mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--CONFERENCE REPORT--Continued
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2020-12-10

I would like to follow up on the comments you have just shared with your support for a women's history museum and also to the comments made by the Senator from New Jersey and also the Senator from Texas regarding the American-Latino museum. prgtoken I am privileged to serve as the chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. As part of that subcommittee, we have oversight of the Smithsonian, and it is an incredibly rewarding part of the job that I have to do with oversight. So I am very well aware of these national treasures, what they contribute to the education, to the dialogue, and to just the motivation that comes when we know and understand more about our own country and about the people who make up this extraordinary mosaic called America and how we recognize and how we celebrate those contributions, how we acknowledge the challenges that women have faced along the way, African Americans or Latinos, as they have truly been extraordinary participants in this American society. prgtoken I also recognize that our Smithsonians don't come free. They don't come cheap, as the Senator from Utah noted. The Smithsonians are funded with significant Federal taxpayer dollars, so we are required to show a level of--exercise with how we move forward. And we have been extraordinarily judicious. prgtoken I think, as the Presiding Officer noted in her comments, when the discussion of a women's history museum first came about, it was not just a flash-in-the-pan idea. It was something that had germinated a long period of time. It goes to a commission. There are a series of steps and approvals that they must go through along the way. So the path that we have taken has led us to the point today where there has been a request made to be able to advance both of these significant recognitions to American Latina and American women by way of additional Smithsonian facilities. prgtoken I support both of those, just as I have supported our Smithsonians as new ones have come online--the African-American museum most recently-- or the renovations that have been underway for a period. prgtoken I also recognize that the effort tonight made by both the Presiding Officer, as prime sponsor of the American women's history museum, and incorporating an amendment that I had requested that ensures that as we are looking to sites for these significant facilities, that we are doing so with a level of a cooperation. I don't think anybody wants to be in a situation where the Smithsonian would effectively be able to tell, whether it is the Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Forest Service, we want your building. That is not how the process works. prgtoken So the amendments that were incorporated in both of these measures that were before us today, I think, was an important one, I think was a significant one. prgtoken Some may have heard that Lisa Murkowski was not supporting these museums--far from it. What I wanted to ensur
TRIBUTE TO PAT ROBERTS
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2020-12-10

when his official portrait that will hang in the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing room was unveiled last month, Senator Pat Roberts said the panel he led so well ``has a long history of caring more about the issues than the ideology, more about the people than the party.'' prgtoken Those words perfectly describe Pat's philosophy of public service. Throughout his four decades in Congress, this remarkable Kansan has always stood for government that is responsible to the taxpayers and responsive to the needs of the American people. He believes in a legislative process that is open, transparent, and bipartisan. prgtoken Pat retires with an extraordinary record of accomplishment. He is the first person in history to have served as chairman of the Agriculture Committees in both the House and the Senate. He is Kansas' longest serving Member of Congress. As the ultimate evidence of the trust the people of his beloved State have in him, Pat has been on the ballot in 24 elections since 1980 and has won every time. prgtoken Pat and I were sworn in to the Senate on the same day in January of 1997. It has been an honor to serve alongside this national leader in agriculture, health care, and defense. He is an advocate of a strong education system, free and fair trade policies, increased investment in science and technology, a focused foreign policy, and a strong military. prgtoken This effective advocate for our Nation's family farms is a champion for rural America. A recent example is the State Offices of Rural Health Reauthorization Act he introduced and that I cosponsored. This law helps equip rural communities with the resources they need to strengthen their health care delivery systems and improve access to high-quality services for individuals living in rural and underserved areas. prgtoken From the U.S. Marine Corps to the U.S. Congress, Pat has served our Nation with uncommon dedication. His wide-ranging accomplishments are united by a commitment to move America forward and empower the American people. I thank him for his service and his friendship and wish him, Frankie, and their family well in the years to come.
EDUCATE PEOPLE ON BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
Glenn Grothman (Republican, WI) \u2014 2020-12-10

I have spoken on vitamin D a bit in the past, and I know we are on the verge of passing another coronavirus bill. prgtoken I would ask people negotiating that bill to do something to make sure that the public is aware of the benefits of vitamin D. prgtoken Yesterday, I talked to a Dr. David Meltzer at the University of Chicago, a very brilliant man, and I hope some of the negotiators talk to him before a final deal is cut. prgtoken While he cannot nail down a specific amount of people who will not have to suffer the severe consequences of vitamin D deficiency, or even die at the hands of vitamin D, it is probably somewhere between 40 and 70 percent. Right now, about half of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency. That is going to get worse as we head into the winter months and people are not outside getting vitamin D. prgtoken So, I strongly request the negotiators to do something to make sure that we stand up to the public health establishment and educate people on the importance of vitamin D and see what we can do about getting products to the market which accelerate getting vitamin D into your bloodstream, because even if you start taking vitamin D tomorrow, you don't get the level that you should have for quite a while. prgtoken I am encouraging the negotiators to talk to Dr. David Meltzer, who will also fill you in on studies from Ireland, Spain, MIT, Harvard, and Northwestern.
NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2020-12-10

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. We know that during this time of the year, with so many holidays in a compact amount of time, that the risk is higher. Indeed, over one-third of traffic-related deaths in the United States involve a drunk driver; and we know that, throughout the holiday season, drunk-driving crashes increase. prgtoken For example, last December nearly 1,000 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related crashes, and 35 of those happened on Christmas Day. Every single one of those deaths is preventable. prgtoken I sincerely thank our law enforcement and our first responders for being there on the scene during these tragedies and working to prevent them from being worse and from having these impaired accidents happen. However, the decision to drive sober comes from taking personal responsibility for all of our actions and making travel plans before your holiday celebrations begin. prgtoken Let's keep every seat at our Christmas tables and at our holiday tables during this time of year safely filled with family and friends instead of tragedy. Let's make sure our loved ones are making smart choices and help them out to be smart and safe during this time of the year.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steve Scalise (Republican, LA) \u2014 2020-12-10

I agree that we need to continue these negotiations and get a resolution, and, hopefully, we will in the coming week, both on COVID relief and on the funding of government. prgtoken We have agreed on caps already. Hopefully, we will maintain that and get that done to give certainty to all of our agencies that we know how much money is involved. prgtoken It costs the Defense Department, for example, every week that we are in a continuing resolution, potentially billions of dollars just in procurement and in the loss of those efficiencies. prgtoken I share the gentleman's optimism that we can get it done. Obviously, we need to continue working through these final issues. prgtoken I do want to thank the gentleman, as we talked last week at the colloquy about the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act, and I thank the gentleman for scheduling it this week. It passed without opposition. This is one of those examples where we do work and come together and do something that actually helps people. prgtoken This will help hundreds, possibly thousands, of people struggling with ALS to be able to get access to the tools that they need that they, under the current law, are being denied. To see the House come together so overwhelmingly to do that shows that we can, when we put our minds to it, actually help people. prgtoken This will help people in all of our districts, and I thank the gentleman, again, for getting that done, getting that bill to the floor, and, ultimately, now all of us coming together to pass that bill on to the Senate and the President. prgtoken I want to again bring up the Paycheck Protection Program bill by Congressman Chabot. This is a bill that we have been talking about at this colloquy since September. Each week that goes by, we know that there is a list--unfortunately, it is a long list--of areas where we have disagreement. prgtoken There is also a list of areas where we have full agreement if you look at the number of items where we have already decided we both, s and , want to do this. Then, there are those items that we are strongly opposed to on our side or that they are strongly opposed to on their side. prgtoken I would just continue to emphasize that these small businesses can't wait for us to get agreement or never get an agreement, while there are things we can do to help them today, to save them today. prgtoken And we continue to hear the heartbreaking stories. Over 100,000 restaurants in America have closed for good. Gone. I know K-Paul's restaurant in New Orleans, one of the world-famous restaurants. International Chef Paul Prudhomme invented blackened redfish at that restaurant. It is gone. prgtoken There are too many other stories to mention. We see heartbreaking stories of a restaurant owner in Los Angeles who is being told she can't operate, and literally, in the same parking lot next to her tents are tents of a film studio that is able to operate. prgtoken It is not abo
TRIBUTE TO BILL RANEY
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise to recognize Bill Raney, a dedicated West Virginian, who is retiring after serving 28 years as president and chief executive officer of the West Virginia Coal Association. prgtoken Bill knows the value of coal--to our Appalachian communities, where it puts food on the table; to our State, where it provides tax revenues to pave our roads and fund our schools; and to our Nation, where it has helped power the greatest economic engine the world has ever known for more than a century. He also appreciates the challenges and dangers inherent in producing the black gold that creates all that well-being, starting his career working in public service to protect our miners. prgtoken Starting in 1970, Bill--a graduate of his beloved West Virginia University--became familiarized with the coal industry working as a surface mine inspector for the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation. In recognition of his service, he was later promoted to assistant chief of that division. Moving to the private sector, Bill then served as vice president of the West Virginia Mining & Reclamation Association from 1977, until being named president of the West Virginia Coal Association in 1992. When the two organizations merged in 2000, he remained president of the newly formed organization, representing the whole of West Virginia's coal industry. prgtoken Bill held these leadership positions serving the hard-working coal miners of West Virginia, while also serving his country in the West Virginia Army National Guard. During his time with the Guard, he served in various leadership roles, including commander of the 1092nd Combat Engineer Battalion, commander of the 111th Engineer Group, and special assistant to the Adjutant General at the rank of colonel. Following his personal service, Bill has continued advocating on behalf of our guardsmen as president of the West Virginia National Guard Association and chairman of the West Virginia National Guard Foundation. prgtoken Bill's participation in civic organizations extends far beyond the military and the coal industry, as he has served as both chairman and as a current board member of the West Virginia Business & Industry Council; current board member of the West Virginia Youth Leadership Association's Youth in Government Program, former chairman and current board member of the West Virginia Kids Count Fund; advisory member of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Advisory Committee; member of the West Virginia University School of Engineering Mining Program Visiting Committee; as an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston; and volunteering his time with several other organizations. Bill has left an indelible legacy through his commitment to our State and our Nation's military, impacts that will be felt throughout and beyond the coalfields. prgtoken Bill Raney's passion for the coal industry and the improvement o
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--CONFERENCE REPORT--Continued
Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-10

I rise today to celebrate the career of a remarkable public servant whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark upon our State and upon our country. Congressman Rob Bishop has earned his place among the greats in Utah's political history, and we thank him for his service. prgtoken Rob has dedicated his political career to fighting the tough battles over issues that matter to the people of my State, from the virtue of federalism, States' rights, and protecting individual liberty, to promoting a strong national defense and sound public lands policy. And fight he did. prgtoken Four years ago, Puerto Rico was fast approaching a fiscal cliff when Rob, as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, led a successful, bipartisan effort to pass a complicated rescue package to restructure Puerto Rico's debt before it was too late. prgtoken While Rob will never rush to take credit or seek the spotlight, his legislative achievements are enduring and deserve our full praise and recognition. prgtoken His accomplishments manifest closer to home as well. The brave men and women of our military and civilian workforce at Hill Air Force Base know Rob as a tremendous advocate and a devoted friend. Through the War on Terror, improvements and changes in aircraft, and updates to our nuclear arsenal, Rob has defended our Hill Air Force Base valiantly. At Dugway Proving Ground in Tooele, his commitment delivered the completion of an emergency aircraft runway. prgtoken Rob's impressive efforts and steady leadership have raised Utah's profile for our national defense. So, too, has his advocacy for the Utah Test and Training Range, so it makes sense that this key to our Nation's military readiness should bear his name. Next Congress, I intend to introduce a bill to rename it the ``Bishop Utah Test and Training Range.'' prgtoken Rare is a man with such professional distinction, intellect, and personal conviction for the well-being of family, neighbors, and strangers alike, who carries himself with such humility as Rob. If you have had the pleasure of being with Rob at a gathering, you know where to find him at the end of the night--staying behind to help gather the chairs. prgtoken Most of all, Rob is a teacher. From his time as a public school teacher to his career in public service, one of his highest priorities has been ensuring that the next generation of young leaders has access to educational opportunities, not only by securing revenue for public school as an elected official but also by devoting his time to host students in the Capitol to teach them about politics, policy, and our government. prgtoken It is an honor to recognize my friend Rob Bishop as he begins his next chapter with his wife Jeralynn and their five children and nine grandchildren. For anyone who has not had the great pleasure of meeting Rob, you will likely easily recognize him on the street as maybe the last man in Washington who we
TRIBUTE TO CORY GARDNER
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-12-10

now, on one final matter, it is my honor today to pay tribute to a truly exceptional U.S. Senator, someone who arrived in this body with a full head of steam and a determination to cram as much service as possible into every day he got to wake up and serve his neighbors who sent him here. prgtoken Our good friend, Cory Gardner, the junior Senator from Colorado, has been a man on a mission from the day he arrived. He already knew the institution. He was already one of the highest energy high-achievers that anybody who knew him had ever met. So he got to work, and he spent 6 years delivering a dizzying list of accomplishments. prgtoken If you have heard about Cory Gardner's early days, you know that his high-speed, can-do attitude is nothing new. Case in point, one evening, when Cory was a boy, he and his friends got tired of their hoop sessions ending at sundown because the public basketball court lacked sufficient lighting. The group of friends considered how to remedy this. Cory's dad happened to be a town councilman. So a little government relations took place right around the dinner table. prgtoken Well, no Senator who Cory ever pressed for a vote will be surprised to hear that the lighting infrastructure was soon adjusted, and the kids could take their pickup games into prime time. prgtoken So young Cory was no stranger to persistence or public service, but it was in high school that he scored an opportunity to taste a level beyond Yuma's local government. He won admission to the U.S. Senate Youth Program. It is a scholarship that brings promising students from around the country to these halls for a quick immersion experience. prgtoken Teenaged Cory Gardner liked the looks of this place. He made a mental note. By the way, to this day, Cory, along with his fellow alumna, Senator Collins, continue to make sure that special experience is paid forward. prgtoken It didn't take Cory long to come back and begin strolling these hallways for real. After earning honors at Colorado State and a law degree from CU Boulder, he wound up working for our former colleague Senator Wayne Allard--and rising quickly through the ranks. prgtoken In short order, he developed a reputation as a highly effective advocate for Coloradans. In fact, he was so well liked, so effective, and so thoroughly the proud son of Yuma that folks started to wonder if it wasn't time for Cory to put his own name on a door somewhere. So it wasn't long before the men and women of Colorado's State House District 63 found out firsthand what happens when you hire Cory Gardner to fight on your behalf. You get results big time. prgtoken Not much later, his neighbors then gave Cory a new assignment here in Congress. Again, Congressman Gardner didn't just meet the bar as one out of 435. He excelled as a powerful, energetic voice on the most consequential issues. He brought home one win after another when it really mattered. prgtoken It didn't take
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021--CONFERENCE REPORT--Continued
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-12-10

if the Smithsonian Institution in its report in 1994 in fact acknowledged that it systematically excluded the stories of any one segment in American society, I struggle to understand why the only response to that has to be a separate, siloed museum. Why not direct them, when telling our national story at the National Museum of American History, to tell that story there. If we have to expand it, we will do that. If we have to add more floor space and more staff and more research, let's do that. But the fact that they have identified their own failure over time doesn't mean that they themselves should then get to decide that we have a separate, siloed museum.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-12-10

I first met Pat Roberts when I was running for the U.S. House of Representatives for the very first time. I had a friend who worked for Pat, and he got me a meeting with him, which, at the time, was a pretty big deal because he was the chairman of the House Ag Committee, and I was in a primary, where I was over 50 points behind. So the prospects weren't really bright that I was ever going to be somebody who would make it through and end up serving there, but nobody could have been more encouraging or kind. I had a great meeting with him. We talked about agriculture. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to get to know him pretty well here during my time in the Senate. prgtoken One of the reasons we have so much common ground is we both come from States where agriculture is incredibly important. It is the No. 1 industry in South Dakota. I have had the privilege of serving on the Ag Committee with Pat now for more than a decade. I call him ``my chairman'' since he has been my chairman on the Ag Committee for so long. He calls me ``Coop''--a moniker he gave me very early in our acquaintance because he says I look like Gary Cooper. Now, I have to admit that the first time he called me that I had to look up some pictures to see if that were a compliment or not, but I know that he meant it that way. Whenever he introduced me at the Ag Committee, it was always, ``Coop, it's high noon. You're up.'' ``High Noon'' was a famous movie in which Gary Cooper starred with Grace Kelly. prgtoken Of course, Pat is, I would say, somebody who is very accomplished in talking about movies from that era and stars from that era. He knows a little bit about everything and a lot about a few things. I call him ``my chairman,'' as I said, because he has been there for an awfully long time, and he never minds the stories and nicknames. They are quintessentially Pat. It is just the way that he conducts himself. prgtoken Somebody talked about his sense of humor here this morning. I think Senator Moran talked about Pat's being a funny guy in the Senate and of Pat's saying he was not a funny guy but a humorous guy. I would say he is a funny person. He is a comedian by nature, and he keeps all of us entertained with his repertoire of country music lyrics, his old movie quotes, and just a storytelling flair. You can be sure that, if you are going to be around Pat for very long, you are going to have a few belly laughs. prgtoken I always tell him--and I think it is true, and I think you have kind of heard it today--when he gets up on the floor and speaks or when he speaks at a committee hearing, that when you close your eyes, you kind of hear Paul Harvey. Senator Moran said he sounded like Jack Benny once in a while, and maybe that is true, too. What I always knew when I was growing up was that Paul Harvey was a voice that was on the radio pretty much every day in our house, and I hear that same sort of Midwe