mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Brian Schatz (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2020-7-1

today is the 1st of the month, and that means the rent is due, but for the 9 million renters who have lost their jobs, they may not be able to pay. prgtoken Now, in March, we made sure that the CARES Act included cash assistance, unemployment benefits, and suspensions on evictions and mortgage forbearance to help the people who have been hurt the most by this pandemic. Lots of States and counties have set up their own programs, either subsidies or prohibitions on evictions themselves, but we are now 3 months later, and unemployment benefits stand to expire at the end of this month and moratoriums that allowed families to stay in their homes are ending. Eviction courts are reopening. Think about that. Eviction courts are reopening. prgtoken So what we are facing is a ticking timebomb. We are facing the fact that it is true that people got forbearance on their rent or forbearance on their mortgage, but I remember very well in March and April, as I explained to the people of Hawaii, you are getting forbearance not forgiveness, which means you just simply don't have to pay your mortgage or your rent this month. You do have to eventually pay your mortgage or your rent. prgtoken So what is going to happen is, for the most economically challenged among us in the United States, they are going to face a huge backpayment at the beginning of August or the beginning of September, and they are going to lose the place they live in. prgtoken Now, I am very, very hopeful that cooler heads will prevail and that we will intervene in July and incorporate the legislation Senator Brown is leading because the rent is going to be due, and we are going to-- just as we faced this pandemic square in the eyes, we are going to be facing a massive eviction crisis. We have to take action. prgtoken .
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-7-1

I appreciate the intellectual exercise we are going through on the floor. I will just make two final comments because I know that my colleague is anxiously waiting to talk about the need for people to be able to put food on the table. prgtoken Look, the Securities and Exchange Commission exists, yes, to protect investors and also the marketplace, but they make all types of demands upon the companies that are publicly traded in terms of disclosure of information, so I don't know what is so difficult about that. prgtoken I will say this: The Nation will have a rude awakening if it thinks it can continue with business as usual--a rude awakening. prgtoken Something as simple as simply knowing the information about diversity on corporate boards, which every study shows actually improves the bottom line and which investors should be able to have to make those decisions--and we are not talking about the employees; we are talking about the corporate board members, my God, the people who make billions of dollars of decisions, who ultimately decide whether they go to a community or don't go to a community to invest in, who ultimately get the dollars from the communities that I like to see represented. It is good enough to take our money, but it is not good enough to have us have any representation. And evidently this body is not even good enough to have the information so I know who is taking my money without representation. That cannot be. That cannot be the American way. prgtoken .
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise in support of the en bloc amendment and urge support for my two amendments that are included. prgtoken My first amendment would take land in the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains into trust for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to fulfill an agreement between the Agua Caliente and the Bureau of Land Management. This bill would help consolidate the checkerboard pattern of land ownership and allow the Tribe to better manage their ancestral lands which contain numerous significant cultural sites, trails, and other elements of their history. prgtoken My second amendment, the Tribal Internet Advancement Act, would expand broadband access in Indian Country by adding Tribal lands as a priority for broadband expansion under the FCC's Universal Service Fund. prgtoken Last year, the FCC issued a report in response to my bill, the Tribal Broadband Deployment Act, which showed that Tribal nations lag far behind the rest of the population in broadband access. This lack of access to broadband is a significant barrier to economic advancement, education, and, as now evident, telemedicine during the pandemic, and well-being. prgtoken So, , I urge support for my amendment and H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, in order to close the digital divide in Indian Country.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , as America approaches her birthday, I want to wish the American people, in this most challenging time, a happy birthday. prgtoken I want to be reminded of those whose status in this country is not a status of equality, but I do want to acknowledge the importance of the birthday and the freedom and democracy in this Nation. prgtoken I want to thank the men and women of the United States military, and I want to acknowledge that any threat against those in the United States military is a serious threat. Any Commander in Chief that initially assesses a threat as a hoax should not be in that position. prgtoken The Russian threat of bounty on our soldiers in Afghanistan must be fully investigated by every jurisdictional committee in the United States Congress, but there must be a response to Russia, because those soldiers are precious and they are precious in the fight for freedom and to their families and to this Nation. prgtoken Again, as we wish a happy birthday, let us be reminded that those who have fallen in battle have fallen to continue to build on the democracy and the justice that we fought for and to make those who are yet equal, equal in the eyes of the law. We continue to fight. We must continue to defend our soldiers as they defend us. prgtoken Happy birthday, America.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Donald Norcross (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I thank the chairman for his leadership. prgtoken We just heard from a daughter of a fitter out of the UA. I spent 37 years in the construction industry as an electrician. prgtoken We heard just the other day that 40 percent of those who make $40,000 or less are out of work because of the pandemic, yet here we are, in the most deliberative body in the world, where a Member is saying: I want to represent my people by cutting their pay. prgtoken Unbelievable that we are hearing this. prgtoken They say we must modernize this system. Just because it is old doesn't make it no good. I think many of us can understand that. prgtoken They say they can save billions of dollars. Well, let's think about why they want to do it. It is so they can take that billion dollars saved from workers out in the field, who are making pennies an hour, and give it to billionaires like they did 2 years ago. prgtoken Let's understand this. They come before us to say: I want to hurt my constituents. I want to pay them less. prgtoken Unbelievable that somebody has the guts here on the House floor to say, ``I want to screw my constituents by paying them less, no health benefits,'' time after time. Unbelievable. prgtoken This was almost 100 years ago, Senator Davis and Congressman Bacon, signed by a President. I guess that was back when s had a conscience because what we are seeing now is an absolute farce. ``Let's save money so we can build more roads.'' prgtoken My God, why don't you go back and give them two bucks an hour so they can't even live? ``We will use them as pavement.'' That is what I hear.
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Grace F. Napolitano (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2020-7-1

I rise in strong support for H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. prgtoken I want to thank Chairman DeFazio, Chairwoman Norton and Chairman Lipinski for their tremendous work on the Surface Transportation portions of this bill. I would also like to thank the leadership for including water provisions from my Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, and thank Chairman Grijalva for including my water recycling bill from the Natural Resources Committee in this package. prgtoken , the surface transportation section of this bill will make a significant impact in improving American lives by reducing commute times, increasing safety on our highways, bridges, buses and rails, and improving our environment. prgtoken As the senior Californian on the Committee, I am proud that this bill will provide $37.5 billion in transportation funding for California, including $26.5 billion for Highway projects and $11 billion for Transit. prgtoken H.R. 2 includes important provisions I have worked on to improve transportation in the San Gabriel Valley, California, and our nation. These provisions are: prgtoken A new Transit Worker Protection Program providing $60 million per year for transit agencies to work with transit unions to identify and implement transit worker safety measures such as bus driver barriers and blind spot removals. This will improve security and safety for all passengers, the bus drivers, and pedestrians. This program is based on my bill H.R. 1139, the Transit Worker Protection Act. prgtoken The bill includes a provision to allow local transportation agencies and cities to give preference to our local residents when hiring workers for transportation projects. With Southern California raising incredible funds for local transportation projects, taxpayers in our region should be given preference to work on the local projects they are paying for. This will allow that. $2.5 billion for a new highway rail underpass construction program (known as a grade separation grant program). This was created after we had the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments testify earlier this year regarding the importance of highway rail safety and the very successful Alameda Corridor East underpass construction program in my region. This will create important safety and commuter benefits by separating the rail line from the roadway. $1.725 billion for electric bus purchases. This is important to Foothill Transit and LA METRO in my district who are rapidly purchasing electric buses for their fleet. It also helps these transit agencies with funding the electric charging infrastructure and the maintenance of these new-age buses. This will also support the workers in the electric bus industry including my constituents who work at Proterra bus company in Industry, CA. We must continue to improve the air quality of our region with clean bus implementation. $7 billion for bicycle, pedestrian, and safe routes to school projects. Many
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--Continued
Debbie Stabenow (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-7-1

first, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for his passion and for his being such a wonderful partner on these issues. I very much appreciate his speaking about the fact that there is an economic benefit. prgtoken If nothing else, if someone wants to look at how we can help our farmers, how we can help our grocery stores, how we can help those in the food chain--all of whom we want to help as well--you do that in the most efficient way possible, which is by giving people the funds to go buy food directly in the grocery stores so that they are able, when they have a need like this, to support their families. prgtoken The great thing about SNAP is that it is set up so that when the economy gets better, the food assistance goes down. When the economy gets worse, the food assistance goes up. The challenge for us right now is that there is such a crisis and there are so many more people needing help--people who never in their lives thought they would need help--that we are in a situation in which we are called upon to meet that need and to be able to increase what we are doing. prgtoken There was a small effort at the beginning to provide some additional help, but it nowhere near met the need we have now--nowhere near. When I think about negotiating the CARES Act and the fact that, again, the average benefit for food assistance in this country per person is $4.17 a day, the White House said no to any increase to the $4.17 a day. Leader McConnell said no to any increase in the CARES Act--to the $4.17 a day for people. prgtoken There is something wrong with that, so we are here on the floor to say we have to do better. The Senate has to do better. The House did better when it passed the Heroes Act. It gave some additional support and help. The Senate needs to do the same. The Senate could have done the same tonight rather than to now wait 2 weeks, as we will not be in session. We haven't really started negotiating what comes next, and it will take weeks after that. prgtoken Every single day, there are people going hungry. The pain that Senator Casey talked about is something being experienced by people tonight and being experienced by people in the morning and every single day going forward. That is the reality for too many families in America--in the United States of America--and it doesn't have to be that way. prgtoken We can at least give some help. I wish we could do more. We couldn't get a 15-percent increase in the CARES Act. I would love to be able to do more than that, but at a minimum, we should be doing that. That is what the House did. That is what has been done in other economic downturns, and that is what we should be doing to help families in America who, frankly, just want to know somebody has their backs right now when everything is coming at them and when they are trying to figure out how they are going to keep their heads above water and care for their children and make sure that the
INVESTING IN A NEW VISION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA ACT
Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I thank the distinguished chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for yielding and for his tremendous leadership as it relates to the Moving Forward Act. prgtoken House throughout the 116th Congress have been working on lowering healthcare costs and bigger paychecks leading with an emphasis on fixing our crumbling bridges, roads, tunnels, airports, mass transportation system, public schools, public housing, and all other aspects of infrastructure. prgtoken I oppose this amendment because Davis-Bacon protections are central to the effort to deliver a living wage to everyday Americans. prgtoken Here in this country, when you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family. But that basic contract has been broken. It is broken because of the globalization of our economy. It is broken because of the outsourcing of good-paying American jobs. It is broken because of poorly negotiated trade deals. It is broken because of the rise of automation. And it is broken because of the decline in unionization. prgtoken So the central question that we face in the aftermath of the Great Recession and now in the midst of another dramatic economic decline is, will we be able to preserve the great American middle class and all those who aspire to be part of it? That is what Davis-Bacon prevailing wage protections are all about. And we on this side of the aisle stand with those everyday Americans, stand with those hardworking Americans, yes, stand with those unionized Americans who are pursuing the American Dream, and we should be facilitating that, not undermining it here in the United States Congress. prgtoken Vote ``no'' against this amendment.
Introductory Statement on S. 4143
Ron Wyden (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2020-7-1

it is a pleasure to be with Senator Schumer to advance the Schumer-Wyden legislative proposal today, and I am very pleased that we are joined by Senator Bennet, a particularly valuable member of the Senate Finance Committee, who has worked on these issues for many, many years. prgtoken As Senator Schumer outlined, we are talking about a fresh approach as we look to extending supercharged unemployment benefits for as long as our economy suffers under the COVID-19 pandemic. As the ranking on the Finance Committee that produced the $600 extra benefit each week until July 31 and the breakthrough to cover for the first time gig workers and the self-employed and part-timers and others, I am going to take a few minutes to explain why this next step to create a dependable safety net in America is a no-brainer. prgtoken We know that tens of millions of Americans are out of work due to COVID-19. The pandemic is, in fact, getting worse. Dr. Tony Fauci yesterday talked about the prospect of having 100,000 new confirmed cases per day nationwide. We don't even want to imagine what the unemployment situation is going to look like with 100,000 new coronavirus cases every day. You cannot have a healthy economy in a country suffering from mass death. prgtoken I know the President got up in the Rose Garden and celebrated the last jobs report like it was the greatest news since the end of World War II, but you have to be living in a country club fantasy land to believe this economic crisis is anywhere close to ending. prgtoken Tens of millions of Americans today are out of work in States with COVID hotspots. There are reports that people who went back to work in the spring are getting laid off for a second time. The numbers show that it disproportionately harms Black and Hispanic people suffering in this crisis, and the layoffs are hitting those Americans especially hard in industries that pay modest wages. This is a recipe for injustice and for long-term economic hardship. Our proposal is desperately needed because the country is not on a straight line to recovery. prgtoken demanded the supercharged unemployment benefits because workers are not to blame for the crisis. Doctors don't yet have a cure for COVID-19, but the Congress does have a way to address the financial strain of joblessness. That is why demanded full wage replacement during the negotiations on unemployment benefits in the CARES Act. prgtoken Secretary Scalia told those of us negotiating this issue that State UI systems--unemployment systems--were too outdated to make it work anytime soon. These are Federal benefits, but under employment law, the States administer the program and get the benefits out. prgtoken We knew that there would be some challenges, and we proposed a simple solution: $600 extra per week across the board, adding up to full wage replacement for the typical worker. It was clear that was the only possi
IN CELEBRATION OF PASTOR JERRY HATTER
Debbie Dingell (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I rise today to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Pastor Jerry Hatter as he celebrates his retirement from the pastoral ministry at Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. prgtoken After a 23-year career at Ford Motor Company in finance and accounting, Pastor Jerry Hatter entered into the Christian ministry full time. In August 1991, Pastor Hatter was appointed to serve as the 43rd pastor of Brown Chapel AME Church by Bishop Haskell Mayo. In the years since, Pastor Hatter has led to the church to unimaginable new heights and has nurtured, supported, and welcomed the entire Ypsilanti religious community in his ministry. Under his spiritual leadership, Brown Chapel created the Daniel Payne Scholarship Fund, began a Child Care Ministry, established Brown Chapel Foundation, Inc and partially sponsored a Habitat House, to name a few of the church's numerous accomplishments. Throughout the years, Pastor Hatter has also led Brown Chapel through some of its most incredible milestones, like the church's 150th and 175th anniversaries, and the completion of the new church edifice in 1999. prgtoken Pastor Hatter uses his faith to support his local community. In the early 1990s, Pastor Hatter and Brown Chapel became one of Food Gatherer's first partners. Determined to battle hunger in Michigan, Pastor Hatter promoted thoughtful collaboration among his congregation to determine ways to address the root causes of food insecurity. Since, Pastor Hatter has been active in a variety of other outreach programs that uplift the underprivileged and give them the resources they need to lead healthy, fulfilling, and dignified lives. His passion for service even took him to India, where he embarked on a mission trip in 2013. To date, Pastor Hatter has held membership prgtoken in several organizations and boards, including the Hope Clinic, SOS Community Services, Turner Geriatric Advisory Board, WCSO Ministerial Advisory Team, and Southeastern Michigan AME Minister's Alliance, and continues to seek out opportunities to help people navigate spiritual, emotional, or physical issues. Moreover, Pastor Hatter is mentor to many and particularly strives to assist younger generations in developing their relationships with the church and God. He is involved in the Mentor2Youth program that empowers youth to excel in life, academics, and work, and was honored by the organization for his tremendous accomplishments in the community. prgtoken Among his friends, family, peers, and congregation, Pastor Jerry Hatter is recognized as a dedicated and spirited leader who humbly strives to make the world a better place. As the longest-serving pastor in Brown Chapel AME Church's history, Pastor Hatter has preached at a variety of prestigious celebrations across Michigan and implemented a number of successful faith-based programs. In times of divisiveness and strife, Pastor Hatter is been the voice of reason, and he has been
RECOGNIZING BUD COOK
Susan Wild (Democrat, PA) \u2014 2020-7-1

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Bud Cook, the northeast Pennsylvania program director for the Nature Conservancy. prgtoken For more than 40 years, Bud has been one of the foremost advocates for conservation and environmental protection in my community and in Pennsylvania. prgtoken For decades, Bud has led efforts to conserve and protect nature in the Greater Lehigh Valley and beyond. He established Monroe County Citizens for Open Space and led a pioneering fundraising campaign in support of land protection, and he has mentored generations of conservation advocates who have gone on to spearhead successful campaigns of their own. prgtoken Bud's quick wit and passion for his work have endeared him to many and helped create opportunities for collaboration in communities that might otherwise be divided, bringing together citizens united by their mutual desire to protect their beloved natural environment. prgtoken Bud's legacy can be experienced in the Hauser Nature Center in Long Pond, in the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and innumerable places across my community where natural beauty is protected and preserved in our time and for generations to come. prgtoken As Bud prepares to retire and start a new chapter, I want to recognize his exceptional contributions. prgtoken Madam , on behalf of a grateful community, we thank and congratulate him for all he has done.