mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CORONAVIRUS
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-3-17

as the global outbreak of the new coronavirus continues to grow, its impact on American families and small businesses is continuing to scale up. School closures are challenging both parents and teachers. Childcare closures are complicating family life even further. Main Street small businesses and their employees are grappling with an unprecedented situation, where their local leaders are effectively winding down their businesses for a period of time through no fault of their own. Major industries that our Nation relies on have seen businesses virtually dry up overnight-- again, not due to any business decision they made but because of appropriate directives from public health experts. And most important of all, our healthcare system and our doctors, nurses, and other frontline professionals are gearing up for what seems very likely to be the most significant nationwide challenge they have faced in generations. At every level, this new challenge is testing or Nation and our institutions. prgtoken Yesterday, my home State of Kentucky reported its first coronavirus- related death. Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and neighbors in Bourbon County, who are mourning. prgtoken I spoke with Governor Beshear yesterday, and we are continuing to stay in close touch. The Bluegrass has now confirmed 25 total cases to date. prgtoken And we are heeding the sober warning of Dr. Fauci. This is what Dr. Fauci said: ``Things will get worse before they get better.'' prgtoken It is abundantly clear that our Nation cannot afford partisan politics as usual. This is a moment for bold and bipartisan action. That is what the Senate did earlier this month when we passed billions of dollars in targeted funding to assist medical professionals and responders in every State and to ease the initial shock to small businesses. And that is what the Senate needs to expand on this week-- bold and bipartisan action. prgtoken Yesterday evening, the House finally completed its work on their coronavirus relief proposal, made a number of changes, and sent the paperwork over here to the Senate. prgtoken I know Senators on both sides are eager to assist workers, families, and small businesses with the financial fallout of this extraordinary period. So, as I said yesterday afternoon, Senate s are convinced that the House's noncomprehensive bill can only be the beginning--the beginning--of our efforts to support our health system, assist individual Americans and families, as well as stabilize the U.S. economy. prgtoken So, last night, a group of Senators conferred with Secretary Mnuchin. He is returning to the Capitol to meet with our entire conference today. We are continuing urgent talks on further legislation that will address head-on the three major priorities we have spent the last several days discussing in depth. prgtoken No. 1, we need to provide more direct assistance for American workers and families
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-3-17

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18; further that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceeding be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; finally, following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
CORONAVIRUS
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-3-17

yesterday, the President of the United States and the Centers for Disease Control contacted us individually and at least through the media to advise us to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. It is a reflection of the national emergency we face and the public health crisis that America is facing head-on, as it should. prgtoken This morning, as we opened the Senate, there were 18 people gathered on the floor of the Senate--3 Senators and 15 staff people. As those who follow all the Senate can tell, our staffers come to work, as they are expected to, but come under circumstances that are more challenging than they were just a few weeks ago. prgtoken I want to thank each and every one of them here on the floor, as well as the many who you don't see, behind the scenes, who are necessary for the opening of this Capitol and for the protection of everyone who works here. There are policemen and there are people engaged in basic activities here who keep this magnificent structure functioning, and they come here now in the midst of a public health challenge, where most every American has been told to stay home: If you can possibly stay home, do it; for social distancing, make certain that you stay a certain distance between yourself and some other person. Yet they come here, and we thank them for it. prgtoken The obvious question is, Why are we here under these circumstances? We were called back into a week of legislative activity, which had been scheduled to be a week where we were back home in our individual States. There is a lot for me to do back home, and I am sure that is true for every Senator, from the crises which we had at O'Hare Airport--I was working on that on Saturday and Sunday night--to the issue of closing schools and feeding children, and all of the other issues that are part of this coronavirus challenge. prgtoken But we were told to come back here this week, to make a trip back, to fly back from wherever, to come to the U.S. Capitol for two reasons. We were told we had to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization because it expired as of last weekend. It turns out that we have found a way to avoid a necessary vote at the last minute. The Senate leader agreed last night, just a few minutes before the scheduled vote, to accept a proposal that had been made to him by Senator Mike Lee of Utah last Thursday. The Senate leader did not accept it then. He accepted it last night. The net result was we didn't have to be present. We didn't have to make the journey for that purpose. prgtoken The second part of our return is equally important and maybe more so in light of this public health crisis, and that was to consider the measure that was taken up by the House of Representatives and passed in the early-morning hours of Saturday. This measure, known as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, is the second piece of legislation
CORONAVIRUS
Doug Jones (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2020-3-17

today I want to talk just briefly about all that we can do. I know we are facing an emergency in this country. We are facing a healthcare crisis. prgtoken Instead of talking about all that is going on here in Congress--and there is a lot going on that the people of America need to understand. You see empty Chambers right now, but the fact is, we are trying to do those things necessary to stop the spread of this virus as well. prgtoken I want to talk a little bit about what we can do as Americans to protect ourselves and our country. In doing so, I am thinking back to an old friend of mine from my younger days. prgtoken Back when I was a kid, the National Park Service and others were concerned about the forest fires around the country, and they came up with what is now an old friend of mine: Smokey Bear. Everybody remembers Smokey Bear. You still see Smokey on occasion because only you can prevent forest fires. prgtoken Well, folks, we have forest fires raging around this country right now in the form of COVID-19, and only you can prevent the spread of that forest fire, the COVID-19 virus--only you. We have healthcare responders out there. We have emergency responders, people who are doing amazing work right now responding to this virus. But it is up to us. It is up to you. Only you can prevent the spread by doing those things necessary to try to protect your communities. The social distancing that people are talking about, the hand washing--all of those things are so important that we have to do as individuals to make sure we flatten that curve. prgtoken You don't need to be going on spring break or vacation right now-- none of this. With shutting down these businesses and things and people being at home, this is not vacation time. You can use it, but it is not a time to go out on vacation, to do those kinds of things. It is a time to try to protect yourself and your communities. prgtoken Don't go out and try to get tested unless you have symptoms and have talked to your healthcare provider. In Alabama right now, we are seeing long lines of folks who are lined up at a private testing facility to try to get tested. I don't know all the protocols that they have, but I know my friends at the University of Alabama in Birmingham--in the infectious disease center--with whom I have met and talked on a regular basis, say that the odds are that a number of those people in those lines don't need to test right now. They are concerned. Everybody is worried. Everybody wants to know. But the fact is, there are not enough tests out there for everyone just yet. We are getting there. More and more tests are coming online. prgtoken We also have to be concerned about the equipment--the swabs that are used, the test tubes that have to be used. Those are the things we are running in short supply of as well. prgtoken So unless you have those symptoms, unless you see that you are getting sick, stay home. Stay with your
CORONAVIRUS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-3-17

our country is facing an unprecedented public health emergency with severe and potentially long-lasting economic consequences. As COVID-19 spreads, our local health officials and health experts tell us we are woefully unprepared for what is about to hit us. Public health infrastructure, like hospital beds and masks and ventilators, must be produced and procured. Testing is still not at its proper capacity. The resulting economic downturn from this virus is already impacting millions of American families, workers, and businesses--small, medium, large, alike. prgtoken First, on a personal note, please, Americans, take care of yourselves. Avoid unnecessary contact, even though I know so many of the meetings and gatherings and celebrations that we have planned must be postponed. It is painful but not as painful as the continuing spread of this awful virus. prgtoken And a little advice--this is not universal, but I have heard this from a number of medical people whom I trust: Take your temperature in the morning and in the evening. It is a good way to check whether you have this illness and it is progressing within you. Not all experts agree with that, but many do. In my view, it can't hurt. It is something I am doing. I am urging my family to do it, and I am urging my staff to do it. prgtoken Our response in the Senate and in Congress--the response to the coronavirus--will require a massive mobilization of public resources-- Federal, State, and local--as we have marshaled before only in wartime. It is going to require Congress to work in a bipartisan way and with uncommon speed. And the American people, too, must pull together and sacrifice in ways small and large their normal way of life in an effort to combat this disease and limit its spread. All hands must be on deck because the task before us is daunting and may yet eclipse the pain felt by workers and families during the great recession--at least for many things. prgtoken The first order of business here in the Senate is to take up and pass the recent House bill and do it today. It will provide free coronavirus testing. That is essential. It would extend paid sick leave. It would give food assistance, Medicaid reimbursement, and expanded unemployment insurance. prgtoken I understand that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle might want to amend the legislation or have it written differently if they were the ones putting it together. But I remind them that Leader McConnell said that he would defer the agreement between the of the House and Secretary Mnuchin. The President has said he will sign this bill if the Senate passes it. If we change the bill, it will go back to the House and be delayed and delay the aid it contains for American families coping with the impact of the virus. prgtoken Please, my colleagues, we will have other opportunities to legislate, and there will be a great need for them, but let's move this now. L
CORONAVIRUS
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-3-17

first of all, I want to thank the staff here in the Senate. Even in these difficult times, they answer the call of doing the work of the American people, and I want to appreciate their being here so that the Senate can conduct its work. They are essential to being able to do that. So I want to acknowledge that. prgtoken I come to the floor today as our country grapples with a global pandemic that, tragically, has claimed the lives of thousands of people around the world, including dozens throughout the United States and three in my home State of New Jersey. prgtoken I come to the floor because I hope that people understand the fierce urgency of ``now''--the fierce urgency of ``now.'' This is a public health crisis, and we can't wait to act. prgtoken The rapid spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, has disrupted our daily lives. It has destabilized our economy and has imposed an enormous strain on our healthcare system. prgtoken I think many failed to grasp the scope of this threat--the lack of a national response just as the virus began to reach America's shores. But I am not here to talk today about where the administration went wrong; I am here to talk about how it can start making things right. prgtoken If there is anything we have learned in recent weeks, it is that you have to be proactive. In the past week, the number of confirmed COVID- 19 cases here in the United States jumped from around 1,000 to well over 4,000. While other countries were testing thousands of people, the United States was testing mere dozens. While other countries were staging makeshift hospitals, we were overloading ours. While other countries implemented aggressive social distancing measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, our government sent mixed signals to the American people about the sacrifices they must make in order to save, maybe, their lives and, if not, the lives of others. prgtoken State leaders like my own Governor, Phil Murphy, stepped in to fill the leadership void. Earlier this week, he, along with the Governors of New York and Connecticut, imposed new restrictions on restaurants, shops, and other public gathering spaces. These are tough, unquestionably, but we need every New Jerseyan, as well as every American, to take Federal and State recommendations about social distancing seriously, avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people, washing your hands frequently, and if you feel sick, staying home and calling your healthcare provider immediately. prgtoken We all need to be part of the solution or we can become part of the statistics. We all need to be part of the solution. This is one time in which we all must come together as Americans and be part of the solution so that we are not part of the statistics. prgtoken Already families are feeling the impact, whether in lost wages, smaller paychecks, school closures, restaurant curfews, or outright job losses. That is why I am calling on the Senat
CORONAVIRUS
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2020-3-17

I rise today at a pivotal time for our Nation. It is quiet today in Big Sky Country. Over the last 36 hours, we have seen schools, restaurants, bars, gyms, ski resorts, and churches close. Thousands of children are home from school, many unsure where their next meal will come from, and parents are without childcare. prgtoken There are no test kits to test for coronavirus to speak of--a few, but not nearly enough, and inadequate medical supplies in Indian Country. prgtoken Thousands are concerned about what it means for their paychecks. Seniors are worried about their health. Businesses are forced to make very, very tough choices. prgtoken Millions of Americans are depending on us here in Washington, DC, to act and to act quickly. The House jumped into action and began negotiating with the administration on a bill to address some of the most pressing and immediate concerns of the coronavirus. A deal was struck, and the House passed the bill with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. prgtoken And what happened in the Senate? Well, last Thursday, the majority leader sent us home. Business as usual. prgtoken What we should have done--we should have stuck around and done the people's work. But, instead, my friends in the majority decided we should operate as business as usual and take off Friday, take off the weekend, and go home. prgtoken Well, this is not business as usual. If the majority leader would have listened to the CDC, he would have heard that what he did last Thursday was contrary to the recommendations they have made to avoid groups, to avoid airports. We did just the opposite. prgtoken Millions of Americans are waiting for the Senate to act. What we are here to consider today, which we should have considered last Saturday, is an important start toward providing needed relief. It provides free testing, sick leave, unemployment insurance for those losing their jobs through no fault of their own. prgtoken We could have done this several days ago, but, instead, we continue to wait. We continue to wait as we have watched athletics shut down-- the NCAA, baseball, hockey, basketball, NBA--restaurants, Broadway, schools close. The list goes on and on, and we continue to languish here in the U.S. Senate, supposedly the greatest deliberative body in the world. We do this while 4 in 10 Americans struggle to cover an unanticipated expense of $400. Let me say that again: 4 in 10 families are $400 away from financial crisis. prgtoken This bill ensures that a hotel employee in Billings can stay home if she is feeling ill without sacrificing that $400 for rent, groceries, or childcare. prgtoken A quarter of a million Americans go without medical care for fear of the cost. This bill ensures that no one is going without healthcare or coronavirus tests for fear of the expense. More than that, the bill would increase the amount of funding for Montana's Medicaid Program to cover additional Medicaid expenses. <
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-3-18

as healthcare professionals, first responders, and communities across our country work around the clock to fight the spread of the coronavirus, our televisions and news feeds have been filled with a lot of numbers--the number of new cases reported each day, the rising number of fatalities, unfortunately, and the volatile ups and downs of the stock market. All of this data paints a picture of the widening scope of this outbreak on a national scale, but it fails to represent the impact it is having on individuals and on small businesses in our communities. prgtoken I think of people like Joe Kenney, who opened Cobbleheads Bar & Grill in Brownsville, TX, nearly 25 years ago. Like other restaurant owners around the country, he is trying to adapt so he can keep his doors open while he follows guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He canceled the restaurant's popular St. Patrick's Day celebration and, instead, offered corned beef and cabbage as a takeout option, but he is nervous about just how long he can hold on and how he will be able to stay afloat. prgtoken Joe said: ``Shutting down two, three, four weeks, you can leave 25 years on the table with what we put into this place.'' prgtoken Joe, to his credit, is especially, worried about his more than 30 employees and what will happen to them. prgtoken This is a familiar story for countless small businesses and their employees--small businesses that are losing customers through no fault of their own. prgtoken Erin Willis owns RM 12:20 Bistro in northeast Dallas. When she heard Mayor Johnson's announcement of limiting restaurants to takeout service, she said: ``I just hope we can survive this.'' prgtoken Like Joe, Erin is mostly concerned about the well-being of her staff. Hourly workers, particularly those who rely on tips, are seeing fewer and fewer opportunities to collect paychecks. Erin is rotating employees so that everyone can have some work, but the fears about how long this could last are really settling in. prgtoken She said: The service industry is their livelihood. If we all close, they literally have nothing. prgtoken As more and more Americans are staying home, small businesses and their employees are the hardest hit, but the impact does not end with them. The hard stop on large gatherings doesn't just mean businesses, schools, and workplaces are shutting down; it means vital community events, including things like blood drives, are being canceled. prgtoken Officials from the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center said this has put their community blood supply at risk of collapse, and while this isn't related to treating those who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, it is vital to the ongoing, everyday work of our healthcare system. Blood donations help people who lose blood during major surgeries or after having suffered traumatic injuries. They also help those who have chronic conditions and requir
CORONAVIRUS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-3-18

the administration wants the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement to enter into force by June 1. I am eager, as well, for that to happen, but we must first ensure that Canada and Mexico are complying with their commitments under that agreement. prgtoken I am especially concerned that the June 1 date presents unique challenges for the U.S. oil industry, when it is already facing significant supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19. prgtoken As we learned in 2009, the health of the auto industry is critical to the health of the entire American economy. I urge the administration to take very seriously the concerns expressed by the highest level of the auto industry to ensure a reasonable timeline for entry into force of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement auto regulations. prgtoken It would be prudent right now to let these companies focus instead on the health of their workforce and supply chains prgtoken . prgtoken .