mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Coronavirus (Executive Calendar)
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-5-5

we are here in the U.S. Senate on this Tuesday. We had a vote yesterday evening, the first that we have had in some 6 weeks here. As I walked over to the Chamber just now from the Hart Building, at 4 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon, the only individuals whom I saw were the extraordinary men and prgtoken women of the Capitol Police here in the building. prgtoken Suffice it to say, these are strange, unusual, challenging, and difficult times as we face the COVID-19 pandemic and as we address the challenges that our constituents, our friends, and our families are dealing with at home, whether it be the impact of the virus itself on our health and our health facilities or whether it be the impact-- truly, the economic devastation--that we are seeing in all corners of the Nation. prgtoken So the opportunity to be together as a body to address these challenges is important. It is challenging for us as we adapt to this time and this situation of wearing protective masks, of being separated from one another, of teleworking as we are. We are adapting. We are facing that challenge. We rightly must be doing this because, as the Nation deals with these matters related to the COVID-19, there are other matters that are taking place every day--issues that need to be addressed, problems that must be tackled, and matters of governance that we must be engaged in. prgtoken National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls prgtoken , I woke up this morning and looked at my little news caps with which to focus on the day, this Tuesday, and they noted that today is Teacher Appreciation Day. We thank all of our teachers. Our teachers are certainly in an unusual situation now, as all of our students are. It is also Cinco de Mayo. It is also Giving Tuesday. For many, it feels like Groundhog Day every day because of, again, this strange time in which we are living. For so many, it just seems that every day is more and more of the same. prgtoken Today, May 5, is also a day that we have recognized for several years now as being the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. It is a matter that I would like to speak briefly to this afternoon. I recognize the devastation that so many families have seen when it comes to those they love who have gone missing or who have been found murdered, and I recognize the dark reality that many, we know, are still missing. prgtoken Unfortunately, for far too long, there has been silence on this issue. There has been a failure to act in the face of what we know and sometimes in the not knowing of what we are dealing with because we haven't asked the questions, which is equally problematic. It tears at my heart to hear the stories of those whom I have come in contact with in Alaska--a woman's story, a family's story--in that their words have been discounted. They have been dismiss
RECOGNIZING THE YUMA COUNTY FARM BUREAU'S CENTENNIAL
Paul A. Gosar (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2020-5-5

. Madam , the Yuma County Farm Bureau is celebrating its centennial this year. An article in the Yuma Morning Sun dated January 8, 1920 notified farmers of the upper valley of a meeting at the courthouse to form and organize a farm bureau. The article goes on to say, ``It seems that at last the farmers have come to the conclusion that united they stand and divided they fall.'' A century later, Yuma County Farm Bureau members remain united in their efforts to protect and promote farming and agriculture locally and beyond. prgtoken From its beginnings, the Farm Bureau has existed to give members the tools needed for success. That can mean financial expertise, communication skills, advocacy opportunities, training and opportunities to network with and learn from fellow farmers. It all comes together to help farmers stay strong and prosperous. prgtoken Yuma County Farm Bureau leaders work with elected officials and government agencies at the county, state, and national level to advocate on behalf of its members to address issues ranging from food safety, air quality, and water. These efforts help ensure agriculture remains a strong and viable industry. In Yuma County, agriculture is the single largest private sector contributor to Yuma County's gross domestic product. prgtoken Yuma County Farm Bureau members are also members of the Arizona Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation. This means that the Farm Bureau today is county, state, and national in its scope and influence and provides members with a voice at all levels. prgtoken I look forward to Yuma County Farm Bureau's continued work and success as a voice for farmers ensuring a prosperous future for farming.
INTRODUCTION OF THE ECO-TOURISM VESSEL EQUITY AND RELIEF ACT OF 2020
Don Young (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-5-5

. Madam , I rise to introduce the ``Eco-tourism Vessel Equity and Relief Act of 2020.'' This is a bill to address and correct a regulatory mismatch of the manner in which a small passenger vessel that operates in Southeast Alaska is measured. Specifically, the M/V Liseron (United States official number 971339), a converted minesweeper that conducts overnight passenger cruises in the eco- tourism trade in Southeast Alaska, should be classified as the same regulatory tonnage for licensing its crew as is used for its safety inspection category, and the other vessels in the same trade. prgtoken By way of background, the motor vessel Liseron was built in a U.S. shipyard in Tacoma, WA, in the early 1950's as one of a class of seven minesweepers under the auspices of the U.S. Navy for the French but was subsequently reacquired by the Navy in 1955. It was constructed to navigate shallow waters of bays, coastlines, and inlets having a shallow draft, which is why it makes for the perfect vessel to operate in Southeast Alaska. Specifically, the M/V Liseron is 145 feet long and 28 feet wide with a draft of 8.5 feet. Later delisted by the Navy, The Boat Company in Port Orchard, WA, acquired and restored the vessel in the late 1980's. After an extensive 16-month restoration in a U.S. shipyard facility in Tarpon Springs, FL, where the vessel was gutted and refitted, this vessel was placed into service in the early 1990's as an eco-tourism vessel in Southeast Alaska. The vessel's operations have a significant economic impact in both Washington State and Alaska. The vessel is homeported in Kitsap County, Washington State, where it undergoes needed maintenance and repair locally in Pacific Northwest shipyards, and where the vessel re-provisions for the next season's sailing in Alaska. Its operations during the cruising season in Southeast Alaska bring significant job opportunities and needed economic activity in local businesses by the company and its customers. The vessel enables tourists from around the world to come and enjoy the unparalleled scenic and natural beauty that Alaska has to offer. prgtoken Operationally, the M/V Liseron has ten staterooms and is limited to 20 passengers. More critically, the vessel is currently inspected by the Coast Guard as a small passenger vessel in the 100 gross regulatory tonnage category. Notwithstanding that, the vessel has a larger tonnage entered on its certificate of inspection. This larger tonnage is due to the arcane nature of the U.S. vessel admeasurement laws, rules that govern the volumetric size of vessels. Larger competitor vessels can be 238 feet in length and carry 100 passengers, i.e nearly 100 feet longer and 5 times the number of passengers, yet they are considered to be in the smaller 100 GT small passenger vessel category for both licensing and inspection purposes. prgtoken Needless to say, the M/V Liseron has an equity disparity as the vessel must compete with simi
Coronavirus (Executive Calendar)
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2020-5-5

I come to the floor today as the Senate returns to help the country recover from coronavirus. This global pandemic is hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-century shock, but it has been an earthquake that continues to shake the world to its core. Tragically, we have lost tens of thousands of Americans to the disease, and our hearts and prayers go out to each of those impacted and all of their loved ones. prgtoken More than 30 million Americans have lost their jobs in the last 6 weeks due to the virus and the State lockdowns that have been put in place as a result of the virus. People want and need to get back to work as soon as possible. It is vital we reopen America smartly and safely and we do it as soon as we can. prgtoken Many States are starting to open. Wyoming did this past Friday. We must all be prepared and alert for any likely aftershocks that will occur from the virus. prgtoken The economy could not reopen had it not been for the major medical progress we have been experiencing. Our heroic nurses, doctors, and others on the frontlines have saved many lives. Testing in the United States has been dramatically expanded, and we are producing promising treatments. The American people deserve a lot of credit for their tremendous sacrifices to contain the spread of the virus. Everyone in my home State of Wyoming is suffering from the economic fallout, as are Americans all across the country. The best way to help these people is to push the start button on the economy. prgtoken The Senate is in session and will consider taking targeted temporary and bipartisan relief measures. We are now assessing the relief money that has already been spent. We know what has worked--the Paycheck Protection Program funds that go to mom-and-pop organizations that are part of the CARES Act has saved 30 million jobs. Small business is the backbone of our economy, the engine of job creation. In Wyoming, the program has been very successful and very popular. Before the pandemic, the United States had record job growth and record low unemployment. Our economy will bounce back, there is no question in my mind. prgtoken As we look to the future, in terms of recovery legislation, what we need to do is to prevent a second epidemic. I am very concerned that the second epidemic will be that of frivolous coronavirus lawsuits. Any future legislation must focus on the virus and must include reasonable liability protections for the hard-hit healthcare workers and for American employers. prgtoken Opportunistic lawyers are already advertising, and they are targeting the healthcare workers and small businesses that we have assisted during the crisis. Ironically, the relief money could end up lining the pockets of greedy trial lawyers. prgtoken As businesses bravely begin to reopen, class action lawsuits are being planned nationwide. Ambulance chasers are running recruitment ads right now that read ``receive a free coronav
DACA
Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2020-5-6

I rise, along with my good friend and colleague, the senior Senator from Illinois, to stress the importance of what is happening in this country right now and who is on the frontline during this healthcare crisis and why we need to support them. There is no doubt. prgtoken I just came from Nevada. There are so many essential workers who are risking their lives, as well as their loved ones, to provide essential care and help for individuals, not just in Nevada but across the country. We are talking about healthcare workers. We are talking about transit drivers, sanitation workers, first responders. We are talking about those who are working with the grocery stores, showing up every day to make sure that individuals in need can have the groceries they so require during this healthcare crisis. prgtoken So much is at stake right now. I do not want to forget all of those State and local government workers. Right now in my State, there are so many prgtoken State workers who are showing up to ensure that individuals get the essential paycheck or the expanded unemployment insurance that we fought to make sure they can receive, and they are showing up, as well. prgtoken I, too, stand with my colleague because I think it is important that we recognize not only our healthcare workers but some of those who need extra help from this legislature. We have spent, unfortunately, the last 3 years of this administration attacking them. These are our immigrants in Nevada and across this country who are actually going out every day and risking their lives to help others in need, and they are working in our healthcare. prgtoken One of them I rise to talk about today is Anna Ledesma. She is a DACA recipient in Nevada, and she works in a pediatric ICU in Nevada as a nurse, in Las Vegas. Anna has been in the United States since she was 7 years old. She got interested in medicine because an aunt who was a nurse thought it would be the perfect career for her. Her aunt was right. Anna loves biology and she loves learning how disease process works. But, most of all, Anna loves her patients. She said: ``I love connecting with them over Disney stuff.'' Anna will tell you: ``I think I'm a good pediatric nurse because at heart, I'm still a kid too.'' prgtoken All across Nevada, immigrants like Anna are working on the frontlines to help others in need during this healthcare crisis. They are working as teachers for children learning from home. They are staffing retirement homes, taking care of at-risk seniors in the middle of a pandemic that targets our elders. They are harvesting, they are shelving, and they are cooking food for all of us. prgtoken More than 200,000 DACA recipients in the United States are on the frontlines of healthcare, education, agriculture, and other essential jobs. There are almost 5,000 of them in Nevada alone among the 12,000 Nevada DACA recipients. These are our friends, and they are our neighbors. prgtoken
Nomination of William R. Evanina (Executive Session)
Mark R. Warner (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-5-6

I rise today in strong support of William Evanina to be the first Senate-confirmed Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, or NCSC. I believe Bill is an American patriot and an American success story. prgtoken He was raised in Peckville, PA, with very modest means. He was the first in his family to go to college. Prior to joining the FBI in 1996, his first job was with the General Services Administration in Philadelphia. Over his 24-year long career with the FBI, Bill investigated organized crime and violent crimes. He investigated the 9/ 11 terrorist attacks, the anthrax attacks, and the Daniel Pearl kidnapping. Bill also led the counterespionage group at the Central Intelligence Agency. He earned a reputation as the consummate counterintelligence and security professional, fiercely dedicated to the mission with unquestionable honor. prgtoken Then, in June 2014, then-Director of National Intelligence, Jim Clapper--someone whom I know and respect very much--appointed Bill to serve as the Director of the NCSC. Many technical and complex activities fall under NCSC, including personnel security policy, information technology protection standards, CI cyber operations, supply chain risk management, threat awareness for the U.S. critical infrastructure, and damage assessments from spies and unauthorized disclosures. I have partnered, in my role as vice chairman, with Bill on many topics, to include educating industry about the threats posed by China and reforming an antiquated personnel vetting system. prgtoken The Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2016 recognized the vital work that NCSC does and made the position subject to Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. In February 2018, President nominated Bill to be the first Senate-confirmed Director. The Senate Intelligence Committee considered the nomination in May of 2018 and unanimously--unanimously, with some concerns from my colleague from Oregon, but unanimously--recommended his confirmation to the full Senate. prgtoken His nomination didn't get taken up because a Member on the opposite side had a concern. We considered his nomination again in February 2019 in the new Congress, and, again, our committee voted unanimously in favor of his nomination. prgtoken Unfortunately, over the last 2 years, despite universal recognition of Bill's qualifications for the position, his nomination became entangled in unrelated matters. Despite the delay--and I think Bill had plenty of opportunities to leave the government--Bill stayed the course, committed to the mission above all else. prgtoken Now, I share my colleague from Oregon's concerns about whistleblowers. I have seen this administration and this White House's disregard for whistleblowers. I tell you this: I believe I have Bill's commitment that the matter of processing the procedures on whistleblower protections will be dealt with. I also feel extra
DACA (Executive Session)
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2020-5-6

I spent 5 weeks in my home in Springfield, IL, following orders--good ones--to suggest that I had to get out of circulation and so should everyone else. It was an interesting moment. My wife and I think it may have been the longest stretch we had ever spent under the same roof together. We got along, which is good, and I got to field the neighborhood a little more than I usually do as I travel back and forth almost every week. prgtoken I got to know the people a little more, waving from a distance. I looked around and noticed that almost every lawn had a sign on it saying: ``We love healthcare workers.'' Many people had signs in their windows to back that up too, and we should. These doctors, these nurses, and these people who work in nursing homes caring for the elderly and making certain they are in a good, safe environment are important, and they are risking their lives for the people whom we love. We thank them over and over. But there is one part of that group that I would like to highlight for just a few moments on the floor of the Senate. I want to spend a few minutes talking about one special group of healthcare workers--immigrants. prgtoken One in six healthcare and social service workers--3.1 million out of 18.7 million--are immigrants. When they come on television and give us a breakdown of what is going on in emergency rooms and the likelihood of our success in communities in dealing with this coronavirus, you must notice so many times and think that they may be newcomers to the United States. Many of them are. prgtoken These immigrants are playing a critical role in the battle against this pandemic. Yet the President of the United States and many around him continue to disparage immigrants, falsely claiming that they are just a drain on society, that all they are doing is taking our jobs away and we really wouldn't miss them if they were gone. So I came to the floor today to tell a story about one of them, an immigrant health hero. I will be joined by some of my colleagues who have similar stories to tell. prgtoken We are inviting people to share their own stories on social media using the hashtag ``immigranthealthheroes.'' I will put up the hashtag here so that if anyone wants to check in, they can do so. prgtoken Many of these healthcare workers are young immigrants who came to the United States as children. They are known as Dreamers. They are American in every way except for their legal immigration status. They were brought here at an early age by parents who didn't give them a vote on the decision, grew up in the United States, went to our schools, sometimes all the way through college and professional school, want to make a life in this country, have no criminal record, and are just looking for a chance. prgtoken It was 9 years ago when I joined Senator Dick Lugar on a bipartisan basis asking President to use his executive authority to protect these Dreamers
IMMIGRATION
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-5-6

I come to the floor today in the midst of this national crisis, this pandemic, to talk about one hero among, of course, many. prgtoken First, I thank my friend Senator Durbin for his tireless leadership on a very important topic--and that is the topic of immigration--and for his taking the lead in bringing us together today to recognize heroes in healthcare during this coronavirus pandemic. prgtoken As many of you know, this pandemic is personal for me. My husband John was hospitalized with the coronavirus not too long ago, and although he is a great person and I am so proud of him for coming through it all and giving his plasma recently, he is actually not the hero I am referring to. I am talking about an immigrant doctor who is on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic in Rochester, MN. She has asked that her name not be used publicly because she is applying for a green card. She came to the United States from her home country for postgraduate medical training and completed not one but two fellowships in critical care and pulmonary diseases at the Mayo Clinic, which happens to be where my husband gave the plasma, which we hope will save other lives. prgtoken Under normal circumstances, an immigrant doctor who completes his or her postgraduate training in the United States has to leave the country for at least 2 years when their residency is complete. Now, let's look at that again. They have studied in an American medical school, they have completed their postgraduate training in the United States, but then they have to leave the country for 2 years when their residency is complete, just at a time when we need more doctors and more healthcare professionals and not less. Why? Because our immigration laws require them to be outside of the country for 2 years before they can apply to come back here on a work visa. But under the Conrad 30 program, doctors--and that is named after Kent Conrad, the Senator who once represented North Dakota. Since he left, I have taken this on, with many of my colleagues, to continue this program and make sure it gets reauthorized, and we would like to see it expanded. prgtoken Why did he get involved in this in North Dakota? Well, that is because they had a shortage of doctors in rural areas, and under the Conrad 30 program, doctors who commit to caring for patients in an underserved area like rural communities or other areas that may be underserved, including urban areas, if they face a shortage of doctors, these doctors are allowed to start practicing in the United States immediately without having to wait 2 years. prgtoken I just keep repeating this. They got their training in the United States. They got degrees in the United States. That is why for years I have led bipartisan legislation--which has been endorsed by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the National Rural Health Association--that would extend this program