mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
Republican Tax Plan (Executive Session)
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-11-2

later this morning, after months of hemming, hawing, and delaying, House s will finally release some legislative details about their tax plan. It may not even include all the details. The on again, off again nature of these deliberations should concern every Member of both Chambers. That is not how you construct sound policy, especially with something as complicated and impactful as the Tax Code. Each decision has enormous ramifications. Last-minute changes and sloppy drafting could change the fate of entire industries. Rushing it through in a hasty manner could have disastrous consequences. prgtoken We know why my colleagues are doing this. They don't want the public to know what is in this bill--increases on the middle class, breaks for the wealthy, big corporations getting a huge tax break, with no guarantee and very little likelihood that they will use the money to create jobs. That is why they don't want it to be public. It is not popular. On polls, it says: Do you support tax reform? They say yes. Do you support cutting the taxes on big corporations? They say, overwhelming, no. Do you support increasing taxes on the middle class? Overwhelming, they say no. Do you support decreasing taxes on the wealthy? They say, overwhelming, no. Those are the three tenets of this bill. prgtoken I hope my colleagues here in the Senate are watching what is going on in the House--the problems they are having, the secrecy they need--and realize how difficult and dangerous it is to rewrite the Tax Code by the seat of your pants. Looking at the Tax Code and real tax receipts after all the loopholes, the wealthy in our country pay far less in Federal taxes than they did historically while the middle class pays more. Corporate profits are at a record high, while average wages have been stagnant. Those statistics articulate a real problem with the basic fairness of our Tax Code that tax reform could underline and could fix. This plan doesn't. prgtoken Instead, what we are seeing today is a plan that exacerbates the unfairness and inequality in our Tax Code. If the details of the tax plan are anything like we have seen in the press--to repeal the estate tax, to create a huge new loophole for wealthy individuals in the form of a reduction in the pass-through rate, and lowering the big rates on corporations and the wealthy--this sure doesn't fit the bill of helping the middle class. prgtoken Meanwhile, to pay for all the tax giveaways in their bill, the s are likely to make it worse for the middle class--not just not help them but hurt them. It will slash State and local deductibility, which is a bedrock middle-class and upper middle class deduction, that would hurt so many middle-class taxpayers. Nearly one- third of all taxpayers claim it from all over the country, the vast majority of whom make under $200,000 a year. prgtoken Today, s will crow about reaching
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Christopher A. Coons (Democrat, DE) \u2014 2017-11-2

I come to the floor today to join several of my colleagues in raising concerns about nominations to the Federal judiciary and the Senate's role in carrying out its constitutional advice and consent responsibilities. From my vantage point as a member of the Judiciary Committee, I can see all too clearly that an alarming trend of more and more extreme judicial candidates appearing before us is growing, that more extreme judicial candidates are being nominated, and that the safeguards here in the Senate that are important to our vetting process are being threatened. prgtoken Let me start by giving a simple overview of what has happened, first in terms of the speed at which we are considering critical lifetime appointments to some of the most central courts in our whole Federal judicial system. prgtoken Just this week, my colleagues have brought forward four circuit court nominees--four nominees in one week--beginning to end. That is more than the number of circuit court nominees than were confirmed in the entire first year of President 's Presidency. prgtoken More important to me than the speed is the quality of our process of reviewing these important nominations. The prgtoken American Bar Association has issued unanimous ``not qualified'' ratings for two current judicial nominees. That hasn't happened in over a decade--since 2006. The American Bar Association is not a partisan or a political group. Founded in 1878, the ABA is a national professional organization with over 400,000 attorney members. The ABA's uncontroversial objectives are to serve its members, improve the legal profession, enhance diversity, and advance and secure the rule of law in our Nation. Its contributions to the legal profession are significant. It is the ABA that accredits law schools and establishes model ethical codes. prgtoken Additionally, since 1953, when President Eisenhower invited the ABA to provide specific, timely input on candidates for Federal judgeships, the ABA has evaluated nominees for professional competence, integrity, and judicial temperament. This is a rigorous process that involves collecting impartial, peer-review evaluations of candidates. prgtoken It is startling that less than a year into this administration, two nominees have already received ``not qualified'' ratings from the ABA, and two more nominees are under consideration of what is called a second evaluator. This is concerning. You see, the ABA does not take giving a ``not qualified'' rating lightly. Any time an evaluator is considering recommending ``not qualified,'' a second evaluator is brought in to conduct an independent review. I believe all nominees to lifetime article III appointments on the Federal bench should have the competence, integrity, and temperament to do the important work that Federal judges are called on to perform. prgtoken The nominees we are seeing not only raise concerns about professional qualificatio
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS: REPUBLICAN TAX PLAN
Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-11-2

. I thank the gentleman from New York for his thoughts. prgtoken Once again, I would just draw your attention back to who the real big winner is here in this tax plan. It is Mr. Moneybags. prgtoken So if you have got money in bags, millions of dollars, if you are a large corporation, if you are a billionaire, then you are going to benefit from this plan--yes, you will. And you know who is going to pay for that is middle class working families across the country who are going to see their taxes go up, who are going to see their services cut, who are going to ultimately be a part of the plan that has three parts. prgtoken The number one part for the plan is transfer trillions of dollars of wealth from middle class America to the wealthiest in the country who don't need it; number two, explode the deficit, because there is no way to pay for this unless you cut a bunch of stuff; and then, number three, cut more. Use the exploding deficit as an opportunity to cut spending even more: raid Social Security; raid Medicare; raid Medicaid. prgtoken This is all part of the budget that was passed last week by s. Let me say, there were 20 s who voted against that budget, and I congratulate them for their courage in voting against that budget. It was a close vote. If we had just gotten a couple more, we would have been able to defeat that budget, and we would have been able to at least require a more thoughtful process for how we move forward on tax reform, because part of what that budget vote did is to allow this process to move forward with less democracy, with less vetting, and with less knowledge for the American people. prgtoken Once again, I would say that the only reason to do this without a real debate, to rewrite the American economy without a real debate, is if you want to hide who is going to benefit from it. We know who is going to benefit. It is right here. Mr. Moneybags is going to benefit. Working people are going to suffer. prgtoken So I know that we are absolutely committed to making sure that working families across this country, the vulnerable, the low- income, the folks who are struggling every day, who are just making it, who feel like this economy is not working for them because it is controlled by corporations, by lobbyists, by folks who are here not working for the American people but working for their own special interests, we know that Americans want that to stop. Unfortunately, this plan does not do that. prgtoken So are going to fight every step of the way. The Congressional Progressive Caucus is going to fight every step of the way. We have our own People's Budget. We have a real proposal for how to invest in infrastructure, in jobs, in education, in healthcare to make sure that Americans across the country, whether you are in a red State or a blue State, whether you are a or a , whether you are in rural America or urba
PROTECTING SENIORS' ACCESS TO MEDICARE ACT OF 2017
Raul Ruiz (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-11-2

today I rise in strong support of my bill, the bipartisan Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017. prgtoken I was proud to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan bill with my friend on the other side of the aisle, Congressman Dr. Phil Roe. prgtoken , I thank Dr. Roe and his staff for their many years of hard work and advocacy on this issue. I am pleased that our offices were able to work closely on this bill, building a strong, bipartisan working relationship. prgtoken H.R. 849 eliminates the well-intentioned but misguided Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, that was created under the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Everyone can agree that we need to address the high cost of healthcare and strengthen the solvency of Medicare. However, the IPAB approach is misguided, because it establishes an appointed and unelected panel that would have the authority to make cuts to Medicare, with no accountability to seniors. prgtoken Our constituents must be able to hold elected officials accountable for decisions made regarding changes to Medicare regardless of who is in power. prgtoken What is more, if the board failed to act, the Health and Human Services Secretary, whether or , would be able to singlehandedly make cuts to Medicare. prgtoken Fortunately, the targeted Medicare growth rate to trigger IPAB has never been reached and the board has not yet been appointed. However, we must act now to ensure that it never happens. prgtoken Again, we can all agree that we must address the high cost of care and strengthen the solvency of Medicare, but we should do this by addressing the overall long-term cost of care. prgtoken I am pleased we are taking action in the House now, and I hope the Senate can consider this bill quickly. I encourage my colleagues to join me in passing this commonsense, bipartisan improvement to the Affordable Care Act and work together to protect and strengthen Medicare for our Nation's seniors. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD C. NASH
Al Franken (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-11-2

today I wish to recognize and celebrate the career of Minnesota Adjutant General Richard C. Nash. Major General Nash retired on October 31st, after leading the Minnesota National Guard for the past 7 years. His leadership has ensured the excellence of the Minnesota National Guard. prgtoken Major General Nash enlisted in the infantry in 1972 and quickly rose through the ranks, earning a commission as a second lieutenant following completion of officer candidate school. Since then, he has commanded at all levels, starting as a company level commander and rising to lead the U.S. Divisions-South supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2010. prgtoken In November of 2010, Major General Nash was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to be the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. In this role, he has skillfully commanded Minnesota's Army and Air National Guard units not only in missions in Minnesota, but also as they have served across the globe, in places such as Iraq, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Baltics. Under Major General Nash's stewardship, the Minnesota National Guard has performed every mission reliably and with distinction. prgtoken I have had the honor of working closely with Major General Nash during my time in office. He has been a tireless advocate for the Guard on issues ranging from installations, to the Guard's renewable energy use, to the important task of ensuring the Guard's annual priorities are met. One area I worked particularly closely with Major General Nash on has been our efforts to expand medical, education, and retirement benefits that had been previously denied to National Guard soldiers deployed under the 12304b authority. Major General Nash has been a strong voice on this issue, and his work was critical to my efforts to enact bipartisan legislation to ensure Minnesota Guardsmen and Reservists have access to these services. Our veterans have earned these benefits through their service and sacrifice to our country, and they should not be denied those benefits. prgtoken In addition to his exemplary leadership of the Minnesota Guard's service in missions foreign and domestic, Major General Nash deserves special recognition for his work preparing the force for future energy and sustainability challenges. In particular, his work developing the Minnesota Guard's sustainable infrastructure has made the Minnesota Guard a pioneer in the use of solar and geothermal energy initiatives. In 2011, Minnesota National Guard facilities set a goal to reduce energy consumption by 3 percent. Forty-one Minnesota National Guard armories participated in this program and energy consumption was reduced by an average of 5.4 percent year over year through the use of geothermal and solar thermal heating, water reuse, solid waste recycling, as well as natural and LED lighting. Furthermore, all new construction projects under Major General Nash's leadership have been designed to LEED standa
PROTECTING SENIORS' ACCESS TO MEDICARE ACT OF 2017
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-11-2

I rise in opposition to H.R. 849, the so-called ``Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017,'' which repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), that was established under the ACA in response to high rates of growth in Medicare expenditures and charged with developing proposals to ``reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.'' prgtoken I opposed this bill when it came to the floor as H.R. 1190 in the 114th Congress and I oppose it now because by repealing IPAB, the bill would eliminate an important safeguard that will help reduce the rate of Medicare cost growth responsibly while protecting Medicare beneficiaries. prgtoken , H.R. 849 is nothing but another attempt, in a long line of House efforts to undermine both the Medicare guarantee and the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken Repealing IPAB would cost over $17.5 billion during the course of a ten year period according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). prgtoken , s do not even make an attempt to find an offset for this $17.5 billion increase to the deficit resulting from repeal of the IPAB, while at the same time they plan to bring to the floor a partisan bill to reauthorize CHIP, Community Health Centers, and other public health extenders by cutting Medicare and slashing funding for programs relied upon by Medicaid recipients, low and middle income families with Affordable Care Act health coverage. prgtoken After more than seven years under the Affordable Care Act, more than 20 million Americans have gained health coverage; up to 129 million people who could have otherwise been denied or who faced discrimination now have access to coverage. prgtoken , given the real challenges facing our nation, it is irresponsible for the majority to continue bringing to the floor unpaid for bills that would do serious harm to millions of Americans if they were to be enacted. prgtoken House s have tried more than 65 times to undermine the Affordable Care Act, which has enabled more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans to know the peace of mind that comes from having access to affordable, accessible, high quality health care. prgtoken Their batting average to date is .000; they have struck out every time because the American people appreciate and strongly support the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken , I ask my colleagues to look at the facts and abandon this misguided effort to undermine the ACA and impose significant negative impacts on Americans currently insured. prgtoken The Independent Payment Advisory Board is to recommend to Congress policies that reduce the rate of Medicare growth and help Medicare provide better care at lower costs. prgtoken IPAB membership by law is to be made up of 15 members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate and been comprised of the non-partisan CBO, economists, and health policy experts as contributing to Medicare's long-term sustaina
PROTECTING SENIORS' ACCESS TO MEDICARE ACT OF 2017
Peter Welch (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2017-11-2

Europe is going to get the benefit of that lower price and the United States is not. prgtoken My question to my colleagues--it is not just about the IPAB. It is about let's get real. Let's get real on drug prices. Let's get real on the fee-for-service as opposed to value-based system. Let's get real on cracking down on Medicare fraud. Let's get real on focusing on the cost side, where all of us acknowledge bad things are happening. This fear of these ``unelected bureaucrats,'' where it is 15 people who, at the end of the day, whatever recommendation they want to make to us, force us to make a hard decision as to whether it is a good recommendation or a bad recommendation. prgtoken We are in charge. This is going to be rammed down our throat, but what it does force us to do is start looking where the money is; rip- off drug prices, excessive procedures that actually create medical risk. prgtoken , we do have a challenge of healthcare cost in this country, but the focus has to be on improving the delivery system and taking the rip-off pricing out of the system.
CALLING FOR CHIP REAUTHORIZATION
A. Donald McEachin (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-11-2

today I rise to speak on the importance of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, commonly referred to as CHIP. prgtoken In my home State of Virginia, there are 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women who rely on CHIP. Almost 6,000 of those children and pregnant women live in my district. They need a clean reauthorization of CHIP. Instead, this week, we are expected to vote on a bill that will put my constituents at risk. prgtoken As reported from committee, this new version of CHIP, the so-called HEALTHY KIDS Act, is loaded with poison pills that would undermine the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. According to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, CHIP with Medicaid boosted the rate of children's health coverage to more than 95 percent. prgtoken , why tamper with such success? I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to bring a bill to the floor that reauthorizes CHIP and supports our constituents.
Tax Reform (Executive Calendar)
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-11-2

last Thursday, Leader McConnell filed cloture on four circuit court nominees, including two nominees who had been voted out of the Judiciary Committee that very morning. prgtoken Voting on four controversial circuit court nominees in 1 week is highly unusual, as is voting on nominees just days after they have moved out of committee. prgtoken Senators who aren't on the Judiciary Committee deserve time to consider nominees, review their backgrounds, and make an informed decision for their vote. prgtoken But that is not what is happening in the Senate this week. Instead, Senate leadership is pushing President 's judges through as quickly as possible. prgtoken Jamming through as many controversial judges as possible in as short a time as possible--to lifetime appointments, no less--is irresponsible. I cannot remember a time when we had cloture votes on four circuit nominees in 1 week. prgtoken It is important to understand the context in which we find ourselves. prgtoken After failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act and with the tax reform plan facing opposition within his own party, President has turned more and more to Executive orders to influence policy. prgtoken As we have seen, move after move has run into opposition in Federal courts. So it is really no surprise that s are trying to stack those courts with ideological judges whom they hope and expect will uphold the President's harmful policies. prgtoken Consider how many actions have or will see time in the courtroom, and you begin to understand why s are rushing to fill these vacancies--after allowing countless vacancies to remain unfilled at the end of the last administration. prgtoken In each of the following cases, the President and Senate s seem to hope that the outcome will be different with a transformed judiciary. prgtoken The President's Muslim travel ban has been struck down by multiple courts who ruled that the ban is based on religion and suspending the refugee program is discriminatory, with no basis in fact. The President went so far as to personally insult some of the judges who heard arguments on the travel ban. prgtoken The President's decision to end the DACA program is also likely to find its way into the courtroom. Beginning on March 5, 2018, it is estimated that around 1,000 DACA recipients per day will lose their protection from deportation. By ending the program and thrusting 690,000 young people into legal limbo, the President ensured that lawsuits would be filed, and he certainly is hopeful that conservative judges are on the stand to hear the cases. prgtoken We have also seen the administration make moves to restrict women's access to healthcare. One woman had to go to Federal court twice to challenge the government's efforts to restrict her access to reproductive care. The full D.C. Circuit chided the attempt to ``bulldoze over constitutional line
2017 WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER--JUDITH HOLZAPFEL
John Garamendi (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-11-2

I rise today to recognize Mrs. Judith Holzapfel of Orland, California, whose leadership and civic spirit has no bounds. Her service to country and community began when she enlisted in the United States Air Force after having graduated from Marquette University with a degree in nursing. Following basic training, Judith was stationed at Beale Air Force Base where she met her husband. Following the birth of her son, she began her civilian career working in area hospitals. After pursuing further education, Mrs. Holzapfel eventually became Glenn County's school nurse and continued in that role for the next 30 years. Her many years of work and prgtoken dedication has made a difference in health education and quality of life for thousands of students and their families. After retiring from her many years of service to Glenn County, Mrs. Holzapfel decided to continue her public services. She ran for a position on the Glenn County Board of Education, and won by an overwhelming majority. Mrs. Holzapfel is an active member of many community service organizations throughout the county and devotes her time to helping youth, veterans, and the impoverished. Above all, as a mother, grandmother, community activist, and veteran; Mrs. Holzapfel is passionate and dedicated to upholding the values of her family, and of her country.