mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-29

I rise today to introduce the ``Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2020.'' prgtoken For over two decades, cleaning up the Tijuana River Valley has been one of prgtoken my top priorities for Southern California. The wastewater, trash and sediment that continues to flow into San Diego and Imperial Counties is a danger to public health and our economy and it must be addressed. prgtoken This legislation is a key piece of addressing this decades-long issue. What the Problem Is prgtoken Polluted water from the Tijuana and New Rivers flows north across the border into the United States causing unsanitary water conditions, pollution and beach closures across Southern California. It also jeopardizes military training exercises for Navy Seals in Camp Pendleton. prgtoken Three-quarters of the 1,700-square-mile Tijuana River watershed lies in Mexico. However, the watershed, along with all its pollutants, drains into San Diego County and the Tijuana River Valley. Impacts of the Water Pollution prgtoken In addition to jeopardizing human health and safety, two of the most drastic effects from this cross-border water pollution are harm to wildlife and damage to the tourism industry, integral to Southern Californian communities. prgtoken Pollution from Mexico harms sensitive areas that provide critical habitat for more than 300 species of birds as well as marine animals like leopard sharks and bottlenose dolphins, including: Tijuana River's National Estuarine Research Reserve, the River Mouth State Marine Conservation Area and River Valley Regional Park Preserve. prgtoken The beaches in the region are vital to San Diego's tourism economy. Beaches in the communities of Coronado and Imperial Beach have been closed for more than 200 days this year alone due to pollution. prgtoken Health and safety of residents and workers are also at risk. In recent years, local Border Patrol union officials reported that 80 officers suffered from contamination, rashes, infections, chemical burns and lung irritation due to toxic cross-border flows. prgtoken The harmful effects of pollution in the Tijuana River Valley on our residents, businesses, economy and environment are simply unacceptable. Current Status prgtoken In February 2020, the Government Accountability Office issued a comprehensive report, ``International Boundary Water Commission: Opportunities Exist to Address Water Quality Problems.'' My office worked closely with the GAO to utilize their findings to craft meaningful change through this legislation. prgtoken Simultaneously, we were able to secure $300 million in the U.S.- Mexico-Canada trade agreement to address pollution in the Tijuana River Valley Watershed. prgtoken With significant funding and detailed findings by the GAO investigation, we developed this legislation in concert with federal, state and local agency input.
China (Executive Session)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-7-29

it is interesting to hear my colleagues talk about China and COVID and our response. I think many of us looked at 2019 and felt like that was really a significant year for U.S.-China relations. It marked the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing, and we also finalized a phase 1 trade deal. prgtoken This led many of us to being optimistic, but remember that 2019 also marked the 70th anniversary of Chairman Mao's ascension to the chairmanship of the Chinese Communist Party and the 30th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. prgtoken When you start asking questions about that history and how it has informed the decisions of current Chinese leadership, the capitalist facade that has been so carefully constructed by the propagandists in Beijing starts to peel away, and it starts to crack. prgtoken After decades of espionage, military aggression, and horrific political violence inflicted on their own people, many here in Washington have grown numb to Chinese hostility. They kind of expect or accept that is the way they are going to act. That is the only explanation I could come up with for the shock that rippled through this town when we discovered that the Chinese Communist Party spent 51 days muzzling the doctors, lawyers, and journalists who desperately tried to warn the rest of the world about the growing threat from the novel coronavirus. prgtoken Our relationship with China has reached a tipping point. We will never be able to go back to what had been that cautious optimism that we had in 2019. prgtoken Fortunately, it looks like both my colleagues here in Washington and many of our allies are allowing themselves to process the threat posed by Beijing's standard operating procedures. The UK has banned the use of equipment from Chinese tech giant Huawei for their ongoing 5G rollout, and France has implemented policies that restrict the use of Huawei's products. These decisions are giving some hope to the people I am talking to back in Tennessee every single day. They are happy to see that allies are following in our footsteps. This is a good thing. It is an opportunity for us to role-model how you work to unravel a relationship with an aggressor. prgtoken They would also want me to tell you that they appreciate the Senate's growing bipartisan support for legislation like my SAMC Act, which will secure our pharmaceutical supply chains from Chinese interference, and Senator McSally's Civil Justice for Victims of COVID Act, which will allow Americans harmed by this pandemic to sue the Chinese Communist Party officials in U.S. court. prgtoken But we all know that there is no single-shot bill we can use to decouple from China and put control back in the hands of American businesses, educators, institutions, and innovators. We have to begin to unravel these ties with China. Now, there are a lot of people in this town who think that this is impossibl
HEALS ACT
Kevin Cramer (Republican, ND) \u2014 2020-7-29

first of all, I want to associate myself with the message delivered just a little bit ago by my senior Senator from North Dakota, Senator Hoeven, and echo his words about the importance of farmers and ranchers, all of our agricultural producers-- those who produce the food and the fiber and the fuel for our country. prgtoken They need assistance, and I am really grateful that Senator Hoeven has played such a lead role in getting them assistance in the HEALS Act. It is critical prgtoken I want to join the rest of my colleagues today in discussing the HEALS Act and demonstrating our support for the merit of this important bill. The ultimate answer to the problems that we face as a result of this virus, of course, lies in the healthcare industry and in our healthcare in fighting against this enemy, the virus. That is why we are calling for more funding for testing and treatments and, ultimately, a vaccine, hopefully, and hopefully soon. prgtoken As we do so, we also have to make sure that our economy is healthy, that our economy survives, and that our education system remains available and accessible to our students in the classroom. prgtoken Jobs, kids, and healthcare, students, parents, and patients--these are what Senate s are fighting for. prgtoken I have introduced bipartisan legislation to further this goal. I believe we should include it in the HEALS Act in its entirety. Many pieces of it are in, but I think we can do more. prgtoken The Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act would offer streamlined forgiveness for any borrower of a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $150,000 or less who fills out a simple one-page form attesting that they spent the loan dollars the way they are supposed to. prgtoken With the expected forgiveness guidance from the bureaucracy, businesses and lenders will have to spend billions of dollars to receive the forgiveness that was promised them. In fact, we estimate that each borrower would have to spend $2,000--and each lender $500 per loan--just to comply with what the bureaucracy comes up with. That doesn't even include the dollars we have to spend on the bureaucracy itself. prgtoken We created the PPP to help small businesses and their employees survive, not to create a bureaucracy that will bury them in paperwork. prgtoken So who are these borrowers of PPP loans of $150,000 or less? Well, loans of this size make up--listen to this--85 percent or 4.2 million of the loans but only 25 percent or $132 million of the loaned amount. Imagine that: 85 percent of the loans are in this category--4.2 million of roughly 5 million loans. So that means 15 percent of the authorized PPP loans make up 75 percent of the borrowed money. prgtoken In North Dakota, the average loan was only $91,000, but under current law, the bureaucracy would, regardless of loan size, seek to indiscriminately verify and approve forgiveness applications, and they haven't even come u
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-7-29

now that the United Kingdom has separated from the European Union, it is our opportunity to sit down with the United Kingdom and do some business. Therefore, I am pleased that the United States and the United Kingdom are making strides in our negotiations to complete a free trade agreement. prgtoken Our two countries, as you know, have a centuries-old relationship. That relationship will be further strengthened by a comprehensive deal that presents economic opportunities for our farmers, our manufacturers, and our service providers to the benefit of both sides of the Atlantic. prgtoken I will continue to insist that an agreement reached between our two countries will allow us to reach our full potential as trading partners, particularly when it comes to agricultural trade. prgtoken The United Kingdom has been subject to very restrictive European Union rules that have no scientific basis. We call those sanitary and phytosanitary rules. prgtoken I urge the administration to work with the United Kingdom negotiators to achieve greater marketing access for U.S. farmers. In other words, I am tired of the EU restrictions that we have had over the last couple of decades on our GMO grains. prgtoken .
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Rick Scott (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-7-29

in reserving the right to object, first of all, s, and I hope to work with them to figure out how we can drive healthcare costs down because, as we know in all of our States, healthcare costs are too high, and as my colleagues have said, we have people who are being impacted because they can't afford the cost of healthcare. prgtoken I am clearly disappointed. My colleagues don't want to protect those with preexisting conditions and ensure that young adults can stay on their parents' plans until age 26 if Care is actually ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Whether by figuring out how to bring drug prices down or just the whole cost of healthcare, I hope that we can figure out how to work together because the costs shouldn't be this high. prgtoken Therefore, respectfully, I object.
HEALS ACT
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-7-29

first, let me say I concur with the comments by the Senator from North Dakota. I think he makes wonderful points about what is being done in terms of pandemic relief and the issues that we as a nation are facing. prgtoken As his State and mine are similar, with so many small businesses, and we see the impact and the success related to the Paycheck Protection Program, I just want to associate my beliefs with those that we have just heard expressed from the Senator from North Dakota. Protests prgtoken I come to the floor today to talk about another epidemic, and that is the epidemic of violence that is sweeping our country. prgtoken Monday's Washington Post headline warns: ``Protests explode across the country; police declare riots in Seattle and Portland.'' prgtoken Tuesday's Wall Street Journal editorial is headlined: ``A Weekend of Urban Anarchy.'' ``A weekend of Urban Anarchy.'' In Seattle, on Saturday, rioters blew a hole in a police precinct. They hurled explosives, and they injured 53 police officers. In Portland, rioters threw Molotov cocktails Friday night. Several officers were hit with heavy explosives. The rioters returned Sunday and attacked the courthouse. prgtoken In spite of what the say when they call these ``peaceful protests,'' these are not peaceful and they are not protests. This is active violence. This is organized violence, and it is meant to destroy and to intimidate. prgtoken Portland has now endured 60 days of senseless destruction. These violent protests are a powder keg for our entire Nation. The rioters threaten entire communities. They are ruining lives, and they are ruining neighborhoods. They are wrecking public property, and they are wrecking private property. They burn, they loot, and they kill. prgtoken Across the country, a number of police officers have been killed. According to the New York Times report, murder rates in our big cities are now up 16 percent compared to last year. In New York alone, murders are up 24 percent. In Atlanta, murder is up 31 percent. In Chicago, murder is up 51 percent. In Chicago, last week, 15 people were shot while attending the funeral of a victim of gang violence. Children are being hurt and killed. A 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were among those shot and killed in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. prgtoken This is a crisis of leadership in our liberal cities. Where are the ic mayors? They have surrendered to the mob. Where are the ic Governors? They have surrendered to the mob. Instead of leading, they are turning their backs on the safety and security of the law-abiding citizens of our communities. In these liberal cities, mob rule has replaced the rule of law. We are seeing in realtime--in realtime--the result of the radical ``defund the police'' movement that is embraced by many . prgtoken We should defend, not defund, the police and law enforce
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 7617, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021
Tom Cole (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-7-29

I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts, the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and, , such time as I may consume. prgtoken , today's debate is on a rule providing for consideration of H.R. 7617, which contains 6 of the 12 annual appropriations bills recently reported by the House Appropriations Committee. These six bills include the two largest, Defense, and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, as well as the titles covering Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, and finally, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. prgtoken , as a member of the Appropriations Committee, it is always encouraging to see the appropriations process moving forward. Passing these 12 bills is one of the biggest responsibilities we have as Members of Congress; to fund the government and keep it open and operating for our constituents. prgtoken Despite that great responsibility, I am disappointed by the partisan approach taken by the majority in crafting the bills in this package, and I cannot support them at this time. prgtoken I single out the majority in my comments because the 12 bills that were reported out of committee this year were all written to satisfy the concerns and wishes of one party, the ic party. While that is often how the appropriations process begins, it is ultimately never where it ends. At the end of the day, for us to pass 12 full-year fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, in an era of divided government, it will require Members on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers of Congress to reach consensus. That ultimately means that the partisan bills like those we are considering today are nonstarters and cannot become law. prgtoken During markup on these measures in the Appropriations Committee and again yesterday in the Rules Committee, s rightfully raised several reasons why these bills cannot become law and should not pass the House. Those objections were ignored. Consequently, today's bill will have very little, if any, support. That means these bills are effectively dead on arrival in the United States Senate and would never be signed by a President, and there are a lot of reasons for that. prgtoken First, all 12 appropriations bills are marked at 302(b) allocation numbers that violate the fiscal year 2021 total spending limit negotiated in the current budget agreement just last year. prgtoken Indeed, I remind my friends, Congress is lawfully bound to uphold that agreement. prgtoken Instead of abiding by the negotiated numbers that were agreed to in both Houses of Congress by both parties and by the President, the majority has used a huge amount of emergency-designated funds as a workaround scheme to break that good faith budget agreement. prgtoken In this bill alone, there is well over $200 billio
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-7-29

as chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize a small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of our country. It is my privilege to recognize a woman-owned small business known for its excellence in industry and environmental stewardship. This week, it is my pleasure to honor Hydra Engineering and Construction, LLC, of Crawfordville, FL, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. prgtoken In 2008, Leslie Hope established Hydra Engineering after she left her position as a partner in an engineering firm to pursue her dream of being a small business owner. After graduating from the University of South Florida, Leslie started planning how to open her own engineering company. Leslie turned to her local Small Business Development Center where she enrolled Hydra Engineering in the U.S. Small Business Administration's 8(a) business development program. This program provides resources, mentorship, and training to help small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged persons compete for government contracts. prgtoken Over the next 12 years, Leslie rebranded her enterprise as Hydra Engineering and Construction to reflect its growth and expansion. She completed the 8(a) program, was certified by the State of Florida as a Minority Business Enterprise and as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise by the U.S. Department of Transportation. prgtoken Hydra Engineering has worked for several Florida private companies and prgtoken agencies, including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They have completed projects in 16 other States, working for the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service. prgtoken For their entrepreneurship, innovation and environmental stewardship, Hydra Engineering has been recognized by local, State, and industry organizations. In 2018, they were nominated as a GrowFL Florida Company to Watch, recognizing their status as a Floridian second-stage company demonstrating high marketplace performance and innovation. As one of the world's fastest growing USF-alumni owned or led businesses, Hydra Engineering earned the USF Fast 56 Award in 2016 and 2018. Additionally, Leslie was nominated as the 2011 SBA North Florida Region Small Business Person of the Year. She also sits on the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University-Florida State University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board. prgtoken Like many small businesses across Florida, Hydra was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. When the U.S. Small Business Administration launched the Paycheck Protection Program, Leslie applied for funding. The PPP provides forgivable loans to impacted small businesses and nonprofits who maintain their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the PPP, Hydra Engineering is able to support its employees, many who wor
AUTHORITY FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-7-29

I have 8 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. prgtoken Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate: Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation prgtoken The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing on nominations. Committee on Environment and Public Works prgtoken The Committee on Environment and Public Works is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Finance prgtoken The Committee on Finance is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10:15 a.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on Indian Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Indian Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 2:30 p.m to conduct a hearing. Committee on the Judiciary prgtoken The Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 10 a.m to conduct a hearing on nominations. Committee on Veterans' Affairs prgtoken The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 2 p.m to conduct a hearing. Select Committee on Intelligence prgtoken The Select Committee on Intelligence is authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 2 p.m to conduct a closed hearing