mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING RESOURCES TO REOPEN SAFELY
Ross Spano (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-7-1

the overwhelming majority of constituents in my district are eager to get back to work, and I believe it is Congress' duty, our duty, to ensure that our citizens have the necessary resources to reopen in a safe and responsible way. That is why I am proud to have introduced two bills that focus on this very need. prgtoken The SAFE at Work Act would create a tax credit for businesses that allow their employees to work from home. This not only protects employees and employers against the spread of COVID-19 but also encourages employers to create telework opportunities for those most susceptible to the virus. prgtoken I also introduced the KEEP Act, which supports the President's push for a 3-month payroll tax holiday. This initiative would allow millions of Americans to keep more of the money that they already earn, thus providing critical capital to weather this crisis without involving Federal bureaucracy. prgtoken No government program, no matter how generous, can replace a functioning economy. These measures would support hardworking Americans' efforts to get our economy back on track, so I urge their immediate adoption. Highlighting Border Wall Effectiveness
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-7-1

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , although I support this amendment, I want to, again, note my continued disappointment in this overall process. prgtoken More than once, I faulted the majority's one-sided committee markup of H.R. 2, but at least we were given time to consider 165 amendments, although 112 were ultimately rejected and mostly through en bloc. But now the majority wants to further stifle consideration of minority amendments by giving us a scant eight amendments out of nearly 400 that were filed. We weren't even given the courtesy to choose. prgtoken In 2015, if everyone remembers, and for those who weren't here, when the House considered the last surface transportation law, the FAST Act, there were more -led amendments--remember, s were in the majority. There were more -led amendments that were agreed to than there were -led amendments that were made in order for today's debate. prgtoken Of course, the FAST Act was a bill that was developed at that time by both the majority and the minority, which is a stark difference from the majority's bill that we are discussing today. prgtoken In fact, I remember the Big Four agreement. If the chairmen of both the subcommittee and the full committee and the ranking members of both the subcommittee and full committee, if one of us didn't agree on a provision, then it wasn't included. It was as simple as that. prgtoken Today could have been a great day for all of us, and we could be approving a bill that all of us could be proud of. Instead, we are left with a bill and a process that shreds one of the only bipartisan issues left in Congress. It just shreds it to pieces. prgtoken I can answer the gentlewoman who managed the last section of the bill, the financial services section. She said: I don't understand why everybody is so disappointed in this. prgtoken , because it is a failure. An absolute failure is what this bill is. And it is not going anywhere, absolutely not going anywhere. prgtoken , I continue to oppose this partisan process, but I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
CENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN LEGION EARL GRAHAM POST 159
Bill Flores (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Clifford Spiegelman of College Station, Texas, who passed away on 14 May 2020. prgtoken Dr. Spiegelman, known as Cliff to his family and friends, was born on 15 May 1948 in Long Island, New York, to Charlie and Doris Spiegelman. prgtoken In school, he was recognized as an accomplished athlete and won numerous awards for track and other sports. He also excelled in the classroom and pursued a career in academics, receiving his bachelor of science from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1970, his master's degree in managerial economics from Northwestern University in 1973, and his Ph.D. in statistics and applied mathematics from Northwestern University in 1976. prgtoken Cliff started his career with the agency now known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, commonly called NIST. He later became a tenured professor at the Department of Statistics at Texas A&M University. prgtoken Serving on the faculty at Texas A&M for over 30 years, Cliff became renowned in his field and a highly sought-after expert in the application of statistical expertise to forensic science, chemistry, and medicine. In 2019, he was named a distinguished professor of statistics, the university's highest rank for faculty. His contributions to the field of statistics were further recognized in his appointment as a regents professor in 2019. prgtoken Cliff was particularly known for his helpful nature and deep commitment to justice and fairness in the criminal justice system. He was nationally recognized for his research on statistical interpretation of criminal evidence, such as bullet fragment analysis and firearm tool marks. prgtoken He was a fierce advocate of accuracy by investigators to prevent false convictions. He further expanded his advocacy through his work with the Innocence Project, testifying pro bono in evidentiary admissibility hearings and providing research that played critical roles in overturning false convictions of innocent individuals. prgtoken His commitment to justice extended outside of the courtroom as well. He prgtoken served on the Texas Forensic Science Commission as well as the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, where he worked to ensure that the death statistics of the Holocaust and other genocides are reliably reported. prgtoken Dr. Spiegelman leaves a professional legacy that is unmatched in his field. However, his proudest accomplishments were outside of the workplace. prgtoken Cliff married Dr. Katherine Bretzlaff in 1990, a fellow professor at Texas A&M. Together, they raised two daughters, Lindsey and Abigail, who each carry their parents' commitments to academic excellence, strong work ethic, and kindness to those around them. prgtoken In the tributes written by the many individuals and organizations positively impacted by Cliff's work, nearly all spoke of Cliff's pride in his family and his frequent excitement to share
HONORING GEORGIA STATE SENATOR JACK HILL
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise to honor the life of Mr. Benjamin Tarbutton, Jr who passed away prgtoken peacefully on June 9, 2020, at the age of 90. prgtoken A lifelong resident of Sandersville, Georgia, Mr. Tarbutton's ambition started at an earlier age when he earned the honor of Eagle Scout. He even attended the Boy Scout International Jamboree in Paris, France, in 1947. prgtoken Mr. Tarbutton went on to attend Oxford College and graduated from Emory University in 1951 with a BA in economics. Following his studies, Mr. Tarbutton served our Nation in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1955 and was a veteran of the Korean war. prgtoken When he returned home, he began his lifelong career with the Sandersville Railroad Company. Mr. Tarbutton served as a director of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, which is now 127 years old. He dedicated 65 years to the company until the time of his death, serving as president, vice president, and director. prgtoken His strong commitment to the railroad industry stretched beyond Sandersville Railroad Company. Mr. Tarbutton served as the director of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and founder and president of the Georgia Railroad Association. prgtoken While he found great success in business, Mr. Tarbutton is best known for his commitment to his family, his church, and his community and the State of Georgia. prgtoken He will always be remembered for his tireless work to bring new industry and jobs to Sandersville. As part of this work, he served as the director of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce for many years and was honored as Washington County's Citizen of the Year. prgtoken But most importantly, Mr. Tarbutton was a family man. His friends and family remember him as a wonderful storyteller who entertained everyone around him with his colorful tales. prgtoken Our thoughts and prayers are with the Tarbutton family, especially his widow, Nancy, with a debt of gratitude for sharing Mr. Ben with all of us.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-7-1

today the United States, Mexico, and Canada launched a new chapter in our historic partnership with entry into force of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement--USMCA for short. prgtoken Thanks to the decisive leadership of President , the USMCA will open the door for robust economic growth. prgtoken At the same time, regarding his decisive leadership as President, this isn't an issue just now. This is something the President said in 2016; that the NAFTA was the worst trade agreement that we have had, and he was going to get rid of it or revise it. Most Presidents run on a platform. They may not serve on that platform. This President is serving on that platform, and today the USMCA going into force for the first time is absolute proof of this President keeping his promises and getting the job done. prgtoken He also needs to compliment and thank Ambassador Lighthizer, the negotiator on this whole agreement. prgtoken The USMCA brings to bear, then, a trilateral trade agreement that will lift prosperity across North America. The USMCA paves the way for freer markets and fairer trade. It replaces NAFTA and puts America in a better position to expand market access for U.S. workers, farmers, and businesses. prgtoken Specifically, the USMCA modernizes rules of origin for autos, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, intellectual property rules, digital trade, financial services, customs, labor, environment, and more. prgtoken Some of these issues I just mentioned weren't even around 30 years ago when NAFTA was negotiated. Modernizing NAFTA into the 21st century was the right thing to do. prgtoken As we enter into this agreement, the world is navigating uncertain times, as we know. The unprecedented public health crisis has turned the economy upside down. Now, more than ever, our farmers, businesses, and workers need and deserve certainty that they can count on us to turn things around and accelerate economic recovery. prgtoken As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over trade, I will be keeping a close eye on the implementation of this historic trade agreement. I want to ensure that any kinks that come up are ironed out with appropriate flexibility, taking into consideration unforeseen circumstances from the pandemic, such as automakers and others who were shut down or repurposed operations to produce medical equipment, and that is just one example. I also will keep watch to hold accountable all stakeholders and ensure full compliance with the trade agreement. prgtoken Now more than ever, North America must work together to harvest the fruits of the USMCA. That is how we can foster investment, innovation, and job creation for the 478 million people who live in these 3 countries. prgtoken The U.S. International Trade Commission estimated that the USMCA within 5 years would raise U.S. GDP by $68 billion, forecasting 176,000 new jobs in the United States. That is music to the ears for eve
CELEBRATING ARTHUR ETZLER'S 100TH BIRTHDAY
Michael Cloud (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-7-1

born in Lavaca County, Texas, Arthur Etzler is a native of the 27th Congressional District of Texas. July 2, 2020, is his 100th birthday, but that is not the only thing remarkable about Arthur. prgtoken On September 22, 1942, Mr. Etzler pledged his service to the Army's 88th Division, 149th Infantry Regiment, Company H, otherwise known as the Blue Devils, to fight in World War II. prgtoken Arthur's service took him across the world. He defended freedom in Morocco, North Africa, Rome. He completed his tour in Germany, where he shared a brief and joyful reunion with his brother, Hubert. prgtoken Private Etzler's service did not go unnoticed. His courageous fight in the Po River Valley earned him three Bronze Stars. General George C. Marshall once stated that Mr. Etzler's first division ``fought like wildcats.'' prgtoken After his service, Arthur returned stateside to Hallettsville, Texas. There, he found the love of his life, Rosemary, his sweetheart of now nearly 73 years. Together, they built their home in Hallettsville and raised six children. prgtoken Arthur's service to others never ceased. His life is marked with decency and strength. Mr. and Mrs. Etzler remain active members of their church and community, where they are known for their dedication and kindheartedness. prgtoken Arthur has lived a life that reflects the spirit of this Nation, and for that, we thank him. prgtoken Happy birthday, Arthur. God bless.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-7-1

I object; although, I would like to have the opportunity to look at all five of these amendments to see which ones would not be consistent with the negotiation that is taking place right now. prgtoken I would like to make sure that everyone understands that, at this very moment, and s are looking at a lot of amendments, as we have done every year for 60 years, to make sure that we are getting the right amendments in order to make the bill the best we can. prgtoken Now, it will just take a few minutes for me to do this. Until then, I reserve the right to object. If we have a timing problem on this, I will object, but it might be that there is one I would like to consider at this time.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-7-1

over the past few months, we have all watched the power that the digital community has to make someone's passing thought go viral and the power that the digital mob has to make controversial voices completely disappear. prgtoken Well, who is the ``digital mob'' exactly, because right now we are hearing a lot about mob rule. Sometimes it is hard to tell who the mob actually is. Is it the millions of users who swarm social media platforms at the very first hint of a controversy, or is it the professional activists who provoke many of these attacks? They seem to know just when to pitch a thought, a word, or an idea. Could it be the platforms themselves that cave to the pressure and police speech when they don't agree with that speech? prgtoken So let's drill down on this just a little bit. Today I want to focus on the Googles and the Facebooks of the world because, when it comes down to it, they are the ones that are in the driver's seat. They are the ones that end up calling the shots. prgtoken For years, tech companies have waged a very public war against platform users who speak out against the popular narrative, and the executives charged with defending these calls routinely struggle to explain the arbitrary nature of their content-moderation policies. prgtoken Every time moderators remove a post for what is called shocking content or cause a moral panic by placing a warning label on satire, Big Tech asks us to just, oh, write it off: It was a mistake. We really didn't mean to do it. Move on. prgtoken But we haven't moved on because the platforms themselves have provided plenty of evidence to confirm that Big Tech's employees bring their bias to the workplace. Bear in mind, all of these employees who are developing the search models--the algorithms that are prioritizing your search, that are mining your data, that are policing prgtoken your speech--are bringing their bias and their prejudice to the workplace. prgtoken These fears were confirmed back in 2017 when the New York Times reported that a Twitter employee intentionally--intentionally--deleted President 's account, not because of any violation but because the employee had an ax to grind. They did not like President . prgtoken This May, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook set up a multistep approval process for changes to its ``integrity ranking initiative'' due to ``reasonable concerns that overzealous engineers might let their politics influence the platform.'' prgtoken Think about that. Facebook set up a multistep approval process for changes to its integrity ranking initiative due to reasonable concerns that overzealous engineers might let their politics influence the platform. Do you think? Of course they were. Of course they were. The problem: They have been doing it all along and trying to say it is just your imagination when, actually, it is not. prgtoken I don't think anyone anticipated that digital platforms
PROTESTS
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-7-1

I had planned to speak first today about the NDAA. I had planned to discuss our work to ensure American servicemembers can protect our Nation and secure peace for the United States. prgtoken Unfortunately, the inexplicable passivity and weakness of local leaders in our own country has denied some citizens peace and security right here at home. prgtoken Here we are in Congress, equipping our Armed Forces to protect the homeland. Yet some local leaders have apparently felt it would be too politically incorrect to do their jobs and keep the peace. prgtoken It has now been 22 days since radical demonstrators seized control of several blocks of downtown Seattle, drove the police out of a precinct, and declared an autonomous zone, which the mob itself would rule. prgtoken It is worth pausing to consider how the mainstream media and leading might have reacted if tea party protesters in 2009 had forcibly created a breakaway zone within a major city and barred the actual authorities from entering. Somehow I am skeptical the press would have bent over backward to find a sympathetic light. Somehow I doubt these same politicians would have felt compelled to curry favor with the occupiers or flirt with their demands. prgtoken But we are talking about the American left in 2020. So, instead, what we get is a major newspaper lavishing praise--praise--on the ``liberated streets'' and a mayor and local government that have expressly declined to restore order and the equal protection of the law. prgtoken The mob has gotten its way. prgtoken There have been numerous shootings in this lawless place. About a week ago, a 19-year-old was shot and killed. Last weekend, after yet another shooting, a 16-year-old is dead and a 14-year-old was injured. Some reports suggest these two boys were shot by a self-appointed security squad. These are miscellaneous citizens who roam the area with guns drawn after the occupiers drove the real police out. prgtoken We are talking about Seattle, WA, in the United States of America? prgtoken The rule of law cannot fade in and out with the fashions of the radical left. No leaders should have sacrificed small businesses to riots and mobs a few weeks back, and no leader should let threats or leftwing jargon persuade them to tolerate occupations for weeks on end. prgtoken I understand that, just this morning, Seattle's mayor finally-- finally--released a new order that at last empowered police to bring an end to this. So let's hope the rule of law finally--finally--prevails.
USMCA GOES INTO EFFECT TODAY
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-7-1

a day that the farmers of Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District have been looking forward to is finally here. Today marks the day the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, goes into effect. prgtoken Over a year ago, I stood here in the Chamber and said one thing I can tell you about the farmers of the 11th District is that they adapt and hold on to hope that better times are yet to come. With the USMCA now in effect, better times are indeed on the way. prgtoken I am very proud to represent Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District. It is the number one district for agricultural production in Pennsylvania. prgtoken The USMCA is a win for farmers, with a number of provisions included that will give the farmers in my district a level playing field and open new prgtoken markets as well. These reforms were critical for the district, which, by the way, is the number two producer of eggs in the Nation and also a top dairy producer. prgtoken So, again, I would like to thank the President and his administration for their willingness to listen to the farmers in my district and to ensure that USMCA is a win not only for farmers, but for manufacturers and employees in my district as well.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Eric A. "Rick" Crawford (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , this amendment will not kill the bill, but will instead ensure that the ' partisan wish list does not result in a windfall for the Chinese state-owned enterprises. prgtoken This amendment would prevent companies owned or controlled by the Chinese regime or the Chinese Communist Party from participating in any project or receiving any fund authorized by this bill. prgtoken This is particularly important given the hundreds of billions of dollars for programs like power grid transmission and distribution projects and broadband infrastructure investment. prgtoken We can't afford to allow the Chinese Government to take control of our power grid or broadband system, and we all know that allowing Chinese companies to compete for these projects often opens the door to Chinese Government control. prgtoken Time and time again, China has demonstrated its hostility to America's interests and international standards of transparency and accountability, while violating basic human morality. prgtoken China's industrial plan makes their goal clear: Dominate global innovation and manufacturing by any means necessary. China is buying and stealing American technology explicitly to overtake our semiconductor, robotic, and electric vehicle industries. prgtoken Already, China owns a majority of the world's lithium-ion battery production, more than 60 percent. And the Chinese Government is continually investing to increase that capacity. Already, China exports the most lithium-ion batteries and components of any other country, more than 6 times what the United States exports. prgtoken And Chinese Government subsidies are slated to expand their battery production more than 2\1/2\ times by 2026. prgtoken We have seen what happens when Chinese-Government sponsored companies like Huawei gain a foothold with telecom products, we succumb to state- directed domination of a U.S. industry, and we leave ourselves vulnerable to national security threats, espionage, and IP theft. prgtoken Without ensuring that this bill's $1.5 trillion spending spree on electric vehicles and other technologies are manufactured by American companies or countries that play by the rules, we will simply be aiding China in achieving its goals. prgtoken The issue of protecting our critical infrastructure is a goal many of us share. prgtoken In fact, the White House has already taken action to prevent foreign infiltration of our power grid through an executive order on bulk power systems earlier this year, and is working with industry to phase out the use of technology produced in China. prgtoken However, I make this motion not just because of China's economic policies. The Chinese Government is responsible for: government censorship of publications, media, and social media; prgtoken The blatant theft of American intellectual property; prgtoken Refusal to abide by World Trade Organization rules; prgtoken Choosing not to report the coronavirus outbreak for months; and