mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RACISM
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-6-2

let me start by saying to our colleague, the Senator from New Jersey who just spoke on the floor, that we are all thankful for his passion to make sure that this country lives up to its promise and for sharing with this body his personal testimony about racism and the need for all of us to move urgently to address the fundamental inequities at the heart of our society and institutions. I don't think it is an overstatement to say that we are at a pivotal point in our country. It is a moment of reckoning. Historians will carefully examine this moment to see how our country responded to see which path we took, how the Senate responded, how each Senator responded. prgtoken The immediate spark for this moment was the brutal murder of George Floyd by agents of government. In Minneapolis, a police officer aided and abetted by three other officers--we all witnessed the horror of George Floyd gasping ``I can't breathe'' as a White officer kept his knee on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; three other officers participated in the crime. All four need to be brought to justice, but the murder of George Floyd was not an isolated event in the United States of America. It is not the first time a Black man has called out ``I can't breathe'' as he was choked or lynched. We can draw a straight line that runs from slavery to Jim Crow to legal segregation to de facto segregation to institutional racism to the killings of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, as well as the vigilante killings of Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery and others. prgtoken The White police officer who looked at the video as he kept his knee on the neck of George Floyd thought he would get away with his actions because he and so many others had not been held accountable before. He thought he could get away with it, based on his experience. We must change that. As Senator Booker said, we can have our moments of silence, we can have vigils, but that is not enough. It is not nearly enough. This is a moment that demands real action, real change, and real results, starting with changes in police practices and the systemic racism and institutions that have shielded those who engage in misconduct from accountability. prgtoken Those changes must include establishing truly independent oversight mechanisms to ensure that those police officers who betrayed the public trust are held accountable. We must ban outright the use of chokeholds unless the officer's life is in imminent danger, and we must use Federal leverage to incentivize deescalatory practices over escalatory ones. We need national standards backed up by real consequences for those who do not comply, and we must establish a Federal databank that tracks reports of police misconduct--not simply unjustified killings by police, but all forms of misconduct. These and others changes are required to ensure the protection of citizens, c
REMEMBERING PETER M. PINO
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-6-2

it is an honor to recognize the enormously impactful life of Governor Peter M. Pino. The Pueblo of Zia, and New Mexico as a whole, have lost one of our greatest leaders. prgtoken Peter M. Pino devoted his entire life to serving the people of the Pueblo of Zia. For more than four decades, he served the Pueblo of Zia as Governor, War Chief, Tribal council member, Tribal administrator, and treasurer. He was also a traditional spiritual leader and held a lifetime appointment as one of the Pueblo's Keeper of Songs. As a traditional artist, Governor Pino employed techniques passed down to him by his Puebloan ancestors to craft works in rock, tan deer hides, and make moccasins, bows, arrows, digging sticks, rabbit sticks, and bone tools. prgtoken He also played an instrumental role in the Pueblo's ongoing effort to repatriate and protect a treasured part of Zia's heritage and cultural property, its sacred sun symbol. Almost a century after the State of New Mexico appropriated this sacred symbol on its flag, Pino helped lead the Pueblo's actions to seek compensation, public education and engagement, and permission for commercial uses. Thanks to this work, Eastern New Mexico University changed the name of its women's athletic teams, and multiple companies have voluntarily sought permission and advice from the Pueblo on how they will depict the symbol and contributed proceeds from sales to a scholarship fund for Zia youth. prgtoken Governor Pino also used his deep historical and archaeological knowledge to serve on boards and committees that advised the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Mesa Verde National Park, and the Native American Rights Fund. Governor Pino also served as vice chair of the New Mexico Office of Indian Affairs and was the first Native American to serve on the New Mexico Game and Fish Commission. prgtoken On a personal note, Governor Pino was one of my first mentors in public service in New Mexico and dear friend. He shared traditional knowledge and perspectives with me that helped form the foundation of my respect for Tribal governments, religions, and culture. I am heartbroken that I did not spend more time learning directly from Governor Pino because his generosity knew no bounds. I was, however, fortunate enough to attend a number of feast days at the Pueblo of Zia and left the Pino home with a tighter belt and great appreciation for the delicious and healthy traditional food that Peter and his wife Stella embraced. prgtoken When I began advocating for land conservation in New Mexico, Governor Pino showed me how important sacred sites and cultural landscapes are to the Tribal nations in our State. He was also an example of statesmanship to whom I will always look. In fact, I was able to travel to Washington, DC, with Governor Pino when I was just a city councilor. Observing how he interacted with my State's congressional delegation was a very formative experience. prgtoken Watch
Protests (Executive Calendar)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-6-2

I come to the floor today to honor a life lost, share in the grief of a family and a Nation in pain, and call for this body to take action to reform a system that has been broken for too long. prgtoken George Floyd should be alive today, but he isn't. He was murdered by police in my State--a death both horrifying and inhumane but not unique. We literally saw his life evaporate before our eyes. The whole country saw it. The whole world saw it. prgtoken We know that our African-American community in Minneapolis and across America has seen this horror before and has experienced injustice for far too long. They have had enough. They are angry and in pain, and they are calling out for justice. prgtoken Senators, we cannot answer with silence. That would make us complicit. We cannot answer with what the President called dominance. That would make us monsters. We cannot answer with using churches as props and Bibles as props and inflaming violence. We must answer with action. That is what makes us lawmakers. prgtoken For 13 years, here in Washington, change has come inch by inch when we should be miles ahead. I pick that time because that is when I first got here. That is when I first started doing work on crack cocaine and sentencing disparity, and I have seen those changes, but it is inch by inch. prgtoken First, there needs to be justice for George Floyd. There needs to be criminal accountability to the fullest extent of the law. Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison, with whom I have worked closely for years, has taken over the investigation and the prosecution of the case. I have full faith in his conviction for justice in this case and beyond. prgtoken Sweeping reform starts with accountability in this individual case, but it doesn't end there. We all know that these officers work within a bigger system, so that is why I called for a full-scale investigation into the patterns and practices of racially discriminatory policing in the Minneapolis Police by the Department of Justice, in addition to ongoing local, State, and Federal investigations. prgtoken Senator Smith and I led a request with 26 Senators asking the Justice Department to conduct what is called a pattern-and-practice investigation. This afternoon, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights announced that they are going to investigate the police department as well. prgtoken The words engraved on the Supreme Court building, ``Equal Justice Under Law,'' we know have never really been true for millions of African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and other minority groups. There is systematic racism at every level of our judicial system, and that calls for systematic change. prgtoken We must take action to end unconstitutional, discriminatory policing across the country. We can start by making sure that policemen's conduct is independently investigated and that we hold officers criminally accountable when they break the law and viola
RACISM
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-6-2

I rise today with difficulty. I admit I am like so many other Americans who are hurting right now and frustrated right now and feeling a torrent of emotions that I wish I could say it was the first time I felt like this. prgtoken I want to begin my remarks in a different way because the names that we are hearing shouted on streets--George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor--are like so many other names of people that we did not know as a Nation. They were not household names. Their names now are mixed into names that we have heard throughout my entire lifetime. But their names--and the way we say them mixed with horror and sadness and tragedy--it does not speak to their beauty, their humanity, the fullness, the texturedness of their lives. I just want to say that Ahmaud Arbery was a man, and he was 25 years old when he was murdered. He went out jogging where he was hunted by two White men who walked free for weeks after killing him. prgtoken This man, this child of God, his loved ones talked to his humanity. They said he was a loving son, a brother, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, and a friend. He was humble. He was kind. He was prgtoken well mannered. He always made sure that he never departed his loved ones without saying ``I love you.'' prgtoken Breonna Taylor, before we knew her name--an extraordinary American, an extraordinary servant--she was a first responder. In a pandemic, like so many of our first responders, she showed a courage and humble heroism. She was 26 years old when she was shot and killed by police, asleep in her home. She was an emergency medical technician in Louisville. prgtoken Her loved ones, too, shared the truth of her spirit. They said Breonna Taylor was full of life. She loved social gatherings with her friends and especially her family. She loved life and all it had to offer. She continued to find ways to better herself and all of the people around her. prgtoken George Floyd, he was a man that was raised in Texas. He was a Houston man. To his friends and loved ones, he was known as Floyd. In high school--I know this--he was an athlete, playing both basketball and football. He played the position I played; he was a tight end. He went on to play basketball at South Florida State College, a pathway I know to college ball. His girlfriend called him ``an angel that was sent to us on Earth.'' His family remembered him as being family oriented, loving, and godly. prgtoken Floyd was a loving father. He was a devoted brother. He was a partner, and he was a friend. He is dead at 46 years old, on May 25, 2020, when he was restrained, pinned by his neck, and killed by law enforcement officers. prgtoken The killings of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, of Ahmaud Arbery are singular in their pain, are singular in their particular details in the anguish and the horror, but this is a terror that is familiar. It is a fear that is baked now, cemented into our culture. prgtoken For so man
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-6-3

I want to honor the service and dedication of one of North Dakota's most dedicated volunteer firefighters. prgtoken Art Stavens of Hatton, ND, became a member of the Hatton Volunteer Fire Department in 1951 and has served ever since. Art turned 95 on May 19 and was honored by his fellow firefighters and community residents with a surprise drive-by parade past his home. It appropriately included several fire trucks. prgtoken His time in the department has included being the fire chief for 6 years and assistant fire chief for another 3 years. When Art stopped responding to fire calls, he could be found standing on the highway directing vehicles to the location of a fire. prgtoken Art still attends firefighter functions such as meetings and conventions, and he remains as dedicated as ever to the role of volunteers who step forward to protect their communities. prgtoken Art Stavens may be the longest serving volunteer firefighter in the United States. On behalf of all North Dakotans, I thank him for his 69 years of service on the Hatton Volunteer Fire Department. I congratulate him on his 95th birthday and wish him many more years of health and happiness.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Joni Ernst (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-6-3

for months, as our Nation has confronted this pandemic together, everyone in America--every single one of us-- has been asked to make serious sacrifices, whether that has meant working overtime in a hospital caring for the afflicted, temporarily closing a family business, euthanizing hogs and cattle, or forgoing important life events like a high school prom or a college graduation. COVID-19 has brought with it very challenging times. prgtoken While we have missed milestones and time together, Americans across the country have stepped up to help slow the spread of this virus and its toll on the lives of our fellow citizens. While we cannot return to life as usual just yet, we are entering a new phase. Step by step, State by State, America is safely reopening. prgtoken In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds has led our State with a steady hand during this critical time. Under Governor Reynolds' thoughtful plan and guidance from public health officials at the local, State, and Federal level, Iowa communities and businesses are starting to safely reopen, and many activities are carefully resuming. Iowans can once again participate in America's great pastime and play golf. Places of worship are opening for services while taking smart precautions. And while they will not be as crowded as they once were, restaurants and bars are taking the first steps in opening again, as well as are places that we all grew up going to in Iowa--our amusement parks, racetracks, outdoor performance venues, movie theaters, and museums--all with important public health guidelines in mind. prgtoken All of this is contingent, of course, upon having smaller groups of people and continuing to practice social distancing--simple precautions that can make a big difference. prgtoken While we all yearn for life to return back to how it was a few months ago, we must be smart about taking the appropriate steps. Certainly, we want to see our elderly relatives, gather with our family and friends once again, and prgtoken return to work and school. But, folks, the pandemic is not over. Let's take this one step at a time and keep in mind that while restrictions are being loosened, they are not eliminated, and there is a good reason for that. prgtoken As this process moves forward, Washington can make this transition more safe and successful. Working in partnership with the administration, State leaders, and the private sector, we can continue to increase testing and ensure those who may be infected are following proper guidelines and getting the care and information they need to limit the spread of the virus. We need to make sure our essential workers and others returning to the workforce have the personal protective equipment--the PPE--necessary to allow America to get back to work while ensuring the safety of our great workers. prgtoken In addition, these frontline essential workers should absolutely be able to keep more of their hard-earned pa
Protests and Business of the Senate (Executive Session)
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-6-3

I want to speak here in just a moment to the issue of internet traffic and how that has been impacted by the coronavirus, how it has impacted our lives during the coronavirus. Before I do that, though, I want to just respond to a few things the ic leader mentioned. prgtoken He again pointed out that the Senate isn't doing work here. It is hard to fathom how he can possibly come to that conclusion. The -run House of Representatives is out of session for the entire month--the entire month of June. They are not even here. The ic House of Representatives isn't even in town. prgtoken The Senate is here doing work, and important work, I might add. He said prgtoken we haven't passed any legislation. Well, the week before the Memorial Day break we passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization, a critical piece of national security and intelligence legislation that all our intelligence experts tell us is critical to fighting the war against terrorists. Pretty important legislation, I would say. prgtoken He pointed out that the agenda for the month of June doesn't include much. Well, that is only if you don't think that the National Defense Authorization Act is not important. Funding the military, authorizing the weapons systems, paying the personnel, the technology, the intelligence, all the things that go into protecting the country seem to me to be pretty important. prgtoken So the National Defense Authorization Act is a piece of legislation that the Senate will process during the upcoming weeks here in the month of June. In fact, that will probably take a good week to move across the floor of the Senate. It typically does. It is something we have to do on an annual basis, but there is nothing more important and more critical to the national security of the United States than the National Defense Authorization Act. prgtoken We will be passing a major parks bill this next week, which will help fund the backlog in a lot of our national parks--something that has been a priority for many here in this Chamber for a long time. In fact, it is a great bipartisan bill. In fact, I think, out of the ic caucus, there are somewhere on the order of 43 of the 47 who are cosponsoring the piece of legislation that will be called up later this week and be on the floor most of next week. prgtoken So it is something that has been around here for a while. It is going to be a major legislative accomplishment. It will be a bipartisan accomplishment when it passes. prgtoken So I would just say that the fact that we aren't doing the things the ic leader wants to do doesn't mean the Senate isn't very busy. The things he wants to do, the things he talks about wanting to do, are things that we are doing. We are dealing with the coronavirus on a daily basis around here. prgtoken I am a member of the Senate Finance Committee. Yesterday, the Sena
THE GULF OF MEXICO
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-6-3

I want to talk for a few minutes today about the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Great American Outdoors Act, and fairness. prgtoken Let me start with the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act--GOMESA, as you know. prgtoken Louisianians started drilling off our coast in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1930s. They were Louisiana people, Louisiana companies. There were some other States represented, as well, but they were primarily Louisiana companies. prgtoken A lot of people laughed at us, said it can't be done: We know you can drill for oil and natural gas and supply the country's energy needs by onshore production, but offshore, man, you are dreaming. prgtoken We did it. Then we did it again and we did it again and we did it again. prgtoken All of a sudden, the Federal Government said: Huh, there is money to be had. And the Federal Government came in and said: Louisiana, you can't do that anymore. We own all the land under the oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. prgtoken Well, predictably, Louisiana disagreed. We went to court. After 30 years of litigation, Louisiana lost. The courts ended up ruling that Louisiana owns the land in the gulf from its coastline out to 3 miles, and the Federal Government owns the rest. And the Federal Government owns the rest. That is a little bit of oversimplification but not much. prgtoken I always thought that was unfair. For example, Texas, our sister State--I love Texas--owns from its coastline 10 miles out. We only own 3 miles out. prgtoken More oil and gas wells were drilled in the Gulf of Mexico. It became one of the major--if not the major--sources of oil and natural gas for energy needs of America up to the point that we were producing and still are producing about $5 billion that goes right into the Treasury of the United States of America. prgtoken In 2006, Congress passed GOMESA. Thank you, Congress, for doing this. GOMESA said that the Federal Government is going to start sharing some of those oil and gas royalties. We are not going to share all of them. We are just going to share the oil and gas royalties from lands under the ocean in the Gulf of Mexico for all future leases after 2006--not past leases, only future leases. Here is the new deal, according to Congress. On all these new leases drilled after 2006, the U.S. Treasury will take 50 percent of oil and gas royalties. The gulf-producing States will take 37.5 percent. By the gulf-producing States, I mean Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama. And 12.5 percent of the oil and gas royalties from these new leases--not old leases, these new leases--will go to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I will come back to the Land and Water Conservation Fund in a moment. prgtoken Keep in mind, I said that under GOMESA, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi share in 37.5 percent of all the oil and gas royalties from the new leases, not the old leases. But the amount tha