mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Kelly Loeffler (Republican, GA) \u2014 2020-2-25

at the heart of this debate is life. When I reflect on the importance of protecting innocent life, the story of Ellie Schneider comes to mind. She is a child who was born at just 21 weeks 6 days in Kansas City. Ellie is one of the youngest babies to survive, in the United States, a premature birth. She was born so early that most hospitals in Missouri would not treat her, except for the faith-based hospital St. Luke's. prgtoken She weighed only slightly more than a can of soda and was about as long as a piece of paper. She weighed just 14 ounces. At 21 weeks, the odds were stacked against her, but she is a fighter. Through the power of prayer and an incredible medical team, Ellie is now a healthy, happy 2-year-old girl. She brings endless joy to her family. prgtoken Her inclusion in the President's State of the Union Address is a powerful testament to life. Ellie is an example that every child is a blessing worthy of protection, and we have a moral obligation to defend the born and unborn. prgtoken In today's political climate, it is easy to forget that there are both and s, liberals and conservatives, and people from every religious affiliation who believe in protecting the human rights of the unborn. I am proud to be a cosponsor S. 311, the Born- Alive Survivors Protection Act. It sends a clear message by establishing the real consequences for those who kill or abandon innocent children after they are outside the mother's womb. We should all be able to agree that once born, each baby deserves the right to proper access to medical care. prgtoken I also proudly support S. 3275, the Pain-Capable Unborn Protection Act, which places much needed restrictions on elective abortions on children at 20 weeks post-conception. It is unconscionable that America is one of only seven countries that does not have a 20-week abortion ban. These countries include China, North Korea, and Vietnam. prgtoken While it is disheartening that this type of horrific practice needs congressional action, I am glad there are commonsense pieces of legislation that can address the atrocities of late-term abortion and severely punishes those in the business of taking the lives of our youngest human beings. prgtoken I pray that the American people will recognize that lives hang in the balance, will stand with us to get our Nation back on the right track, and will fight for the born and the unborn. Being a voice for the voiceless requires us to take important steps, like passing the Born- Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and the Pain-Capable Unborn Protection Act. prgtoken . prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO REVEREND GEORGE WALKER SMITH
Susan A. Davis (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , I rise with admiration and respect to honor and remember the tremendous legacy of Reverend (Rev.) George Walker Smith, who passed away in San Diego on February 15, 2020 at the age of 91. prgtoken Rev. Smith was a champion for racial equality and one of the most impactful educators and civic leaders in San Diego's history. prgtoken Rev. Smith was born on a plantation in Haynesville, Alabama in 1928. As the son of sharecroppers, he faced adversity early on in his life, as the local school he attended was segregated, substandard, and only offered schooling through the ninth grade. After noticing Smith's intellectual capacity, the plantation owner decided to send Smith to a nearby church-run school. Capitalizing on his educational momentum, Smith attended Knoxville College in Tennessee and later matriculated on to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary School. prgtoken After completing Seminary School, Rev. Smith moved to San Diego with his wife, Elizabeth Irene, in 1956. Once in San Diego, Smith founded a Presbyterian church in Golden Hill. Smith's congregation, Christ United Presbyterian Church, later moved to 30th and Fir Street in South Park, which he led for decades. prgtoken While in San Diego, Rev. Smith did not limit his talents to the pulpit. In 1963, Smith became San Diego's first elected black official, after winning a seat on the San Diego School Board. Smith went on to serve on the school board for 16 years and acted as the board's president a total of four times. Rev. Smith left an indelible impact on the school board in his leadership and successful efforts to recruit a diverse faculty, at a time when educators of color were few and far between. prgtoken In 1970, Rev. Smith founded the ``Catfish Club,'' a weekly lunch meeting that would become a mainstay for discussions on civic issues, local politics, and social justice. The ``Catfish Club'' created a safe environment for multiple views and approaches, at a time when the country and city needed it the most. prgtoken In 1976, he was elected president of the National School Boards Association. He also served on the National Advisory Commission on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the White House Committee on Education and the Arts, the California School Boards Association, the San Diego Community College District, and the San Diego Crime Commission. He was the first president of the Citizens Advisory Review Board, which monitored police practices in the city in the mid-1980s. prgtoken As a Member and President of San Diego Unified School District, as well as President of the National School Board Association, Rev. Smith was the strongest voice for the achievement of all children. He was always probing the performance of students who would be first in their family to attend college. He believed strongly in accountability for all adults responsible for a path to opportunity for all young people. Although Rev. Smith retired from his church i
SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE MODERNIZATION OF CONGRESS
Derek Kilmer (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for his kind words and for his partnership. This has been a true partnership with every member of the committee, but I particularly appreciate Mr. Graves' leadership as our vice chair. prgtoken Madam , I want to just dive in a bit on where he ended, which is we are the first select committee in several decades to propose and adopt recommendations on a rolling basis. Put simply, when we have consensus, we move. prgtoken We are also the first select committee in recent history to introduce our recommendations as legislation, to ensure that they actually get implemented further on down the road. prgtoken We introduced legislation in December, H. Res. 756, that incorporates the first two sets of recommendations passed by the select committee, and we are expecting a committee markup soon. prgtoken The select committee unanimously approved a third set of recommendations in December, and those recommendations fit into three broad categories. prgtoken The first set emphasizes the necessity of civility and the importance of bipartisan collaboration in Congress. Select committee members believe that Congress is stronger when Members find ways to work together to solve problems, and civility is key to making Congress a more productive institution that better serves the American people. That is especially important now. And the select committee intends to continue pushing for improved civility through further recommendations. prgtoken The second set addresses various administrative inefficiencies in Congress: to update Member cosponsorship powers, procurement and bulk purchasing policies, the travel card program, and Member emergency preparedness training. prgtoken And the third set, modernize the House Franking Commission on mailing standards and its regulations governing all Member communications. The select committee worked closely with the Franking Commission to develop these recommendations, and we were pleased to see the Commission implement updated communication standards for Members in January. The new guidelines modernize franking rules by including digital communications, improving transparency, expediting the review process, and allowing for more seamless interaction with constituents across platforms. prgtoken As with our first two sets of recommendations, the select committee will introduce legislation that incorporates our third set of recommendations to ensure further implementation. We don't want to just make recommendations for the sake of making recommendations; we want to make recommendations that actually improve Congress and its function on behalf of the American people. prgtoken The select committee has accomplished a great deal in the past year, but there is still a lot more work to do. I believe I speak for all of the members of the committee when I say we are ready for that challenge. Our plan is to build on our success thus far and continue issuing recommendations ove
REFLECTIONS ON SENATE JUDGMENT NOT TO CONVICT AND REMOVE THE IMPEACHED PRESIDENT FOR ABUSE OF POWER AND OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, the United States Senate determined not to convict and remove from office , President of the United States, who was impeached by the House for high crimes and misdemeanors, a decision I firmly believe will be judged harshly by history for all time. prgtoken I voted for the two articles of impeachment contained in H. Res. 755, the resolution of the House of Representatives and I rise to discuss in detail the overwhelming evidence assembled by the Committee on the Judiciary and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which clearly warranted the conclusion that the President abused the powers placed in him in trust by the Constitution and the American people by endeavoring to coerce a foreign government to announce a phony corruption investigation of his perceived chief election rival so he could remain in office and continue his misconduct. prgtoken The President clearly abused his power by putting his personal interests above the national interest and jeopardizing the national security of the United States and, making it a perfect trifecta, enlisting the aid of a foreign power to sabotage the 2020 presidential election. prgtoken When this scheme was discovered and made public, the President launched an all-out campaign to impede the ability of Congress to learn all the facts and hold the persons responsible accountable by dishonoring lawful subpoenas, refusing to provide requested information, and directing his subordinates in the Executive Branch not to testify or cooperate with Congress. prgtoken The House impeachment managers proved these actions to the country and the world beyond dispute and clearly showed how the evidence warranted the President's conviction and removal by the Senate. prgtoken Madam , it is beneficial to the public and for history to review the material facts that have led to where we are. prgtoken In February 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, a stunning display of military aggression unseen since the end of World War II when the maps of post-war Europe were drawn. prgtoken Five months later, on July 17, 2014, the Russia-backed Donbass People's Militia (DPM), an organization consisting of pro-Russian separatists who have taken up arms against the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the prgtoken Government of Ukraine, shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 persons on board, including 80 children and 15 crew members. prgtoken Presidential candidate would later dispute Russia's incursion into Ukraine in a nationally televised interview on July 31, 2016, when he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin: He's not going into Ukraine, OK, just so you understand. He's not going to go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down. You can put it down. You can take it anywhere you want. prgtoken In contrast, the United States, the European Union, and the international community, standing in solidari
VA REPORTING TRANSPARENCY ACT
Max Rose (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , I thank Chairman Takano for his extraordinary leadership and this opportunity, and I thank the gentleman from Tennessee, Ranking Member Roe, for always putting veterans first. prgtoken I rise today in support of H.R. 4613, the VA Reporting Transparency Act. prgtoken As my fellow veterans know, the VA is unparalleled in its commitment to serving our veterans, and that goes from our nurses to our physician assistants, our doctors, our VA police officers, and many other folks, veterans, themselves, who spend each and every day working at the VA. That certainly holds true for the VA in my district, New York's 11th Congressional District. prgtoken But for the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States and for an agency that holds the lives of our Nation's heroes in their hands, we must ensure accountability. Let's be very clear: There is no accountability without transparency. prgtoken When Congress mandates that the VA produce reports on the staffing levels of their nurses or how the VA prevents fraud, waste, and abuse or how the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection truly keeps our VA employees safe, this information is useless if it is not made available to the general public in an accessible manner. prgtoken It is valuable to the nearly 9 million veterans enrolled in VA healthcare, and it is valuable to every American who wants to make sure that their tax dollars are being used for the best possible care that our veterans deserve. prgtoken That is exactly why I introduced this bill, the VA Reporting Transparency Act, which requires that the VA have public access to the legislatively requested reports that they produce. This access must be free, without any registration or limitations required, and the report must be posted no later than 45 days after it is submitted. prgtoken This is a no-brainer. It is common sense. It is an opportunity for the VA to set a precedent that other Federal departments will follow. prgtoken We made a promise to our soldiers that, when they came home, we would be there for them. This bill is a perfect case in point for how we can do just that. prgtoken Madam , I would like to thank my colleagues on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Congressman Gil Cisneros from California and Congressman Greg Steube, a fellow Army vet, for their support of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Election Security (Executive Calendar)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2020-2-25

just for the reference of everyone, I believe the majority leader is going to come in for his closing script. When he does, that will end whatever little colloquy we will have had here, and I will then do my ``Time to Wake Up'' speech. prgtoken In the time that it takes the majority leader to get here, I am interested in hearing the Senator from Maryland say that the White House--our White House--the President of the United States--is a massive roadblock to protecting the integrity of our upcoming election from foreign interference. How does that make sense? Why would it be an American President who doesn't want to defend the integrity of an American election from foreign interference?
REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF JOHN T. MURPHY
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , I rise today to honor the life of John ``Jack'' T. Murphy of Youngstown, Ohio, who passed away peacefully on February 20, 2020. John was born on December 17, 1931 in Youngstown as the son of Irish immigrants, Bridget Durkin Murphy and Michael Murphy. He married Joanne Mondora on September 13, 1958, who passed away on May 18, 2012. Together, John and Joanne raised seven children and taught them all, by their own example, how to cherish their family, their heritage, their faith and their hometown. John graduated from South High School in Youngstown in 1950. Upon his graduation from high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and proudly served his country in the Korean War. After his military service, John performed in plays at the Youngstown Playhouse and then headed ``out west'' to pursue an acting career. He was cast in numerous roles in many performances in North Dakota, but he ultimately chose to return to his family and his beloved Youngstown. Upon his return, John earned his bachelor's degree from Youngstown State University, and subsequently earned his master's degree from the University of Akron. John spent his professional career working for the Youngstown City Schools as an Art teacher, Principal and as a Truant Officer, retiring in 1993. Also, during his professional life, he was a Mill Creek Park policeman and proudly served as the 7th Ward Councilman in the City of Youngstown from 1976 to 1981. He also served as a board member on the Mahoning County Children Services Board. As a proud veteran, John was a member of the American Legion for over fifty years. John had immense pride in both his Irish and Catholic heritage. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Dominic's Catholic Church and regularly attended mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church. John's hobbies included fly fishing, wood carving, drawing and watching plays and movies. In addition, after sending all seven of his children to Cardinal Mooney High School, he became an unwavering fan. John also took great pride in the fact that his seven children all graduated from Youngstown State University and would always support its sporting events, even attending several of the National Championship games. His love of Notre Dame football was unmatched. Every Saturday during every Fall, John would be glued to the television watching his beloved team and made sure to never miss a game. He also traveled to South Bend whenever he had the opportunity. If he happened to be at an event during game time, John could be found with his earphones listening to the game and ready to share the status of the game and the score. Above all else, though, the most important thing to John was his family. He was at his happiest when he was attending his grandchildren's sporting events and activities. He was so proud of all of his children and grandchildren, and he found absolute joy in every moment spent with them. John especial
REINTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO AWARD THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO HUMANITARIAN AND SPORTING LEGEND MUHAMMAD ALI
André Carson (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2020-2-25

. Madam , as we celebrate Black History Month, I am proud to reintroduce legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali in recognition of his contributions to our nation. I believe it is long past time to recognize an American civil rights activist and sporting legend with Congress' highest honor. Unfortunately, Congress failed to act before The Champ's death in 2016, at the age 74, so I ask my colleagues to join me now in honoring an American hero. Over the course of his illustrious career, Muhammad Ali produced some of our nation's most lasting sports memories. From winning a Gold Medal at the 1960 summer Olympics, to lighting the Olympic torch at the 1996 Summer Olympics, his influence as an athlete and a humanitarian spanned over fifty years. prgtoken Despite having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the 1980s, Ali devoted his life to charitable organizations. Ali, and his wife Lonnie, were founding directors of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and Movement Disorders Clinic in Phoenix, AZ and helped raise over $50 million for Parkinson's research. In addition to helping families cope with illness, Ali led efforts to provide meals for the hungry and helped countless organizations such as the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Special Olympics. prgtoken Muhammad Ali's humanitarian efforts went beyond his charitable activities in the United States. In 1990 Muhammad Ali travelled to the Middle East to seek the release of American and British hostages that were being held as human shields in the first Gulf War. After his intervention, 15 hostages were freed. Thanks to his devotion to diplomatic causes and racial harmony, Ali was the recipient of many accolades, including being chosen as a ``U.N. Messenger of Peace'' in 1998 and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 from President . prgtoken Through his unyielding dedication to his sport and to struggling populations around the world, Muhammad Ali still serves an example of service and self-sacrifice for generations of Americans. The Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting commemoration of his life and work, for which he is deservingly known as ``the Greatest.'' prgtoken Madam , I hope my colleagues will join me in recognizing one of our nation's most lasting and influential figures by signing on to this important legislation.
LITHUANIAN INDEPENDENCE
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-2-25

when one looks at a largely unified and democratic Europe, today it is easy to forget just how different it was in Eastern Europe not that long ago. For half a century, millions lived under the tyranny and repression of the Soviet Union. prgtoken But in the late 1980s, things began to change, particularly in the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Who can forget when 2 million people joined hands across these three nations to form the 420- mile Baltic Chain of Freedom in August 1989? And not long after in February of the following year, Lithuania held its first free elections since World War II, voting for the country's first postwar non- Communist government. Immediately thereafter, the new Parliament voted to make Lithuania the first occupied Soviet republic to declare independence. Lithuania's bold move was followed later that year by Latvia and Estonia. These brave efforts culminated a year later in February 1991, when the Lithuania people overwhelmingly voted for independence--a historic move recognized by the US and Soviet Union that same year. prgtoken My first visit to Lithuania was nearly 40 years ago, but my ties reach back even further. One hundred years ago, my grandmother left her village of Jubarkas with her three small children to join my grandfather in America. In her arms, she carried a 2-year-old toddler-- my mother, Ona Kutkaite. prgtoken Hidden in my grandmother's baggage was a small Catholic prayer book, printed in Vilnius in 1863, the last year before printing in Lithuanian was outlawed by the czars. That prayer book--the last, cherished relic of my family's life in their beautiful and ancient home--escaped the czars and was kept safe with our family in America during the brutal Soviet occupation. When I had the honor of addressing the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the 20th anniversary of independence, I was proud to bring that prayer book home to a free Lithuania. Those brave Lithuanians 30 years ago--including my friend Vytautus Landsbergis, who served as Lithuanian's first post-independence head of state--led the country to a prosperous and democratic future. prgtoken Lithuania today is a vital member of the European Union, NATO, and the community of democracies. It held the presidency of the European Union earlier this decade and is a leading voice on the continent for standing up to Russia, defending Ukraine, and upholding key democratic values. And as it faces renewed threats from Russia, I have been a strong supporter of strengthening NATO operations and defenses in the Baltic nations. A few years ago, I visited the Lithuanian town of Rukla, where U.S. and German forces were rotating through as part of the European Reassurance Initiative aimed at keeping the Baltic safe. prgtoken As the cochair of the Senate Baltic Caucus, I will be introducing a resolution in the weeks ahead reaffirming this security cooperation and recognizing Lithuania's gr