mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IMPEACHMENT
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-2-3

I have been in the Senate now for two Presidential impeachment trials, and I can tell you that this is never a situation I want to find our country in--not back then and certainly not today--when the odds of bipartisan cooperation, even on responsibilities as solemn as these, are brutally low. prgtoken In spite of this, I called for impeachment proceedings to begin in the House in July of this past year, and I did so because of the gravity of the threats to our democracy that has been outlined in Mueller's report. At the time, I felt, if we did not fully explore those threats, we would fall short of our constitutional duty and set a precedent of congressional indifference to potentially flagrant violations of our Constitution--ones that could jeopardize our core democratic institutions. prgtoken After hearing both sides' presentations and after reviewing every available source of information and testimony, I believe it is painfully clear that the President of the United States has abused his power and obstructed Congress and that he should be removed from office. prgtoken I want to talk about how I reached this conclusion, which I did not do lightly, and take a few minutes to reflect on the consequence of the decision each of us is individually about to make. prgtoken Throughout the trial, the contrast between the presentations by the House managers and the President's defense team could not have been starker or more damning for the President. prgtoken The House managers built an ironclad case that shows the President abused his power and obstructed Congress in ways that present grave, urgent threats to our national security and to the rule of law. Over the course of their arguments, it became undeniably clear: The corruption we have learned so much about in recent months starts at the very top--with the President of the United States. prgtoken President demanded a foreign government to intervene in our elections for his own political gain, and he did so by withholding American taxpayer dollars and by ignoring congressional authority. The President's associates acted with his full knowledge and consent, and he himself pressured Ukraine's leader, knowing how much Ukraine depended on United States support. These actions have already made us less secure as a nation. By delaying vital military aid to Ukraine--a key partner--President has prgtoken emboldened Russia, one of our chief adversaries, and he has undermined our credibility with other allies worldwide. prgtoken Critically, the President has also given every indication he will continue to put his own interests ahead of American interests, including in our upcoming elections, and he has, time and again, refused to recognize Congress's constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch. In addition, information continues to come out that further implicates the President and demonstrates not only his intent to abuse the power of
IMPEACHMENT
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-2-3

I come before this body ith a deep sadness that this institution has failed the Constitution and failed the American people. prgtoken We have reached a low point in our history. We have failed to hold a fair and honest impeachment trial, and we are nearing a vote wherein we will fail to hold the President accountable for his abuse of power and a coverup. Thanks to the Senate's majority, this body is complicit in that coverup in its refusing to call witnesses and obtain documents to get the full truth. How can we turn a blind eye to the truth as we cast one of the most important votes we will ever take? prgtoken Yes, we are approaching a sad day for this body and for this country, but to those across the country who feel profoundly angry and saddened by this miscarriage of justice, my message is this: Do not give up. Do not stop fighting to save our democracy because America is worth the fight. America is worth the fight. prgtoken Make no mistake--try as they might to cover it up, the full truth will come out. And the facts that have already been revealed are damning. prgtoken The President's handpicked Ambassador, Gordon Sondland, testified, ``Everyone was in the loop.'' The more we find out, the more revealing his testimony becomes. prgtoken Not only is the President implicated, so is the Vice President and the Secretary of State and the Attorney General and the President's acting Chief of Staff and his former Energy Secretary and even the White House Counsel, the lead lawyer in this very proceeding. prgtoken This is a pandora's box the Party is fighting to keep shut, but it will not stay shut. The President's misdeeds and his wide circle of accomplices will go down as one of the ugliest episodes in American history. prgtoken Even now, the evidence gathered by the House--that the President abused his office and taxpayer funds for personal gain--is staggering. Ambassador Sondland didn't sugarcoat the truth. ``Was there a quid pro quo? The answer is yes.'' That was his quote. Using official power for personal gain--that is the very essence of abuse of power, and that is precisely what this President did. That is hardly even in dispute. The evidence is overwhelming. prgtoken The President first withheld a coveted meeting until the Ukrainian President would announce investigations into the s and the debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in our 2016 election. The President next withheld congressionally appropriated military aid illegally to try to force the Ukrainian President into making the announcement of the investigations. prgtoken The independent Government Accountability Office confirmed that the President acted illegally. prgtoken The President threatened our national security, the security of an ally, and the integrity of our next Presidential election. How much more could be at stake? prgtoken Ukrainian officials began asking about the aid only
IMPEACHMENT
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-2-3

I come to the floor to join my colleagues speaking about what has transpired over the last several weeks and also to say something that I think is maybe not as obvious as what people realize, and that is that election interference is the issue of our day. It is not because we just spent 11 days talking about it, and what might have happened in the Oval Office about interference in the upcoming 2020 election. It is the issue of our day because we live in an information age, and weaponizing misinformation has become a lethal campaign tool. That is to say that, if you tarnish your opponent enough with misinformation, accuse them of corruption, then you can either score by wounding them fatally--that is, by getting people not to vote for them or by disincentivizing people to vote at all. prgtoken Claiming corruption seems to be a pretty good tool these days to wound anybody, to wound institutions, the free press, legitimate government oversight, but most seriously, it wounds our democracy by sowing doubt into free and fair elections. Once voters believe the election results are corrupt, it is hard for them to have faith in the results, and it is hard to make tough decisions that we need to make as a society to move forward. Voting, in and of itself, does give us confidence as a nation, unless we know there are free and fair elections, we know the public has spoken and the results are legitimate. prgtoken I am personally grateful to my predecessor, Senator Slade Gorton, for how he handled the 2000 election. After a 3-week recount and a margin of less than one half of 1 percent, with control of the Senate, a 50-50 split to be decided, he conceded. Since then--and even at that time-- some States tried to suppress provisional ballots. But Senator Gorton not only believed that provisional ballots were legitimate, but he believed that the election was correctly decided. That must have been a tough moment for him as he saw a shift in public sentiment in the State of Washington, as we have moved more toward a different direction. prgtoken But today we live in a world of disinformation, where distrust can be served up like your own personal cocktail. After consuming and analyzing endless amounts of personal data about you, someone knows exactly what disinformation tactic will work best with you. It is almost like disinformation on steroids. prgtoken Our adversaries, the Russians, are especially sowing these seeds of distrust into our democracy trying to dissuade people from even voting and more seriously trying to divide us as a Nation and tarnish our democracy. I don't know if this is some payback from President Putin, who believes that the United States helped in the demise of the Soviet Union, or if Russia is just trying to undermine American and European trust and free and open democratic systems; or if Russia is trying to divide Europe so it can dominate European energy supplies and exert its influ
HONORING MR. RONALD EDWARDS
Ilhan Omar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , I rise today to mourn the passing of a prominent Civil Rights activist, leader and advocate Ronald Edwards. He truly loved Minneapolis and is deeply appreciated and treasured by the people of Minneapolis. prgtoken Born in Kansas City, Missouri, during the Jim Crow segregation era, Mr. Edwards had early experiences of racial inequality growing up in the south. Mr. Edwards moved to the Twin Cities with his father, who worked on the railroad. Mr. Edwards always fought against racial inequality and injustices not only for the Black community but for everyone. During his lifetime, Mr. Edwards was the longest-serving chair of the Minneapolis Urban League, was prominent leader for the Minneapolis NAACP, led the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, and also sat on numerous civic boards and panels. For the past ten years, Mr. Edwards co-hosted a radio program where he used his platform to hold people in power and in the community accountable. prgtoken Mr. Edwards was deeply dedicated to his family, friends, and community. He fought passionately for the Minneapolis community and used his tight connections within our neighborhoods to help those in need. I ask that we remember the spirit and passion for equality and justice that Ronald Edwards helped shape in the city of Minneapolis.
IMPEACHMENT
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2020-2-3

I rise today to speak on the impeachment trial of President . I know this was not a difficult decision for many of my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but it is one that has weighed heavily on me. Voting whether or not to remove a sitting President is no easy decision, and it shouldn't be, as the consequences for our Nation are severe. prgtoken As a moderate, centrist from West Virginia with one of the most bipartisan voting records in the Senate, I have approached every vote I have cast in this body with an open mind and pride myself in working across the aisle to bring my and ic friends together to do what is best for our country. prgtoken Where I come from, party politics is more often overruled by just plain old common sense, and I have never, in over 35 years of public service, approached an issue with premeditated thoughts that my friends are always wrong and my ic friends are always right. Since the people of West Virginia sent me here in 2010, I have never forgotten the oath I took to defend the Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which I am honored to hold. prgtoken It is by the Constitution that we sit here today as a court for the trial of impeachments. It is the Constitution that gives us what Hamilton called the ``awful discretion'' to remove the President from office. prgtoken At the start of this trial, my colleagues and I took an oath swearing--swearing--to do impartial justice. prgtoken I have taken this oath very seriously throughout this process, and I would like to think my colleagues have done the same, because, as the House managers and our former colleague Senator John Warner from Virginia said: It is not just the President who is on trial here but the Senate itself. prgtoken The Framers of the Constitution chose the Senate for this grave task because, according to Hamilton, they expected Senators to be able to ``preserve, unawed and uninfluenced, the necessary impartiality'' to discharge this awesome responsibility fairly, without flinching. prgtoken The Framers knew this would not be easy, but that is why they gave the job to us, the Senators. They believed the Senate was more likely to be impartial and independent, less influenced by political passion, less likely to betray our oaths, and more certain to vote on facts and evidence. prgtoken This process should be based simply on our love and commitment to our country, not the relationship any of us might have with this President. I have always wanted this President and every President to succeed, no matter what their party affiliation, but I deeply love our country and must do what is best for the Nation. prgtoken The Constitution refers to impeachment ``trials'' and says the Senate must ``try'' impeachments. The Framers chose their words carefully. They knew what a trial was and what it meant to try
HONORING N. ERIC WEISS, PH.D. IN CELEBRATION OF HIS RETIREMENT
Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , N. Eric Weiss, Ph.D a specialist in financial economics, retired from the Government and Finance Division ofthe Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress on January 3, 2020. In addition to his 15 years at CRS, Dr. Weiss also worked as an economist and econometrician at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research for 12 years and the Bureau of Economic Analysis for 3 years, for a total of 30 years' service to the American people. CRS and the Congress have lost an exceptionally able and dedicated public servant with his departure. prgtoken A native of Massachusetts, Dr. Weis earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University in economics and government; he earned a master of arts and doctorate of philosophy, both in economics, from Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Weiss began his career teaching microeconomics to MBA and undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and although he left academia for federal service, he returned occasionally to teach at the Institute for Urban Studies at the University of Maryland at College Park and the Department of Finance and Real Estate at the Kogod College of Business at American University. Prior to joining CRS, Dr. Weiss also worked in the private sector, providing data management and programming services to clients such as Fannie Mae and various federal agencies. prgtoken Dr. Weiss joined CRS in September 2005 as a specialist in financial economics, initially with a concentration in small business lending. He retooled his research portfolio as the housing finance crisis of 2008 to 2009 developed, bringing his nationally-recognized expertise to the forefront as CRS supported Congress in responding to a range of housing-related policy issues, including the state of the housing and mortgage markets and the effectiveness of federal policies toward home ownership. During this period, he provided targeted analysis for Members and staff on the activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to provide liquidity in the mortgage market and promote homeownership for underserved groups and locations. In reports and memoranda for, and personal briefings with, Members and staff, he provided insightful analysis and detailed information on the costs, benefits, and risks of the GSEs, along with their impact on the housing and mortgage markets particularly after being placed under conservatorship. prgtoken During this period, Dr. Weiss worked closely with Congress as it drafted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. For legislation and oversight hearings, he briefed Members and staffers on current issues and policy options. Dr. Weiss's published work for CRS demonstrated a detailed understanding of the complex and significant policy issues surrounding these institutions and their operations, winning him
HONORING THE CAREER OF TOM NASSIF UPON HIS RETIREMENT
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor the service of Tom Nassif, as his service as President and CEO of Western Growers comes to an end. prgtoken The career of Tom Nassif has been defined by strong consistent advocacy for growers of produce in the western United States. The national discourse on immigration, trade, and water policy has been distinctly shaped by his work for more than four decades. prgtoken Tom Nassif received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles and his Juris Doctorate from California Western University, School of Law in San Diego, California. prgtoken Nassif has set himself apart by serving in a multitude of prestigious positions. He was a labor attorney for the agricultural industry, and most notably, one of the first attorneys to try a case before the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. In President Ronald Reagan's administration, he was appointed Deputy and Acting Chief of Protocol for the White House. In 1983, he was promoted to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian affairs. After two years, President Reagan appointed him to be his ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. After his term, he moved on to work as chairman of Gulf Interstate Engineering in Houston. Next, he became managing partner of Aequitas International Consulting, an international business and political consulting company. prgtoken In February of 2002, Nassif became President and CEO of Western Growers. In 2013, he utilized his legal skills to help produce an immigration bill that passed in the Senate. Not only that, under his leadership, he assisted with the first time specialty crops received recognition in federal policy, with the passage of Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act as part of an agriculture appropriations bill. He also was a huge contributor for the specialty crop provisions in the Farm Bill. Nassif was named the Western Growers' 2019 Award of Honor in recognition of his unique approach and impact on the produce industry. This is the highest recognition of achievement in the industry. prgtoken Tom Nassif has left his mark by advocating for transparency and quality service. Nassif's affinity for protecting farms has directly resulted in laws and programs that will carry on his legacy in the industry. He has commitment to creating programs to address areas like food safety and technology that are state of the art. prgtoken Now, Nassif serves on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C. and is one of the three national co-chairs for the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the service of Mr. Tom Nassif and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.
IMPEACHMENT
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2020-2-3

the American experiment was a radical one. It imagined equal justice under the law. It imagined equal protection under the law. It imagined a cumbersome system in which tyranny could be avoided by the constant struggle between elected and appointed leaders, and it intentionally sacrificed speed, efficiency, and convenience to avoid the abuse of power. And so it is with unending regret that I see what is happening. prgtoken I grieve for the Senate, an institution both hallowed and flawed, an elite place in the worst sense of the word, and yet still the main place where American problems are to be solved. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, the Senate is the worst legislative body, except for all of the others. prgtoken There are millions of Americans who have formed a basic expectation about how a trial is to function based on hundreds of years of law and based on their common sense. Make no mistake--what the Senate did was an affront to the basic idea of a trial. And for all of the crocodile tears of my colleagues, all of the fake outrage at the accusation, we must call this what it was--it is a coverup. prgtoken I don't know what Mulvaney or Bolton or Pompeo would say. I don't know what the documents would illuminate. And I believe it is normally very dangerous to ascribe motives to fellow Senators when criticizing their vote. But it is impossible for me to escape the conclusion that they don't want to know; that they wanted to get this over with before the Super Bowl, of all things. They are afraid of this house of cards falling all the way down. prgtoken As I look at the side of the Chamber, I know this moment in history has made their particular jobs extraordinarily difficult, requiring uncommon courage. They have to risk the scorn of their voters, their social circle, their colleagues, and their President in order to do the right thing. prgtoken On one level, I knew the likely outcome, but the bitter taste of injustice lingers in my mouth. prgtoken On behalf of everyone who couldn't get away with an unpaid traffic fine, is in jail for stealing groceries so they could eat that night, who can't get a job because of medical debt, I say shame on anyone who places this President or any President above the law. The President is not above the law. No one is above the law. The President is guilty on both counts. prgtoken The Constitution gives extraordinary powers to the President under article II, and that makes sense because without a powerful magistrate, the government can't function. But in granting these powers, the Framers thought carefully about how to constrain them, and they decided that a President could be controlled to greater or lesser degrees by the legislature, by the judiciary, and by the voters. But the Framers couldn't contemplate this level of polarization where, even in the face of the overwhelming evidence of high crimes, one party would not just exonerate him for it bu