mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Nomination of Michael Pack (Executive Session)
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2020-6-3

reserving the right to object, what you are seeing here today is a pure, unadulterated exercise in politics-- politics that are steeped with the difference of political philosophy between the two parties. prgtoken With relation to the complaint that my colleague has just made that this nomination hasn't been adequately vetted, this nomination was made 2 years ago tomorrow, June 4, 2018. prgtoken Mr. Pack came before the committee. He has been before the committee twice. He has produced numerous documents due to the complaints of the on the committee. He has been looked at by the White House. His business dealings have been looked at by the Justice Department, by the Internal Revenue Service, and he has been cleared of anything. prgtoken The U.S. Agency for Global Media is an important agency because it is charged with supporting international broadcasting outlets around the world in the face of the kinds of misinformation and things that are put out by other countries that are untrue. prgtoken The real reason for the objection to Mr. Pack's nomination is that this man is a patriot. This is a man who makes documentary films that portray the greatness of America. prgtoken Anyone who disagrees with that ought to spend the time to look at the documentary he just made, which was run on public TV within the last 30 days, regarding Clarence Thomas and what he had to go through to get on the Supreme Court. It was a superb representation of what happened in that. If you watch that, you will see why the are absolutely opposed to Mr. Pack. prgtoken But don't take our word for this. RealClearPolitics, after this whole thing started, did its own investigation into this, and they noted that the business arrangements of Mr. Pack used to make these documentaries are very common for documentary filmmakers and, like Pack, filmmakers and television producers also use nonprofits to collect contributions from donors and then set up a for-profit company to make these films. This is exactly what Senator Merkley was objecting to. prgtoken Having said that, they went on to interview others, including attorneys and everything else. Another producer with no business ties to Pack told RealClearPolitics ``that he set up the same two-pronged way of funding films last year on the advice of counsel, who told him it was standard operating procedure.'' prgtoken This has been looked at. It has been reviewed. Look, the committee has had this in its hands for almost 2 years. I have been really patient. Every time that I set this for a hearing and they wanted more time, I let that go. prgtoken Finally, the last time, I was really, really disappointed in the ' engagement of the political system, enjoining it with the potential criminal justice system, to try to stop this. prgtoken The night before the business meeting, I got a letter from the attorney general for the District of Columbia--obviously a partisan in
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR
Ron Johnson (Republican, WI) \u2014 2020-6-3

reserving the right to object, I appreciate my colleague's desire to help small businesses. I really don't think there is a stronger advocate in support of small business in all of Congress. I think I have proved that with my work in tax reform, fighting for 95 percent of American businesses that are pass- through entities. prgtoken I think my colleagues on the floor here today realize that what the House passed has one very significant flaw in it--probably a technical drafting error but a significant flaw--which says that if you don't spend 60 percent of the PPP loan on payroll, you get no forgiveness, which was a dramatic difference from what it was when you had 75 percent. prgtoken I am in favor of all those changes. As Senator Shaheen pointed out, there are a lot of problems with PPP that need to be corrected. My only objection is, before we authorize this and put an authorization date all the way to December 31, we need to make sure those changes are made. prgtoken So my only objection is we should not extend this authorization without significant reforms that I hope my colleagues would all agree with; for example, the fact that many businesses--again, I am not denying that PPP provided very swift funding to businesses that truly needed it. It was a real lifeline. It worked from that standpoint. prgtoken But, in our case, we all knew that we had to do something massive, we had to do something quick, but we also knew it was going to be far from perfect. In our haste in crafting this, we made it possible for many businesses that didn't need it at all to have access to those funds, and we don't have an unlimited checking account. prgtoken When we give money to support businesses that don't need it, we are going to have less money to give to those that truly do need it. prgtoken Unfortunately, what we are down to here with this unanimous consent request--we have been working in good faith with the sponsors of the House bill, with the leadership. I reached out to the ic leader, saying that we are very close; I think we will probably be able to pass the House bill, with assurances, by unanimous consent, just not at this moment. prgtoken So, again, I appreciate their thoughts. I am really not disagreeing with the fact that we have to do something. I want to do something as well. I just want to make sure that if we do put more money into this thing, it is not going to be flowing to businesses that don't need it, thereby denying those businesses that truly do need it in a more targeted fashion. prgtoken So, , I object
Protests (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2020-6-3

I want to respond to the accusations that were made. And I worded that carefully not to violate any rules. I am going to do that. prgtoken I see kind of an active desperation that is creeping in on statements and things that are said about other people. And right now, we are experiencing some things that actually are a success. prgtoken I want to respond to some of the accusations that were made. First, I have something else to do that is kind of an awkward thing to be doing at this time because I am going to go back to talk about something that happened not yesterday or this week but back in 1983. I think it is important that we do this. About every 10 years I do this. And we are going to be successful now because I have a commitment from the President that he is going to stay hitched on an issue--a huge issue in the past. prgtoken In 1983, not much was known about Iran's efforts to train and arm the radical proxies and to kill Americans and to kill our partners and our allies. People know now. In fact, only a few years earlier, Ayatollah Khamenei led a violent revolution in Iran. Khamenei's regime introduced himself to the world by taking American diplomats hostage for 444 days--444 days. We all remember when that happened. That was something unprecedented. It was all tied into Khamenei. Of course, he used other people. Nothing has changed since that time. prgtoken Nonetheless, for the next decade, until his death in 1989, Khamenei was the ruthless face of an Iranian regime that applied a brutal version of religious law, murdered innocent people, suppressed religious and ethnic minorities, and supported radical Islamists. prgtoken He hated Western value, and he hated the freedoms that we enjoy. Almost 4 years into his rule as Supreme Leader, October 23, 1983, 241 Americans, both U.S. marines and other service personnel serving a peace mission in Beirut, were attacked at their barracks by a truck that was carrying 2,000 pounds of explosives by terrorists who were armed and trained by Iran. That was in 1983. Two hundred and forty-one died. prgtoken These terrorists later became what we know as Hezbollah. That is the first time they surfaced and were identified as they are today, as an arm of Iran. Hezbollah struck. prgtoken In 2003, 20 years after the attack on our marines, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in a civil suit brought by the families of the victims--the 241 who were killed--that Iran had used Hezbollah as a proxy to bomb the Marine barracks in Beirut on that October day. prgtoken Not much has changed with Iran, unfortunately. It is the same way they operate now. They don't play by the rules. They never have. They are terrorists. They are worse than terrorists. They are the ones who are training the terrorists. That became even more apparent when we began to learn more about their ties to Islamist terror organizations and how they use proxy organizat
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2020-6-3

back in March, as the coronavirus pandemic began to grip our country, the Senate's historic CARES Act set up the Paycheck Protection Program to help protect American workers from layoffs during the crisis. prgtoken Thanks especially to its chief architects, Senator Rubio and Senator Collins, the PPP has literally saved tens of millions of American jobs. Our colleagues' bold policy has meant the mailboxes of working families in all 50 States have continued to bring people their regular paychecks instead of pink slips. prgtoken Through the end of May, this remarkable program has delivered more than half a trillion dollars to keep American workers on payroll all across our country. prgtoken One recent survey found that more than three-quarters--three- quarters--of all small business owners have applied for a PPP loan and more than 90 percent of those applicants have received one. prgtoken The Senate has always committed to standing behind this popular program. Back in April when it ran low on funds, we worked together to add more resources, and today we are passing another piece of legislation that makes a few targeted changes to the program. prgtoken To help workers and small businesses through these lengthy shutdowns that are just now beginning to ease, we are increasing the loan forgiveness period from 8 weeks to 6 months. prgtoken Since keeping workers on payroll obviously requires small businesses to stay afloat in the first place, we are expanding firms' ability to use these funds to meet obligations like their rent, their mortgage, or their utility bills, but we maintain the overall requirement to avoid layoffs to keep the strong protection for workers in place. And we are providing payroll tax deferral for the small businesses involved. prgtoken This is a bipartisan bill that passed the House overwhelmingly. I am proud the Senate is sending it on to the President's desk to become law. prgtoken I want to thank Senator Collins and Senator Rubio once more for their leadership in authoring this historic program in the first place. They have kept right on with their essential leadership, carefully monitoring the policy as it has taken effect. prgtoken I know they have identified further technical fixes in addition to the issues we are addressing today, and I hope and anticipate the full Congress will look at addressing those as well in the future. prgtoken I also want to thank Senator Daines, Senator Tillis, and Senator Gardner for their hard work on these modifications. prgtoken The Senate delivered for workers and small businesses when we first passed the CARES Act. We delivered again when we added more money to this popular program back in April, and we are delivering again today.
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2020-6-3

I am a Main Street entrepreneur. I have spent my career building a little business into a large one over many years in my hometown. My wife, as well, has operated a home accessory and gift store on Main Street, literally. I am elated to see the American economy starting to get off to a smart restart. prgtoken I addressed, in a couple of floor speeches before we left in March, the question of how to reopen our economy. I believe businesses are disciplined and ready to pay attention to the rules--the new normal--to make sure their employees and their customers stay safe. Business owners will follow the rules. It is in their own best interests to do so. They have much to lose from a new spike in the coronavirus. Businesses are always more adept, more agile than government, and I am heartened to see the innovative approaches many businesses are taking across our country to address this challenge. prgtoken The virus does not affect all populations, industries, and areas of our country in the same way. So, naturally, the reopening in Indianapolis will be different from that on Main Street in Jasper, IN. prgtoken We should remember that although this presents challenges, a one- size-fits-all is rarely the best policy course of action, and decisions that affect citizens are best made by the level of government closest to them--mayors, prgtoken town councils, and State governments. We cannot use the blanket approach the government took in shutting down the economy to reopen it. Instead, we need to provide the tools to empower local leaders and businesses who know their communities best to reopen safely so that our country can function again. prgtoken I believe that through the perseverance and innovation that American business has always exhibited, we can get our economy back on the path to recent heights without yielding back any territory to the virus. prgtoken .
Coronavirus (Executive Session)
Marsha Blackburn (Republican, TN) \u2014 2020-6-3

I have to say that Tennesseans are enjoying being out and about. They are so thrilled to see the restart of our economy. Whether you are going to hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, office parks, or manufacturing facilities, what we are hearing from Tennesseans is: Thank goodness we can get back to work. They are grateful that they have had the PPP to help them bridge from the shutdown to the restart. There has been $8.8 billion that has made its way into our State through the PPP program, and our Governor, our Tennessee General Assembly, and our mayors are really working diligently to be certain that our economy opens up, that people are at work safely, and that we continue to defeat this COVID-19. prgtoken Over the past few months, we have seen Congress push forward, putting about $3 trillion into the economy for a restart, and State and local governments have already put over $139 billion worth of aid to good use by supporting local healthcare, helping to rescue businesses, and keeping companies working and local payrolls going--keeping people on the job. prgtoken Our Governor and general assembly in Tennessee have just announced a new program that they are doing in conjunction with local businesses. Now, imagine for a moment what it was like to watch the economy tumble from the perspective of a community that was already struggling and trying to make ends meet. The pandemic caused catastrophic damage to the traditional economy and also to many of the service organizations that were there to meet needs. In Tennessee, as in many States, struggling communities depend on these nonprofit groups. This is why we fought so hard to include eligibility for nonprofits in the rescue funding packages. prgtoken I will tell you that this is making a difference in Tennessee for some of our nonprofit organizations, like the East Tennessee-based Appalachia Service Project. ASP teams travel throughout Central Appalachia. They repair homes for low-income families. Mayors in the communities that ASP visit are running on tight budgets, and they depend on volunteers to fix up unsafe or uninhabitable homes. You can only imagine how it felt to the people at ASP to watch their funding evaporate, knowing that the leaky roof that needed attention over in Sneedville would end up turning into a rotten floor and a moldy wall and would be a safety hazard for the individuals who lived there. Fortunately, ASP was able to get an SBA loan that gave it a little bit of breathing room. Although it has had to cancel its volunteer program, its essential staff and contractors will be able to continue working all through the summer. prgtoken The various rescue programs that Congress agreed to implement were not perfect by any means, but did they have a positive effect? From what we are hearing in Tennessee, they did, and they have been put to good use. prgtoken .
HONORING NATE LYDAY
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2020-6-3

it is with a very heavy heart that I stand today in prgtoken the Senate to talk about the death of two Americans last week. One tragedy is tearing our communities apart. The other may well show us a path back toward unity. prgtoken We all know about the brutal, senseless killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last Monday. There is no excuse for what the police did to Mr. Floyd. His killers are being brought to justice. prgtoken His death, we hope, will not be remembered for the senseless violence launched falsely in his name but, rather, hopefully, in the long-term reform of policing policies across our country. prgtoken In my home State of Utah, the city of Ogden is mourning another death, that of Police Officer Nate Lyday. prgtoken On Thursday, May 28, a woman called 9-1-1 saying that her husband was threatening her life. Lyday and a group of officers arrived promptly at the house. The man began shooting at them from inside the home. Lyday was mortally wounded. prgtoken He was just 24 years old. He was about to celebrate his fifth wedding anniversary with his wife Ashley. prgtoken He had been on the job as a police officer for just 15 months. By all accounts, he did that job honorably and completely up to the last moment. Nate Lyday was an officer who sought to uphold justice and protect the innocent, even making the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of a threatened and fearful family. prgtoken Nate Lyday was a ``son of Ogden,'' as Police Chief Randy Watt said. Ogden was where he was born and raised, where he went to high school, and where he worked on a regular basis at the Fresh Market on 20th Street and where he got his degree in criminal justice from Weber State University. prgtoken And it was where he was proud to serve and protect his community as a sworn police officer. According to Lieutenant Brian Eynon, Lyday was an officer who ``worked over and above the call of duty.'' Eynon said that whenever he passed Lyday in the hallways, the young officer would always smile at him, even before he had a chance to smile first. prgtoken As his colleagues, his friends, and his classmates remember him, Nate Lyday made everyone around him feel like a friend, no matter how well they knew him because they were indeed his friends. prgtoken This Saturday, while far too many other communities throughout our Nation were tearing themselves apart, Ogden came together. Hundreds of Ogden residents gathered near the front steps of the Ogden Municipal Building to honor the memory of George Floyd and to call for nationwide police reform. prgtoken But this was not a divisive event designed to make everyone choose sides between police and protesters. As Malik Dayo, an Ogden activist and organizer, said that day: This is a peaceful protest. . . . This is not an anti-cop rally. This is a solidarity rally. prgtoken The protesters at the event honored George's memory, they condemned racism, and they called for policing
Protests (Executive Session)
Ted Cruz (Republican, TX) \u2014 2020-6-3

I rise at a time of crisis. For several months now, our Nation has been dealing with two simultaneous crises: a global health pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 100,000 Americans, over 300,000 people across the globe, and an economic crisis that has cost over 40 million Americans their jobs. prgtoken And in the midst of these two crises, we are now faced with yet another crisis: a crisis of anger, a crisis of racial division, flames that are pulling this country apart. prgtoken This crisis was precipitated by the wrongful death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. At this point, most, if not all, of us have seen that horrifying video: Mr. Floyd, in handcuffs, facedown on the pavement, incapacitated, not posing a threat to anyone, and a police officer with his knee on the neck of Mr. Floyd, pressing down hard on the neck of Mr. Floyd and keeping that knee there for 8 long minutes. prgtoken Mr. Floyd begs the officer, pleads with the officer, says he can't breathe. He is in obvious and serious physical distress. Other officers are standing there, watching a defenseless, handcuffed man, pinned to the ground for 8 long minutes, with a knee pressing down on his neck. prgtoken As we all know, those actions took the life of Mr. Floyd, and, rightly, following what happened, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation into the police officers' conduct. Also rightly, I believe, the local prosecutor opened--began--a criminal prosecution, a homicide prosecution, against the officer for his conduct. prgtoken Now, anytime you have an officer-involved shooting, it is easy for people to let rhetoric get carried away. It is easy to jump to conclusions. And too many players in the political world, I think, quickly move to demonize the police officer and assume the officer is wrong in every circumstance. That is not how responsible leaders, that is not how responsible Americans should behave. We should wait to see what the facts and circumstances are. prgtoken But here we have a video, and we can see what the facts and circumstances are, and there are zero legitimate law enforcement justifications for what happened to George Floyd--none. We witnessed police brutality and abuse of power, and that is why the officers are being prosecuted. prgtoken Those should be propositions that bring all of us together. Watching the death of Mr. Floyd, for so many Americans, brought forth the long history in this country of racial discrimination, a history that began with centuries of slavery in America, a history that has seen Jim Crow laws, that has seen the Ku Klux Klan, that has seen overt and also implicit discrimination. prgtoken Young African Americans too often fear interactions with law enforcement, fear that their rights will not be protected. Our Nation's journey toward civil rights has had many troubled stops along the way, but I, for one, agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr that the ar