mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PEACE CORPS REAUTHORIZATION ACT
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I am very pleased to reintroduce the ``Peace Corps Reauthorization Act'' on today, the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps' founding and the start of National Peace Corps Week. I want to thank my fellow Congressional Peace Corps Caucus co-chair Representative Graves (R-LA), as well as Representatives Meng (D-NY), Radewagen (R-AS), Phillips (D-MN), Case (D-HI), and Sires (D-NJ), for their support as original cosponsors. prgtoken Like successive generations of young Americans, my wife Patti and I answered President John F. Kennedy's call and served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968. This foundational experience inspired our lifetime of service that continued into California state government, the Clinton Administration, and now the United States Congress. prgtoken Since the establishment of the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 230,000 American volunteers have served in some 141 countries around the world. Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps was forced to recall all volunteers serving in 65 countries in March 2020. Now more than ever, Congress must support the Peace Corps' mission and realize President Kennedy's vision of generations of young Americans, ready to serve their nation and make the world a better place. prgtoken Our ``Peace Corps Reauthorization Act'' would do just that by providing additional federal resources to better support current and returned volunteers. This bipartisan bill would also provide the funding necessary to redeploy Peace Corps volunteers once it is safe to do so after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, with the goal of finally reaching 10,000 volunteers serving annually around the world. prgtoken This bipartisan bill builds upon the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-256) and the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-57) sponsored by former Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX). The bill also builds upon legislation sponsored by former Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA), who served in the Peace Corps in Colombia from 1964 to 1966. prgtoken As co-chair of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus, I continue working in support of the Peace Corps' mission, its volunteers, and the indelible impact their service has on the lives of needy people the world over. Congress last reauthorized the Peace Corps in 1999 (Public Law 106-30), expiring at the end of fiscal year 2003. So, my bipartisan ``Peace Corps Reauthorization Act'' is long overdue. prgtoken Madam , I look forward to working with the new Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX) to pass the ``Peace Corps Reauthorization Act'' this Congress. I encourage all members of the House to cosponsor this bipartisan bill.
BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2021-3-1

. pro tempore, now, on Senate business, the Senate will have a busy week ahead of it. Today and tomorrow, the Senate will confirm two more members of President 's Cabinet: Dr. Miguel Cardona to serve as Secretary of Education and Governor Gina Raimondo to serve as Commerce Secretary. prgtoken The Senate will also confirm Dr. Cecilia Rouse to serve as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, another history-making pick who will be the first Black official to head that Department. prgtoken All three nominees are exceptionally well qualified. All have received bipartisan support in their respective committees, including a unanimous vote in favor of Dr. Rouse. prgtoken As we continue the fight against the pandemic on all fronts--in particular, the damage it has caused our schools and our economy--these nominees will have a difficult and important task ahead of them. It will be very good news once we have them confirmed and on the job. prgtoken The Senate will then return to the American Rescue Plan, comprehensive legislation that will help us crush the virus, recover our economy, and get life back to normal. (Ms. HIRONO assumed the Chair.) prgtoken Defeating the pandemic is national priority No. 1: getting our schools to reopen as safely and quickly as possible; helping small businesses hang on until the economy can come roaring back; keeping teachers and firefighters and other essential employees on the job; providing aid to the jobless, food to the hungry, direct cash payments to millions of Americans struggling--struggling--for the cost of rent, groceries, medicine, and utilities; speeding the distribution of the vaccine, which is the cornerstone to ending this awfully dark chapter in American history. prgtoken That is what our country needs, and that is what the American Rescue Plan will achieve. To paraphrase Franklin Roosevelt, we must do the first things first. prgtoken Last week, the legislation passed in the House of Representatives. This week, the Senate will take up the measure. Let me say that again. The Senate will take up the American Rescue Plan this week. prgtoken I expect a hearty debate and some late nights, but the American people sent us here with a job to do: to help the country through this moment of extraordinary challenge; to end, through action, the greatest health crisis our country has faced in a century. And that is just what we are going to do.
U.S. Postal Service (Executive Session)
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2021-3-1

it has long been said that ``neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays'' our U.S. postal ``couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.'' These words, in fact, are chiseled in granite above the entrance to the post office on 8th Avenue in New York City--one of the grandest post offices in our Nation. It is the adopted creed of the faithful and hard-working letter carriers and frontline workforce of our Postal Service. prgtoken As I have said before, I have no beef with the men and women of our Postal Service, but I have real and deep concerns about how the Postal Service is being run under the current Postmaster General. prgtoken President doesn't get to choose a new Postmaster General just because he is the new President. In fact, the current officeholder, Louis DeJoy, was chosen by the Board under the previous administration. prgtoken Weeks ago, I joined with many colleagues and with Chairman Peters of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is responsible for the Postal Service, to send a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy to restore on-time delivery and stop the harmful systemwide changes that have caused unacceptable mail delays. prgtoken Sadly, that is not the first time I have had to reach out, with Senators in this body, to the Postmaster General. In fact, on five separate occasions, we have written the Postmaster General, between August and February, last year to this year. We have demanded transparency. We have insisted on the restoration of mail sorting machines. We have asked for assistance with vote-by-mail deliveries and wrote for just simple answers to pending constituent inquiries. prgtoken In my hometown of Wilmington, DE, last August, I joined our attorney general, Kathy Jennings, my senior Senator, Tom Carper, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, and a series of union leaders for a day of action to save the Postal Service. prgtoken A few days later, I drove myself to our mail distribution center in New Castle after leadership of the Postal Service denied my request to visit. Thanks to having been alerted by some frontline employees, I drove around back and was able to see a dismantled massive piece of mail handling equipment left outside in the rain. prgtoken In January and February alone, my office received hundreds of messages from constituents complaining about mail issues. Since last April, I have heard from nearly 5,000 Delawareans--folks asking for robust funding for the Postal Service, wanting stronger vote-by-mail initiatives, and hundreds and hundreds of them reporting delays in the mail. prgtoken I want to take a few minutes, if I might, and just go through some of these concerns I have heard, which, I have also heard from colleagues, are being replicated across our Nation. prgtoken Gloria Lester, down in Lewes, in Sussex County, said that mail that previously took just 3 to 4 days is now taking her 4 to 6 weeks
IMPEACHMENT
Michael F. Bennet (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2021-3-1

for the second time in over a year, events compelled the Senate to hold an impeachment trial for President . By once more acquitting the President despite overwhelming evidence of his guilt, the Senate has again abdicated its responsibility to the American people and our democratic Republic. prgtoken The Founders fashioned our constitutional system to at once defy history and reflect its enduring lessons. They understood that since the first human societies, rule of the strong had prevailed across ages of warlords, monarchs, emperors, and tyrants. From the examples of ancient Greece and Rome, they also knew that rule by the people was the fragile, flickering exception. prgtoken To ignite America's experiment in self-government, the Founders handed us a constitutional system unique in human history, with inalienable rights for the people, free and fair democratic elections, the rule of law, and coequal prgtoken branches of government to check the unbridled ambitions that risked dragging us into tyranny. Our system was never perfect--far from it-- but over 234 years, Americans have fought and sacrificed to make it more democratic, more fair, and more free. prgtoken The Founders also understood that, however well-crafted the Constitution may be, its fate would inevitably depend on the public officials sworn to protect it. They could give the Senate the unique power to convict a President, but they could not guarantee Senators would exercise that power when the moment required it. prgtoken Their fears were realized on February 13, 2021, when the Senate failed to convict President , a man who defied every standard of conduct and decency the Founders expected of public officials. prgtoken Months before Americans cast their ballots, made our democracy his enemy--manufacturing false claim after false claim to undermine the 2020 election. He warned the election would be stolen or rigged, dead people would vote, and voting machines were not trustworthy. He repeated these claims incessantly on social media, at his rallies, and in interview after interview on cable news. He repeats these lies to this day. prgtoken When lost the election by over 7 million votes, he refused to concede. Instead, he waged a months-long war against the peaceful transition of power. First, he challenged the election results in court. He lost 61 out of the 62 cases, often being howled out of court by Federal judges, many appointed by the President, for failing to produce any evidence of widespread fraud. Former Attorney General William Barr, one of the President's most steadfast allies, confirmed that there was no such evidence. prgtoken So the President changed course. He threw the weight of his office against State and local officials hoping he could coerce them into overturning their States' lawfully conducted election. He called election officials in Wayne County, MI. He summoned State se
NOMINATION OF MIGUEL A. CARDONA (Executive Session)
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2021-3-1

after 4 years of Secretary DeVos' efforts to promote greater privatization of our education system and dismantle the civil rights of students, Miguel Cardona is the person we need to restore the promise of America's schools. A former public school teacher who went on to be a leader in the same district where he was once an English learner, Dr. Cardona has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to our public schools and the belief that all children are entitled to a quality education in a safe and nurturing learning environment. He also has a proven track record of effectively responding to the pandemic, helping students overcome the digital divide, and safely reopening schools as the Connecticut Education Commissioner. prgtoken The pandemic has upended our education system, disrupting learning and exacerbating inequities. From day one as Secretary of the Department of Education, Dr. Cardona will need to be prepared to meet the challenges facing our students and educators, from addressing learning loss and social, emotional, and mental health to reversing declining higher education enrollment rates and a sky-rocketing affordability crisis. Additionally, as deep disparities continue to shortchange low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities, Dr. Cardona will be a key partner in working toward closing these funding and educational opportunity gaps. prgtoken I am proud to support Dr. Cardona's nomination, and I look forward to working together to at last make good on our promises to fully fund title I and IDEA, to expand access to quality early childhood education and community schools, and to ensure higher education is accessible for everyone.
TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINA NOLAN
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2021-3-1

I would like to pay tribute to a great Vermonter, Christina Nolan, a most dedicated public servant who has served as U.S. attorney for the District of Vermont since November 2017. She will be resigning her post at the end of this month, 11 years since she first joined the U.S. Attorney's Office, but her work and the strong partnerships she forged will carry on for many years to come. prgtoken A profile of Christina recently appeared in Vermont Business Magazine under the headline ``A Born Advocate for Justice.'' And she has been just that. During her tenure, Christina worked to stem the deadly surge of heroin and fentanyl in our small State, and she has joined with Federal partners to slow the illegal trafficking of firearms. She has also used her voice to shine a spotlight on domestic violence and human trafficking, not only prosecuting critical cases but also highlighting the plight of victims who are caught in the path of such heinous crimes. Her personal approach to each and every case, signing off on every charging document in the office, as well as her commitment to victims and her dedication to upholding the rule of law are evident to anyone who has witnessed her work and her work ethic. prgtoken While Vermont's U.S. Attorney's Office is among the smallest in the country, it is fair to say that under Christina's leadership, the team has punched well above their weight. In one instance, her office set out to investigate kickbacks and fraudulent billing practices involving the electronic health records industry, unraveling a scheme that resulted in an $8 billion national settlement with Perdue Pharma, which admitted to needlessly and shamelessly promoting the prescribed use of OxyContin, a highly addictive opioid. prgtoken During her time as U.S. attorney, Christina has forged strong relationships with her partners in Federal, State and local law enforcement circles, many of whom have shared with me how much they appreciated her engagement. In the courtroom, colleagues on both sides of the bench have lauded her fairness. A Federal judge, interviewed for the aforementioned magazine profile, spoke of her ``quiet confidence'' and her ``natural courtroom presence: graceful and commanding.'' prgtoken I am proud to have worked with Gov. Phil Scott to recommend Christina Nolan for the position of U.S. attorney back in 2017. She has served Vermonters very well during her tenure. Marcelle and I wish Christina and her longtime partner, Jill, and their family our very best in future endeavors.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1, FOR THE PEOPLE ACT OF 2021; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1280, GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT OF 2021; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2021-3-1

I am pained with this misrepresentation that the President of the United States would denigrate mail-in balloting while he, in fact, does it. This has been done by s and alike. It is secure. It is safe. And it helps the American people. prgtoken , I strongly urge approval of H.R. 1 and rejection of the bogus claims about the problems alleged with mail-in ballots. It is the most secure. It is the most effective. And it is one that I think the public deserves.
HONORING WILEY RICKMAN WHITE
Bennie G. Thompson (Democrat, MS) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I rise today to honor Mr. Wiley Rickman White. Mr. White was born January 14, 1931 in Mounds, Oklahoma. He was the ninth born of 10 children to the union of Norecker Harrell and Frank Joseph White. Mr. White grew up in a Christian family where Christian values were instilled and reinforced by his parents and their Church. prgtoken He attended public schools in Mounds and graduated from Wheatly High School where he played football. prgtoken Mr. White was an exceptional athlete at his High School and as a result of his abilities, he earned a football scholarship to attend Jackson State University in Mississippi where he displayed his talent on the field as a member of the JSU Tigers football team for four years as an undergraduate. Later, Mr. White was honored by his Alma Mater by being inducted in the Sports Hall of Fame wherein he was the 35th athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the University's 103- year existence. As an honoree Mr. White was presented a plaque and a medal. prgtoken Mr. White was also a very good student where he maintained a 3.5 grade average and was a Charter Member of The Delta Delta Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. Mr. White completed college and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree even while his studies were temporarily interrupted to serve his time in the U.S. Military where he moved up in the ranks as Sergeant in the U.S. Army serving in the Korean War. He earned an Honorable Discharge in 1960. prgtoken Jackson State University is where Mr. White met the love of his life, Miriam H. Webb. The two married on December 22, 1951 and welcomed two children into the family during the mid-sixties. After finishing college and fulfilling his service obligation the two moved to Los Angeles, California in 1955. There, Mr. White worked at Markham Jr. High School as a physical education instructor. Because of his love for sports and athleticism, Mr. White began officiating high school basketball sporting events. He was later recognized by the IAABO (International Association of Approved Basketball Officials) as the first negro ever elected Secretary Treasurer of the organization. The IAABO is the largest organization of its kind in the world where they have jurisdiction over all high schools, semipro, and small college basketball officials. Mr. White also taught and coached football at Jordan High School in Los Angeles. prgtoken Education was very important to Mr. White and he enrolled in The University of Southern California (USC) where he received a master's degree in business administration. Mr. White then expanded his career in teaching and worked as an educator/administrator in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 30 plus years and held positions as a classroom teacher, assistant counselor, assistant registrar, coach, youth service director, student body advisor, and vice principal mainly at the high school level until he officially retired in 1992. prgtoken F
ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021
Tina Smith (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2021-3-1

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it recess until 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the Raimondo nomination; that, at 2:15 p.m the cloture time be considered expired and the Senate vote on confirmation of the nomination; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; finally, that Senator Cruz be recognized at 12:15 p.m. for up to 30 minutes, and following his remarks, the Senate recess until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly conference meetings.
SUPPORT COVID-19 HOSPITAL LOAN CONVERSION
Marcy Kaptur (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2021-3-1

. Madam , I rise to support and ask my colleagues to support the COVID-19 Hospital Loan Conversion Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that I have introduced along with my good friend from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs). prgtoken Madam , our Nation's hospitals have invested heavily to prepare for and care for us during the coronavirus pandemic. They canceled tens of thousands of elective surgeries and nonemergency patient tests, at the government's request, to help ensure adequate hospital capacity, preserve gear and equipment, and reduce the risk of unnecessary patient spread. prgtoken Madam , this major shift has put some of America's hospitals on the brink of financial disaster. While a provider grant program that costs $175 billion and is designed to provide support to all providers is helpful, more support is needed, especially in regions that fall well below the median household income at the national average. prgtoken Madam , this legislation will convert Medicare accelerated and advance payment loans to grants to ensure the additional financial support hospitals and other providers direly need. prgtoken Hospitals across my district have shared that in the absence of more financial support, including this assistance, it is possible they will be forced to close their significantly scaled back operations. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to support the bill, the Gibbs- Kaptur, Kaptur-Gibbs bill, to help these hospitals out.