mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2020-6-25

this week I have the honor of recognizing Jackie Stratton of Toole County for her tremendous efforts to support her community. prgtoken Jackie, a graduating senior at Shelby High School, took the initiative to start a food bank at her school to help those in need. prgtoken Jackie's FFA and Ag teacher encouraged her to apply for a grant from Montana State University to fund her idea. After applying for the grant, she received $500 from the Alpha Gamm Rho fraternity at Montana State University to start her food bank. Her selfless efforts then caught the attention of community member Lynda Barker, who was able to secure a $2,500 grant from the America's Farmers Build Community Bayer Fund to help Jackie's efforts. prgtoken With these grants, Jackie was able to purchase a refrigerator, shelving, food, and hygiene products. Jackie also collaborated with the local Albertsons for dairy, breads, and frozen foods. Additionally, Jackie secured the donation of 300 pounds of ground beef from Flesch Angus in Shelby for her food bank. prgtoken It is my honor to recognize Jackie for her selfless efforts to help her fellow students and community members in need of support during this difficult time. Her bold initiatives inspired-- others to give as well and demonstrated how Montanans can come together to help one another.
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Louie Gohmert (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-25

I am proud to call Virginia Foxx my classmate. We have been through a lot together, but nothing like what is currently going on in this country right now. Extraordinary. prgtoken And we are hearing from people back home and from those who are not from prgtoken my district that have called my office--or called my wife's phone--and left nasty, vicious messages about our hearing. People who saw the subterfuge going on in the Committee on the Judiciary yesterday, they need to understand, back before I became a district judge in Texas, handling major, civil litigation and felony, criminal cases--up to and including death penalty cases--I tried a lot of cases, a lot of different courts, Federal, State. And from time to time, you would see judges who were not fair, and they played their partisan, silly games. Sometimes it was just a power thing. prgtoken But I determined, when I was a judge, nobody was going to be treated like that, and we didn't do that. prgtoken There were time limits on opening statements and closing arguments, as there were when I was chief justice of our court of appeals. I enforced the times, and I made sure that both sides had those times followed because, to me, what applied in court applies here, one of the last bastions of civility in the country. prgtoken Even when there are riots and protests going on, as long as the legislature and the courts are acting civilly--and that doesn't mean you can't yell at each other. Sometimes, debates get very, very emotional, and some of us get very passionate about the things we feel. But it should never lead to violence. prgtoken We have those arguments. Everybody gets treated fairly. And I have to say, I have been unhappy with some committee chairs in the past, but at least they treated both sides the same way. prgtoken But we have seen in the Judiciary Committee, which has a storied history, with strong, freedom-loving patriots like Daniel Webster-- possibly the leading advocate against slavery of his day, and certainly the most articulate advocate against slavery in this country, a strong Christian, ethical, moral man. But we have seen such incredible partisanship in our committee, and I mean by that unfair enforcement of the rules. prgtoken Yes, I get passionate about it because I still believe in fairness. You shouldn't treat people the way s have been treated in the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken Why is that important? Well, for one thing, it sets an example to the rest of the country that it is okay to just run over, ignore, threaten, create havoc for the people who you disagree with. That message goes out loud and clear: I am screwing over the other side by the rules, by using and flaunting my authority, and so what? If you agree with me, join me in abusing our discretion. prgtoken Well, we are seeing that abuse go across the country. What are we seeing across the country? We have seen ic Governors, some of them, and in
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-25

I appreciate my friend from Texas and for those kind remarks. I appreciate how much he has dedicated to spending time on the floor of the House of Representatives, which is what we should be doing as Members of this body. He does it and he does it often, and then he includes others in it. prgtoken I just wish we had more. I just wish we had debate. I wish we had amendments. But we don't. prgtoken And we shouldn't kid ourselves. For whoever watches this C-SPAN clip or whoever is watching it right now, the fact of the matter is, this institution known as Congress is badly broken. We don't have vigorous debate, neither in this body nor on the other side of this Capitol in the United States Senate. prgtoken The Senate, where I worked as a staffer for a number of years, I can remember having bills where we would have 30, 40, 50, 60 amendments, and debate back and forth, and offer them and vote on them, and at the end of that, then decide whether we support that legislation or not. We don't do that anymore. prgtoken We get a bill, like today, brought to the floor of the House of Representatives by the majority, and we are told that is the vote. prgtoken The same thing in the Senate. We have a bill that is brought to the floor prgtoken of the Senate, and the author of the bill, Senator Scott, offers 20 amendments to the other side, including a manager's package, and it is rejected out of hand, no debate, no discussion on amendments. prgtoken And the American people are sitting at home going, What is going on? Why won't this institution--its Congress--do anything? prgtoken Right now, we have three, maybe four Members of the United States Congress in this room. prgtoken Tomorrow, we will have a couple of votes, and then we will fly home. And what will we have accomplished this week while our Nation is struggling with statues being toppled, people being killed, and here we sit? prgtoken What is everybody in this body doing right now? Are they out having dinner? Are they out having a drink? Are they home asleep? prgtoken But right now, just this last weekend, we had 104 shootings in Chicago, 14 were killed, several teenagers. A 3-year-old boy was killed this weekend. prgtoken There is a 325 percent increase year over year of shootings in New York City. We had a gentleman who was washing his car's tire, had somebody come up right behind him and shoot him in the head on the streets of New York City. prgtoken We have gone a long ways away from the kind of law and order, rule of law that is married to liberty that has made this country great for so long. prgtoken It is incumbent upon this body and this institution to do our job. It is incumbent upon us to stand up for the rule of law so that liberty can prosper, so that we secure the blessings of liberty as the Constitution outlines as our responsibility. prgtoken I have no idea what it is like to be a Black American and I will never know what it is like to be a Black American. I can
THE JUSTICE ACT
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-6-25

it was a sad day yesterday when we didn't get enough votes because the ic leader didn't want to vote. We did get four of those votes from that side of the aisle, but the police reform bill didn't come out. prgtoken Senate s are taking a step in advancing real change on this issue in our country. We have heard calls for police reform and are responding--not only because of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis a few weeks ago but also because of peaceful demonstrations around the country on this issue calling for police reform. prgtoken Senator Scott is the leader of the JUSTICE Act. I am a cosponsor. It encourages States to stand as partners in addressing police reform. If State and local police departments don't comply with the provisions of the JUSTICE Act, such as training officers on deescalation and use-of- force and ensuring consistent use of body-worn cameras, they will not receive Federal funding for police action. prgtoken Iowa has made significant changes already, and a number of other States have followed Iowa's example. The Iowa Legislature unanimously passed police reform issues very much like what is in the Scott bill, and, working with leaders of color in Iowa to accomplish this goal, it went very smoothly through the Iowa Legislature. I got a firsthand report from my grandson, who is speaker of the Iowa House. The Iowa House is divided 53 to 47, but both houses of the Iowa Legislature passed these reforms unanimously. prgtoken Why can't Senate let us go forward with the Scott bill? All we need are four more ic votes. If it can happen in the Iowa Legislature, it ought to be able to happen here. prgtoken We have a role to play in the Senate, but let's not forget that, while we are doing that, we are also encouraging our State partners to also lead the charge in effecting real change. In fact, 50 State legislatures--every municipality--ought to be moving forward on police reforms of not only our type but whatever they may think is best for their States or municipalities. prgtoken .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2020-6-25

I rise today to speak about the Republic of Korea on this June 25, the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean war. prgtoken The Republic of Korea is a longtime ally and partner that resides in one of the most prosperous and one of the prgtoken most dangerous parts of the world. When most of us hear about Korea, we instinctively focus on the threat emanating from the bizarre failed state in the north, and we often forget about the incredible successes and stories of success in the south that was made possible largely by the United States-South Korea Alliance. prgtoken When I visited the Korean War Memorial in Seoul in July of 2017, I read the names of Americans and Coloradans that died answering the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met. I think that, today, we owe it to our fallen soldiers to recognize what the world has gained from their sacrifice. prgtoken On June 25, 1950, Kim Il-sung's army crossed the 38th parallel to invade South Korea. In response, the United States mobilized the international community under the U.N. flag and sent hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops to defend Korea. To this day, thousands of U.S. soldiers remain unaccounted for. Over 1 million Korean civilians perished. Most survivors have never seen or spoken with their families across the border. prgtoken The U.S. decision to intervene in that war transformed the future of Asia. South Korea has blossomed from a war-torn state to an economic powerhouse, a thriving democracy, and, in recent months, a global leader in response to a public health crisis. prgtoken South Korea boasts the 12th largest economy in the world and has become a leader in critical future technologies such as telecommunications, electronics, and semiconductors. They managed to do this despite having a population of only 50 million people, few natural resources, and effectively operating as an island restricted to maritime trade. prgtoken South Korea's hard-fought transition from authoritarian governments to vibrant democracy took time, it took perseverance, and it took grit, but they did it. It is now a democracy with a highly educated and active civil society that embraces the rule of law and human rights and stands in stark contrast to its authoritarian neighbors in North Korea and China. prgtoken As our South Korean ally has grown more prosperous and more capable, it has also taken on an outsized global responsibility. Since the Korean war, South Korea has fought alongside the United States in all four of our major conflicts. prgtoken Once a recipient of foreign aid, Seoul is now a worldwide donor of aid. It has become a critical pillar in upholding the postwar order, playing a valuable role in the global nonproliferation regime, global emissions reduction, peacekeeping, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and postconflict stabilization. prgtoken South Korea has also become a key stakeholder in various international o
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-6-25

it is Thursday, and it is that time of the week that I like to come down to the Senate floor and talk about somebody who is doing something great in my State, someone I get to brag about, a special Alaskan, somebody we refer to as our Alaskan of the Week. prgtoken Sometimes this person has made big headlines back home, maybe even across the country, and throughout the State, people know them. But oftentimes--and one of the reasons we started this whole series many years ago--this is a person who has worked more behind the scenes day in, day out, year in, year out, doing the kind of public service that is so vital to the health and well-being of our communities throughout Alaska, throughout America, but is not always recognized and certainly not recognized enough. prgtoken Our Alaskan of the week, Fairbanks police officer Daniel Welborn, is one of those people. He recently retired from the Fairbanks Police Force after 26 years--more than a quarter of a century--and is one of those everyday heroes who we think are important to highlight as an Alaskan of the Week and as an American helping his fellow Americans and Alaskans. prgtoken Before I get into Officer Welborn's story, let me tell you a little bit about what is going on in Alaska right now. The weather has been glorious in many areas--sunny in a lot of places, rainy in others. We have a very big State. The summer solstice is just a few days behind us. That is the longest day of the year and a huge day in Alaska-- midnight Sun, energy. It is great being in Alaska right now. prgtoken Most of the State has opened up with precautions, of course, in place, given the pandemic. More and more people are getting out. The salmon are certainly running, beginning to run up our rivers. The bears are fully woke--maybe not woke in that sense, but they are awake. prgtoken I was home last week in Fairbanks celebrating the amazing life of my mother-in-law, Mary Jane Fate, whom our family put to rest. She was one of the most revered Alaskan leaders and elders who recently passed away, and we had a beautiful, moving ceremony, talking about this trailblazing woman. prgtoken I can't wait to get back home--get back home to Fairbanks in particular, the Golden Heart City, where Officer Welborn has spent his entire career protecting and defending. prgtoken As you know, much attention has been spent on our Nation's police forces in recent weeks, but there hasn't been nearly enough attention, in my view, drawn to what it actually means to be a police officer--not an easy job--and to be a good police officer--a critically important job--which the vast majority of police officers--certainly in Alaska but I would say across America--are, good police officers who put their lives on the line every day for us, and Alaskans and Americans should be grateful that they do that. prgtoken As I have said many times before at police memorial ceremonies back home, every job in our countr
RECOGNIZING COLONEL BRIAN LAIDLAW
Neal P. Dunn (Republican, FL) \u2014 2020-6-25

I rise today to recognize an exceptional Air Force leader for his outstanding service. Colonel Brian Laidlaw is the commander of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base. prgtoken In 2018, as Hurricane Michael descended on us, Colonel Laidlaw accomplished the evacuation of Tyndall Air Force Base in just 22 hours. His decisive leadership saved over 11,000 airmen, their families, and over $21 billion in Air Force assets. prgtoken After the storm, Colonel Laidlaw personally forged the ``base of the future'' vision for rebuilding Tyndall to the President of the United States. For his outstanding leadership, the Air Force Association awarded him the Waterman Award for the single most significant contribution to the Air Force during the past year. prgtoken Colonel Laidlaw reflects the highest standards of leadership and conduct and is a credit to the United States military. I wish him and his family the best of luck as they proceed to their next assignment.
HONORING PFC ROBERT WALKER, U.S. MARINE CORPS
Steven M. Palazzo (Republican, MS) \u2014 2020-6-25

. Madam , I rise today to honor the outstanding work of PFC Robert Walker who celebrates 100 years of life on June 25, 2020. Mr. Walker hails from Spokane, Washington, and worked many jobs before a call to serve his country during its hour of need inspired him to join the Marine Corps. After completing basic training and being assigned to the 4th Marine Division, he was sent to the Pacific Theatre where he fought in the battle for Iwo Jima from February 19, until March 4, 1945. On March 4, 1945, Mr. Walker was severely wounded by shrapnel and immediately evacuated to Hawaii to be given proper medical care. On September 28, 1945, Mr. Walker was discharged from the Marines and began his civilian life again. His wife of over 50 years, Betty, whom he met in San Francisco where he spent most of his life prior to the war, was waiting for him when he returned. The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest and most ferociously fought battles of World War II. Mr. Walker was one of nearly 70,000 Marines who bravely battled entrenched Japanese forces knowing full well that casualties would be high. For his service, Mr. Walker was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with star, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. After his decorated service in the Marine Corps, Mr. Walker began working for the California Department of Motor Vehicles where he retired from a supervising position. Mr. Walker has said that one of the happiest days of his life was when he was released from the Marine Corps, but he will also testify that his time in the Corps changed and defined his life. The phrase, ``once a Marine, always a Marine'' comes to mind when one thinks of the valiant heart and storied life of our friend, Robert Francis Walker.
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2020
Dan Crenshaw (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-25

. Madam , I rise today in opposition to this bill, which is unfortunate because it doesn't have to be this way. There is actually a lot of agreement on much of this bill. prgtoken Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised when I read it, and if we voted on this section by section, I believe there are some areas where there would be an overwhelming bipartisan majority for some necessary and crucial reforms. There are other parts where, if we just worked together and made some changes, we would likely get to yes on a lot of these. But as it stands now, it doesn't directly defund the police, but it certainly will result in less policing. prgtoken Needless to say, that hurts the communities we are trying to help the most. There isn't a community meeting out there that is asking for less police. Minority neighborhoods or high crime neighborhoods want more police. Now, they want better policing, but they want more of it. prgtoken In the Senate, wouldn't even debate Senator Scott's bill. Here in the House, won't let s offer a single amendment. prgtoken What reason could the majority possibly have for refusing to work with us? prgtoken When Americans are demanding that we work together toward common goals, why won't do so? prgtoken This is sad, cynical politics. The of the House would rather call s murderers than work with us on solutions. prgtoken But it was never really about police reform. The majority's eyes and actions are fixed on November, not police reform. prgtoken It is not too late. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and work with us to send a bill that the President will sign.
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2020
Peter T. King (Republican, NY) \u2014 2020-6-25

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken I rise in opposition to H.R. 7120. prgtoken The brutal murder of George Floyd and the protests and demonstrations since then highlight the racial issues which still afflict our Nation and which deserve thoughtful discussion and debate. I want to use my time today to reject the premise of systemic police racism, which is the genesis of today's legislation. prgtoken I say the opposite: No one has done more to protect all lives than the police. Take New York City, where thousands of protesters have regularly taken to the streets to demonstrate against the NYPD even though, in the past 25 years, the policies and actions of the NYPD have literally saved tens of thousands of lives of people of color. The city has gone from more than 2,000 murders a year, with a great majority of them being African American, to less than 300. prgtoken Last year, NYPD officers fired their weapon 35 times. That is 35 times in a police force of 36,000 in a city of more than 8 million, and millions more commuters and tourists. Five African Americans were killed by the NYPD in the entire year, four of whom had a gun or knife. prgtoken You won't hear this on the House floor from the other side today, but nationally, more Whites are killed by police than African Americans each year, both in total numbers and in proportion to their encounters with police. prgtoken Supporting this legislation, which targets the police, might make people feel better about themselves in the short run but would result in more crime and murder in the minority communities, which already suffer from inadequate healthcare, housing, and educational opportunity. prgtoken Just in the past month, we have seen shootings increase dramatically in cities such as Chicago and New York, where shootings are at their highest level in almost 25 years. prgtoken It is time to be honest. It is not a peaceful protest when businesses are wrecked and looted, when rocks and bricks and Molotov cocktails are thrown at cops and more than 300 police officers are injured, as we are seeing right now in New York. prgtoken No, police are not perfect--none of us are, that is for sure--but they do outstanding work. Just last month, this House, under ic leadership, passed the HEROES Act, recognizing the great work of the police in combating COVID-19. How things change in one month. prgtoken My father was in the NYPD for more than 30 years. I have been to too many wakes and funerals of cops who have made the ultimate sacrifice, laying down their lives for others. prgtoken Police deserve more than this legislation, which targets them for society's ills. It is time to stand with the men and women in blue who put their lives on the line for all the rest of us every day of the year. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote.