mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for his leadership and tough negotiations in support of this legislation, H.R. 266. prgtoken I not only rise in support of this legislation, the Enhancement Act, I also would like to rise in support of what we are doing for the Health Care Enhancement Act in this bill. prgtoken And I am going to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister, who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, right now, infected by the coronavirus. prgtoken This legislation provides $370 billion in funding for small businesses, as well as $100 billion for hospitals and coronavirus testing. I am pleased that we have been able to set aside $60 billion for our Nation's community development financial institutions, minority depository institutions, community banks, credit unions, certified development companies, and microlenders to directly lend to their small business customers, who are often minority-owned businesses. prgtoken Small businesses and their workers all across the country are in dire need of assistance and will benefit from this bill. And so with that, Congress must now immediately turn to the next package of legislation to provide relief during the pandemic. We need to do much more to help renters, homeowners, people experiencing homelessness, and mom-and-pop landlords. prgtoken As chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee, I am already working on additional coronavirus relief legislation, including legislation that creates a $100 billion emergency rental assistance fund and a $75 billion homeowner assistance fund. prgtoken Madam , I support H.R. 266, and look forward to working with my colleagues on the next relief package.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Suzanne Bonamici (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-4-23

I rise today in support of H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This interim legislation is critical to support our small businesses and healthcare systems, but we must do much more to support families, communities, and our economy. prgtoken In the wake of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Congress acted swiftly to provide funding for hospitals and healthcare facilities, schools, states and localities, and small businesses. Unfortunately, the funding was not sufficient to meet the need and too many small businesses are left wondering if they can survive. I have heard from small business owners from across Northwest Oregon who were unable to access the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Grant funding. They described their frustration as the money was quickly exhausted; a significant amount going to large restaurant chains while small mom and pop businesses were left out. The pandemic continues to ravage communities and our economy remains largely shut down through no fault of the small business owners and workers who need our help in this unprecedented time. The bill before us today will provide the assistance those businesses need. The bill includes $310 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, with $60 billion of that funding dedicated for lending by community-based and small- and mid-sized lenders, including credit unions, community banks, prgtoken and other institutions that are prepared to lend to that small businesses that have traditionally been overlooked, such as minority- owned businesses, businesses owned by women and veterans, and small businesses in our rural communities. We must make sure this money gets to mom and pop businesses. prgtoken The bill also bolsters the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Grant programs by providing $60 billion in funding, and expanding the program so farmers and many agricultural enterprises are eligible. The programs provide funding for small businesses to cover operating expenses, but were similarly underfunded for the demand. prgtoken H.R. 266 also provides $75 billion in much-needed funding for our hospitals and healthcare facilities. We know that these facilities are operating without the resources they need, and are unable to cover expenses because they can't perform elective procedures during stay home orders. The bill also includes $25 billion to expand testing, including funding for states and localities, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and the Food and Drug Administration. We need to vastly expand testing capabilities if we are going to be able to get a handle on this pandemic, so I am thankful that this funding was included. prgtoken The funding included in this bill is critical to help our country, but we must do so much more to support workers, small businesses
PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF H. RES. 935, ESTABLISHING A SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Lucy McBath (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I rise to support the rule and underlying legislation to establish the select committee, and I also support this bill that we will be voting on later today. prgtoken Small businesses are the heart of a thriving community and vital to the American economy, and there isn't one in Georgia or across the country that has not been impacted by the pandemic. prgtoken This crisis demands we all continue our work together to ensure that our American families are kept safe, American small businesses are supported, and American workers receive the relief that they need. This funding is one more step on the long journey toward recovery. prgtoken I want to take this time to offer my condolences to the victims who have lost their lives to this awful disease. My prayers are with those mourning in Georgia, across America, and around the globe. prgtoken To our doctors, nurses, and first responders: Americans everywhere are looking up to your love, your sacrifice, and your uncommon courage. prgtoken I urge a ``yes'' vote on the rule and the underlying bill.
HONORING THE LIFE OF BISHOP Z.L. GRADY
James E. Clyburn (Democrat, SC) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the life and legacy of a great leader in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Bishop Zedekiah LaZett (Z.L.) Grady who transitioned on Sunday, April 19th. Bishop Grady was one of my spiritual and political mentors and--like many others--I will always cherish his memory. prgtoken Z.L. Grady was born the son of Walter and Sylvira Bynum Grady in Loughman, Florida. Education was extremely important to him, and he was a life-long learner. He was educated in Sanford, Florida public schools and graduated from Crooms Academy. He attended Florida's Edward Waters College and the B.F. Lee Theological Seminary, where he earned A.A. and B.Th. degrees before earning a B.A. degree from Allen University, in Columbia, South Carolina, and a M.Div. degree from Dickerson Theological Seminary. He continued his theological studies at the Union Theological Seminary in New York and the Urban Training Center in Chicago, Illinois. Bishop Grady was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Kittrell College, Allen University and Edward Waters College. prgtoken While Bishop Grady was a highly respected AME church leader, his influence spread far beyond the church walls. He was a pastor and an astute administrator who excelled and had many great successes in both roles. He also wore the mantle of civic organizer, social reformer, and teacher. These roles enabled him to make indelible marks on many communities. prgtoken I met Bishop Grady when I was a young public-school teacher in Charleston, South Carolina. Although I was born and had grown up in a Church of God parsonage, and my wife, Emily, had been born and grew up in a United Methodist Church family, we were drawn to and often attended Morris Brown AME Church where Z.L. Grady was pastoring at the time. It was under his influence and tutelage that we became AMEs. prgtoken He demonstrated to us what the Bible means by ``faith without works is dead.'' Not only did he preach the Word on Sundays, he often played instrumental roles in civic and community activities throughout the week. His role in the infamous 1969 Charleston Hospital Workers strike was pivotal. He joined with ministers at Emanuel and Ebenezer AME churches to build affordable housing on Johns Island, a sea island near Charleston. He instituted a daycare center and kindergarten at Morris Brown and our first-born began her formal education in that kindergarten. He began a radio broadcast of the church services. prgtoken During his time in South Carolina, he served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the South Carolina Juvenile Parole Board, Chairman of the Charleston Community Race Relations Committee, Member of the Charleston Housing Authority, and a Board Member of C&S National Bank and NationsBank. And he served as an advisor to elected officials on the municipal, state and federal levels. prgtoken As he rose in church and civic leadership, Bishop Grady's work took him
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , with all due respect to the President, if you want to make America great again, , have the Senate pass a bill to protect first responders by sending money to local governments. prgtoken If you want to make America great again, put money in the pockets of the persons who are in food lines miles long so that they can feed their families. prgtoken If you want to make America great again, admit that what you said was a hoax and let the healthcare workers and advisors give the advice on healthcare.
PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF H. RES. 935, ESTABLISHING A SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , first of all, let me just say I rise in support of this package. I want to thank the ; our leadership committee chair; members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Chairwoman Bass; Chairwoman Kelly, chair of the Health Braintrust; and all of the Members and staff who are working together on the health provisions of this bill. prgtoken Also, let me just take this moment to thank our essential workers for their sacrifices during this horrific pandemic. prgtoken Evidence has piled up that Black and Brown people are bearing some of the worst burdens of COVID. This bill requires, as Chairwoman Bass said, the CDC to get us the data on which communities are bearing the worst brunt and then to make sure that testing is focused on these communities. prgtoken But let me just say, we have much more work to do. Too many people were trapped in poverty before this crisis, and now more people have been pushed into the ranks of the poor because of COVID. People are lining up in front of food banks. prgtoken We need to increase SNAP funding, support the State and local government workers who are on the front lines of this crisis, protect our elections, and help people who are falling through the cracks and living on the edge. We have a moral and we have a patriotic duty to do this.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

today, I will be supporting this bipartisan relief bill. prgtoken It will give small businesses access to additional funds that will help them keep their doors open. prgtoken And, it will also assist hospitals overwhelmed by this virus, get health care workers the protective gear they need, and help expand rapid testing nationwide. prgtoken While this bill will do a lot of good, it still does not go far enough for my state of Texas and people across America. prgtoken Texas is 49th out of 50 states for testing per capita, and in large cities like Houston nearly 60 percent of COVID-19 related deaths were of African Americans and nearly 20 percent Latino. prgtoken We need to do more to help community health clinics helping poor people, expand mobile testing sites in hard hit communities, and deploy rapid testing nationwide now. prgtoken And we also need to ensure that we are getting more direct aid into the hands of folks across America. prgtoken This is critical as we work to responsibly open our country. prgtoken We must put working families first and I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in getting this done in the next package.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Veronica Escobar (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , I rise to support this interim package. prgtoken I have spent every day in my district speaking to constituents and stakeholders battered by this health and economic crisis. I am grateful to Pelosi and ic colleagues who fought for additional money for small businesses, fixed problems we saw after the first round of funding, and added money for hospitals. prgtoken I am disappointed by colleagues who refused to include local and State governments, but we will keep fighting for them and so many others who were left out.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Mark Takano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , H.R. 266 provides billions of dollars in funding for small businesses, hospitals, and much-needed testing. This is a bill that works for the people, not just the favorite clients of the big banks. prgtoken I have heard from small business owners in Riverside County who have struggled to receive the help they need after the original funds ran dry. This bill strengthens the Paycheck Protection Program by providing an additional $310 billion to help small businesses stay afloat. prgtoken Further, this bill ensures that true small businesses--not large, multimillion-dollar corporations--have access to these funds. prgtoken Madam , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 266. The well-being of the American people depends on it.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , small businesses in my district are desperate for assistance, but stymied by a lack of funding and unfair treatment by the big banks and the SBA. prgtoken I support this legislation, because it is absolutely imperative that we get prgtoken small businesses a new round of funding and support. prgtoken I am also pleased this bill provides significant funding for hospitals and for expanded testing without which we cannot safely reopen the businesses and other establishments we are trying to save. prgtoken I am disappointed that despite the best efforts of my ic colleagues, the bill does not give State and local governments the funding and flexibility they desperately need. prgtoken We must provide for these and other unmet needs in the next bill. But right now, the funds in this bill are desperately needed, and we must vote yes.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Adriano Espaillat (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-4-23

. Madam , in the Northwest Bronx, in Washington Heights, Inwood, in Harlem and East Harlem, this pandemic is still ravaging Black and Brown lives. The economic plight this virus will leave will be unprecedented. prgtoken I am glad we are providing $60 billion for small businesses and fought for funding for hospitals and testing, but we must come back. prgtoken Mitch McConnell's words are equivalent to Gerald Ford's words: Drop dead, New York. prgtoken But we will come back. prgtoken We must support State and local governments. We must support our communities. Our people are dying.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-4-23

I rise in support of this economic boost desperately needed by prgtoken our communities. Our nation is on a dangerous precipice, an experiment with thousands of lives in the balance. This bill offers hope for thousands more small businesses, hospitals, and perhaps most importantly those on the frontline, with an infusion of $25 billion to ramp up desperately needed means to advance widespread testing. Testing is the key that offers containment of this virus. prgtoken I am troubled. Troubled by the little insight we have into how the last two trillion dollars approved by these hallowed chambers was spent by the Administration. We must ask why so much has yet to be disbursed. We must question why little help was provided to those who need it most, while those with access had their takings. prgtoken I am proud of the work of my colleagues, particularly Small Business Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, and our dedicated , who fought for $60 billion in community lending and a $310 billion infusion into the Paycheck Protection Program. This bill provides a great step forward and a vital lifeline to small businesses across Northern Ohio. prgtoken Unfortunately, this bill drastically shortchanges the localities now forced with overwhelming burdens, huge losses of revenue, huge cuts to budgets, forced decisions of laying off first-responders or cut back on other life-sustaining services. It also offers no assistance to our postal service workers whose jobs hang in the balance. prgtoken Calls to reopen without science and data are short sighted. Shame on elected leaders who lead their constituents into the fire. What our constituents need is real leadership to keep them safe and supported until a bridge to the future for America can safely lead to reopening. Lives are at stake.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Gwen Moore (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2020-4-23

I support this imperfect interim agreement. But I want to be clear, while it funds some key priorities, it leaves behind additional key assistance that we can provide to households, individuals, and state and local governments that are the tip of the spear in the fight against COVID-19. As we take up this bill, I recognize that it is a much better bill than the one Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to ram through the Senate last week. Thanks to those who worked so hard to help accomplish that. prgtoken That being said, it is clear that this Congress has much more work to do to support the American people, our heroic public health and health professionals on the front line of this pandemic while fighting to get basic protective equipment, and to help support state, local, and tribal governments that are leading this response. prgtoken This legislation will temporarily refill the Paycheck Protection Program but if the experience of the first week of this program is any indication, demand will again quickly overwhelm this program and the program's funds will be quickly depleted. And while I support the changes to direct funds into the hands of some of the most vulnerable small businesses, that addresses just one of the numerous concerns about this program that my office has heard. And I know other Members have heard as well. More changes are needed not only to increase transparency and protect the taxpayer, but also to help this program work better for more vulnerable small businesses, not just larger corporations or friends of the Administration. prgtoken I am also pleased that the bill includes additional funding to support our hospitals and other health providers that daily work to test, diagnose, treat those affected with this illness. They have saved countless lives. However, so far, the Administration has only released $30 billion of the first $100 billion provided by Congress a few weeks ago, with little if any of that money shipped out so far going to children's hospitals, community health centers or Medicaid providers, among others who are struggling. prgtoken The Administration needs to be more transparent about how it will distribute the remaining funds from the first round and the additional funding in this bill and how it will determine key terms, such as hot spots that it reportedly wants to target. And it needs to get these dollars out soon. Weeks more of delay is not acceptable. prgtoken Additional funding provided for our public health efforts through CDC, HRSA, and NIH is appreciated. But since this is a public health emergency, much more funding is needed especially as state and local governments are challenged by an economic slowdown that has imperiled their revenues. prgtoken There is more to be done and that must be done soon. We need another strong comprehensive bill in line with the CARES act that responds to emerging needs. Access to Personal Protective Equipment remai
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-4-23

I rise today in support of H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Though this bill is far from perfect, it provides much needed temporary assistance to small business owners and hospitals impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken This bill includes additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and makes several vital corrections to loopholes in the program from the CARES Act. A lack of proper oversight in the previous package gave lenders the ability to pick and choose their loanees, therefore leaving smaller businesses like hair salons, independent restaurants, and dry cleaners, who may not have an established banking relationship, left without sufficient financial assistance. I am proud that House fought to include $60 billion in funding designated specifically for small and medium-sized lenders, which will go a long way in supporting small businesses bearing the brunt of this crisis. prgtoken Additionally, this bill provides critically needed funding and resources to support our hospitals, medical clinics, and local testing capabilities. We must ensure that when our communities are faced with this public health emergency, our healthcare system can provide the urgent medical attention they need. Included in this bill is $75 billion in funding to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to provide resources to the medical frontlines, including for personal protective equipment and health provider reimbursements. It also designates $25 billion in funding for COVID-19 testing expenses and mandates the development of a national strategic testing policy, focused on increasing domestic testing capacity, including capacity for testing supplies. prgtoken I am fighting for the city of Dallas, and all of the incorporated municipalities in my district, that are getting hammered by the necessary stay at home orders, to make sure that we receive funding to provide for essential services like fire and police. prgtoken As I mentioned before, this bill is far from perfect. Two priorities that must be addressed in upcoming packages are the need for increased funding to SNAP, due to the exponential need for food assistance in our communities, and expanded federal assistance to smaller municipalities like the cities of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, and Lancaster, in my district. Now, more than ever, we must ensure that the most vulnerable among us are protected and that our local governments have the resources to support them. prgtoken At the same time, I am inspired to see organizations step up to the plate and help people in this time of need. Just last week, the North Texas Food Bank, along with the Texas National Guard, Fair Park First, Spectra, and In the City for Good distributed 6,500 boxes of food to over 2,200 households across the region. Looking at images of cars lined up for miles waiting to receive food should serve as a remin