mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Tribute to Lamar Alexander (Executive Session)
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-2

I first met Lamar Alexander in 1995, when he spoke at Boston's Lincoln Day Dinner. Like today, he was folksy, good humored, thoughtful, and impressive. prgtoken I remarked to Ann that he was surely going to go places. Of course, he had already gone places by then, but he ran for President the next year. One thing Lamar and I agree on is that the best candidate for President does not always win. I think he may well have been just that. prgtoken You all know that he served as president of a university, Governor, Senator, and Secretary of Education. I have watched firsthand as he has led the Senate's Committee on Health and Education. I don't know any person who has worked longer, harder, and more effectively for the well-being of America's children than Lamar Alexander. prgtoken His service extends, of course, beyond the children. As we have endured the COVID-19 pandemic, he has led the Senate as we have helped to guide and fund our national response. His healthcare expertise and his determination to keep each of us informed and involved has been invaluable. prgtoken While America's response to the pandemic may not have been exemplary, Lamar Alexander's leadership of the Senate's role has been superb. The speed at which we will have a vaccine is, in no small measure, a testament to his determination and vision. prgtoken But Lamar is much more than a Senator. I have seen the devotion he has for his wife and family. I have watched him entertain rooms full of celebrating s with his piano and singing. And I have experienced very personally the kindness and graciousness that have long characterized this man. He was the first Senator to come to meet me when I joined this body. prgtoken His impact on the Senate, on the State of Tennessee, and on the Nation extends well beyond his legislative accomplishments and leadership. His greatest impact has been that of his personal character. He is a man without guile. He is true to his conscience. He speaks and acts with truth and honesty. He cares about people and endeavors to help others. He is a genuine friend, as is evidenced by the many members of his team wearing plaid masks around this room. prgtoken He has used his talent and energy not to aggrandize himself but to serve. It could be said of Lamar Alexander that he is a great American of exemplary character. We are a better people because of Lamar Alexander.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Bill Huizenga (Republican, MI) \u2014 2020-12-2

. Madam , I rise today regarding missed votes due to a death in the family. Had I been present for rollcall vote number 225, On Agreeing to the Rep. Levin of Michigan Part B Amendment No. 9 for the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, I would have voted ``nay.'' Had I been present for roll call vote number 226, On Agreeing to the Rep. Smucker of Pennsylvania Part B Amendment No. 15 for the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, I would have voted ``yea.'' Had I been present for roll call vote No. 227, On Passage of the bill National Apprenticeship Act of 2020, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``nay.''
HONORING TEXAS JUDGE EMILY MISKEL
Van Taylor (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-12-2

. Madam , today, I rise to recognize Texas Judge Emily Miskel, the recipient of the 2020 William H. Renquist Award for Judicial Excellence, widely recognized as the highest honor bestowed to a state court judge by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). prgtoken As the Judge for the 470th District Court in Collin County, Judge Miskel is lauded for rising to meet the challenges posed during the pandemic by leading the first-ever remote hearing and jury trial in the United States. Judge Miskel, a respected authority on legal technology, not only took leadership in utilizing remote resources in the courts, but also went on to train many of Texas' judges. As a result, more than 175,000 virtual hearings have now taken place, allowing for continued access to fundamental services guaranteed by our Constitution. prgtoken Judge Miskel earned a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford University and prgtoken her law degree from Harvard Law School. As a valuable member of the Computer & Technology Section Council of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Judicial Council, Judge Miskel is a board certified family lawyer and will soon earn her certification in child welfare law. prgtoken Now as Judge Miskel is honored by the National Center for State Courts for demonstrating the outstanding qualities of judicial excellence--integrity, fairness, open-mindedness, knowledge of the law, professional ethics, creativity, sound judgement, intellectual courage, and decisiveness, I encourage my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating her many achievements in the area of judicial excellence and leadership.
FAIRNESS FOR HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS ACT OF 2019
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-2

I rise today to honor my friend and colleague, Congressman Rob Bishop. After 18 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, he has decided to hang up his gloves and embark on his well-deserved retirement. Rob Bishop has served Utah's First Congressional District with integrity, tenacity, humility, and humor, and it is my high privilege to have worked with him over the last 10 years and, in the process, to have become his friend. prgtoken Born and raised in Kaysville, UT, Rob has been a lifelong resident of Utah's First Congressional District, with the exception of the 2-year mission where he lived in Germany while representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He graduated from Davis High School with high honors and later graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with a degree in political science. prgtoken The embodiment of a public servant, Rob began his career as a high school teacher at Ben Lomond High School and Box Elder High School, teaching courses in German, AP U.S. history and government, and coaching debate. He notoriously had one rule in the classroom: I am never wrong. That might tell you something about Rob Bishop. prgtoken An avid lover of musicals, he was active in community theater, where he happened to have met his wife Jeralynn. They first met on the production of ``South Pacific'' at the Palace Playhouse, and they later starred together as the prince and princess in a production of ``Once Upon a Mattress.'' In their real-life love story, they have five children--Shule, Jarom, Zenock, Maren, and Jashon, with spouses Melissa, Kristin, Shalise, and Courtney, as well as nine grandchildren. prgtoken Inspired in his public service by Barry Goldwater, he was also involved in local politics from a young age, working at various levels of government and of the Party. He has gone from being a precinct chair to a member of the National Committee and from being vice chair of the Davis County Teenage Club to the adviser to the Utah Teenage s in 1996. Starting in 1997, he served two terms as chairman of the Utah Party. prgtoken At just 25, he was elected to the Utah House of Representatives when he was known for always wearing sweaters and no socks. He served in the State legislature for 16 years and, during the last 2 years, having been unanimously elected, served as speaker of the house of representatives. prgtoken In 2002, after serving in the State legislature and having spent 28 years of teaching, he decided to serve at the national level. As Rob Bishop said in one of his most popular campaign slogans: ``Utah has plenty of Bishops--send this one to Washington!'' prgtoken Rob has faithfully devoted his life to representing Utah's First Congressional District, and he has been doing that ever since making that critical decision to run for Congress. prgtoken I remember one of the first times I
REMEMBERING RITA MARIE BRUS
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2020-12-2

. Madam , I would like to include in the Record the following obituary for Rita Marie Brus. Rita Marie Brus, age 91, passed away on November 27, 2020. She was the beloved wife of the late James Brus, Sr. Rita was born on November 13, 1929 to the late Joseph and the late Florence Choiniere. Dear mother of the late James Brus, Jr. Mother-in-law to Kathleen Brus. Cherished grandmother to Matthew Brus, and Kimberly (Patrick) Lusch. Adored great- grandmother to Kylan, Kinsleigh, and Kamden Lusch. Loving sister to Sister Mary Choiniere SSJ, Margaret (Harvey) Richardson, the late Joseph (the late Georgina) Choiniere, the late Bernadette (Ralph) Dunnigan, and the late Robert Choiniere. Rita was loved by many nieces, nephews, great- nieces, and great-nephews. When the love of her life died young, Rita went back to school and became a dietary supervisor. She spent years working at St. John Nursing Home in Detroit. She cherished her time with her grandchildren, spending weekends with them. She was a devout Catholic, and sponsored numerous people through confirmation. Rita was Godmother to over eight family members. She held a special place in her heart for those with disabilities, including two great nieces, and donated time with the Special Olympics. Widowed for 40 years, Rita instilled the importance of Catholic values, such as attending Mass and the Sacraments, in her family. Her husband's Upper Peninsula roots rubbed off on Rita, as she passed on her love of cooking pasties and other comfort foods. She loved a great family gossip conversation and as a result, you always knew where you stood with Rita! Conversations with Rita always started with her asking how her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were. Her great- grandchildren loved being pushed on her walker as they raced down the hallways. She shared a special bond with her sister, Margaret. Also of great importance to Rita were her many nieces and nephews, all of whom she treated like her own. Despite suffering through many losses, including that of her husband and her only son, Rita instilled in her family the importance of always putting God first. How blessed we are to have had Rita in our lives! Heaven has gained a spunky angel!
Tribute to Lamar Alexander (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-12-2

we all know that Lamar Alexander is a person of tremendous character and judgment, and it is not just because he asked that young woman in the red shorts that he met at that softball game so many years ago to marry him, who happens to be from Victoria, TX, which demonstrates his enormous good judgment. Certainly, we wish him and Honey the best in this next chapter of their lives. prgtoken When I think about Lamar Alexander, I think about all of the Lamar- isms, and we have heard some of them here today: ``Find the good and praise it''--quotes his friend Alex Haley, which I think kind of speaks to the optimistic, positive view of life that we could use more of. Then I remember other words. He said: If you want to get a standing ovation before any group of individuals, you need to say, ``It is time to put the teaching of American history and civics back into its rightful place in our schools so our children can grow up learning what it means to be an American.'' He has talked about Alex Haley, his friend, who told him how to give a speech by telling a story. prgtoken Aristotle also had an idea about how to give a great speech. He basically broke it down to three components. One is the logical argument, another is the emotional argument, but then another is about establishing your authority. It is about the character of the speaker. When I think about Lamar, as he has demonstrated again here today, the thing I appreciate about him the most is not just what he has accomplished here but his incredible character and positive impact on our Senate and on our country. It has been because people know that his heart is in the right place. It is his doing it for all the right reasons that we admire him so much. prgtoken I would just point out, as I told Lamar previously, that I admired Lamar Alexander long before I met him--when I voted for him in the 1996 primary for President. Unfortunately, he dropped out of that race shortly thereafter, so I told him I wasted my vote, but I have been an admirer for a long time. (Laughter.) prgtoken Lamar and I also share something else in common. It is about his predecessor as well as mine. He is a person by the name of Sam Houston. I occupy the Senate seat first held by Sam Houston when Texas became a State. Of course, he originally came from Tennessee. He had happened to be a Governor of Tennessee before he had left and gone to Texas. Later, he became the Governor of Texas and basically stepped down because he was a prgtoken Union man, recruited by Andrew Jackson. He loved the Union. He did not agree with secession, but, of course, he went to Texas and became a victorious general of the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. He became the President of the Republic of Texas for the same reason. The reason the Texas flag and the American flag fly at the same height is that we were an independent nation before we became part of the United States. I have heard it s
HOLDING FOREIGN COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-12-2

. Madam , I rise in strong support of S. 945, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. prgtoken The United States has the most robust, liquid, and advanced capital markets in the world. Companies from around the globe flock to the U.S. capital markets to fund their businesses. prgtoken However, to participate in our markets, companies need to play by our rules, and Chinese firms listed on American exchanges are the worst and most frequent violators of the rules. prgtoken Gone are the days when we can sit idly by and let Chinese firms, many with strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party, participate in our markets at the expense of protection for everyday investors. prgtoken Most publicly traded firms are audited by public accounting firms which, in turn, are overseen by the PCAOB. This gives investors confidence that the books are accurate. China, however, refuses to let the PCAOB review its auditors. prgtoken The results are that investors lack confidence in the validity and reliability of a company's financial data. Worse, thousands of investors are defrauded. And the worst case scenario, American savers are funding Chinese state-owned enterprises which are fueling China's civil-military fusion and, in some cases, directly financing China's military space and cyberspace buildup, threatening U.S. national security. prgtoken As a member of the China Task Force, I strongly support this legislation. I urge this body to pass it. And we can no longer allow China to take advantage of our rules and defraud our investors.
ALS Disability Insurance Access Act (Executive Session)
Tom Cotton (Republican, AR) \u2014 2020-12-2

I am very pleased the Senate has just passed the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act, 96 to 1, a bill that will bring relief to many Americans suffering from a terrible disease. prgtoken ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. People with ALS tragically lose the ability to control their muscles, leading to paralysis and, ultimately, death. There is no cure. prgtoken Many are familiar with ALS because of the baseball legend who succumbed to it at the height of his career, Lou Gehrig. Others know Lou Gehrig's disease because it has touched them or a neighbor or a loved one. prgtoken I have been fortunate to know several people with ALS. One of my earliest supporters in my first campaign was the great Tommy May of Pine Bluff. Tommy, amazingly, has lived with ALS for nearly 15 years, beating the odds with courage and good humor. Given the gift of time, he devoted his energy to finding a cure for ALS, serving as a trustee on the national ALS Association board. ALS advocates are lucky to have a fighter like Tommy on their side. prgtoken I have also been fortunate to know Kip Jackson of Little Rock and Thomas Galyon of Rogers and others. Sadly, these ALS advocates have passed away, but I know how pleased they would be to see this bill cross the finish line today. prgtoken ALS is not like other diseases. It typically appears, without warning, later in life. Its life expectancy within 16 months is only 50 percent--no better than a coin toss. In other words, ALS strikes fast, and it strikes hard. prgtoken People with ALS typically apply for disability benefits through Social Security. There is a problem. Disability has a 5-month waiting period. This waiting period is meant to ensure that applicants aren't suffering from a temporary affliction, and under most circumstances, it is appropriate. prgtoken But, of course, ALS isn't temporary. For those who have it, given the odds they face, every month counts. That is why, years ago, Senator Whitehouse and I introduced the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act, which will waive this 5-month period for people with ALS. This will ensure they have rapid access to Social Security in the early days of their diagnosis, so they don't have to worry about benefits and can focus instead on the things that really matter during what could be their final months on Earth. prgtoken On their behalf, I want to thank Senator Whitehouse for his partnership over the years. I want to thank Senator Braun for what he has done to help get this bill across the finish line today. I am pleased so many of our colleagues supported this bill. prgtoken I want to explain briefly my position on the amendment offered by Senator Grassley. I support the amendment in concept, but I opposed the amendment today because the original purpose of this bill has always been to address ALS specifically. prgtoken I will support Senator Grassley's language in future legislation, but to pass this bill in the
UNITED STATES GRAIN STANDARDS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2020
K. Michael Conaway (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-12-2

I have no further speakers, and the remainder of my time. prgtoken , before I close, I would like to make a couple of comments about my colleague from Minnesota. Collin Peterson has served this House and the constituents of Minnesota's Seventh District, but, more importantly, rural America and production agriculture for 30 years. prgtoken My first memory of Chairman Peterson came in the 2008 farm bill reauthorization markup. That was my very first one. I was a rookie, and that was his 15th or 16th farm bill to chair. He was stunningly patient with me during that entire process and had a big influence on me. prgtoken I don't think there has been anyone more dedicated and more steadfast as a supporter for rural America and production agriculture than Chairman Peterson. He has seen good times and bad times, unfortunately, probably more bad times during that 30 years than good times. He has been a champion for both rural America and production agriculture throughout that timeframe. Rural America and production agriculture are both better off for his long service to this House and to the constituents of Minnesota's Seventh District. prgtoken , I urge passage of S. 4054, and .
USDA RULEMAKING REVISIONS
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2020-12-2

I want to tell my colleagues about a disappointment I have in some U.S. Department of Agriculture recent revisions of a proposed rule. prgtoken Here is the background: I have long fought to strengthen the safety net so that Iowa family farmers and other farmers are protected from natural disasters or other unforeseen events that they have no control over, like flooding or wind storms. prgtoken Family farmers work hard to make sure that Americans have food on the table. These same family farmers operate on very thin margins. These farmers ought to qualify for help during tough times since losing these operations would risk our Nation's food supply. prgtoken However, taxpayers and nonfarm State lawmakers may stop supporting a Federal farm safety net if spending programs aren't held accountable or left unchecked. Losing urban support for this farm safety net is why I am deeply concerned about the USDA's recent proposal to roll back rules that put teeth in the definition of a legal term called ``actively engaged in farming.'' prgtoken Long-lost relatives, by changing these rules, who have probably never lifted a finger on the farm should not get away with collecting farm payments. Farm payments should only go to operators that--and I have a definition that is a little facetious but somewhat realistic--unless they have dirt under their fingernails. prgtoken A few weeks ago, I recently complimented Secretary Perdue on what I thought were very strong rules that were being proposed at that time. Now the USDA's decision to backtrack on their rules means more megafarmers will take advantage of this loophole and people who aren't actively engaged in farming will benefit from farm payments. I am disappointed with this turnaround. prgtoken Once again, Congress must do what it can to oppose these loopholes so that we have only family farmers benefiting from the farm program. prgtoken .
Tribute to Lamar Alexander (Executive Session)
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2020-12-2

I first met Lamar Alexander when he was a candidate for President 25 years ago. He was campaigning in the State of Maine, and after giving an articulate speech outlining his priorities and his policies, he proceeded to charm everyone by playing the piano. Little did I know then that we would one day serve as colleagues and friends in the U.S. Senate. prgtoken Lamar, as you heard already today, is an extraordinary legislator. He has the ability to bring people together even on very contentious issues and hammer out a compromise. He is extremely effective because he is always well informed, focuses on the issue at hand, never gives up, and is willing to work across the aisle. He gets things done that matter not only to his constituents and his beloved Tennessee but also to citizens across this great country. prgtoken He has been an extraordinary leader on important issues that many of us care deeply about, such as biomedical research, education, and combating the opioid crisis. He is that rare individual who is far less interested in who gets the credit than in getting the job done. But, in fact, each of us who has had the privilege of working with Lamar knows that he is the one who deserves the credit. prgtoken I have served for years with Lamar on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which he chairs. On one challenging issue after another, when others would throw up their hands and say ``This is impossible; it simply cannot be done,'' Lamar never gives up the search for a solution and for common ground. prgtoken Lamar has been so prolific as a legislator that it is difficult to single out one accomplishment among so many, but if forced to do so, I would say that the 21st Century Cures Act is his signature achievement. As the name implies, this law is a lasting legacy for him, and it is already providing lasting benefits for our country. Whether it is the BRAIN Initiative that will finally help us to make progress on diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological illnesses, or the Cancer Moonshot that was done in honor of Beau , or the funding that was included to look at the impact of lifestyles on our health, all of the provisions of this landmark law will improve the health of the American people far into the future, and it will be Lamar Alexander who deserves the credit. prgtoken As a close second, I would cite the educational reforms he drafted to replace and improve No Child Left Behind to give more autonomy back to the States and local school districts. That law--Every Student Succeeds Act--was a momentous bipartisan achievement, and Lamar has already explained what it took to get the job done. It is not surprising that in 2016, the Nation's Governors named Lamar the first recipient of the James Madison Award to recognize Members of Congress who support Federalism. As we have heard today, the Wall Street Journal called ESSA the ``largest devolution o