mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
TRIO PROGRAM ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS
Glenn Thompson (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise today to speak about TRIO programs, which, for more than 50 years, have helped millions of low-income students attend college. Often, these students are the first in their family to earn a college degree. TRIO programs have helped low-income and disabled students who want to pursue a higher education, but thought college was unaffordable and out of reach. prgtoken Children from disadvantaged families often struggle to access important mentoring, tutoring, and other hands-on services designed to help encourage high school completion and the pursuit of postsecondary education. prgtoken Sadly, these students are often unprepared for college academics and require remedial courses that add to the challenges of completing a program. Too many disadvantaged students simply give up on even applying to college because they are confused by the application process, overwhelmed by the cost, or are unaware of the available financial aid options, despite our best efforts to ensure the information is available and understandable. prgtoken Recognizing these challenges, the Federal Government has created several programs to help disadvantaged students access the support necessary to realize the dream of a college degree. For example, college preparation and retention programs such as TRIO, Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Student Support Services provide a pipeline of support services that encourage low-income students to graduate high school and earn a postsecondary degree. prgtoken , just last week, the House unanimously approved the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Act and support skills-based career education. This bill will help close the skills gap that exists today and prepare students for in-demand jobs. prgtoken TRIO programs are just as important to help those who want to pursue a college degree have the resources necessary to do so. prgtoken As a senior member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I am a strong supporter of TRIO. I am also a member of the House TRIO Caucus. I want all Americans to have higher education opportunities if that is the path that they choose. prgtoken The TRIO program dates back to the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to the administration's War on Poverty. That is when Upward Bound was formed. In 1965, Talent Search, the second outreach program, was created as part of the Higher Education Act. prgtoken In 1968, Student Support Services, which was originally known as Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments and became the third in a series of educational opportunity programs. By the late 1960s, the term TRIO was coined to describe these three Federal programs. prgtoken Over the years, the TRIO programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider range of services and to reach more students who need assistance. In 1990, t
TRIBUTE TO LILLI JASPER
John Thune (Republican, SD) \u2014 2017-6-28

today I recognize the hard work of my Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee intern Lilli Jasper. Lilli hails from Sioux Falls, SD, and is a rising junior at South Dakota State University. prgtoken While interning on the Commerce Committee, Lilli assisted the Communication, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee. She is a dedicated worker who was committed to getting the most out of her internship. I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Lilli for all of the fine work she did for the committee and wish her continued success in the years to come.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
Steve King (Republican, IA) \u2014 2017-6-28

. Mr. Chair, the balance of my time. prgtoken First, I say in response to the gentleman from Maryland's discussion about the States courts that have prohibited caps. That is one of the reasons that we need this legislation, is that you have out-of-control liberal judges that have decided that even their State legislatures can't pass the laws. They want to come in and preempt the states' rights of we, the people, of the individual States who elect their general assemblies to make their decisions. prgtoken Often, the judges are set in lifetime appointments where they are not held accountable, so it would be interesting to look back into each of these States that the gentleman from Maryland has mentioned and address this thing from ``we, the people'' because we, the people, are the power in this country. Our rights come from God, and they are vested in we, the people. prgtoken I thought the gentleman from Pennsylvania's look at H.R. 1215 was a really deft way to focus on this and speak about the Magna Carta, but there wasn't anybody back in old England in that time that had any shot at filing a liability claim, let alone receiving a frivolous claim that would make one individual vastly wealthy at the expense of a lot of other folks. So this is something that has accumulated over the last 502 years since the Magna Carta was signed. prgtoken So I would say this: healthcare costs are out of control due in large part to unlimited lawsuits and other problems Care failed to solve or else Care made worse. H.R. 1215 is commonsense litigation reform legislation that will rein in overly aggressive and healthcare lawsuits while preserving the ability of plaintiffs to recover unlimited economic damages. prgtoken The bill applies only to claims concerning the provision of healthcare goods or services for which coverage is provided in whole or in part by a Federal program, a Federal subsidy, or a Federal tax benefit giving it a clear Federal nexus. prgtoken This isn't criminal legislation. It doesn't address the cases of rape. We should arrest those people and lock them up in prison and punish them to the max, but it is not the subject of this legislation. prgtoken So wherever the Federal policy directly affects the distribution of prgtoken healthcare, there is a clear Federal interest in reducing the cost of such Federal policy. This bill's commonsense reforms, which have been the law in California for over 40 years, are conservatively estimated by CBO to save at least $50 billion. The previous estimate was $54 billion in Federal healthcare dollars. At the same time, this bill doesn't in any way limit compensation for 100 percent of plaintiffs' losses. prgtoken As reported in The Washington Post last month, the U.S. healthcare spending is projected to accelerate over the next day. A study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services project that the average growth in healthcare spending will be even fas
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
Roger Marshall (Republican, KS) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise in support of this amendment offered by gentleman from Tennessee. Like Dr. Roe, I, too, have been an OB-GYN. prgtoken The standard of care is defined by local physicians. Let me say that again. The standard of care should be defined by local physicians, and how medicine is practiced may vary from location to location. No matter what, all physicians, especially in rural settings, don't have access to all the luxuries in tertiary centers. Demanding that experts representing either side of a dispute practice medicine in the State of jurisdiction is just common sense.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
John J. Duncan, Jr. (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise in opposition to this bill. As the House Liberty Caucus wrote, this bill violates the 10th Amendment that conservatives have always supported. prgtoken More troubling is the way this bill is worded. It could lead to what the Liberty Caucus describes as a ``massive expansion of Federal authority'' because it could make almost every medical malpractice case a Federal case. Every case should not be a Federal case. prgtoken The States have already put pretty severe limits on medical malpractice cases. I have two other problems with this bill. I am in my 29th year in Congress. The doctors were asking for this $250,000 limit then, too. $250,000 29 years ago is certainly not $250,000 today. prgtoken Finally, this bill, in the end, is saying there are really no limits on suits against 99.8 percent of the people I represent, but we are going to have special protection for this one very respected group of people. Conservatives have traditionally had more faith in people than in government. prgtoken I was a judge for 7.5 years before coming to Congress. Conservatives used to believe strongly in the jury system, and still should believe in that today.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
David P. Roe (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise today in support of H.R. 1215, the Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017, a much needed piece of legislation aimed at reforming medical malpractice law in order to help drive down the cost of providing healthcare and, thereby, making it more affordable for all Americans. prgtoken I had the privilege of practicing medicine in the great State of Tennessee for 31 years before coming to Congress. The one thing that took away some of the joy from that practice was the threat of frivolous lawsuits. prgtoken Because of trial attorneys, over the years, the premiums for malpractice insurance have ballooned to levels that make it difficult for providers to practice and are driving more people out of practice, away from small practices, and into large hospital systems just so they can survive as a practitioner. Worse still, the jury awards aren't going to the victims of actual malpractice. prgtoken In Tennessee, prior to implementing some malpractice reforms, over half the premium dollars were paid out to attorneys, and less than 40 cents of every dollar paid out have gone to people who have actually been injured. So we are not compensating the injured party. prgtoken Thankfully, States like my home State of Tennessee are taking action and have enacted much-needed reforms in the last decade, and the costs associated with providing care have plummeted since then. In 2008, the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Act was signed into law and created requirements that the plaintiff in a healthcare liability action provide the defendant with a pre-suit notice of the claim as well as a qualified expert to review the case and certify it has merit. prgtoken Adding onto these reforms, in 2011, the Tennessee Civil Justice Act was signed into law, and it included a $750,000 cap for noneconomic damages and a cap on punitive damages at the greater of twice the compensatory damages or $500,000. prgtoken With these changes, between 2008 and 2014, the number of medical malpractice lawsuits in Tennessee decreased by 36 percent, from 584 to just 374. And, , between 2009 and 2014, the annual medical malpractice premium for an OB/GYN doctor like myself decreased from $52,000-plus to $33,000-plus, nearly a $20,000 decrease in premiums per year. prgtoken Those of us who were here in 2009 when the Affordable Care Act was debated remember that President acknowledged that the cost of defensive medicine was a bipartisan concern and something that he wanted to address. Despite the fact that our legislation is modeled on a California law that has stood the test for 40 years through both and ic Governors, made no serious attempt to address medical malpractice as their healthcare bill was pushed through, which is yet another flaw of the ACA. prgtoken Today's bill is common sense. With these reforms, we will ensure patients, not trial attorneys, are compensated for legitimate malpractice cla
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
James M. Inhofe (Republican, OK) \u2014 2017-6-28

this is a little out of character. Confession is good for the soul. One of my very favorite--maybe my most favorite--of spectator sports is, of all things, girls' softball. prgtoken Now, a lot of people don't even know anything about the sport. It is pretty incredible. I am pleased to tell you that Oklahoma City is the home of a very famous ASA Hall of Fame stadium, which is the world's No. 1 softball field. This is where the Big 12 Softball Championship and the Women's College World Series are held. prgtoken This past May, the Sooners won the championship game at the Big 12 softball tournament between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, which also has a great team, at this impressive stadium. The Sooners won. prgtoken Then, on June 6, they became the 2017 Women's College World Series national champions in Oklahoma City. prgtoken After facing diversity in the earlier game against North Dakota State in the NCAA regionals, the Sooners proceeded to win 11 consecutive games--think about that, 11 consecutive games--ultimately achieving a 5-to-4 victory over the University of Florida Gators. prgtoken In the first game of the championship series, Oklahoma outlasted Florida in a recordbreaking--I was here; we were actually in session at that time--17 innings. It went until 3 o'clock in the morning. Of course, we won. It was the longest game in the history of women's college series of all time. prgtoken This win is the women's softball team's second consecutive national championship and the third in the last 5 years. This is a big deal. These girls come from all over the country and end up playing softball there. It is something where they are clearly national champions. It makes me very proud to see that they are doing so well. prgtoken I would like to take a moment to congratulate all of the players. Their hard work clearly paid off. It is important to thank the coaches as well. Thank you for your skills, your tenacity, and your dedication, which helped lead these ladies to victory. prgtoken Their remarkable head coach, Patty Gasso, has been with OU since 1995, and was inducted into the National Fast Pitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012. I bet you didn't even know there was such a thing, but there is. She and her staff have worked together over the last few decades to build a legacy that has a strong community following. These women will continue to make Oklahoma proud through their various roles as students, athletes, and leaders. prgtoken Just last week, junior pitcher Paige Parker was warming up before she threw the ceremonial first pitch of the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox. It was during this warmup that the Royals players were able to see firsthand how impressive girls' softball pitchers are. The catcher even missed some of them and almost fell over. prgtoken I wish the best of luck to these players and the coaches for next year's softball season. Enjoy your success, and
TRIBUTE TO FIRE CONTROLMAN 1ST CLASS GARY L. REHM, JR.
Jim Jordan (Republican, OH) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise today to honor the life of a courageous career Navy man, Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary L. Rehm, Jr who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of his fellow Americans. prgtoken Gary was born and raised in Elyria, in the Fourth District of Ohio. He followed in his grandfather's footsteps, joining the Navy straight out of high school and serving nearly 20 years, including a deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. prgtoken Gary was on the USS Fitzgerald when it was struck by a container ship off the coast of Japan on June 17. Amid the chaos, Gary jumped into action, battling the raging water that flooded one of the ship's berthing compartments, risking his own life to bring his shipmates to safety. prgtoken The sailors who admire him so much might use words like ``valiant,'' ``heroic,'' and ``noble'' to describe Gary's actions that day, but the words he would probably use to describe himself are found in the Navy's motto: ``Not for Self but for Country.'' prgtoken Gary is survived by a loving family, including his wife, Erin; his sister, Jessica; his niece, Margaret Neal; and his parents, Gary and Anita. prgtoken For his profound sacrifice, this Nation owes Gary L. Rehm, Jr and his family a tremendous debt of gratitude. He will be greatly missed, but the strength of his character, his selflessness, and the courage he demonstrated through his service will live on forever.
DEBT AND DEFICIT
David Schweikert (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2017-6-28

this is one of those things I partially do, I think, as therapy. About once every other month, I ask for a block of time to try to take a bunch of very complex numbers and try to find ways to put them on boards and demonstrate them. prgtoken I am going to take a little divergence just for a moment or two, in response to some of the things I have heard today. We are actually going to focus on debt and deficit and what is actually demographically driving them, what is really happening in this country, and what is going to drive all public policy in our life. prgtoken You have had a handful of things said about the ACA--many people know it as Care--and our replacement. I know some of the things that the Senate is working on. prgtoken There is a math problem--and it is very simple--in the individual market. So if you hear someone turn to you and say, This is about healthcare for everyone or this is employer-based, or Medicare, it is not. prgtoken In my congressional district, less than 2 percent of my population actually purchased in the individual market. So you have to start putting this in perspective. prgtoken Here is your math problem. Because the prices kept moving up and the deductibles kept becoming larger and larger, half of our population-- that 50 percent that only uses 3 percent of healthcare dollars--stopped buying. prgtoken I came across a number earlier this week--I haven't had a chance to vet it, but it was in a publication--saying that, of the 18- to 30- year-old population that would be in the individual purchasing market, only about 17 percent of them were actually buying the insurance. prgtoken So those of you who do math, you start to understand what happens in a world where half the population that really uses very little healthcare services doesn't buy a product and those who are purchasing it are those who are the high users of it. prgtoken Remember, 50 percent of all healthcare dollars are used by 5 percent of the population. So you start to see it is this hockey stick curve that shoots up. That is the math problem that is trying to be fixed. prgtoken In the last 3 years, if you are from Arizona, you have had a 190 percent price hike in the mean plan and you have a single choice. So if we are going to be intellectually honest, should we hold our brothers and sisters around here to their own words and their own promises? You remember the promises a few years ago about keep your doctor, $2,500 discount, lots of choices, lots of options, well, in Arizona, your prices have skyrocketed, you didn't get to keep your doctor, and you now have a single choice. prgtoken That is the reality of the math. Sometimes it is just so hard sitting here when you hear people just pulling things out of the air, and then you go to the bill and say: But I can't find that. prgtoken And you get these weird logic trains that if this happened and a meteor hit here and this and that. At some point we need to be honest
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
Richard Hudson (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-6-28

I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this issue, and I also would like to express my appreciation to my colleague from Tennessee. prgtoken We all care about patients and we all care about patients seeking justice, but I just think maybe we disagree how to get there at this point. prgtoken The one point he raised about the crocodile tears, the way he describes the Sorry Provision, look, doctors are human beings and sometimes things happen. It should be appropriate for a physician to be able to express those feelings that they are sorry that that happened without that being seen as some sign that there is guilt involved. So I think the Sorry Provision is important because the doctor-patient relationship is very important, and these are human beings. prgtoken The other argument that was raised, that it is an undue burden to have to have an expert witness, listen. A lot of these cases are very detailed and very specific. If you are talking about a cardiothoracic event, you need a cardiothoracic surgeon to discuss that. A lot of these speciality fields, it is important that you have someone from that field as an expert. prgtoken Frankly, there are folks out there who have the profession of being professional witnesses. They travel around the country and testify on behalf of the plaintiff bar. Frankly, I think we need to have experts testifying that are qualified to talk about those very specific cases that they are testifying against. prgtoken The other thing that was raised is that the 90-day notice is an unfair burden on a patient. Frankly, I believe that having a little bit of time where individuals can talk could actually help that patient get to a settlement, get some redress earlier. prgtoken I don't think you are delaying any kind of justice for individuals, but I think it is important that there is notification time, there is time for both parties to communicate. I think, in the end, you might end up having justice delivered much quicker than going through a lengthy trial that could have been avoided if you had a notice in the beginning. prgtoken This amendment simply is seeking to provide justice for those who deserve it much more quickly with much less expense, but also to preserve our healthcare system. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3003, NO SANCTUARY FOR CRIMINALS ACT
Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-6-28

. Most of the people who come here, most of the people flooding here, even the illegals, are basically wonderful people. But that doesn't mean that we can bring in more than that, 1 million-- prgtoken By the way, we need to understand, don't condemn America on its immigration policy. We let a million legal immigrants into our country every year, and that is more than the rest of the world combined. We can be proud of that. prgtoken But, at the same time, we have to make sure that our people are protected, that they don't lose their jobs, or they don't have to accept less money for the same work because you have got somebody here who will work for nothing. prgtoken We want to make sure when they need their healthcare, they get their healthcare. That will bankrupt our system. Are we going to have a sanctuary healthcare system, too, so anybody in the world can come here and use up our scarce health dollars? prgtoken No, it is time for us to strike a blow for the protection of Americans and legal immigrants of every race and religion and ethnic background, not to show these things. Immigrant hysteria; shame, shame, shame.