mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH SAVINGS IMPROVEMENT ACT
Mike Thompson (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-24

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , the House has passed this bill before. It allows individuals eligible for Indian Health Service, or IHS, to participate in a health savings account if they are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan. prgtoken I support this bill. We should be talking about issues in healthcare that strengthen our healthcare system for all Americans while addressing the issues in the Indian Health Service program, and there should be no exception to that today. prgtoken Given the important role IHS plays providing primary care to our Native American population, we should be working to ensure that all participants in IHS have access to high-quality care. Reports of underfunding and resulting substandard care need to be addressed, so we make sure that all individuals that this healthcare program serves benefit from the congressional action that we take, not just those who happen to have the money to put in an HSA, to pay for an HSA. prgtoken We shouldn't overlook the important role Medicare and Medicaid play in providing healthcare to these populations. Thousands of IHS beneficiaries are also enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or some combination of both. prgtoken s are looking to dramatically cut and undermine these critical programs. Offering IHS enrollees a savings account won't make up for damage inflicted by the cuts to Medicaid or Medicare. prgtoken Instead, we should strengthen both of these programs and coordinate care with IHS to make sure individuals are getting the best care possible. prgtoken .
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-7-24

this is a big deal for Americans making $15,000, $20,000, $30,000, or $40,000 a year. They will get a refundable tax credit if they claim it--if they can figure out how to claim it, because it is sometimes too complicated. They can get $2,000, $3,000 $4,000, or sometimes a little more than that, in the refundable tax credit. That is money in their pockets to buy school clothes. It is money in their pockets to fix a car that is broken down. It is money in their pockets so they can take their kids to a restaurant occasionally. prgtoken Filing taxes is complicated for everyone. It can be particularly challenging for those claiming the EITC. Wall Street CEO's and big companies have armies of accountants. This is for working-class families making $20,000, $30,000, or $40,000 a year. prgtoken I thank Senator Heller. I ask support for the Heller-Brown amendment. It will matter to so many working families in Mansfield, Toledo, Sandusky, and all over Ohio. prgtoken .
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Tammy Baldwin (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to join my colleagues because this week marks the 1-year anniversary of Senator McCain's casting the deciding vote against the healthcare repeal legislation. prgtoken I, too, voted against that legislation, as I did on a number of very partisan efforts by President and congressional s. I did so because the people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take away people's healthcare coverage. They have consistently sent a clear message that they want us to work across the party aisle to make things better and not worse. prgtoken As I said throughout last year's debate and have said to this day, the people of Wisconsin want both parties in Congress to work together to make things better by stabilizing the health insurance market, making healthcare more affordable, and taking on rising prescription drug prices. prgtoken I strongly believe that if both parties look past the partisan debate in Washington, we can find common ground on solutions that work for the American people. Each and every one of the healthcare repeal bills that were pushed by the President and congressional s faced opposition from the American people because all of them would have done the same thing--they would have taken healthcare coverage away from millions of Americans and made people pay more for less care. They would have gutted protections for those with preexisting conditions. They would have forced older adults to pay an age tax. They would have cut benefits for Medicaid for our most vulnerable people, like senior citizens and even our veterans. Put simply, this would have taken us back to the days when insurance companies set the rules. prgtoken Wisconsin families and families across our entire country let their voices be heard to the Congress, people like Chelsey from Seymour, WI, whose daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect and had to have open heart surgery within 5 days of her birth. Chelsey wrote to me and said: ``I'm pleading to you as a mother to fight for the . . . kids in Wisconsin with preexisting health conditions.'' prgtoken Together, we fought to protect the guaranteed healthcare protections that people depend on. Together, we fought the repeal plans to cut and cap Medicaid, putting care at risk for everyone who depends on it, from a loved one who depends on Medicaid for nursing care, to a disabled child who relies on Medicaid funding at school. Together, we fought repeal plans that would have increased the number of uninsured Americans. prgtoken Even defeating the legislative efforts that would have made things worse for our families didn't end the threat to the American people. President has been trying to do what congressional s couldn't. He has been sabotaging our healthcare system by undermining the guaranteed health protections and access to affordable care. He ended the critical cost-sharing reduction payments that make hea
FLINT WATER CRISIS IS NOT OVER
Daniel T. Kildee (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to thank my House colleagues who visited my hometown of Flint, Michigan, last week to get an update on the city's ongoing water crisis. I want to specifically thank Leader Nancy Pelosi; Assistant ic Leader Jim Clyburn; Representatives Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern, Denny Heck, Dwight Evans, Jared Huffman; and, of course, the members of the Michigan delegation, including Sandy Levin, Brenda Lawrence, and Debbie Dingell. I want to thank them all for visiting Flint. prgtoken I appreciate all my colleagues who have come to Flint to visit with families, and I am especially grateful that Congress passed much-needed help for this community as it struggles to overcome this water crisis. prgtoken Today, there is progress in Flint, thanks to this body. Nearly 7,000 of those dangerous lead pipes have been replaced so far using the Federal funds that we provided. prgtoken The recovery does continue. The Flint water crisis has faded from the national headlines, and this congressional delegation is a reminder that the crisis isn't over. That visit was an opportunity for us to hear directly from families that there is still much to be done. prgtoken What happened in Flint is not some anomaly. It is a warning to the rest of the country and to this Congress that we have to do more to rebuild America's critical infrastructure. Otherwise, we run the risk of more Flint, Michigans to come.
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-7-24

the Senate has a constitutional duty to provide advice and consent and a special obligation to thoroughly examine Supreme Court nominations. After all, there are few positions in our government with greater importance or responsibility than a lifetime appointment on the Nation's highest Court. It is now our job to carefully, thoroughly, and methodically review the record of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and we have quite a job ahead of us. prgtoken As a partisan political lawyer during the Clinton and years, Brett Kavanaugh has a paper trail a mile long. There is no doubt the White House and Leader McConnell were aware of this history when the nomination was made. The length of Judge Kavanaugh's record, however, is no reason to shirk our responsibility as Senators to review it. prgtoken Yet the distinguished chairman of the Judiciary Committee has already suggested there is no reason to review Judge Kavanaugh's full record before proceeding with his nomination. Leader McConnell threatened to play political hardball if insisted on obtaining Judge Kavanaugh's full record. Senate s are making hollow arguments and petty attempts at advancing Judge Kavanaugh's nomination with as little scrutiny as they can manage. prgtoken We have been having trouble getting an agreement with Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley on the scope of the documents the Senate should request. Chairman Grassley has had our request for over a week. It is the same request that was made when Elena Kagan was nominated to the Supreme Court. It is the very same request that s insisted on, including Senator Grassley--he was not chairman then--and agreed to when we were in charge. prgtoken Much like Judge Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan spent time in prior administrations and had a lengthy paper trail, some of which could have been labeled privileged. Did , in the majority at the time, attempt to rush her nomination through? No. Did we lean on former administrations to declare her documents privileged? No. actually joined with the minority to request a full and complete accounting of Elena Kagan's record. Her former employer waived all claims of privilege. prgtoken Let me show you the letter right here that my friend Senator Leahy, then chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Senator Jeff Sessions, then ranking member, sent to the Clinton Library. Here is the letter. What we have done is use the same letter. We are willing to issue the exact same letter, except we have put the address of the person at the Library, changed the name of Kagan to Kavanaugh, and changed the name of Clinton to ; otherwise, it is the exact same letter. prgtoken How can our colleagues resist this simple letter when it is the exact same letter they pushed for, and we acceded to, when the shoe was on the other foot? prgtoken The letter requests the entirety of Elena Kagan's record
IN RECOGNITION OF THE HONORABLE LEROY R. JOHNSON
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today to recognize and commend a prominent attorney, exemplary civil rights leader, former Georgia State Senator, mentor to many, and a man whose life has truly impacted the world, the Honorable Leroy Reginald Johnson. Senator Johnson will be celebrating his 90th birthday with family and friends on July 28, 2018 at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. prgtoken Leroy Reginald Johnson was born on July 28, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1945. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in 1949 and a master's degree from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1951. From 1950 to 1954, Senator Johnson taught social science in the Atlanta school system. He then enrolled in law school at North Carolina Central University, earning his law degree in 1957. prgtoken Following his graduation from law school, Fulton County hired him as a criminal investigator, the first African American to be hired by the solicitor general's office (now the District Attorney's office). As the Civil Rights Movement ramped up, he became involved in demonstrations and protests. When black college students conducted mass sit-ins at Rich's Department Store lunch counters in October 1960, he was present as one of the several community leaders advising the students, who included Julian Bond. prgtoken In 1962, he was elected to the Georgia State Senate, making him the first African American to be elected to the Georgia General Assembly since the end of the Reconstruction era. He was also the first African American elected to public office in the Southeast United States that year. In the beginning, Senator Johnson faced many obstacles due to segregation but rose above the adversity, becoming an influential lawmaker and attaining the position of Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. prgtoken All the while, Senator Johnson maintained a successful law practice. He was the driving force in getting the legendary Muhammad Ali's boxing license reinstated in 1970. Ali had been stripped of his boxing license in the prime of his career due to his opposition to the Vietnam War. After big cities across the country refused to host a match in which Ali would participate, Senator Johnson offered Atlanta as a location where the fight could take place. Senator Johnson fought behind the scenes to get state and local officials to agree so that ultimately, Muhammad Ali could fight inside the ring in a match that would lead the way for Ali to eventually reclaim the heavyweight crown. prgtoken Over the years, Senator Johnson received many awards and accolades for his legal, political, and civic work. In 1996, his portrait was hung on the third floor of the State Capitol near the Senate chamber where he served for twelve years. In 2000, the Georgia State Senate passed a resolution renaming a portion of Fulton Industrial Boulevard as Leroy Johnson-Fulton Industrial Boulev
INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2019--Continued
Robert Menendez (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-7-24

today I join my ic colleagues to condemn the administration's efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Not so long ago, ran for President, promising better, cheaper healthcare for everyone. But instead of making anything better, President is making everything in this regard worse. prgtoken Big corporations are raking in trillion-dollar tax cuts while the forgotten Americans the President promised to protect are drowning in higher premiums, higher deductibles, and higher prescription drug costs. It is time to call out who is responsible for those soaring healthcare costs. prgtoken Make no mistake, while the media is riveted on the President's every tweet and the Russia investigation's every turn, the administration is doing everything it can to make healthcare less affordable and less accessible to the American people. prgtoken When you turn on the news, you don't hear about the millions of Americans who have lost their coverage under President 's watch. You don't hear about how prices for the top 10 diabetes drugs have spiked over 25 percent, despite the President's wild claims that drug companies will voluntarily lower their prices. You will not hear about the administration's cynical efforts to destabilize our insurance markets and send premiums skyrocketing, like the Health and Human Services Department's recent freezing of the risk adjustment program. prgtoken Look, healthcare policy may be complicated, but there is nothing complicated about the idea that healthcare is a human right. There is nothing controversial about the idea that cancer patients shouldn't be price gouged as they battle the worst illness of their life. There is nothing radical about the idea that in the most prosperous country on Earth, every American deserves quality, affordable healthcare. prgtoken I know my colleagues have no desire to remind voters how they spent the past year, but the American people aren't going to forget it. They aren't going to forget how many times s spent in a year pushing policies that would have left 32 million people uninsured, with vote after vote after vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They aren't going to forget how s tried to defund Planned Parenthood and deny millions of lower income women access to basic care. prgtoken They aren't going to forget how Care would have slapped older consumers with a punishing age tax and eliminated the Affordable Care Act's essential health benefits provision, which requires all health plans to cover basic things like prescription drugs, maternity care, and visits to specialists. They aren't going to forget how Care slashed tax credits that helped middle-class families purchase coverage or how it would have ended Medicaid as we know it, abandoning seniors in nursing homes, pregnant women, disabled Americans, and the most vulnerable. prgtoken Nor will Ameri
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Yvette D. Clarke (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2018-7-24

on July 23, 2018, I was unavoidably detained and missed recorded votes No. 366 through 367. Had I been present: on Roll Call No. 366, H.R. 2345, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act, I would have voted Yea; on Roll Call No. 367, H.R. 4881, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, I would have voted Yea.
THE AMERICAN LEGION 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat, MO) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise this evening to support the House amendment to S. 1182, the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2018. This bill would provide a clean, 4-month extension for the NFIP. prgtoken Now, I do plan to vote in favor of this bill, but I do so with deep consternation that we are, yet again, passing a short-term reauthorization. This will be the seventh short-term extension for the NFIP in the last 10 months. This is somewhat embarrassing, or should be, to all of us. prgtoken If we fail to reauthorize the program, the NFIP will not be able to issue new policies, and borrowing authority would be limited. A lapse in authorization during the height of hurricane season could have serious ramifications for communities that have already weathered last year's severe storms. prgtoken When the Financial Services Committee began to consider the NFIP reauthorization, I had advocated for a long-term reauthorization. I met with Mr. Duffy many, many times. We discussed that a long-term reauthorization of 5 or even 10 years would provide policyholders and stakeholders with certainty. It would give industry stability, communities a chance to develop mitigation plans, and policyholders peace of mind. prgtoken Affordability must remain a central component of any long-term plan to revamp the NFIP. Rates are already increasing for many policyholders, and we need to ensure that homeowners who rely on the NFIP for protection are not priced out of the program. prgtoken Additionally, I have urged my colleagues to consider the forgiving of the NFIP's debt. Though the NFIP has been self-sustaining for many years, extreme and unexpected damage following Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy left the NFIP with a $20 billion debt. Now the NFIP continues to pay over $400 million a year in interest, and this is ridiculous.
THE AMERICAN LEGION 100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE COIN ACT
Maxine Waters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-7-24

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , since the National Flood Insurance Program's multiyear authorization expired on September 30, 2017, ideological differences have led Congress to pass six short-term extensions, and have even allowed the program to briefly lapse twice since the government shutdowns. prgtoken More than 5 million families rely on the NFIP for affordable flood insurance coverage. Communities rely on the NFIP for flood maps and mitigation assistance, and small businesses rely on the NFIP to pick up the pieces when the inevitable storm hits. Yet, the long-term stability of this critical program continues to fall victim to partisan politics. prgtoken , 2017 was an absolutely catastrophic year in terms of hurricanes and other national disasters. In 2017, for the first time on record, three Category 4 hurricanes made landfall in the United States, serving as painful reminders of the importance of affordable and accessible flood insurance. prgtoken While Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria may be a distant memory for some, families affected by these storms are still just beginning their long road to recovery, and we continue to learn about the challenges that families in Puerto Rico face with no signs of leadership from the administration. prgtoken We are here today in the midst of the 2018 hurricane season with no credible plan to do anything differently from the partisan gamesmanship that has brought the NFIP to the brink of a lapse several times already this Congress. prgtoken , I am deeply disappointed that Congress continues to miss opportunities to responsibly help homeowners, businesses, and renters who all need access to affordable flood insurance by taking sensible steps to stabilize flood insurance premiums, deal with the NFIP's debt and invest in up-to-date and accurate flood maps. prgtoken Instead, the House has passed controversial and ideological reforms that make flood insurance more expensive, less available, and less fair, which is, obviously, going nowhere in the Senate. prgtoken Given the critical importance of the NFIP to our housing market, I am pleased that we are taking the small step today of reauthorizing the program for 4 months to at least provide some level of certainty to businesses and families, but let us not be fooled into thinking that our work is done. I have led the effort for years to provide long-term reauthorizations of the NFIP that also ensure the affordability and the availability of flood insurance, and I will continue to do so when this latest short-term extension expires in November. prgtoken , .
REMEMBERING JACK POWELL
Doug Jones (Democrat, AL) \u2014 2018-7-24

I rise today with deep sadness, but also with reverence to remember Jack Powell, who died on May 12, 2018. Jack Powell was a beloved coach and educator in Alabama. He was revered by his students and players and often regarded as a second father to many. Until his 95th birthday, regular reunions were held by former high school players to honor Coach Powell and reminisce with former teammates. His accomplishments on and off the course touched thousands of lives. prgtoken Coach Powell was born on March 20, 1922, in Andalusia. He was one of 10 children born to George Bennie and Lilla Lawson Powell. He played basketball in the State tournament for 3 years as a student at Pleasant Home High School. They went undefeated during the regular season of his senior year. Coach Powell went on to Auburn University to play for coaches Bob Evans, Ralph ``Shug'' Jordan, and V.J. Edney. While at Auburn, he was a letterman 2 years in a row and cocaptain of the team in 1946. prgtoken After his college career, he served as an educator for approximately 40 years. He worked at Lockhart and Eufaula high schools from 1947 to 1966, then Livingston University, now the University of West Alabama, from 1966 to 1972, and finally at Sparks State Technical College in Eufaula until his retirement. prgtoken During his time as a high school coach, he received several Coach of the Year Awards and won district, area, regional, and State championships. He coached three Alabama All-Star Games, including the inaugural game in 1963. He served as coach to 11 All-State players. While at Eufaula High School, his team went to the State tournament nine times, finishing in the top four positions. During his 20-year tenure, he amassed an impressive winning record of 406-193. prgtoken When he entered the college coaching scene in 1966, he led Livingston University to its first Alabama Collegiate Conference championship and two consecutive ACC Tournament Championships. In 1969, he was named ACC Coach of the Year and in 1971 was again named ACC Coach of the Year, in addition to Alabama Small Colleges Coach of the Year and NAIA District 27 Coach of the Year. prgtoken In 1992, after decades of hard work and commitment to teams, he became one of the first inductees in the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame. One of his greatest honors was having a gymnasium named after him in Eufaula, where it served as the home to Eufaula's youth basketball leagues for many years. He also established a Tri-State basketball tryout clinic where players came from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. As a result, more than 60 young athletes earned scholarships to play in college. prgtoken Aside from teaching and coaching, Coach Powell was an avid outdoorsmen who loved to fish, hunt, and garden. He also served in his churches in both Eufaula and Livingston. He was a Sunday school teacher for more than 50 years in addition to serving as a deacon and chairman