mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
INDIVIDUALS IN MEDICAID DESERVE CARE THAT IS APPROPRIATE AND RESPONSIBLE IN ITS EXECUTION ACT
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-6-20

. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Mrs. Walters for introducing this legislation. prgtoken Throughout this committee's and subcommittee's work on opioids, the IMD exclusion has been consistently identified by many stakeholders in conversations not only in my office but with the subcommittee as a barrier to care for Medicaid patients who need inpatient treatment. prgtoken In the face of an epidemic that is taking the lives of 115 Americans on average every day, I believe this policy strikes the right balance. The IMD CARE Act targets limited resources to remove a barrier to care by allowing States to repeal the IMD exclusion for 5 years for Medicaid beneficiaries between the ages of 21 and 64 who have an opioid use disorder. This approach will provide States the flexibility to increase access to institutional care for those who truly need it. prgtoken While getting a waiver from CMS for the IMD exclusion is a good option for many States, less than half the States have applied for a waiver. We are losing too many of our friends and neighbors each day to this crisis to ask States to go through what can be a lengthy and uncertain process to secure a waiver. prgtoken The IMD CARE Act allows States to act now to ensure their patients who are suffering now from a terrible disease can get the care that they need and get it now. prgtoken I ask my fellow Members to join me in support of Mrs. Walters' bill.
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--H.R. 3
Bob Corker (Republican, TN) \u2014 2018-6-20

I rise to talk about the abuse of authority that is taking place with the administration's use of section 232 of the Trade Act to implement taxes on the American people. Let me say this one more time. The President, and the administration, abusing section 232 of the Trade Act, have decided on their own accord to tax the American people. They have put in place a 25-percent tariff on steel and aluminum and are getting ready to do so on some other products. Yet, this is Congress's responsibility--Congress's responsibility--to generate tariffs or deal with taxes. prgtoken The administration, by citing section 232--a national security issue--is taxing goods coming into America from Canada, from Europe, and our allies on a national security basis. prgtoken Today I wrote a letter to Secretary Ross, our Secretary of Commerce, because it is my understanding--actually, today, in a hearing with the Finance Committee, he said there were 22,506 requests from companies in the United States asking for exclusions--exclusions--from being taxed for goods that come in to support their companies. prgtoken I will say to my friends here, on what basis do we think these exclusions might be granted? We have already had an abuse of authority in using 232. I guess my question to Secretary Ross is, on what basis is he going to be granting these exclusions? Are they going to be friends of the administration who get exclusions? Are they going to deny exclusions to opponents of the administration or are they going to use the national security reason, if you will, to grant exclusions? prgtoken I want to say, again, I think this is our responsibility. I realize that when additional tariffs go in place in July--when these other countries retaliate, which is their plan on July 1--my guess is this issue may become more ripe for action, not unlike what is happening at the border right now where people are seeing what is occurring and action is being promoted to solve the problem. I think, once the tariffs by these other companies kick in against us on July 1--because we, in a most unusual way, the administration citing national security against Canada, Mexico, many of our NATO allies and the European Union--I think this issue is going to become ripe. I think it is going to become ripe for Senate action and House action. prgtoken Again, I will ask people in this room, knowing they cited 232, which again is an abuse of that authority, are we comfortable with the criteria that the administration is going to be using on the 22,000-- actually, let me see here. Maybe that is a low number. It is 26,977 issues that have been dealt with, but 22,506 exclusions have been asked for. In other words, we have companies that are coming to the administration which is abusing its authority. We have companies that are going to the administration, asking that they not be impacted by the taxes that are being placed on their companies, unilaterally b
INDIVIDUALS IN MEDICAID DESERVE CARE THAT IS APPROPRIATE AND RESPONSIBLE IN ITS EXECUTION ACT
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2018-6-20

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Rush amendment to H.R. 5797, the IMD CARE Act. Earlier today, I spoke in support of the underlying bill. It will make a meaningful change to the way Medicaid covers opioid use disorder for its beneficiaries. prgtoken The amendment offered by my friend and colleague from Illinois, Representative Bobby Rush, will expand on that definition. It will allow Medicaid to provide coverage for individuals seeking treatment from cocaine and crack cocaine usage. prgtoken Looking at just 2016, opioids and cocaine caused 82 percent of all drug overdose deaths in the United States. Cocaine alone kills more than 10,000 Americans a year. News outlets have also reported fentanyl being mixed in with cocaine, further complicating this tragic opioid crisis. prgtoken This is an issue that Mr. Rush has passionately led on in the committee, on the floor, and at home in his community. prgtoken We discussed it in the hearing room and at length in private while working to fine-tune this legislation so that the best possible version can become law. prgtoken So I want to thank Mr. Rush for this amendment, and I want people to know that it really will improve and expand the scope of this bill. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment and support the underlying bill, which will dramatically aid in our response to the opioid epidemic for all Americans, wherever they live. prgtoken , ?
HONORING WULFGANG LAWSON
Sam Graves (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-6-20

I proudly pause to recognize Wulfgang Lawson. Wulf is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 288, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Wulf has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Wulf has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Wulf has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project I proudly ask you to join me in commending Wulfgang for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-6-20

6 months ago, Congress passed historic tax legislation that fundamentally reformed our Tax Code and provided tax relief to middle-income Americans and also to small business job creators. prgtoken At the time, many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle attempted to derail our efforts through a campaign of misinformation and demagoguery. They tried to argue that up was down and that tax cuts were tax increases. They even suggested the bill's passage was a sign of Armageddon. prgtoken Of course, such fearmongering was always nonsense. At the time, analysis from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation had made it clear that the vast majority of taxpayers across every income group would experience tax cuts. In fact, it made clear that middle-income groups would experience the largest percentage of tax cuts. In even looking at the liberal Tax Policy Center's analysis of the bill, the tax relief for the middle class is unmistakable. Its analysis found that more than 80 percent would experience tax cuts that would average more than $2,100. prgtoken In the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we made good on our commitment to fix our broken Tax Code. It makes filing simpler, provides middle-income tax cuts, and reinvigorates our economy through pro-growth business tax reforms. prgtoken The positive effects of the tax cuts began almost immediately with companies announcing bonuses, pay raises, higher retirement contributions, new hiring, and increased investment as a result of the law. To date, the list of such companies has climbed to over 600, with there being more than 4 million employees who are benefiting. prgtoken This has included a number of businesses in my State of Iowa, which range from the small, like the Anfinson Farm Store, which has invested back into its employees in the form of $1,000 bonuses and a 5-percent increase in wages, to the very large, like Wells Fargo, which has raised its base wage from $13.50 to $15 per hour and benefited more than 1,300 employees. prgtoken Higher wages and bonuses are not the only ways that taxpayers are benefiting from the historic tax relief. prgtoken Taxpayers across the country are seeing the benefit in the form of lower electric, gas, and water bills. Nationally, utility customers have experienced more than $3 billion in savings thanks to lower utility rates as a result of tax cuts. prgtoken In my State of Iowa, Alliant Energy has estimated its customer savings to be between $18.6 million and $19.6 million for electric and from $500,000 to $3.7 million for gas. MidAmerican Energy has estimated between $90 million and $112 million in customer savings, and Iowa American Water Company has estimated customer savings to be between $1.5 million and $1.8 million. prgtoken The hundreds of businesses and utility company announcements were only the beginning of the positive news for American taxpayers. In February, taxpayers began seeing the effects of tax reform d
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Todd Young (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-6-20

I thank the distinguished Senator from Delaware for his naval service and for his concern for veterans. It is a pleasure to serve with him. Amendment No. 2926 prgtoken , as marines, we tend to make interservice jokes when we are in the company of one another, but I know we share a common dedication in making sure our veterans receive the sort of care and support that, of course, they deserve. That is why I rise in support of amendment No. 2926 to the MILCON-VA bill. prgtoken Suicide is one of the most serious problems that face our veterans today. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, ``after adjusting for differences in age and sex, risk for suicide was 22 percent higher among Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adults.'' That figure is 19 percent higher among male veterans when compared to U.S. non-veteran adult men and 2\1/2\ times higher among female veterans. prgtoken Our veterans deserve the highest possible quality of care. Mental health care services are a critical component of that effort and are essential to preventing veteran suicides. Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs has a solemn duty to ensure that programs designed to protect veterans' emotional and mental health are effective. prgtoken The Department of Veterans Affairs launched what is now known as the prgtoken Veterans Crisis Line in 2011. While we applaud the VA for administering this program, we embrace the fundamental responsibility of Congress to exercise robust oversight of the Veterans Crisis Line to ensure that this program is actually effective and properly supporting at-risk veterans. That is why I joined with Senator Donnelly and Congressman Banks to introduce a bill to study the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line and the followup treatment these veterans receive. prgtoken Amendment No. 2926 is based on the core elements of the original S. 2174 Veterans Crisis Line Study Act. Studying the Veterans Crisis Line is vital to ensure that it is successful in its mission to save as many veterans as we can, and I ask my colleagues for their support. prgtoken Thank you. prgtoken .
MOTION TO DISCHARGE--H.R. 3
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2018-6-20

I rise in celebration of the 6-month anniversary of passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I know there were a lot of remarks about the benefits of tax cuts right out of the gate, but many of the benefits from the reform of the old, broken, and outdated Tax Code will accumulate over the long run. prgtoken I rise to talk about some of the benefits from the new Tax Code that can be witnessed by hard-working families right now. For example, the typical family of four making the median family income of around $75,000 a year is right in the middle of the first year of our cuts. Those typical families are going to see their taxes cut by more than half. prgtoken We also doubled the child tax credit and expanded its refundability to benefit more working families. The Tax Code also makes filing taxes easier and more straightforward for the typical middle-class family. That is because the standard deduction was nearly doubled. prgtoken Taken all together, provisions like these are the reason the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation found that the overall distribution of the new tax bill is directed toward the middle class. This is happening everywhere. prgtoken Take my home State of Utah, for example. According to some recent numbers from the Tax Foundation, citizens of Utah can expect, on average, a tax cut of nearly $1,500, or 2.4 percent of their income. prgtoken Take advantage of those hundreds of dollars and start paying off your car a little sooner. Maybe go out to see a baseball game or take your family on a road trip to see some of the beautiful national parks around our country and especially throughout the State of Utah. All of those things are now that much more possible because of our tax reform. prgtoken Those direct tax cuts are just a part of the larger picture ushered in by tax reform. More broadly, tax reform has provided a shot in the arm to a long-ailing economy. After cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, businesses have been able to reinvest, build new facilities, hire new workers, and start innovating now more than ever. prgtoken Recent polls by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable, Gallup, and the National Federation of Businesses show that optimism, and plans to expand hiring and growth for businesses of all sorts and sizes are at alltime highs. This optimism, along with lower costs of increasing investments and doing business, has already started to result in real changes for the middle class. prgtoken Take, for example, the list of more than 100 different utility companies that have cut their rates across the country. According to one compilation, the American people are on track to pocket more than $2.8 billion just this year off those savings. prgtoken Some might also argue that this is a normal period of expansion and growth in the economy. As one journalist recently noted, tax reform has poured ``jet fuel'' on a growing eco
EMERALD COAST WILDLIFE REFUGE
Matt Gaetz (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-6-20

today I rise to celebrate the outstanding work of the leadership and volunteers at the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge in my district. The wildlife refuge services thousands of animals each year from Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Bay Counties. They provide services through rescue, rehab, and environmental outreach. prgtoken Our community leaders and volunteers have shown overwhelming support for this incredible mission that includes educational outreach so that young people can learn more about our environment and the fantastic critters that we share the planet with. prgtoken I am so proud of the wildlife refuge's accomplishments over the past decade, and I look forward to the future impact that they will have on their new home in the Navarre community and throughout the great northwest Florida.
ENERGY AND WATER, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019
Rob Portman (Republican, OH) \u2014 2018-6-20

Senator Baldwin spoke a moment ago about this amendment we are about to vote on. prgtoken It is $20 million to the National Nuclear Security Administration's domestic isotope program. This is something this body voted for back in 2012. CBO says it has no budget authority impact. It is really important because we are getting this all from overseas. We have no domestic source. We want to get away from using highly enriched uranium for national security reasons. prgtoken I encourage you to all vote for this. prgtoken .
TRIBUTE TO SANDY HILDING
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-6-20

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Sandy Hilding of Shenandoah, Iowa, on her retirement as principal of Shenandoah High School in Shenandoah, Iowa. Sandy has served as principal there since 2008. prgtoken Sandy is a native of Fort Madison, Iowa. After graduating high school, she started working at the HyVee Food Store and transferred to Shenandoah, Iowa in the 1980s. She also worked at the Eaton Corporation in Shenandoah, Iowa when she realized her passion was in education and working with children. Sandy received her education degree from Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska. She began teaching mathematics in 1991 at Shenandoah High School and in 2002, she accepted a position as principal/athletic director at Farragut Community Schools in Farragut, Iowa. Six years later, she returned to Shenandoah High School as principal. Sandy has a reputation for working hard and being dedicated to her students and high school. prgtoken , I applaud and congratulate Sandy Hilding on her career and retirement. Sandy has made a difference by helping and serving others. It is with great honor that I recognize her today. I ask that my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives join me in acknowledging her accomplishments in education. I thank her for her service to the Shenandoah community and wish her all the best in the future.
TAX REFORM
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-6-20

as you may know, I voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that became law last year. Every day we are learning more about the positive impact this law is having on the economy and about average Americans having more money in their paychecks. While it is important to appreciate the effects that the tax law had on individuals, we should not forget that small businesses have benefited from the law as well. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I supported the legislation because I believed it would allow small business owners to invest in their businesses, increase overall economic growth, and reduce taxes for the millions of small businesses who employ the majority of Americans in every part of the country. I also saw the potential that the legislation would have, not just to give an economic boost to small businesses in my home State of Idaho, but to spark renewed confidence from small businesses across the country. A couple of weeks ago, I began this series of speeches to bring attention to small businesses that have benefited from this law. prgtoken While there are many stories about small businesses benefitting from tax reform, I rise today to talk about Dempsey Wood Products in Orangeburg, SC. Dempsey Wood Products offers a wide variety of high- quality pine and hardwood products to its customers. The company serves many different industries with kiln-dried lumber for the housing industry, pallet stock for pallet manufacturers, debarked chips for the paper industry, prgtoken mulch for landscapers, and sawdust for alternative fuel use. The company employs about 80 to 100 workers and has an extensive sawmill and dry kiln operation. Ronny Dempsey started the company in 1988 and has spent all of his life around the lumber industry. His father, Charles Parker Dempsey, worked in various sawmills over the course of his career and eventually was the coowner of a sawmill that he later sold. Today Parker Dempsey, a third-generation sawmill operator, has taken over as president, though his father, Ronny, is still by his side as vice president of the company. prgtoken This family-owned small business has already benefitted greatly from the tax law that was passed last year. They have announced plans to upgrade their sawmill, purchase a new dry kiln, and invest in a new planer mill over the next 5 years. They expect the capital expenditure to total $7 million and estimate that they could add a second shift in the near future, thereby creating new jobs in the Orangeburg community. These investments were viable for the company due to the accelerated depreciation provisions contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This section of the law allows companies to deduct the value of any new equipment purchased in a single year, instead of over several years. Tax reform has had a material impact on small businesses like Dempsey Wood Products and their employees. Overal
TRIBUTE TO THOMAS PATTERSON MANEY
Marco Rubio (Republican, FL) \u2014 2018-6-20

I recognize Judge Thomas Patterson Maney, who has served his Nation honorably and is retiring. prgtoken Judge Maney served our Nation in the Army Reserve for almost 37 years, including 8 years of Active Duty, serving in Panama, Haiti, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. As a major and lieutenant colonel, he worked with the military group at the U.S. Embassy in Panama, training the Guardia Nacional/Panama Defense Force in civil affairs and civic action. He commanded a reserve civil affairs brigade in Maryland, as well as the 350th Civil Affairs Command in Pensacola, and later served as the deputy commander of the Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command and deputy commandant of the John F. Kennedy Special Operations School at Fort Bragg. He is the recipient of the Purple Heart and retired as an Army brigadier general in 2007. prgtoken Judge Maney was appointed Okaloosa County court judge by Governor Bob Martinez and assumed the bench on June 5, 1989. He was elected to the position in 1990 and was subsequently reelected each time he was on the ballot. During his time as a circuit court judge, he served as a juvenile dependency judge, child support judge, and served as the Baker Act/Marchman Act judge for nearly a decade. Judge Maney shares his passion and expertise of the law with colleagues across the district and the State of Florida, delivering educational presentations for the Conference of County Court Judges and the Advanced Judicial College. He also started the Okaloosa Mental Health Court and the Okaloosa Veterans Treatment Court. The act establishing the Okaloosa Veterans Treatment Court was named the T. Patt Maney Veterans Treatment Court Act in his honor. prgtoken Judge Maney was born in Lexington, KY, and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville College of Law, Troy State University, and the Army War College. He has been married to his wife, Caroline, for almost 47 years, and they have two daughters and six grandchildren. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. prgtoken I thank Judge Maney for a lifetime of devotion to serving our Nation both overseas and on the bench. I extend my best wishes to him and his family on his well-earned retirement.