mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE NET ZERO REVIEW ACT OF 2020
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2020-6-11

. Madam , I rise today to introduce the National Defense Net Zero Review Act of 2020, legislation that will refocus the Defense Department's (DoD's) efforts on Net Zero initiatives and require the Secretary to establish the first integrated master plan for achieving Net Zero energy benchmarks. prgtoken The DoD consumes more energy than any other federal agency, spending nearly $12 billion on energy in FY2017, approximately two percent of the Department's total budget. Since the early 2000s, the DoD has made commendable progress in implementing Net Zero projects. These initiatives have generally focused on efforts to produce more energy from renewable sources on installations, limit consumption of water in order to not deplete the local watershed, and reduce, reuse, and recover waste to prevent unnecessary additions to landfills. prgtoken Unfortunately, Madam , while progress has been made, it simply isn't enough. In fact, many of the energy benchmarks established by previous acts of Congress have never been achieved by the DoD, and many of the goals announced by senior DoD leaders over the past decade are no longer being pursued. To quote from the findings from a 2016 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study--the most systemic review of Net Zero with the DoD--the Department has ``not established an integrated net zero strategy or policy for achieving Net Zero,'' and ``none of the military departments have established Net Zero as a funded program''. Further, the DoD has not fully identified the potential costs of implementing net zero initiatives, due at least in part to insufficiently defined statutory goals. prgtoken On the operational side of energy usage, DoD emissions for all military operations between 2001 and 2017 are estimated to be 766 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The FY2017 Operational Energy Annual Report found that the Department used roughly 87 million barrels of fuel per year, which comes out to some 240,000 barrels per day. These findings paint a clear picture, that absent Congressional interest and oversight, pursuing and achieving Net Zero will not be prioritized in the way that it should be. prgtoken The legislation that I am introducing today will get us back on track with a wholesale review of Net Zero initiatives under the DoD. First, my bill commissions two studies from the Comptroller General of the United States--a follow-up to the 2016 study and a second examining options for increasing efficiency and resilience on the operational side of the DoD's energy usage--that will analyze the extent to which these types of initiatives have been implemented, and the associated costs, benefits, challenges, and opportunities that exist for moving forward. These studies also solicit new information from the DoD, including anticipated funding and infrastructure needs to get serious about achieving Net Zero, and options for achieving specific benchmarks. Once this information is at
RECOGNIZING CENTER TOWNSHIP CONSTABLE, MARK ANTHONY `TONY' DUNCAN
André Carson (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2020-6-11

. Madam , today I rise to honor and recognize our friend, Mark Anthony ``Tony'' Duncan who passed away on Saturday, June 6, 2020. prgtoken Tony was a lifelong public servant, engaged civic leader, and activist. He dedicated himself to service for decades, first as Center Township Deputy Trustee to my grandmother, the late Congresswoman Julia Carson, when she served as Township Trustee. He later served when he was elected as the Center Township Constable in Marion County, a position he held until his passing, where he was legendary for serving justice with compassion. prgtoken As a lifelong , Tony advocated for the ic Party, holding all accountable for their actions and changing the electorate of Marion County, Indiana. He served as the Treasurer for the Marion County ic Party and worked tirelessly to elect local ic candidates. His passion and knowledge of our community will not soon be forgotten. prgtoken On a personal note, Tony served as my lifelong mentor, confidant, and friend. Beginning at a young age, Tony took me under his wings, imparting political wisdom. He was part of my family, and always there if you needed him. prgtoken Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Tony Duncan, a dear friend, fellow , and public servant who will be dearly missed by me, as well as his family, friends, and community.
HONORING DR. CLINTON VASSETT TURNER, SR.
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2020-6-11

. Madam , I would like to take this opportunity to honor and recognize the esteemed Dr. Clinton Vassett Turner, Sr a public servant and educator who dedicated his life to promoting the welfare of others. prgtoken Dr. Turner left a lasting legacy, and the Commonwealth of Virginia is indebted to him for his years of service to our institutions of higher education. I greatly admire his dedication to academia, and the capable leadership that he brought to the roles he assumed, including at Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia state government. prgtoken As the first African-American in the nation to hold a cabinet-level position in a state department of agriculture, Dr. Turner succeeded in the face of adversity and became a role model for young people across our Commonwealth. Dr. Turner was recognized countless times for his remarkable achievements, including receiving the 1994 Virginia Man of the Year Award, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Agricultural Alumni Organization Distinguished Service Citation. I am especially pleased to see his name memorialized as the first Virginian in the George Washington Carver Public Service Hall of Fame. prgtoken Dr. Turner challenged us to work with humble devotion to improve the lives of those around us, and I have no doubt that his legacy will continue to inspire generations of young men and women to pursue a life of service through academic excellence. prgtoken Madam , I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our deepest condolences to Dr. Turner's family, and in honoring his life's work.
TRIBUTE TO DARRELL WILLSON
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-6-11

today I rise to acknowledge the service of Mr. Darrell R. Willson, who is retiring as the Administrator of the National Gallery of Art in July after a 50-year career serving the public. prgtoken Mr. Willson has spent the three past decades with the gallery overseeing the backbone of its operations--protecting and preserving its historic buildings, working to expand its footprint, and ensuring that it maintains a world-class staff. As an executive officer of the institution, he has worked closely with gallery leadership, executive branch officials and Congress--including with the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations--to ensure that the gallery has had the people and resources it needs to fulfill its mission. During his tenure, the gallery has completed more than $400 million worth of renovations to the East and West Buildings and welcomed visitors to new public spaces such as the Sculpture Gallery and the Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain. In short, his work has provided the gallery with a stunning backdrop to showcase its collection of more than 150,000 sculptures, paintings, drawings, and photographs to the American public. prgtoken His work with the National Gallery of Art is not the only contribution on Mr. Willson's resume that deserves recognition. Prior to joining the gallery, Mr. Willson worked for a decade at the Art Institute of Chicago, rising through the ranks to becom executive director of protective services. He also served the public as a local law enforcement official with the Waukegan, IL, police department. And of course, these positions are all in addition to his most important role--his service as a husband, a father, and a grandfather. prgtoken Mr. Willson deserves to take great pride in all of these important accomplishments--especially his tireless work in support of our Nation's great arts and cultural institutions--as he retires from the gallery. On behalf of the Senate, I send him our thanks and warmest congratulations for a job well done.
PROCLAMATION: CERTIFICATE OF CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2020-6-11

. Madam , I include in the Record the following Proclamation. prgtoken Certificate of Congressional Recognition Presented to The Floyd Family In Remembrance of the Life of Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. prgtoken Whereas, Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. was born on October 14, 1973, to George Perry Floyd, Sr. and Larcenia Jones Floyd, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was reared in Houston, Texas, and most recently resided in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, until his untimely passing; prgtoken Whereas, Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. was well-known as a ``gentle giant'' by his community, revered for his kindness and athleticism having been a star football and basketball player at Jack Yates High School where he was a proud member of the class of 1993; prgtoken Whereas, Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr.'s athleticism allowed him to play both sports at the collegiate level--a rare but commendable accomplishment for any athlete, playing basketball at South Florida Community College and then football at Texas A&M Kingsville; prgtoken Whereas, Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. met his tragic demise on May 25, 2020 while in police custody, and the events that led to his death have sparked a global demand for justice for George Floyd, a call to action against police brutality, and an end to systemic racism; and prgtoken Whereas, Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. leaves to cherish his memory his five children, two grandchildren, three sisters, three brothers, as well as a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends. prgtoken Now, therefore, be it resolved that, on behalf of the constituents of the Ninth Congressional District of Texas, I take great pride in joining the City of Houston, the United States of America, and the entire in remembering the ``Gentle Giant''--Mr. George Perry Floyd, Jr. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Floyd Family during this time of remembrance. His legacy will stand the test of time. prgtoken June 9, 2020. prgtoken Al Green, Member of Congress.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2020-6-12

. Thank you, Senator Heinrich. Thanks to my colleagues for being here. This is an opportunity to do the Land and Water Conservation Fund expansion and provide fishing access through our States and local communities and the parks that they need and want, but it is also an opportunity to fix our parks, and this is desperately needed. prgtoken Our national parks are in trouble, just as more and more people are returning to our parks for recreation and fishing and all the other access we have. There are 84 million acres of true treasures in America, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt and many others who followed in his footsteps. We preserved this land and protected our history, but there is a $12.5 billion maintenance backlog in our parks. prgtoken As visitors go to our parks as they reopen this summer, they will find that the trail is closed or the toilet doesn't work or the lodge has a leak in the roof, and therefore they can't use it. When you get a leak in the roof and you get the mold in the walls and the floor, that is what is happening, and we haven't funded it. prgtoken Part of the reason is it is so expensive. These are infrastructure expenditures that require significant funds. So part of what this legislation does is finally allow us to catch up here in the U.S. Congress. It is a debt unpaid. In other words, we should have been paying all over these many years to ensure this wouldn't happen but, unfortunately, for decades it has. prgtoken So some of the funds we use here go directly into these parks and also to our Forest Service and wildlife refuges and our lands and our Native American lands. This is to simply stop the erosion, really, of the beauty of our parks and to eliminate this historic level of backlog of maintenance projects. So we appreciate the fact that tonight we have an opportunity to finally begin to change our approach and to switch gears. prgtoken I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for helping us to get to this point. It has been through our committee twice, with lots of amendments that have been amended and debated, and lots of discussion. We now have an opportunity to make good on the promise we have made to our children and grandchildren that these parks will be preserved for future generations. prgtoken My colleagues with whom I worked include Senator Warner, who came up with this idea saying some of funds coming from offshore oil and gas and other energy projects could be diverted to these national parks to provide adequate resources to do this. We will see him on the floor this evening, and possibly Senator Alexander, who has been at this as well and is a key player, and also Senator Angus King. The four of us stuck together through thick and thin. I hope tonight will be the thin part and we can get this done over the next several days so that we can indeed keep the promise that we have made that these national treasures can be preserved. prgtoken Senator Alexander,
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2020-6-12

. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Braun), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Burr), the Senator from Texas (Mr. Cornyn), the Senator from Mississippi (Mrs. Hyde-Smith), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe), the Senator from Arizona (Ms. McSally), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Sasse), and the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Shelby).
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Steve Daines (Republican, MT) \u2014 2020-6-12

. I think that is exactly right, Senator Heinrich. It is one of these unique moments tonight in the Senate where this body is coming together. prgtoken Here we are--as Senator Heinrich mentioned and Senator Gardner has mentioned--we may disagree on various issues, but we are coming together tonight at a time when the Nation needs to come together to move this very important legislation forward prgtoken In Montana, we had cabin fever, as I am sure folks in New Mexico and Colorado had as well. There were too many times on Zoom and not enough time outside. It has been good to see, as we have been through a phased opening in our State, like other States, people are getting back outside again and back into our national parks. prgtoken I think about being a kid growing up in Montana. My earliest memories were literally when Mom and Dad would load us up in a pickup. Those were the days when you laid down in the back of a pickup. Kids rode in the back of the pickup. Nobody was strapped in. I am not suggesting this become the normal practice, but back in the day, we just rode in the back of the pickup. Mom and Dad would take us up to Cooke City, MT. Sometimes we would do day hikes out of there. Sometimes there were overnights on our public lands. prgtoken You don't realize how special that is when you are growing up until you realize not everybody around the country has that kind of direct accessibility to our public lands. That is why more and more Americans are actually coming out West and why they want to be closer to these amazing public lands that we are so grateful we have in places like New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana. prgtoken We say in Montana that we get to work, but we also like to play. We work hard during the week, and I think we work hard so we can get out on the weekends, where there is hiking, fishing, hunting, and backpacking. This is our life. prgtoken These are pictures I have taken with my phone. The picture right here--we have three Mini Australian Shepherds. These are two of them. Our older dog, Jessie, has a hard time getting down the trails and mountains now, but the younger ones still can. prgtoken We think about our fondest memories spending time outside on our public lands. It is why we continue to preserve, protect, and expand that access to this incredible treasure we have in America.
REMEMBERING TOM JOHNSON
Amy Klobuchar (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2020-6-12

today I rise to honor and pay tribute to my friend, neighbor, and mentor Tom Johnson, who passed away on June 8, 2020, after a 6-year fight with cancer. prgtoken Tom served as the Hennepin County attorney for 12 years, and after I took over as county attorney years later, I would often turn to him for advice. Tom was always willing to help and to offer his wisdom, humor, and always patient kindness. prgtoken It is only fitting that Tom was working up until his final days as to how to improve the lives of others by proposing ideas on criminal justice reform. In fact, just 1 week before he prgtoken died, Tom attended a virtual board meeting of the Minnesota Justice Research Center, which he founded and which was dedicated to pursuing fair treatment for those in the criminal justice system. prgtoken Tom was a groundbreaking leader on criminal justice reform for decades and a fierce advocate for ending the racial disparities that have plagued our judicial system. Last Christmas, Tom wrote his own obituary, in which he said that nothing had given him more satisfaction than ``calling attention to the unacceptable racial disparities in the justice system and their cost to society.'' prgtoken His voice and wisdom on these issues will be deeply missed in this moment as we try to end systemic racism in our country with systemic change. prgtoken Put simply, Tom always did good, from his critical work on domestic abuse, to his focus on race and justice, to his principled stand against the death penalty. He simply loved public service. prgtoken Tom was elected to the Minneapolis City Council at just 28 years old, and he once wrote that he used to wander around city hall thinking ``If the public only knew how little I know.'' But despite, or perhaps, because of his humility, Tom got things done. prgtoken Tom fought for truth-in-housing inspections and campaign finance disclosures and for a prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation. He founded CornerHouse, an advocacy center for child victims of sexual abuse. prgtoken Tom was a tireless advocate and champion for all Minnesotans, but none gave him more joy than his beloved family, including his wife Victoria and his children Jill, Ben, Hunter, and Kayla. He was so proud of all they had achieved--and rightfully so. prgtoken When reflecting on his legacy to the Star Tribune in 2015, Tom suggested that many of today's problems could be solved if people just worked harder at getting to know people from different races and cultures. As he told the paper, things like ``socializing after work. Asking how things are going and really listening to the answer. Helping a young person make the connections that lead to a first job,'' were the keys. prgtoken We would all be wise to honor Tom's legacy by heeding that advice.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Martin Heinrich (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2020-6-12

. When we pass this legislation, I think we are going to show them that we are going to be good stewards of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, as well as parks across our country. prgtoken I know that the Nation's newest national park is in New Mexico, and it is White Sands. Yet we have a set of restrooms that sit on top of a sinkhole and for far too long have needed repair. That is the kind of thing I think we will be able to repair all across our country. prgtoken I don't see our colleague Senator King of Maine yet, but he oftentimes speaks to the fact that what Senator Alexander and Senator Portman describe in our deferred maintenance is truly debt. Deferred maintenance is debt, and we are going to take responsibility for that and really treat our parks the way they deserve and work to extend the Land and Water Conservation Fund at the same time. prgtoken Mr. Chair, with that I think I will give back the rest of our time, and I want to thank all of my colleagues for joining me in the colloquy.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Joe Manchin, III (Democrat, WV) \u2014 2020-6-12

. Thank you, Senator, and to all my colleagues, I want to thank you. I appreciate very much the job that has been done here. By working in a bipartisan spirit, every one of us benefits from this. This is a legacy piece of legislation that, hopefully, our children and generations to come will say that it was my grandfather, my father, my uncle, my aunt who was involved in giving me an opportunity to enjoy part of the America that maybe I may not have had. We have access to it. prgtoken In West Virginia, when you get access to New River or the Gauley, it has been provided by LWCF money. The Park System that we have--and we have hundreds of thousands of visitors every year--is done because of the Restore Our Parks Act, and people are now able to come. prgtoken Just about 4 or 5 months ago, I took my family, and we were in Hawaii. When Senators and Congress people go into Hawaii on a codel, we usually don't see what the visitors see down there. They don't take us to the visitors' center. This time I had gone as a normal visitor, and when I walked in, I was appalled at what I saw prgtoken The maps were falling off the wall. The lights weren't working. It was atrocious. prgtoken I had a meeting with the staff right there. I came back, and at that time, David Bernhardt, Rob Walls, and I started talking, and I said: Gentlemen, that is the birthplace, basically, defining who we are as a superpower and the hope of the world, and for our veterans to have to come and see that and say this is where it began, something had to be done. We started right then renovating and fixing it up, and I think we spent $10 million out of the contingency fund. So I know what it takes for prgtoken Senator Alexander, who has led this fight, and Senator Warner and others as well on Restore Our Parks. prgtoken Teddy Roosevelt would be proud of Senator Alexander leading this charge and all of us working together. Putting these two bills together was a master stroke, I believe, and how we could come together. It has brought us all together. There is not one person I believe--we have a few of our friends that have some challenges, and we are going to help them through as soon as we get this bill passed. But in West Virginia, this means the world for us. It has benefited our State since 1965, and 54 out of 55 counties have benefited by it. Now, I tell them that whatever you think we have been able to do and however happy you are with what has happened, we can do twice as much. We can do twice as much on a regular basis. prgtoken I am proud to be a part of this. Senator Heinrich and I have worked tonight, and our staffs have worked closely, and Senator Daines and Gardner and everybody is working very close on this. It pulled us together, and I hope we can stay together and keep this spirit of bipartisanship in many pieces of legislation. prgtoken So thank you. Thank you for letting me be involved, and thank you for what you have done.