mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CORONAVIRUS' IMPACT ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES
Barbara Lee (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-11-16

I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for using this opportunity to deliver a very powerful public health message also. I also would just note a personal privilege. I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and my heart goes out to all of those who are suffering from this terrible deadly pandemic. prgtoken , I want to salute our colleague, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, for being such a tremendous leader in El Paso in trying to help on the ground with taking care of people and preventing the transition of the virus. prgtoken I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee again. prgtoken , I now yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Adams), a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, whose mission in life, I think, is to make sure that our young people are educated and receive the best quality education through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and at the same time make sure that their health and safety is a top priority issue for their health and their safety.
CORONAVIRUS
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-11-16

COVID-19, as we know, unfortunately, has upended nearly every aspect of American life for the better part of a year. But as impatient as we all are for our lives to return to normal, the harsh truth of the matter is that the coming months may be, by far, the worst of the pandemic. prgtoken Cases have skyrocketed to well over 150,000 Americans per day. We are now recording more than 1 million new COVID cases a week. Hospital ICUs and morgues in many parts of the country are approaching or even beyond capacity. prgtoken Americans must brace themselves for a long winter. We cannot tire of the simple precautions that limit the spread of the disease and save lives. Wear a mask, social distance, avoid large indoor gatherings, and stay vigilant. We must all continue to do our part to prevent this next surge from overwhelming our health systems and endangering our fellow citizens. Congress, as well, should be doing all that is necessary to support those efforts and prevent the worst from happening. prgtoken Too many Americans have lost healthcare coverage as a result of losing their jobs this year. Medicaid has seen a huge increase in new enrollees and needs resources. As unemployment remains in the tens of millions, extending unemployment insurance is paramount, and many more things besides. prgtoken Pelosi and I have been in regular communication with President-Elect and his transition team. Unlike the current administration, the incoming administration wants to move rapidly to get a handle on the virus and recover our economy. Today, President- Elect urged the Senate to pass the Heroes Act--comprehensive legislation that leaves no one behind. That is just the right approach. Our country deserves a bill that meets the needs of the American people and that meets the needs of the moment. prgtoken If Leader McConnell and our colleagues want to sit down and negotiate a bipartisan solution with a bipartisan process, are ready and willing and able to do so, but, unfortunately, it has been 2 weeks since Leader McConnell said he was in charge of negotiating the next COVID-19 relief bill, and he still hasn't spoken to Pelosi or myself. prgtoken We have 14 votes on the floor this week on nominations for a lameduck President, but we have nothing--nothing--pertaining to COVID. There is, however, a bit of good news today. A second U.S. company announced that it has discovered an effective vaccine in phase 3 trials. Early figures suggest it is close to 95 percent effective. As these two vaccines move through the final approval process, we should prepare the country to produce and distribute them to everyone in a comprehensive bill that includes robust vaccine funding. prgtoken Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel, but we are still in that tunnel and may be so for several months. So we must pull together, once again, to do everything in our individual power to turn the
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-11-16

the Senate recently voted to move forward on the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, the annual defense policy bill. The Senate took this procedural step by what is known as a voice vote, a process that does not record the final vote tally or how each Senator specifically voted, but a voice vote is not a sign of unanimous support for a measure, and I am submitting this statement to mark my opposition to this year's NDAA and to this process. prgtoken When the Senate debated and passed this bill for the first time, earlier this year, I voted no. I said at the time that I could not go along with a plan to greenlight $740 billion in military spending while providing almost nothing to help Americans impacted by this unprecedented global pandemic. prgtoken I said that I could not vote for a defense bill with Federal agents actively occupying Portland and treating peaceful protestors like foreign enemies. ordered these occupiers into my hometown, uninvited, to crack down on Oregonians peacefully demanding an end to systemic racism. prgtoken Senator Merkley and I introduced an amendment to the NDAA that would have required to remove these unwanted forces from our State. The Senate majority blocked our amendment and told us that we were making things up while 's goons were shooting protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets, and other crowd control munitions. prgtoken I want to be clear that I support plenty of provisions in this NDAA and wrote or negotiated some of the language to improve the bill, but I must oppose the NDAA due to its flaws and its timing, in light of the lack of help for everyday Americans suffering from the economic downfall brought about by 's inept response to a global pandemic. For this reason, I have no choice but to oppose.
CORONAVIRUS' IMPACT ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES
Sylvia R. Garcia (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-11-16

I thank Representative Lee and the caucuses involved for putting this Special Order together. prgtoken Today in America, there is not one State that has the pandemic under control. My own State of Texas became the first State to surpass 1 million cases. prgtoken Let me repeat that: 1 million cases. prgtoken These cases represent many of our neighbors, our friends, and our own family. I personally have self-quarantined once and have already been tested four times for different times I have been exposed to someone with the virus. prgtoken Thank God all tests have come back positive--I am sorry, negative. I meant to say, ``not come back positive.'' Little misspeaking there. prgtoken , this pandemic is affecting everyone, but it is not affecting everyone in the same way. Black and Latino communities are bearing the weight of this pandemic. While Black and Latino people are being hospitalized and dying at higher rates than White people, they are also the ones most likely to be working jobs that put them more at risk. prgtoken They have always been essential workers. Now more than ever, this is sadly more true. They are meatpacking workers, farmworkers, sanitation workers, custodians, restaurant workers, grocery clerks, postal workers, police officers, firefighters, longshoremen. These aren't jobs you can do from home. If you don't show up, you just don't get paid. prgtoken Black and Latino families have had to go into work even when it meant they may get sick. And many of them have gotten sick. Even worse, many infected a loved one with the virus. prgtoken America depends on these workers to put food on our tables and keep us safe. Because our leaders didn't take any steps to prepare us for this pandemic, we can't even offer the protective gear needed to keep essential frontline workers safe. prgtoken So while we are asking these communities to go to work every day without the proper protections, we also know that Latino and Black Americans are more likely to have health conditions, like asthma and diabetes, that make the virus even more dangerous. prgtoken Nationwide, Latinos make up 55 percent of the COVID cases and 24 percent of the overall deaths. Yet, we are only 18.5 percent of the total U.S. population. In Texas, Latinos are about 40 percent of the population, but we are nearly 55 percent of the deaths--more than half, . In Houston, sadly, Latinos account for 54 percent of the deaths caused by this virus--again, more than half. prgtoken My district, which is nearly 80 percent Latino, was one of the hardest hit areas in the Houston region. But despite these numbers, many of my constituents are still scared of getting tested or even seeing the doctor. Many don't have health insurance. Others don't trust our healthcare system. Many more are undocumented and fear deportation. prgtoken , now, I am optimistic about the future, given some of the news about vaccine trials. However, we must make sure, once we have a saf
HONORING THE 2020 WOMEN OF THE YEAR
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-11-16

. Madam , I rise today to honor the 2020 Women of the Year. The honorees represent some of the most outstanding and dedicated women in the 3rd Congressional District. Nominated by their peers, these women and the leadership they have provided are being recognized for playing an integral and crucial role in improving the lives of everyone in their communities. This year, we mark the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote. Since then, our nation has seen women take great strides in every American industry from business to politics to the arts. This progress has not come easy and many women who have come before have worked hard and strived to achieve the independence and rights women have today. Though there is more work to be done to ensure that women have equal pay, flexible work schedules, and affordable education, each of the honorees will be a vital part of the work to get there. prgtoken 2020's Women of the Year are: prgtoken Born and raised in Colusa County, Janita Smith has used her creativity, determination, and skilled leadership to make a vast and visible impact on her community. Janita is a dedicated advocate for the most vulnerable populations in her community. For years, she has donated her time to reducing hunger by volunteering at and coordinating food drives, including an annual giveaway for the Christmas holiday. In 1998 she co-founded the Colusa County Food Basket Association, creating a nonprofit organization that dedicates itself to serving those in most need throughout Colusa. What began as a very small community outreach program has now grown into an immensely rewarding Colusa County community service program that has served and fed an average of 450 local families every holiday season for the past ten years. Recently, Janita collaborated with a local veteran's group to identify and create a register of all deceased veterans interred at the local Catholic cemetery. She spent nearly two years researching and networking with local families to ensure that all veterans were accounted for. Her work ensured that all 245 veterans were honored on Memorial Day with an American flag on their grave, marking their service and sacrifice. Janita's compassion, generosity, and heartfelt dedication to making her community a better place are an inspiration to all who know her. prgtoken Gina Tarke is more than just a volunteer in the Sutter County area, but a devoted leader with an extensive record of service to her community. Gina is known for her work ethic and constantly extends her hand to assist projects across the community with a kind heart. She has been the driving force behind many student, youth, and community projects. She spearheaded the Sutter Community Flag Project, has been in 4H Leadership for over 18 years, directs Sutter Union High School Football fundraising dinners and annual Meet the Huskies events, and
TRIBUTE TO JO-ANN CLARK
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2020-11-16

I am proud to recognize Jo-Ann Clark of Stratham as November's Granite Stater of the Month. Jo-Ann is a Gold Star mother who, 10 years ago, lost her son, Army Specialist Christopher Journeau, to suicide. After learning about the benefits that companion animals can bring to veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder--PTSD--the same condition that Christopher suffered from, Jo-Ann started an organization in her son's name to fund adoptions of shelter animals by veterans. prgtoken Jo-Ann's son, Christopher, served a year in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and returned home with undiagnosed PTSD. When Christopher took his own life 6 months later, Jo-Ann was devastated. Over time, she learned about the symptoms of PTSD and recognized that her son had exhibited these symptoms when he returned home from his deployment. prgtoken During her research, Jo-Ann also learned that, for some people, a companion animal can help to mitigate the impacts of PTSD. Jo-Ann began to research national organizations that help veterans adopt pets, but she found that many veterans faced significant hurdles in the process. prgtoken In response, Jo-Ann founded Chris' Pets for Vets to make it easier for veterans to adopt companion animals from local shelters. Among other things, the organization pays the pet adoption fees to ensure that cost isn't a barrier for any veteran. prgtoken Since its founding in 2015, Jo-Ann has helped approximately 400 veterans adopt companion animals at various shelters throughout New Hampshire. Despite health concerns that she herself has faced, Jo-Ann has invested an incredible amount of her time and energy into making Chris' Pets for Vets a success. prgtoken Jo-Ann's determination to turn her own loss into productive and positive support for veterans has helped hundreds of veterans avoid the confusion and despair that accompanies PTSD. Her commitment is also consistent with the Granite State's long tradition of military service and support for veterans. Jo-Ann understands the importance of supporting veterans in every aspect of their lives, and through Chris' Pets for Vets, she is both honoring her son's memory while making a real difference in veterans' lives. I am honored to recognize her efforts.
CORONAVIRUS' IMPACT ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES
André Carson (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2020-11-16

I rise today in support of the Tri-Caucus' Special Order to highlight the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. Our nation is currently overwhelmed by unprecedented numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. After more than eight months of suffering, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our communities, creating incalculable pain, massive economic disruption, and immense strain on our public health system. As of this moment, more than 246,000 Americans have lost their lives from this deadly disease. More than eleven million have been infected, and nearly 70,000 are currently hospitalized with severe cases of COVID-19. While all Americans are suffering from this pandemic, communities of color are experiencing acute and disproportionate pain. prgtoken From the beginning of this pandemic, it was clear that the phrase ``when white America catches a cold, Black America gets pneumonia'' would be particularly true with COVID-19's devastating consequences. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately harms Black and Brown communities with dramatically unequal infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths. Specifically, Black people are three times more likely to become infected with COVID-19 than whites. Moreover, Black people die from COVID-19 at around twice the rate of white people. These aren't just statistics. They represent our friends, neighbors, and loved ones. They are people like my cousin who died from COVID-19 earlier this year, and so many others who are no longer with us. prgtoken Like past disease outbreaks and natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic lays bare the consequences of systemic injustices suffered by communities of color. Institutional racism, compounded by environmental and economic injustices, have resulted in severe health disparities for communities of color which make the COVID-19 pandemic so uniquely devastating. Despite the disproportionate harm the COVID-19 pandemic has caused among communities of color, many states still do not provide transparency regarding racial and ethnic demographic data for COVID-19 cases and deaths. For example, in my state of Indiana, the State only provides an aggregate breakdown of the racial and ethnic demographics for cases and deaths during the entire pandemic. This results in a profoundly incomplete picture of the disproportionate sickness, death, fear and tragedy this virus is inflicting on communities of color. prgtoken As Congress considers much-needed, additional measures to combat COVID-19 and provide relief for businesses, hospitals and workers, one thing is clear: Communities of color must receive substantial relief and support that matches the devastation they've suffered from this pandemic. In addition, states and public health departments must provide updated and daily demographic information, including a racial and ethnic breakdown, for the daily numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Th
HONORING CBP OFFICER DOMINGO JASSO III
Filemon Vela (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-11-16

. Madam , I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer Domingo Jasso III, who passed away on November 5, 2020. Officer Jasso's service to his community and country touched the lives of many, and he will be remembered for the good-natured support he provided his colleagues and those he encountered. prgtoken Officer Domingo Jasso began his dedicated service as a Customs and Border Protection officer in December of 2011. Officer Jasso was known for his leadership, his exceptional work ethic, and his positive attitude. During his time as a CBP Officer, he served as a devoted trumpet player for the Customs and Border Protection Honor Guard. He was also a member of the Border Patrol's Mobile Field Force and was deployed with Operation Secure Line in 2019. prgtoken Officer Jasso is survived by his beloved wife Monica Jasso and their three daughters, Jenny, Faith and Alizae. He also leaves behind many dear relatives and the many work friends he made over his career with CBP. Officer Jasso honored his loving family by setting an example as a brave public servant to his community and country. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the legacy of Officer Jasso as a father, husband, role model, and brave servant to our community.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2020-11-16

I am struck by the fact, as I call people around my State of Vermont, which, like your State and every State, has suffered from COVID--although I compliment our Governor, who has kept the numbers down lower than practically any other State in the country. But we are facing winter, and even today, the outgoing President does not seem to be willing to acknowledge the huge mistake he made in not accepting the fact that we had a COVID pandemic coming to this country. We lost too much time preparing for it. We are still not adequately prepared for it. We could take some hope in the news of new vaccinations, but even that is going to take months before than can be fully implemented. prgtoken The reason I mention this is that the Senate time and again is voting on judicial nominees who have been recommended predominantly by a special interest group or a couple of different special interest groups. We have to vote on these special interest judges for lifetime appointments, but we can't do a single thing to help the average people who are suffering because of COVID. It should not be a or a ic issue. prgtoken In my State, I hear from business people who have small B&Bs, may have a restaurant and a small business--they don't identify themselves as s or ; they just say: We can't open. What are we going to do? prgtoken I hear from parents who say: What is being done so our kids can go back to school? The schools say they could probably do something, but they need the money to set up various COVID protections. prgtoken Small hospitals are overwhelmed. We have seen this in States all over the country. The hospitals are being overwhelmed, and the people working there are being overwhelmed. prgtoken The U.S. Senate hasn't done a single thing. We had a bill before us from the House in June and July. We could have voted on it. The leader said: No, we can't, because there are some parts we s may not like. Well, that is why you vote. Bring it up. Vote it up or vote it down. Bring up amendments. Vote for them or vote against them, but do it. Instead, we spend our time day after day after day voting on special interest judges--people who have been proposed by special interests groups, who are picked because they feel they would vote with these special interests groups. What we should be doing is taking a little time off from that and voting for the American people. prgtoken In my State, we have s and . We have a Governor who is doing an excellent job. He has just been reelected. We have a wonderful ic woman who has been elected as the new Lieutenant Governor. They both want to work together to get people back to school, back to work, protect their health. They keep saying: When is the help coming from Washington prgtoken I think that instead of spending all of this time talking about fanciful thoughts--I saw one
CELEBRATING THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. FRANCIS' 100TH ANNIVERSARY
Bill Foster (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-11-16

. Madam , I rise today to honor the University of St. Francis located in Joliet, Illinois, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Since 1920, the University of St. Francis has distinguished itself as a valuable institution for its students and a major contributor to Joliet and the greater Illinois area. prgtoken Founded in 1920, the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate established the Sisters' Normal Institute of Higher Leaming, now known as the University of St. Francis, to educate its own members. By 1930, the institution reorganized its education to provide a full college curriculum and grant bachelor's degrees. As the college expanded its educational opportunities, it was eventually renamed the University of St. Francis in 1998. prgtoken The University of St. Francis has been an institution committed to providing opportunity for its students and educating a community of learners who are engaged in the continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice. Their academic excellence makes the institution a valuable part of the community. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the University of St. Francis' 100 years of excellence and congratulating the institution on achieving this milestone.