mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-12-30

let me elaborate a little bit on something that my good friend from Rhode Island said about China. prgtoken I think it is very, very significant that we realize that this is the toughest bill on China that has ever been prgtoken passed. That didn't come just from me; that came from the American Enterprise Institute, which has all the credibility in the world. They talk about the serious things that are going on, and they actually said this bill has the most substantial and consequential China-related provisions since--in, probably, history. prgtoken That is significant because all of us remember--I know that Senator Reed and I have both spent time in the South China Sea, the seven islands that they are doing right now. China--it is illegal, but they have taken over--no, they have created seven islands in the South China Sea. When you go down there, it looks as if, on those islands, they are preparing for World War III. A lot of our allies in that area are very much concerned because they are making a lot more noise than we are, and they are demonstrating very clearly some of the things that they do that we haven't done. Hypersonics is an example. That is a state-of- the-art thing that we do in modernizing our military equipment and abilities. It has been very successful, but they are still ahead of us, so we are in catchup mode. prgtoken I would say this: When you go and you look and you see the buildups that they have--I can remember--it wasn't long ago that every time China got involved in any kind of an effort, they did it from their own city limits there. Now they are all over Djibouti, Tanzania, and all around the world. prgtoken We made this bill to establish the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. That is $2.2 billion for foreign posture to put ourselves in the position where we are going to pass, with this bill--we will pass China, and then we will be shifting the supply chains away from China-- semiconductors and printed circuit boards, the pharmaceuticals-- stimulating the U.S. economy, protecting weapons systems and our troops, and bringing China's malign national security activities into light to make sure everybody knows what they are doing there. prgtoken We have a new report in this bill on the true China defense security spending, new assessments of China's industrial base, new list of Chinese companies operating in the United States and making it more difficult for them to do that. It is all in this bill. There is a new report on the fishing fleets they have out there. It extends the successful China Military Power Report, supports Taiwan and a new plan against--that is better than anything we have ever done before. prgtoken Yesterday, I put this into the record--all the things that we are doing just concentrating on the threat that is posed to the United States from the country of China. It is all in this bill. So this is something we have taken great pride in because we recognize the th
UGANDA
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-12-31

I rise with grave concern to speak about the troubling political situation in Uganda in the runup to that country's elections on January 14 and to call on President Museveni to take immediate action to stop the country's downward political spiral. prgtoken Uganda has been an important if not critical security and counterterrorism partner to the United States for well over a decade, playing a prominent role in the African Union's Mission to Somalia and hosting over 1.4 million refugees. Its leadership and influence in East Africa and the African continent writ large is difficult to overstate. However, these are troubling times in Uganda, and longstanding efforts to advance its democracy are now in peril. prgtoken National elections in Uganda have not met internationally accepted standards for free and fair polls since 1996, when they were held for the first time after a long-running conflict that brought President Museveni to power. For decades, Museveni's ruling National Resistance Party, NRM, has leveraged access to and influence over prgtoken state resources and institutions to tilt the electoral balance in its favor. These efforts are not new. Under President Museveni's leadership, the NRM successfully moved to change the Ugandan Constitution in 2005 to remove Presidential term limits and again in and 2017 to lift age limits. These changes allow President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, to remain in office indefinitely. Not only have Museveni and the NRM engineered a constitutional coup, they have undertaken a campaign of political repression that has only become worse since the last general elections. Ugandan authorities have increasingly used coercive measures, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and intrusive surveillance technology to intimidate and silence critics, place a strangle hold on media, and stifle political opposition in the country. prgtoken Leading opposition figures have been targeted in brazen and shocking ways. Members of Parliament have been arrested and detained on numerous occasions, and there is strong evidence to support their claims of being tortured by President Museveni's security forces while in custody. Last week, prominent human rights attorney Nicholas Opiyo, along with several other attorneys, was arrested in what appears to be a blatant act of intimidation for their investigation into killings that occurred as a result of the arrest of rival Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu in November. Just this past weekend, one of Kyagulanyi's bodyguards was killed by security forces in a violent confrontation that also saw two journalists injured. Imagine that happening to any political candidate here in the United States to one of our colleagues as they were out on the campaign trail this fall. We should all be outraged by such acts. prgtoken To date there have been no meaningful investigations into t
CARING FOR AMERICANS WITH SUPPLEMENTAL HELP ACT OF 2020
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-12-31

. Madam , as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary, on Homeland Security, and on the Budget, I rise in strong support of H.R. 9051, the ``Caring For Americans With Supplemental Help Act of 2020, or CASH Act, which provides an additional $1,400 in recovery payments directly to Americans, who are desperately struggling to get by during the twin disasters of COVID-19 and a faltering economy. prgtoken Because I had seen first-hand the pain and devastation caused by the pandemic, in March of this year, during the debate on the CARES Act, I advocated that the amount of direct payment should be $3,000. prgtoken Madam , I see the disparities in the lives of so many of my constituents who suffer disproportionately from medical conditions that make COVID-19 deadly. prgtoken They work low wage or no wage jobs to make ends meet, and they have no health insurance and rely on community health centers or pubic health services for routine care. prgtoken I call them friends and neighbors because they are that to me. prgtoken I am pleased to have this opportunity to vote in favor of this legislation that will provide them with the help they need to survive and recover from COVID-19. prgtoken No one is benefiting from the COVID-19 economy. prgtoken The U.S. poverty rate has grown at a historic rate over the past five months, with 7.8 million Americans falling into poverty after the expanded $600 a week in unemployment assistance expired at the end of July. prgtoken This represents the greatest increase since the government began tracking poverty sixty years ago. prgtoken In the city of Houston, nine key service sectors, accounting for 70 percent of all jobs, hemorrhaged more 1,343,600 jobs, which to average folks is another way of saying that more than 1.34 million persons lost their livelihoods. prgtoken Houston workers lost jobs in the following areas: Healthcare: 391,000; Retail: 303,600; Food services: 267,000; Finance: 166,000; Private Education: 63,400; Arts and Entertainment: 37,400; Accommodations: 28,700; Air Transportation: 20,200; Other Services: 115,800. prgtoken In addition to these positions, jobs were also lost in other areas, the largest of which was the construction industry, which shut down 30,700 jobs. prgtoken Professional and business services followed, with 25,300 jobs lost, although 13,900 were in temporary and provisional jobs in employment services; upstream oil lost 12,300 in March/April; and non-oil manufacturing lost 7,700 jobs. prgtoken Americans out of work due to COVID-19 have generated 86 million jobless claims, with new claims being filed in recent weeks topping 800,000. prgtoken Millions of Americans who lost their jobs during the pandemic have fallen thousands of dollars behind on rent and utility bills, a clear warning sign that people are running out of money for basic needs. prgtoken If this is not enough evidence of what is happening just look at the miles of vehicles lined up outside of f
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT ACT OF 2020
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-12-31

. Madam , I ask unanimous consent to take from prgtoken the 's table the bill (S. 1310) to strengthen the participation of elected national legislators in the activities of the Organization of American States and reaffirm United States support for Organization of American States human rights and anti-corruption initiatives, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-12-31

I would like to for a moment just reflect on where we are at this session of the U.S. Senate and the choices that have been made. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Sanders and Senator Schumer for bringing this, with clarity, to the floor of the Senate. prgtoken We support $2,000 as a helping hand to people across the United States. There is a limitation on the amount that individuals receive if they make more than $75,000 or if their family makes more than $150,000, but we are following the template that has been employed both with the CARES Act and with our own COVID relief act of just a few days ago. prgtoken We have been told by the Department of the Treasury that if you want to put money into the hands of Americans who desperately need it, this is the best way to do it, the quickest way to do it. There are better ways, I am sure, but in a time of crisis, we need to respond and respond in a timely way. prgtoken So Senator Sanders and Senator Schumer have brought to the floor for consideration, we hope, a bill that has already passed the House of Representatives. The significance of this is that the House is now in recess and not scheduled to return in this congressional session. So whatever happens over here cannot be a new bill--there is no House to send it to and no time to pass it--but, rather, has to be an up-or-down vote on a bill that has passed the House as is. That is what they have come to the floor now for 3 straight days asking. prgtoken Senator Schumer has asked repeatedly of Senator McConnell, the leader, a simple request: Whether you are for the House bill or against the House bill, allow the Senate to be the Senate. Allow us to vote on the bill--for those of us who support it, to vote on it. prgtoken It isn't a lock; it isn't guaranteed that we are going to win and prevail with that vote. There are 48 ic Senators, and you need 60 votes. We need help from the other side. Four or five Senators say they support it as well, but we don't know if we have the 12, if all of our Members can be here. In this era of COVID-19, sadly, even some of our Senators have illnesses in the family, which may make it impossible for them to be here. So there is no guarantee we win, but there will be a guarantee that we are recorded and our positions are known to the voters across America. That is a simple request. Yet, time and again, the leader, Senator McConnell, has said no. prgtoken I am worried about what is happening to this institution, not just in this instance but with what we have seen over the past several years. prgtoken We will conclude this calendar year having voted on the floor of this U.S. Senate 29 times on amendments--29 in the course of a year in what is supposedly the world's greatest deliberative body. I guess I shouldn't complain--it is a 30-percent increase over last year, when we voted on 22 amendments in the entire calendar year. The Sena
FAREWELL REMARKS FOR CONGRESSMAN KENNY MARCHANT
Devin Nunes (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-12-31

. Madam , public service calls us at different times and in different ways. Some lead with loud voices, but often the most significant leaders are humble folk who quietly and tirelessly work to serve their constituents. My friend Kenny Marchant is one of those great leaders, and I am proud to have served with him. prgtoken Service comes natural for the Bonham, TX native, something he learned from his father Hobart, who was a barber and World War II Veteran. Throughout his thirty-five years of public service, from zoning committee and city council to state representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kenny has ceaselessly worked to make both Texas and America great. prgtoken Everyone that knows Kenny knows of his love and adornment for his family, his wife Donna, sons Matthew, Luke, and Kenny, Jr and his daughter Dallas. But if you really want to see him smile, ask him about his grandchildren, Kendall, Hayden, Carolina, Sadie, Walker, Neyland, Conway, and Carter Bailey. prgtoken Congressman Marchant served this House, the state of Texas, and the people of District 24 with honor, respect, and dignity. I will greatly miss him on the Ways and Means Committee where we served together for many years. His impact in helping pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement cannot be understated. And, during this Congress, Congressman Marchant was selected as Ranking Member of the House Ethics Committee, a position in which he continued his devotion to humble public service. prgtoken I very much wish Kenny wasn't retiring at the end of this Congress, but he has earned a well-deserved retirement. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating our friend and colleague on his many years of service. We wish him, and the Marchant family, all the best on his retirement.
CONGRATULATING BILL DAWSON
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-12-31

. Madam , I rise today to congratulate Bill Dawson on his retirement from the Georgia Ports Authority after more than forty years of dedicated work. prgtoken Bill was born and raised in Brunswick, Georgia, and he has been a pillar in his community for many years. The Georgia Ports Authority, which was founded in 1945, operates port facilities in the state of Georgia. Bill has been with them as long as they have been in Brunswick. prgtoken He was previously employed as Assistant Manager for the Brunswick Port Authority and then joined the GPA as Terminal Manager for Brunswick Operations. prgtoken Throughout his career, Bill has been a professional and a mentor to many. He has been known as the go-to person for the GPA customers and community, and he set the tone for GPA's business at the Port of Brunswick for decades. prgtoken Bill's contributions to GPA expanded beyond his job responsibilities in operations, as he always went above and beyond to oversee the success of GPA in many other areas such as sales and public relations. Although he is very passionate about the Georgia Ports Authority, he is most passionate about his grandchildren. I hope that Bill is able to cherish many more special times with them as he begins his retirement. prgtoken I wish Bill the best, and I want to thank him for his lasting impact on Brunswick.
ORDERS FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2021
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-12-31

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon, Friday, January 1; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, morning business be closed, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of the veto message on H.R. 6395.
TRIBUTE TO GARY HERBERT
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-31

I stand today to honor my friend Gary Herbert, Governor of the State of Utah for the last 12 years, who, after a long career in public service, is now embarking on a really well-deserved, hard-earned retirement. prgtoken He served the State of Utah and has done so with great enthusiasm and dedication and spirit, and I am grateful to have worked alongside him throughout his tenure serving our great State. prgtoken Gary Herbert was born in American Fork, UT, and grew up in Orem. He served a 2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the east coast and later attended Brigham Young University, my alma mater. prgtoken He first began his public service in college, serving in the Utah Army National Guard for 6 years and eventually becoming a staff sergeant. After his time in the National Guard, he set up a real estate firm and was very successful, eventually becoming the president of the Utah Association of Realtors. He also served as president of the Utah Association of Counties, by the way. prgtoken Starting in 1990, he served as a commissioner on the Utah County Commission. He served there for 14 years, and it was at that point that he began his statewide service within Utah. You see, in 2004, when Jon Huntsman ran for the Governor's seat, Gary became his running mate, running alongside Huntsman as his Lieutenant Governor, with the pair going on to win the race in November. prgtoken It was then that I first got to know Gary Herbert personally, when I was hired to be Governor Huntsman's general counsel. One of my first memories of Gary Herbert--which, to me, seems like it was just the day before yesterday--occurred when we all began moving into the Governor's office suite, just the day before Herbert and Huntsman were sworn into office. prgtoken Gary came in and provided us all with a warm welcome, but he didn't stop at the welcome. He offered really sound and heartfelt advice about the importance of staying grounded as we were entering the political fray. He explained that long after our service and the Huntsman-Herbert administration expired, we want to be able to look back and be pleased about the relationships that we had formed with each other, but especially the relationships prgtoken that we had maintained with our families, our children, and God. prgtoken I soon learned that Governor Herbert, in addition to being wise and in addition to being a skilled and valuable statesman, was also a formidable athlete. Right after he and Governor Huntsman were sworn in, the staff got together as a team several times in the Governor's mansion, where we soon discovered there was a ping-pong table in the basement. I then learned the hard way that Governor Herbert's athletic skills, including his ping-pong skills, are off the charts. prgtoken While severing Governor Huntsman, I always found Gary to be friendly, approachable, and always willing to tackle every single assignment with eage
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 9051 AND S. 5085
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2021-1-1

. Well, I just think that you are making a point in the statement which is not accurate because you are saying the formula is the same. The formula is the same, but the inputs change, and so the way it ramps down means that somebody who makes $350,000 gets a payment under the Sanders-Hawley proposal that they wouldn't--but they wouldn't--no, and it phases out a lot sooner, as you know. prgtoken So let's be clear about how that formula works. You are misrepresenting the way that formula works.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-1-1

. Today, by the grace of God, the genius of science, and the resilience of the American people, we appear to have a bright 2021 on the horizon. Our great Nation is poised to defeat this pandemic in the months ahead through safe and effective vaccines. prgtoken The pace of the American people's economic recovery has already beaten expectations and predictions. Thanks to the ingenuity of our citizens and historic relief policies from Congress, overall personal income in our country is already higher now than it was prior to the pandemic. prgtoken Now, the country needs more support, and the significant remaining pain is not--I repeat, not--evenly distributed, far from it. So we just enacted another historic $900 billion rescue package to get vaccines distributed, to keep small businesses alive, and to get a whole lot more targeted support to struggling people who actually need it. From multiple kinds of extra Federal unemployment benefits to nutrition assistance, rental assistance, direct cash, and beyond. prgtoken This latest, huge, historic package was just signed into law less than 1 week ago. It is beginning to take effect right now. Many households have already received the latest round of direct cash, or will receive it very soon, to help them turn the page into this brand new year. prgtoken While this huge new aid package takes effect, a bipartisan, commonsense caucus in both Chambers is not keen to let Pelosi and Senator Sanders rush to borrow half a trillion dollars for universal cash giveaways, regardless of need. A huge chunk would essentially be socialism for rich people--money flowing to prgtoken households earning well into six figures who did not lose any jobs or income last year. prgtoken The House ' bill is just simply not the right approach. That is what editorial pages across the political spectrum say. That is what even liberal economists say. And that is what common sense tells us. prgtoken Here is what the Senate is focused on: completing the annual Defense legislation that looks after our brave men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform. We passed this legislation 59 years in a row and, one way or another, we are going to complete the 60th annual NDAA and pass it into law before this Congress concludes on Sunday. prgtoken It is a serious responsibility, but it is also a tremendous opportunity to direct our national security priorities to reflect the resolve of the American people and the evolving threats to their safety at home and abroad. It is our chance to recommit to research and development so that our 21st century military is equipped to outmatch any adversary. It is our chance to ensure that we keep pace with competitors like Russia and China. It is our chance to remind brave servicemembers and their families that we have their backs with facilities, resources, and support benefiting the finest fighting forces in the world. prgtoken Over the past year, our colleagues on th