mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Bob Good (Republican, VA) \u2014 2023-6-21

. Madam Chair, I rise in support of the CHOICE Arrangement Act because it charts a course for Americans to take charge of their healthcare. prgtoken This bill includes several important provisions, including one of my bills, the Self-Insurance Protection Act. Self-insured healthcare plans give employers more choices to build and tailor health plans that best meet the needs of their employees. prgtoken Self-insured plans are popular. In fact, in 2022, 65 percent of workers were enrolled in self-insured plans. Small and midsize businesses are turning to self-insured plans because of the flexibilities they provide in offering high-quality healthcare coverage at an affordable cost to employees. prgtoken Stop-loss insurance is a critical component of an employer's ability to successfully self-insure in a way that best suits their needs. Most employers choose to purchase stop-loss insurance to manage financial risk, shielding them from potentially catastrophic medical claims that could sink their businesses. prgtoken Unfortunately, Washington bureaucrats have tried to regulate stop- loss insurance into nonexistence. The administration threatened to regulate stop-loss as traditional health insurance, a move that would make self-insurance inaccessible, and force individuals onto the Care exchange and drive up costs. prgtoken My bill would make sure the administration can't mandate the decision of small business owners and weaponize regulations to prevent access to stop-loss policies for small business owners. prgtoken Additionally, some State laws unfairly limit small businesses from accessing the self-insured market solely based on the size of their operations. My legislation would protect the ability for businesses to self-insure and ensure that no government entity can prevent them from making the best possible decision for their business and their employees. prgtoken Another key provision of the CHOICE Arrangement Act would make Association Health Plans more accessible for small businesses and self- employed workers. prgtoken This policy is a big win for my home State of Virginia. Last year, Virginia passed a law allowing realtors to form Association Health Plans. Sadly, the administration has threatened to block implementation of the State law because it doesn't comply with Care. prgtoken Voting for the legislation today would allow for the Virginia law to flourish without Federal Government intervention. The Medicare for All mentality thinks that businessowners aren't equipped to provide quality health coverage for their employees. That simply is not the case. prgtoken A majority of Americans, 159 million, in fact, have health benefits through their jobs, and they like their plans. Madam Chair, 78 percent of employers decide to enroll in employer-sponsored insurance when given the option. prgtoken The CHOICE Arrangement Act responds to the needs of the American people, and I hope all of my coll
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Jason Smith (Republican, MO) \u2014 2023-6-21

the CHOICE Arrangement Act will expand coverage for more types of workers by allowing employers to offer a CHOICE Arrangement to different groups of employees who may not have been offered health insurance previously, such as part-time or seasonal workers. prgtoken Under this policy, nearly 1 million workers will have health insurance coverage for the very first time. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney), who is an author of a piece of this legislation.
TAX CONVENTION WITH CHILE
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2023-6-21

reserving the right to object, this bill is not about contraception; it is about abortion. prgtoken The bill defines ``contraception'' as ``any drug, device, or biological product intended for use in the prevention of pregnancy, whether specifically intended to prevent pregnancy or for other health needs, that is approved by the FDA.'' prgtoken The FDA has approved dangerous chemical abortion drugs that can also be used as contraceptives off-label. There is a huge difference between a drug that blocks fertilization and a drug that can end a life. prgtoken This bill also includes a provision that would act as a guaranteed earmark for Planned Parenthood. Under the bill, the government could not directly fund a health organization unless it provides abortion drugs. prgtoken Finally, this bill does not respect freedom of conscience for healthcare providers. It would no longer allow for religious exemptions for organizations that have deeply held objections to providing abortions. prgtoken The bill uses intentionally vague language to hide its ulterior motive of protecting access to abortion drugs. For these reasons, I object.
CONGRATULATING HARDIN VALLEY ACADEMY AEROHAWKS
Tim Burchett (Republican, TN) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise to honor Sergeant Daniel Clifford Britton, who served our country during the Gulf war. prgtoken Daniel graduated from Temple Baptist Academy in 2006. He went on to the University of Tennessee and participated in the Army ROTC program and enlisted in the Army on September 3, 2008. prgtoken Sergeant Britton attended his initial Active-Duty training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After graduation, he was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the air assault course in September 2009, and in 2010, he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned his Combat Infantry Badge. During his service, he was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal with two stars, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal twice, and many others. He was a patriot and loved this country to its core. prgtoken Sergeant Britton passed away in May and left behind a daughter who he loved with his whole being. I offer my condolences to his daughter and all his friends and family who knew and loved him. prgtoken It is my honor to recognize Sergeant Daniel Britton as the Tennessee Second District's June 2023 Veteran of the Month. His service to this country, his community, and his family will never be forgotten. prgtoken On a personal note, , as a Christian, I am not a very good one, but I owe everything in my life, except for my salvation, to the men and women who wore our country's uniform. I thank you for this opportunity. I appreciate your testimony here on the floor about that man, one of our brave officers, who lost his life. I thank the people in the gallery for standing up and showing him that respect. prgtoken This is a great country we have, . Thank you, brother, for your friendship.
CONGRATULATING LINDA RUSHING ON HER RETIREMENT
Bruce Westerman (Republican, AR) \u2014 2023-6-21

the United States stands as a beacon of freedom with a mission to protect the inalienable rights for which many have given their lives. This mission rings from the mountains to the prairies, across our oceans, and across the globe. prgtoken This month, the Indo-Pacific Task Force was assembled to evaluate Chinese attempts to usurp our interests in the Pacific. China is a threat to our democracy, and they are attempting to prgtoken gain a foothold not only in Cuba but also within our territories across the Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions. prgtoken To combat this hostility, our bipartisan team was assembled to support our territories and friends in the Freely Associated States to counter the communist influence. prgtoken Protecting our territories and our friends is paramount. I ask Congress to engage in this effort fully, heed the suggestions of the Indo-Pacific Task Force, and work together to strengthen our territories and deter Chinese influence in the Pacific and here at home.
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican, IA) \u2014 2023-6-21

, Representative Van Drew, for yielding me time. prgtoken , I rise in support of H.R. 3799, the CHOICE Arrangement Act, which we just voted on tonight. prgtoken According to the National Federation of Independent Business, small businesses have ranked the cost of health insurance as their number one problem for 32 years straight. Even our largest employers rank the cost of health insurance and healthcare as a tremendous issue. prgtoken Offer rates from small employers with under 50 workers dropped from 39 to 31 percent from 2010 to 2021. This is both unfortunate and alarming because small business owners and employees who drive the American economy with their skills deserve better. prgtoken As a physician and a former small business owner myself and a supporter of small businesses, I understand the importance of quality healthcare. I am all for innovative solutions that bring down costs without expanding the power of the Federal Government. prgtoken The inaptly named Affordable Care Act doubled down on a broken individual health market that now costs taxpayers more than a trillion a year. The CHOICE Arrangement Act eliminates the need for small businesses to choose between expensive, unaffordable ACA-compliant coverage or no coverage at all. prgtoken Furthermore, any business size can offer this type of coverage and employers can offer coverage so that their employees can obtain health insurance. The benefit to employees is--let me say it in three words: portability, cost, and choice. prgtoken Of these three, the most important, especially as a physician delivering care, is for patients to have choice. We prgtoken know with the innovation that has come about through technology that patients want choice now more than ever. prgtoken Imagine having an arrangement where you can use your healthcare dollars to get devices that measure your blood sugar rather than having to prick your finger every day, or other things that are not covered necessarily by health insurance or Federal health insurance. prgtoken Furthermore, this Act codifies a rule created by President that makes it easier for businesses and self-employed individuals to band together or pool together across State lines to purchase association health plans and expanded health reimbursements. prgtoken , I am proud to support the CHOICE Arrangement Act, and I look forward to the Senate's swift consideration of this measure.
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Kevin Hern (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-6-21

as a small business owner and job creator for over the past 35 years, I offered healthcare plans to my employees and worked with them to find the best coverage for their families. I have seen firsthand the impact of increasing healthcare, and I have also done the burdensome paperwork to manage the plans on the back end. prgtoken I came to Congress 4 years ago, and the reason I came was because of the burden that this Congress over the years has put on job creators across America. prgtoken The small business healthcare package being debated today helps simplify healthcare and empower people in one of their most personal decisions, their healthcare. prgtoken I find it ironic that the gentleman across the aisle identifies the ACA requirements as junk because the CHOICE Arrangement Act follows the ACA guidelines. It encourages people to go out and shop. It follows the rules on preexisting conditions. prgtoken But what we really know, what they don't like about this is it doesn't go in the direction they want to go, which is to federalize all healthcare. That has been the mission since day one, for the government to run your healthcare. That just simply won't work. prgtoken I am proud that this package includes my bill, the CHOICE Arrangement Act, which allows employees to use money from their employer to buy the healthcare plan that works best for them. prgtoken Four years ago, the administration finalized a rule to create CHOICE accounts, allowing businesses to reimburse their employees for the cost of the health insurance plan of their choosing. CHOICE accounts put individuals--individuals, not the Federal Government--in the driver's seat when it comes to picking their healthcare plan and lets their employer financially support their decision. prgtoken This bill would codify that rule into law, benefiting everyone and, overall, increasing the amount of people who have health insurance. You would think that would be a good thing, but apparently not with my ic colleagues. prgtoken Every patient's health needs are unique, and every person's situation is different. This is why it is so important to expand and protect the different options available to employers to provide health benefits in different ways. prgtoken I am happy to see Congress address the burdens small businesses face when providing healthcare benefits to their employees. This bill fulfills part of a promise that the Party has made to America, to bring back true choice to American healthcare by enabling small businesses to provide the best care for their employees. prgtoken As the chairman said, time and time again, in hearings that we have been at across America talking to people that are experiencing the burdens that come out of this Congress, it is amazing to me that the who are businesspeople that are on the committee, when talking without their talking points identify-- The CHAIR. The time of the gentlema
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-6-21

in just a moment, the U.S. Senate will vote to override President 's veto of my legislation that would stop yet another aggressive environmental regulation. prgtoken This specific regulation is an EPA rule that would impose stricter emissions standards on heavy-duty vehicles. While this might sound well-intentioned, let's be very clear about the facts. prgtoken First, the EPA's own economic analysis projects that the cost to Americans associated with this new regulation could reach up to $55 billion from 2027 to 2045. That is because, when you force truckers to purchase new, expensive equipment in the name of climate, you are asking the American people to foot the bill. Any product transported by trucks, whether that is food headed to your local grocery store or something that you bought off of Amazon, each one of these products will cost more due to massive inflationary burdens this rule will place on the trucking industry. That means every American consumer will feel the effects of this rule and its price increases. prgtoken Every agriculture producer and every local business will feel its effects. If you are an ag or an energy-heavy State like Texas, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Nebraska, California, or Montana, your local economy will be especially impacted by these higher freight costs. prgtoken That is not to mention the 3 million Americans who work as commercial truckers. Many truckers work for mom-and-pop operations--small businesses that simply don't have the financial resources to handle a spike in cost. Many of these businesses and the good-paying jobs that they support won't survive this rule. prgtoken And do you know? The real irony here is that the way this ``green'' regulation is structured, it actually undermines its own stated goal of reducing emissions. Think about it. If the price of newer vehicles shoots up, the government is incentivizing businesses to hold on to their older, higher emitting trucks. prgtoken So let's tell it like it is. The administration's emissions rule is a political move that won't even be effective. The administration is making an ineffective climate statement at the expense of millions of Americans' livelihoods. prgtoken We in the Senate should know that we are not playing a political game of chess. We are dealing with real people. We are not moving pawns. That is why my CRA passed the Senate and the House with bipartisan support, and that is why we need to push back against the President's insistence on playing these regulatory games, because working families don't have the luxury for these games. They are reeling from inflation and economic turmoil caused by this administration. prgtoken So I would encourage my colleagues to join me in choosing our economy, our truckers, and, ultimately, the American people over another politically charged mandate from a power-hungry White House. prgtoken .
Abortion (Executive Calendar)
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2023-6-21

I have a question for this body. It is not a legislative question. It starts first with just a question. It is a question for us to be able to think about, and it is a question, quite frankly, that is essential that we think about but that we don't think about very often because it is introspective, because it is personal, because it connects both science and faith and culture and background. But it is essential to who we are as people, human beings, and it is this simple question: When does life begin? prgtoken I don't say it flippantly. It is a real question. It is a question that we have had as a nation now the entire time we have been a nation, and it has been decided by different States and by different people from the very beginning of our Nation. prgtoken When does life begin? For some people, they would say life begins at birth, when I can see that child, when they are screaming and crying and just born, red-faced. prgtoken Some people would say it is actually 10 minutes before that birth; that it is not at birth; that it is just a little bit before. prgtoken There are some people who would back it up, and they would say: No, you are really a child when you are alive and you are viable--that is somewhere around 21 weeks' gestation now--that when you are viable, that is when you are really alive. prgtoken Some people would back it up even more to say: Not at 21 weeks; maybe at 15 weeks because science would say at about 15 weeks that child in the womb has a nervous system that is developed and they can feel pain. prgtoken Some would say: No, I would back it up more than that. I would actually take it to 6 weeks because, at 6 weeks, it is the early stages of a beating heart, and we would say, when that heart beat is actually happening, that is when that child is alive. prgtoken And others would back it up even further and would say: When that child has unique DNA that is different DNA than the mom or the dad--in fact, in that mom's body, every single cell in her body has the same DNA marker except for those cells. For those cells in the woman's body, that DNA is different. They are the only cells that are different, and, as they multiply and divide, that DNA signature grows, but it stays right there with that child. prgtoken It is a real question. prgtoken Fifty-one years ago, our country had different opinions. Different States had different ideas about when life began. prgtoken And each State voted, and each State had a debate in their State about when life began. That was what we were like from the very beginning of the country up to 51 years ago. prgtoken And then, in 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision happened in the Supreme Court, and, at that time, nine Justices said: Nope, individual States and people aren't going to decide this; the nine of us are going to decide this. prgtoken And for almost 50 years, the law of the land was that those Justices all made one determination for everybody--until 5
OUR NATIONAL DEBT, OUR SPENDING, AND OUR DEFICIT
Andy Biggs (Republican, AZ) \u2014 2023-6-21

. That is why I support what I call the Buck plan. The Buck plan calls upon Congress, the majority in this case, in every committee to have a subcommittee that is looking at the authorization jurisdiction of that committee and then makes the recommendations, has the hearings. Let's do this right. prgtoken Transparency is important, but beyond that, the process is broken. If we are going to try to get a handle on our out-of-control spending, you would think we would want to fix the process as much as anything. prgtoken I commend Representative Buck. prgtoken For those watching at home, both of you, Representative Buck has put together this plan, has been championing this plan, and I am behind that plan all the way. I think it is something we must do. It should be part of any appropriations process going forward.
MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF JACQUES "JAY" ROUGEAU
Mike Kelly (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-21

I wish his family could be here to see that the entire gallery just stood up and, even though you did not know Trooper Rougeau, you stood up to honor what he did in his line of duty. prgtoken This is a tragic loss not only for the community of Corry, but the entire prgtoken Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This morning, I am praying for the family, friends, and colleagues of Trooper Rougeau, another person in law enforcement who died while responding to help others in danger.
CONGRATULATING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALISTS NAMIT KAPOOR AND ARMAAN SINGH
George Santos (Republican, NY) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today to honor two of the best and brightest of New York's Third Congressional District. prgtoken This week, hundreds of youth, ages 14 to 24, will gather in the Capitol to celebrate their achievement of being Congressional Award gold medalists. prgtoken Each gold medalist must complete over 400 hours of community service, dedicate 200 hours to a personal development activity, 200 hours to a physical fitness activity, and complete a 5-day, 4-night expedition or exploration over at least 2 years. prgtoken , I am proud to recognize two from my district who rose to meet this challenge: Namit Kapoor and Armaan Singh. prgtoken As a participant in the prestigious Senate Page Program, Mr. Kapoor completed many of his requirements while balancing a workload of courses beginning at 6:15 a.m. and long days on the Senate floor. prgtoken Singh is graduating next year and is looking to attend medical school to give back to the community. His gold medal journey took him far and wide, from a tae kwon do studio in Levittown to a glacier to the depths of his own soul as he found his voice for writing poetry. prgtoken Both young men have bright futures, and they are stellar examples of fine leadership in New York-03. I am proud to recognize them today.