mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
COMMEMORATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC SEATING OF HIRAM RHODES REVELS AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN UNITED STATES SENATOR
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2020-2-27

as Black History Month comes to a close in our land, I rise this afternoon to draw attention to the fact that the first African-American U.S. Senator in our Republic's history was Hiram Rhodes Revels of my State of Mississippi. prgtoken As a matter of fact, 150 years ago this week, history was made in this very room when Hiram Rhodes Revels took the oath of office and broke the color barrier in the U.S. Senate. There was celebration. There was a congratulation on both sides of the aisle, but it was not unanimous. As a matter of fact, eight Senators objected to the seating of Hiram Revels as a U.S. Senator, simply because he was a Black man. Thank goodness it was only eight and that position did not prevail, and Hiram Revels entered the history books of the United States of America as being our first African-American Senator. prgtoken In a moment, I will ask unanimous consent for the consideration of a resolution commemorating this momentous occasion, some 150 years ago this week. I will not read the entire resolution that I have, but I point out that I prgtoken have a resolution cosponsored on a very bipartisan basis by 71 of my fellow Senators. prgtoken Pointing out a few things about the history of this extraordinary public servant, this giant of American history, Hiram Rhodes Revels was born a free African American in 1827 in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, NC. He was well-educated in a number of States, including North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. Then he entered the ministry, where he served in Maryland and in Missouri and, eventually, of course, coming to the State of Mississippi. prgtoken By 1868, the Reverend Hiram Rhodes Revels was also Alderman Hiram Rhodes Revels in Natchez, MS, and he went on to a career of public service. Then, the legislature, which made those decisions in that time under our U.S. Constitution, chose Reverend Revels to come to Washington, DC, and serve as a Senator. prgtoken He served capably. He was well received and well admired, and he brought a degree of conciliation and togetherness to this Senate that we had not had before. He only served a little over a year. He chose, instead, to return to Mississippi to become a college president, continue in education, and continue in the ministry in Mississippi, having served as president of what is now Alcorn State University and also having served in Holly Springs, MS, in what is now Rust College. He was in the ministry in Aberdeen, MS, at the time of his death and is buried in Holly Springs, MS. prgtoken I very much appreciate the help of and s in getting this resolution right. There have only been 10 African Americans in the history of our Republic to serve in the U.S. Senate. One of them--the first one--was Hiram Rhodes Revels. Three of them are serving today in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken I will acknowledge the help that I received from a number of my colleagues in adding information to t
RECOGNIZING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF NEWMAN FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , I rise to recognize Newman First Christian Church on its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. prgtoken Newman First Christian Church was born in the hearts of a small band of believers in 1870. An early focus of Newman First Christian was to make disciples of Jesus, and so for the first sixteen years the church did not have a regular minister and services were led by lay leaders, evangelists and circuit riders. As the congregation grew in spirit as well as in numbers, it soon outgrew its facilities. A new building was built to the glory of God on the corner of Green and King streets in Newman in 1904 and is used to this day for worship. prgtoken Throughout its history, pastors have generally served for short periods of time, the longest being only four years. Then in 1950, the church called Reverend Wolfe and for thirty-seven years he served as its minister. After his death, the congregation took a step of faith in a new direction and in 1987 Newman First Christian became a ``teaching congregation.'' It was led by faithful men and women, preachers, and ministers until, under the leadership of Perry Albin and Laverne Fraser, the church recruited its current pastor, Justin Smith, in November of 2017. prgtoken The church is serious about loving Jesus, as well as creating opportunities for community involvement, spiritual growth, and outreach. Newman First Christian, for example, continues to provide meals to various local school sports teams and prayer for local school events, sponsor community events, and offer biblical counseling to the congregation and community. This focus on service and outreach has improved the spiritual and physical well-being of countless people in the community. prgtoken Madam , it is with great pleasure I stand to recognize Newman First Christian Church on its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. I wish Pastor Smith, the congregation, as well as the community of Newman, all the best for a bright and joyous future.
BUDGET SCOREKEEPING REPORT
Michael B. Enzi (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise to submit to the Senate the budget scorekeeping report for February 2020. This is my fourth scorekeeping report since I filed the deemed budget resolution for fiscal year 2020 on September 9, 2019, as required by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, BBA19. The report compares current-law levels of spending and revenues with the amounts agreed to in BBA19. In the Senate, this information is used to determine whether budgetary points of order lie against pending legislation. The staff of the Budget Committee and the Congressional Budget Office, CBO, prepared this report pursuant to section 308(b) of the Congressional Budget Act, CBA. The information included in this report is current through February 21, 2020. prgtoken Since I filed the last scorekeeping report on January 15, 2020, only one measure was enacted with significant budgetary effects. On January 29, 2020, the President signed H.R. 5430, the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement--USMCA--Implementation Act, into law. The measure implemented the USMCA and affected both revenue and spending. According to CBO, the USMCA Implementation Act will decrease direct spending outlays by $74 million over 10 years and increase revenues by nearly $3 billion over the same period. Direct spending effects are largely attributable to the act's provisions related to the dairy industry, while revenues are expected to increase due to higher receipts from tariffs on motor vehicles and parts. The USMCA Implementation Act also included $843 million in discretionary appropriations, designated as emergency spending, for Federal agencies to execute the agreement. prgtoken Budget Committee staff prepared tables A-D. prgtoken Table A gives the amount by which each Senate authorizing committee exceeds or falls below its allocations for budget authority and outlays under the fiscal year 2020 deemed budget resolution. This information is used for enforcing committee allocations pursuant to section 302 of the CBA. Legislation enacted since the enactment of BBA19 has resulted in six authorizing committees being in breach of their allocations. The direct spending effects of the USMCA Implementation Act were credited to the Finance Committee, which continues to violate its allocation over all enforceable periods. In total, authorizing committees have breached outlay limitations by more than $29 billion over the 2020 through 2029 period. prgtoken Table B provides the amount by which the Senate Committee on Appropriations is below or exceeds the statutory spending limits. This information is used to determine points of order related to the spending caps found in sections 312 and 314 of the CBA. The table shows that the Appropriations Committee is compliant with spending limits for current the fiscal year. Those limits for regular discretionary spending are $666.5 billion for accounts in the defense category and $621.5 billion for accounts in the
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today to congratulate Professor George Pugh for his distinguished legal career and outstanding tenure as an educator at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University LSU. His dedication to the law, along with his many accomplishments and military career, is exceptionally impressive and displays his commitment to his community and fellow American. prgtoken Pugh was born on Bayou Lafourche in 1925 and in 1942 began his studies at LSU. In the midst of World War II, he volunteered for military service and was deployed to France. After the war, he returned to LSU after three semesters, he enrolled in LSU Law School. He earned his juris doctor in 1950 and went on to Yale Law School to earn his doctorate of juridical science in 1952. Later that year, he joined the LSU Law School faculty as an assistant professor. prgtoken Pugh served 2 years on the Judicial Council as the State's first judicial administrator for the Louisiana Supreme Court. He is known as the ``intellectual father'' of the Louisiana Code of Evidence, as he and his fellow co-reporters confected the Code of Evidence for the Louisiana State Law Institute, using the Federal Rules of Evidence as its model. It would be enacted into state law in 1998 and serve as an invaluable resource for judges, district attorneys, and other legal professionals. In all, he has provided 43 years of instruction to almost three generations of students. prgtoken Pugh also served as a member of the Baton Rouge, LA, and American Bar Associations, chairing several committees. He was a member of the American Law Institute and received several invitations to teach at law schools in America and around the globe. At LSU, he received the ``Hub'' Cotton Faculty Excellence Award and an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Aix-Marseille III in France, was named a Sterling Fellow at Yale Law School, and was listed in ``Who's Who in America.'' Upon retiring in 1994, the Louisiana Law Review dedicated its January publication to Professor Pugh, as he had been its longtime editor and associate editor. prgtoken I cannot congratulate Professor George Pugh without mentioning his late wife of 60 years, Jean Hemphill. Together, they founded the George W. and Jean H. Pugh Institute for Justice in 1998, working to promote justice for individuals in the administration of criminal and civil justice systems in Louisiana and around the world. prgtoken Professor Pugh's compilation of the Louisiana Code of Evidence, distinguished teaching career, and contributions to the legal system of Louisiana show the extent to which he has used his God-given talents to make the world a better place. His incredible legal career and many awards speak volumes to who he is as a Louisianan and an American. prgtoken Professor Pugh, you have made our State and our Nation proud.
HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today to highlight the importance of our Nation's National Heritage Areas. These sites are rich with history, culture, and the marvels of our Nation's natural resources. prgtoken In 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed the first National Heritage Area into law, calling it ``a new kind of national park.'' Today, nearly 40 years later, our Nation touts 55 National Heritage Areas across the country. prgtoken I am proud of the 12 National Heritage Areas in Pennsylvania, more than any other State in the Nation. National Heritage Areas in Pennsylvania span 57 of our 67 counties, and these areas are truly an economic development powerhouse. prgtoken In 2014, tourists spent an estimated $2 billion worth of goods and services during their travels to Pennsylvania's National Heritage Areas. That is $2 billion back into our rural communities. prgtoken One of those areas, the Oil Region National Heritage Area, is in my district. The oil region was established as a Pennsylvania Heritage Area in 1994. Ten years later it became a National Heritage Area. prgtoken Pennsylvania's oil region is rich with history. In 1859, Edwin Drake changed our Nation's energy future forever when he drilled the world's first commercial oil well in Titusville, Pennsylvania, which is in my congressional district, establishing Pennsylvania's oil region as the birthplace of the world's petroleum industry. prgtoken Recently, I had the pleasure of joining the Alliance of National Heritage Areas for their annual Heart & Soul Breakfast, where I was reminded of the positive impact that these areas have on our communities. prgtoken , National Heritage Areas represent one of the finest public public-private partnership models in the country. It is for that reason and their unwavering commitment to preserving our Nation's history that I am so proud to stand beside them as they tirelessly promote our Nation's rich history. prgtoken National Heritage Areas are preserving our Nation's history, not only to celebrate it, but to learn from it and, quite frankly, to create economic development and opportunity utilizing it.
MEASURE PLACED ON THE CALENDAR--S. 3339
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-2-27

most of us think that today's internet is pretty fast. We receive traffic updates basically in realtime, get emails within a second or two, and stream our favorite shows whenever and wherever we want. But as advanced as today's internet is, the next generation of internet 5G will make 4G look like dial-up. prgtoken For instance, 5G mobile broadband technology will deliver speeds up to 100 times faster than what today's technology can deliver. It will be vastly more responsive than 4G technology, and it will be able to connect 100 times--100 times--the number of devices that can be connected with 4G. prgtoken While that will make it even easier to do the things we do today, like check our email or stream our favorite shows, the biggest benefits of 5G will lie in the other technologies it will enable--precision agriculture, medical and surgical innovation, safer vehicles, and much more. prgtoken The technology for 5G is already here, but there is more work to be done to get to nationwide 5G deployment. A key part of getting to that point is developing the workforce that will be required to install and maintain the 5G network. prgtoken Current internet technology relies on cell phone towers, but 5G technology will require not just traditional cell phone towers but small antennas called small cells that can often be attached to existing infrastructure like utility poles or buildings. prgtoken Wireless providers will have to install nearly 800,000 small cells around the Nation to support a nationwide 5G network. Of course, after installation, every one of those small cells will have to be monitored and maintained. That will require a substantial increase in the telecommunications workforce. prgtoken It is estimated that deploying the necessary infrastructure for 5G will create approximately 50,000 new construction jobs each year over the build-out period, and that is just for construction. Right now there simply aren't enough workers with the necessary training to meet the needs of nationwide 5G. prgtoken Industry and community colleges have stepped forward to provide training opportunities, but more work needs to be done if the United States wants to step forward into the 5G future. prgtoken As past chairman of the Commerce Committee and the current chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet, 5G has long been a priority of mine. I have spent a lot of time focused on advancing 5G deployment, especially to rural States like my home State of South Dakota. I was very proud to be in Sioux Falls a few months ago when the city unveiled one of the first 5G networks in the country. prgtoken In 2018, the President signed into law legislation that I developed to increase access to critical spectrum, and I have also introduced legislation to facilitate small cell deployment, especially in rural areas. prgtoken Today, I am introducing legislation to address the other part
Immigration (Executive Session)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-2-27

I come to the floor today to say that we have gotten some good news this week from our Southern border. We are making progress on the wall that President has fought so hard for, and that progress will be further supported by billions of dollars in new appropriations funding to reach the President's goal of 450 miles by 2021. Think about it--450 miles that have been secured. prgtoken What we do know is that as a result of all of these ramped-up security efforts, border apprehensions are down 78 percent from last May's high of over 130,000. We have had falling--falling--numbers every single month for the last 8 months. This is a very good thing. It shows the word is getting out that we are serious about our sovereignty, about securing our border, about ending the access that traffickers-- human traffickers, drug traffickers--have had on that border. That is a good thing. prgtoken This good news is clouded a little bit by the reality that all is still not well. Border Patrol officials estimate that nearly 1 million migrants--I want you to think about that number: nearly 1 million migrants--crossed our border illegally and evaded apprehension in prgtoken fiscal 2019. That is the severity of this problem. Think about it--1 million people, additional people. Think about the size of a population of 1 million people. That is the number that moved into our country. We do not know who they are. We do not know where they have come from. We do not know if they are traffickers. We do not know if they wish us well or their intent for coming into our country. prgtoken While things are trending in the right direction, I think it is fair to say we are not out of the woods yet on this issue of illegal immigration. Until we get this influx of illegal aliens under control and manage the fallout of allowing so many people to come into this country and live illegally, this is what we have. prgtoken Every town is a border town and every State will remain a border State because of the problems they have to face every single day. prgtoken Let me give an example. On December 29, 2018, Knoxville, TN, fire chief D. J. Corcoran and his wife Wendy's lives were changed forever, and their happy, healthy family was brutally transformed into a grieving Angel Family. On that day, an illegal alien in Tennessee struck and killed their 22-year-old son, Pierce Corcoran. It was a head-on car crash. Pierce died that day. A few months later, that illegal alien was deported to Mexico. prgtoken I have to tell you, for me, as I have worked with the Corcorans since this time and shared their grief, this is an unsatisfying end to a tragic series of events that never should have happened because the man responsible for Pierce's death never should have been in Tennessee in the first place. prgtoken That story is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, it is not unique. In 2019, another Tennessean, named Debbie Burgess, was killed in a hit- and-run ac
IN RECOGNITION OF THE 99TH BIRTHDAY OF RUBLE RAY GARDNER
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2020-2-27

. Madam , I ask for the House's attention to recognize Mr. Ruble Ray Gardner who will be turning 99 on March 1, 2020. prgtoken Mr. Gardner was born on March 1, 1921, and served his country in the Army and Air Force. During his service, he was stationed in Africa, Great Britain, the Middle East, Germany, Paris, Alaska, Italy, the North Pole, Arctic Circle and other locations. prgtoken His wife, Ruth ``Boots'' Gardner, joined him in Great Britain. prgtoken During his military career, he received numerous medals including two Silver Stars, one Bronze Star and a Good Conduct award. prgtoken Following his service in the military, Mr. Gardner was employed by the United States Postal Service. prgtoken He was a resident of Childersburg, Alabama and a member of the CornerStone Church of Christ. He currently lives at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City. prgtoken Madam , please join me in recognizing Ruble Ray Gardner and wishing him a very happy 99th birthday.
RECOGNIZING IOWA STAFF
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-2-27

I would like to recognize what my staff in Iowa does because I can't be in Iowa all the time. I am in Washington, DC, for long periods of time. prgtoken This is my 40th year holding Q&A in each of Iowa's 99 counties. My regional staff is also committed to holding meetings across Iowa. My Iowa staff serves as my eyes and ears when I am working in Washington, DC. That is why they host mobile office hours in every county and attended roughly 1,400 meetings across the State last year. prgtoken My regional directors tour hospitals, businesses, and childcare centers. They meet with disaster victims, government officials, and senior citizens. They attend ribbon cuttings, community forums, and legislative discussions. prgtoken Serving Iowans is my top priority. I urge Iowans to contact any of my six offices across the State if I can be of assistance on Federal matters. prgtoken .
Tribute to Laura Dove (Executive Session)
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-2-27

I would like to start this morning by talking about a friend of ours who has chosen to move on and leave the Senate and spend more time with her wonderful family. I certainly understand that because the job she has, which is Secretary for the Majority, is more than a full-time job; it is living, breathing, sleeping this place, and she does a great job at it. prgtoken Her name is Laura Dove. She has been doing this particular job for 7 years. Prior to that, she actually was here on three different occasions, as I understand it, working for the Senate. She grew up with it. Her dad was the Parliamentarian here for 36 years. prgtoken Laura is a consummate professional. I work with her a lot on legislation. She helps me to get things through the process here, which is not always easy, but as significant, she works very closely with her counterpart on the ic side of the aisle and figures out how to get stuff done, how to keep this place operating so that the world's greatest deliberative body, as they call the U.S. Senate, can meet its great potential and expectation. prgtoken So, to Laura Dove, we are going to miss you. As much as we understand why you need some time with your family right now and your great, great kids, we are going to miss you a lot.
MEASURES TO COMBAT ROBOCALLS COMING FROM ABROAD
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-2-27

I rise today to discuss an ongoing issue that has affected nearly every American: the barrage of annoying and deceptive robocalls. prgtoken These seemingly endless automated phone calls disrupt our daily lives; they constitute a serious form of harassment and expose millions of Americans to dangerous financial scams. prgtoken That is why I introduced a bipartisan bill, alongside my colleagues, Representatives Lacy Clay and Dan Bishop, called the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act. Our bill takes on robocalls that originate overseas by directing the FCC to convene an interagency task force to develop effective measures to combat robocalls coming from abroad. prgtoken No matter which side of the aisle we find ourselves on, we should all be able to agree: It is time for these illegal robocalls to be stopped once and for all.