounds that will never pass outside of this Chamber. prgtoken I spoke with a young man yesterday who showed me a picture of his 6- year-old daughter. I spoke with a friend yesterday at Saint Mary's school in Oak Ridge, where they are having a graduation. prgtoken This is not a giving; it is a taking. We are burdening the American people with over $30 trillion worth of national debt. prgtoken , where does our debt go? It goes on the backs of future generations. prgtoken And worse, who buys our debt? China, other countries. prgtoken We are heading in the wrong direction. I plead with the majority to change this bill; come together, as we have done in the past. prgtoken I urge a ``no'' vote on this. I urge us to stand up and do the work for the hardworking Americans who are justly scared, justly concerned. We owe that to them. We represent them, and that is our job, and that is our calling.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
David Kustoff (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-5-15

I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. prgtoken , COVID-19 should never be a political issue. Yet today, have put forward an 1800-page bill filled with a wish list of policies drafted with zero input from House s. prgtoken Now is the time to get serious about helping the American people. We should be returning to Washington to get back to what we were elected to do, not vote on a messaging bill that has absolutely no chance of becoming law. Our country deserves better. prgtoken , this bill was not a sincere effort to address this pandemic. It is why I will be voting against Pelosi's wish list bill.
AUTHORIZING REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY AND PROVIDING FOR OFFICIAL REMOTE COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO A NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2020-5-15

I will bring up three things that are very wrong with proxy voting that I don't think have been brought up today. prgtoken First of all, one of the problems we have in this building is, even though we all represent 700,000 people, there are some Congressmen who are a great deal more powerful than others, and this bill will greatly increase the power of leadership. prgtoken Right now, people run into each other in the halls, talk to each other in the Cloakroom, question parts of the bill, and sometimes question leadership's narrative. This bill says everybody is going to be back at home, which greatly strengthens the power of leadership because people aren't around to question the bill. prgtoken Secondly, it lessens bipartisanship. When we are gone, we do have conference calls with other s, but I find I talk to much more when we are in this building; and by taking people out of this building, you will decrease bipartisanship as you make proxy voting the norm. prgtoken Finally, you are penalizing the press. We should all be available to the press after these votes so they get a variety of perspectives. We are going to work our way down to the point where it is the and a few other around, and the press are not going to be able to talk to us all. It is an insult to the press.
AUTHORIZING REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY AND PROVIDING FOR OFFICIAL REMOTE COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO A NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
Mike Bost (Republican, IL) \u2014 2020-5-15

I thank my friend from Oklahoma for yielding to me. prgtoken , the American people are sacrificing on the front lines. It has already been discussed about the truck drivers, the nurses, and all of that. prgtoken I was going to go on to that, but then when I sat on this floor and listened to things that were being said--remember, I come from the State of Illinois where over a long period of time, about 35 years, we have seen small moves that sounded so good at the time, giving all of their power to the --all of their power given away, which is not what our Founding Fathers said. prgtoken , the sponsor of this bill has said on several occasions that he would like to insert this statement into the Record and this article into prgtoken the Record. Well, they do not change the facts of Article I, Section 5 that are so clear, that this is unconstitutional. prgtoken I hope for the sake of the people who I represent or the people who each one of us represent that the Members will stand against this proposed rule, a rule that gives more power to one person instead of the individuals that we have here the way it was originally set up. prgtoken , as I direct my comments toward you and the Chair, I would like to say this: If you believe that I, as a Member, am going to give up by proxy the ability to represent my 720,000 people, it will not happen.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
James Comer (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-5-15

hypocrisy and irresponsibility are alive and well today in this Chamber. prgtoken At the same time Nancy Pelosi is calling for oversight of the $3 trillion we have already spent, she is bringing up a reckless bill to spend $3 trillion more. prgtoken Much of this bill has nothing to do with COVID-19. Instead, this bill is a radical wish list: permanent mail-in voting, amnesty and stimulus checks for illegal immigrants, and more incentives for Americans not to work. prgtoken Across America, citizens are coming together to help their friends and neighbors. For all its faults, Congress did come together in a bipartisan way to pass numerous measures to fight this pandemic. But Pelosi has broken that spirit of cooperation. In choosing to play partisan politics and go at this one alone, she has set a terrible example for a nation in crisis. Instead of pausing the spending to evaluate our needs and engage with President and the Senate, we are here today simply to appease the fringe elements of the ic Party.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-5-15

from Oklahoma for doing a great job today. prgtoken , when I look at the so-called HEROES Act, I don't see legislation honoring heroes. I see an 1,800-page bill that takes 40 hours to read, written with zero bipartisan input. I see socialist fantasies from previously rejected bills. I see a mortgage on our children's future, financed by China, the very foreign adversary responsible for the crisis in the first place. prgtoken This bill was formed outside the collaborative nature of the House of Representatives. It was proposed without going through committee or the amendment process, and no one, including the , knows what is in it. prgtoken Passing a $3 trillion spending bill written behind closed doors in the 's office sets a dangerous precedent that will have generational consequences. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt. This bill shows no bipartisan strategy for economic recovery. We should keep the House in session until we craft real bipartisan legislation that gets our country back up and running.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Ross Spano (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-5-15

I rise in staunch opposition to H.R. 6800, the largest spending package ever considered and crafted without any input from s in Congress. prgtoken COVID-19 is impacting all Americans, and overcoming the crisis requires input from all their representatives. However, the and ic Party are clearly not focused on confronting the pandemic. Instead, they are exploiting the crisis to accomplish political goals rather than protect the American people. prgtoken In this bill, include nearly a trillion dollars to bail out blue States and cities for years of irresponsible spending. It prevents States from requiring voter ID's and requires same-day voter registration. And nowhere in this 1,800-page bill do they find room for basic pro-life protections included in appropriations bills since Roe v. Wade. This is all on top of potentially freeing murderers and rapists. prgtoken This bill steals money from the many to further the priorities of the few and then seeks to change election laws so they can do it all over again. prgtoken For these reasons, I vehemently oppose the bill.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 965, AUTHORIZING REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY AND PROVIDING FOR OFFICIAL REMOTE COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO A NOVEL CORONAVIRUS...
Tom Cole (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-5-15

. Madam , I include in the Record two articles from distinguished constitutional scholars at the Congressional Institute that do raise questions about the constitutionality of the proposed rules changes. [From congressionalinstitute.org, May 13, 2020] prgtoken The Quorum, the Constitutional Convention, and the Coronavirus: Some Questions The coronavirus pandemic has led some to call on Congress to continue its operations while Members are dispersed throughout the country. H. Res. 965 authorizes the to allow Members to vote by proxy when the Sergeant-at-Arms notifies her that there is a public health emergency due to the coronavirus. Conceivably, this means that a only minority of the Members will be present in the Chamber when conducting business. On the face of it, that would violate Article I, Section 5, of the Constitution, which requires a majority of Members to do business. To get insulate the votes against constitutional challenges, H. Res. 965 stipulates that proxy votes would count towards a quorum. This, however, would still seem to violate the intent of the Framers of the U.S. Constitution. What does the Constitution say about quorums in Congress? Article I, Section 5, of the U.S. Constitution sets forth a requirement that a majority of the Members of either House of Congress must be present for it to conduct business: Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide. prgtoken what did the delegates to the constitutional convention say about the quorum? The current form of the quorum clause was the subject of debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Committee of Detail was a group of delegates entrusted with devising a draft constitution that reflected the delegates' agreements. On August 6, 1787, it reported a draft that said ``a majority of members'' would ``constitute a quorum to do business,'' though ``a smaller number may adjourn from day to day.'' Unlike the Constitution that was ratified, the Committee of Detail did not include a provision allowing for the ``smaller Number'' to ``compel the Attendance of absent Members'' or penalize those who were missing. On August 10, the delegates debated the Committee of Detail's quorum requirement. Two important concerns emerged. If the quorum were too high, it could prevent the majority from being able to transact business. If it were too low--or could
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Jody B. Hice (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-5-15

the Federal Government has a responsibility to help both individuals and businesses through this crisis because, as the government, they shut down the economy. But I do have deep concerns with the way in which we are attempting to go about this. prgtoken We have already spent an unprecedented amount of money, $3.6 trillion, at an unprecedented rate. Now, we have a monstrosity, and we have yet to have a serious discussion as to how we are going to pay for this massive debt. prgtoken In this bill--$3 trillion, 1,800 pages, zero input from the minority, from the Senate or the White House, drafted behind closed doors, and just very little time to review it. prgtoken As ranking member of the Government Operations Subcommittee, I want to focus on the Postal Service. The Postal Service does not need a bailout; they need reform. It needs reform. prgtoken We have 12 consecutive years of losing money in the Postal Service, and it was not caused by this pandemic. It is a deeper pandemic within the Postal Service.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Betty McCollum (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-5-15

Native American communities are facing extraordinary challenges during this pandemic. Like other minority communities, they are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 with devastating loss of life and economic hardship. This pandemic has magnified the health disparities and historic lack of resources that exist within Indian Country. The HEROES Act contains many nonpartisan priorities for Native Americans, reflecting bipartisan work to meet their critical needs. prgtoken I acknowledge my coworker, Mr. Cole, on the floor with me on this endeavor. prgtoken , we are providing $900 million through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to assist Tribal governments to operate essential community services and provide clean water and safe housing. $2.1 billion is for Indian Health Service to purchase additional PPE and provide Tribes more telehealth. The bill includes dollars for transportation, supports education for children, and $20 billion in direct relief to Tribal governments. prgtoken The Federal Government must uphold its trust and treaty obligations to Tribal nations. This bill is critical to ensure the health and safety of our Native American brothers and sisters.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Jason Crow (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-5-15

if we don't act boldly, we will spend the next decade recovering from this crisis, and many families and many communities may never recover. prgtoken My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are right about one thing: This is our vision for America, an America where people can pay their rent and mortgage and buy food for their children; where businesses will reopen and create jobs; where our cities can pay our firefighters, our paramedics, and our teachers next month; and where people can vote without risking their health and their lives. prgtoken America is great because, in times of crisis, we come together to meet the challenge. We do big things. Let us meet this moment. Let's pass this bill.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-15

I rise today in support of H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act. prgtoken This November, the American people will cast their votes to elect a new government. Americans have voted during times of great strife in the past--during the Civil War, in the midst of the Great Depression, in the shadow of World Wars, and in the wake of terrorist attacks. Americans will stand united to vote this November, as well. prgtoken This year, however, we are faced with the unique challenges of a deadly, global viral pandemic which to date has killed more than 80,000 Americans and infected more than one million people in the United States. This emergency has already ground our daily lives and our economy to a halt. While drastic measures put in place have appeared to blunt some of the effects of this pandemic, we nevertheless face the prospect of a resurgence of the coronavirus in the Fall. prgtoken Public health experts agree that we must take steps to mitigate risk of the spread of COVID-19. This includes limiting public exposure to the virus by employing strict social distancing measures. These measures must also apply to the administration of our elections. To answer this challenge, the Heroes Act includes important provisions which I have authored to ensure safe and orderly elections in 2020. It appropriates $3.6 billion to assist state and local election officials to put into place much-needed protections for voters and poll workers. prgtoken This includes expanding no-excuse absentee vote by mail for every voter who wishes it, and providing 15 consecutive days of early in- person voting to ensure all who prefer or require to vote in person can do so without being forced to contend with overcrowded and potentially dangerous polling locations on election day. In the event of an emergency declaration, and including the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill provides that every registered voter will be mailed an absentee ballot with prepaid return postage so that they may vote from the safety of their homes. prgtoken The bill also sets important federal standards to ensure the American people know how, when, and where to vote, how to track their ballot, and it provides an opportunity to cure issues that may arise before their ballot is rejected. prgtoken We don't yet know how conditions related to the coronavirus will impact our elections in November, but we do know that we cannot risk imperiling the lives of countless Americans by being unprepared on election day. The right to vote is an essential element of our democracy and Americans should not have to weigh their rights of citizenship against their own health and safety. prgtoken The Heroes Act, if enacted, will put into place the necessary measures to allow every eligible voter to participate in our elections in a safe and orderly manner. The stakes are too high to fail to act, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK
Doris O. Matsui (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-15

. Madam , this is a special week for the more than 32 million Americans living with potentially life-threatening food allergies. Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 10 through 16, is dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges our food allergy families and friends face each and every day. prgtoken Of course, this year's Food Allergy Awareness Week comes at a critical time. Our country is grappling with its greatest public health threat in over a century. The COVID-19 pandemic has made life even more challenging for most Americans, including our food allergy families. The New York Times recently reported on the lack of safe, healthy, and affordable food choices for allergic families. In addition, CNBC reported that the threat of contracting the corona virus is keeping people away from visiting emergency rooms. In ordinary times, a food allergy reaction sends one person in the U.S. to the emergency room every three minutes. During the pandemic, food allergy families have needed to change the way they prepare for emergency care related to anaphylaxis. prgtoken Individuals and families with food allergies are resilient, and I have long been inspired by their courage to navigate life's challenges. That's why I have been working for the past year with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the world's leading food allergy advocacy organization, to improve the quality of life for the more than 1.5 million Americans allergic to sesame. prgtoken Sesame is a common ingredient and is found in food like bread, cookies, and pizza dough. But many people don't know that it is also found in other items such as candy corn, ice cream, and sushi. prgtoken Sesame's widespread use is why those allergic to it desperately need to know what foods it is found in so they can avoid this ingredient. Unfortunately, that information does not exist. Currently, sesame is often labeled as a ``natural flavor'' or as a ``spice'' on the ingredients label leaving millions of Americans unable to make smart and healthy food decisions to protect themselves or their family members. prgtoken Thankfully, there is hope. Last year, I wrote and introduced the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act, H.R. 2117 that would require sesame be added to the list of allergens that must be labeled. It would join other common allergens like milk, eggs, and peanuts that are already labeled. The FASTER Act is the first meaningful food allergy legislation at the federal level in more than a decade and would change the lives for millions of Americans. The FASTER Act is a bipartisan solution that provides food allergy families with the life-saving information they need. prgtoken I am proud to fight for food allergy families and during this year's Food Allergy Awareness Week, I urge my colleagues to join with me in support of the more than 32 million Americans affected by life- threatening food allergies.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 965, AUTHORIZING REMOTE VOTING BY PROXY AND PROVIDING FOR OFFICIAL REMOTE COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS DURING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO A NOVEL CORONAVIRUS...
Ed Perlmutter (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-5-15

. Madam , it is good to see a Coloradan in the chair. I rise today in support of the rule, the HEROES Act, and H. Res. 965. prgtoken Madam , I want to start by thanking Chairman McGovern for his leadership and his vision through this Congress and especially these last difficult months. prgtoken COVID-19 has affected every corner of our country and the world. The impact of the virus and the blow to our economy is massive, and Congress must act with force and speed. prgtoken While some of my colleagues may argue that we are spending too much money, these packages are a fraction of the losses we have suffered in this country and around the world. I am proud the HEROES Act includes a provision I introduced with Representative Joe Morelle to provide $500 billion for States to help them to respond to the crisis and to avoid harmful cuts to law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, healthcare, and others at a time when we can least afford it. prgtoken The HEROES Act also includes a $375 billion provision from fellow Coloradan Joe Neguse for local, county, and municipal governments so they can maintain critical services. prgtoken Another provision that I worked on is the inclusion of the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act to provide legitimate cannabis businesses that are legal under State laws access to the banking system. The bill passed this body last fall with 321 votes, including 91 s. Cannabis businesses across the country have been deemed as essential during this pandemic, and these businesses and their estimated 243,000 employees deserve equity with other legal businesses. prgtoken The SAFE Banking Act would also address the increased health risk of spreading COVID-19 on banknotes and coins, as well as the increased public safety risk associated with this cash-only industry. At a critical time, SAFE Banking will help protect jobs and encourage lending in our communities. prgtoken Madam , I urge all of my colleagues to support the HEROES Act, and I also encourage them to vote for prgtoken H. Res. 965. We had a spirited debate on this yesterday in the Rules Committee, and the fact is that we cannot let Congress come to a grinding halt, which is what I think some of my colleagues would like to have us do. I believe it is legislative malpractice if we don't allow for remote voting during this pandemic. prgtoken Mr. McGovern has acknowledged this is a first step, and I hope we continue discussions and eventually work on a permanent change to the House rules to ensure Congress operates with speed through future emergencies.
HEALTH AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY OMNIBUS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS ACT
Tom Malinowski (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-5-15

I will vote ``yes'' on the HEROES Act today because it will help the small towns I represent and keep our first responders on the job. I wish that my colleagues would listen to the and ic local leaders who are pleading with us to do that. prgtoken I will vote ``yes'' because it pays for the testing we desperately need to go back to work safely. prgtoken I will vote ``yes'' because it will help every American exercise our right to vote without jeopardizing our right to life. prgtoken I don't expect Senator McConnell to agree with everything in this bill, but the time has come for him to start negotiating and find common ground.