mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Justin Reed Walker (Executive Session)
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-6-17

we are in the middle of a pandemic. The President of the United States doesn't act like it, but Americans are still dying by the hundreds--several hundred almost every day. prgtoken We are in the middle of an economic crisis. Again, the President of the United States doesn't act like it. He crows about the unemployment numbers when they are the worst since World War II. prgtoken And we are in the middle of a crisis of conscience. Millions of Americans have taken to the streets to protest the murders of Black and Brown Americans by the people supposed to protect them. prgtoken With all of these challenges, the President of the United States is failing. The Senate should be stepping in right now to fill that leadership void, to get more help to families and to communities that are going bankrupt, to protect workers--to use every tool we have to force the administration to get some kind of test trace isolate regime in place to truly stop the spread of the coronavirus. We should be listening to the protestors demanding justice in communities all across the country, large and small. prgtoken They remind us this pandemic isn't a separate issue from racial justice--it is all connected. It is not a coincidence that President stopped even pretending to try to fight the coronavirus once he realized it was disproportionately Black and Brown Americans dying, not very often one of his rich friends. prgtoken In the Senate, we have plans to get help and protections to workers; we have plans to fund a scale-up of testing that gets us closer to the level we need; we have plans to work to hold police accountable; we have begun to tackle the systemic racism in our justice system. prgtoken Look at it this way: The last time I was on an airplane was in mid- March. I live close enough--6-hour drive between Cleveland and Washington. In mid-March, there were about 90 coronavirus cases diagnosed in the United States--halfway around the world from where the Presiding Officer likes to emphasize it came from, Wuhan. About 900 miles from Wuhan is the capital of South Korea--Seoul. In South Korea, around that same time, there were 90 cases. So South Korea had 90 diagnosed cases; the United States had about 90 diagnosed cases. prgtoken Since that date in March, fewer than 300 Koreans have died of the coronavirus; over 110,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus. prgtoken In Korea, their unemployment rate now is under 4 percent; our unemployment rate is somewhere between three and four times that. prgtoken That is clearly the incompetence--this is not a partisan statement. I have watched my Governor of Ohio, who has done a good job, teamed up with Dr. Amy Acton, the health director, in combating this virus early, while the President of the United States was still blaming the virus on--saying it was a hoax or not real or whatever he said, and then his inept leadership didn't scale up testing, didn't have any nati
THE AIR TOUR AND SKYDIVING SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2020
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2020-6-17

in 2019, 21 people died in Hawaii in three tragic air recreation accidents involving helicopters or planes. prgtoken On December 26, 2019, while many of us were enjoying the holidays with our loved ones and friends, seven people lost their lives when an air tour helicopter crashed into a mountain on the Island of Kauai. All aboard the helicopter were killed, a mother and daughter from Wisconsin, a family of four from Switzerland, and the pilot. We still do not know the cause of the crash. In April 2019, an air tour helicopter crashed on a street in the residential neighborhood of Kailua on the island of Oahu, killing all aboard: two passengers and the pilot. We were fortunate that no one on the ground was injured. On June 22, 2019, 11 people died when a small plane crashed during take- off on a skydiving trip from Dillingham Airfield on Oahu. In the first accident of 2020, on March 5, six people walked away after a hard landing of an air tour helicopter on the Big Island of Hawaii. No one on the helicopter was seriously injured. prgtoken Since 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, has investigated 10 air tour accidents in Hawaii and more than 46 nationwide. prgtoken Senator Schatz and I are introducing the Air Tour and Skydiving Safety Improvement Act of 2020. The bill takes the outstanding safety issues and recommendations identified by the NTSB to improve the safety and accountability of air sightseeing tours and parachute tours. The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, has not implemented the NTSB's recommendations. prgtoken In most years, Hawaii welcomes nearly 10 million visitors annually to enjoy everything Hawaii has to offer, from our Aloha spirit displayed by our resident, to the scenic beauty of the State. It is critical that the helicopters and planes taking both visitors and residents sightseeing or parachuting operate as safely as possible. prgtoken The NTSB has recommended multiple improvements to the standards covering air tour and parachute operations by the FAA. In the aftermath of the helicopter crash in Kailua and the crash of two chartered floatplanes in Alaska, NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt said in May 2019: ``While these tragic accidents are still under investigation, and no findings or causes have been determined, each crash underscores the urgency of improving the safety of charter flights by implementing existing NTSB safety recommendations.'' To highlight this urgency, the NTSB put improvements to air tour aircraft on its 2019-2020 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements. prgtoken Let me describe the provisions of the legislation. First, the bill requires parachute and air tour companies to operate under the same standards as other commercial air operations, such as commuter airlines under Part 135, which has certification standards. Currently, commercial companies can operate like private civil aircraft if they operate within 25
THE DECLINE OF U.S. LEADERSHIP
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2020-6-17

I would like to call the Senate's attention to a letter published by my friend Sir Peter prgtoken Westmacott, on the occasion of what would have been the meeting of the G7 at Camp David. Peter is the former U.K. ambassador to the United States and a thoughtful diplomat if there ever was one. He previously served as ambassador to France and ambassador to Turkey. Unburdened by the self-consciousness that sometimes plagues American policymakers critical of the administration, he writes honestly and insightfully to a British Prime Minister of the ways President has weakened America's standing as an international leader and how others stand to capitalize from our diminished role. In the midst of a global pandemic compounded by climate change, multiple armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, Russian aggression and expanding Chinese influence, when global leadership and cooperation are needed more than ever, the incoherence and isolationism of this White House are appalling. prgtoken Over many years, I have worked with Senators of both parties, with and ic administrations, and with foreign leaders. I disagreed with, as well as those with whom we have much in common. The most successful makers of foreign policy share an adherence to the truth, objectively and uniformly acknowledged; a recognition of the importance of engagement with the rest of the world; and the goal of seeking common ground to make progress on shared interests. prgtoken Unfortunately, President fails on each of these counts. As Sir Peter describes, he disregards facts for his preferred fictitious narratives. He turns away from our allies and picks fights with our trading partners. He impulsively withdraws from international agreements that took years to negotiate because he does not stand to benefit personally or politically from them. He has abandoned our role as a moral and strategic leader. He crafts foreign policy by tweet. It is a disgrace, and foreign diplomats and heads of state, with the exception of our adversaries and autocrats who stand to benefit by mimicking President , are confused, worried, and appalled. prgtoken Sir Peter aptly describes this sorry state of affairs and what it means for our country and the world. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that Sir Peter Westmacott's letter be printed in the Record.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-6-17

this morning we have a tale of two Chambers. The House of Representatives is starting the consideration of the Justice in Policing Act, led by Senators Booker and in the Senate and developed in conjunction with the Congressional Black Caucus and House . The bill represents comprehensive, strong, and enduring reform to police departments--the most forceful set of changes in decades. prgtoken This morning in the Senate, s have put forward a separate proposal, led by the Senator from South Carolina. We have had the bill for only a few hours and are reviewing it. But what is clear is that the Senate proposal on policing does not rise to the moment. prgtoken The ic bill has a ban on no-knock warrants in Federal drug cases, while the bill only requires data on no-knock warrants. The ic bill has a publicly available nationwide database on misconduct so that abusive police officers who are fired can't simply go to another department somewhere else in the country and get hired. The bill would keep such information almost entirely shielded from public view. prgtoken The ic bill bans choke holds and other tactics that have killed Black Americans. The bill purports to ban choke holds but only those that restrict air flow and not blood flow and provides exceptions when deadly force is needed. Who determines when deadly force is needed? Usually the police themselves, and the courts defer to their judgment. prgtoken The bill is silent on racial profiling and militarization of local police departments. Perhaps the greatest flaw in the proposal is that it is missing real, meaningful accountability for individual officers' misconduct. prgtoken There are no reforms to qualified immunity or pattern-and-practice investigations. This is critically important. Without accountability measures, we are merely exhorting police departments to do better, crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. Real change comes with accountability. As drafted, the bill doesn't provide it. prgtoken So we have a tale of two Chambers, a glaring contrast between a strong, comprehensive ic bill in the House and a much narrower and much less effective bill in the Senate. prgtoken I am glad that Leader McConnell has listened to our demands to bring a police reform bill to the floor before July 4. I have been asking him to do this for 3 weeks, and he has finally acceded. I am glad s have finally joined the debate and put a proposal forward after much pressure from the public, but any final product must be strong and must make real and lasting changes. prgtoken I would note that before we even get to a police reform proposal, the leader wants to approve a circuit court judge next week--the same week we are doing police reform--Cory Wilson, who has a record of hostility toward votin
Justice in Policing Act (Executive Session)
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-6-17

it has been a little bit over 3 weeks since my constituent, George Floyd, was murdered by the Minneapolis police, and for a little over 3 weeks, millions of people have marched on the streets, raising their voices in grief and anguish to protest the police brutality and systemic racism that killed George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Philando Castile, Jamar Clark, and so many others. But the killing hasn't stopped. prgtoken Just last Friday, police in Atlanta killed Rayshard Brooks, shooting him twice in the back. Just moments ago, it was announced that this officer will be charged. prgtoken The killing will not stop until we take action. The Senate needs to act now to take up and pass the Justice in Policing Act. prgtoken I joined my colleagues, Senators Booker and , in introducing this bill last week. I am grateful for their strong leadership toward creating a more fair and equitable justice system. prgtoken The scale of the injustice can feel overwhelming, and the path can seem very long, but passing the Justice in Policing Act would provide concrete steps on that path. It is a necessary step toward stopping the killing and advancing our work to make transformative changes that we need to fulfill the promise of freedom and equality in America. prgtoken The Justice in Policing Act would make some of the changes that we urgently need to stop the scourge of police violence against communities of color. This legislation would prohibit some of the most dangerous police practices. It would strictly limit the use of force, and it would begin holding law enforcement accountable in a system that was designed to shield them from accountability. prgtoken First, the bill prohibits the most dangerous police practices. It would ban the use of choke holds like the ones the police used to kill George Floyd and prgtoken Eric Garner. It would also ban no-knock warrants like the one the police used when they killed Breonna Taylor in her own bed. prgtoken Choke holds pose an unacceptable risk, and that risk is not borne equally. Black men are nearly three times more likely to be killed by police use of force than White men. prgtoken The use of no-knock warrants also disproportionately harms communities of color. The practice was popularized in the 1990s as a tool in the war on drugs so that officers pursuing drug charges could enter a person's home unannounced, with guns drawn, inherently and unnecessarily endangering their lives. prgtoken Communities and activists have been warning us about the inherent danger and injustice of choke holds and no-knock warrants for decades. It is long past time to end the debate and to ban these practices nationally, but experience has shown us that it is not enough to ban egregious practices. When Los Angeles banned choke holds in 1982, officers took up batons to beat and subdue civilians. prgtoken In 1991, the officers who beat Rodney King actually argued that their ac
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-6-17

today I rise to reflect on land conservation as the Senate is poised to make an historic commitment to our public lands and waters. S. 3422, the Great American Outdoors Act, contains two core components. The first establishes the National Park Service and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on Federal lands. The second makes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent. Taken together, these policies will conserve land for the enjoyment of the public for generations to come and ensure that we continue to protect our shared resources. prgtoken The Restoration Fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects that are administered by the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Our National Parks desperately need help, a situation President 's disastrous 2018- 2019 shutdown exacerbated. There is an estimated $11 billion maintenance backlog within the National Park System alone. Visitor numbers have increased in recent years and are likely to continue to do so, particularly as the public seeks respite at available units from the constraints that the novel coronavirus--COVID-19--pandemic has placed on daily life. Parks have been indispensable assets for communities during the ongoing public health emergency, allowing people to exercise and enjoy the outdoors safely with precautions, including staying local, practicing physical distancing, and using face coverings. prgtoken The LWCF is one of our Nation's most successful conservation programs. Congress established the LWCF in 1964. Since then, it has protected nearly 5 million acres of Federal lands and supported over 41,000 State and local projects through matching grants. LWCF has enjoyed bipartisan support since its inception; however, permanent funding will provide the fund with the long-term security and stabilization it deserves. prgtoken Maryland has benefited immensely from Federal investment in public land. Open spaces are particularly important to just over 6 million Marylanders who live and recreate in a highly developed State. Outdoor enthusiasts have a significant economic impact on the Maryland communities they visit. In 2019, nearly 7 million park visitors spent an estimated $233 million in local gateway regions while visiting National Park Service lands in Maryland. These expenditures supported 2,960 jobs, $117 million in labor income, and $313 million in economic output in the Maryland economy, according to the latest annual report, National Park Visitor Spending Effects. prgtoken Consideration of this legislation coincides with Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week--June 6-14, 2020--leading up to the 6-year anniversary of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The agreement outlines five themes with 10 goals for the restoration and protection of the watershed
Nomination of Justin Reed Walker (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-6-17

I am reserving the right to object. prgtoken As I listened carefully to the statements made by the Senator from Missouri about the aggressive and unacceptable conduct of the Government of prgtoken China, or Hong Kong, he is absolutely right, I believe, that it is important that the U.S. Senate--in fact, that the U.S. Government take action strongly expressing our disapproval but also take action to actually show the Government of China that there will be a price to pay if they continue down that path of aggression and try to snuff out the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. prgtoken That is why, immediately after the Government of China announced its intentions to move in that direction, we introduced a bipartisan bill. Senator Toomey introduced the bill. I am proud to join him as a cosponsor. We have other ic and cosponsors to the bill. I am pleased to see the Senator from North Dakota on the floor. He is a cosponsor of that bill. It is called the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. prgtoken In addition to expressing the sentiments that the Senator from Missouri lays out in his Senate resolution, it proposes that we take action as the Government of the United States. While we have heard statements from Secretary Pompeo, the reality is that this administration has not exercised any of its existing sanctions authority that it could take to express our strong disapproval of the actions the Government of China is proposing to take with respect to Hong Kong. That is why we introduced the bipartisan bill, again, outlining all the transgressions the Senator from Missouri talked about but actually doing something about them by requiring that the administration impose sanctions on individuals in the Government of China who are undermining the rights of the people in Hong Kong and requiring them to impose sanctions on Chinese Government entities that are depriving the people of Hong Kong of the freedoms the Senator talked about. It goes beyond that. It says that any bank that is aiding and abetting the Government of China in snuffing out the rights of the people of Hong Kong can be subject to sanctions. prgtoken Now, I know the Senator from Missouri knows the Government of China well enough to understand that the Senate passing a resolution and leaving it at that is not going to change their conduct. I think the Senator is enough of a student of the Chinese Communist Government to recognize that. So that is exactly why we introduced this bipartisan legislation because if we want to have any chance of influencing the conduct of the Government of China, we have to make it clear there will be a price to pay. There is no price to be paid in the Senate passing a resolution. It is a nice statement. I support the statement, but I am also a little tired of this body passing a lot of resolutions, sometimes thinking we have actually done something when we haven't changed a thing. prgtoken That is why I
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-6-17

from Colorado. I really thank my colleague from West Virginia and the incredible teamwork that has played out here on the U.S. Senate floor. prgtoken This is a time in our country when we don't always have that kind of teamwork. Let's be honest. This has been a year when much of the country has been divided, but we have been able to come together around the one thing that truly unites us. Certainly, in having lived through the last 3 months, when many people have been shuttered in their homes for weeks and weeks at a time, I think it has really driven home for many of us that the outdoors is not just a luxury but is something we need. prgtoken I see we are now joined by my colleague from Montana as well, who did great work on this, which also drives home the fact that nothing around here gets done by one single individual or one party. It gets done when we come together. prgtoken I want to take just a minute and thank Senator Jeff Bingaman, who held my seat before I did, who made this the centerpiece of his work while he was in the Senate and plowed the ground on which we walk today. prgtoken I thank all of my staff, especially Maya Hermann and Lio Barrera, for all of their good work. I also thank Senator Gardner for recognizing all of those on our staff--all of the good people who made this happen. prgtoken In New Mexico, we have protected such incredible landscapes with the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Valles Caldera--New Mexico's Yellowstone--is known for its herds of elk, its hot springs, its enormous volcanic caldera, and places like Ute Mountain that wouldn't be in the public trust were it not for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. prgtoken I was so proud to work with Senator Lamar Alexander on a bill called Every Kid Outdoors. This is the bill that will allow us to make sure that every kid will be within walking distance of a neighborhood park. prgtoken I hope that all of our colleagues will find it in their hearts to support this legislation today and will send a strong message to the House of Representatives to take up this legislation quickly. prgtoken .