mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2018-9-28

I include the following letters in the Record. [From the American Society of Addiction Medicine] Rockville, MD, September 26, 2018. American Society of Addiction Medicine Applauds Inclusion of Key Provisions in Historic Opioid Legislative Package prgtoken Key Provisions to Teach, Standardize, and Cover Addiction Medicine Will Help Close Treatment Gap and Save Lives, Addiction Medicine Experts Say The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) today applauds US House and Senate leaders for announcing a bipartisan agreement on an opioid legislative package that includes key provisions to bolster the country's addiction treatment workforce, help provide standardized evidence-based treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD), and help ensure coverage and payment models facilitate comprehensive, coordinated care for patients seeking treatment for a SUD. ``On behalf of America's addiction medicine physicians and other clinicians on the frontlines of this crisis, ASAM applauds our Congressional leaders for working together to include key provisions that will help close the current treatment gap, bolster the addiction medicine workforce, and save more lives,'' said Kelly J. Clark, MD, MBA, DFASAM, president of ASAM. ``Reversing course on the deadly opioid overdose crisis requires bold policy solutions that help teach, standardize, and cover addiction medicine so more patients benefit from evidence-based treatment. The agreement reached last night is an important step toward realizing this critical goal.'' Key provisions in the legislative package to teach, standardize, and cover evidence-based addiction medicine include: Making permanent buprenorphine prescribing authority for physician assistants and nurse practitioners and allowing waivered practitioners to treat immediately up to 100 patients at a time (in lieu of 30) if the practitioner is board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry; or if the practitioner provides medication assisted treatment (MAT) in a qualified practice setting. Certain qualified physicians would also be allowed to treat up to 275 patients at a time with buprenorphine, codifying an existing rule; Allowing physicians who have recently graduated in good standing from an accredited school of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, and who meet the other training requirements during school to prescribe MAT, to obtain a waiver to prescribe MAT; Providing loan repayment relief to addiction treatment professionals who practice in high-need areas; Creating a Medicare demonstration program to increase access to evidence-based outpatient treatment for beneficiaries wi
UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--HOUSE MESSAGE TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 302
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-9-28

I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, at 5 p.m. on Monday, October 1, the Senate resume consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 302, as if in legislative session; further, that at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, the Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur; further, that if cloture is invoked, the Senate remain in executive session and the postcloture time continue to run as otherwise under the rule; finally, that upon the use or yielding back of the postcloture time, the Senate vote, as if in legislative session, on the motion to concur.
NATIONAL RICE MONTH
John Kennedy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2018-9-28

I want to take a moment to honor the more than 125,000 hard-working men and women who work in America's rice industry. September is National Rice Month, and it is also the start of our domestic rice harvest. This year, roughly 23 billion pounds of rice will be grown on 3 million acres of farmland. 85 percent of the rice eaten in America comes from just 6 States: Arkansas, California, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and my home State of Louisiana. prgtoken Rice isn't just delicious in jambalaya or seafood gumbo; it is an indispensable part of Louisiana's economy. The 4,500 members of the Louisiana rice industry generate more than $700 million in economic benefits for the State. These small businesses not only put food on the table of America's families, but they also employ tens of thousands of workers. Altogether, America's rice crop has a $34 billion impact on our national economy. prgtoken Rice farmers are also careful stewards of our Nation's precious natural resources. Over the past 20 years, rice farmers have been able to increase their yields by as much as 50 percent. They have achieved this while using less land, less water, and less energy. American rice shines as a bright example of sustainable agriculture and the benefits of effective agricultural research. prgtoken America was born on a farm. The importance of farming to the U.S. economy cannot be overstated; agriculture provides jobs for nearly 1 in 7 Americans. While rice is a valuable export, I am pleased to say that nearly all of our domestic rice crop is consumed right here. For these and many other reasons, I am proud to celebrate National Rice Month and the world's most popular grain. I also want to extend my heartfelt support and gratitude to all American rice farmers, particularly those in the great State of Louisiana. Keep up the good work.
RECOGNIZING COACH AL LESLIE
Tim Walberg (Republican, MI) \u2014 2018-9-28

I rise today to recognize Coach Al Leslie of Saline, Michigan who was recently named the ALL-USA Boys Track and Field Coach of the Year. prgtoken AI has been a track coach for 17 years--the last 12 of which have been at Saline High School, home of the Hornets. prgtoken This past season, the Boy's Track Team won their 8th straight conference championship, their 8th consecutive regional title, and placed third at the state championship. Later, at a national competition, the Hornets won the 800 and 1600 medley relays. prgtoken Coach Leslie's commitment to excellence, as well as the unity and team spirit that he seeks to promote, has created a winning formula at Saline. prgtoken In fact, his favorite quote, attributed to Bo Schembechler, is ``The team, the team, the team.'' prgtoken In addition to his success as a track coach, Al is also a beloved assistant football coach at Saline, where he currently teaches 8th grade history. prgtoken Once again, I wish to congratulate Coach Leslie on this impressive achievement. The investment he makes in the lives of young people, both on and off the field, will impact our community for years to come.
PROTECTING FAMILY AND SMALL BUSINESS TAX CUTS ACT OF 2018
Rodney Davis (Republican, IL) \u2014 2018-9-28

I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 6760, the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018. prgtoken , I thank Chairman Brady, the entire Ways and Means Committee, and the Ways and Means staff for their hard work in getting tax reform 2.0 to the House floor. prgtoken Last December, this Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That legislation was the first major tax reform in 31 years and delivered on our promise to bring tax relief to middle class families across the country. prgtoken In fact, in my district in central Illinois, the average family of four making the median income of $78,500 will see a tax cut of roughly $2,200 this year. That is certainly not crumbs, . prgtoken Since passage of tax reform, we have seen historic growth in our economy. It currently sits at 3.9 percent unemployment, with approximately 6.6 million open jobs, and a GDP last quarter of 4.2 percent. With companies raising wages and increasing benefits, it is no wonder 90 percent of workers are seeing bigger paychecks, thanks to last year's tax cuts. prgtoken Unfortunately, last year, the constraints of the budget reconciliation process in the Senate forced us to sunset many of the provisions found within that act. H.R. 6760 simply makes those sunsetting provisions permanent. prgtoken These provisions include the expanded child tax credit, which we increased from $1,000 to $2,000; the new double standard deduction; and the improved tax brackets, which have lowered rates for all taxpayers. prgtoken As the economy continues to reach new heights, H.R. 6760 represents our continued commitment to the millions of hardworking middle class Americans who have benefited from the tax cuts enacted last year. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support middle class families by voting for this bill.
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Mimi Walters (Republican, CA) \u2014 2018-9-28

I rise in support of H.R. 6 and the IMD exclusion repeal probation modeled after my bill, the IMD CARE Act. prgtoken I fought to ensure the IMD exclusion repeal was part of this final agreement because increasing inpatient treatment options is essential in our fight against the opioid epidemic. prgtoken The Orange County Board of Supervisors agrees with leading addiction treatment groups: the IMD exclusion repeal and the IMD CARE Act are the most important steps we can take to end drug overdose deaths in Orange County. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to address this public health crisis.
TRIBUTE TO MAXINE AND BOB HAMM
David Young (Republican, IA) \u2014 2018-9-28

I rise today to recognize and honor Maxine and Bob Hamm of Clarinda, Iowa on the very special occasion of their 70th wedding anniversary. They celebrated their anniversary on September 14, 2018. prgtoken Maxine and Bob's lifelong commitment to each other and their family truly embodies prgtoken Iowa values. As they reflect on their 70th anniversary, I hope it is filled with happy memories. May their commitment grow even stronger, as they continue to love, cherish, and honor one another for many years to come. prgtoken , I commend this great couple on their 70th year together and I wish them many more. I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating them on this momentous occasion.
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-9-28

as the world knows by now, yesterday we had another hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. It was necessary to do so because an allegation had been made by Dr. Christine Ford to the ranking member, our friend Senator Feinstein from California, dated July 30, but because Dr. Ford requested confidentiality and she wanted to remain anonymous, none of this was brought to anybody's attention until some time after the judge's original confirmation hearing occurred. The judge visited with 60-plus Members of the Senate, including the ranking member, and it was never mentioned to him. No questions were asked about it. prgtoken Contrary to her wishes, Dr. Ford was thrust into the national spotlight. She said she didn't agree to have her letter released to the press. She did not consent to having her identity revealed. She did not want to be part of what has turned into a three-ring circus. But, once there, when she asked to tell her story, we consented to doing that, and yesterday we heard from Dr. Ford as well as Judge Kavanaugh. prgtoken Judge Kavanaugh asked to be heard to clear his good name and speak directly to the American people, and he did so forcefully yesterday. prgtoken Now we have heard Dr. Ford's story, and we have heard Judge Kavanaugh's rebuttal. What we have learned is that there is no evidence to corroborate Dr. Ford's allegation. All of the people she said were there on the occasion in question said they have no memory of it or it didn't happen--no corroboration. prgtoken As we all watched Judge Kavanaugh defend his personal integrity in front of the Nation, we saw his righteous indignation. He choked back his tears and aimed his fury not at Dr. Ford--none of us did that--but, rather, at this unfair confirmation process, which, frankly, is an embarrassment to me and should be an embarrassment to the U.S. Senate. To take somebody who has requested confidentiality and leak that information to the press and then to thrust her into the national spotlight under these circumstances, I think, is an abuse of power. But having made that request, once she was in the spotlight, we felt it was very important to treat her respectfully and to listen to her story. prgtoken I told anybody who would listen that I wanted to treat Dr. Ford the same way I would expect that my mother or my sister or my daughters would be treated under similar circumstances. Conversely, I thought that we should treat Judge Kavanaugh fairly, too, just as we would our father, our brother, or our son. In other words, this is more than just about Dr. Ford; this is about Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. prgtoken We heard the judge respond with quite a bit of righteous indignation, as I said, talking about his family having been exposed to the vilest sorts of threats, including his two young daughters. I know it was a hard pill for many of our ic colleagues to swallow to he
MISINFORMATION
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2018-9-28

what I want to talk about is a new form of political weapon that has emerged onto the political battlefield in America, and it is a political weapon for which the American system is not very well prepared yet. The new political weapon we see is systematic and deliberate misinformation, what you might call weaponized fake news. prgtoken Vladimir Putin's regime, in Russia, uses weaponized fake news all the time for political influence in the former Soviet Union and the modern European Union. Our intelligence agencies caught them using misinformation to help win the 2016 American election. Some also is homegrown. In America, the original weaponized fake news was climate denial, spun up by the fossil fuel industry. The fossil fuel industry used systematic, deliberate disinformation to propagandize our politics and fend off accountability for its pollution of our atmosphere and oceans. prgtoken So, for both national security and political integrity reasons, we need to better understand this misinformation weaponry. Guess what. Science is on the case. A comprehensive array of peer-reviewed articles appeared last year in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition and, I am sure, is on the Acting President pro tempore's bedside table for light reading. Dozens of scientists contributed to this report, and I list their names in an appendix to the speech. prgtoken , I ask unanimous consent that my appendix be added at the end of my speech. prgtoken What they found is interesting. One piece--tellingly subtitled ``Understanding and Coping with the `Post-Truth' Era''--describes how ``the World Economic Forum ranked the spread of misinformation online as one of the 10 most significant issues facing the world''--the top 10. ``An obvious hallmark of a post-truth world is that it empowers people to choose their own reality, where facts and objective evidence are trumped by existing beliefs and prejudices,'' concludes one article--not a good thing. prgtoken This is not your grandfather's misinformation. This is not ``JFK and Marilyn Monroe's Love Child Found in Utah Salt Mine.'' This is not ``Aliens Abducted My Cat.'' This is not fun and entertainment. This is also not people just being wrong. Indeed, ``misinformation in the post- truth era can no longer be considered solely an isolated failure of individual cognition that can be corrected with appropriate communications tools,'' they write. prgtoken In plain English, this isn't just errors; there is something bigger going on. Scientists from Duke University agreed. ``Rather than a series of isolated falsehoods, we are confronted with a growing ecosystem of misinformation.'' prgtoken In this ecosystem, misinformation is put to use by determined factions. ``The melange of anti-intellectual appeals, conspiratorial thinking, pseudoscientific claims, and sheer propaganda circulating within American society seems unrelenting,'' write
IN RECOGNITION OF ASHLAN BORSARI AND CHILDREN'S CARDIOMYOPATHY AWARENESS MONTH
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-9-28

I rise today in sincere recognition of Ashlan Borsari of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and to recognize September as Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month. prgtoken Ashlan Borsari was diagnosed at birth with a rare, chronic, and degenerative heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. By the time Ashlan reached kindergarten, her heart had left her barely able to climb a flight of stairs, and keeping up with her friends was impossible. Ashlan underwent her first open heart surgery at the age of five, and for the next nine years, she lived close to a typical life. Unfortunately, at the age of 14, she experienced a series of sudden cardiac arrests which required her to be revived through CPR. Ashlan was airlifted to Boston Children's Hospital where doctors implanted an internal defibrillator. prgtoken Children and infants diagnosed with cardiomyopathy face some of the worse outcomes in pediatric cardiology. Forty percent of patients diagnosed with pediatric cardiomyopathy die at a young age or undergo a heart transplant within the first two years of their diagnosis. Despite this, little is known about the causes of this disease and there currently is no cure. While there is tremendous variation in symptoms among the four different types of cardiomyopathy, each case poses enormous challenges and dangers to those who suffer from the disease. As Members of Congress, we need to do all that we can to get the word out about this little understood, yet life-threatening autoimmune disease. prgtoken , I am honored to recognize Ashlan Borsari for her remarkable spirit and perseverance, and in recognizing September as Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month. Her story reminds us that through education, awareness, and research, we can better understand pediatric cardiomyopathy. I prgtoken pledge to continue to raise awareness and do what I can to secure the resources needed to build upon the steady strides already achieved in understanding and finding a cure for cardiomyopathy.
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2018-9-28

like millions of people across the country, I watched the hearing yesterday with a mix of so many strong emotions. prgtoken First, I watched Dr. Ford with tears in my eyes. She was so brave, so compelling, so real. The memories that she recounted--the memories that she will never forget--were heartbreaking: the living room, the stairs, the bedroom, the music turned up loud, the bed, Brett Kavanaugh drunk and on top of her, the feeling she had when he covered her mouth to stop her from screaming, the raucous laughter between Brett Kavanaugh and Mark Judge. prgtoken She remembered the way she felt it then and told it now: two boys laughing and having a good time while a scared 15-year-old girl lay pinned down on a bed, worried that she may die; the bathroom, listening for Brett and Mark to leave, hearing them bounce off the walls as they went back downstairs; leaving the house; the sense of relief that she escaped; and something anyone who has been a 15-year-old girl can understand, not wanting to tell her parents that she had been at a house with no adults, older boys, and beer. It was gutting. prgtoken Dr. Ford spoke for herself, but she was channeling the voice of millions of women and survivors across the country who are too often ignored, interrupted, bullied, or swept aside. prgtoken She was an inspiration, and I hope every one of my colleagues watched her speak and answer questions. She made it clear she was not there because she wanted to be but because she felt she had to be. She shared her story not because she wanted to create a spectacle or embarrass anyone but because she felt it was her civic duty to share what she knew about Judge Kavanaugh with the people making the decision about whether or not he should be on our Nation's highest Court. prgtoken The s on that committee were too afraid to ask her anything themselves, but she did an amazing job keeping her composure under cross-examination by the prosecutor s hired to question Dr. Ford on their behalf, and Dr. Ford made it clear over and over, politely but firmly, that she welcomed an investigation. She opened up herself to questions and scrutiny. She took a polygraph. prgtoken She remembered some details that further investigation could help expand prgtoken on, like seeing Mark Judge at the supermarket a few weeks later, and she seemed not to be able to understand why nobody was digging into these details that could help uncover even more. prgtoken She said she came to be helpful. She wants to be more helpful. She did her job as a U.S. citizen, and she was simply asking for Senators to do theirs. prgtoken Then, I watched Judge Kavanaugh, and, frankly, I was appalled and dismayed by the rage on his face; the sense of entitlement he displayed; refusing to answer questions, sneering at Senators while he demanded they answer his questions; the outrage that he was even being questioned about an issue like this after all
NOMINATION OF BRETT KAVANAUGH
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2018-9-28

the Judiciary Committee had an extraordinary meeting this morning, and each of us spoke at some length about our reservations or support for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to be a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. At the end of that meeting, as we were about to take a vote, Senator Jeff Flake, our colleague, announced his decision that he would request and seek a 1-week extension of the vote so there could be an FBI investigation of some of the unanswered questions that still very seriously and urgently demand responses in fact and evidence. prgtoken That is a very promising and important step. It has to be a real investigation, not a sham or show. It has to be penetrating and impartial, which the trained professionals of the FBI can do. prgtoken I have a lot of confidence that the FBI will do its job and answer those very serious and urgent questions. prgtoken The answers are all the more pressing after the extraordinary hearing we held yesterday at the Judiciary Committee. The entire Nation watched as two people told their stories; two very, very different stories and also told in very, very different ways, but let's be very clear. The roles of these individuals and their responsibilities were also very different. prgtoken Judge Brett Kavanaugh came before us for a job interview. He has no right to be on the U.S. Supreme Court. It is a privilege of extraordinary magnitude and significance. The position is one of the most important in our country--a lifetime appointment to the highest Court in the land. prgtoken Our responsibility in the Judiciary Committee is not to approve just anyone for that job. We should be seeking the best person, a person of intellect and integrity and temperament who will be fair and impartial, objective, and considerate. prgtoken I concluded well before the hearing yesterday--it is no secret--that I would oppose Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court. prgtoken My opposition was based on his extreme ideological views and judicial philosophy which were amply demonstrated at the previous hearing we had with him. My concern is, he would be a fifth vote to cut back or even overturn Roe v. Wade and stop women from making decisions about when they will become pregnant or have children; stop people from marrying and exercising their right to do so with the person they love; cutting back on consumer rights and workers' rights and environmental objectives; and permitting an imperial Presidency--a President who could decide unilaterally that he believes the law is unconstitutional, and therefore it should not be enforced, meaning that laws protecting millions of Americans who suffer from preexisting conditions like diabetes and heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and, yes, pregnancy would go unprotected, and other rights under the Affordable Care Act. An imperial Presidency giving the power of that kind of unilateral authority is an anathema. prgtoken What we saw yes