mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION OF THE FARM TO FRIDGE ACT OF 2020
Grace Meng (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I rise today to announce the introduction of my bill--The Farm to Fridge Act of 2020. prgtoken As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants across the country have been forced to close--and as a result, many farmers have been unable to sell their food. This has dramatically disrupted incomes and supply prgtoken chains, and resulted in food waste. Meanwhile, families across the country are struggling to find new ways to purchase affordable food beyond grocery stores as they adhere to social distancing and experience disrupted food supplies. prgtoken In the face of COVID-19, farmers are eager to pivot from selling to restaurants wholesale to selling direct-to-consumer, but in order to do so, they need expensive machinery and marketing funds to make this transition. At the same time, merchants need support to expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help communities access locally- and regionally-produced agriculture. All the while, consumers are eager to purchase food products locally and regionally. prgtoken The Farm to Fridge Act would bridge all these entities by expanding two existing programs for efforts to diversify farms' and merchants' customer bases: the Value Added Producer Grant program and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. Both of these programs will ultimately inject necessary capital to help both farmers and merchants to close gaps in our supply chain, supplement income to farmers, and increase food access for families. prgtoken , Representative Fred Upton, for introducing this important, bipartisan measure and urge my colleagues to support it. After all, during this coronavirus pandemic, the last thing families should worry about is access to food.
FUNDING FRONTLINE WORKERS
Matt Cartwright (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , it is a horrible time our Nation is going through right now. One hundred thousand souls perished in this worldwide pandemic. prgtoken And through it all, every day, frontline workers are going to work; frontline workers like truck drivers, garbage collectors, nurses, and EMTs, and everybody getting our groceries to us, slugging it out, doing their job day in and day out. And through it all they are not getting anything extra but their regular pay. prgtoken That is why I introduced the Coronavirus Frontline Workers Fair Pay Act, and I was thrilled to see that get incorporated in the HEROES Act. prgtoken I call upon Mitch McConnell and the Senate, get off the schneid and get to work and pass this. The American economy needs this relief, and we need you to stop delaying and pass this economic stimulus in the HEROES Act.
RECOGNIZING THE PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE IN THE UNITED STATES
Jim Costa (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I rise today to address the physician shortage in the United States, and our need to act swiftly for the future. prgtoken If this pandemic has taught us one thing, that is the need to have an adequate number of physicians throughout our country. The current health crisis has emphasized the importance of making those kinds of investments in our healthcare system. prgtoken Earlier this month, the House passed the HEROES Act. I incorporated legislation that I had introduced that would expand medical education in underserved areas, like the San Joaquin Valley, that I represent. This legislation is critical to addressing the doctor shortages today and tomorrow in our country. prgtoken In January, I introduced the Expanding Medical Education Act. That is what we need to do. prgtoken I am pleased that my colleagues in the House supported this effort and included it in the HEROES Act. These are our heroes. prgtoken As negotiations for the next coronavirus relief bill continue, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act, to recognize the importance of this issue. Do not delay. The need to enhance our healthcare capacity has never ever been more apparent. prgtoken As a result of COVID-19, we need doctors today, we need doctors tomorrow, and we need a part of our entire healthcare system to rebuild it, to invest in it. Those are the kind of investments we need to make. prgtoken I will continue to fight for every dollar to ensure that our Valley residents have access to the healthcare they deserve.
RECOGNIZING DR. MATTHEW MARTIN AS CONSTITUENT OF THE MONTH
Mike Levin (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , it is my honor to recognize Dr. Matthew Martin, a local Army veteran and trauma surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital, as my Constituent of the Month for May. The novel coronavirus has swept through our country, leaving devastation in its path and particularly hitting the residents of New York City. When a colleague reached out asking for more hands on deck at the Jacobi Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Martin did not hesitate to volunteer. prgtoken After five deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, Dr. Martin certainly recognizes the call to serve. Upon arriving to the front lines of America's coronavirus epicenter, the former Army doctor saw a New York City hospital that was overwhelmed and overrun. Every day, Dr. Martin and his new team risked their own health to treat others, even as the virus claimed the lives of fellow healthcare workers. prgtoken Despite the hardship he confronted daily, Dr. Martin found inspiration in the resolve and resilience of his new colleagues and did not lose sight of the battle. Since returning to San Diego, Dr. Martin brought back with him the determination he saw in his New York colleagues and a goal to ensure our community never experiences the level of devastation he found during his time at the Jacobi Medical Center. prgtoken I launched a Constituent of the Month program to recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond to make our region and our country a stronger place for everyone to live and thrive. As our nation faces this unprecedented health crisis, there are countless first responders and essential workers in California's 49th district who deserve our gratitude and recognition. Today, I am proud to recognize Dr. Martin as well as the courageous team at the Jacobi Medical Team, whose selflessness to join the fight in saving lives is inspiring. I am honored to recognize Dr. Matthew Martin as my Constituent of the Month, and I thank him not only for his service to our country, but also for joining the fight to combat this global pandemic.
UYGHUR HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY ACT OF 2020
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank him and Mr. McCaul, Mr. Engel, the chairman, ranking member, and senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for bringing this important legislation to the floor. It is an honor to be here with all of them, and with Mr. Suozzi, who has been a champion for religious rights throughout the world. prgtoken Madam , Mr. Smith and I go back decades in our fight for human rights in China, whether it is in Tibet, whether it is in Beijing, whether it is in Hong Kong. The list goes on and on. I thank Mr. Smith for his ongoing leadership. prgtoken Madam , I also thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. McGovern, the chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Mr. Smith is the ranking member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and I thank Mr. Smith. prgtoken Today in this House of Representatives, in a very strong, bipartisan way, we are sending a message to the persecuted that they are not forgotten. We are saying to the President of China: ``You may tell these people that they are forgotten, but they aren't.'' prgtoken On the floor of the House of Representatives, in bipartisan, bicameral legislation, we are here in support of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, strong bipartisan legislation to address and defend the rights and dignity of the Uyghur people from China's oppression. prgtoken Today, again, we are sending that message even as we are heartbroken as to what China's people are suffering in terms of COVID-19 and that crisis. We are sad about that. prgtoken Madam , I thank Chris Smith, again, and Mr. Engel and Mr. McCaul. I thank Senator Rubio, also, for his leadership on this legislation. He has been a champion working with us on the China issues. prgtoken Beijing's barbarous actions targeting the Uyghur people are an outrage to the collective conscience of the world. Across Xinjiang, a Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities face brutal oppression, as Mr. Smith was pointing out: prgtoken A pervasive state of mass surveillance and predictive policing used to discriminate and violate the human rights of minorities; prgtoken The mass incarceration of more than 1 million--and that is a small number, a very conservative, small number--innocent people, with beatings, solitary confinement, deprivation of food and medical treatment, and the number is probably much larger than that; prgtoken Forced sterilizations and other forms of torture; prgtoken Incidents of mass shootings, extrajudicial killings, and the intimidation and suppression of journalists courageously exposing the truth. prgtoken Today, with this overwhelming bipartisan legislation, the United States Congress is taking a firm step to counter Beijing's horrific human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. prgtoken In the House, when brought to the floor in December, this legislation passed on a nea
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACT OF 2020
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-5-27

. I also want to note that, as we work to support our first responders today, we must also support other essential workers who are on the front lines of this pandemic, like those in the food and healthcare industries who are putting their lives at risk each day during this crisis. prgtoken We should ensure that all those who are making the ultimate sacrifice for their communities, for us, are properly compensated. That work begins today with supporting our public safety officers with this bill. prgtoken s, Representative Max Rose from New York and Representative Bill Pascrell from New Jersey, for their support of this measure from its inception. And I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in supporting this bill so that we can pass it today. prgtoken Madam , .
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACT OF 2020
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I rise for our first responders who are risking their lives and the lives of their families. They go to work every day to fight this virus. They need our help. prgtoken I am proud to join Chairman Nadler, Congressman Max Rose, and others in support of the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act. Our bill will guarantee first responders receive Public Safety Officer Benefits if the worst comes to pass, because there have been many delays. We need clarity so that there is no anxiety about this. prgtoken In my district, the Ninth District of New Jersey, we tragically lost two first responders to COVID-19 in the line of duty. prgtoken Israel Tolentino, a firefighter from Passaic, New Jersey, was 33 years old. It was Israel's lifelong dream to be a firefighter. He made the ultimate sacrifice for our community fighting this pandemic. He leaves behind his wife and two young children. prgtoken And we have lost Frank Scorpo, a police officer from my hometown of Paterson. I knew the family. He was only 34. He was a beloved member of the force. He leaves behind his wife and two sons, ages 4 and 6 months. prgtoken Another person I want to recognize, who understands and is sensitive to this, for all the years he served here, is Peter King of New York. He never, never missed an opportunity to stand up for law enforcement and their families. prgtoken These men are heroes, Scorpo and Tolentino. My heart and your heart bleeds for our fallen first responders. This bill ensures their families have some peace of mind that their benefits will be implemented. prgtoken This legislation was part, as you know, of the landmark HEROES Act, which was passed a week and a half ago. We are passing it again to underscore its critical importance. prgtoken We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all first responders across New Jersey and around the country. We cannot make it to the other side of this mess without them. I thank them for their service, and God bless all of them. prgtoken Thank you to law enforcement and fire service organizations who helped draft this legislation. I know they stand strong for their membership. prgtoken I want to recognize Senator Cory Booker and Senator Chuck Grassley for working to protect our first responders. I know they are serious about creating this presumption. prgtoken I have served as the co-chair of law enforcement in the Congress for over 16 years. These are our men, these are our women in uniform. We must get this done. We cannot delay.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 6172, USA FREEDOM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2020
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding. prgtoken I am going to argue, and I want to talk about this rule and the bill to which it applies, but I will take a minute, not much more, perhaps a little more than that, to talk about what apparently the s want to talk about: proxy voting. prgtoken I will tell my friend that not a single one of my constituents, not one, voted for me so I would vote in this machine. Not one. Not one of them voted for me to vote in that machine. What they want me to do is vote to represent them, and they really didn't care how I did that as long as it was accurate. prgtoken Very frankly, I think that side of the aisle is promoting form over substance. Of course, the gentleman mentioned Philadelphia, September 1787, the miracle at Philadelphia. You remember the debate as Member after Member got up and said we cannot use Teams; we cannot use our cell phones; we cannot use Webex. Remember that debate? They said you can't use any of that, and you certainly can't use a rotary telephone. You heard them say that. You can't do that. You need to be in this room. Well, that room was in Philadelphia. Or you needed to be in this room. Well, that room is in New York. prgtoken My friends, you have magnified form over substance. Our constituents voted for us to vote their interests, and there are many ways we can do that. prgtoken They had not the technology. That is why they couldn't schedule a vote in 48 hours, because the horses did not fly. Form over substance. prgtoken You don't want us to meet. And the man who would be king does not want us to meet. I get that. Because you do not like the substance, whether it is the Affordable Care Act, whether it is trying to help renters and mortgage people, whether it is trying to help people in line. I get it. You don't want us to meet. prgtoken But we have an obligation and a duty to the American people to do so, to make sure that the man who would be king is not king because our Constitution, the people who met in that Philadelphia room, they had had enough of kings. They wanted to have people who would represent them. And they didn't care whether they voted on this machine, that machine, that machine, or, very frankly, as you are sitting in the aisle and you can't get by and you ask your friend: ``Put it in the slot for me, will you?'' prgtoken I am not going to ask you to raise your hand if you have ever done that. But that was virtual voting. But it reflected your view, my view, representing my constituents and your constituents. prgtoken Now, let me speak about this rule and this bill because I am appalled, chagrined, disappointed at what is happening. We worked very hard to deal with a very difficult subject, Mr. Blunt and I from the House and Senator Bond and Senator Rockefeller. Ms. Pelosi was the of the House, and I was the majority leader of the House. It was 2008, and we were trying to deal with extending the Fore
REMEMBERING JAMES J. ``JIM'' LOFTUS, JR.
Eric Swalwell (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I rise to recognize and honor the life of James J. ``Jim'' Loftus, Jr a member of the ``Greatest Generation'', who recently passed away in Pleasanton. prgtoken Jim was born in 1924 in San Francisco. He attended high school in Alameda, graduating from St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in 1942. Like so many he answered the call to service following the attack on our country, enlisting in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) in December of that year. prgtoken During World War II he worked as a mechanic. His service took him to action in the New Hebrides Islands, Solomon Islands, Kwajalein, and Peleliu, prior to his discharge in October 1945. prgtoken In 1947, Jim married the love of his life, Mary, joined the USMC Reserve Signal Battalion in Alameda, got a job as a lineman at the PAC Bell phone company, and settled in San Francisco. He had two young children before his country called on him once more. prgtoken His unit was called up in July 1950, and he was sent to fight in Korea. There he worked as a field radio operator and was attached to combat units going from Inchon to Chosin, which truly put him in harm's way. prgtoken Following his discharge Jim returned to California and his job at PAC Bell. He eventually rose to the level of supervisor before retiring after 35 years with the company. prgtoken Jim was an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Catholic parishes in which he lived. He also very much enjoyed gardening and traveling, especially to see members of his family. prgtoken Jim and Mary had six children. He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary, and son James J. Lotus III. He is survived by five daughters-- Jeanne O'Brien, Teresa Loftus, Rosemary Back, Eileen Manger, and Julie Trudell, as well as 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. prgtoken Jim constantly gave of himself--to his friends, his family, and his country. He will be deeply missed, and my deepest condolences go out to his friends and loved ones.
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER PANDEMIC RESPONSE ACT OF 2020
Max Rose (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , I thank Chairman Nadler for his leadership and thank him for working with me on this effort. I also thank Congressman Pascrell for his extraordinary leadership in this regard. prgtoken I stand in strong support of our bill, the Public Safety Officer Pandemic Response Act, because when this pandemic came to the United States, one thing that was never, ever in doubt was that our first responders would put on their uniforms and they would risk their lives to keep us safe. prgtoken It was never in doubt because whenever there has been a crisis, whether it came to my city or to our country, they have always rushed to be our first line of defense. On 9/11, they rushed into the towers. During Hurricane Sandy, they braved a superstorm. And now, during the pandemic, they are on the front lines against an invisible enemy that has claimed more than 100,000 lives nationwide. prgtoken Think of the toll this pandemic has taken on our Nation's heroes. Think of all those who have gone months without seeing their kids, their spouses, their own parents. Think of those who have gotten sick. Think of those who have lost their lives. prgtoken The very least that Congress can do right now is give our police officers, our EMTs, our corrections officers, our firefighters, our public safety officers the peace of mind that, if the worst shall happen, we will be there for them and their families. prgtoken When this bill becomes law--and it will become law--the family of an officer who was catastrophically injured or lost their life will not have to jump through hoops or prove that it was because of the coronavirus. They won't have to spend 10 years litigating, trying to convince the government that their sacrifice actually meant something. prgtoken Today, we are not cutting red tape; we are stopping the red tape from happening in the first place. This effort has bipartisan support. And, nonetheless--and only in Washington, D.C is this possible--it has yet to cross the finish line. Our officers cannot afford to wait, cannot afford to wait for politics. We can't use our cops and our firefighters as political pawns. prgtoken My city has lost nearly a dozen FDNY heroes, over 40 NYPD officers, and so many more of our brave officers across the United States of America. prgtoken Every Member of Congress loves to take pictures with our first responders. We love to thank them. We love to rely on them. They protect our families when we go to Washington, D.C. Well, today is the day we see who is willing to do more than offer them pretty words on Facebook. Who is willing to do more than take a selfie? prgtoken Today, we see who is willing to help our first responders, like they wouldn't hesitate to be there for us. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. Let's be there for our first responders.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SUICIDE DATA COLLECTION ACT
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-5-27

. Madam , as a member of the Law Enforcement Caucus and a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and Homeland Security, I rise in support of S. 2746, the ``Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act,'' which requires the FBI to open a voluntary data collection program to track suicides and attempted suicides within local, tribal, state and federal law enforcement. prgtoken Information collected and maintained by the FBI will not include any personally identifiable information. prgtoken The legislation also directs the FBI Director to submit an annual report on the data to Congress and publish the report on the FBI website. prgtoken This program would serve as the principal data collection tool on suicides and attempted suicides within law enforcement across the country. prgtoken It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this to commemorate National Police Week, which occurred earlier this month. prgtoken Madam , this legislation reminds us of the enormous strain law enforcement personnel necessarily endure daily as they try to do their best to keep our communities safe and healthy. prgtoken By providing accurate and detailed information on these suicides and attempted suicides, more effective prevention programs could be implemented to save lives. prgtoken I urge all members to Join me in voting for S. 2746, the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act.