mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROTECT ACT--MOTION TO PROCEED
Doug Jones (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2020-10-1

. Thank you, Senator Durbin for this bill. Thank you for the colleagues who are on here. prgtoken I was struck when Senator Kaine rose in honor of those who died in Virginia. The list goes on and on. You can go to Emmett Till. You can go to the four girls, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley. You can go to those who lost their lives in a church in Charleston, SC. The thing that connects them all is not just that they died because of the color of their skin, not just because of the White supremacists who were trying to change the political dynamic in this country. It is an unbroken stream that goes back decades and generations. It goes back to the time of the great original sin of slavery, when White supremacy tried to dominate this country, and it goes back to a string of unbroken deaths that are occurring even as we speak. prgtoken Hate crimes across this country have proliferated, whether it is not just White on Black or it is the Tree of Life synagogue. It is so many things that we have to stop. prgtoken The interesting thing to me of what happened this week is that the day after the Presidential debates when the President of the United States refused to condemn White supremacy, the Governor of the State of Alabama, my friend Kay Ivey-- Governor of the State of Alabama--apologized to the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that occurred 57 years ago. It was an implicit acknowledgement that words matter, that statements of public officials have an effect on people. They give a green light to violence, often even unintended. prgtoken This bill Senator Durbin has proposed that passed, as Senator Blumenthal and others said, unanimously is a statement that we cannot allow this to continue. It is a statement that we will--as law enforcement, as citizens, as people in a free country--we will put an end to this kind of rhetoric and this kind of hate. prgtoken Folks, we cannot let this moment pass in this body. The House passed this bill unanimously and so should the U.S. Senate. We should make a stand with our colleagues in the House-- and --that this is an important statement right now because what is unsaid so much right now is that we see this playing out in this country. We see it playing out in the streets. And we can talk about it from the right or the left, and we can talk about it from s or , but the fact is, we need to be talking about it in terms of people and victims--innocent victims. That is what this bill is about--protecting the lives of all Americans, regardless of the color of their skin, regardless of their religion, regardless of their political persuasion. This bill will do that. prgtoken Give the FBI the tools necessary. Give the statement from the U.S. Senate that we will not stand for this. Support this bill. prgtoken .
Anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting (Executive Session)
Jacky Rosen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2020-10-1

3 years ago on this very date, in my hometown of Las Vegas, a gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel onto the unsuspecting crowd below. This horrific attack lasted just over 10 minutes, but in that brief window of time, 58 innocent lives were taken and over 400 were injured. It was the worst mass shooting in American history. I stand here today to recognize the third anniversary of this act of terror. prgtoken I want to speak today about how that October 1 shooting changed Nevada. This mass shooting irrevocably altered the lives of countless families in Las Vegas, NV, and across the country forever. prgtoken Many of that night's victims are still dealing with the injuries, visible and not visible. Many are still grieving and working through the effects of this devastating trauma. All of them have suffered through a pain that no family, no friend, no spouse, no child should ever, ever have to endure. prgtoken In the 3 years since the shooting, two more victims have passed away due to injuries they sustained that night--1 in 2019 and 1 earlier this year--bringing the number of lives lost up to 60--sons, daughters, parents, friends, neighbors--people who were loved, people who were part of our community, people who were taken from us far too soon, 60 families who will forever have an empty chair at their Thanksgiving table. prgtoken Amidst the violence and the terror, there were also heroes who made the choice to run toward danger and help others, like the courageous first responders who risked their lives to provide aid and everyday citizens who helped others escape in their cars. prgtoken Nevada remembers October 1 because it showed us the darkest side of humanity, but in the aftermath, it also showed us the brightest and best of who we are. prgtoken Today we commemorate the 60 lives that were lost. Today we recognize those who were injured and are still struggling. Today we celebrate. We celebrate the heroism of our community--not just in the immediate aftermath of that attack but in the days, weeks, months, and years since. We saw heroes spring into action that night and the following days to save lives. In the following days, we saw so many members of our community display incredible prgtoken heroism. Our community lined up to donate blood. They helped to reunite friends and family in the aftermath, and they helped to financially support victims and their families. prgtoken The phrase ``Vegas Strong'' came into being after that time, and let me assure you, it is a phrase that could not be more true. The strength of our city is simply astounding. We work to build ourselves back up from crisis, side by side, arm in arm. It has taken time. It hasn't been easy. Even now, we are still not all the way there, but every day, the people of Las Vegas show unparalleled resilience. Nevadans carried that resilience with them. They carry it in every challenge and in every crisis that
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1153, CONDEMNING UNWANTED, UNNECESSARY MEDICAL PROCEDURES ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT THEIR FULL, INFORMED CONSENT, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1154...
Mary Gay Scanlon (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-10-1

. Madam , on Wednesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1164, providing for consideration of H. Res. 1153, condemning unwanted, unnecessary medical procedures on individuals without their full, informed consent, under a closed rule. prgtoken The rule self-executes a manager's amendment offered by Chairman Nadler, which clarifies the last statement in the resolved clause. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken The rule also provides for consideration of H. Res. 1154, condemning QAnon and rejecting the conspiracy theories it promotes, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken Madam , I am proud to offer the rule for two timely and necessary resolutions, one that addresses allegations of gross human rights violations conducted under the watch of the United States Government and the other a long-overdue resolution that forcefully condemns QAnon, an anti-Semitic, racist, and, frankly, unhinged conspiracy theory that has infiltrated the internet and infected the rightwing of our Nation's politics. prgtoken Let's start with H. Res. 1153, offered by my colleague, Congresswoman Jayapal of the House Judiciary Committee, in response to some of most repulsive and inhumane allegations ever directed at a U.S. Federal agency. prgtoken In mid-September, just a couple of weeks ago, a whistleblower came forward to disclose that women who have been detained for immigration offenses at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia, operated by a private prison company, LaSalle Corrections, have been subjected to a pattern of nonconsensual and inappropriate medical treatment, including forced partial and full sterilization. prgtoken This complaint was submitted to the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security and outlined concerns raised by a nurse at the facility and numerous immigrant detainees at the facility. prgtoken While the IG's investigation is just beginning, many of the central allegations in the complaint have already been confirmed in reporting by The New York Times and by a delegation of a dozen of my colleagues who visited the detention center last weekend, interviewed women who had suffered through these procedures, and consulted with medical professionals who have reviewed the women's medical records relating to those incidents. prgtoken Madam , I include in the Record The New York Times article from yesterday entitled ``Immigrants Say They Were Pressured Into Unneeded Surgeries.'' [From the New York Times, Sept. 29, 2020] Immigrants Say They Were Pressured Into Unneeded Surgeries (By Caitlin Dickerson, Seth Freed Wessler, and Miriam Jordan) prgtoken Immigrants detained at an ICE-contracted center in Georgia said t
Anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting (Executive Session)
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2020-10-1

immediately after a tragedy, we wake up each day and feel the full force of it prgtoken again. The shock, sorrow, and anger can hit us so strongly, it is hard to breathe, and that is the first part of mourning. prgtoken Eventually, the darkest times in our lives start to feel more familiar. They still hurt as much as ever, but they don't surprise us, and they become part of us. prgtoken Three years ago tonight, bullets split the air at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in my hometown of Las Vegas, NV. They sounded like fireworks, like a celebration, but these were the first shots in the worst mass shooting in modern American history. prgtoken Within minutes, those present at the outdoor festival understood at least some of what was happening. A gunman, high up in a hotel room, had taken aim at the people blow. Hundreds of people were shot, and hundreds more wounded trying to get to safety. Fifty-eight people lost their lives that night and 2 more have passed from grievous wounds since. prgtoken Within minutes, Nevadans began working together to save lives and help those in need. From those with years of training as first responders to just bystanders whose only qualification to help was a car at the ready, Las Vegans pulled together. Nurses and doctors rushed to hospitals, and ordinary Nevadans stood in line to give blood. Individuals and corporations donated their time and energy, as well as blankets, food, and other support. prgtoken In the 3 years since, many all over the State of Nevada have worked to mark what happened through memorial crosses, sculpture, a commemorative community center, and many scholarships honoring the memory of those who lost their lives. prgtoken Those 3 years have not erased the loss of the victims, the pain of the survivors, or the scars of the first responders who rushed into danger to save lives. If anything, the legacy of the Route 91 shooting has expanded during that time, not contracted. prgtoken Like ripples on a pond, the impacts of this shooting linger. It affects different people in different ways. For many, fireworks on the Fourth of July are a reminder of what they went through that day. Geena Marano has learned to prepare herself for Independence Day and New Year's Eve, but if a car backfires unexpectedly, she has to start the process of reminding herself: You are safe. It is OK. prgtoken Her sister Marisa, who was also at the festival with her, says that her own daughter has picked up the habit of reacting to loud noises. She says: ``It breaks my heart because my trauma has passed to her.'' prgtoken The fear resurfaces for these sisters in so many situations--on anniversaries, including of all the shootings since then; at high schools where Geena was doing outreach to students and feared that she was putting herself at risk of another shooting; passing the Strip, eerily empty during the pandemic like it was on the days after the festival; anywhere where the
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION EXTENSION ACT
Joe Neguse (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2020-10-1

I want to say one of the reasons I support this bill is because it includes significant relief for small businesses, which are the backbone of Colorado's economy. prgtoken My colleague and I, John Curtis, introduced a bill just a few weeks ago to provide EIDL relief, essentially ensuring that we would exclude the EIDL advance when determining forgiveness for PPP loans. prgtoken We have heard from countless business owners in my district, in Fort Collins and Loveland, who are struggling and who have told us that this provision would provide needed relief to ensure that they can continue to keep their businesses solvent, keep their doors open, serving the people of our great State of Colorado and, of course, my colleague, the State of Utah, and small business owners across the country. prgtoken That provision is in this bill. It is in the updated Heroes Act, alongside so many other important provisions to help small businesses in our country recover. prgtoken I say to my colleagues: Let's get this done. Let's pass this bill. Let's provide the relief that the American people are counting on us to provide.
Cloture Motion (Executive Session)
Edward J. Markey (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2020-10-1

I just think that we are missing an enormous opportunity here. It is a shame the Senate is not acting with the urgency it needs in order to help our brave men and women who are first responders in our country. prgtoken We can work on issues of spectrum going to the private sector. We can do that in a separate bill, and we can do it together. But, here, we have an opportunity to help our first responders, the brave men and women who every day risk their lives, and we have to make sure they have the spectrum they need to communicate. prgtoken . prgtoken .
AMERICA'S CONSERVATION ENHANCEMENT ACT
John P. Sarbanes (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-10-1

I rise today in support of S. 3051, America's Conservation Enhancement, or ACE, Act. prgtoken I just want to thank Congressman Wittman for all his work. We partnered together, as he indicated, on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force with Congressman and Congressman Scott. prgtoken I want to salute the efforts of Congresswoman Luria in introducing and authoring the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act, which I was proud to cosponsor. prgtoken This is an exciting day. This bill has taken a winding road, as these things do. But we are close to the finish line here, and we look forward to passage of the bill. It is bipartisan. It is bicameral. prgtoken We conserve and protect fish and wildlife habitat, support outdoor recreation, and combat invasive species, as we have heard. It includes several bipartisan provisions that will protect the long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay, specifically, as I indicated, two bills: one, the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization Act, and another one, the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense Act, or Chesapeake WILD Act, which would establish a grant program to bolster habitat restoration and protection throughout the watershed. prgtoken It also includes a bill I was proud to introduce, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Reauthorization Act, which would expand recreational opportunities for millions of Marylanders and bay watershed residents across the region. prgtoken It is comprehensive. It will significantly boost the health of the bay and ensure that it remains an environmental treasure and an economic driver for years to come. prgtoken As Congressman Wittman said, we have worked together on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, and through that task force, we have pulled together real bipartisan support for this effort. prgtoken As the largest estuary in the U.S the Chesapeake Bay is an important ecosystem, a model for restoration efforts throughout the country. That is, in large part, due to our successful bipartisan work at the Federal, State, and local levels. prgtoken I would like to thank Chair Grijalva, our House leadership, and their staffs for their work to negotiate a bipartisan and bicameral environmental conservation package. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this important legislation so that our Nation's natural habitats and scenic landscapes, like the Chesapeake Bay, can be enjoyed for generations to come.
ELECTION SECURITY
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-10-1

President was rightly criticized for dodging a question about the peaceful transfer of power. Instead, criticized mail-in ballots and rejected the premise that he will lose. prgtoken No, that doesn't mean that he is planning some sort of coup, but it is important for any President to choose their words very carefully. prgtoken The same is true for partisans on the other side whipping up fear that our democracy is in jeopardy or that the ballots will not be counted. Even worse is the rhetoric setting the stage to delegitimize any future victory. prgtoken We now hear full-blown conspiracy theories. Let me mention a few. A group of supporters conducted a war game speculating that the President will not leave office without a landslide, questioning what the military would do. prgtoken The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stepped in with a simple civics lesson. The U.S. military has no role in the elections, he said. prgtoken have doubled down on this debunked theory that the Postal Service is plotting with to disrupt the election mail. The Postal Service does not answer to the President of the United States. It has plenty of capacity to deliver election mail. Plus, the Federal Government doesn't run elections; the 50 States run those elections. prgtoken A key goal of Russian ``active measures,'' dating back to the Cold War, has been to get Americans to doubt their government, its leaders, and democratic institutions. Let's not do Russia's dirty work for them. No American should be questioning our free and fair elections. prgtoken Now to my State of Iowa. Our people who have requested absentee ballots will have ballots mailed to them starting on October 5. Remember to fill it out completely, including your driver's license or voter PIN number, and mail them to your county auditor well before election day but not later than the day before. prgtoken Your ballot can be tracked on the secretary of state's website. Check out where your ballot is. prgtoken I have great faith in Iowa's election officials and our postal workers. Iowans who vote in person or absentee can be assured that your vote will count--the same as any election. prgtoken . prgtoken .
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1153, CONDEMNING UNWANTED, UNNECESSARY MEDICAL PROCEDURES ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT THEIR FULL, INFORMED CONSENT, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H. RES. 1154...
Austin Scott (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-10-1

. Madam , for yielding, and I thank all of my colleagues for their comments. prgtoken Madam , I would like to focus my comments on the attacks on the Irwin County Hospital and the staff at the Irwin County Hospital. And one of the things that I would like to make very clear is: While I was not invited to the event at the Irwin County Detention Center that my colleagues had--even though it is in my district--I was on the telephone with people who were there at the time, including our local hospital administrator. I have been to that facility, and one of the things I want everybody in this Congress to understand is, surgical procedures are not done at the Irwin County Detention facility. They are not. They are done at the Irwin County Hospital. prgtoken So when you talk about procedures being done at the Irwin County Detention facility, it is just false. They are done at the Irwin County Hospital. The detention facility is not set up to do surgical procedures. prgtoken So the question is: How do we get here? prgtoken Well, there was a whistleblower complaint filed by a group named Project South on September 14, 2020. I have a copy of the complaint. The complaint focuses on COVID and the challenges that the facility may or may not have had with COVID. And every facility in the United States, including this Congress, had challenges with personal protective equipment and COVID, and how we were handling those issues. prgtoken Now, in this complaint, which focuses predominantly on COVID, they make an allegation of hysterectomies. And I read to you from one of the AP articles: ``But a lawyer who helped filed the complaint said she never spoke to any women who had hysterectomies. Priyanka Bhatt, staff attorney at the advocacy group Project South, told The Washington Post that she included the hysterectomy allegations because she wanted to trigger an investigation to determine if they were true.'' prgtoken And the investigation has been triggered. And we all want the investigation to go forward, and we want the facts to come out. And nobody wants the facts to come out more than those of us who live in that area. Nobody wants the facts to come out more than the doctor and the hospital and the staff at that hospital and the people who work at the detention facility. prgtoken Madam , I share with you a couple of quotes from some other AP articles. This is from The Washington Post: ``The advocacy group that filed the complaint, Project South, did not make the hysterectomy allegations the focus of its September 14 complaint to DHS, a complaint that alleged there is poor medical care and novel coronavirus risks at the ICE facility.'' prgtoken The attorney at Project South who was the lead investigator for the complaint said in an interview with The Washington Post that she did not speak to or identify any women who had undergone a hysterectomy. prgtoken Madam , I include in the Record the Washington Post art