mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Richard Burr (Republican, NC) \u2014 2020-12-21

I rise and in a moment I will ask unanimous consent to right a wrong that has lingered for over a century and to call up and pass H.R. 1964, the Lumbee Recognition Act. Prior to that, I want to say that I am honored, with my colleague Senator Tillis, to represent the Lumbee people. prgtoken The Lumbee are the largest Native American Tribe east of the Mississippi River, with a membership of over 60,000. They have called the present-day counties of Robeson, Scotland, Hoke, and Cumberland their home in North Carolina. They have been a cohesive part of the community in North Carolina for centuries, and they have developed unique Tribal instructions that have served their membership well in the face of extraordinary adversity. prgtoken They have been teachers, farmers, doctors, small business owners, sheriffs, clerks of court, State legislators, and judges. Many have protected our Nation by serving in the Armed Forces. Their contribution to their community, to the State of North Carolina, and to the country is innumerable. prgtoken Their commitment to education is unparalleled. In the 1800s, the State authorized the Tribe to run the State's school district for Lumbee children. The State also authorized the opening of a specially advanced Indian school known as the Normal School to train teachers to teach in Lumbee Indian schools. Although the State provided no money for construction for the facilities, the Lumbees pulled together and constructed an Indian Normal School of their own. Since then, the Indian school has been in operation continuously. Today it is the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. prgtoken The State of North Carolina recognized the Lumbee Tribe in 1885. Three years later, the Tribe began its quest for full recognition. Over the next 50 years, they repeatedly petitioned the Federal Government for assistance but to no avail. prgtoken Then, during the height of the shameful termination era, Congress passed the Lumbee Act of 1956. This partial recognition designated the Lumbees residing in Robeson and adjoining counties of North Carolina as the ``Lumbee Indians of North Carolina,'' while simultaneously blocking the Lumbees from accessing Federal services and benefits available to other federally recognized Tribes. It is nothing short of discrimination. prgtoken To put this in context, four other Tribes were terminated by Congress in 1956, like the Lumbees. All have had their Federal recognition status restored. Only the Lumbees have yet to receive the full Federal recognition they deserve. As a matter of fact, in 2018, this Senate recognized Indian Tribes. In 2019, seven Tribes in Virginia were recognized by this Congress and this Senate. prgtoken It is unfortunate while the Lumbee Tribe is incredibly resilient, decades of discrimination have caused severe economic consequences for the people. Robeson is one of the poorest counties in the United States. The 1956 law has put them o
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ACADEMY OF ART MINISTRIES
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-12-21

today I would like to take a moment to recognize a milestone achievement for a ministry in my State. The Academy of Arts Ministries is celebrating its 50th anniversary in South Carolina on January 8, 2021. This ministry has trained thousands of students in the arts and sent them out in their local communities to share the Good News about God through their art. prgtoken Its founder, Dr. Nicky Chavers, has dedicated the last 50 years to giving young people a safe avenue to be creative through the Logos Theatre, nation-wide traveling ministries, a professional film company and more. The young people in my great state of South Carolina have truly benefited from the sacrifices of Dr. Chavers and the entire team at the Academy of Art Ministries.
ENCOURAGING THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES TO ``BUY AMERICAN''
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-12-21

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. prgtoken I have been saying it for months: Buying American products is the No. 1 thing we can do to support American jobs and stand up to our foreign adversaries. prgtoken There is a new Cold War occurring between the United States and Communist China, and we must be crystal clear about the negative impacts of continuing to buy Chinese-made products. prgtoken General Secretary Xi is a dictator and human rights violator. He is yet another Communist leader trying to be the dominant world power. prgtoken The Communist Party of China is stripping the people of Hong Kong of their freedoms--as the Presiding Officer experienced when he was over there--cracking down on dissidents, militarizing the South China Sea, supporting Maduro's genocide in Venezuela, surveilling its citizens, and imprisoning more than 1 million Uighurs in internment camps simply because of their religion. prgtoken Communist China is stealing American jobs and technology and spying on our citizens. prgtoken Is this the kind of nation we want to be sending our money to? prgtoken Absolutely not. prgtoken Washington politicians have been too concerned with short-term political success and have long ignored the long-term threats of Communist China to our way of life but not anymore. It is time to take action. prgtoken Now, more than ever, Americans must remember that every time we buy a product made in China, we are putting another dollar into the pocket of the people stealing our jobs and our technology, denying their people basic human rights and propping up dangerous dictators like Maduro in Venezuela. prgtoken We cannot continue to rely on countries like Communist China, which lied about the coronavirus and refused to be a partner in solving this crisis, for critical supplies. prgtoken This outbreak has shown why we need to end our reliance on foreign supply chains. As a nation, we need to finally take a stand and demand that Communist China is removed from our supply chain. 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. prgtoken Buying American is not partisan, and I am glad my colleagues from both sides of the aisle are continuing to prgtoken come 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, while helping build up the U.S. supply chain. 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. prgtoken A return to this pride in homegrown businesses and products ensures that America remains strong as the undisputed leader of the global economy. <
UNITED STATES--MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACT--Continue
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-12-21

. That is correct. COVID-19 has shuttered small businesses across the Country. This is especially true in Oregon, where small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Ensuring businesses can access relief from both the Paycheck Protection Program and the Employee Retention Tax Credit is critical. The legislation before us today would allow businesses who took out a PPP loan to access the retention credit in two instances. First, those businesses that have had or will have their loan forgiven can claim the credit for any wages that were not paid for with PPP loan proceeds. Second, a business that does not have its PPP loan forgiven can claim the credit for any wages. As this change will be retroactive, does the Chairman agree that it is equally as critical that these small businesses are able to quickly and easily claim these past credits they will now be eligible for?
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR DOUG JONES' STAFF
Doug Jones (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2020-12-21

as I mentioned in my farewell speech last week, I also wanted to spend a few final moments here on the Senate floor honoring my incredible staff. As the first elected to the Senate from Alabama in two decades, I had no idea how many brilliant young folks would want to come work in my offices, but we were absolutely overwhelmed with the talent my election attracted--and not just from Alabama--we had applicants from all over the country. We of course tried to give priority to folks from Alabama, but we did have a few from other States who brought special expertise and who, after just a short time with us, became honorary Alabamians. prgtoken Some of my staff came from other Senate or House offices where they had been biding their time, hoping 1 day to work for an Alabama ic Senator. Their experience was critical. Some staff members brought no legislative experience at all, but they were quick and eager learners and got up to speed unbelievably fast. What they all prgtoken had in common was a deep and sincere commitment to doing the right thing for the right reasons. prgtoken There were very few shortcuts and very few easy decisions, but we all worked hard to understand the issues backwards and forwards and to do our best for the people of Alabama and for our country. Although each member of the staff was acutely aware that I would have to stand for reelection in just 3 short years, they were as committed as I was to not let political considerations enter into our deliberations. Instead we focused on the needs of our constituents, big and small, and doing all we could to make sure those needs were met. prgtoken Over the past 3 years, we have become a family, and we have had some fun to boot. Equally important, we have gotten things done. We led or coled over 20 bipartisan bills that were signed into law. We mustered enough support to finally repeal the Widow's Tax. We secured permanent Federal funding for HBCUs and minority-serving institutions. We made things easier for folks applying for Federal student loans. We secured authorizations and appropriations for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for defense-related projects in Alabama. We set up a process to collect and make available to the public the Federal records from unsolved civil rights crimes. We completed 2,094 requests for casework help and responded to hundreds of thousands of calls, letters, and emails from Alabama constituents. We submitted 624 letters in support of Alabamians' grant applications, resulting in $270,973,411 in awards for municipalities, nonprofits, colleges and universities, rural fire departments, health centers, and others. Out of the outstanding high school seniors who I nominated to our military service academies, 44 have received appointments, and that is in just our first 2 years alone; we won't know the results for 2020 until next spring. We did more than 1,000 interviews, speeches, to
UNITED STATES-MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACT
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-12-21

The House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, includes many important provisions. Among them is Section 203 of Title II, Division BB, based on H.R. 7539, the Strengthening Behavioral Health Parity Act--an important step forward in improving the effective enforcement of mental health parity laws that govern group and individual health plans and coverage. I am pleased to see this legislation advance as part of our continuing efforts to ensure the promise of parity is realized for all. prgtoken As Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, which has legislative jurisdiction over employee health benefit plans (including provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or ERISA) as well as oversight jurisdiction over the United States Department of Labor, I would like to provide additional clarification for the record regarding the interactions between this legislation and existing enforcement and compliance efforts by the Secretary of Labor. prgtoken First, no provision of Section 203 in any way restricts, alters, or otherwise interferes with the existing enforcement and oversight authority of the Secretary of Labor, including the Secretary's authority to investigate, audit, and seek equitable or other relief to enforce any requirements of federal law. The requirement that the Secretary examine the comparative analyses of at least 20 plans annually serves as a floor, not a ceiling, on the Department's enforcement actions, and the Department remains authorized to continue to utilize its broad authority under Sections 502, 504, 506 of ERISA and other laws to enforce all requirements of this bill, Part 7 of ERISA, and any other requirements of federal law. prgtoken Second, no provision of Section 203 in any way restricts, alters, or otherwise interferes with the rights of group health plan participants to bring an action to enforce their rights under Section 502 of ERISA, nor does it impact judicial review of any statutory violations. This bill also should not be interpreted to create any additional presumption in favor of health plans and issuers during judicial review of nonquantitative treatment limitation (NQTL) determinations, and the Secretary remains authorized to seek equitable or other relief, including relief regarding the re-adjudication of claims. All provisions should be interpreted to ensure the broadest access to relief for plan participants.
COVID VACCINE
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-12-21

. Madam , I join in the prayer of the Chaplain this morning. I believe it is important to open this day of lifesaving relief with a prayer to ask that our Congress comes together and stands in the face with help on the way to dying Americans from COVID-19, the families of those who have died and those who are on the front lines fighting against this virus. prgtoken It is important that we help our schoolchildren with educational dollars and, as well, make sure that the vaccines are going as fast as they can to the sites across America. prgtoken I spoke to hospitals in my district, smaller hospitals and community hospitals that are still waiting for their vaccine. We know that they want their frontline medical professionals to keep saving and serving the public. prgtoken So this is going to be a historic and important day. We know it is not what we want in complete, but we know we will be working into the new year to be able to respond to the needs of the American people helping our local governments and, as well, making sure that those children who will be returning to school and those teachers, as well, will be protected after they have the opportunity--the teachers, in particular--to have the vaccine. This is a historic day. Let us work together.
Unanimous Consent Request--Executive Calendar (Executive Calendar)
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-12-21

I appreciate the recognition. I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Foreign Relations be discharged and the Senate proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following nominations: PN1938, PN2024, PN2101, PN2030, and PN2025; that the Senate vote on the nominations en bloc with no intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table en bloc and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 133, UNITED STATES-MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACT; PROVIDING FOR DISPOSITION OF SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1520, PURPLE BOOK CONTINUITY ACT OF...
Joyce Beatty (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-12-21

. Madam , I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for yielding. prgtoken I rise today to support this legislation because my constituents desperately need the unemployment benefits, the stimulus checks, the food assistance, the eviction moratoriums, the small business Minority Development Institution funds and the CDFI assistance funds, and other protections in this bill. prgtoken Seven months after the House passed the Heroes Act, s have finally relented to allow more support to the American people who are struggling through the three pandemics: COVID-19, economic hardships, and social injustices. prgtoken So let me be clear: The GOP has had a knee on Americans' necks by holding this bill up, and it still falls short of what we need to get through this crisis. prgtoken But I will continue to stand up for my constituents of the Third Congressional District and for people across this Nation and my colleagues to work with the administration to get people the support they need to build back better.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-12-21

I come to the floor tonight to talk about many provisions that are currently moving their way through the House of Representatives and on our way to us. Obviously, our colleagues here are, I think, relieved that we have been able to give relief to the American people; that is, that we have been able to extend unemployment benefits and add bonuses to those unemployment benefits in the amount of 300 extra dollars per week, and we have been able to expand the COBRA tax credit programs to help people who have been unemployed and not been able to continue their insurance be able to continue health insurance. This is very important for laid-off workers in the State of Washington, like the aerospace workers. prgtoken We are very glad that we were able to give a stimulus check of $600 per individual and $1,200 for married couples; that we were able to get the PPP program that helps small businesses so that they can continue to try to make ends meet as we continue to work our way through this pandemic; and that we have been able to give $9 billion to healthcare workers who are stretched so thin on these battle lines, who need every support that we can give them. prgtoken I want to talk about the rental assistance. We are at a point where, if we didn't act tonight, if we didn't act before we left here, many more people were going to be without homes. It is so important for us to have these provisions and programs like SNAP, the additional money for broadband, for healthcare, and for other things that are essential in helping to communicate during this pandemic for both healthcare and for education. prgtoken I also wanted to mention work that was done in tandem with this legislation, specifically on the affordable housing tax credit. The affordable housing tax credit was always important. Affordable housing was always important, but in a pandemic, in a COVID crisis, it becomes even more important. The affordable housing tax credit is something that Senator Young and I worked on with Senator Wyden and Senator Isakson, and we wanted to say that we needed to do more than what our current Tax Code could do in helping build more affordable housing. prgtoken The affordable housing tax credit has provisions that have been in law since 1986, but, actually, using the tax credits and how they worked have been a fluctuating rate, so the consequence is that the historic rate of what people could get to use the tax credit has changed, and this legislation will put a floor of 4 percent in to give investors a prgtoken bigger idea of what this investment can do for the market. prgtoken We believe that it will add, in the State of Washington, more housing that is needed immediately, more housing that is needed on the national basis, and help us stabilize things in the near term so that we can work on affordable housing and how we can put more incentives for people to build affordable housing. prgtoken People know affordable
UNITED STATES-MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACT
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-12-21

America is grateful for Mrs. Lowey's years of honorable, dedicated, and enlightened service. We will so miss her leadership, bright smile, and affable nature. prgtoken I would also like to thank Ranking Member Simpson, who has been a constant and truly valued partner, as well as our wonderful subcommittee staff: Jaime Shimek, Scott McKee, Mark Arnone, Farouk Ophaso, and Mike Brain, who have labored tirelessly to produce this bill. prgtoken The Energy and Water division of this bill captures the American spirit of ingenuity and national energy independence. It provides the foundation of critical investments to meet the challenge of climate change, to which $12 billion, or 24 percent of our overall bill, is dedicated. Without question, our Energy and Water bill is this year's most important climate change legislation, with our overall bill dedicated to sustaining life on Earth. prgtoken Instead of the President's shortsighted and devastating cuts, our bill invests in the future to meet serious national priorities: real jobs, as we achieve building back better by providing $7.8 billion for the tremendous Army Corps of Engineers, $145 million above 2020; real innovation to invest into the future in partnership with our universities and private-sector innovators; providing $39.6 billion for the Department of Energy, $1 billion above 2020; real security within the Department of Energy, as we responsibly fund a nuclear deterrent while boosting nonproliferation.
UNITED STATES-MEXICO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP ACT
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-12-21

I thank Madam Chair for yielding, and I thank Ranking Member Kay Granger for her work. prgtoken , I had the opportunity to do a video, as we all are communicating with one another virtually, about my colleague and friend with whom I have served for over three decades, Nita Lowey. prgtoken I went to school in Nita Lowey's district many, many years ago. When she came here, we became friends. Shortly thereafter, she came on the Appropriations Committee, and we served together, as Pelosi said, on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. I served on that committee for 23 years. I have great affection for that committee. prgtoken We served under a gentleman named Bill Natcher from the State of Kentucky. He used to stand when he presented that bill to the floor and say: ``This is the people's bill.'' prgtoken , this is the people's bill. prgtoken This is a bill that must pass. They say that good things come to those who wait. They have waited too long, had too much pain, physically; too many deaths; too much psychological damage; too many lost jobs. This is, however, a good thing that will come to those who need it so badly. prgtoken I want to thank Chairwoman Lowey, who has performed such extraordinary service on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies for a long time; and the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs for a long time; and for the Appropriations Committee. prgtoken I want to thank my friend, Kay Granger. We are perceived as being awfully partisan, and this has been a partisan project as well. It took us from May 15 until today to get this done. We passed, in the interim, October 1, another bill of substantially lesser sum than the one we passed in May, and a little more than what we are passing--actually, twice what we are passing today. All of it was needed. prgtoken The American people have been waiting and watching and hoping that Congress would not only be able to avert a shutdown but also to provide much-needed COVID-19 relief. prgtoken , we now have a bipartisan agreement, and the legislation will achieve both of those aims. prgtoken Kay Granger, as I said, is somebody who was a mayor in Texas, and mayors know they have to get things done, and Congresswoman Granger has been somebody who wants to get things done. She and Nita Lowey have been a team in getting things done. I thank both of them. prgtoken This bill completes the appropriations process by investing in the American people, in our national defense, in economic opportunity, in strengthening safety net programs that keep Americans out of poverty. prgtoken As I said, I thank both Nita Lowey and Kay Granger. prgtoken I particularly want to thank an extraordinary Member of this body. She is not called a Congresswoman. She is not a Member of this body, but she is a person without whom we would not be