mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Steny H. Hoyer (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-11-3

we are going to debate the substance of the bill; we are going to debate it fully. We think it will not hold up well under that debate. Therefore, we will have a significant difference. prgtoken He is right. The best economy anybody in this House has experienced-- the best economy--was the last 4 years of the Clinton administration, period. Guess what we had? We had a little bit of a tax increase. We increased the gasoline tax, and we tried to pay to for infrastructure. We haven't increased it since then. prgtoken The s said: You do that, oh, the economy is going to go down the drain. The best economy any has experienced in their lifetime is under Bill Clinton. We balanced the budget 4 years in a row under Bill Clinton, the only President you can mention that balanced. prgtoken It never balanced under Ronald Reagan. It never balanced under George H.W. . It never balanced under . As a matter of fact, as soon as they took office, they made sure we wouldn't have further balances because they cut taxes in 2001 and 2003, but they didn't cut spending. prgtoken He talks about President . I know the majority leader will be interested in these statistics. I didn't count January of 2017 because, after all, that was the economy. had not done anything on the economy, but let's start with February 2017. prgtoken Under , 232,000 jobs were created. That is great. That is good. I would say that the economy is still working. prgtoken Same exact month a year earlier, not 232, but 237,000 jobs were created under . prgtoken March 2017, 50,000 under . March 2016, 225,000 jobs created under . prgtoken April 2017, 207,000 jobs. was a little down that month, 153,000 jobs. prgtoken 145,000 under , 43,000. prgtoken Then June of 2017, 210,000 under , 297,000 jobs under . prgtoken July of 2017, we are getting more recent. Under --now he has been in prgtoken office a little longer--138,000. What was it under ? 291,000 jobs--double. prgtoken August of this year, just a few months ago, 169,000 under ; 176,000. prgtoken Last month we had hurricanes. I will give the majority leader that. We lost 33,000 jobs. Under , same month a year ago, 249,000 jobs created. prgtoken As a matter of fact, under , we created 11,773,000 jobs. prgtoken Under , 2 million--excuse me--lost under , private sector jobs, a loss, after the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, lost 1,159,000 jobs. The last 12 months of the administration, 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, we couldn't change economic policy. We were in charge for the last 2 years, couldn't change it, lost 4,568,000 jobs. prgtoken Now, as a matter of fact, I have done a little thing for 68 years. Over 68 years, we had 36 years of Presidents and 32 years of ic Presidents. Under Presid
HONORING THE LIFE OF DORENE ANDERSON
Ruben J. Kihuen (Democrat, NV) \u2014 2017-11-3

. Madam , Wednesday marked the 1-month anniversary of the terrible shooting that happened in my hometown of Las Vegas. prgtoken Today I rise to remember the life of Dorene Anderson from Anchorage, Alaska, a woman who was known for her kindness and her smile. prgtoken Dorene was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend who always went above and beyond for everyone in her life. Not only was she a dedicated mother to her two daughters, she was known as a mother to her community. prgtoken Dorene loved hockey and was the treasurer of the Cowbell Crew, a nonprofit hockey organization that supported hockey at all levels. prgtoken Her friends describe her as an all-around wonderful Alaskan who had a heart of gold, a person who was friendly to everyone. prgtoken I would like to extend my condolences to Dorene's family and friends. Please know that the city of Las Vegas and the State of Nevada and the whole country grieve with you.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Kathy Castor (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-11-3

for decades now in America we have worked together to make sure that kids can see a doctor and get the care that they need. Working with pediatricians, families, and advocates back home, we have reached a historic point where almost all kids across the country have health insurance coverage. prgtoken The Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, or known in Florida as Florida KidCare, or Healthy Kids, has been an important piece of this historic coverage level. CHIP simply is vital for families, millions of hardworking families, so that their kids can get the checkups, the immunizations, sometimes the critical care that they need so they can be healthy and well. prgtoken Now, I chair the bipartisan Children's Healthcare Caucus. We educate and advocate so that kids across America are healthy and well. So it is especially disappointing this year that my colleagues failed to act before CHIP expired. prgtoken See, they were consumed all year long with ripping health coverage away, decimating the Affordable Care Act, and radically changing health services provided under Medicaid. In doing so, they let our kids down; they let our families down. And then, at the 11th hour, after the program expired, they come up with a very partisan bill rather than the bipartisan bill that has been the historic backbone of Children's Health Insurance. prgtoken Don't take it from me. A lot of the advocates across the country, like pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, March of Dimes, say: Please don't fund CHIP based upon harmful cuts; don't have cuts negatively impact the health of women, children, and families. Pediatricians say: Don't jeopardize other important child health policies in the process. prgtoken Let's go back to the drawing board as soon as possible, over the weekend, next week; bring it back to the floor next week, so that families and kids get the care that they need. prgtoken This bill today, unfortunately, is simply a delay.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Gene Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-11-3

I thank my ranking member for yielding time to me. prgtoken I rise to oppose H.R. 3922. I got elected to Congress to expand access for healthcare. I am not a doctor, I am not a nurse, but as Members of Congress, we can do as much damage as someone who isn't a doctor or nurse by legislation that we see today. prgtoken And while I strongly support extending funding for the Children's Healthcare Insurance Program and federally qualified health centers, delaying cuts to disproportionate share hospital payments, advancing our other bipartisan healthcare programs, this legislation includes offsets that undermine access to cover these services. prgtoken Again, my goal in Congress was to expand healthcare, and this bill restricts that access. Two-thirds of Medicaid dollars go to children. If you cut Medicaid, you are cutting those children's benefits. This bill cuts children from Medicaid, and it gives money to the children who are less poor on CHIP. We need both programs. We don't need one or the other. prgtoken Both CHIP and FQHCs are bedrocks of our healthcare system, providing health insurance to almost 9 million lower-income children serving on the front lines by providing high-quality primary and preventative care to more than 25 million Americans. prgtoken Congress let funding for these programs expire last month, the first time in our history, since the 1960s, that the FQHCs and the CHIP program were not bipartisan. That is the step this House is making today by doing this. prgtoken It should be bipartisan because it has always been bipartisan. Unfortunately, instead of bipartisan negotiations looking for a compromise, the process was derailed. The bill cuts, again, Medicaid. Two-thirds are children, to help poor children, and limit their access. prgtoken The Prevention Fund funds the Centers for Disease Control. We have any number of future illnesses that we need the CDC to have the ability to fight that, and here we are, cutting vaccinations in our communities. We are cutting infectious disease detection and prevention. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and let's expand access and not restrict it.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Joseph P. Kennedy III (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-11-3

this moment is a bit hard to stomach. It is hard to stomach yet another attempt to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, in the words of our colleagues, while extolling the virtues of public health programs by cutting grace periods down to 30 days that will result in hundreds of thousands of people losing access to their insurance. prgtoken It is hard to stomach a $1 trillion tax cut being proposed for wealthy adults at the same time that our colleagues are telling us that we can't afford to care for sick kids. It is hard to stomach the indifference shown in this Chamber over the course of the past month as CHIP lapses and panic sets in amongst families whose lives depend on this program. prgtoken It is hard to stomach an idea that the only way to give them care is to somehow take it away from somebody else, by gutting the Public Health Fund in the midst of an opioid epidemic or scapegoating patients who struggle to afford the monthly premiums and sometimes fall behind. prgtoken Why is it always those patients who are asked to sacrifice? prgtoken It is always those communities that are asked to do more with less. prgtoken Why do we somehow create a false choice on this floor today that leads 9 million families to an impossible choice tomorrow? prgtoken For those families, CHIP is not a privilege or a line item in the budget, it is a lifeline. They deserve the same decency and the same urgency that our colleagues showed the wealthy in their tax plan yesterday.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2017-11-3

I thank my friend and mentor, the gentleman from South Carolina, for his kind words and for yielding. prgtoken , we deal with important issues every day in this House, but there are few issues as meaningful to so many lives as the Children's Health Insurance Program. prgtoken At this time the divisions in this House mimic those in our nation. prgtoken And on many issues, those divisions can be challenging to bridge. prgtoken One of my top priorities as a new Member of this body is to help bridge those divides, instead of widening them. prgtoken I hope that my colleagues--both and s--will tell me if I fall short on that commitment. prgtoken One of the few things that does not divide us is the importance of children's healthcare and the CHIP program. prgtoken When it was signed into law 20 years ago, this landmark legislation meant so much to me. prgtoken First, as a mother of then 9-year-old, Alyssa, and 11-year-old, Alex I deeply understood the fear a parent could feel with a sick child and no insurance. prgtoken But also because at that time, I was the Deputy Secretary of Health & Social Services for Delaware. prgtoken And I had the honor of helping implement the law and seeing thousands of children who had never had healthcare get the coverage they deserved. prgtoken From the 600,000 children across the nation who were the program's first enrollees in 1998 to the nearly 9,000,000 children in 2016. prgtoken Kids across this country owe their yearly check-ups, their immunizations, and their doctor's office lollipops to this program. prgtoken And in Delaware we owe a big debt to the CHIP program, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Today, 97 percent of Delaware's children obtain medical coverage because of these programs. prgtoken In 1997, the legislation passed in a Congress with a ic President, highlighting how this truly was not a partisan issue. prgtoken That's why it's disappointing to me that we aren't moving forward on renewing the Children's Health Insurance Program with that same reasonable, bipartisan approach. prgtoken The bill before us today forces us to choose between healthcare for children and healthcare for other vulnerable populations. prgtoken Choosing between prevention and healthcare for kids is unacceptable-- particularly in a nation as great as ours. prgtoken I have spoken to many of you over the past 10 months. prgtoken I know that the people I have met in both political parties know--in their hearts--that we should not play games with the healthcare of our children. prgtoken I know that it may seem hard to oppose one's party leadership. But today I ask you to consider whether this is one of those rare times . . . those rare subjects . . . prgtoken Where we can come together to stand up for the those in need . . . prgtoken And to stand up for a clean reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program. prgtoken That's what our motion to recommit does. <|p|
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Eddie Bernice Johnson (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-11-3

I rise today in strong opposition to the bill being considered on the floor today, H.R. 3922, the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act. Unfortunately, this deceitfully named measure to reauthorize the Children's Health prgtoken Insurance Program (CHIP) and Community Health Centers (CHCs) will reauthorize these programs through FY19--but does so by kicking thousands of Americans off private insurance. prgtoken Like many of my colleagues, I strongly support CHIP, CHCs, and other critical public health initiatives. However, the bill in its current form was drafted as yet another attempt by s to undermine the Affordable Care Act in order to justify its repeal. The bill is misguided in its attempt to cut $6.35 billion over ten years from the Prevention and Public Health Fund in order to fund the extension. prgtoken H.R. 3922 also reduces grace periods from 90 to 30 days, putting more than 688,000 low- and moderate-income individuals at risk of losing their state Marketplace coverage for simply paying their premiums in the second of third month of the existing grace period. This grace period is essential to low-income households that are barely making ends meet. By reducing the current grace period, s are exposing thousands of families to risk due to a lack of health coverage. It is frankly disgraceful that we would even consider undermining these important public health programs in such a manner. prgtoken , CHIP, CHCs, the National Health Service Corps, and other programs funded under this measure are vitally important to our nation and the public health of our citizens. As the first registered nurse elected to Congress, I understand the critical need for proper long- term funding of our public health centers and programs. However, these cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund represent a purely political move by the GOP to undermine the ACA. I oppose this controversial offset, not my support for health centers across America. I urge my colleagues to oppose this measure so that we can find offsets driven by policy, not politics, in order to sufficiently fund our health centers and promote public health for all.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-11-3

I rise today in support of H.R. 3922. I want to thank Chairman Walden and Dr. Burgess for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor today. prgtoken The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act reauthorizes and funds a number of programs important to my constituents, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program, community health centers, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program. prgtoken H.R. 3922 will continue CHIP for 5 years, allowing this successful Federal-State partnership to provide health coverage for low-income children and pregnant women. It also extends funding to federally qualified health centers for 2 years, a key component of the healthcare safety net; and helps address our increasing health provider shortages by investing in the education and training of future health professionals. prgtoken Of importance, this legislation is fully paid for with responsible policies, such as measures to allow States to disenroll lottery winners from Medicaid and prioritize the most vulnerable. prgtoken I am proud of the good work that was done by the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance this legislation to the floor, and I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill and to ensure the programs are available for the people who depend upon them.
HONORING FRANK DOOLITTLE, CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL RECIPIENT
Claudia Tenney (Republican, NY) \u2014 2017-11-3

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Frank Doolittle of Bainbridge, New York. At 104 years old, Frank will be awarded the Nation's highest honor for a civilian, the Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the Civil Air Patrol. prgtoken At a pivotal time in our Nation's history, Frank dedicated himself to service here at home. In 1944, in the midst of World War II, Frank volunteered to join the Civil Air Patrol squadron in Sidney, New York. His unit was active and often tasked with finding C-47s that went down in the Northeast. prgtoken In addition to being on call 24 hours a day, Frank taught classes ranging from navigation to meteorology 3 nights a week. During World War II, members patrolled the country's coastline from Maine to Mexico, watching for enemy submarines and potential saboteurs while conducting search and rescue missions. prgtoken On Saturday, November 11, Veterans Day, I will have the distinct honor of presenting Mr. Doolittle with the Congressional Gold Medal. Since 1776, only 300 of these medals have been awarded. I ask everyone to join me today in thanking Frank Doolittle and all serving the Civil Air Patrol for their service and dedication to our country.
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IMPROVE OUR NATION ACT OF 2017
Gus M. Bilirakis (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-11-3

I am so proud to serve on this great committee under the chairman's leadership. prgtoken , I rise in support of this important bill, which incorporates my bill, the Community CARE Act, which reauthorizes funding for community health centers for the next 2 years. prgtoken Community health centers have a proven track record of providing high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare to approximately 25 million Americans, including 7 million children, and 300,000 veterans each year. There are over 100 million coordinated and integrated patient visits through the 1,400 community health centers across the country. prgtoken This bill will reauthorize CHIP for the next 5 years. This program is vital for the roughly 360,000 children on CHIP in Florida alone. prgtoken Additionally, this bill provides clarity for CHIP buy-in programs, such as the one we have in Florida. This sets the rules of the road and will ensure that 12,000 children in Florida's CHIP buy-in program will continue to have access to CHIP. prgtoken , let's get this done now for our children. I urge passage of this important piece of legislation.
HONORING THE MILITARY SERVICE OF LEONARD SWARTZ
Brian Babin (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-11-3

I rise today to remember WWII veteran, Leonard ``Lenny'' Swartz of Beaumont, TX who died peacefully in his own bed on October 30, 2017. prgtoken Lenny was born on April 17, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1930, the Great Depression forced the Swartz family to move to Atlantic City in hopes of a better living. After High School, Mr. Swartz moved back to Philadelphia until December of 1941. When WWII began for the United States, Lenny felt the call to serve his country and immediately enlisted in the United States Army. After graduating Officer's Candidate School in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina Lenny was next stationed at Camp Polk, in Deridder, Louisiana. While he prgtoken was stationed at Camp Polk, Lenny took a trip to Beaumont, TX on leave and met a woman named Marie ``Mongie'' Eisen. In March of 1943, the two entered into a marriage that would last over 74 years. Mongie died just ten weeks ago in August. The couple lived in Deridder until Lenny was sent to Ft. Ord California for training before he boarded a ship headed to fight in the Pacific. prgtoken Lenny was a captain in the 536th Amphibious Tank Battalion that played an important role in the Battle of Leyte Gulf that began the invasion of the Philippine Islands. It was while fighting during the invasion of Okinawa that Lenny was wounded badly and received his battlefield recognition. When the war ended, Lenny left the military as a Major and returned with Mongie to Beaumont. After working for his father-in-law in the produce business, Lenny opened his own produce business. prgtoken Lenny was very active in the American Legion, Jewish War Veterans and the Masons. He always set an example for his sons and community by working hard every day and being active at his synagogue. After retiring, Lenny worked in his flower gardens around his home and watched his favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys. Mr. Swartz loved his family dearly and truly lived a life worth living. prgtoken It is always an honor for me to recognize those American heroes who sacrificed so much defending and preserving our freedom in World War II. This truly was the greatest generation. We thank Mr. Swartz--as well as his entire family--for their bravery and sacrifice to our great nation.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF IDAHO WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE IDAHO STEP CHALLENGE TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLNESS BY MEASURING THEIR DAILY STEP COUNT
Michael K. Simpson (Republican, ID) \u2014 2017-11-3

I rise today to recognize the achievements of several constituents in my district who have taken it upon themselves to improve their health and wellness by incorporating exercise and a balanced diet into their daily routine. prgtoken Last year, my staff and I created the Idaho STEP Challenge. The goal of the challenge was to encourage residents from across the state of Idaho to get fit and healthy by walking virtually across the United States, while collecting data on a wearable activity tracker and pedometer. Beginning on June 1, 2016, a group of more than 300 residents and several workplace teams set out on the virtual walk across the United States starting at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. and arriving at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise, Idaho more than a year later. prgtoken The nearly 3,000 mile route took participants through 18 iconic American cities, national parks, and spacious heartlands. The event was documented on social media under the #hikewithMike hashtag, and through regular email newsletters sent to participants. Residents also shared their encouraging weight loss and fitness stories online, and uploaded their mileage counts to a special section of my website. The event was devised to be a non-partisan, non-political interactive event open to all Idaho residents. prgtoken The Idaho STEP Challenge officially concluded on October 23, 2017. Those who participated demonstrated their commitment to healthy living and a spirited stand for fitness within our state. I would like to acknowledge the following participants for joining me on the virtual road to Boise and I thank them for promoting healthy lifestyles in our community. prgtoken Nick Abshire, Jeff Daniels, Kathy Parks, Lisa Lane, Susan Littlefield, Miranda Collins, Jeannette Barnes, Jessica Padour, Suelynn Williams, Pat Mills, Kellie Gough, Carolyn Simpson, Maryl Fisher, Penny Handley, Fred Hughes, Carolee McKenzie, Patrick Kole, Dana Flatter, Miranda Smith Collins, Bart & Julie Harwood, Gerald Simpson, Wendy Jaquet, Celia R. Gould, Sheila Woods, Gina Martin, Ray Simpson, Jan Simpson Rhoades, Dennis & Sheila Conley, Toni Orth, Ron Fisher, Connie Pond, Angela Degni, Sheila Ames, Elizabeth Criner, Elain M. & James Long, Glen Tait, Cheryl Hardy, Shelby C. Sommer, Judy Slayton. prgtoken Once again, thanks to all the participants in the Idaho STEP Challenge and I congratulate them on their commitment to a better Idaho.