mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
OPIOID ADDICTION CRISIS
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2017-6-27

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this important issue and for the opportunity to address the House on this very important topic. prgtoken , as you have heard, our Nation is facing an epidemic. Over the past two decades, opioid overdoses have quadrupled. Think about that. They have quadrupled in the United States. My home State, as Dr. Murphy has just mentioned, has faced significant increases in drug overdose death rates, including a 70 percent increase in synthetic opioid overdose deaths in just the last 10 years. It is clear that this is a crisis, which is why we in Congress are committed to combating this growing epidemic. prgtoken Late last year, Congress passed sweeping legislation, called the 21st Century Cures Act. It was bipartisan legislation that authorized $6.3 billion in funding to bring our healthcare innovation infrastructure into the 21st century. This legislation included $1 billion for opioid intervention and prevention treatment programs throughout all 50 States. Earlier this spring, the Federal Government began awarding grants in order to confront this crisis, including $11.7 million to the State of Washington. prgtoken While these funds will help expand treatment options, there is still much more work to be done at the Federal level, which is why I cosponsored legislation like H.R. 1057, the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention, or STOP, Act. Designed to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl, which you heard about, and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders, this legislation will combat bad actors from China and India who have been taking advantage of weaknesses in international mail security standards to break U.S. customs laws and really wreak havoc on our communities. prgtoken This is just one step of the opioid crisis that we must address. We need to combat the illicit drugs coming into this country as well as equip doctors, nurses, and first responders with the resources they need to treat pain appropriately. prgtoken We also need to support better access to care for individuals suffering from psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. And, most importantly, we must ensure these drugs are not falling into the hands of our Nation's children. prgtoken My colleagues in Congress and I are committed to combating this epidemic to keep it from causing further harm to our Nation's families and communities.
ORDERS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2017
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2017-6-27

I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 12 noon, Wednesday, June 28; further, that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and morning business be closed; finally, that following leader remarks, the Senate proceed to executive session and resume consideration of the Rao nomination.
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED FUNDING TO VETTED WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Thomas J. Rooney (Republican, FL) \u2014 2017-6-27

today I rise to talk about something called congressionally directed spending when it comes to Army Corps projects. prgtoken I have a bill, which is called the REPAIR Act, which would make a limited change to the House rules definition to allow Congress to direct funding to vetted water resource development projects of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. prgtoken The REPAIR Act does not authorize or appropriate any new funds for these projects, which comprises just one-half of 1 percent of our overall annual discretionary spending, and stays exclusively within the budget cap set by Congress. prgtoken After several years of divided government, almost every Member of Congress here has experienced the direct correlation between our inability to provide for these projects over the executive agencies, especially as it pertains to these essential public works projects. prgtoken The REPAIR Act is a zero-cost solution to this problem that will simply allow Congress to respond to the water resource infrastructure needs of their communities rather than waiting for an unelected, faceless bureaucrat in the executive branch to move on these projects. prgtoken , I urge all of my colleagues to support the REPAIR Act.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
Jamie Raskin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-6-28

the floor leader has invited us to stick to the facts, so I want to stick to the facts in order to clear up some of the propaganda I have heard today for this terrible bill. prgtoken First of all, it has nothing to do with ``groundless cases or frivolous claims,'' because the draconian new limits proposed in their legislation applied only to valid claims in serious cases. It has nothing to do with groundless cases and frivolous claims. That is an irrelevant distraction from their own legislation, which is an attempt to reduce what you can recover with a perfectly valid claim when a jury has awarded you damages. prgtoken Number two, the floor leader says that it would not apply in the case of someone being raped in a nursing home. Perhaps he thinks it wouldn't apply to my constituent, a 15-year-old girl who got raped by her dentist. prgtoken But as I read the bill, it says, ``healthcare lawsuit means any action against a healthcare provider,'' and that includes anyone who is providing healthcare. So if a nursing home is providing healthcare or a dentist is providing healthcare, they would be covered by the law. prgtoken But I would invite the floor leader to clear this up, because if he is representing now that rapes of patients in a nursing home or in a dentist's office don't count, that should be definitive legislative history that we establish today because we tried to amend the bill to that effect in committee and the majority voted it down. But he has just represented that a rape would not count, and I want him to definitively commit whether or not a rape by a healthcare provider would count. prgtoken Finally, the gentleman from Iowa says it won't preempt the States, it will not impose Federal laws because it is still in the State courts. It is still in the State courts, but Federal law now applies. prgtoken There are 28 States which have said that you cannot limit people's access to noneconomic damages when a jury wants to award them those damages for pain and suffering. They have either said in their Constitution there can be no limits at all, or the legislatures have said it, or the State supreme courts have struck it down. And their legislation is a bulldozer that will run over the laws of 28 States. prgtoken And they claim, , that somehow they are acting in the guise of federalism. They are destroying federalism. That is why I was so happy that Mr. Duncan, a former State Judge from Tennessee, and a member of the GOP majority, got up to say this is antithetical to everything they stand for.
HONORING THE CAREER OF SISTER MARALYNN SCIARRINO UPON HER RETIREMENT
Brian Higgins (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise today to recognize Sister Maralynn Sciarrino as she steps down from her position as Director of the Mercy Speech Center after 49 years of extraordinary service. Sister Maralynn's skill as a speech pathologist and her caring presence provided countless children from Western New York with the skills and confidence necessary to be articulate and successful in school and in life. prgtoken Founded in 1956 by Sister Maureen Kelly, Mercy Speech Center provides professional evaluation and speech therapy to children with speech and language disorders. The Center puts the needs of children first as it provides services to families who may not have been able to afford such personal attention. prgtoken Sister Maralynn has devoted her life to helping and serving others since joining the Sisters of Mercy at the age of 18. She taught elementary school for several years before beginning her career at The Mercy Speech Center in 1962. Focused on helping children overcome speech and language disorders, Sister studied speech pathology and audiology at the Catholic University of America, eventually earning a masters degree. prgtoken Sister Maralynn put that degree to work as she helped children with speech and auditory processing challenges when no one else could, earning the love, respect and gratitude of all those lives she so positively impacted. Sister Maralynn founded the Magic Penny Program at the Center which combines basic speech therapy with a literacy program, enabling students to develop their speaking abilities as well as their reading abilities. Her innate ability to connect and communicate with children contributed to her success as a speech pathologist and the invaluable impact of the Mercy Speech Center. prgtoken Known for her laughing eyes, bright smile and the kindest of hearts, Sister Maralynn remains a gift to education and a valued member of her community. She changed lives and her own life serves as an example of how one person truly can make a difference. prgtoken , I thank you for allowing me a few moments to recognize Sister Maralynn Sciarrino and her impactful career at the Mercy Speech Center. Sister Maralynn's life of service to the youth of Western New York is inspirational, impressive and worthy of recognition. I am proud to honor Sister Maralynn and wish her continued health and happiness as she begins the next chapter of her remarkable life.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, CT) \u2014 2017-6-28

over the last 10 days, I have conducted prgtoken emergency field hearings, giving my constituents in Connecticut an opportunity to be heard, a chance for their voices and faces to be part of considering the healthcare or really, more accurately, wealth care bill. Indeed, that label or characterization of the bill came from one my constituents who said: This plan is not healthcare, it is wealth care because it produces a massive transfer of wealth from the poor and middle-class Americans, whose healthcare would be deeply harmed, to the richest Americans, who would enjoy the benefits of hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts. prgtoken That kind of voice and criticism deserves to be heard here. Yet my colleagues and their leadership have gone from total secrecy to total chaos. They are in chaos because they have refused to heed the voices and faces of ordinary, average working people--middle-class people, the most vulnerable people--who would be deeply harmed by this proposal. prgtoken One woman at one of my hearings in Connecticut, knowing what would happen under this bill, said to me: Do the right thing. Save the Affordable Care Act and save our lives. prgtoken She was not exaggerating when she said lives are at stake. She is right. This very eloquent woman, Amy Etkind, knows all too well what this bill means for Americans like her, and the man she described, literally, as the ``love of her life.'' She told me about him during a hearing in New Haven Friday afternoon--about how he has struggled with addiction, mental health issues, and now diabetes. He is alive today because of Medicaid, and he has access to the services he needs. As she said, ``If Medicaid were to go away, he would be literally dead in a very short period of time.'' prgtoken When we say the plan would cost lives--it would kill people--it is no hyperbole, no exaggeration. It is plain, simple fact. As Ronald Reagan said, ``Facts are stubborn things.'' The fact is, this bill would cost the State of Connecticut nearly $3 billion in Federal funding over the next 10 years. These cuts, mainly to Medicaid, cannot and will not be replaced, as the CBO has predicted. It would leave States like Connecticut in an impossible position: either raise taxes to pay the difference or cut Medicaid enrollment to insurers, putting people like Amy's husband at risk, literally, of death; putting out on the streets the senior citizens living in the Monsignor Bojnowski Manor in New Britain, where they are enjoying great care--a high-quality environment because of Medicaid. Many of them are middle-class folks who worked hard, played by the rules, and exhausted their savings. They are vulnerable now because of the cost of healthcare and their care, in particular. The focus ought to be on them, on the people who are affected, not so much the numbers, but we know from the numbers that the plan w
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Joe Donnelly (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-6-28

for all of the discussion about delays, politics, the process, vote counts, budget scores and analysis, it is critical we remember that this healthcare debate is first and foremost about people, our friends and neighbors, and their families. It is about moms and dads, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, grandmas and grandpas. prgtoken We all agree everyone needs access to quality, affordable healthcare. Regardless of how healthy you are today, everyone needs the peace of mind that if they get sick, they will be able to get the care they need. We all know someone who has fought cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or has a child battling a chronic condition or disease. prgtoken In our shared experiences and relationships are shared values. Each of us wants our loved ones to be healthy and to live long, full, happy lives. We want what is in the best interests of our families, our friends, and our neighbors. prgtoken I have seen these values firsthand through the stories of Hoosiers who recently wrote to me out of desperate concern about the Senate healthcare bill. I have heard from everyone--from working parents to students, to seniors--that access to quality and affordable healthcare is critical to their ability to raise a healthy family, to contribute to our communities, and to live our final years in dignity. prgtoken Take Conor, who is a lawyer, and Sarah, a nurse practitioner, and their family in Fort Wayne, as an example. In 2015, Sarah was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the nerves in her brain and spinal cord. As Conor wrote me, ``Like everyone else who suffers from MS, my wife didn't make this choice. prgtoken She did not choose this disease . . . sometimes people get sick or are diagnosed with chronic conditions through no fault of their own.'' prgtoken If untreated, she would become severely disabled, and her condition would get progressively worse. The best possible outcome for Sarah is controlling the disease and limiting the spread of the symptoms because there currently is not any cure. prgtoken Conor and Sarah worry that under the Senate healthcare proposal, they would be subject to annual and lifetime caps, making Sarah's treatment unaffordable. Through the Senate healthcare bill, States could seek waivers that would allow them to get rid of essential health benefits and implement annual and lifetime caps, even for health insurance plans that people receive through their work, just like Sarah does. For Conor and Sarah and others who suffer from conditions like MS, the reforms that prohibit limits on coverage allow them to have the peace of mind that they can live full lives, despite their disease and their diagnosis. prgtoken It is stories like Sarah's and Conor's that remind us why this is such an important debate. It is inherently personal. It is about the health, the well-being, and it is even about the life and death of our loved ones.
HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DAWN LUCIEN
Adam Smith (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise to honor the life and accomplishments of Dawn Lucien, an exemplary and civically-minded leader who, for decades, provided the city of Tacoma and its surrounding community with invaluable contributions. prgtoken After moving to Tacoma in 1947, Dawn quickly became involved in her city's civic and political life. Believing that Tacoma was truly the ``gem of the universe,'' one of Dawn's first accomplishments in the city was becoming one of just two women elected to the Tacoma prgtoken Board of Freeholders in 1956. Just four years later, Dawn served as an appointed member of the Tacoma City Council until 1962. prgtoken Dawn's early contributions not only gained the recognition of many at the local level, but also caught the attention of leaders at a national level. In 1962, she was a Nominee to Congress, and was then approached by Vice President Hubert Humphrey to assist overseas. Her commitment to her duties in her beloved Tacoma was so strong that she nearly turned down the opportunity to represent the United States at the 1967 United Nations Economic and Social Council in Geneva. prgtoken Continuing her commitment to community organizing, Dawn was instrumental in the 1990s rebirth of downtown Tacoma, and in the creation of the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington. She sought to revitalize her city through the promotion of the arts and education. Dawn was a fearless and independent leader who people viewed as the ``godmother'' of the city. She is remembered for working with others to bridge divides within her community. Dawn even won the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize for her 1988 work to resolve hotly disputed land claims between developers and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. prgtoken Dawn's decades-long commitment to fiercely serving her community and getting results, has played a key role in the growth of the city of Tacoma since she arrived in 1947. prgtoken , it is with great privilege that I recognize the life of Dawn Lucien. She is truly an exceptional reminder of the high level of commitment to our communities that we should all aspire to every day.
PULL THE PLUG ON TRUMPCARE
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-6-28

I am pleased the Senate has postponed a vote on their Care bill, which would have deprived 22 million Americans of health coverage. The truly vicious nature of this bill is most clear when it comes to Medicaid. prgtoken Are you a working family relying on Medicaid for long-term care of an aging grandparent? Well, with Care, you will pay more out of pocket. prgtoken For a low-income working mom who insures her kids through Medicaid, Care takes dead aim at you. prgtoken How about a person with a disability? Care means potentially losing coverage. prgtoken Why did the s make these cuts? To give billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. prgtoken The President says the House-passed bill is ``mean.'' It is. So is the Senate cold-hearted proposal. prgtoken A delay on this vote is not enough. Congress needs to pull the plug on Care, not the American people. Then we can work together on real, bipartisan healthcare legislation aimed at strengthening the system, not harming the most vulnerable among us.
Healthcare Legislation (Executive Session)
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2017-6-28

I rise today to join my friend and colleague, Senator Shaheen, to discuss the stories and concerns we heard from our constituents in New Hampshire about how they would be hurt if Care becomes law. prgtoken Even though leadership has delayed a vote on Care this week, we know that the fundamentals of what is wrong with Care will not change. prgtoken Care would force Granite Staters to pay more for worse insurance, all to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to corporate special interests--including Big Pharma--at the expense of hard-working Americans and the programs they rely on. This is the basic principle of Care, and it is unacceptable. prgtoken Care would be a disaster for people in New Hampshire. Granite Staters know this, and they have been standing up and speaking out against this dangerous bill. prgtoken As Senator Shaheen discussed, we held an emergency hearing last week in Concord to hear from our constituents about how Care would impact them. We held this emergency hearing at 2 p.m on a Friday afternoon, in the summer, and with just a day's notice. Yet hundreds of people showed up. prgtoken Over 50 people shared their personal stories about the importance of healthcare, of how they have benefited from the important protections that are provided under current law--including maternity care, prescription drug coverage, and coverage for substance use disorder services--of the protections against insurance company prgtoken abuses, of Medicaid expansion, and of traditional Medicaid. They told us what their lives were like and why Care would be devastating to them and their families. I wish to share some of those stories today. prgtoken We heard from Ariel, from Rochester, NH, a mother who is benefitting from substance use disorder services that are included in Medicaid expansion and would be taken away under Care. Ariel said: I am a mother of 3 children and I have a substance abuse disorder. I come from a long line of women who never had much opportunity. With the opportunity to have Medicaid I have been given the chance of treatment. Without the chance of treatment I wouldn't have been taught that there is a solution and a way to live a full, beautiful life as a woman in recovery . . . as a mother of 3 beautiful children. . . . As a woman of dignity and grace. . . . If the opportunity of Medicaid is taken away, the chance of positive change in this world is going to drastically drop. . . . Women like me may never know a world outside of drug use and hopelessness. prgtoken She goes on to say: Today because of the opportunity of change, I am able to be a positive role model to my children and most importantly our future. prgtoken When we met Ariel, she was pregnant with that third child, and she went into labor immediately following our field hearing. Sh
PROTECTING ACCESS TO CARE ACT OF 2017
Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-6-28

let's be clear: this bill has nothing to do with litigation reform. It has nothing to do with a good faith attempt to improve our healthcare system. prgtoken In fact, this bill was described as phase 3 of an effort to improve our healthcare by the majority leader on the other side of the aisle. I put out a search committee. I still can't find phase 1 or phase 2. It has nothing to do with reforming our healthcare system. prgtoken This bill is an unprecedented attack on States' rights. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is a solution in search of a problem. It is nothing more than a reckless legislative joyride guaranteed to crash and burn on the American people. prgtoken This bill, if enacted, will hurt working families, middle class people, senior citizens, the poor, the sick, the afflicted, veterans, and nursing home residents. prgtoken The American people deserve a litigation system that works for everyone, not simply the wealthy and the well-off. The American people deserve a litigation system that puts the public's interest ahead of special interests. The American people deserve a litigation system that promotes public health, not just excessive wealth. prgtoken This bill fails on all of those counts. It is mean-spirited, it is cruel, it is heartless that is why it must be defeated.