mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIBUTE TO LAURA DOVE
Richard C. Shelby (Republican, AL) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today to recognize and honor Laura Dove as she retires from serving as Secretary for the Majority of the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Laura began her service many years ago as a Senate page. She returned as an assistant in the Senate Cloakroom under Leader Bob Dole. In her more than 20 years of dedicated service, she has worked in various capacities. This includes in the Cloakroom, with the Senate Conference, under leadership, and in her current prgtoken role as Secretary for the Majority. This is quite an honor and an accomplishment, as Secretaries for the Majority and the Minority are elected officers nominated by the party's leader. During her time in the Senate, Laura provided much-needed parliamentary guidance and counsel to Senators. She was no stranger to this type of advice, as her father served as the Senate Parliamentarian for many years. prgtoken Laura has succeeded in every aspect of her service to the U.S. Senate, and I can personally say she will be greatly missed throughout the Upper Chamber. I wish her all the best as she transitions to the next exciting chapter in her life.
RECOGNIZING BUCKS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today to recognize Sergeant Aileen prgtoken Torrente of the Middletown Township Police Department. prgtoken Sergeant Torrente was the first woman in the history of the police department to be promoted from patrol officer to detective in 2014. Recently Aileen was promoted again; this time from detective to her current rank of sergeant. prgtoken Sergeant Torrente's success will set a great example for current and future officers at my hometown township police department in Middletown. Aileen's hard work, determination, and diligence led to her promotion. She is a great role model for our community, and I look forward to seeing more promotions in the future as she works her way up to her dream job of chief of police I wish her well. Recognizing Bensalem Township Council
IMPEACHMENT
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-2-27

I seek recognition today regarding the recent impeachment trial of President . This was a rare moment in our young Nation's history. We had little to guide us other than the Founding Fathers' collective wisdom and sparse precedent. prgtoken The process may seem daunting, and the debate over even the most basic mechanics of the trial could leave the future Members of this body susceptible to deception or misinformation. I therefore want to offer my thoughts for future Senators when this issue inevitably rises again. prgtoken The impeachment trial proceedings are unique. It is an inherently political process analogous to a legal trial. There is a prosecution, represented by the House managers, as well as a defense, representing the President. There is also a presiding judge, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. prgtoken As in a courtroom, the prosecution and defense take opposite sides of the judge as they make their arguments. The burden of proof is on the prosecutors, who must present their evidence, and it is the job of the defense to refute the arguments. prgtoken There is also a jury, the U.S. Senate. Like a courtroom jury, we sit in silence throughout the trial listening to the arguments of both sides and are asked to render a verdict at the conclusion. However, unlike a courtroom but as instructed by the Constitution, we are not jurors subject to peremptory challenge; we are elected officials instructed to offer impartial justice based on the evidence presented to us. prgtoken We are not expected to check our knowledge or our existing relationships at the door. If this were a true trial, all Senators would have to recuse themselves for the inherent bias connected to the election certificate they earned. As Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist Paper 65, ``In many cases, it [impeachment] will connect itself with the pre-existing factions, and will enlist all their animosities, partialities, influence, and interest on one side or on the other.'' Rather, we are asked to follow our conscience, to hear the arguments of both sides with an open mind and deliver a verdict. We also differ from courtroom jurors in that we establish the rules for the proceedings. This is done through organizing resolutions we debate and pass. prgtoken Before considering the merits of this particular case, it is important to discuss the idea of impeachment itself in light of the present context. During President 's hearing, the President's legal team alluded to the idea that a President can do essentially whatever he or she wants, and it will not be considered an impeachable offense as long as that President's interests in doing so align with the interests of the United States. ``If a President does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment,'' said Alan Dershowitz, a member of the President
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2339, REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership on issues of public health, particularly this bill. prgtoken I rise in support of the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. prgtoken I am proud of the long history in the San Francisco Bay Area, which I have been privileged to represent and live in for many years, starting in the 1980s with the amazing work by Stan Glantz, a researcher in San Francisco who discovered the tobacco industry was pathologically lying to the American public and hiding the effects of their products. prgtoken We responded to that by trying to pass laws here in Congress, but we were unable to because of the tobacco lobby. We tried State legislative opportunities but failed to do that. But in local government, we passed hundreds of local ordinances banning secondhand smoke to protect employees and to protect customers. prgtoken At the time, I was a member of the California Restaurant Association and a restaurant owner. Many of my colleagues were part of the same arguments we hear today, that you will put retailers out of business, that this is all legal product. prgtoken We listened to those, and we enacted these laws, and we worked with people who were affected by it. The economic impacts were positive, not negative. Restaurants are more successful than they have ever been in the bay area. We lead the country in many ways. prgtoken When we passed these ordinances, public health people came together with labor and others to make sure that the truth came out. prgtoken In the early 1990s, as the mayor of a city of 130,000 people, Concord, California, I authored one of the first efforts in the Nation to curb secondhand smoke. In fact, it has been illegal to smoke in bars, restaurants, and other public places in California entirely since 1998. prgtoken We worked together then to stop Big Tobacco's hold over millions of addicted Americans, and we won. prgtoken Unfortunately, Big Tobacco has a new partner, the vaping industry. Companies like Juul, unfortunately headquartered in San Francisco, in my view, represent the very worst of the bay area business culture. They don't ask for permission. They apologize prgtoken after they have addicted millions of Americans, particularly young people. They deceptively and illegally marketed their poisonous products to children, much like Big Tobacco did decades ago. prgtoken Our efforts led to an almost 70 percent decrease in the use of tobacco products across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control. prgtoken In 2016 alone, on the other hand, 7 out of 10 U.S. middle and high school students saw e-cigarette ads on TV, in stores, and online. prgtoken With marketing campaigns that make vaping look safe and fun, they use flavors like cotton candy to attract young people to try vaping and get hooked on nicotine. prgtoken But we know better. We have a long history of this. These products are not safe. They are not smoking-cessation d
WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today in opposition to the two bills that the Senate considered this week that would severely restrict women's access to reproductive healthcare. I have always believed that a woman's most personal and difficult medical decisions should be made with her doctor and her family and free from political interference. prgtoken These bills would prevent doctors from providing a full range of reproductive healthcare that meets the needs of their patients. These bills put women's health at risk, which is why they are opposed by groups that represent healthcare professionals, including the American Public Health Association. They would also disproportionately impact women of color, LGBTQ people, those facing intimate partner violence, and those living in rural areas. prgtoken All Americans deserve access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, including the full range of reproductive healthcare. It is for these reasons that I oppose the motions to invoke cloture on these bills.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-27

last night in California, an American was diagnosed with the first reported case of coronavirus unrelated to any travel to an infected area--a sign that coronavirus is here on our shores and we must act swiftly and strongly to contain its spread. prgtoken Despite months of public warnings about the danger of this disease, the President was caught completely flat-footed by the coronavirus. And now, instead of quickly marshaling the resources of the Federal Government to respond to this health crisis, President is intent on blaming everyone and everything instead of solving the problem. Instead of stepping up to the plate, he is belittling the urgency of this problem and telling people: Oh, it's not very much. The experts say the opposite. prgtoken As for blame, the President is blaming the press for stoking concern about the virus; the President is blaming social media for magnifying those legitimate concerns; and the President, typically, is blaming too. prgtoken But who fired the global health security team at the National Security Council and Department of Homeland Security and decided not to replace them? It wasn't the press. It wasn't the . It was President . prgtoken Who cut $35 million from the infectious disease rapid response fund? President . prgtoken Who cut $85 million from the emerging infectious disease account? President . prgtoken Who cut $120 million from public health preparedness and response programs? President . prgtoken And who just proposed cutting 16 percent of CDC's budget--the agency in charge of fighting these kinds of viruses? Not the , not the press--President did that. prgtoken Of course want to work quickly with the President to get a handle on this problem. Lives are at stake, but the President cannot belittle the danger. It is real; it is looming; it is serious. prgtoken To hear the President last night, when most of his speech was not a sober speech calling America to unite and fight this virus--it was mainly name-calling, politics, blaming, and, in fact, belittling the problem and the danger. prgtoken The President must stop trying to minimize the nature of the coronavirus threat. His attempts at spinning the facts are just not credible, and they are harmful to the Federal response. prgtoken In order to prevent overreaction by the public, it is essential that the Federal officials--especially the President and Vice President-- level with the American people. Telling the American people the truth and then coming up with solutions to solve it is the way to calm people down--not simply saying ``Oh, don't worry about it'' and then spending time blaming others. That is not going to calm people down; that is going to make them more worried. prgtoken So let's let the science and the facts guide us. The American people do not need or want uninformed opinions or spin from its leaders. They want the truth. prgtoken
RECOGNIZING THE 28TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KHOJALY MASSACRE
Steve Cohen (Democrat, TN) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , this week marks the 28th anniversary of the massacre of hundreds of people in the town of Khojaly in what was the largest killing of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians in the course of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Khojaly, which is located in the Nagorno- Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, was once home to 7,000 people. Tragically, on February 26, 1992, Armenian armed forces massacred over 600 unarmed people--including 106 women and 83 children--and left less than 2,000 survivors. Hundreds more became disabled due to their injuries. More than one hundred children lost a parent and 25 children lost both parents. At least 8 families were completely killed. Even though a ceasefire went into effect over two decades ago, more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts, remain occupied and more than 1 million Azerbaijanis remain unable to return to their home villages. Ongoing violence along the line of contact surrounding occupied Azerbaijani territory emphasizes the urgency of robust American participation in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group as it works toward a peaceful resolution of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. Azerbaijan has been a strong partner of the United States and its allies. This cooperation has included: playing a leadership role in nonproliferation issues; providing troops to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. forces in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan; allowing transit of non-lethal equipment used by coalition forces through Azerbaijan to Afghanistan; construction of the Southern Gas Corridor from the Caspian Sea to Italy, thereby providing Europe with an alternative to Russian energy sources; and supplying 40 percent of Israel's oil. Azerbaijan also has a thriving Jewish community and has outstanding relations with Israel. As Azerbaijanis throughout the world commemorate the massacre and continue to grieve the loss of loved ones, let us commit ourselves to supporting non-violent efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
ONE YEAR SINCE WE VOTED TO PREVENT UNNECESSARY GUN DEATHS
Lucy McBath (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise on the anniversary of the House passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. prgtoken It is has been 1 year since we stood together in this Chamber, and s, and voted to pass a commonsense bill that will help save lives; 1 year since we voted to prevent unnecessary gun deaths and keep guns away from those who should not have them; 1 year since we acted to protect our children, to protect our communities, and to protect our families. prgtoken One hundred Americans die every single day from gun violence. In 2020, there have already been more gun deaths in the United States than our peer countries will experience in an entire year. That is unconscionable, and it is why 90 percent of our country supports universal background checks. prgtoken Yet, we are told that, instead of changing our laws, we must have more active-shooter drills; more first graders coming home with tears in their eyes, 6-year-olds asked to decide for themselves whether they are more likely to survive by hiding in a closet or if they should rush the gunman; more mother's reading messages from their children locked inside a school that plead: Mom, if I don't make it home, I love you, and I appreciate everything that you have done for me. prgtoken Too often we are told that we must accept these tragedies, but millions of Americans refuse to accept that, and I stand with them. prgtoken Today marks 1 year since we passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. prgtoken Tomorrow marks 1 year since the passage of the Enhanced Background Check Act, which would close the Charleston loophole. prgtoken I introduced a bill that would give loved ones and law enforcement more tools to keep guns away from those who are a danger to themselves or to others, tools that would help people like Mary Miller-Strobel, whose brother, Ben, was a combat veteran suffering from depression and PTSD. prgtoken Mary and her family worried about his mental health, and they drove to every gun store in their area pleading with the store owners not to sell her brother a gun. Ben Miller died by suicide. He used the gun he bought at his local gun store. prgtoken There is injustice in this year without action. I know that sense of injustice. On black Friday in November 2012, my son Jordan was sitting in the back seat of a car at a gas station with his prgtoken friends. A man pulled up next to them and complained about the loud music that they were playing. prgtoken He pulled out a gun and he fired 10 shots into that car hitting Jordan three times, killing my only son. prgtoken I lost my son. But I am still his mother and I am on a mission to help protect the lives of children like him all over America. prgtoken I made a promise to my community that I would act in Washington. prgtoken I promised that I would take that sense of protection, that love a mother has for her only son, and use it for my community, use it for the American people. prgtoken I promise
UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES
Joseph P. Kennedy III (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , a year ago, this House passed the bipartisan H.R. 8 to establish universal background checks to protect our communities from terrifying, paralyzing gun violence. In the 365 days since, Mitch McConnell has done exactly what the gun industry has asked him to do: nothing. prgtoken Meanwhile, a gunman killed five people yesterday in Milwaukee, and two teenagers were killed 5 miles from where we stand over the weekend. prgtoken Meanwhile, millions live with the physical and emotional scars caused by guns. prgtoken Meanwhile, the gun industry is wrapped with immunity that shields their profits and puts more guns on our streets. prgtoken Madam , there is a secret that President and Mr. McConnell are hiding--you are subsidizing this industry: prgtoken Billions in medical costs, covered by your tax dollars; prgtoken Billions in lost wages, covered by your tax dollars; prgtoken Eighty-seven percent of the costs incurred after a bullet pierces a person's skin, covered by you. prgtoken We are propping up an industry that profits off of our pain. prgtoken Enough.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2339, REVERSING THE YOUTH TOBACCO EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2019
Rosa L. DeLauro (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , I rise to support the rule and this comprehensive legislation, which prohibits all flavored tobacco products. prgtoken Madam , I commend Chairman Frank Pallone and Congresswoman Donna Shalala for their leadership. prgtoken The youth vaping epidemic is a public health emergency that threatens our youngsters. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four high schoolers are using e-cigarettes, and not just occasionally. More than a third of users in high school said that they were smoking e-cigarettes at least 20 days a month. prgtoken My granddaughter, who is a high schooler, when I asked her about this, she said it is everywhere, that everyone is smoking e-cigarettes. prgtoken Last year, I hosted a hearing on the youth vaping crisis in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee. As experts have said, the flavors are a key factor in this. Seven out of 10 current youth e-cigarette users said that they used e-cigarettes because ``they come in flavors I like.'' prgtoken Nearly all, or 97 percent, had used a flavored e-cigarette in the past month. Mango, mint, cotton candy, and gummy bears are just some of the 15,000 flavors still available, thanks to the loophole-laden action the administration took in January. prgtoken The President made a promise in the Oval Office to American families to prgtoken ban flavors, which are hooking our youngsters. They are becoming addicted. But special interests appear to be more important. He allowed popular flavors like menthol to remain for products like the popular Juul device. He allowed disposable vapes of all flavors to remain on the market. prgtoken It is unacceptable. The health of our children must be our priority. So, the ic majority of the United States House of Representatives is stepping up for our children by voting for this bill and this rule. We can ban flavors and take comprehensive action to defend our kids. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote for the rule and the bill.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-2-27

our Nation's continued progress and the socioeconomic mobility of our citizens are contingent on the education and skills of the American workforce and its ability to adjust to and fulfill the needs of the 21st-century economy. Career and technical education, CTE, programs are essential to every student's education, providing them access to the important knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to obtain careers in rapidly growing, high-demand industries. Today, approximately 11.8 million students across the Nation are enrolled in CTE programs offered by thousands of career academies, comprehensive high schools, CTE high schools, community colleges, and CTE centers. Through applied learning, these students obtain workplace skills and technical training that mirror in-demand positions in the workforce. prgtoken In the next decade, nearly 3 million skilled workers will be needed to fill infrastructure positions in the United States, including jobs related to designing, building, and operating transportation, housing, telecommunication, and utilities facilities. CTE programs intentionally match skills with workforce demands, lowering the probability of high school dropout and increasing the likelihood of graduating on time. These skills-based training programs will help fill the estimated 30 million U.S. jobs available with an average income annual income of $55,000 that do not require a bachelor's degree yet necessitate some level of postsecondary education. prgtoken Across Virginia, I hear from manufacturers frustrated by the shortage of qualified skilled production employees--roles that require the training and instruction provided by CTE. It is essential that we highlight the important role of CTE in the country's ability to meet the challenges we face in economic development, student achievement, and global competitiveness. In 2018, Congress affirmed the importance of CTE by passing the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act which supports CTE programs in secondary and postsecondary education. prgtoken Today, with my Senate CTE Caucus cochairs Senator Portman, Senator Baldwin, and Senator Young and more than half of my colleagues in the Senate, I am pleased to introduce a bipartisan resolution to designate February as Career and Technical Education, CTE, Month. CTE Month encourages students, parents, counselors, educators, and school leaders to learn more about the diverse educational opportunities offered in their communities and recognize the valuable role of CTE in developing a well-educated and highly skilled workforce in the United States. prgtoken By formally recognizing CTE Month through this resolution, it is our aim to raise greater awareness of the importance of improving access to high-quality CTE for millions of America's students and our Nation's ongoing economic competitiveness.