mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Robert P. Casey, Jr. (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-7-29

I rise this morning to cover a couple of topics. One is on some comments on the legislation that I hope we are going to complete to provide relief to the Nation with regard to both the public health crisis and the jobs crisis, and then I will have two other sets of remarks in different parts of the Record, but let me start with what we are facing right now. prgtoken We know that it has been 4 months since the CARES Act, way back at the end of March, and we all expected, I think at that time, that that piece of legislation and the legislation prior thereto and subsequently would have an impact on Americans, we hoped, in a positive way. I think there is some evidence to indicate that the CARES Act had a positive impact. Obviously, it was not perfect legislation, but I don't think any of us thought that was the end of the road. prgtoken And then we saw, just 10 weeks ago, the Heroes Act pass the House of Representatives. So you have the CARES Act enacted into law and operative--and thank goodness for that--as well as several other pieces of legislation. But the Heroes Act only passed by the House and no action by the Senate in those intervening 10 weeks. prgtoken If you were on the majority side of the aisle, the side, as Leader McConnell has outlined, and you wanted to delay--wait to see the full impact of the CARES Act--there is an argument that some would make in that direction. I don't agree with it. But what I don't understand is why, even if you believe that you should wait, why would you not be preparing for the worst? Why would you not be preparing for the kind of outbreaks we have seen across the country when the prgtoken virus moved away from the Northeast, generally, to the South and Southwest, and then to the West even more so? Why would you not prepare at least an outline of legislation? Why would you not begin negotiations many, many weeks ago, as opposed to waiting until the last minute not just to respond to the overall problem--the worst public health challenge in a century--but also, in a particular way, why would you wait, as the majority did, until the very last minute on the issue of unemployment insurance when we know benefits are running out in a matter of hours, really, not even a few days now? So if that is your perspective that we should have waited, why wouldn't you prepare for the worst so that when the worst was hitting, or something comparable to that, you would have legislation ready to go? prgtoken The majority chose to delay, and I think, in a real sense, seemed to adopt the President's kind of virus denial that if you just don't talk about it or if you try to change the subject or, in the case of the majority, if you don't legislate about it or prepare--just prepare to legislate about it, it will somehow recede into the background, and we don't have to worry about it. Well, that delay and that denial has proved to be, I think, misguided, and I think tha
HONORING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF WERSELL'S BIKE SHOP
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2020-7-29

. Madam , I rise today to recognize and extend warmest congratulations to Wersell's Bike shop, owned by Jill Wersell. Her father started the business in 1945, and Wersell's has been a positive addition to the Toledo community for 75 years. prgtoken As Wersell's Bike shop celebrates its 75th year of existence, we can also celebrate the many years of service to Northwest Ohio the Wersell family has given. Jill Wersell takes pride in the community in which she was born. Whether it is by spending time working with organizations that help children with autism learn to ride a bike, or donating bikes to children and those in need, giving back to the community is important to Jill and her shop. prgtoken Wersell's Bike Shop also sponsors the Toledo Glow Roll where hundreds of bikes decorated in lights ride through Toledo to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer. The Toledo Glow Roll is a healthy community event that brings family and friends together. prgtoken The Wersell family has worked tirelessly serving Toledo families year after year. Their number one priority has always been customer service, which keeps the family at the shop a minimum of six days per week. With countless stories, events, and support, we wish them a very happy 75th Anniversary. prgtoken Onward, Wersell's.
CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT
Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-7-29

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I would remind the distinguished ranking member that we did have a hearing in February and, actually, a briefing in May that the minority party decided not to participate in. prgtoken And insofar as the , she was here. If I had opened, she would have had to listen to me and to you and would have been here waiting all that time. The is busy, so I called on the so she could speak and return to her busy schedule. prgtoken , I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), a distinguished member of the Committee on Education and Labor.
CHILD CARE IS ESSENTIAL ACT
Kim Schrier (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-7-29

parents can't go back to earning until their children can go back to learning. The topic of reopening schools has been top of mind in recent weeks. We also need safe care for our young ones though, because their parents need to work, too. prgtoken Childcare is essential, for parents and children. Many childcare providers have closed during this pandemic, some for safety, some for financial reasons. prgtoken But childcare isn't just about parents' jobs. High quality early childhood education is the single best way to close the opportunity gap and give disadvantaged children a strong start. Every dollar invested in early childhood education pays back $7 down the road, and that is a phenomenal investment. prgtoken The Child Care Is Essential Act provides financial assistance so providers can reopen safely. prgtoken By passing this bill, we support children, working families, and childcare providers; all worthy of our investment.
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Doug Jones (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2020-7-29

I rise today amid what we all know to be a global health and economic crisis that we are in. I rise to propose a solution that has been in front of us all along from the very beginning. It is a solution that has existed for 55 years tomorrow--55 years. prgtoken Medicaid has brought millions of people to better healthcare. It has brought billions of dollars into States. That is important when we have both a healthcare crisis and an economic crisis, but for 55 years, Medicaid has lifted the health outcomes of people all across this country and especially in so many States that need it--States like Alabama that are poor States, that are unhealthy States. prgtoken But we can do better. A solution of Medicaid would bring billions of dollars into my home State of Alabama along with about a dozen other States. It would create thousands of new jobs. It would help shore up rural hospitals that are facing financial struggles, a condition made worse by this pandemic. It would provide healthcare coverage in Alabama alone to between 300,000 to 400,000 Alabamians who do not have it right now. Some didn't have it before this pandemic. Others don't have it now because they have lost their jobs. They have lost their employer- sponsored healthcare. prgtoken Expanding Medicaid would generate $935 billion, with a ``b,'' in new tax revenue for the State of Alabama. It would help local economies across the State by creating good jobs and ensuring workers and their families have good healthcare. prgtoken In our rural areas, especially, healthcare is dependent on Federal dollars. Folks, expanding Medicaid was the right thing to do before this pandemic and some 37 States or so did just that. In fact, two States did that fairly recently. Conservative States of Oklahoma and Nebraska are both in the process of expanding Medicaid. It was important before the pandemic, but it is vital that we do it now. It is absolutely vital, especially, as so many people have lost their jobs, lost their employer-sponsored healthcare through no fault of their own. prgtoken Alabama didn't take that step back in 2011 when it should have. Alabama prgtoken held back. There is little doubt that the main reason--not the sole reason--but the main reason that they held back was purely political. The Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Governor refused to legitimize the Affordable Care Act and put their name on anything having to do with it. The people of Alabama--hundreds of thousands--have suffered because of it. prgtoken That excuse is waning thin today, especially when so much is needed to provide healthcare to the people of my State. Just this morning, a new poll came out from Auburn University that showed that a majority of the people of Alabama, including a majority of s and a majority of , favor expanding Medicaid. Our hospitals and healthcare professionals have long advocated for this all across Alabama. prgtoken We did a p
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2020
Peter A. DeFazio (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-7-29

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , today, we continue the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee tradition by considering the fourth consecutive bipartisan Water Resources Development Act since 2014, a tradition started by my friend and predecessor, Bill Shuster. It is a great tradition, and it is an incredible service to our Nation. prgtoken I am proud to be joined by Ranking Member Sam Graves, Subcommittee Chair Napolitano, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman in sponsoring the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. prgtoken The bill under consideration today was developed in a bipartisan manner with input from both sides of the aisle. The legislation was considered in committee and favorably reported by voice vote. prgtoken H.R. 7575 includes projects and policy provisions that impact communities across the Nation. It authorizes construction of 34 projects studied and approved by the chief of engineers since WRDA 2018 was signed into law. prgtoken It authorizes 36 new Corps of Engineers feasibility studies and directs the Corps to expedite the completion of 41 ongoing studies, which were submitted to the Corps by local sponsors willing to share the costs of these project studies. prgtoken H.R. 7575 continues our work to ensure the full utilization of the harbor maintenance trust fund by unlocking nearly $10 billion. This is $10 billion under an initiative started by Ronald Reagan of taxes collected from shippers that are ultimately paid by consumers in the United States. So, for years, we have been taking money under false pretenses and not spending that money on its designated purpose. prgtoken This bill will finally rectify that problem. There is ample need to invest that $10 billion in our ports and harbors around the country. prgtoken The legislation also directs the Secretary of the Army to equitably allocate maintenance funds to pay for harbor operation maintenance needs, while addressing the ongoing needs of the Nation's largest ports, the Great Lakes harbors, its emerging harbors. prgtoken This is especially important in communities like my district along Oregon's southwest coast, where the difference between life and death for those who both recreate or fish commercially is in the conditions of our harbors, jetties, and breakwaters. It is literally life and death in very cold water. So, this is incredibly important. prgtoken Before earmarks were banned, I used to get my harbors dredged by earmarking. Since that was banned when the s took over in 2010, I managed in the first WRDA bill in 2014 to get a 10 percent set- aside for small and emerging harbors. That has provided the critical dredging for my district and many, many harbors around the United States of America. prgtoken This bill, because we will have a lot more money, will provide actually 20 percent to small and emerging harbors. We have delayed and deferred projects all around the country. prgtoken T
IDB PRESIDENCY
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-7-29

I rise to speak about the campaign currently underway to select the next president of the Inter-American Development Bank in September of this year. prgtoken The IDB has served as the preeminent development bank in the Americas since 1959. For more than six decades, it has brought together the United States, Canada, and our partners from Latin America and the Caribbean to advance an agenda for development and inclusive economic growth in our hemisphere. The United States has proudly been a leading voice to strengthen the IDB's critical mission in the Americas, and donors from the European Union to Japan and South Korea, have provided enduring support to the institution. prgtoken In September, the IDB will hold elections to select its next president. Last month, the United States announced it would nominate Mauricio Claver Carone, the current National Security Council senior director for the Western Hemisphere, as our candidate to be the next president of the IDB. Since Mr. Claver Carone's nomination was announced, more than 15 governments in the region have offered their support for his candidacy. These governments represent a wide range of ideological perspectives, levels of economic development, and different historic relationships with the IDB. In recent weeks, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, our hemisphere's other premier multilateral institution, offered words of support for Mr. Claver Carone's candidacy. prgtoken I have known Mr. Claver Carone for over two decades. During this time, Mr. Claver Carone has demonstrated a commitment to inclusive economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean, and he has been an outspoken advocate for democracy and human rights in our hemisphere. In his more recent roles at the National Security Council, the International Monetary Fund, and the Treasury Department, he has worked with governments across the region and across the ideological spectrum to advance United States' partnerships in the Americas. He has also worked to address the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and counter the agendas of governments that seek to counter U.S. interests in the region, from Cuba's authoritarian regime to Putin's Russia to China's Government. Of equal importance, he has shown the ability to work in a bipartisan manner with and s in the United States, including in the U.S. Congress. prgtoken While I have been and remain an ardent critic of many aspects of the administration's foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean and I have not always agreed with every policy decision that Mr. Claver Carone has made during his service to our government, I recognize his consistent commitment to advancing U.S. national security, our foreign policy interests, and an agenda of shared priorities with our partners in the hemisphere. prgtoken For these reasons, I support Mr. Claver Carone'
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-7-29

over the past 3 months, as Americans stayed home and forfeited their routines and their livelihoods to combat the spread of the virus, as essential workers risked their safety and their families' safety, as 50 million Americans filed unemployment claims, as small businesses folded, and as the disease spread rapidly through the summer, the majority paused on addressing COVID-19 while it confirmed more rightwing judges. Americans pitched in and sacrificed, and many suffered greatly while the Senate s kept their assembly line prgtoken of extreme judicial nominees humming along and did little else. prgtoken Now, after an interminable delay, the Senate s have finally admitted that the country needs relief, but they can't even get their act together to produce a halfway legitimate legislative proposal. We all witnessed a week and a half of infighting on the side as the country careened toward several cliffs created by delay. The s bickered amongst themselves as the moratorium on evictions expired, State and local governments shed jobs and cut public services, and the last enhanced unemployment checks went out the door. prgtoken When the s finally convinced themselves they were ready to unveil a plan, instead of presenting a single, coherent bill, the s released several incongruent drafts that were littered with corporate giveaways, K Street handouts, and Presidential pet projects. prgtoken Some s proposed billions of dollars for large agribusinesses and defense contractors but not a dime to help American families stay in their homes. The bill has a tax break for three-martini lunches but no food assistance for hungry kids. There is $2 billion for a new FBI building, the location of which will increase the value of the hotel, but no funding to help State and local governments retain teachers, firefighters, busdrivers, and other public employees. There is no support for Medicaid, for nursing homes, or for those with disabilities. prgtoken The proposals to support our health system and to meet our testing needs are wildly insufficient. prgtoken If you are one of the 20 to 30 million Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own and you can't find work, Senate s think you have it too good right now. You should take a 30- percent pay cut, s are saying. prgtoken This is not a serious proposal for a country in the midst of a once- in-a-generation crisis. So, as you can imagine, when reviews started rolling in yesterday, they weren't too positive. One Senator said: ``There are 100 problems with the plan.'' Another : ``It is a mess. I can't figure out what this bill is about.'' Another of this Chamber said: ``You look at the package that was rolled out by the leadership, and it contains virtually nothing that will actually aid i
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-7-29

I rise to address the impact that the coronavirus pandemic is having on rural America. prgtoken We know that it affects every area of this country. In the urban areas of our country, we have seen what this has meant to the people who are in crowded housing and to the people who work every day in our urban hospitals. We have seen it in the suburban areas with small businesses and with moms who are trying to figure out how to handle the summer with their kids, but the rural areas sometimes don't get as much attention. The Presiding Officer knows of this in his home State of Oklahoma. He understands this. prgtoken There are a lot of rural areas in our country that have suffered as well. They have suffered not only because of spikes in the virus, like we have seen recently, but also because of the economic implications--a farm economy that was already in trouble because of the price of commodities, because of world trade barriers, because of weather events. You name it. It has affected rural areas in a big, big way. prgtoken According to several recent reports, as of July 14, one-third of all rural counties are now considered red zones, places that in the last week of testing added 100 or more new cases per 100,000 people. Between June 13 and July 12, the number of new cases in rural counties increased by 150 percent. That is why we must take immediate action to provide the critical support that the rural areas need. prgtoken They are areas that may not have easy access to hospitals or that may have smaller hospitals. That is why the issue of funding for State and local governments, as long as we make sure the rural areas are able to share in this funding as well, is so important for the rural hospitals, for their equipment--all of this. prgtoken This is beyond what we all know already of the food supply chains and our nutrition programs. We certainly don't want a situation in which one can't get homegrown American food. Just as we have learned with the medical equipment supply chain, we can't always get the swabs that we need for so much of our testing and the like. prgtoken I just want to make clear that people sometimes see rural areas as though they are out there, doing fine--all of these idyllic pictures. I don't think they understand the struggle, the fact that rural poverty for kids is often higher than it is in urban areas, and this was before the pandemic. To me, the pandemic has just put a big magnifying glass on some of these disparities that we knew already existed. prgtoken There is a more senior population in rural areas, so you have people trying to keep themselves safe. They are isolated in seniors' homes or in areas of smaller assisted living, where they are very, very isolated, even more so than they might be, but where they have their families nearby who can at least visit them through a window. That is even harder. So, really, all of these challenges conspire to make this a topic t
NOMINATIONS
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2020-7-29

workers right now are dealing with unprecedented challenges and are making great personal sacrifices to keep the country running during this crisis. prgtoken And the nominees under consideration today for the National Labor Relations Board will play a critical role in safeguarding their rights and protections. prgtoken That is why I voted for Lauren McFerran to serve another term on the NLRB. prgtoken She is a dedicated, qualified, and well-respected public servant who had a proven track record of fighting for workers before she joined the Board and has stood by workers in enforcing these fundamental protections during her time on the NLRB. prgtoken But unfortunately, the opposite is true for Marvin Kaplan, the nominee to the NLRB. prgtoken Mr. Kaplan spent his career working to further corporations' interests and gut workers' rights instead of protecting them. That is why opposed his nomination in 2017, and that is exactly what he has done since joining the NLRB. prgtoken He is exactly wrong to serve another term on the NLRB, and that is why I voted against his confirmation. prgtoken I am also extremely disappointed we do not have the nomination of another highly qualified to the NLRB, Jennifer Abruzzo, to consider today. prgtoken Years of obstruction of highly qualified ic nominees to critical worker protection agencies like the NLRB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shows a blatant disregard for longstanding deference to the minority party and is a significant departure from the customs of this institution. It is unacceptable, and I will not stop pushing for ic nominees. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote today to stand up for workers and their rights. prgtoken I would also like to say that, after months of delay from my colleagues, the COVID relief proposal s put forward this week is incredibly late, profoundly inadequate, and can't credibly be considered a starting point for negotiations. prgtoken It gives corporations a ``get out of jail free'' card to prevent employers from being held accountable for keeping their workers safe and a license to discriminate including on the basis of age, race, sex, and disability status. prgtoken And instead of expanding unemployment benefits that have been a lifeline for workers in my home State and across the country--which by the way, are due to expire tomorrow--s have slashed them. prgtoken This bill doesn't get us anywhere near where we need to be on developing a vaccine that is accessible and affordable to every person and is completely prgtoken inadequate in addressing our testing and contract tracing shortfalls. prgtoken And while want schools to reopen for in-person learning if it can be done safely, the partisan proposal would put students, educators, and communities at risk. prgtoken s need to abandon this dangerous one-size-f