mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
2020 ELECTIONS
Christopher Murphy (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2020-11-10

a candidate in California by the name of Errol Webber lost his race for Congress by 72 points, and yet he is not conceding that he has lost. He says: I'm going to the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office to audit the vote counting procedures. I will NOT concede. Every LEGAL vote needs to be counted! prgtoken Just up the road in Maryland, a candidate by the name of Kim Klacik lost by 40 points, and she is refusing to concede. She retweeted a post from President in which she claimed that the election was stolen, and she wrote: I beat my opponent on day of & in-person early voting, along with absentee. However, 97k mail in ballots were found in his favor? prgtoken My colleagues, there is an epidemic of delusion that is spreading out from the White House and infecting the entire Party in the wake of this election, and it presents a real threat to this country. prgtoken President didn't win the election. Every single one of my colleagues knows this. And he didn't just lose. He lost by a pretty substantial margin. He lost by 4.3 percent of the popular vote, likely around 70 electoral votes when all the counting is done. prgtoken And while the results haven't been certified yet, this isn't the election in 2000. There aren't any hanging chads. We are not arguing about 500 votes here or there. In Michigan, the margin today is 148,000. In Nevada, the margin is 36,000. In Pennsylvania, it is 47,000. In Wisconsin, it is 20,000. In Georgia, it is 12,000. In Arizona, it is 14,000. Thousands and thousands of votes are these margins. prgtoken Hillary Clinton, in 2016, lost by less than the President did in Pennsylvania and Michigan and by about the same amount in Wisconsin, and she conceded the day after the election. Now, this is important, and I think we need to talk about it here because it has real consequences for democracy and for national security. prgtoken Why hasn't the President conceded? Now, it is not because there was voter fraud or because the election was stolen from him. We are a week out, and the President is still desperately searching for evidence of fraud. He won't find it because it doesn't exist. It doesn't exist in Pennsylvania or Michigan or Wisconsin or Georgia. prgtoken The President has empowered the Department of Justice to now go out and launch investigations of voter fraud despite a longstanding precedent for the DOJ to stay out of elections if their actions could be determinative. But the President is so desperate now to fill in his mythology, his narrative, with facts that he doesn't have, that he is sending the DOJ on this massive national fishing expedition. prgtoken He hasn't conceded--not because there is fraud. There hasn't been. He is not conceding because he believes that there is a chance he could remain as President without having won the election, so long as congressional s are w
TRIBUTE TO ANDREA GHEZ, AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-11-10

more, perhaps, than any event in our lifetimes, the COVID-19 pandemic has focused our minds on the life-and- death value of scientific research and discovery. prgtoken As the entire world waits anxiously for safe, effective, affordable vaccines and medical treatments that can protect us against this deadly virus, the recent announcements of the 2020 Nobel Prizes in science gives us reasons for hope. prgtoken While the new Nobel science laureates are not themselves involved in COVID-19 research, collectively, they have found answers to some of the most fundamental questions in science, they have made medical discoveries that have already saved millions of lives worldwide and may one day soon enable us to cure cancer and other deadly diseases. prgtoken There is another reason to be hopeful about the 2020 Nobel science laureates. For only the second time in history, women scientists received two of the three Nobel science prizes, for physics and for chemistry. And for the first time ever, two women won a Nobel science award for research they pioneered on their own, without the help of male colleagues. Their achievements underscore why we need to continue clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. We can't afford to ignore the scientific potential of half of our society. We need all hands on deck. prgtoken Let me tell you about these new Nobel science laureates. prgtoken The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier for their work on CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary advancement in biomedical science that enables scientists to edit and change DNA with high precision. prgtoken Jennifer Doudna is an American biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley, and Emmanuelle Charpentier is a French microchemist and director of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. They are the sixth and seventh women in history to receive the chemistry prize and the first all-women team to receive a Nobel in any science. prgtoken In less than a decade since the pair wrote a paper demonstrating the power of CRISPR-Cas9, the technique has prgtoken transformed how basic science is done. Scientists are using CRISPR to ask fundamental questions about life, such as which genes are essential to a cell's survival. Doctors are testing it as a cure for genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease and hereditary blindness, and plant scientists are using it to create new crops. prgtoken People in my home State of Illinois are especially proud of Andrea Ghez, a 2020 Nobel physics laureate who grew up in Chicago and was encouraged to pursue a career in science by a gifted teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. prgtoken Dr. Ghez, director of the UCLA Galactic Center Group, received the Nobel for her pioneering research on the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. She describes her rese
CLIMATE CHANGE
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2020-11-10

as I begin my remarks, let me thank my friend Senator Lankford for his eloquent comments about our veterans and those who have served and given their lives for us. prgtoken I am here with my trusty and battered ``Time to Wake up'' graphic because, after 4 dark years on climate, there is at last a glimmer of light on the horizon. prgtoken President-Elect has promised to redirect the executive branch to address climate change in the clear light of real science, out of the dark swamp of fossil fuel denial and obstruction, trying--trying-- to head off a climate catastrophe while there is still time, if there is still time. prgtoken There is a lot the executive branch can do. The President can lead diplomatic and international trade initiatives. The environmental regulatory agencies of government can be freed from corrupting influence to do their duty with vigor based on science and the law. Securities regulators can put climate risk to the economy at the forefront, as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has just done. Purchasing decisions can be directed toward a clean energy future. Permitting decisions can be made with the social cost of carbon pollution in mind, as courts have already begun to demand even in the corrupt era. prgtoken On the investigative side, the administration can begin a hard look at the forces of corruption that have blockaded action on climate change: Who did this and how? Did their political spending violate campaign finance, conflict of interest, or other laws? Did their toxic propaganda violate laws against fraud, as the tobacco industry's did? Was their occupation of regulatory agencies a rolling conspiracy to violate the Administrative Procedures Act, and if so, how and for whom was it organized? Has their interference in the judiciary compromised the rights of parties or the integrity of courts? prgtoken American citizens deserve a full and fearless exposition of why Congress has thwarted the public will to do something--anything-- meaningful to address this climate crisis and at whose behest. prgtoken What were the forces of corruption, and how did they accomplish their nefarious purpose? There is a lesson in democracy here for the citizens of this great Republic--a lesson that is now hidden behind phony front groups and subterranean rivers of anonymous money. There is every reason to believe that the biggest covert op in history has been run in and against our own government. That is no way for a ``city on a hill'' to be governed. prgtoken But with all the executive branch policy work and all the investigations that are due and overdue, there is no pathway to climate safety that does not go through Congress. Action by Congress is a necessity, not a luxury. I have seen no study showing any pathway to safety without action by Congress. prgtoken To make that pathway to safety possible, we will have to change a few things. One is, as I said, to investigat
TRIBUTE TO VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-11-12

. Madam , I rise today to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and risked their lives to defend our freedoms and way of life and took and lived the oath to ``support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic'' and bore true faith and allegiance to the same, an obligation they took freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. prgtoken Veterans are truly heroes walking among us. prgtoken I want to thank all of our armed serviceman and women for their selfless dedication to our protection every day. prgtoken Veterans Day is a reminder to all of us who live in freedom that, as President Kennedy said, `The price of freedom is high, but Americans have always paid it.'' prgtoken This Veterans Day is a welcome opportunity to remember that the fallen who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country on battlefields around the world--in places whose names may be unforgettable--or locations that have slipped into the pages of history. prgtoken We will never forget: Revolutionary War--Valley Forge, YorkTown; Civil War--The Battle of Antietam, The Battle of Gettysburg; World War I--The Battle of Argonne, Flanders Field, Verdun; World War II--Pearl Harbor, Battle of Bataan, The Battle of Midway, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Anzio, Battle of Corregidor; Korean War--Inchon, Heart Break Ridge, Pork Chop Hill; Vietnam--Tet Offensive, Battle of Hue; Desert Storm--September 11, 2001, Pentagon Attack (125 killed); Operation Enduring Freedom--Battle of Kandahar; Operation Iraqi Freedom--Second Battle of Fallujah. prgtoken The memory of the fallen are never forgotten. prgtoken Each Veterans Day, Americans come together to remember those who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy. prgtoken The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable. prgtoken Their sacrifices, and those of their families, are freedom's foundation. prgtoken Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and Coast Guardsmen and women and their families, our country would not live so freely. prgtoken I offer my deepest gratitude to our nation's troops and reservists, their families, and the 21.6 million veterans, including 29,126 here in the 18th Congressional District. prgtoken 21.6 million brave men and women are veterans of our nation's military service. prgtoken This includes more than 2 million women, 2.7 million African-American men and women, 1.5 million Hispanic men and women, 342,000 Asian- American Pacific Islanders, and 178,000 American Indians. prgtoken Nine in ten military families believe the public does not understand or appreciate their sacrifices. prgtoken We use Veterans Day to show our veterans and military families how important they are to us and how grateful we are for them each and everyday. prgtoken November is National Caregivers Month to show our caregivers
VOTE EXPLANATION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-11-12

I was necessarily absent for roll call vote No. 227, motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Aileen Mercedes Cannon to be a Judge for the Southern District of Florida. Had I been present for the vote, I would have voted nay. prgtoken , I was necessarily absent for roll call vote No. 228, confirmation of the nomination of Aileen Mercedes Cannon to be a Judge for the Southern District of Florida. Had I been present for the vote, I would have voted nay. (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)
REMEMBERING THE HONORABLE JAMES R. WILLIAMS
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-11-12

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of James R. Williams, the first African American to serve as a Summit County, Ohio Common Pleas judge and a longtime Akron civic and civil rights leader, who passed away on Friday, November 9, 2020, at the age of 88. prgtoken Judge Williams was an Akron Municipal Court judge, a member of Akron City Council, and in 1978 was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. He was appointed to Akron Municipal Court in 1983, and then in 1989 became Summit County's first Black Common Pleas Court judge, subsequently twice winning reelection to the bench. prgtoken He was a civil rights leader who was an officer with the Akron and Ohio NAACP branches and other organizations. He was a University of Akron alumnus and a former president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity that, while he was a member, pioneered housing for low- to moderate- income residents and seniors. prgtoken Judge Williams was the principal founder and first chairman of Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc a nonprofit housing, development and management corporation formed in 1966 in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. prgtoken James, a native of Columbus, Mississippi, moved to Ohio following active service with the U.S. Army. He also taught in Akron Public Schools and was a senior staff member for Akron's Department of Planning and Urban Development. He retired as common pleas judge in January 2005, after 15 years on the bench. prgtoken Judge Williams was preceded in death by his first wife, Catherine. He is survived by his wife, Jewell Cardwell-Williams; two children, Michael, a former Akron City Council member, and Jacqueline Walton; and four grandchildren. prgtoken The Honorable James R. Williams was truly a revered figure in Summit County and Northeast Ohio. Anyone who knew Judge Williams saw him as a man of deep integrity and a man that carried a strong commitment to community. I cannot thank James enough for his service to our country and his service to Akron and Summit County. My deepest condolences go out to the Williams family and to all whose lives were touched by James.
IMPACT AID CORONAVIRUS RELIEF ACT
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-11-12

I rise in support of my colleague Senator Thune's request to pass the Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief Act, H.R. 8472, by unanimous consent. prgtoken As we continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, we need to support schools so that students can keep learning. In Congress, we have a special obligation to federally impacted schools. As my colleague Senator Thune has said, these are schools that are located in districts with a significant amount of nontaxable land, which puts them at a significant disadvantage for raising education revenue. And we make this right by providing direct Federal payments which are crucial for their operation. prgtoken What this bill does--what our bill does--is to provide a commonsense change. It allows school districts to use student counts from the previous academic year when they submit their impact aid applications. In light of the challenges of doing a safe and active count in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, this only makes sense. prgtoken from North Dakota, Senator Thune. I have been so glad to work with him to support school districts that rely on Impact Aid Programs and to promote financial stability for these school districts during the pandemic. prgtoken I hope we can pass this bill today and get it signed into law. prgtoken I yield.
RECOGNIZING ARMY VETERAN JOHN PAUL CURRAN
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-11-12

. Madam , I rise to recognize my constituent, John Paul Curran and congratulate him on his 105th birthday. A veteran, family man, Beatles fan, and so much more, ``Uncle John''--as his family lovingly calls him--has led a remarkable life. prgtoken John's story begins on November 11, 1915, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He spent his childhood there, enjoying time with his family, attending church, and playing baseball. In 1933, he graduated from Honesdale Catholic High School before he was drafted into the Army nine years later. prgtoken On May 18, 1942, John began his service to our nation. It was then that he formed his fondest memories--serving alongside his fellow Americans to serve and protect our country in World War II. He spent three months in basic training in Gadsden, Alabama, before working as a Postal Clerk, Grade T/4 in the Judge Advocates office, and a Rifleman, Grade T/4. As a Postal Clerk, John handled and dispatched classified information and inspected critical Victory Mail. He served in the Rhineland Offensive in Central Europe and went on to receive the Good Conduct Medal and the American Theater Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars. prgtoken After he was honorably discharged on January 10, 1946, John returned home to Honesdale, where he worked for General Electric. John's entrepreneurial spirit led him to San Francisco in the 1950s where he was a partner in a small business and managed apartment buildings. After falling ill and receiving lifesaving care at a VA hospital, he moved to Palm Desert in 2003, where he now enjoys spending time with his grandnephews, family, and friends; playing bingo at the Joslyn Center; reading and doing crossword puzzles; and playing the occasional penny slot machine. prgtoken It is fitting that John shares his birthday with Veterans Day, a day devoted to recognizing and honoring all those who have sacrificed for our nation. prgtoken On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, Happy Birthday, John. And we thank him for his years of service to our nation. As he celebrates this momentous occasion, his story is now recorded in our nation's history and will live on for generations to come.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Kamala D. Harris (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-11-12

I was absent, but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 177, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 812, of David W. Dugan, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was absent, but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 178, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 813, Stephen P. McGlynn, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was absent, but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 179, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 812, of David W. Dugan, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was absent, but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 180, the confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 813, Stephen P. McGlynn, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Illinois. prgtoken , I was absent, but had I been present I would have voted no on rollcall vote No. 222, the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 890, Amy Coney Barrett, of Indiana, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
VOTE EXPLANATION
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2020-11-12

I was absent due to a family health matter requiring my attention when the Senate voted on vote No. 227 on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar No. 863, Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. On vote No. 227, had I been present, I would have voted yea. prgtoken , I was absent due to a family health matter requiring my attention when the Senate voted on vote No. 228 on confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 863, Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida. On vote No. 228, had I been present, I would have voted yea. (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered to be printed in the Record.)
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Anthony G. Brown (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-11-12

. Madam , on October 2, 2020, I was absent from the House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA'' on Roll Call No. 217, on Agreeing to the Resolution Condemning unwanted, unnecessary medical procedures on individuals without their full, informed consent. prgtoken This resolution, which I am an original cosponsor of, rightfully condemns medical practices at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC), in Ocilla, Georgia, which may have resulted in unwanted and unnecessary surgeries that, in some cases, are reported to have resulted in life altering injuries to the reproductive health of immigrant women held at that facility. Reproductive health is an essential component of women's health and the rights of women to control medical decisions about their bodies is invaluable. This resolution states in no unwavering terms that any decisions made regarding the health of immigrants held in ICE custody must include informed consent. These are violations of individuals' human rights and must be investigated fully.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR--Continued
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-11-12

. I announce that the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Blumenthal), the Senator from Washington (Ms. Cantwell), the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from California (Ms. ), the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich), the Senator from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray), the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Schatz), the Senator from New Hampshire (Mrs. Shaheen), the Senator from Arizona (Ms. Sinema), the Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow), the Senator from Montana (Mr. Tester), and the Senator from Rhode Island (Mr. Whitehouse) are necessarily absent.
HONORING THE LIFE OF LT. COL. (RET.) DANNY CURTIS
David Loebsack (Democrat, IA) \u2014 2020-11-12

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and service of Lt. Col. Danny Curtis of Hills, Iowa, who passed away on October 24, 2020. Lt Col. Curtis joined the Army in 1964, serving one tour in Korea and two tours in Vietnam. While in service, he led teams to build Blackhawk helicopters, taught military science at the University of Notre Dame, and received numerous commendations, including one Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and three Bronze Stars. Lt. Col. Curtis is survived by his son, Clayton (Laura) Curtis, and two grandchildren, Annmarie and Evelyn. He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Slaughter Curtis, mother Ester Buline Curtis, father Lloyd Curtis, and sister Nina Jean Curtis. prgtoken Danny Curtis did not tend to shine a light on his own accomplishments, though numerous they were. Instead, he highlighted experiences that demonstrated the best of man in comradeship. He led by this principle later in life, being a steady advocate and friend to fellow veterans, and a fixture in his community. Known by his friends and family for his wit and his ability to weave a story, he will be greatly missed. So, on this, the week of Veterans day, let us remember his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.