mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Scott Perry (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-11-14

. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman. Just because we could increase the funding and there was an agreement to increase funding across the board to some level doesn't mean we have to. I know it is a news flash to everybody in this town, but next month in December we are going to be $34 trillion in debt. We simply can't afford it. prgtoken I don't mean to be pejorative about the NLRB, if my colleague on the other side thinks this is pejorative. These are just the facts. These are things they have done. If the gentlewoman doesn't like them, don't blame me. I am pointing out what they did, which is why we need to take action here and rein this out-of-control agency in. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Mary E. Miller (Republican, IL) \u2014 2023-11-14

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to prohibit funding of 's Office of Population Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services. prgtoken This office is used by Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine to promote gender transition procedures for children and title X abortion resources with taxpayer dollars. prgtoken The Office of Population Affairs released a guide called Gender- Affirming Care and Young People to sidestep parents and provide children with information on chemical castration drugs and surgical castration procedures. prgtoken Federal tax dollars are used by the Office of Population Affairs to run a website called Find a Family Planning Clinic that links to abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood. prgtoken The administration uses the Office of Population Affairs to promote the radical transgender agenda while preying on vulnerable children. prgtoken My amendment to the HHS appropriations bill would defund this deeply political office. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge everyone to support this amendment, and .
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Blake D. Moore (Republican, UT) \u2014 2023-11-14

. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my bipartisan amendment urging the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, to provide a complete accounting of unpaid and partially paid claims by the COVID-19 Uninsured Program, as well as an accounting of how funding from various pandemic-era laws have been used to pay claims generated by providers under this program since it began. The amendment also presses HRSA to provide a plan for the payment of remaining legitimate claims that were made under this program. prgtoken The COVID-19 Uninsured Program provided reimbursement for claims submitted by healthcare providers who provided testing, treatment, and vaccination services for uninsured individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. prgtoken In the spring of 2022, HRSA closed the program and provided little notice or time to submit claims for services already provided under that program. prgtoken I have heard from providers in my home State of Utah who are owed funds by the administration for services performed prior to the program's closure. Providers that submitted legitimate claims should be compensated for these medical services. prgtoken I also believe that Congress must continue to provide robust oversight on this program and other pandemic-era laws to ensure funds were used appropriately and in line with congressional intent. prgtoken For example, a July 2023 HHS OIG report estimated that nearly 19 percent of the uninsured program payments made on behalf of 3.7 million patients were improper. prgtoken A full accounting of HHS' use of pandemic funding will ensure Congress has the tools and information necessary to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. prgtoken I have been supportive of efforts to address improper payments by Federal agencies more broadly and to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively. Understanding how these dollars have been utilized by the Department would build on these efforts. prgtoken The administration has continued to provide funding for other testing, treatment, and vaccination initiatives following the program's closure. In addition, the Fiscal Responsibility Act rescinded billions in funding for the provider relief fund because that money sat unused for well over a year following HRSA's closure of the uninsured program. PRF funds had been intended, in part, to reimburse providers for services provided to uninsured patients. prgtoken I strongly encourage the administration and HSRA to work with Congress and provide an accounting of the funding for the uninsured program. The American people deserve accountability and cooperation from the executive branch. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and .
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Andy Biggs (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise to speak in support of my amendment, which strikes funding for the Institute of Education Sciences. prgtoken The current funding in the fiscal year 2024 bill is $707 million. The institute puts this funding toward programs such as governing boards of institutions of higher education, which is interested in the disclosure of gender, racial, and ethnic composition of governing boards of higher education to promote DEI institutions, which is a pointless use of information and resources. prgtoken This institute puts funding toward programs such as cross-sectional studies. This is a program launched to provide real-time data about the impact of COVID-19 on public K-12 education. The content focuses on how COVID-19 is affecting the delivery of education and how schools are navigating recovery efforts from that epidemic. prgtoken The Department of Education requested $4 million initially to further expand the survey across districts nationally. It is not a mission that the American taxpayer needs to fund, and it is a direct waste of our budget. prgtoken It is offices such as this that contribute to the rapid wasteful spending that has become so commonplace in our country under our Federal Government. prgtoken As far as the grant programs under the Institute of Education Sciences, they go toward post-COVID-19 research. This is research to accelerate pandemic recovery in special education grant programs and improve pandemic recovery efforts in education agencies' grant programs. prgtoken , .
RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF ELLSWORTH "TONY" WILLIAMS
Scott Franklin (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise to recognize veteran and hero, Major Tony Williams, who today will be inducted into the Florida Veteran's Hall of Fame. Tony's exemplary service has made an unmistakable impact in the lives of countless Florida veterans. prgtoken Ellsworth `Tony' Williams was born in Fort Hood, Texas as a dependent of a career Vietnam Army combat veteran before making the decision to join the U.S. Army himself, serving 24 years on active duty, eight as an enlisted soldier and sixteen as a commissioned officer. prgtoken Tony's service in the U.S. Army was marked by distinction. He was awarded a Bronze Star and three Meritorious Service Medals for his actions in Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. prgtoken Perhaps most remarkable, , is the care Tony displays to his community and fellow vets. After retiring in 2007, he returned to school to pursue graduate training in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Troy University. prgtoken After receiving his counseling degree, Tony made it his mission to help veterans struggling with their mental health, becoming a leading voice for veteran suicide prevention in his community. Tony established his nonprofit, Veterans Counseling Veterans, Inc to provide counseling and emotional support to active duty, National Guardsmen, reservists, veterans and their families. Veterans Counseling Veterans also provides professional and career development support for those seeking a career in behavioral health. prgtoken Tony received several mental health counseling awards to include a 2014 National Award for Social Service from the American Mental Health Counseling Association. He sits on the Hillsborough Veterans Council, Florida Mental Health Counselor Association's Military Interest Committee, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay's Regional Veterans Advisory Council and is the American Legion Post 5 Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation Committee Chair. prgtoken Major Tony Williams says it's in his bones to help veterans and their families, and he believes his latest recognition from the Florida Veteran's Hall of Fame is simply another `assignment from God,' calling him to continue his good work. prgtoken I commend Major Williams for his sacrifices both in the U.S. Army and in his tireless efforts to help fellow Florida veterans. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5894, DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-11-14

last night the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 864, providing for consideration of H.R. 5894. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5894 under a structured rule with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designee. prgtoken The rule further makes in order 146 amendments. The rule also provides that the chair and the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, or their respective designees, may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for the purpose of debate. Finally, the rule additionally provides for one motion to recommit. prgtoken , I rise in support of the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 5894, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2024. prgtoken , the majority is committed to fulfilling their promises to the American people by ensuring that we pass H.R. 5894 to fund our government and its crucial public health, education, and labor programs. prgtoken This bill is a significant accomplishment and the most recent step House s are taking to restore fiscal responsibility to the Federal budget after years of overspending. It is a fact that our Federal spending is out of control, and H.R. 5894 is a step in the right direction, encouraging responsibility and restoring accountability. prgtoken H.R. 5894 provides $147 billion for vital programs at the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education while still reducing total Federal spending by over $60 billion. prgtoken The bill eliminates 61 programs, 50 of which are currently not authorized. It reduces funding for an additional 54 other programs and prohibits funds from unnecessary regulations and partisan executive orders. prgtoken This Congress should aim to prioritize funding programs that can have positive outcomes and deliver results for the American people. Inflated spending for duplicative programs is a sure way to fuel the economic situation in which we now find ourselves. prgtoken H.R. 5894 funds key priorities, including maintaining funding for essential education, public health, substance abuse and mental health, and veterans job training programs. prgtoken s have fought to ensure that funding is prioritized to help all school districts safely educate children, including children with special needs. H.R. 5894 also contains provisions to support funding for charter schools, Pell grants, and local career and technical training programs for those students who are not seeking a college degree to ensure that our next generation is given opportunity and access to essential education programs. prgtoken Especially important to many districts around the country, including mine, this bill maintains vital funding for the Impact Aid Program, which supports school districts affected by a Federal presence suc
FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND OTHER EXTENSIONS ACT, 2024
Ken Calvert (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6363, which will prevent a government shutdown. prgtoken Over the past several months, House s have been hard at work passing appropriations bills to cover over 75 percent of Federal discretionary spending. We also passed the supplemental appropriations bill to support our ally, Israel. prgtoken As a chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, I am proud of our Members' work to pass a bipartisan fiscal year `24 Defense spending bill with a high level of Member input. prgtoken However, the Senate has been unable to pass all their appropriations bills in a timely manner and, unfortunately, this means we need more time to complete the FY24 appropriations process. prgtoken H.R. 6363 extends current spending to January and February of next year. This split approach incentivizes the Senate to negotiate with us on all 12 bills. prgtoken For our military, this bill ensures our troops continue their mission without fear of missing a paycheck. It also includes anomalies to keep the Columbia-class submarine, which is the top modernization priority of the Department of Defense, United States Navy, on schedule. prgtoken For those of us who have been in Congress for a shutdown, we have seen firsthand the damage it does to our military readiness. A shutdown would prevent any contract changes or new contracts for the entire Department of Defense. It would require Active-Duty servicemembers to report to work without pay. It would close essential base services for military families. It would reduce training, and it would create a long list of other hardships for the United States military. prgtoken As threats like China and Russia continue their provocation, we must avoid these failures at all costs. As an appropriator, I know how imperative it is that Congress carries out its constitutional responsibility and passes the 12 appropriations bills as soon as possible. prgtoken , I strongly urge support of this bill.
CHINA
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-11-14

tomorrow, President is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and it is safe to say their meeting comes at an especially fraught time. There is a war in the Middle East, a war in Europe, and growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. prgtoken In each case, the United States and China have aligned with opposing powers. China is financing the Russian war while America is supporting Ukraine. China is propping up the Iranian regime and terrorist proxies while the United States is backing Israel's righteous defense. China is threatening its own invasion of Taiwan while the United States stands firmly in support of Taiwan's defense. prgtoken In addition to these conflicts on the world stage, the United States is facing more direct threats from the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Economic relations have deteriorated due to China's subversive trade practices. prgtoken The Chinese Communist Party is holding three American hostages, including Houston native Mark Swidan, who has been imprisoned and tortured for more than a decade. prgtoken More than 70,000 Americans a year are being killed by a synthetic opioid, fentanyl, which is manufactured using precursor chemicals that come from--you guessed it--China. prgtoken Earlier this year, a Chinese surveillance balloon traveled across the United States, marking a new level of bravado for the Chinese Communist Party. prgtoken So suffice it to say this is an especially fraught time for U.S.- China relations, but President should not give the Chinese Communist Party or President Xi a free pass. I hope the President will deliver a clear message to President Xi that China's aggressive and hostile actions will not be met with kid gloves. We have a responsibility to the American people and to our allies to deal with threats from China straightforwardly and head-on. prgtoken Strong leadership from the President is important, but Congress has an important role to play too. For example, we have a major piece of unfinished business that is a key to our efforts to counter threats from China, and that is the National Defense Authorization Act. This year's National Defense Authorization Act--or NDAA, as we call it-- includes a range of provisions related to long-term strategic competition with China, and it is time to finish that bill and send it to the President's desk for his signature. prgtoken The Senate passed the NDAA at the end of July, and here we are in November. I hope this week, after more than 3\1/2\ months of waiting, we can finally begin to vote on the formal conference process. This will be key to ironing out the differences between the House and the Senate so we can deliver a bill to the President's desk that is truly tough on China and deals with the threat in a realistic and clear-eyed fashion. prgtoken The administration has moved away from the idea of decoupling from China and now focuses on derisking. Fra
FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND OTHER EXTENSIONS ACT, 2024
Harold Rogers (Republican, KY) \u2014 2023-11-14

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. prgtoken I rise today in strong support of the continuing resolution. With government funding set to expire on Friday, this legislation is necessary to ensure we avoid a harmful government shutdown. There is no other option. prgtoken The bill before us extends government funding until either January 19 or February 2 depending on the agency. It also includes temporary extensions for critical expiring programs, such as Community Health Centers, the National Flood Insurance Program, and others that are important to rural regions like Kentucky's Fifth District. prgtoken Plus, on the heels of Veterans Day, it ensures that we continue providing critical resources to our military, defending America around the world, and takes care of our country's heroic veterans. prgtoken While a CR is not my preferred method of conducting business, a government shutdown right before the holidays, does our Nation no good. We need more time to complete our fiscal year `24 to give the House a better negotiating position with the Senate so we can eventually pass full-year appropriations bills. prgtoken , I strongly urge Members to vote for this CR.
DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024
Lloyd Smucker (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-11-14

. Mr. Chair, I rise today to ask for my colleagues' support for this amendment No. 142 which would protect students' access to programs that prepare them for the workforce, for a great career. prgtoken Specifically, this amendment would prohibit the Department of Education from implementing, administering, or enforcing one narrow provision of the newly finalized rule on financial responsibility regulations which unfairly limits Federal financial aid from being accessed by clock-hour programs. prgtoken What are clock-hour programs? Career-oriented programs in some community colleges use clock hours to measure a student's progress rather than the credit-based system that traditional colleges use. prgtoken Each State establishes their own licensure requirements and minimum number of clock hours for programs like cosmetology, massage therapy, barbering, nursing and allied health, trucking, and others before students can apply for their State licenses. prgtoken Many programs at facilities and schools that offer these programs go beyond the State's minimum number of clock hours. There are a number of good reasons for that. They may allow students more time to practice the trade to increase their speed and income when they get to the job or it may be necessary to have more hours of instruction time because of new techniques and practices in instruction to ensure that students are prepared to pass the licensure exams. prgtoken The Department of Education has traditionally allowed career-oriented programs and some community college programs to go above 150 percent of a State's minimum number of clock hours and still be eligible for Federal financial aid. That changes in their new rule. prgtoken They would now eliminate from Federal financial aid any program that goes above 150 percent of the minimum hours. That means that schools will need to redesign and recertify their programs, which is a very time-consuming process, or students will now have to pay cash or private loans for the entire program rather than receiving the financial aid. prgtoken It is estimated today that more than 3 million skilled trades jobs remain open. At a time when our Nation is struggling to fill these roles, and employers can't find skilled workers, this is not the time for the Department to make it harder for a student to access programs that prepare them for the workforce. prgtoken This amendment would ensure that the Department cannot fund the provision regarding program length in its final rule and would allow students to continue to use the Federal financial aid they are eligible for to fund their studies. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
Introductory Statement on S. 3297
Susan M. Collins (Republican, ME) \u2014 2023-11-14

I rise today to introduce the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2023, along with my colleague from Michigan, Senator Peters. Our bill would expand Medicare beneficiaries' access to medical nutrition therapy, or MNT, which is a cost-effective component of treatment for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and other chronic conditions. prgtoken At a time when the increased prevalence of diet-related chronic conditions is contributing to poor health outcomes and growing healthcare expenditures, increasing access to MNT should be part of the strategy to improve disease management and prevention for America's seniors. The Medical Nutrition Therapy Act would make two important changes to support patients, improve health outcomes, and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs. prgtoken First, it would expand Medicare Part B coverage of outpatient medical nutrition therapy services to a number of currently uncovered diseases or conditions--including prediabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, malnutrition, eating disorders, cancer, HIV/AIDS, gastrointestinal diseases including celiac disease, and cardiovascular disease. Currently, Medicare Part B only covers outpatient MNT for diabetes, renal disease, and post-kidney transplant. prgtoken Second, the bill would allow more types of providers--including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, and psychologists--to refer patients to MNT. This is especially critical for a rural State like Maine, where a NP or PA may be one's trusted primary care provider. prgtoken MNT counseling is provided by registered dietician nutritionists, RDNs, as part of a collaborative healthcare team. It is evidenced-based and proven to positively affect weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar control. Nutritional counseling by RDNs is recommended by the National Lipid Association to promote long-term adherence to an individualized, heart-healthy diet. Through MNT, individuals benefit from in-depth, individualized nutrition assessments. Follow up visits help reinforce important behavior and lifestyle changes and increase compliance. prgtoken Older Americans deserve improved access to this cost-effective medical treatment, but many older adults are missing out under the current Medicare policy. Marcy Kyle, a RDN from Rockport, ME, has seen many patients denied access to medically necessary MNT. One of her patients with prediabetes was referred by his primary care physician for MNT at age 64. At that time, his private insurance covered the service, and he booked the first available appointment the following week. That same week, this patient turned 65 and transitioned onto Medicare. You can imagine his surprise upon arriving for his appointment and learning that MNT would not be covered. prgtoken Another unfortunate example from Maine was a patient with a new celiac disease diagnosis complicated by severe weight loss