mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Telehealth (Executive Session)
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-6-17

it is hard to think of much good that has come out of the 3-month experience with COVID-19, but here is one thing: the number of patients who have seen their doctors remotely through the internet, FaceTime, and all of the other remote technologies we have, including the telephone. We call that telehealth. prgtoken Our Health Committee this morning had a fascinating hearing on telehealth. There was a lot of bipartisan interest from the Senators-- and Senators. The Senator from Minnesota was the ranking member of the committee today at the request of Senator Murray. My sense at the end of the hearing was that there were a number of things we agreed on. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that my opening statement at the hearing today be included in the Record following my remarks. prgtoken My colleague, the Senator from Tennessee who is presiding today, and I both know Tim Adams, who is the CEO of the Saint Thomas hospital system in Middle Tennessee. prgtoken He told me on the phone last week that Saint Thomas employs about 800 physicians in its several hospitals. During the month of February, there were 60,000 visits between physicians and patients in the Saint Thomas system. Only 50 of those 60,000 were by telehealth, were remote. But during the 2 months of March and April, Ascension Saint Thomas conducted more than 30,000 telehealth visits. That is 50 to 30,000-- more than 45 percent of all of the visits between patients and doctors during that time. prgtoken Tim Adams expects that to level off, but there will still be probably 15 to 20 percent of all of Saint Thomas 60,000 visits a month by telehealth. prgtoken I talked to the CEO of the largest hospital in San Francisco a few weeks ago, and he said that during February, about 5 percent of their visits between doctors and patients were telehealth. He said that was a very high percentage for a hospital. But in March, it was more than half, more than 50 percent. prgtoken Think about that for just a moment. There were 884 million visits in 2016 between doctors and patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control. If 15 to 20 to 25 percent of those were suddenly by telehealth instead of in-office visits, that would mean hundreds of millions of visits a year would be by telehealth. It is hard for me to imagine that there has been a bigger change in the delivery of healthcare services in recent history or maybe in our country's history than the sudden shift to telehealth in visits between patients and doctors. prgtoken Telehealth has been around for a long time. Our witnesses testified to that. We had some excellent witnesses. Dr. Rheuban from the University of Virginia; Dr. Kvedar from Harvard, who is prgtoken the new president of the American Telemedicine Association; Dr. Arora, who is the founder of Project ECHO, which is well known across the country; and Dr. Andrea Willis, who is the chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue S
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-6-17

I am very pleased to support the Great American Outdoors Act. This is an effort that is many years in the making, so I am gratified the majority leader has taken this historic step for the future of our natural landscape. prgtoken When the President signs this bill into law, as he has indicated he will do, it will do two incredibly important things. It will finally, after 55 years, fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund at its authorized level. It will also address the deferred maintenance backlog in our national parks and public lands. This will be an historic achievement to preserve America's most treasured places for generations to come, and I could not be more proud to be a part of it. prgtoken As my colleagues know, I have long been a champion of LWCF. LWCF is America's most successful conservation program. It is effective. It is proven. And it costs taxpayers nothing. Over the years, LWCF has supported more than 42,000 outdoor recreation projects. It has benefited every State in the country. In North Carolina, it has helped preserve parks, trails, and outdoor sites from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. After a hard-fought battle by those of us who have long recognized LWCF's centrality to our conservation efforts, last year, Congress permanently authorized the program. prgtoken But there was still one essential piece missing: full funding. In recent years, the program consistently received less than half the amount it was authorized for. I must remind my colleagues that this was essentially theft from the program. It derives its own funding to achieve its $900 million level, yet we have given it far less than that nearly every year it has been in existence. This bill will change that. Going forward, the $900 million that annually flows into the fund will finally be fully dedicated to the good things LWCF provides, from securing access to recreational and hunting lands, to protecting watersheds and preserving habitats for wildlife and endangered species. prgtoken In addition to fully funding LWCF, the Great American Outdoors Act will address the deferred maintenance backlog in our national parks, forests, and fish and wildlife refuges. My home state of North Carolina is blessed with some of the most iconic public lands in the world: Great Smokies National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores, Pisgah National Forest, and Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, just to name a few. Millions visit these special places each year, and they support tens of thousands of jobs. prgtoken Unfortunately, the Federal Government has not been able to provide the resources necessary to maintain these treasures at the level they deserve. For prgtoken example, at the Blue Ridge Parkway, as of 2018, the maintenance backlog was over $500 million, but the parkway receives only $15 to $20 million a year for maintenance work. This bill will help
JUSTICE ACT
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-6-17

on an entirely different matter, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Over the last several months, our country has been shaken by the killings of more Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. The people of this country have called for change. prgtoken The United States of America is not a fundamentally racist country. We are the greatest Nation in world history built on the promise of liberty and justice for all, but our founding promise was stained by the sins of slavery and racial prejudice. Generations of Americans have spent more than a century working to remediate that stain. We fought a Civil War. Black Americans led a movement that won historic Supreme Court wins and landmark Federal legislation. We have squeezed racist lies out of mainstream society and relegated them to a pathetic fringe. prgtoken But the events of the last few weeks have reminded this country that the stain is not totally gone. We have a lot more work to do. While the far left has tried to exploit America's pain and anger to push insane policies like defunding or disbanding all police or nonsense claims like the assertion that enforcing laws is inherently racist, the rest of the country has been busy uniting around some commonsense truths. prgtoken When Black Americans tell us they do not feel safe in their own communities, we need to listen. When American citizens lack faith in our justice system from start to finish, we need to respond. When the equal protection of the laws feel to some Americans like a contingency of demographics and not a universal fact of life, we need to act. That is what this Senate majority is doing today. We are acting. prgtoken Sadly, the junior Senator from South Carolina is no stranger to this subject himself. Senator Scott has led the construction of a strong proposal that will increase transparency, grow accountability, and advance the cause of police reform without lashing out at the lion's share of brave law enforcement officers who serve bravely and well. prgtoken Later today, he will introduce this new legislation, and it will be the very next bill we consider here on the Senate floor. We will be turning to this bill next week. Senator Scott's JUSTICE Act provides solutions that are as sober, as serious, and as significant as this watershed moment demands. prgtoken Faced with the fact that policing is primarily a local and State, rather than a Federal, concern, our colleague has nevertheless found a variety of levers that Congress can pull to advance and incentivize and insist on the changes that we need to see. We need to encourage police departments across America to implement practical reforms like ending choke holds, training their officers to deescalate tense situations, and having prior disciplinary records play a greater role in hiring. His bill does that prgtoken We need to increase accountability so that bad officers are easy to spot and good officers' good na
Nomination of Justin Reed Walker (Executive Session)
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-6-17

reserving the right to object, it is clear to the five or six of us Senators who are in the room right now that there is passion, that it is an important issue, and that there may even be unanimous consent in the hearts and minds, certainly, of the Senators with regard to both the spirit of the resolution and perhaps the letter of the bill, of which I am a cosponsor, that has been introduced by UC by the Senator from Maryland. prgtoken I think it is clear that we all have the same objective here, but I also know there is just a handful of us in the room talking about a very important issue that may seem simple but we know is very complicated. prgtoken We know that the administration has provided both technical and policy views on the bill, and I think with such an important issue that so many of us care deeply about, it deserves a little more discussion and debate than just to come to the floor with a UC. prgtoken I am committed, as a member of the Banking Committee and as a cosponsor, to working with both committees and with the chairs of both committees of jurisdiction over the resolution and the bill to make sure we get it right as opposed to this UC. prgtoken I want to work hard. I know you all do. I think we should work at looking at the comments from the administration, working together as s and who care about this country, care about the people of Hong Kong, and who are concerned about the behavior of China. So I object to adoption of this bill before we have a chance to do exactly that.
The COOL Online Act (Executive Session)
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-6-17

I rise today to encourage all Americans to join the fight to support our Nation and our jobs and stand up against the growing threat of Communist China. I have been saying it for months, but the best way each and every one of us can make a difference is to buy American products whenever possible. It is time we addressed the new Cold War occurring between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and be crystal clear about the negative impacts of continuing to buy Chinese-made products. prgtoken Communist China is stealing American jobs and technology and spying on our citizens. Data collected by Chinese companies is shared with the Communist Government of China, which is focused solely on global domination. Xi, the General Secretary of the China Communist Party, is a dictator and human rights violator who is denying basic rights to the people of Hong Kong, cracking down on dissidents, militarizing the South China Sea, and imprisoning more than 1 million Uighurs in internment camps simply because of their religion. prgtoken The coronavirus pandemic should be the last straw. We can no longer rely on other countries like Communist China for our critical supply chain. Washington politicians have been too concerned with short-term political success and have long ignored the long-term threats to our way of life. prgtoken It is time for action. Now, more than ever, Americans must remember that every time we buy a product made in China, we are putting another dollar into the pockets of the people who steal our technology, deny people their basic human rights, and are propping up dangerous dictators like Maduro in Venezuela. prgtoken I am proud to lead my colleagues in a bipartisan resolution calling on Americans to buy products made in the United States whenever possible. Buying American is not partisan, and I am glad my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are coming together to encourage Americans to take a stand. prgtoken I know it is not always easy, but it is an important step we can all take at home to support American jobs, American producers, and American manufacturers and help build up the U.S. supply chain. prgtoken I am also working with Senator Baldwin to pass our COOL Online Act, which will make sure all goods sold online list their country of origin to create more transparency for American consumers. prgtoken In my State, we take immense pride in products made in Florida. It is a driving force that led to our incredible economic turnaround. A return to this pride in homegrown businesses ensures America remains strong and the undisputed leader in the global economy. We must all do our part to support our Nation and make it clear to Communist China that the United States will not stand for their behavior. prgtoken I am committed to supporting American businesses over Chinese products. I hope my colleagues will join me.
JUSTICE Act (Executive Session)
Ben Sasse (Republican, NE) \u2014 2020-6-17

I want to start by saying thank you to my friend from South Carolina--Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Judiciary Committee spoke, but I mean my desk mate, Senator Scott from South Carolina--not only for his leadership and hard work and the hard work of Jennifer and the rest of that their team. Over the course of the last 2 weeks, they have been working around the clock to lead our six- person working group on this project. prgtoken I want to thank Tim, not just for his leadership, but for his speech 30 minutes ago and for his spirit. That speech is a speech that needs to be watched by every American. prgtoken I sincerely hope that the 100 people in this room will come together and try to get an outcome and not just maintain a political issue as has happened so often around here. I think if we had the process that was the custom in the Senate until a few decades ago of committees happening in the morning and the Senate convening for most of the afternoon--if this room were actually full when Tim Scott delivered his speech, it would be real tough for people to be talking about not voting on the motion to proceed next week and getting on this piece of legislation where we could then debate it and argue about it and fight about technical pieces here and there and figure out how we make it better. We would be on a piece of legislation, and we would be trying to get an outcome. I sincerely hope that is true. I sincerely hope people listen to Tim Scott's speech from today. prgtoken George Floyd's murder, obviously, shocked the nation. It shocked us in two ways. It shocked us, on the one hand, because we saw a man being murdered for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, and we saw three other police officers stand by while he was murdered. But it also shocked us because it reminded us, yet again, that America's struggle for equal justice under the law is far, far from over. prgtoken The American creed is a beautiful thing. The American creed celebrates the dignity, the inherent self-worth, the fact that we believe, as so many of our Founders believed, that people were created Imago Dei--created in the image of God as image bearers. That prgtoken dignity is male and female, Black and White. Every man, woman, and child in this country is created with inherent dignity. They are beautiful, and that creed is beautiful. That proposition that all men are created equal should inspire every generation of Americans. We aren't doing a very good job right now of passing on the glories of that creed to the next generation. It is a beautiful and profound creed, but throughout our history, our failures to live up to that creed have been ugly over and over again. prgtoken George Floyd's murder was horrific for that man and for his family and for everyone in his communities--Minneapolis, Houston, and other places where that man had made a mark. But it was also horrific because it was yet another reminder of all the ways that we fail
JUSTICE Act (Executive Session)
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-6-17

I woke up this morning, Wednesday morning, June 17, 2020, and for so many Americans, this is just another Wednesday morning. You wake up; you get ready for work-- but not in South Carolina. prgtoken In South Carolina, this Wednesday, June 17, is the fifth anniversary of when a racist walked into Mother Emanuel Church, sat through a Bible study for an hour and listened to believers talk about their love of God. At the end of that Bible study, he pulled out a weapon and killed nine people. So for me and so many South Carolinians, this is a hard day. prgtoken I will tell you this: Standing on this floor, remembering the words of one of the victims' son, Daniel Simmons, Jr 5 years ago on a Wednesday, 1 week later--I asked Daniel Simmons, Jr whose father, Daniel Simmons, Sr had been killed in an attempt to start another race war at the home of the Civil War: What should I say to the people who would be watching around the country? prgtoken He said what I could not believe. It was this: Please remind them of Romans 8:28--that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. prgtoken I was standing at those doors on my cell phone. I could not believe the words he was speaking. In an act of true, unconditional love, he inspired me. He encouraged me. He taught me lessons of strength and courage and mercy our Nation needs to remember. prgtoken I came to the floor today to speak about my new bill, the JUSTICE Act, our response to police reform. I was sitting in my office when the Senator from Illinois talked about the ``token'' legislation on this day, the day that we remember Mother Emanuel Church and the nine lost lives and my friend, the pastor of the church, Clementa Pinckney--the first person ever to call me a Senator, the pastor of that church, a pastor of that church said to me ``My Senator,'' in December of 2012--and reflect back on the fact that I have on my phone today the text for Clementa in which I said: Are you OK? He didn't answer because he was already dead. prgtoken To think that on this day, as we try to make sure that fewer people lose confidence in this Nation, to have the Senator from Illinois refer to this process, this bill, this opportunity to restore hope and confidence and trust to the American people, to African Americans, to communities of color--to call this a token process hurts my soul for my country, for our people. prgtoken To think that the concept of anti-lynching that is a part of this legislation would be considered a token piece of legislation because, perhaps, I am African American and the only one on this side of the aisle--I don't know what he meant, but I can tell you that, on this day, to hear those comments, again, hurts the soul. prgtoken To think about how, in the same year, 2015, Walter Scott, in my hometown of North Charleston, running away from the police, was shot five times in the back
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-6-17

in the wake of recent tragic deaths of several African Americans at the hands of the police, our country has reached a turning point. prgtoken Americans of every race, background, and political persuasion are calling for change. Too many Americans feel unsafe right now. Too many Americans live in fear that what happened to George Floyd could happen to their own fathers, sons, and brothers. Too many Americans see in law enforcement officers individuals to be feared rather than trusted. prgtoken Americans are ready for all of that to end. They want reform and increased accountability. They want to make sure that we are holding our law enforcement officers to the highest standards. And they want their fellow Americans to feel confident that what happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others will not happen to their loved ones. prgtoken Members of Congress have been listening. I have been listening. Today, I am proud to rise in support of Senator Scott's policing reform bill, which I am cosponsoring. prgtoken Senator Scott's Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act, or the JUSTICE Act, is the product of a lot of serious work--years of it, in fact. The JUSTICE Act is an extensive bill that addresses various aspects of policing reform. One important section of the bill is the George Floyd and Walter Scott Notification Act, which would correct deficiencies in law enforcement reporting of use-of-force incidents. prgtoken Right now, the FBI National Use-of-Force Data Collection receives data on only about 40 percent of law enforcement officers. That needs to change. The only way we can understand the scope of the problems we are facing is to have full and accurate data. A complete data picture will allow us to pinpoint problems, identify troubled police departments, and develop best practices for use of force and deescalation training. prgtoken There are many, many police departments across our Nation that are doing an exemplary job of policing, that have excellent relationships with the community, and that are already implementing a lot of best practices. But there are also more troubled police departments. prgtoken Police departments that fail to train their officers properly overlook officer misbehavior. We need to identify those police departments and demand their reform. Collecting full and accurate data on use-of-force incidents will help us do that. prgtoken One policing measure that has been found to reduce both officers' use of force and complaints against police officers is body cameras. Body- worn cameras record every officer interaction with the community, which encourages appropriate behavior and helps to create an accurate record of events. These cameras keep both citizens and police officers safer. But implementing the use of these cameras can be costly, as can storing the copious data that accumulates. So the JUSTICE Act will create a new grant p