mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CURFEWS AND COMMON SENSE
Tom McClintock (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-12-3

Governor Newsom made a groundbreaking discovery regarding COVID-19 last week. Apparently, it has learned to tell time. Thus, acting under the strictest of scientific standards, he has ordered Californians to run home before 10 p.m lock their doors, and hide from this insidious virus until daybreak. prgtoken Unfortunately, COVID doesn't seem to be following the curfew, so Newsom is now threatening yet another hard lockdown of virtually the entire State throughout the Christmas season. Don we now our plague apparel. prgtoken There is just one nagging question the Governor hasn't bothered to answer. If these lockdowns are so successful, why do we need to keep having them? prgtoken Now, we are told not to worry. We are cheerfully assured that the jobs that are being destroyed are nonessential. That is their term, nonessential. prgtoken Well, I have news for these self-absorbed elitists. If a job is putting food on your table and a roof over your head that job is essential for you and the family that depends upon you. prgtoken Last spring, I asked Anthony Fauci if he had taken into account the human cost of these lockdowns, the suicides, the drug and alcohol abuse, the domestic violence, the deferred health screenings and treatments, and the poverty related deaths that his policies were setting into motion. No, we really haven't considered that, he breezily replied. prgtoken Don't know, don't care. prgtoken But before Fauci and his followers took a wrecking ball to our Nation, poverty had dropped to its lowest rate since 1959. Unemployment was the lowest in 50 years. The income gap was narrowing. Wages showed their strongest growth in 40 years. prgtoken How many millions of these jobs have now been wantonly destroyed by autocratic officials who seem oblivious to the damage that they are causing? prgtoken Now, according to the CDC's best estimate, those under 50 have a 99.98 percent chance of recovering from COVID, if they get it at all; 99.98 percent. And 40 percent who get it don't even know they have it. prgtoken Even for the most vulnerable group, over 70, the survival rate is 94.6 percent. prgtoken Now, Sweden did not force its businesses to close. Sweden didn't shut down its schools and abandon its children to the streets. Sweden didn't even adopt a mask mandate. prgtoken Sweden did what free societies do; they gave the best advice they could, and they trusted their citizens to use their own good judgment of what measures made sense to them. prgtoken The result? Well, as of this morning, Sweden's mortality rate from COVID is 154 deaths per million below that of the United States. If we had Sweden's rate, that would mean over 50,000 fewer American deaths from COVID. prgtoken Meanwhile, Sweden has sustained a fraction of the economic damage that our lockdown leftists have inflicted on innocent Americans. Globally, the United Nations warns that 130 million people will starve to death around the world because of the ec
TRIBUTE TO MAYOR JOHN PAUL CHRISTENSEN
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-3

we rise to congratulate John Paul Christensen on his lifetime of service to the State of Utah and Sanpete County and most recently his service as mayor of Mayfield, UT. John's service also includes a career in law enforcement, as an emergency medical responder and as a city councilman. prgtoken As a sixth-generation native of Sanpete County, John has dedicated his life to the betterment of his community. By virtue of his stewardship as mayor, the people of Mayfield have John to thank for dramatic improvements to the city's infrastructure, including its culinary water and drainage systems, streets, roadways, cemetery, and Mayfield Park. Mayor Christensen's accomplishments are made possible in large part by the industrious community of volunteers and spirit of friendship that Mayfield boasts. prgtoken The residents of Mayfield know John as a man of great character and compassion. In law enforcement and as an emergency medical responder, the community trusted John with protecting their lives and livelihoods, an often thankless duty that requires mental fortitude and dedication to serving the greater good. His long tenure in public service is evidence of his success. prgtoken Although he is leaving public office, we know that John will continue to serve his community and family with heart. As a devoted husband to Julie, a father of 9, and a grandfather of 19, John's legacy and example will endure. The great people of Mayfield, Sanpete prgtoken County, and our fellow Americans ought to look to John's commitment to public safety, duty, and service with gratitude. prgtoken Thank you, John.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-12-3

I am on the floor today to pay tribute to friends and colleagues who will be leaving the Senate at the start of the new Congress. prgtoken I consider Lamar Alexander, who spoke yesterday, to be a friend and a mentor. He is an institution around here. He is what I would consider an old-school Senator in the best way. He not only takes the time to learn the issues, but he also understands how to explain the importance of the policies that we work on up here to the people back home. By embodying the principles of collegiality and bipartisanship, he has accomplished a lot for the people of Tennessee and all Americans. prgtoken In the Senate, you need 59 other Senators to say ``That is a good idea'' to get anything accomplished. It is critical, then, to get to know your colleagues, learn about how to work with them constructively to get things done. Lamar Alexander is masterful at that. prgtoken We have accomplished a lot under his leadership on a lot of important issues. In the interest of time, I will mention two recent examples where I worked with Lamar and watched him make a difference in the lives of all Americans. prgtoken First, his 21st Century Cures Act, which passed back in 2016, provided needed authorization for investments in the National Institutes of Health and other research institutions to help create new breakthroughs in treatments and cures for cancer, Alzheimer's, and other diseases, as well as advancements in developing medical treatments tailored to each person's individual genome. It was groundbreaking work. prgtoken It probably got less notice, but it also authorized an unprecedented amount of funding in the State opioid response grants to combat opioid epidemics that have hit almost all of our States. Certainly, it has hit Ohio and Tennessee hard. This has served as an absolutely exceptional complement to what is called the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which we passed earlier that year. Without the 21st Century Cures Act, we would not have made the progress we have achieved in the past few years in turning the tide of this deadly disease, and I have seen it firsthand in my State and around the country. prgtoken We also could not have accomplished the landmark Restore Our Parks Act without his help. This bill, now law, will help to rebuild our national park infrastructure by helping to address that backlog of $12 billion now in maintenance projects. Over 100,000 jobs will be created in the next 5 years due to this legislation. prgtoken Lamar didn't care about getting the credit for this historic bill, by the way--probably the most important bill for conserving lands in 50 years. He just wanted to get it done. I saw that as he worked tirelessly in public and behind the scenes to ensure we got it across the finish line. prgtoken Jane and I have cherished our time together with you and Honey, Lamar, and we hope that will continue. prgtoken Here in the Senate, we will miss
REMEMBERING CHAIRMAN BOB SMITH
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2020-12-3

I rise today to commemorate and honor the life and legacy of former Congressman Bob Smith. An Oregon native--born in Portland and raised in Burns--he had a deep understanding of what it meant to be an Oregonian and he knew the needs of the surrounding communities, especially the rural part of our State. prgtoken He went to Willamette University in Salem and received a degree in agriculture. He would go on to put that degree to work on his own ranch. prgtoken In 1960, Bob's career as a public servant began when he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives. He served in the State house until 1972. He was speaker of the Oregon House during the 1969 and 1971 sessions. prgtoken I remember as a 13-year-old youngster going with my father, whom they were recruiting to run for the legislature, down to Salem to see Bob Smith and the speaker of the house. I was about this tall. I looked up, and here was this giant of a man. He was a giant of a man in Oregon politics, but a very kind soul. prgtoken He then served in the State senate from 1973 to 1982. When Oregon got its fifth congressional seat, he ran for that and was elected. He actually ran 31 different times for election and never lost a single one. prgtoken In the State house, Bob passed a number of pieces of legislation. He always stood up for farmers and ranchers in eastern Oregon and for lower taxes. He led the effort in the Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment. In the State senate, he actually helped pass the kicker law, which said when Oregon collects more tax revenue than anticipated, that goes back to the taxpayer. That went into the constitution eventually. prgtoken Bob went on to serve here, as I said, for 14 years, from 1983 to 1995, and then came back to chair the Agriculture Committee when he returned from 1997 to 1999. prgtoken I am joined here on the floor today by a colleague from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), who served with Chairman Smith on the Agriculture Committee. prgtoken , from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas).
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Roy Blunt (Republican, MO) \u2014 2020-12-3

I have 3 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 Armed Services prgtoken The Committee on Armed Services is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at a time to be determined, to conduct a hearing on nomination. 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 Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing on nomination. Committee on Rules and Administration prgtoken The Committee on Rules and Administration is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a closed briefing.
National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-12-3

I was pleased that the Senate unanimously agreed yesterday to proceed to conference on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we pass here every year. It is the bill that authorizes funding for our troops and lays out our defense priorities. prgtoken Like the last two NDAAs, this year's bill focuses on restoring military readiness and ensuring that our Nation is prepared to meet threats posed by major powers like Russia and China. prgtoken In November of 2018, the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission released a report warning that our readiness had eroded to the point that we might struggle to win a war against a major power like Russia or China, and the Commission noted that we would be especially vulnerable if we were ever called on to fight a war on two fronts. prgtoken Over the past 2 years, we have made real progress on restoring military readiness, but we still have more work to do. prgtoken This year's National Defense Authorization Act continues our investment in ensuring that our military is prepared to meet current and future threats in any domain. prgtoken Of course, no matter what weapons or tanks or planes we have, our greatest military resource will always be our men and women in uniform, and this year's NDAA invests in improving the quality of life for our military members and their families. The bill supports a 3-percent pay raise for our troops, and it builds on previous measures to improve military healthcare and housing. It will also provide support for our military families in areas like childcare and professional development for military spouses. prgtoken As I said, this bill is one of the most important measures that we pass every year, and we need to make sure that we pass the final version of this legislation before Christmas. Failing to pass this legislation would send the wrong message to our troops and our allies and to our adversaries. prgtoken While this may not be a perfect bill, it contains a lot of important provisions to rebuild our military and to give our men and women in uniform the tools they need to defend our Nation. We need to pass it as soon as possible.
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2020-12-3

this week I have the honor of recognizing Laura Nowlin of Teton County for her compassion and dedication to her community. prgtoken Since 1986, Laura has devoted her time to working at the Teton County Food Pantry as both a volunteer and a member of the executive board. Over the course of her 33 years at the food pantry, she ensured families in the community had healthy and hearty groceries with no exceptions. Rain or shine, Laura was always there to help the people of Teton County get the nutrition they needed. prgtoken Recently named a board member emeritus of the pantry, Laura will be dearly missed by her colleagues. Her unwavering selflessness was an incredibly valuable asset to both the pantry and her community. prgtoken It is my distinct honor to recognize Laura for her tireless service to the people of Teton County. Her kindness and charitable approach to work serves as an inspiration to all Montanans who serve our communities.
IRAN--AMERICA'S GREATEST THREAT
Bryan Steil (Republican, WI) \u2014 2020-12-3

I rise to address one of the greatest threats to American safety--Iran. prgtoken Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism, and from past actions, we know the regime cannot be trusted. However, over the past 4 years, progress has been made: prgtoken Our maximum pressure campaign and sanctions have reined in Iran's power; prgtoken Normalization agreements between Israel and numerous nations in the region continue to isolate Iran; prgtoken The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan have embraced peace and cooperation. prgtoken At this moment of success, the United States cannot back down. We cannot return to one-sided deals that strengthen Iran. prgtoken There is little doubt that without our efforts, Iran will continue its pursuit for a nuclear weapon and regional dominance. We must maintain pressure on the regime. prgtoken Just last month, the IAEA confirmed what we suspected all along: that the Iranian regime continues to ramp up its nuclear program. In fact, it is accelerating its efforts. This is not the time to appease the Iranian regime. We must stand strong. prgtoken Under the - administration, we saw years of failed foreign policy. We saw years of policy that allowed Iran to continue developing a nuclear weapon, years of policy that sent pallets of cash to Iran, years of policy that neglected our alliance with Israel, and years of policy that allowed Iranian terrorism to thrive across the region. prgtoken After the failed - Iran deal was implemented, Iran continued perpetuating violence, terrorism, and proxy wars across the Middle East. Iran came closer and closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon. prgtoken President has shown there is another way. We do not need to appease terrorist states and turn our backs on Israel. Instead, the administration's strength has helped set the conditions for regional peace. Cooperation between Israel and other Middle Eastern states is continuing to grow. This change of policy has brought hope. prgtoken Peace is possible. But peace does not happen through capitulation, and it will not happen if we go backwards. prgtoken It is clear the U.S. sanctions targeting Iran are working. We need to prgtoken maintain our sanctions against Iran and take decisive steps to prevent evasion. Sanctions have cut off vital resources that Iran's leaders use to enrich themselves and spread terrorism. U.S. financial sanctions make it harder for Iran to fund its ambitions to become a nuclear power. prgtoken Unfortunately, bad actors work hard to get around United States' sanctions. That is why I co-introduced the Preventing Illicit Finance Act. This bill supports our maximum pressure campaign and creates a public-private group to limit the abuse of the financial system by bad actors like Iran. My bill strengthens the United States' ability to enforce financial sanctions against Iran, Russia, and other adversaries. prgtoken Our maximum pressure campaign is working. We
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3884, MARIJUANA OPPORTUNITY REINVESTMENT AND EXPUNGEMENT ACT OF 2019
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2020-12-3

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to respond to my good friend from Arizona. I am not sure she was on the floor earlier when I announced that, finally, Mitch McConnell seems willing to want to negotiate a deal, not only on an omnibus bill, but he seems to be interested in talking about how we can get a COVID relief bill. This notwithstanding the fact that for the last over six months, he has held everything up. We have actually sent two major COVID relief bills over to the Senate. So I am hopeful. I am going to try to be hopeful that, in fact, this is for real. prgtoken I would also say that the focus of this bill is on unfair, unequal, and racist drug laws. I mean, as I said in my opening statement, if people want to know what systemic racism is, look at how our drug laws are enforced in this country. prgtoken If you look like me and you were caught with a small amount of cannabis, you would probably get off with a very, very light sentence, if anything. But if the color of your skin were black or brown, it is a whole different story. prgtoken I mean, our system of drug laws is what systemic racism is in this country. No matter what you think about, you know, States legalizing marijuana or not legalizing marijuana, or whatever, I think we all ought to be committed to making sure there is equal justice under our laws. prgtoken People's lives were ruined because of the color of their skin and how our drug laws were enforced. It is wrong. The time has long since passed for us to do something. That is what this is all about. prgtoken So we will work on the COVID relief bill, and I hope that Mitch McConnell is sincere in what he said to Pelosi. I believe we will come together on an omnibus bill to keep our Government running, but we also need to address issues like this. prgtoken , I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
REMEBERING CHARLES CARROLL SMITH
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-12-3

I would like to take a few moments to say farewell to a friend and a public servant who served my State of Illinois and our Nation well. His name was Charles Carroll Smith, but his friends called him Charlie. He died on the day after Thanksgiving. Our paths crossed often over the years. prgtoken Charlie served as Illinois' deputy secretary of state under then- Secretary of State Alan Dixon. When Alan Dixon was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980, Charlie came to Washington with him. He was a key member of the Dixon staff, serving as both legislative director and senior national security adviser. When Alan Dixon left the Senate, Charlie joined the staff of Kentucky Senator Wendell Ford, then the Senate's ic whip. Charlie was Senator Ford's legislative staff director and a trusted adviser to Senator Ford on matters involving national security and foreign relations. prgtoken He helped craft and pass many important pieces of legislation, including the 1990 law establishing the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission in 1990. He went on to serve as executive director of the 1995 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission-a massive task to try to realign America's military bases with the realities of the post-Cold War world. prgtoken The work of the Base Closure Commission was necessary, complex, and historic, and Charlie's intricate understanding of both the Defense Department and the security needs of America and our allies was critical to the commission's success. Despite the gargantuan task, Charlie was never too busy to listen. I and all of the Members of the Illinois congressional delegation appreciated his willingness to always consider fairly our explanations about the national security importance of the military bases in our State. He never put his thumb on the scale for Illinois, but he made sure that we received a fair hearing. The day the commission announced its recommendations in 2005, Charlie called me to explain in layman's language just what the recommendations meant for Illinois and for America. I have never met anyone with a greater understanding of the workings of the Defense Department and the ability to translate that knowledge into plain English. He was a rare one. prgtoken Charlie came by his political and legislative skills the old- fashioned way. He inherited them. He grew up in an Irish Catholic ic family on the North Side of Chicago. His father was in politics; his mother was a professor. Charlie was the first-born and only son in the family of three children. prgtoken The Smith family took politics and democracy seriously. Charlie and his father were both named Charles Carroll Smith, senior and junior. Family legend has it that they were descended from Charles Carroll, one of the signers of America's Declaration of Independence and a member of the Continental Congress. Whether it was true or not-- prgtoken this was before at-home DNA testing--the