mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2500, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Tom Cole (Republican, OK) \u2014 2019-7-10

I rise to oppose the rule and the underlying legislation. This is actually a very sad occasion, I think, for the House; it certainly is for me personally. I have never voted against a national defense authorization in my 17 years in Congress. As a matter of fact, most of our Members have never done that for the last 58 years, so it is pretty unusual for us to be here and we, personally, regret that a great deal. prgtoken My concerns with the substance of the bill are many, although there are, as my good friend from Massachusetts said, lots of good things in there, and there was lots of bipartisanship in writing it. prgtoken But the top line number is $15 billion less than the President requests and the Senate has already enacted in their NDAA bill. We think that hurts readiness. We have concerns with the reversal of some decisions, both slowing down the modernization of our nuclear forces, and moving us away from low-yield nuclear weapons, which we think we need to counter Russia and its current aggressive posture. prgtoken We are disappointed the bill doesn't include longstanding prohibition against transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States. Those provisions were put in by a ic Congress in 2010. We are sorry our friends seem to reverse a decision that they believed in a decade ago. prgtoken And it includes a lot of restrictive policies and prohibitions on securing the southern border, including prohibitions on funding a border wall, fence, physical barriers. I understand there are differences there, but I would hope we could give the executive flexibility in that area. prgtoken , as concerned as I am about the substance of the bill, I am very concerned about the process. I grant my friend's point that a lot of amendments have been made in order. We could have made more. We actually offered an open rule last night that would have made everybody's amendments in order. It wouldn't have taken away any of the amendments my friends wanted to put out there, but it would have allowed everybody's amendments to come to the floor for full and robust debate. prgtoken Now, the amendments that were made in order, 67 percent of them, are ic amendments; 14 percent are . We don't think that is a fair, remotely fair ratio. prgtoken And frankly, the en bloc arrangements in which we are going to bring many of these to the floor are even more imbalanced; basically 63 percent of those will be on ic initiatives; I think two are on initiatives. So we are very concerned about that. I think if we don't stop this process, we are about to make the mistake that we made 2 weeks ago. prgtoken Now, the Senate has given us, as it did 2 weeks ago, a different example. They have passed a national defense authorization by a vote of 86-8, so overwhelmingly bipartisan. The President has said he would sign their bill. The President sent us a message that the partisan bill that
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020
Doug Lamborn (Republican, CO) \u2014 2019-7-10

. Madam Chair, the balance of my time. prgtoken Madam Chair, to conclude, let me offer this to every Member of Congress. Almost 300 pages, with thousands of line entries, of where every dollar in the Pentagon is going, we have this information right now. Why should they have to regurgitate that for us all over again? prgtoken And then let's exercise our responsibility and not have them tell us if what they are doing fulfills national security. Tell us what you are doing, and then we will determine if that fulfills national security. prgtoken So for all these reasons, Madam Chair, I would say because it is wasteful, it is duplicative, it is impractical, and it abdicates our responsibility, I would urge that we reject this amendment. prgtoken The work has already been done. If anyone wants to show a little bit of initiative, they can get this information already. It is available. It is right here. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
Prescription Drug Costs (Executive Calendar)
Mike Braun (Republican, IN) \u2014 2019-7-10

Senator Grassley and I attended the rollout of President 's Executive order to get the healthcare industry on the move. The chairman of the Finance Committee, the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Senators like me--I am a mainstream entrepreneur--came to the Senate to discuss issues just like this. prgtoken I have probably been on the floor more than any other Senator, and every time I do it, I tell the industry: Wake up. I took you on 10, 11 years ago, in my own business, to give good healthcare coverage to my employees. Year after year, it was a litany of, you are lucky your premiums are only going up 5 to 10 percent this year. You have all heard it before. It took risk, and it took some novel thinking, but it can be done. Most entrepreneurs aren't going to put the time I put into it to make it work for my own employees. prgtoken When you hear , s, three or four committees, and the President of the United States talking about a healthcare system that is broken, you should get it through your thick head that there need to be changes made. It shouldn't be coming from Congress, even though it will keep coming. prgtoken I think the message is out loud and clear: Wake up and start fixing these things, or you are going to have a business partner whose name is Bernie Sanders and another idea of Medicare for All that we would regret once we got it. But, like most things here, like most big problems in this country, we wait too long to solve the issue. prgtoken To give you a few things on what led me to be passionate about it, when I had to give up my own company's good health insurance, I had a very generic prescription that I needed to get renewed. There were eight pharmacies in the little town of Jasper, roughly, so I knew I would be able to get quotes. I had no health insurance. I was in between being a CEO of a company and a Senator. I said, I am going to try to see what this is going to be like. I knew it should cost 20 or 25 bucks, maybe a little less. prgtoken The first place I called, they stumbled around and couldn't even give me a quote on a common prescription. Finally, after about 3 to 4 minutes, they said $34.50. I called another place that I thought would be a little quicker on its feet. It took 10 seconds, I got a quote for $10, and they said: By the way, you can pick it up in 10 minutes. prgtoken That is more the way the rest of the economy works, but healthcare consumers have gotten used to not doing any of that heavy-lifting themselves. And believe me, the industry has evolved from Big Pharma, to big hospital chains, to the health insurance industry, which is in the middle of all of it. There are pharmacy benefit managers, and the drug companies give prgtoken them $150 billion worth of rebates, and through their costs and profits, less than half of that makes it to the consumer or to the pharmacy. prgtoken The case is out ther
IN RECOGNITION OF BUSINESS HIGH POINT--CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON THEIR 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Ted Budd (Republican, NC) \u2014 2019-7-10

. Madam , I rise today to recognize Business High Point--Chamber of Commerce on their 100th year anniversary. prgtoken In 1919, a small group of volunteers founded the High Point Chamber of Commerce to improve the community and foster long-term economic growth. prgtoken As High Point has grown and changed, so has its Chamber of Commerce. Today, its membership includes over 950 businesses representing a plethora of economic industries across Guilford County and beyond. Additionally, there are now hundreds of volunteers and nine staff members eager to create positive change for their community. prgtoken Daily, this Chamber works in honor of its mission to, ``initiate, inspire, and accelerate the kind of change that propels its members to success and its community to prominence.'' I applaud the Chamber, its members, volunteers and staff for working hard to improve our community and strengthen partnerships. prgtoken Madam , please join me today in honoring the 100th anniversary of Business High Point--Chamber of Commerce.
Prescription Drug Costs (Executive Calendar)
Bill Cassidy (Republican, LA) \u2014 2019-7-10

I, too, come to speak today regarding pharmaceutical costs and what we can do to make lifesaving medications--and sometimes these medications make our lives a little bit better--more affordable to the average American. prgtoken I happen to be a doctor, and I will approach these remarks as a fellow who has seen medicine evolve, who has seen the incredible, positive benefits of pharmaceutical innovation, but also as a doctor who sometimes saw that patients were unable to afford innovation. The question in my mind is, How do we give the patient the power to afford these innovative medicines, because if she cannot afford them, it is as if the innovation never occurred, and for her, it never did occur. So give the patient power. prgtoken Let me make some remarks about pharmaceutical companies. There are some incredible examples. prgtoken When I was in medical school, cutting away a part of one's stomach-- not the belly but part of the stomach; as I would tell patients, where the food goes after you swallow it--cutting away a part of the stomach because of ulcerative disease was one of the most common procedures done in surgery. Then histamine blockers came along, H2 blockers. Cimetidine was the first. All of a sudden, a surgery that was done multiple times a week was scarcely ever done. Those medicines are now sold over the counter. prgtoken This morning, I got a little bit of arthritis, so I took my nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, which used to be sold by prescription and now is over the counter, along with my H2 blocker, my Pepcid, which used to be sold by prescription but now is over the counter. I take them in the morning, and my back feels better. All of these are medicines that are generic, routine, and we almost--in fact, we indeed take the innovation for granted. prgtoken I can go on. I am a liver doctor. Hepatitis C used to be an incurable disease which, in a certain percentage of those affected, would lead to cirrhosis, vomiting blood, liver cancer, and death. Now hepatitis C is cured by taking pills for several weeks. Amazing. prgtoken Human immunodeficiency virus, AIDS. When I was in residency, if you got HIV, you died. There was no cure whatsoever. Now people live with it for decades. It is a disease you live with but do not die from. We speak of actually now developing cures for HIV. prgtoken That is the promise of a vibrant pharmaceutical industry--people who not only live when otherwise they would have passed away but who also have a better quality of life. prgtoken Now, that said, if the patient doesn't have the power, the patient has no leverage in this situation. prgtoken I was recently with others in a conversation with the new head of the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO head said: You know, everybody has leverage in the healthcare marketplace except the patient. Everybody has leverage but not the patient. prgtoken That is so true. Let me give some examples of how the patient lacks
Prescription Drug Costs (Executive Calendar)
Chuck Grassley (Republican, IA) \u2014 2019-7-10

I want to update my colleagues and the American people about efforts to reduce the cost of prescription medicine. prgtoken Last week, our country and the American people celebrated Independence Day, marking 243 years of self-government. As elected representatives, it is our job to make the government work for the people, not the other way around. prgtoken For more than two centuries, our system of free enterprise has unleashed American innovation, investment, and ingenuity. Robust competition incubates advances in science and medicine. It leads to lifesaving cures and promising treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and other debilitating diseases. prgtoken However, prescription medicine too often smacks consumers with sticker shock at the pharmacy counter. The soaring prices leave taxpayers with a big tab--particularly under the Medicare and Medicaid Programs--and they weigh heavily on the minds of moms and dads all across the country. prgtoken Last week, I held meetings with my constituents in 12 counties across Iowa. The cost of prescription drugs comes up at nearly every single Q- and-A county meeting that I hold. Iowans want to know why prices keep climbing higher and higher. They want to know why the price of insulin keeps going up and up and up--nearly 100 years after the lifesaving discovery was made. They want to know what can be done to make prescription drugs more affordable. prgtoken I am chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and in that position, I have been working with Ranking Member Wyden from Oregon on a comprehensive plan to do just that. We have held a series of hearings to examine the drug price supply chain. We are working on a path forward. We are taking care to follow the Hippocratic Oath: ``First, do no harm.'' In other words, let's be sure we don't try to fix what is not broken. Americans don't want to give up high-quality lifesaving medicine. That is why I support market-driven reforms to boost competition and transparency, because with transparency brings accountability and the marketplace working more free of secrecy. prgtoken Congress needs to get rid of perverse incentives and fix problems that undermine competition in the drug pricing system, including withholding samples by brand-name pharmaceutical companies, pay for delay, product-hopping, and rebate-bundling. There is too much secrecy in the pricing supply chain. Consumers can't make heads or tails of why they are charged what they pay for their medicine. prgtoken President has made reducing drug prices a top priority of this administration, and they have taken several steps under various laws-- including even under Care--to do things that give more freedom to consumers of medicine and on other healthcare priorities. prgtoken In another instance, on Monday, the Federal court took a negative move, knocking down a rule that would require drug companies to disclose the price of their drugs in tel
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020
Mac Thornberry (Republican, TX) \u2014 2019-7-10

. Madam Chairwoman, I would say the first part of the gentleman's amendment is certainly appropriate. There is no question that DOD did not do what it should in reporting to the national database and there have been instances where that made a difference, tragic instances. prgtoken So requiring DOD to report within 3 days, I think, as the gentleman from Virginia said, codifying the current policy, I think makes sense. I hope someday we can get to the point, by the way, where we require State and local governments to report within 3 days as well, because as the study was conducted on DOD's failure to report to the database, it turns out that some State and localities are even worse. So I think we all ought to up our game when it comes to that. prgtoken I do want to express some concerns, however, about the second part of the gentleman's amendment. It requires a feasibility study on a military database for military protective orders. If it is a feasibility study about whether it is technically possible to have a database, that is one thing. But it is important for Members to understand that military protective orders are issued by commanders, and do not have any sort of due process that is associated with civilian protective orders or much due process at all. prgtoken Now, military members can go and get a civilian protective order with appropriate due process. But right now, a prgtoken military protective order by commanders is just issued at the request of the victim or the victim's advocate. There are some opinions that there are even instances where this process has been abused. prgtoken I just think we should be careful in treading down a road where we do not provide due process with significant consequences. So as the gentleman noted, there are some related provisions in the Senate bill. I think it would be appropriate to take this measure and look deeper into those consequences, especially to ensure that all servicemembers have due process as well as all servicemembers and civilians have the protection that the gentleman is seeking to achieve. prgtoken Madam Chair, .
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2500, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS TO SUSPEND THE RULES
Rob Woodall (Republican, GA) \u2014 2019-7-10

. Madam , such time as I may consume. prgtoken Madam , I appreciate that admonition. I promise you, you won't have to repeat that again on my time. prgtoken I appreciate my friend from Massachusetts yielding the time. prgtoken I had a whole wonderful opening statement planned, Madam . It was going to be our first time down here on the floor together during a rule. prgtoken Janet Rossi, on my team, put together all the great stats and statistics, many of which you heard my friend from Massachusetts reference. prgtoken And then, as happens to me so often on the Rules Committee, I show up in a good mood, I show up in a great place, and then folks just poke me in that way that gets me going. prgtoken For my friend from Massachusetts to close with the s have turned this into a partisan exercise frustrates me to no end. prgtoken If there is one thing I have learned in my 9 years in Congress, Madam , it is that when it comes to American national security, it never gets turned into a partisan exercise. prgtoken I don't know how your election went, Madam , or what it was that your constituents said to you. Mine talked to me a lot about congressional dysfunction. ``Why can't they get anything done, Rob?'' ``Why in the world can't you all get together and cooperate?'' prgtoken And I always respond with the bill that we are looking at today, the National Defense Authorization Act. I say: In six decades of working, depending on who was in the White House, who was leading the House, who was leading the Senate, six decades of working on National Defense Authorization Acts that need to be passed every single year, how many times do you think we have actually successfully gotten that done together? prgtoken You know how that conversation goes, Madam . ``Rob, I think you guys have gotten it done once in 60 years.'' ``Rob, I think it has happened 4 times, maybe 12 times.'' prgtoken Madam , you know what I know, which is that, over these decades, every single year, without fail--it does not matter who is in the White House; it does not matter who leads the U.S. House; it does not matter who leads the United States Senate--we come together as a Nation to support our men and women who are standing on the frontlines for us. prgtoken So, no, this is not a partisan exercise today, nor should it be from the side of the aisle. prgtoken But I am mystified, Madam , as to why we have taken what should have been this continuation of decade upon decade upon decade of bipartisanship and seemingly gone out of our way, as a new ic majority, to make it partisan. prgtoken I know the policy isn't. I know the policy isn't. I can go right down the line, man after woman, woman after man, on the ic side of the aisle and find patriots who love this country and who will do whatever it takes to defend it. That is the conversation we had in the Rules Committee last night. prgtoken But I will take you back
Prescription Drug Costs (Executive Calendar)
Shelley Moore Capito (Republican, WV) \u2014 2019-7-10

I am pleased to join my colleague on the Senate floor to talk about an extremely important topic--that is, lowering the cost of prescription drugs in this country. Just a few weeks ago, on June 20, West Virginia celebrated our 156th birthday. There is plenty to celebrate about West Virginia, from its breathtaking beauty and wonderful families to our kind and hospitable West Virginia spirit. prgtoken Unfortunately, West Virginia has its challenges, too, including health challenges. We have some of the highest rates in the Nation for heart disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis. While there are many nonpharmaceutical steps people are taking to prevent and control diseases, for many, their prescription medicine is the difference between wellness and illness or even between life and death. prgtoken That is why it is so important that West Virginians are able to secure their medications and that we as a Congress make sure they are not paying too much for those medications. Of all the issues that my constituents come to me with--whether it is a phone call, a letter, or casually running into them at the grocery store--this is the issue I hear most about because it is something that affects so many West Virginians' way of life, and it is something that affects them every day. If it doesn't affect them, it affects somebody in their family. prgtoken The same can be said for Americans across this country, and that is why it has become one of our Nation's top priorities, one that is shared by s and and one that is a significant bipartisan focus of this administration and this Congress. It is a far- reaching problem with many different factors contributing to it, and that is why we have to address it on many different fronts. prgtoken The chairman of the HELP Committee is here today. He has worked through his committee diligently, and I applaud him for his efforts and look forward to joining him on the floor in support of those efforts. prgtoken As we all know, the path a medication takes from the manufacturer to the patient is very complex, with many factors impacting the price a consumer pays. While making changes to this pathway is very important, my constituents really don't care about the pathway. They are more concerned with the total on their bill that their pharmacist is ringing up. That is why I have focused a lot of my personal efforts on the important role that our pharmacists play in lowering drug costs. prgtoken In many small towns and rural communities--which is my entire State-- pharmacists are the healthcare providers people go to quite regularly, and they are often some of the most trusted, friendly, and welcoming. It is essential that patients, especially seniors, are able to access the local pharmacy. prgtoken West Virginians and Americans across the country should be able to trust that their pharmacist is not being restricted about telling them h