mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Medicare Part D (Executive Session)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-12-7

I come to the floor to celebrate 20 years since the passage of the Part D Medicare prescription drug benefit. Tomorrow, December 8, is that day. prgtoken There was a time when the seniors of America on Medicare didn't have access to nationwide prescription drug benefits, so, as I indicated, 20 years ago tomorrow, President signed into law a nationwide prescription drug benefit for our Nation's seniors. prgtoken At that time, I was chairman of the Finance Committee, and I was proud to be the lead author on Medicare Part D. It wasn't easy. It took several years to bring Members of both political parties in the Senate and the House, along with a President--in this case, President --to accomplish this monumental task. prgtoken As I remember, both political parties were blaming each other over a period of maybe 5 or 6 years for why we didn't have a prescription drug bill and probably blaming each other. Throughout 2001, 2002, and 2003, I led bipartisan negotiations that eventually produced the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, which is the official title of that legislation. prgtoken In 2003, I said this, a quote from that period of time: Medicare is part of our country's social fabric. We're not only saving it, but we're also improving it. prgtoken Of course, that still rings true today. prgtoken Today, 52 million seniors are voluntarily enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, because it is not a requirement of Medicare. In 2023, 804 stand-alone prescription drug plans were offered across the Nation, with the average Iowan having over 20 plans to choose from to meet whatever their special needs are. Over the lifetime of the program, the average annual Medicare Part D base beneficiary monthly premium has been between $27 to $36 a month. prgtoken I remember some of the discussions that we were having back then as we tried to develop this legislation. We thought to ourselves that we had to be very careful that the initial premiums were not over $40 a month because we figured that was just too high for anybody to participate in this new program. We knew or at least thought at that time that they would continue to go up according to inflation, but, as you can see, after 27 years, the base beneficiary monthly premium is still well below $40 a month, which obviously is quite a surprise to those of us who were involved at that time in writing this legislation but a very positive surprise. prgtoken Access and affordability have been a key hallmark of the Medicare Part D Program, but so has good stewardship of the taxpayers' dollars. In the first decade of the program, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that Medicare Part D would cost taxpayers roughly $550 billion for that decade. It ended up costing $353 billion, which was 36 percent less than the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected in 2003. prgtoken Most Federa
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELATING TO "IMPROVING INCOME DRIVEN REPAYMENT FOR THE WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM...
Roger Williams (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-12-7

I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 88, which I am a cosponsor of. prgtoken This Congressional Review Act would stop President 's radical SAVE Plan that alters the income-driven repayment program to redefine the vast majority of borrowers as financially distressed. prgtoken It saves nothing. In fact, in my business, it is called false advertising, and costing the taxpayer an estimated $559 billion is effectively a loan cancellation program in disguise. prgtoken Who is talking about the lenders? Who is talking about the people who loaned the money, the people of America? prgtoken In June, President 's unconstitutional plan to cancel outstanding loan debt was struck down by the Supreme Court, which stated that the authority to cancel student loans lies with Congress and Congress only, not with President . prgtoken This latest plan by President is yet another attempt to ignore the Supreme Court and sidestep Congress even after members of his own party have admitted the executive branch lacks the authority to do so. prgtoken Yesterday, the President announced that his administration approved another $4.8 billion in student loan cancellation, bringing the current total to over $130 billion, basically sponsoring deadbeats. prgtoken This is a slap in the face to the taxpayer, forcing the 87 percent of Americans who do not hold any Federal student loan debt and who have made sound financial decisions to foot the bill for those unwilling to pay off the debt they chose to rack up. prgtoken What this administration refuses to admit to the American people is that this is not debt cancellation or debt forgiveness but a shift in responsibility from the borrowers to the pocketbooks of hardworking families. prgtoken In Texas, where I come from, a deal is a deal. You pay your debt back, and a handshake still works. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.J. Res. 88 and put a stop to this administration's unlawful attack on the American taxpayer. In God We Trust.
HONORING GEORGE JOSEPH HIGGINS
Clay Higgins (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-12-7

silence your heart and look into the eyes of this young American. Tomorrow he would have been 101 years old. prgtoken On December 8, 1941, for his 19th birthday, he got World War II. Like millions of other young men across the country, when the attack on Pearl Harbor was announced the following day after that fateful morning on December 7, this young man stood up, went and joined the Navy. prgtoken The Navy sent him to flight school. He served his country as a pilot in World War II. He died many years later as I held his hand. This man is my father, George Joseph Higgins. prgtoken Happy birthday, Dad.
WELCOMING BISHOP LARRY LAWRENCE BRANDON
Mike Johnson (Republican, LA) \u2014 2023-12-7

I rise this morning to introduce my longtime friend, Bishop Larry Lawrence Brandon, who I have the honor of hosting as our guest chaplain in the House today. prgtoken Bishop Brandon is the senior pastor of Praise Temple Missionary Baptist Church, which has faithfully served the people of the Shreveport-Bossier area for over three decades. prgtoken In 1992, Bishop Brandon and six others founded Praise Temple. They met in the homes of local church leaders for prayer offerings and Bible study until they eventually moved into a worship space in Shreveport. prgtoken Under his dutiful stewardship, the church flourished. They have built the ``church where the doors swing on the hinges of love,'' as their motto states. prgtoken Last year, he moved back to his hometown of Oakland, California, to expand his ministry, but he holds deep ties to our area back home and is a beloved member of our community. prgtoken Bishop Brandon has been a trusted leader in the Shreveport-Bossier area. He has served in leadership roles in local nonprofits, civic organizations, faith-based ministries, and still serves as president of the Northwest Louisiana Community Development Corporation. prgtoken Bishop Brandon has been a great advocate for the sanctity of human life, and his work in the community and in biblical scholarship has served as an important reminder of the eternal hope that we have in Christ. prgtoken I am grateful that he is joining us as our guest chaplain.
MARKING 82ND ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR
Doug LaMalfa (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-12-7

today, as you know, marks the 82nd anniversary of the dirty attack on Pearl Harbor, where the U.S. was thrown into war by the Imperial Japanese military. prgtoken Indeed, we should never ever forget, and we should always have vigilance and readiness. prgtoken At the time right now when our world is in great peril, I worry about the readiness we have in order to do what we need to do to protect ourselves and those allies we care about. prgtoken Some of my best memories are with some of the people I knew who were involved in Pearl Harbor, such as my dear friend, Mel Fisher, and his wife, Cathy, on the 69th, when I was able to attend Pearl Harbor ceremonies with them on the USS Arizona. That was a great moment for me to be involved. I also think of a great patriot, over 100 years old and still living in Grass Valley, California, my good friend, Lou Conter, the last surviving member of the USS Arizona. prgtoken I think of people like that, and I think of these brave folks who stand in the gap for us and for our country on this day. We should honor them as we honor them every day, by being good citizens for freedom in this country.
83RD ANNIVERSARY OF FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI
Mark Alford (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-12-7

I rise today to recognize a landmark event in our Nation's military history, the 83rd anniversary of the groundbreaking of Fort Leonard Wood in Pulaski County, Missouri. prgtoken Fort Leonard Wood stands as a symbol of American excellence and dedication. The base's rich history is marked from its early beginnings where it played a crucial role during World War II, serving as a training facility for more than 300,000 soldiers. prgtoken Today, Fort Leonard Wood continues the level of excellence displayed in those beginnings as it has become a cornerstone of our military's infrastructure, training more than 80,000 personnel each year. prgtoken This facility's unique capability to train every branch of our military demonstrates its versatility and importance in our national defense. prgtoken I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution and to recognize the 83rd anniversary of the groundbreaking of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2023-12-7

if were unsure about s' seriousness about including meaningful border security provisions in the national security supplemental, yesterday's vote made it crystal clear. Every single Senate rejected ' collective attempt to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that what is happening at our southern border isn't a threat to our security. prgtoken Border security is national security, which is why any national security supplemental that moves through this Chamber must tackle this crisis head-on. prgtoken On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and told Members: I've never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated all at exactly the same time. prgtoken Senator Graham then asked Wray to comment on the threat environment using the blinking red lights analogy often used about warnings before the September 11 attacks. And Director Wray responded: I see blinking lights everywhere I turn. ``I see blinking lights everywhere I turn.'' prgtoken It is against the background of this threat environment that s are asking to finally--and I say finally--help secure our border. prgtoken We have endured 3, now, recordbreaking years of illegal immigration at our southern border under President , and the situation is only getting worse. prgtoken Tuesday saw a staggering 12,000 migrant encounters at our southern border--12,000 in just 1 day. That is 8 people per minute, and that follows 2 days of 10,000-plus encounters. I am not sure how anyone can look at these numbers and not think this is a crisis. prgtoken Plus, those numbers don't count any ``got-aways''--those are individuals the Border Patrol saw but was unable to apprehend--who may have made their way across the border during that same period. The month of October saw an average of roughly 1,000 ``got-aways'' per day. That is roughly 30,000 unknown individuals who made their way into our country--30,000 in just 1 month. All told, there have been more than 1.7 million known ``got-aways'' on President 's watch, not to mention an unknown number of unknown ``got-aways.'' prgtoken These ``got-aways'' are not the migrants who are showing up, hoping to be apprehended because they know they can game the asylum or parole system. No--these are individuals bent on avoiding detection, which should concern us deeply. prgtoken Anyone who doesn't think bad actors are attempting to exploit the situation at our southern border needs to think prgtoken again. During fiscal year 2023, the Border Patrol apprehended 169 individuals on the Terrorist Watchlist attempting to make their way across our southern border into our country. That number, by the way, is more than the total of the previous 6 fiscal years combined. prgtoken FBI Director Wray noted at that same Judiciary Committee hearing that since the Hamas a
CONGRATULAT[NG MAGGIE BURN OWENS FOR 35 YEARS AT THE CALHOUN COUNTY YMCA
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-12-7

I rise today to congratulate Maggie Burn Owens for her 35 years of service at the YMCA of Calhoun County. prgtoken She currently serves as president and CEO of the YMCA of Calhoun County where 3,586 people benefit each year from the programs and services offered. prgtoken Under her leadership, the YMCA of Calhoun County has undergone extensive efforts to boost financial assistance in order to grow the membership of the organization. prgtoken The YMCA was able to offer $129,177 in financial assistance last year to children, individuals and families who might otherwise not have been able to participate in YMCA programs or memberships. prgtoken We are extremely proud of Maggie and her ongoing commitment to the Calhoun County community. prgtoken , please join me in congratulating Maggie Burn Owens for her 35 years of service to the YMCA of Calhoun County.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELATING TO "IMPROVING INCOME DRIVEN REPAYMENT FOR THE WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAM...
Virginia Foxx (Republican, NC) \u2014 2023-12-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.J. Res. 88, a Congressional Review Act resolution authored by Representative McClain of Michigan, that would bar the administration from spending hundreds of billions of dollars by executive fiat. prgtoken On June 30 of this year, mere hours after the Supreme Court decapitated the administration's previous student loan scheme, the Department of Education unveiled its so-called Savings on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. Despite its deceptive name, this is without question the most expensive regulation in our Nation's history. prgtoken , how bad will the damage be? The Congressional Budget Office estimates this new IDR program will actually cost over $260 billion over the next 10 years, over $100 billion more than what the Department was telling the American people. prgtoken But wait. There is more. Outside experts estimate the cost to be as much as $559 billion. prgtoken Clearly, this is not a repayment plan, and have not been shy about their intentions for reshaping postsecondary education. prgtoken Indeed, couldn't get their socialist free college fantasy through Congress, so they are attempting to shove it down the throats of Americans through the loan program by executive fiat. prgtoken , millions of Americans are grasping their wallets at this news--and rightfully so. They have already been pummeled by inflation for months on end, and now they are staring down an avalanche of debt this country cannot afford that will surely bury them if Congress doesn't put an end to this madness. prgtoken H.J. Res. 88 offers us the opportunity to send a clear signal to this administration that we will no longer tolerate a dictator in chief. prgtoken Here is the simple truth: Money cannot be printed out of thin air without consequences. We should pass H.J. Res. 88 and put an end to this reckless use of taxpayer dollars. prgtoken , .
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-12-7

yesterday, every single rejected the ic leader's attempt to separate border security from national security. As we have said for weeks, that was a futile effort that was doomed to fail from the very beginning. Hopefully, the Senate can now seize a new opportunity to make real progress on legislation that addresses urgent national security priorities both at home and abroad. prgtoken So let's establish a few things going forward: It is profoundly unserious to pretend that national security priorities don't include securing our Nation's borders, to warn about borders in jeopardy and not start with the one that is being overrun here at home, to invoke threats facing sovereign nations without a clear plan to uphold America's own sovereignty. prgtoken , I am not in need of any lectures about the gravity of the challenges facing national security. I don't need any admonishments about what is at stake for America and our allies in Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. I am well aware that the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism remains undeterred from trying to kill Americans in the Middle East. And I certainly have not forgotten that China, our top strategic adversary, is watching what we do very closely. prgtoken Instead, unfortunately, it has been the administration-- including our Commander in Chief--who has all too often needed reminders about the responsibilities of a global superpower. From Europe to the Middle East, the administration has reached new heights of self-deterrence. prgtoken With Putin's forces massing on the borders of Ukraine, the administration slow-walked lethal assistance. As the Russian offensive unfolded, they held back the most decisive capabilities Ukraine needed out of an unfounded fear of escalation. prgtoken And even with further security assistance hanging in the balance, the administration has been slow--very slow--to sell this urgent measure and its massive domestic benefits to our people here at home. prgtoken From the outset, the administration resumed the -era efforts to reset relations with Tehran and removed the Iran-backed Houthis from the terrorism list. Also, it is no surprise that Iran has snubbed its nose at these displays of weakness. It is no surprise that U.S. personnel are facing a spike in terrorist attacks from Iraq and Syria to the Red Sea. But the administration continues to pull its punches. prgtoken And meanwhile, s have spent years urging the administration to start performing even the bare minimum of its fundamental responsibility to secure our southern border and enforce our Nation's laws. prgtoken Right now, the crisis created by the administration's neglect is bringing illegal aliens to the United States at the rate of 300,000 a month. That is roughly the population of Lexington, KY, arriving every month. And thanks to an asylum and parole system that desperate
CHINA
Dan Sullivan (Republican, AK) \u2014 2023-12-7

. The letter says this is really important--this Outbound Investment Transparency Act, 91 to 6. Let's get it in the final NDAA. prgtoken It is pretty simple, pretty noncontroversial. prgtoken But, , as you know, nothing here is ever simple. Evidently, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Patrick McHenry--I don't know him. He seems like a nice guy, from what I hear. But, boy, is this guy misguided because it is all over the press that he fought like crazy to strip this provision out of the NDAA. prgtoken Why would he do that? By the way, he is retiring. So I am not sure why we give him a lot of say anymore. But somehow, some way, one Congressman--, by the way--over in the House convinced the House to strip this transparency provision that is meant to undermine this bad guy. They stripped it out of the NDAA. So it is not in the National Defense Authorization Act because one Congressman said: I don't want it in. Ninety-one Senators said: We need it in. And, by the way, the vast majority of the House wants it in. prgtoken You have a really strong House Member, Congressman Gallagher, who is leading this bipartisan China commission. He says it is really important. prgtoken The administration wants it in. I have talked to Secretary of Commerce Raimondo and the Secretary of Defense. They all want it in. But one Congressman, who is not even going to be around anymore, gets to strip it out so we don't know what American investments are going to make this guy stronger? He gets the final say? prgtoken This is an outrage. And this is enough of an outrage that Senator Cornyn and I, 2 weeks ago, in a lunch, when the of the House came to visit us, we said: Hey, , we are hearing some things about this really important, simple transparency investment provision, that you guys might strip it out. Why? prgtoken Come on. Some of us have been focused on the China threat for years, and now, we have one Congressman, who is leaving, and he says we strip it out, when 91 Senators say we need it. prgtoken So the said to me and Senator Cornyn--we were pretty forceful in the meeting. I am a big fan of the new , Johnson. But he said: Well, it might not make it in the NDAA, but we will bring to the floor of the House a vote on the McCaul bill. prgtoken This is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman McCaul, who has an amendment that is very similar to the Cornyn amendment. Actually, it is a little bit tougher. So he doesn't like it. Xi Jinping doesn't like it. So we said: All right, . It sounds like a good compromise. Let's do it. Thank you, . prgtoken Since that meeting, I think I have gotten a commitment, and I think Senator Cornyn thinks he has gotten a commitment from the of the House to a bunch of U.S. Senators, saying: Don't worry, we got this. prgtoken Since that time, I have been reading press reports. Now, look, the press can get a lot of things wrong. The pre
TRIBUTE TO SPECIALIST MATT BRANNON
Tommy Tuberville (Republican, AL) \u2014 2023-12-7

many of our veterans carry both visible and invisible scars from their time in the military. This is true for U.S. Army SPC Matt Brannon of Boaz. Matt vividly remembers, as a young man, watching the events of 9/11 unfold. This inspired him to join the military in 2007 after graduating from Boaz High School. Matt was wounded in action by an RPG explosion, receiving wounds to his face, arms, and hands. He continued to fight even after sustaining injuries, saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. Matt was awarded a Purple Heart for his heroic actions. prgtoken In 2012, he returned home to Boaz, where he began working with the local police department. As Matt adjusted to living with his battle scars, he found healing through the outdoors. He decided to use his experience to help veterans like him who were struggling with the after-effects of war. This led him to bring Wounded Warriors in Action to the region. Each year, he helps veterans from Alabama--and across the Nation--who served in combat, find healing through hunting and fishing. prgtoken Matt also serves as a narcotics agent with the Bureau of Special Investigations arm of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. He is on the frontlines keeping our communities safe from deadly drugs like fentanyl. prgtoken Alabama is grateful for Matt's service. It is my honor to recognize Matt Brannon as the December Veteran of the Month.