mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2021-3-5

. The Senate has never spent $2 trillion in a more haphazard way or through a less rigorous process. prgtoken Voters gave Senate the slimmest possible majority. Voters picked a President who promised unity and bipartisanship. prgtoken ' response is to ram through what they call ``the most progressive domestic legislation in a generation'' on a razor-thin majority in both Houses. prgtoken The right path was obvious. We followed it five times last year--five rescue packages totaling $4 trillion, and none of them got fewer than 90 votes. prgtoken The Senate wrote the CARES Act, s and , shoulder to shoulder. That was the road to real pandemic relief, but actually wanted something else. They explained their intent very clearly: to exploit this crisis as ``a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.'' prgtoken That is how you get this massive bill with only 1 percent--1 percent for vaccinations, that ignores the science on reopening schools, that is stuffed with non-COVID-related spending that even top liberal economists say is wrong for the recovery. prgtoken inherited a tide that is already turning--2021 was already set to be our comeback year--because of the American people's resilience and the bipartisan foundation that we laid last year. prgtoken We could have worked together to speed up victory, but our ic colleagues made a decision. Their top priority wasn't pandemic relief. It was their Washington wish list. prgtoken So, , colleagues, I strongly recommend a ``no'' vote.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2021-3-5

my amendment would prohibit the Small Business Administration from providing any assistance including, but not limited to, Paycheck Protection Program 7(a) loans or other small business assistance to anyone who has been convicted during the past 15 years of a felony during and in connection with a riot, a civil disorder, or another declared disaster. Without order, there can be no justice.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2021-3-5

. This amendment provides $650 billion of immediate relief to those Americans who need it most. It is focused on the COVID crisis before us, not on future unrelated spending priorities. The amendment provides $160 billion to bolster vaccine production and delivery, as well as testing and much needed support for healthcare providers. prgtoken It includes $1,400 checks for lower and middle-income Americans and extends unemployment insurance. prgtoken It targets money to reopen schools, something that needs to happen as soon as possible, and to expand access to childcare. prgtoken It has funding for substance abuse programs to combat the opioid epidemic that has worsened. prgtoken This amendment would save tax dollars. It would save taxpayers more than $1.2 trillion while meeting immediate needs. prgtoken The emergency we are facing should not be an excuse for funding partisan priorities. Instead, we should come together----
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2021-3-5

my amendment would fix the proposed new formula that benefits New York at the expense of other States. The bill provides $30 billion for transit on top of the nearly $40 billion Congress already gave transit in the CARES Act and the December COVID bill. prgtoken I oppose the extreme funding, but my amendment at least fixes one troubling detail. The bill directs $26 billion in transit to urbanized areas but gives 30 percent of that to New York City, nearly double of what it would receive under the normal formula. By voting for this bill, my colleagues from States like Arizona, Georgia, and West Virginia would lose out on transit money to New York. prgtoken The bill also has $2.2 billion for FTA to allocate based on another new formula that just happens to reward the largest urban transit systems. My amendment would reinstate the regular formula. It will ensure transit money is at least distributed fairly instead of benefitting one or two cities, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-3-5

colleagues, this amendment is meant for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to kill the American Rescue Plan, to kill all the work that has brought us to this moment, to kill the $1,400 checks to American families that will help them stay in their homes and put food on the table, to kill the extended unemployment checks that millions are depending upon us not to let lapse next week, to kill the ability to put more vaccine in the arms of our families, to kill the desperate aid that small businesses need to stay alive, to kill the chance to lift 50 percent of all of those children in poverty into the sunlit plains of opportunity. prgtoken The Senate has already expressed itself today on Keystone. The committee rule could not accommodate this referral in the timeframe offered. Enough is enough. It is time to defeat this amendment and pass the American Rescue Plan. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote against it.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2021-3-5

I believe that every single Member of this body agrees that remote learning is taking an enormous toll on our students, teachers, and our students' families, and that we need to safely get students back into the classroom. prgtoken This amendment would ensure that educational agencies receiving relief funds will within 30 days develop and make publicly available a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction. prgtoken I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense amendment to support an objective that we all share: getting our students safely back in their classrooms.
TRIBUTE TO CHIEF JUDGE SIDNEY R. THOMAS
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2021-3-5

today I recognize Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas, a dedicated public servant who is celebrating 25 years on the Federal bench on March 11. prgtoken Born and raised in Montana, Judge Thomas's skill as a decisionmaker was evident from the start. Even as a high school debater, he earned the respect of competing schools with the combination of his success at meets and affable spirit. Both his tenacity and good nature would be enduring legacies. Judge Thomas went on to attend Montana State University and obtain his J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law. He was twice appointed to the Board of Regents of Higher Education as a student member. prgtoken After graduating, Judge Thomas entered private practice. A quick learner with a deft ability to understand even the most complex cases, he became a senior partner. During his tenure in private practice, Judge Thomas specialized in commercial litigation, along with bankruptcy, government, and media law. He further applied his expertise as the standing bankruptcy prgtoken trustee for all bankruptcy cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana's Billings Division. Judge Thomas also helped shape future lawyers by serving at Rocky Mountain College for over a decade as an adjunct instructor in law. prgtoken On July 19, 1995, recognizing Judge Thomas's outstanding record, President Bill Clinton nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Thomas in January 1996, and he served as a judge for nearly two decades, before becoming chief judge on December 1, 2014. prgtoken Throughout his impressive career, Judge Thomas has earned the confidence of his colleagues and the American people. He is a respected leader who is trusted for his sound judgment and integrity, as well as beloved for his warm personality and wit. These qualities landed Judge Thomas on President 's short list of candidates to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010. prgtoken Thanks to his extraordinary commitment public service, his intelligence and legal acumen, and his commitment to justice, Judge Thomas is a credit to our Nation's judiciary. His fairness on the bench, along with his tireless work ethic and compassion, sets a model for all of us. prgtoken I applaud his many accomplishments and hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas on attaining 25 years on the Federal bench.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2021-3-5

the statement of the Senator from Texas is just plain false--false. Let me be clear. Undocumented immigrants do not have Social Security numbers, and they do not qualify for stimulus relief checks, period. prgtoken And just in case you didn't notice, they didn't qualify in December when 92 of us voted for that measure, and they don't qualify under the American Rescue Plan. Nothing has changed. prgtoken And for you to stand up there and say the opposite is just to rile people up over something that is not true.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Maria Cantwell (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-3-5

the sun is coming up in Washington, DC, and we have to spend all night debating policy and questions to arrive at this moment, at 6 a.m with an amendment that is literally robbing Peter to pay Paul. This isn't the idea of a debate. prgtoken The Amtrak and North Corridor System has basically had to reallocate resources. The 457 Corridor, which is one of the busiest in the Nation, has over 750,000 people on that system, but because of COVID, it has lost revenue. It has a 97-percent loss of revenue, and now they are making drastic cuts to employees and to services that could become permanent. prgtoken This simply helps Amtrak and our busiest corridor stay in business. We will address the Coast Guard needs in other legislation. I ask my colleagues to vote no. Stop robbing Peter to pay Paul. Let's fix the COVID crisis on our transportation system. Vote on Amendment No. 1395
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-3-5

right now, the Senate is debating, having been started by our colleague Senator Sanders, whether it is OK to pay starvation wages in the United States. You prgtoken heard that right, starvation wages. Receiving that starvation wage, single moms are skipping meals as they try to make rent and buy groceries for their family. These moms get paid $7.25 an hour, often work two jobs, and go to bed every night worried that the next morning is going to bring financial calamity. prgtoken Senators, is this OK in a country as rich and strong as ours? Here in the U.S. Senate, nobody has got to worry where their next meal is coming from, but that is an everyday struggle for too many families across the land. prgtoken Senators, let us think about those who are hurting as the vote on the Sanders minimum wage amendment approaches. It is time for that single mom to get a fair wage for a fair day's work, a living wage, not a starvation wage. prgtoken There has never been a stronger case for a $15 minimum wage than there is right now during the pandemic. I think about grocery store and pharmacy workers, home health aides, food processing and packing workers, restaurant employees interacting with maskless customers. So many workers in Oregon and across the country are going to work in a dangerous environment each day. Many of them are Black and Latino workers, people from the communities that have suffered the most from COVID-19. They have kept our country going through the last year. prgtoken I have heard a whole lot of Members of the Senate, ic and s, talk about those workers as heroes of the pandemic. So the question is, Will the Senate stand up and give those heroes of the pandemic the raise they deserve, the raise they have waited for, for 12 years? prgtoken There are 30 million Americans who earn less than $15 an hour. It would be closer to 40 million if not for the fact that the coronavirus put so many Americans out of work. That is just immoral and unacceptable. prgtoken Now, if you want to see inequality baked into the law, just look at how the country treats its lowest income workers compared to those at the top. The minimum wage has been stuck for 12 long years, and a flat minimum is nothing but a slow-moving pay cut for those who make the least. prgtoken Minimum wage workers cannot afford the average rent in any State in America, not one. It doesn't account for utilities, food, gas, car payments, medical bills, school supplies. Here is a fact: Living is expensive for the poor in America. Meanwhile, the most well-to-do keep winning with their investments in the stock market. The entire Tax Code is rigged to favor the income of billionaires over the income of wage- earning families. prgtoken s passed the $2 trillion tax law promising trickle- down benefits. They have been talking about that for decades, even though those magical benefits never actually trickle down. prgtoken
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Jon Tester (Democrat, MT) \u2014 2021-3-5

. Senator Hoeven will speak for 1 minute. I will speak for 1 minute, and I would ask that I be notified when I run of out of my minute. prgtoken , this is the most important vote of the night. It is 2:41, so pay attention here. prgtoken The Keystone Pipeline would create good-paying jobs and bring much needed revenue to rural counties in Eastern Montana. These counties have been hard-hit by the pandemic. They have also been hard-hit by trade wars that have impacted our agricultural community. So they need the tax base, and this XL Pipeline would give them the tax base. prgtoken Look, there is no doubt the pipeline needs to be built responsibly with American steel to the highest safety standards to respect private property rights and to include significant consultation with Native American Tribes. But the fact is, we have many pipelines to go across the border between Canada and the United States. This is just one. prgtoken I would ask you to support this amendment. prgtoken Senator Hoeven.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2021-3-5

it is frustrating, but not at all surprising, that in the middle of a pandemic, as we are working to get urgently needed relief to our families, to our small businesses, and to our communities across the country, some s would rather spend time launching political attacks on reproductive health. prgtoken That is exactly what this amendment is--an effort to expand restrictions on abortion that already make it harder for women who have low incomes, who are often women of color, to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to make their own healthcare choices. prgtoken I oppose this amendment because it is completely unnecessary. It is a harmful attempt to distract us from the work that we are on tonight. Point of Order prgtoken , I raise a point of order that the pending amendment produces budgetary changes that are merely incidental to the non- budgetary components of the amendment, and it therefore violates section 313(b)1(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Raphael G. Warnock (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2021-3-5

contrary to the suggestion from my colleague from Pennsylvania, this provision has everything to do with COVID-19 relief. prgtoken The thing about this terrible pandemic is that it has both illuminated and exacerbated longstanding disparities rooted in our racial past, and for too long, farmers of color have been left to fend for themselves, not getting the support they deserve from the USDA, making it even more difficult for them to recover from this pandemic. prgtoken We have an opportunity here to lift all of our rural communities by aiming the aid where it is needed given our historic past, which is very much present. So I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this amendment that strips these communities that have been forgotten by our government of the relief that they so desperately deserve. It will have an adverse effect on the very relief that we are trying to provide to all rural communities.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Cory A. Booker (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2021-3-5

I rise today to speak in support of sections 1005 and 1006 of the American Rescue Plan Act. prgtoken These sections provide loan forgiveness and other critical assistance to Black farmers and to other farmers who are members of racial or ethnic groups that have for many decades suffered discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. prgtoken According to USDA data, in 1920 in the United States there were nearly 1 million Black farmers, and they represented nearly 15 percent of all farmers in our country. Today, as a direct result of a brutal legacy of discrimination by a Federal agency, there are less than 50,000 Black farmers left and they represent less than 2 percent of all farmers in our country. prgtoken It is estimated that during the past century, Black farmers have lost between 15 and 20 million acres of land and the hundreds of billions of dollars of generational wealth that land represented. prgtoken The cause of the loss of so much Black-owned farmland and the loss of so many Black farmers is not a mystery. Federal court decisions, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and the USDA itself have all told us that a primary cause of that loss was long standing, pervasive discrimination by the USDA. prgtoken In his opinion in Pigford v. Glickman, Federal District Court Judge Paul Friedman stated clearly that USDA and their county commissioners discriminated against Black farmers when they denied, delayed, or otherwise frustrated the applications of those Black farmers for farm loans and other credit and benefit programs and that USDA and the county commissioners bear much of the responsibility for the dramatic decline in Black farms and Black-owned farmland. prgtoken Judge Friedman wrote his decision in 1999, but the systemic discrimination by USDA against Black farmers and other farmers of color by USDA was well documented beginning many decades earlier. prgtoken A 1965 report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that Federal, State, and local officials discriminated against Black farmers in agricultural programs and that this discrimination actively contributed to the decline in the Black ownership of farmland. prgtoken In 1968, a follow-up report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights found that Black farmers continued to face discrimination when seeking farm loans and other forms of assistance. prgtoken In 1970, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights again found that discrimination continued in USDA program administration. The 1970 report stated that only 2 out of more than 4,100 USDA county committee members in the South were Black farmers, even though there were 58 counties in the South where Black farmers comprised a majority of the farm operator population. prgtoken In 1982, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued another report entitled ``The Decline of Black Farming in America'' which found that the prevailing practice at the USDA was to follow local patterns of racial
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2021-3-5

. My colleagues, I think this may be the last amendment. It is broadly bipartisan. This amendment simply continues provisions that were included in the earlier COVID relief packages. prgtoken It was called section 3610, and it ensures that our classified government contracting workforce--a workforce that oftentimes takes many years to receive top-level security clearance--continues to be compensated through the balance of the fiscal year. Failure to do this would lose this workforce to private sector and other competitors and seriously put our national security at risk. prgtoken I point out this is an independent bill of this nature that cleared unanimously earlier this week on this side of the aisle. prgtoken I yield the balance of my time to Senator Rubio.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-3-5

I ask unanimous consent that on Tuesday, March 9, at 5:30 p.m cloture ripen on, one, Executive Calendar No. 12, Marcia Fudge, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Executive Calendar No. 27, Merrick Garland, to be Attorney General; that the Senate proceed to vote on cloture on the Fudge nomination; that if cloture is invoked, postcloture time expire on Wednesday, March 10, at 12 noon; further, that notwithstanding rule XXII, following the cloture vote on the Fudge nomination, the Senate vote on cloture on the Garland nomination; that if cloture is invoked on the Garland nomination, postcloture time expire on Wednesday, March 10, at 2:15; further, that cloture on the Regan nomination ripen following disposition of the Garland nomination.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Thomas R. Carper (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-3-5

this may be the only bipartisan amendment that we will have the chance to vote on today. The really good news is that there will be a voice vote. prgtoken For the past decade, our Nation's veterans service organizations have called on Congress to protect our military veteran students and close the 90-10 loophole that you have heard about. Today, at long last, Congress heeds that call by harnessing market forces to ensure better educational opportunities and outcomes for our millions of veterans. Those millions of veterans and veteran students use their hard-earned educational benefits at a variety of educational institutions in our States, including the types of trade and vocational schools that my own father--maybe your relatives as well--used in World War II and Korea and Vietnam using the original GI bill. prgtoken Let me be clear. Some for-profit schools in this country do a very good job working with our veterans, preparing them for lives and careers. Unfortunately, we have seen way too many that do not, and what we want to do with this legislation is to make sure that the veterans are protected from the bad actors in the for-profit college sector, places like ITT Tech and Corinthian, places that no longer exist. prgtoken While the American Rescue Plan closes the 90-10 loophole, we understand the need to make sure we get this right. I am grateful to our colleagues, for Jerry Moran, and am proud to be joining him, along with Senators Cassidy and Lankford, in the thoughtful, bipartisan approach to a contentious issue. prgtoken By providing a 6-month delay before the start of the negotiated rulemaking process, our amendment gives Congress time to work together with our veterans service organizations on a bipartisan plan to strengthen these protections for our veterans and taxpayers. prgtoken We invite you all to join us in supporting this amendment.