mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IMPEACHMENT
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-2-3

constitutional experts will be debating President 's misconduct for generations to come, but I think they will reach consensus as to the misconduct of the Senate in the impeachment. This is the first time in the history of impeachment that no witnesses and documents were allowed to be called by the U.S. Senate. It violates the Constitution in the impeachment trial of by its failure to hold a constitutionally fair trial. prgtoken At one time, I had the opportunity to present as a House manager an impeachment case here in the U.S. Senate on a district court judge by the name of Nixon. I remember, when I appeared before the Senate, I was cautioned immediately, even though Judge Nixon had been convicted of a bribery type of an offense in a criminal court, that it was incumbent for us to present the witnesses and documents in the U.S. Senate and that the Senate would conduct its own record in regard to the proceedings. Yet, here, we are not having witnesses in the President's impeachment trial. prgtoken We had some help from the Supreme Court on this. In Nixon v. United States, 1993, pertaining to Judge Nixon's trial, Justice Byron White had a concurring opinion. Justice White said that the term ``try,'' as used in article I, section 3, clause 6, meant that the Senate should conduct a proceeding in a manner that a reasonable judge would deem a trial. prgtoken We failed to conduct a constitutionally fair trial here in the U.S. Senate, and we can look to the President's own counsel here for help in evaluating our own conduct of this trial. The President's counsel, Philbin, said that you need to cross-examine witnesses in order to get to the truth. We had no witnesses under oath and no witnesses cross- examined. The tragedy here is, if the President is acquitted, there will always be a question as to whether this was a legitimate trial here in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Let me just spend a moment comparing the impeachment proceedings of President Clinton's versus those of President 's. prgtoken With President Clinton, there was a trial in the Senate. It was acknowledged to be fair. Witnesses were called. President Clinton and his administration officials had testified under oath and had been subject to cross-examination. President Clinton showed remorse for his conduct and apologized for his misconduct, and President Clinton's misconduct was personal in nature. prgtoken Compare that to President . He blocked all witnesses and documents and then, through counsel, prevented the Senate trial from calling any witnesses or producing any documents. He has never shown any remorse. Even though most Senators here know that what he did was wrong, he has shown no remorse whatsoever, and his misconduct was that of abusing his office for personal gain--getting a foreign power to help in his election campaign. prgtoken Let me briefly go through article I. prgtoken Article I states that h
IMPEACHMENT
Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Colleagues, over the past few weeks, we have conducted the third impeachment trial in our entire Nation's history for a President. prgtoken Let's be perfectly clear about something: did not want to impeach President . From the start, efforts to begin an impeachment inquiry in the House were met with resistance until the President's reckless behavior and unprecedented actions forced the 's hand. The could not sit idly by after the President withheld congressionally approved military aid from a U.S. ally in order to orchestrate foreign interference in our upcoming election. prgtoken We have worked hard to find common ground with this President, and at times, have worked together to get good, bipartisan legislation accomplished. But President 's brazen misconduct forced this issue. His misdeeds posed a moral challenge to every single Member of Congress. How much corruption should we stomach? How much of our integrity should we sacrifice? How much malfeasance should we tolerate? Will we look the other way as the President flaunts our laws and ignores the Constitution? prgtoken Sometimes it can seem far easier to just stay silent. All of us know that it can be easier to avoid angry phone calls. But think about how much harder it would be to explain this moment in history to our children and our grandchildren. Think about how painful it will be to explain if you knew what President did was wrong and you did nothing; if you knew what President did was wrong under the Constitution that you swore to uphold; that you knew it was wrong, but you voted to acquit anyway because of your ambition, because of your political party. prgtoken Lest you think you can convince them otherwise, let me dispel this fiction. History's record of this time will be very clear. The American people can see through these lies. They recognize the inconsistencies and the double-speak. The American people are not naive. They are not stupid. They are not ignorant. They are not immoral. prgtoken My colleagues are not naive or ignorant or immoral either. They are good men and women. They love their children, their neighbors, and our country. I consider many of them my friends. When we have dinner together, when we go to visit the troops overseas. We don't do it as and s. We do it as colleagues, friends, and as peers in this body. We do so as elected Members of Congress, as Senators representing our States and our country. prgtoken It should be the very same when we judge President . In I John 2:21, John writes to a group of believers who are in turmoil. He wrote: ``I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.'' prgtoken This trial had the goal of accomplishing one thing--to discover the truth, to know what happened, to hold the President accountable. We pledged to listen to receive that evid
CELEBRATING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF RIVIERA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Donna E. Shalala (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , I rise in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Riviera Presbyterian Church. prgtoken Founded in 1945, Riviera Presbyterian Church provides a religious home for people of faith from the greater Miami area. As a mission- driven church, Riviera Presbyterian Church strives to help improve its community by maintaining an active outreach program. Advocating for undocumented immigrants, the LGBT community, and environmental protection, Riviera Presbyterian Church is committed to promoting equality for all through social justice. prgtoken In 75 years of service, Riviera Presbyterian has shown inspiration and love to whoever walks into the church, regardless of culture and background. Riviera Presbyterian was the first Anglo Presbyterian congregation to welcome a black man into pastoral leadership and ordained the first woman of the Presbyterian Church in South Florida. May the church continue to break barriers while assisting our beautiful community. prgtoken I'm deeply grateful to Riviera Presbyterian Church for its hard work and dedication to the Miami community.
IMPEACHMENT
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-2-3

I rise today to speak during a sad and perilous moment in our Nation's history. prgtoken Our Nation was founded on important, basic principles that ``all men'' and women ``are created equal'' and ``that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'' prgtoken With rights, of course, always come responsibilities. America is a nation of laws, and no person, not even the President of the United States, is above these laws. No person, not even the President of the United States, is above these laws. That has been true since our Nation was founded, and it is still true today. prgtoken Unfortunately, President has abused his power and acted as if he is above the law. He did this by holding up critical military aid to pressure a new foreign leader to investigate a political rival for his own political benefit. Then he did everything he could to try and cover it up after he got caught. prgtoken As U.S. Senators, it is our constitutional duty to fairly and thoughtfully consider Articles of Impeachment, listen to the evidence, and make a decision that honors our Nation's values and our fundamental belief that no one is above the law. prgtoken That is exactly what I did, and it is why I will vote to convict President and remove him from office. prgtoken The facts show the President did everything he could to cover up the truth, put our elections under even greater risk of foreign interference, and damaged the constitutional checks and balances essential to our democracy. prgtoken Let's be clear. We are here because of one person. We are here because of one person--President Donald J. . The President was provided multiple opportunities to prove his innocence, as he should be. The House made countless requests for documents during the impeachment inquiry. The White House ignored them. prgtoken The House issued 42 subpoenas. The White House refused to comply and even went so far as to threaten and intimidate those people who chose to appear. prgtoken Yet, even with this unprecedented level of obstruction, the House made a strong case for impeachment. prgtoken Once impeachment moved to the Senate, the President again had numerous opportunities to defend himself. The American people and the people of Michigan strongly supported having additional documents and relevant witnesses--firsthand witnesses who could speak to the Articles of Impeachment. That is what a trial is supposed to be about. prgtoken Yet the Senate did not hear from people who clearly have key, relevant prgtoken information, including the former National Security Advisor, John Bolton, who is willing to testify, and, in fact, it is just a matter of time when we will hear publicly, all of us, what he would have said to the Senate; Acting White House Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney; OMB Associate Dire
THE LIFE OF REVEREND DR. WALLACE HARTSFIELD, SR.
Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat, MO) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the life and memory of the late Reverend Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Sr a prominent religious and civil rights leader who devoted his life to the uplifting of mankind. Rev. Hartsfield's passion for community was only rivaled by the fierce adoration he had for his wife, four children, and many grandchildren. On Thursday, January 23, 2020, Rev. Hartsfield passed away after a deeply inspiring ninety years of life. prgtoken Born on November 13, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, Rev. Hartsfield was an only child, raised by his mother in Jacksonville, Florida. Reverend Hartsfield proudly served his country, completing a three-year tour of duty with the United States Armed Services in the Philippines before going on to attend Clark College, where he graduated in 1954. Rev. Hartsfield later earned his Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary and went on to serve churches in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Wichita before settling in Kansas City. He served as senior pastor of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, one of Kansas City's largest African-American churches, from 1962 to 1968 and again from 1972 until his retirement in 2008. Rev. Hartsfield's son, Pastor Wallace S. Hartsfield, II succeeded his father's tenure at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist and continues the legacy of faith and leadership that his father established. prgtoken In connection to his lengthy and dedicated career of spiritual work, Rev. Hartsfield played a crucial role in the civil rights movement. Growing up in the segregated south, he was no stranger to the dark and deeply painful realities of our nation's history. Rev. Hartsfield committed himself to the fight for a more just world, using the negative experiences he endured and witnessed as motivation in the fight for equality and a better life for African Americans. Marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and working with Reverend Jesse Jackson on the PUSH campaign to improve economic opportunities for African Americans, Rev. Hartsfield embodied true leadership, compassion, and activism. prgtoken In all that he approached, Rev. Hartsfield did so with a fervent passion and steadfast desire for change. By serving on local, regional, and national boards, including as Chairman of the Congress of National Black Churches and President of the Baptist Ministers Union, creating the Concerned Clergy Coalition in an effort to combat crime, and leading a multi-million dollar campaign for Kansas City health centers, Rev. Hartsfield proved time and time again that he was truly a man of unparalleled dedication. prgtoken As an unwavering voice for doing what was morally just, Rev. Hartsfield helped to positively shape the future for generations to come. By serving as a beacon of light through dark moments in our history and ushering in hope in times of hopelessness, Rev. Hartsfield leaves behind a monumental legacy of service,
HONORING SPECIALIST ANTONIO MOORE
David Rouzer (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life and sacrifice of the late Specialist Antonio Isaac Devante Moore, of Wilmington, N.C. prgtoken Just 22 years old, Specialist Moore tragically passed in the service of his country on January 24, 2020 in Green Village, Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He was a member of the 346th Engineer Company, part of the 411th Engineer Brigade stationed in Knightdale, N.C. Though only his first deployment, he had already won the respect of his superiors and his fellow soldiers. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. prgtoken A 2016 graduate of John T. Hoggard High School, Specialist Moore played football there all four years. He worked part time at Katy's Grill and Bar in Wilmington where he was fondly remembered. ``If everyone else was having a bad day, all you had to do was look at Tony,'' said a former co-worker. prgtoken Specialist Moore is survived by his parents in Wilmington, as well as four siblings. On behalf of North Carolina's 7th District and the entire U.S. Congress, I extend our deepest sympathy to his loved ones and friends. They are in our prayers. We will always be grateful for his service, sacrifice and commitment to his country. He was a patriot and a devoted American soldier whose memory will always be cherished.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Markwayne Mullin (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , I was not present the week of January 27 through 31, 2020 on account of supporting my son's continuing recovery. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 23; YEA on Roll Call No. 24; NAY on Roll Call No. 25; NAY on Roll Call No. 26; YEA on Roll Call No. 27; NAY on Roll Call No. 28; YEA on Roll Call No. 29; YEA on Roll Call No. 30; NAY on Roll Call No. 31; YEA on Roll Call No. 32; NAY on Roll Call No. 33; and NAY on Roll Call No. 34
IMPEACHMENT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-2-3

as Senators, we cast many votes during our time here. I have cast over 13,200. Each one of those votes is important, but a vote to convict or acquit the President on charges of impeachment is perhaps the most important vote a Senator could ever cast. Until now, it has happened only twice in our Nation's history, and it is something that should never be taken lightly. prgtoken President has been charged of committing, according to the Constitution and in these articles, ``high Crimes and Misdemeanors'' for requesting that a foreign leader investigate his potential political opponent and, No. 2, obstructing Congress's inquiry into those actions. For this, we are asked to permanently remove him from office. prgtoken As a judge and juror, as we all are, I first ask whether the charges rise to an offense that unquestionably demands removal from office. If so, I then ask whether the House proved beyond a reasonable doubt that it actually occurred. prgtoken The House's case fails on the first of those questions. The President's request is not impeachable conduct under our Constitution. A President isn't prohibited by law from engaging the assistance of a foreign ally in an anti-corruption investigation. prgtoken The House tries to make up for this hurdle by suggesting that subjective motive--in other words, political advantage--can turn an otherwise unimpeachable act into an act that demands removal from office. I won't support such an irreversible break from the Constitution standard for impeaching a President. prgtoken The Senate is an institution of precedent. We are informed and guided by history and the actions of our predecessors, but our choices also actually make history. These days, that can be difficult to keep in mind. A rush to convict or acquit can lead to cut corners and overheated rhetoric. prgtoken We are each bound by our oath to ``do impartial justice.'' As President pro tempore of this institution, I recognize that we must also do justice to the Senate and to the Republic that this Senate serves. prgtoken This trial began with a full and fair debate on the rules to guide our process. We considered and voted on 11 amendments over nearly 13 hours. Consistent with precedent, the Senate adopted rules allowing the same length of time for arguments and questions as was agreed to unanimously in the 1999 Clinton impeachment. Consistent with precedent, we engaged in a robust debate on calling witnesses and pursuing additional evidence. We sat as a Court of Impeachment for over 70 hours. The final vote will be the product of a fair and judicial process consistent with precedent of the Senate. prgtoken I cannot say the same of the Articles of Impeachment that we are considering today from the House of Representatives, which has the sole power of impeachment. After 9 days of presentation and questions and after fully considering the record, I am convinced that what the House is asking the S
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-2-3

after 32 years of serving his community in the Minot Police Department, including 8 of those years leading it, Chief of Police Jason Olson began a well-deserved retirement on January 31. prgtoken He became a police officer in 1988 at the age of 21, as he was completing his criminal justice degree at Minot State University. Starting as a patrol officer, he went on to spend 18 years on the SWAT team. prgtoken Officer Olson became chief of police at a time of significant change for the city of Minot and western North Dakota. The challenges this growth and development brought to the fourth largest city in North Dakota demanded a leader who would advocate for his staff and be open to change. The city had the right person in Chief Olson. prgtoken Serving on the frontlines during some of the greatest challenges to the city of Minot, Chief Olson was there for the tragic train derailment that spread anhydrous ammonia across the city in 2002 and for the historic flooding of the Souris River in 2011. Through the best and very worst of times, Chief Olson exhibited his trademark calm and collected demeanor. prgtoken Chief Olson credits his success to the experience he gained as a young officer from the veteran officers who had served for decades. Likewise, many of the 80-plus employees today praise him for the lessons he taught them as the head of the department. This includes the new Police Chief John Klug, a 25-year officer who took over on February 1, after being chosen in a national search. He speaks highly of Chief Olson and the example he set as a mentor and leader. prgtoken We cannot thank our law enforcement officers enough for their sacrifices keeping our communities safe and for the bravery they exhibit every day on the job. I join the residents of Minot and all North Dakotans thanking Chief Olson for his many years of dedicated professional service. I wish him a well-deserved and rewarding retirement.
RECOGNIZING MOSS GREENHOUSES
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2020-2-3

as a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. Today, I am pleased to honor Moss Greenhouses located in Jerome as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for February 2020. prgtoken Moss Greenhouses is the largest wholesale plant producer and distributor in Idaho. Founded in 1952 by Ed and Ruth Adams, their hobby of growing orchids in their small greenhouse quickly became a budding business as they provided flowers, orchids, and flowering crops to their local grocery stores and flower shops. The family-run business quickly developed a reputation for its outstanding service and quality products. prgtoken Today, Moss Greenhouses is owned and operated by the family's third generation, Kevin and his wife Dana. Their 300,000 square feet of covered greenhouse and three acres of growing space allow them to serve customers from throughout the Mountain West. Their success and growth has created dozens of jobs for the Jerome community. As the company continues to serve the Jerome area, they hope to eventually welcome the family's fourth generation into the business. prgtoken Congratulations to Kevin, Dana, and all of the employees at Moss Greenhouses for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for February 2020. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.
CLARIFICATION OF CO-SPONSORSHIP OF H.R. 550
Don Young (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-2-3

. Madam , on January 30, 2020, the House voted on H.R. 550, the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2019. This bill originally provided for a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the U.S. Merchant Mariners of World War II in recognition of their service. When this bill was drafted, I was an Original Cosponsor, and proudly supported its passage in the House. Regrettably, I was forced to vote against the bill when it returned to the House. Upon its return, the bill was amended to include language I do not support that would repeal the 2002 congressional authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) in Iraq and a prohibition against the use of military force against Iran. prgtoken I am, however, proud to have cosponsored and voted for H.R. 5671, which contained the original language for the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020.
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-2-3

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m Tuesday, February 4; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; and that following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business under the previous order.