mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DUE PROCESS PROTECTIONS ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-9-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I thank my friend and colleague from North Dakota for his leadership. prgtoken I thank, again, the chairman and ranking member of the full committee and our subcommittee chairpersons and ranking members. prgtoken , let me just say that, as I indicated, it is with an enormous sense of pride and recognition and a breath of fresh air when we talk about the Constitution in this hallowed place, because this House and the other body are grounded in our appreciation and adherence to the Constitution. prgtoken That is what this bill is: due process protections and dealing with the Bill of Rights, and the right to due process that we find in the 14th Amendment and the Fifth Amendment. So I am delighted that the Due Process Protections Act is now recognized, and it is a commonsense, bipartisan measure. prgtoken How much better we will be when all of the judicial districts require exculpatory evidence to be presented, because then you know that you have given all parties their fair chance, and someone who might lose their liberty, you give them a fair chance by putting forward all of the evidence that may be exculpatory. prgtoken So it is narrowly tailored to ensure that Federal prosecutors simply follow the law, as they already should, in every case. prgtoken I strongly urge my colleagues to support this breath of fresh air in the recounting of the Constitution, a document that continues to live in 2020 so that it will become law and order. prgtoken Again, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and .
DON'T BREAK UP THE T-BAND ACT OF 2020
Jerry McNerney (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-9-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I want to thank the minority manager, Mr. Gianforte, for his work this afternoon in managing the floor. prgtoken The T-Band is what our first responders and public safety personnel are used to. They don't want to lose it. And letting them continue in that band saves the taxpayers up to $4 billion. That is why we must pass H.R. 451. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and .
CONFIRMING JULIE FISHER TO BE AMBASSADOR TO REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2020-9-21

. Madam , Ms. Julie Fisher is our nominee to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus. A confirmation vote is scheduled for tomorrow in the committee. Once confirmed, she leaves for her post. Upon arrival, she is to present her credentials to the duly elected President of the Republic of Belarus. prgtoken Today, I am calling upon President and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ensure that these credentials be presented to the duly elected President of the Republic of Belarus, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. prgtoken A republic is a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch or a dictator and who, in modern times, is a president duly elected by the people. Svetlana clearly won the election, and her massive support continues to show itself by the peaceful protests numbering over 100,000 citizens. prgtoken Another option would be for her to present her credentials to the governing council, which will help transition the country to fair and free elections within 6 months. prgtoken Madam , I call upon all of our democratic allies to do the same.
Order Of Procedure (Executive Session)
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-9-21

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, the postcloture time on the Meyers nomination expire at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination. I further ask that if cloture is invoked on the Lucas nomination, the postcloture time expire at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow and the Senate vote on the confirmation of the nomination; finally, that following disposition of the Lucas nomination, the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the Sonderling nomination.
JUSTICE FOR JUVENILES ACT
Kelly Armstrong (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-9-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 5053, the Justice for Juveniles Act. This bill eliminates some of the obstacles for juvenile prisoners seeking relief from our correctional facilities in Federal court. prgtoken Juvenile offenders often lack the knowledge to pursue and exhaust all the complex administrative rules and grievance procedures in our correctional facilities. H.R. 5053 will provide juvenile offenders quicker access to courts when they feel they are being abused or mistreated. prgtoken President has been a leader on criminal justice reform. He signed into law the bipartisan First Step Act in December 2018. The President has also commuted the lengthy prison sentences of several nonviolent offenders and, more recently, pardoned Alice Johnson, who served 22 years of a life sentence for nonviolent drug trafficking. prgtoken This bill is another important step in criminal justice reform. I was honored to be the lead on this bill. It was a pleasure to work with Ms. Scanlon from Pennsylvania, the bill's primary sponsor. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
Remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-9-21

on Friday evening, the Nation learned the sad news that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away. prgtoken From her time as one of the few women in the Ivy League, to being only the second woman ever appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, Justice Ginsburg was and is an inspiration to generations of Americans. prgtoken Throughout her remarkable life, Justice Ginsburg fought to secure equal rights and opportunities for all. She was a champion of women's rights in particular and broke down gender barriers throughout both her personal life and professional career. prgtoken During this difficult and often divisive time, I think there is a lot we can learn from the way Justice Ginsburg interacted with those with whom she disagreed, especially her good friend the late Justice Scalia. If you looked at a diagram outlining the ideologies of these two Justices, these two would be at opposite poles. They shared very little in common in terms of the way they approached the job of being a Supreme Court Justice. prgtoken She was once asked about their close relationship, which stood in contrast to their vastly different views, and she said: ``You can disagree without being disagreeable.'' Well, we have all heard that before, and it is absolutely true--unfortunately, not practiced enough. But I think that sort of approach should be a reminder to all of us about the importance of treating each other with civility and respect, even when the person standing in front of you or on the opposite side of a computer screen has a vastly different world view from our own. prgtoken Our Nation is grateful for Justice Ginsburg's 27 years on the High Court and her incredible contributions to our history. Sandy and I send our condolences to the entire Ginsburg family, as well as the countless colleagues and friends she earned throughout her lifetime. prgtoken As Leader McConnell said this morning, the Senate is preparing to fulfill our constitutional duty of advice and consent. Throughout history, there has been a Supreme Court vacancy 29 times during a Presidential election year, and each time, the President has fulfilled his duty to put forth a nomination. Of those 29 election-year instances, 19 occurred when the President and the Senate majority were of the same political party. All but two of those nominees were confirmed. prgtoken Our friends on the other side of the aisle have tried to compare this to the vacancy in 2016, but the facts were different. At that point, we had a President of one party in his final year in office and a Senate majority of another party. You would literally have to go back to 1880 to find an example of the Senate confirming an opposite party President's Supreme Court nominee during an election year. prgtoken The other difference is that President was not on the ballot in 2016, so it made sense for the American people to weigh in. Do you think we would still be hearing the
Hurricane Laura (Executive Session)
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-9-21

a few weeks ago, on August 27, Louisiana and southeastern Texas were hit by Hurricane Laura. prgtoken I say ``Louisiana'' because if you look at some of the press reports, they say ``Southwest Louisiana,'' but the impact of Hurricane Laura in Louisiana was much greater. prgtoken The storm came onshore in Southwest Louisiana in Cameron Parish. It headed north, then moved northeast, and finished in the northeastern part of our State. prgtoken I have seen the damage from the air and on the ground. I have never seen a hurricane do this kind of damage in any State, much less Louisiana. prgtoken The path of destruction is about 60 miles wide, starting in Southwest Louisiana, running north, bending to the northeast, and it is about 200 miles long. We took it full in the face. prgtoken When you see devastation like this, when you go through something like this, you start to understand that we human beings are a vain lot. We think we can control nature, but nature controls us. prgtoken Our entire electrical system went down. Our water system went down. Our internet went down. Our cable TV went down. It was a category 4 storm with winds of up to 150 miles an hour. prgtoken This storm was unusual in that winds were sustained and did not dissipate as it got further inland. We took it full in the face. prgtoken Now, it doesn't do any good to complain. Louisianans are resilient people. We live by the old Japanese proverb: ``Fall down seven times, stand up eight.'' We are standing back up. prgtoken About 60 percent of our electrical power has been restored. We now have water back. In some cases, there are still some boil orders because the water is not clean. But we are deficient in one area, and that is cable TV and internet, with an emphasis on internet. prgtoken I want you to understand I am not talking here about a mere inconvenience. I am not talking about people missing their favorite television shows. I am talking about kids' education; I am talking about the ability to deliver healthcare; and I am talking about the ability to conduct commerce. None of those things can be done in today's world without the internet. The internet, particularly in Southwest Louisiana, is provided by a company called Suddenlink. (Ms. MURKOWSKI assumed the Chair.) prgtoken Suddenlink is owned--it was purchased by a company called Altice USA. Its CEO is a gentleman whom I have not had the pleasure of meeting, Mr. Dexter Goei, and I am here today to plead with Suddenlink to please get our internet restored. Suddenlink has done such an abysmal job that Suddenlink needs to change its name to Neverlink. prgtoken Suddenlink provides internet service to 150,000 Louisianans. I haven't studied their financials, but let's say at $150 a month, if you include the cable television part, Louisianans pay Suddenlink--soon to be named Neverlink if they don't do a better job--about $23 million a month. prgtoken Now, all of our public utilities have be
TRIBUTE TO BILL BROCK
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-9-21

congratulations to my friend, Bill Brock, who is celebrating his 90th birthday. prgtoken When I think of Bill, I think of a Tennessean who has served our State and our country honorably for over a half century. Bill grew up in Chattanooga and started his lifetime of service in the U.S. Navy. He was then first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1962. Bill served for three terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1971, replacing Senator Albert Gore. After his distinguished tenure in the Senate, Bill went on the serve as U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Secretary of Labor. prgtoken Bill was a force in the Party, both nationally, serving as chairman of the National Committee, and in the State of Tennessee. In fact, he was a pioneer in the transformation of our Tennessee Party; turning Tennessee from a ic stronghold to a two-party State simply would not have happened without Bill. He laid the foundation for a long lineage of Tennesseans that include Howard Baker, Jr Winfield Dunn, Fred Thompson, Bill Frist, Bill Haslam, Bill Lee, and others who have served our State proudly and left legacies of exceptional service to those who elected them. prgtoken It has been a pleasure to know Bill over the years; he has been a champion of the principles that united us as Americans and has a strong record of working with others to get results. I wish my friend the best on the celebration of his 90th birthday and hope that his legacy serves as an example to future Tennesseans seeking to represent our State in public office.
ENSURING DIVERSITY IN COMMUNITY BANKING ACT OF 2019
William R. Timmons IV (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-9-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I thank the gentleman from New York for introducing this bill. He has worked in good faith with Members over the past year to reach a bipartisan solution on this important issue. prgtoken The Financial Services Committee has held several hearings over the past year on the state of minority depository institutions, or MDIs, and community development financial institutions, or CDFIs. prgtoken Both MDIs and CDFIs provide critical services and support to their communities. Unfortunately, the number of these institutions has been declining at an alarming rate. prgtoken Burdensome regulations and a lack of access to capital have caused many of these MDIs to either consolidate or be forced to shut their doors for good. It is simply too hard for these smaller institutions to remain viable in the current environment. prgtoken The bill we are considering today promotes policies and establishes programs to support MDIs and CDFIs and the customers and communities they serve. prgtoken Importantly, the bill seeks to promote engagement in the Department of the Treasury's mentor-protege program to encourage collaboration between MDIs and institutions that act as financial agents for the Federal Government. prgtoken The bill also directs each of the Federal banking regulators to establish MDI advisory councils to ensure MDI voices are heard without weakening or duplicating current efforts. prgtoken The bill also allows banks to be designated as an impact bank. This allows any bank that serves a majority of low-income borrowers to be considered as an option to hold government deposits. This program will bolster the ability of banks to serve their communities. prgtoken Finally, the bill streamlines the application reporting requirements to become and remain a CDFI. prgtoken I appreciate the gentleman from New York for his willingness to work with committee s so that we can bring a strong bipartisan bill to the floor that supports communities in need. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and .
CONGRESS NEEDS MORE COOPERATION
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-9-22

. Madam , the shock of the loss of Justice Ginsburg and the stunning hypocrisy of s who denied Judge Garland even a hearing because a year was not enough time rush to jam through another appointment. prgtoken The devastating national disasters of the Oregon and California fires and 's failure to respond to the COVID health and economic disasters are a stunning backdrop to the work we have before us. prgtoken We have a chance to take steps in this Congress that in normal times would be historic reforms working with you, Madam on legislation to reform our hopelessly outdated marijuana legislation. prgtoken We have a chance to pass legislation that would rescue 500,000 independent restaurants, who are at risk of going out of business if we don't take steps now. And these are bipartisan initiatives. prgtoken Congress ought to do what it can moving forward where it can cooperate. Who knows, it might become habit forming.
REMEMBERING JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2020-9-22

``trailblazer,'' ``icon,'' ``titan,'' ``Notorious RBG''--those are just a few of the words that describe the Honorable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away last Friday. But there is another of Justice Ginsburg's title that I will always hold dear: ``friend.'' prgtoken As a young mother and a baby law student at Rutgers's Law School, I had almost no examples of female lawyers or female law professors. Like so many young women who were trying to do something as seemingly outlandish as going to law school, it was a really lonely undertaking. prgtoken Ruth was one of the few women whom we could see--a woman who had made it, and, even better, a woman who was fighting for other women. prgtoken As I arrived at Rutgers, Ruth had left Rutgers for Columbia Law School. Rutgers was a small family, and all the women and the men knew about her. She was putting together the Women's Rights Project at the ACLU to give her a way to fight for equality in the courts. Her sharp legal mind and stubborn determination were already legendary, and we were sure she would change the world. And she did. prgtoken I am forever grateful for her example to me and to millions of young women who saw her as a role model. I am also forever grateful that she made real change, opening doors that had remained stubbornly closed. prgtoken Justice Ginsburg may have been tiny, but she stands among the greatest fighters for justice our Nation has ever seen. She turned every barrier into an opportunity for change. And when she became the second woman in our Nation's history to sit on the Supreme Court, she continued her fight for justice, blazing a trail for women's rights, laying out the framework for protecting our democracy, and helping to secure justice for the most vulnerable. Ruth Bader Ginsburg changed the world, and I will miss her. prgtoken While I mourn her loss, I also hold close one of the things I loved most about Ruth: She was a fighter. We honor her memory by fighting for the things that Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for during her long career: a woman's right to make decisions about her own body, healthcare for millions of Americans, Dreamers who have made a home here, voting rights, LGBTQ rights, workers' rights, union rights, and making our Nation a place where no one is more likely to be murdered or imprisoned or discriminated against because of the color of their skin, how they worship, or who they love. prgtoken Yes, it is a long list. Ruth defended it all, and now she is gone, and because she is gone, these rights and values are all on the line, vulnerable to being snatched away by another rightwing tilt of the Supreme Court. prgtoken Justice Ginsburg's replacements will determine who the highest Court in the land works for--women and sick kids and workers and immigrants or billionaires and giant companies and rightwing politicians who want to shrink our democracy in order to stay in power. prgtoken Ruth left our N
Supreme Court Nominations (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-9-22

I listened to the statements made by the leadership this morning on the floor of the U.S. Senate. If one has a sense of history and memory, their statements are preposterous. prgtoken The last speaker came before us and said: The are even threatening to end the filibuster in retribution. prgtoken Well, let's stop and think for a moment. Was there a filibuster affecting the Supreme Court nominees? Was there a requirement of 60- vote margins if there is controversy associated with filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court? There was until one Senator from Kentucky, Mr. Mitch McConnell, eliminated the filibuster when it came to the Supreme Court. prgtoken This so-called democratic institution of the filibuster was eliminated when it came to Supreme Court nominees by that same Senator McConnell, who comes to the floor and says that the have reached an outrageous position: They are threatening the future of the filibuster. prgtoken He eliminated it. When there were changes made in the filibuster on other court appointments, Senator Reid was careful not to include the Supreme Court, but Senator McConnell did. Senator McConnell has brought us to this moment. prgtoken Think how different it would be--how different it would be today if the nominee of this President were subject to a prgtoken filibuster. If it took 60 votes, it means the person nominated would have to be moderate in their approach. We don't expect that from this President in filling the vacancy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. prgtoken I also read and reread one simple fact when it came to Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 1993. She cleared the Senate Chamber, at a time when the filibuster rule did apply, with a vote of 96 to 3--96 to 3. prgtoken Understand that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a well-known person when she came before this body for approval to the Supreme Court. She had been an outspoken advocate for women's rights and equality as an attorney and advocate for groups like the American Civil Liberties Union. She had served on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. prgtoken As well known as she was for her political beliefs, she cleared this Senate Chamber with only three dissenting votes--Senator Jesse Helms, Senator Don Nickles, and Senator Bob Smith--three s. What a different time it was. Even though her stripes were clear, she was so well respected as a jurist and a person of integrity that she was approved by the Senate Chamber. prgtoken How far we have fallen. We are in a position now, at this moment, when Senator McConnell, 4 years ago, established a standard. The vacancy of Scalia's seat on the Supreme Court led President to nominate Merrick Garland, a well-respected judge from the DC Circuit. I remember seeing him and meeting with him after he had been proposed by President . It was a sad duty to watch him as he walked the Halls of the Senate. You see, Senator McConnell announced that he didn't want any