mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
RECOGNIZING MONA SHORES' SAILORS FOOTBALL STATE TITLE
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2021-3-11

. Madam , I rise today to honor and celebrate the Mona Shores' Sailors on their incredible second consecutive D-2 football state title at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. prgtoken This team has shown a great level of resilience and skill throughout this past year. Notably, the Sailors put together a perfect season despite the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, boasting a 12-0 record, which is the best record in school history. prgtoken I would like to congratulate each player and coach of the Mona Shores' Sailors who played an integral role in capturing the state title: prgtoken Players: Keondre Pierce, Larry White, Gary Humphrey, Landon Thalman, Khyree Hamel, Demetri Roberson, Mark Konecny, Eli Farnum, Keegan Dekuiper, Dahmir Farnum, Minh Nguyen, Benjamin Payne, Jeff Lenartowicz, Elijah Johnson, KeWaun Farnum, Brady Rose, Karsen Marihugh, TaVonie Jackson, Drew Sandberg, Stephen Koziak, Sam Wahlberg, DJ Caviness, Bryce Sikkenga, Jesse Love, Theartric Theus III, Mason Klos, Kemper Millis, Dauson Trigg, Cody Crites, Luke Emmons, and Andrew Grimm. prgtoken Coaches: Matt Koziak, Aaron James, Brian Sikkenga, Greg Vargas, Dave Check, Kyle Brott, Tyler Vanbergen, Mike Koziak, Thom Grimm, and Chris Hilliker. prgtoken Team Support: Jack Nummerdor, Dan Shroeder, Jason Dykstra, Rick McAdams, Jimmy Merrill, Patrick Lamay, Carson Koziak, Braden Koziak, Payton Koziak, and Samual Sikkenga. prgtoken Madam , please join me in congratulating the Mona Shores Sailors on their second consecutive Division 2 football state title, and for being a Michigan symbol of resilience in the face of this ongoing pandemic.
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-3-11

I rise to introduce the PPP Extension Act of 2021. I'm pleased to be joined in introducing this bill by my colleagues, Senators Cardin and Shaheen. Last March, the three of us, along with Senator Rubio, formed a Small Business Task Force that crafted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)--a forgivable loan program designed to help keep small employers afloat and their employees paid during the pandemic. The bipartisan bill that we are introducing today would simply extend the current application deadline for new PPP loans from March 31st to May 31st of this year, and then provide an additional 30-day period during which time the Small Business Administration may continue processing applications received prior to the new May 31st deadline. Representatives Velazquez, Luetkemeyer, Bourdeaux, and Kim (CA) have introduced a companion bill in the House. prgtoken The PPP has been hugely successful in helping our Nation's small businesses and nonprofits survive the pandemic and continue paying their employees. In 2020, more than five million small employers received forgivable PPP loans, helping to sustain upwards of 50 million American jobs. This includes more than 28,000 Maine small businesses, who received nearly $2.3 billion in forgivable PPP loans. prgtoken Recognizing the importance of this program for our Nation's small employers, the bipartisan December 2020 COVID-relief law provided an additional $284.5 billion to reopen the Paycheck Protection Program and allow the hardest hit small employers to receive a second forgivable loan. The December law also made other improvements to the PPP, such as expanding forgivable overhead expenses to include supplier costs and investments in facility modifications and personal protective equipment needed to operate safely. prgtoken Since reopening in January, more than two million additional forgivable loans--totaling nearly $165 billion--have been approved for small businesses across the Nation. In Maine, more than 10,000 small employers have been approved for more than $692 million in forgivable loans since PPP's reopening. In total, Maine small employers have been approved for nearly $3 billion in forgivable loans since the program was created last year. prgtoken I have heard from countless small employers about the impact this program has had on them and their employees. The owner of Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland told me that without the relief that PPP provided, his company would be bankrupt. The Ecology School, a non- profit environmental education program in Saco, would have had to lay off the majority of its staff without the support of two forgivable PPP loans. I've heard from the owners of Jeff's Catering in Brewer, the Poland Spring Resort, and the Hamilton Marine in Searsport that PPP helped keep their businesses alive and their employees paid. prgtoken With the ongoing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and the promise of warmer weather t
RECOGNIZING DETECTIVE TONYA DAVIS IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican, FL) \u2014 2021-3-11

. Madam , in honor of Women's History Month, I rise today to recognize Detective Tonya Davis, whose dedication towards protecting and serving her community has left an unforgettable mark on Southern Florida. prgtoken Born in Kentucky, Tonya moved to the Naples area with her family at a young age, and still resides there today. Wanting to serve her community, in 1999 Tonya joined the Collier County Sheriffs Office as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. For four years, she worked in the communications division and then became certified as a law enforcement officer, where, in 2003 she began serving as a road patrol deputy. In 2007, Tonya became a detective with the General Crimes Bureau and uses her expertise to support victims and investigate crimes such as arson, fraud, larceny, and burglary. prgtoken Detective Davis has a continued passion to learn and better herself. In 2009, she received her associate degree, magna cum laude, in criminal justice technology from Edison State College. In 2011, she remained at Edison State College and obtained her bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, in public safety administration. Still eager to learn, Tonya graduated summa cum laude from Barry University with her master's in administration. prgtoken Those that know her best describe Detective Davis as selfless, dedicated, and committed to serving her community. Throughout her career, Tonya has received numerous accolades, and has proven to be an officer that her community can trust and depend on. She is determined to make schools in Collier County a safer place for students, an initiative which I have also fought for throughout my time in Congress. Detective Davis has touched the lives of thousands of students and continues to find ways to give back to Collier County. prgtoken Madam , I cannot speak more highly of Detective Davis's service to Southern Florida. She has proven time and again to be a reliable and trustworthy individual, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this outstanding individual.
BORDER CRISIS IS A DANGER TO AMERICANS
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2021-3-11

. Madam , I appreciate the gentlewoman from Georgia coming down and joining us in this conversation. prgtoken I did not realize that the gentlewoman had the pleasure of meeting with and getting to know the Vargas family or at least maybe the aunt and uncle, I think is what you said. And what I would tell you is that it is a truly wonderful family. They embody all that is right and good about the American Dream, about opportunity. prgtoken These are American citizens, American citizens who happen to have, you know, Hispanic family members, which is so ironic because--you know, those of us who really try to take and honor the idea of judging people by the content of their character and not their skin color or race or creed, I find it ironic that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle seem to only view the purpose of the legislative body to view human beings by the color of their skin and to make all of our policies based on segmenting us out. prgtoken To quote the Supreme Court Justice John Roberts in a seminal Supreme Court case, Divvying us up by race is a sordid business. prgtoken And my colleagues on the other side of the aisle often use words like ``voter suppression'' when we talk about believing we should have voter identification. Believing we should have rules in place about how we run our election systems, heaven forbid. prgtoken And would the gentlewoman agree that too often those words like ``voter suppression'' are code words, buzz words for the allegation that those of us who believe a secure border is better for immigrants and American citizens believe that voter ID and systems that make sure American citizens are the ones voting that we are labeled bigots, and that words like ``voter suppression'' are code words and buzz words, dog whistles that we are bigots and that the agenda of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is often directed to label us as such. Would the gentlewoman agree with that?
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--Resumed
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2021-3-11

Montana has a rich outdoor heritage. It is something we are known for not just across the country but even around the world and something, as Montanans, we are very proud of. prgtoken In fact, for generations, Montana families have enjoyed hunting, fishing, recreating on public lands. I myself am an avid outdoorsman. In fact, some of my fondest memories growing up in Montana are spending time with my prgtoken family, my dad, my mom, my grandpa hunting, fishing, backpacking in our State. And, thankfully, I have had a chance to pass it on to our own four children--something we still enjoy doing today, my wife and I, as we are now empty nesters. prgtoken Recreation on public lands is part of our Montana way of life. It is how we raise our families in Montana. And just as we cherish our access to our public lands, we also value the conservation of our lands, as well as the stewardship of our vast natural resources. prgtoken Energy development flourishes in Montana. It provides over 16,000 hard-working men and women with good-paying jobs to support their families, while funding conservation and protecting our landscapes and wildlife. Montana is still a State where hard-working moms and dads who work hard during the week are thankful for many jobs provided by the natural resources in our State. They work hard during the week, but on the weekends, they go down to Walmart, Bob Ward's Sports' warehouse, and Ace Sporting Goods store and buy an elk tag over the counter, a fishing license, and get into our public lands within 30 minutes of buying that license. That is uniquely part of our Montana experience. These jobs that we have in the natural resource industry, these energy jobs, are part of who we are as Montanans because we are a State full of diverse interests, competing priorities, sometimes opposing philosophies. But time and again, stakeholders have come together to find balance and achieve our most lasting conservation wins. prgtoken That is a word that is missing in Washington, DC, as we are seeing a new administration come to power; it is the word ``balance.'' You see, as Montanans, we are proud stewards of our beautiful landscapes, our rivers, our natural resources, and our wildlife. We take pride in following the science and listening to our local experts on the ground to do what is best for our environment and our public lands, as well as our rural communities. prgtoken And this legacy of balance is intertwined within the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior oversees much of America's lands, our water, wildlife, energy resources, and in many ways oversees our Montana way of life. Over the past few years, we have seen Secretaries of the Interior with a range of views--some I agree with, some I haven't. But one thing was consistent, they were consensus builders. They were able to listen to the needs of diverse stakeholders, bring folks together, come up
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-3-11

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I agree with the Members, and I regret that we have had such a necessity on too many occasions to change the schedule. We did so, of course, to accommodate not only work done but also the very, very unusual start that we have had to this session, a tragic start that we have had to this session, dealing with issues that we would have preferred not to deal with, but we had to as a result of the insurrection that occurred on January 6, and other actions, including the security that the gentleman referred to. That concerns us all. prgtoken As somebody who represents the Washington metropolitan region, the openness of our Capitol is of particular concern to me because my constituents all live within driving distance, an hour or less. So, I share the view. prgtoken Madam , I want to assure Members that we are going to make every effort and that we are trying to now finalize. We already have April, May, June, and July as the schedule. I think that will not be changed in any dramatic fashion. But when we have the final, I hope to make sure that everybody, next week, before we leave here, knows what is going to happen in April, May, June, July, before the August break. Because I understand, when the schedule is changed, for whatever reasons, however justified they may be, it does disrupt. prgtoken Although I heard some criticism last Wednesday that we didn't come in Thursday, no Member came up to me complaining that we didn't come in Thursday. I did hear some political rap about it, but I didn't hear any Members say, ``Oh, jeez, I really wanted to come in Thursday.'' That usually is the case. prgtoken Madam , I want to remind the gentleman that we got all of our work done last week. All that was scheduled was done. prgtoken I will assure the gentleman that we are working very hard so that, the next 4 months, Members can rely on it when they see on the calendar that they have to be here or they don't have to be here, or that we are going to consider this, that, and the other. prgtoken We are going to try to hew very, very closely to that because I do appreciate that when you change the schedule, it is very disruptive for people's lives, for people's businesses, for our constituents.
NOMINATIONS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-3-11

yesterday, the Senate completed an extremely productive day by confirming three members of President 's Cabinet. Today, we are going to keep up the pace by moving the ball forward on two more of the President's nominees. prgtoken First, the Senate will begin the process of bringing Xavier Becerra's nomination to the floor to serve as HHS Secretary. This is a critical position as we continue to battle the virus, and I am perplexed that none of my colleagues would vote for him. He is a capable man, and he has worked hard to make sure that people get healthcare. Some have said: Well, he is not a doctor. Neither was the previous nominee for HHS, who happened to be a pharmaceutical company executive. Whom would Americans prefer? prgtoken Second, the Senate will move forward with another very historic nominee who makes us so proud, Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico, to serve as the next Secretary of the Interior. She will be confirmed on Monday. Representative Haaland was elected to the Congress in 2018. She was the first Native American woman, along with Representative Sharice Davids of Kansas, to ever serve in the people's House. If confirmed, Representative Haaland will not only become the first Native American to lead the Department of the Interior, but she will be the first Native American to serve in any Cabinet position in American history. We have had a Vice President with Native American roots but never a Cabinet official. prgtoken Given the long and troubled relationship between the Federal Government and Tribal nations, the ascension of Representative Haaland to the top of the Interior Department is a profoundly important moment for America as we advance on the long road--still not fully traveled at all--toward equality. For too long, Tribal nations have been denied a seat at the table where decisions were made that impacted their lives and their land. Not only will Secretary Haaland ensure that they get a seat, she will bring her own lived experiences to the table alongside them. prgtoken Under President , the Department of the Interior became one of the most scandal-ridden Agencies in the history of the Federal Government. It gave oil and mining companies carte blanche to drill in wildlife reserves. It rolled back environmental protections and greatly undermined trust in the Federal Government and Tribal lands. prgtoken Representative Haaland will move the Department in a dramatically different direction. One of her most important responsibilities will be to restore and uphold the Federal Government's obligations to sovereign Tribal nations. I cannot think of a better candidate to take on this job than Representative Haaland, and I greatly look forward to confirming her. It will be historic. prgtoken Now, in general, , the Senate is making great progress in installing President 's highly qualified nominees. So far, we have already c
RECOGNIZING DOUG BUSH FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND APPOINTMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-3-11

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and thank Mr. Doug for his years of service to the United States Congress and congratulate him on his appointment to serve as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. prgtoken A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, former Army officer, and long-serving congressional staffer, Doug has served our country in uniform and as a civilian for nearly 30 years. Though he started his congressional career as a Senate staffer, something we try not to hold against him, Doug has spent the last 14 years as a valuable member of the House Armed Services Committee's professional staff. prgtoken From 2007 to 2019, Doug supported the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee's oversight of aviation and ground-based weapon systems, equipment, and programs. Doug's work with committee members helped the committee accelerate the development and fielding of weapon systems and equipment that enhanced the capabilities of our Armed Forces and terminate under-performing programs. More recently, Doug served as the Deputy Staff Director of the Armed Services Committee from 2019 to 2021 where he managed the day-to-day operations of the committee and the development of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As the Congress grappled with how to safely continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic this past year, Doug played a critical role to ensure the Armed Services Committee continued to conduct effective oversight while also enacting the 60th consecutive NDAA. prgtoken Madam , on behalf of the House Armed Services Committee, I extend our deepest appreciation to Doug for his dedicated service to the committee, the Congress, and the military and civilian personnel of the Armed Forces. We wish him well as he continues his public service at the Pentagon with the Department of the Army.
Nomination of Debra Anne Haaland (Executive Session)
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2021-3-11

I rise today to speak in support of the historic nomination of Congresswoman Deb Haaland to serve as our Nation's next Secretary of the Interior. prgtoken This Cabinet position is of great importance to our Nation and especially to Western States like mine--like ours, , and I can't think of anyone more qualified to fill this position than Congresswoman Deb Haaland, one of the first Native American Members of Congress and a proven leader. prgtoken Let me start by telling you why this Cabinet position means so much to Nevada. In the Silver State, over 50 million acres of land is managed by the Interior Department. That is over 70 percent of our entire State. prgtoken People come to Nevada from all over the world to experience our pristine and our majestic public lands and monuments. These lands, well, they are not just a source of beauty; they are also a source of economic opportunity for Nevada. prgtoken In previous administrations, we have seen efforts to put those public lands on the chopping blocks. But that won't happen under Deb Haaland's leadership. prgtoken I have had the chance to speak with Congresswoman Haaland one-on-one, hear directly from her, and get to know her. prgtoken She has spent her entire career fighting to protect public lands, waters, monuments, cultural sites and natural beauties around our Nation and, of course, in our great State of Nevada. prgtoken And I know, if confirmed, she will work with me and Senator Cortez Masto to strike the right balance between critical protections for our public lands, environment, and wildlife, and the needed economic development across Nevada. prgtoken Deb Haaland, well, she has been committed to conservation as a Member of Congress, and she will be just as committed to conservation as our next Interior Secretary. prgtoken Congresswoman Haaland, she will take the bold steps needed to confront climate change. And if this historic confirmation succeeds, she will bring new and needed perspective to the Presidential Cabinet-- one that has been missing since the President's Cabinet was formed all the way back in 1789. prgtoken As Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland will be the first--the first--Native American Cabinet member, and she will give a voice to Tribal communities in Nevada and across our country. prgtoken She will take steps to restore and respect Tribal sovereignty. She will continue to be an advocate and an ally to Native communities, and she will help to right the many historic wrongs and injustices that have been committed against Native Americans and Tribal communities. prgtoken Deb Haaland is exceptionally qualified to lead this Agency. She brings a breadth of experience and diversity to the table. She will be a positive force for good. She will guide our Nation forward. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote yes on Deb Haaland's nomination. prgtoken .