mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
William R. Keating (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-6-22

I rise in support of my amendment that directs the Department of the Health and Human Services to issue and expand guidelines for medical providers for prescribing naloxone to reflect a major shift that has occurred in the opioid health crisis that we continue to work to counter today. prgtoken , earlier this year, I sat in a room with my colleagues on the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force and listened to Dr. Francis Collins and the NIH leadership present data revealing how we have seen a shift in the opioid crisis. prgtoken For the first time, we learned that opioid overdoses from prescriptions of opioid drugs have dropped. That is good news. prgtoken The shocking news was that overdose rates for illicit opioids, heroin and fentanyl, had risen at an alarming rate. prgtoken If we are going to save lives of people overdosing from increasingly prevalent and increasingly unpredictable illicit compounds, we need to make sure naloxone gets in the right hands. prgtoken My amendment would provide necessary guidance to patients, providers, public health professionals, first responders, and loved ones on the ability to obtain effective doses of naloxone to combat overdoses of all types of opioids, prescriptions or otherwise. prgtoken It is so crucial that people dealing with this brain disease know how to use naloxone in an emergency and, importantly, understand that it is okay to have naloxone in the home. prgtoken I was proud that I and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), who also joins me as a cosponsor of this bipartisan amendment, were able to insert legislative language on prescribing guidelines into the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that passed Congress and became law last year. But giving HHS the option to issue guidelines didn't go far enough. prgtoken This amendment before us is firm in its requirement, and I believe my amendment will more explicitly and more expansively direct and yield necessary change. prgtoken , I conclude by reaffirming our commitment to ending this devastating epidemic that takes the lives of 115 people every day on average in our country. prgtoken I share this commitment with the Members of the House, and I pledge to work with you all to see this amendment's passage and to effect necessary change that reflects the ever-shifting landscape in this battle. prgtoken , I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), the cosponsor of this amendment.
HONORING DAVID FOUNTAIN AND LEADERSHIP NORTH CAROLINA
David E. Price (Democrat, NC) \u2014 2018-6-22

I rise today to honor the leadership of David Fountain, North Carolina President of Duke Energy, as he completes his successful term of service as chair of the Leadership North Carolina Board of Directors. prgtoken Leadership North Carolina is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that engages current and emerging leaders from across the state. Its mission is to inform, develop, and engage committed leaders by broadening their understanding of and involvement in issues and opportunities facing the prgtoken state. Each year LNC recruits committed individuals interested in learning more about North Carolina and connecting with fellow leaders. Through innovative programming, LNC teaches these engaged citizens about the challenges and opportunities facing North Carolina and offers tools to turn their knowledge into action for the benefit of the state. prgtoken David Fountain has been an energetic and visionary chair of LNC's board since 2016, as one might have expected from his successful rise through the ranks at Duke Energy. He holds BA, JD, and MBA degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead-Cain Scholar. He practiced law at McGuire Woods in Raleigh from 1994 to 2000, after which he joined what was then called Carolina Power & Light as associate general counsel. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Fountain served as general counsel and vice president of Progress Energy Inc. From there, he went on to serve as senior vice president of Enterprise Legal Support at Duke Energy and rose to the role of President in 2015. prgtoken David was elected chair of Leadership North Carolina in 2016. He knew and believed in the program as an alumnus and has given it full benefit of his experience and dedication. He has helped position the program for sustainability for years to come and has strengthened its reputation among leaders in business, government, education, and the nonprofit sectors. The measure of a good leader is the legacy he or she leaves behind. Mr. Fountain leaves North Carolina with 1,157 informed and engaged leaders and has challenged them to exercise their influence for the benefit of our state and nation. prgtoken I want to join David Fountain's many friends and admirers in thanking him for the time and effort he has dedicated to Leadership North Carolina and to congratulate him for a job well done. He leaves the organization stronger than he found it, better equipped to nurture future generations of conscientious and effective leaders. For that, all North Carolinians are in his debt.
HONORING WORLD WAR II HEROES
Tim Ryan (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-6-22

today I rise to honor deceased Trumbull County, Ohio resident 1st Lt. Olof M. Ballinger, pilot of the 42-299-28 B-17 Flying Fortress that was shot down over Normandy, France during WWII 75 years ago on July 4, 1943. 2nd Lt. George C. Williams, Bombardier of Warren, Ohio, was also aboard the aircraft. prgtoken Pilot Olof Maximilian Ballinger of Newton Falls, Trumbull County, Ohio evaded capture and walked alone, with no compass, over the Pyrenees Mountains during the winter. He reached safety in Spain in November 1943 and returned to the U.S. He eventually moved to California. prgtoken George C. Williams, bombardier from Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, was killed in action. While assisting the nose gunner, his chute accidentally opened inside the aircraft. Pilot Olof Ballinger offered up his own parachute, but George Williams refused. It is thought that George Williams attempted to fly the plane after all the crew had evacuated. prgtoken Also aboard the aircraft was Harry W. Basucher Jr. of Cincinnati, Ohio and Albert Wackerman of Salinas, California who were killed in action by enemy cannon fire. Bryon J. Gronstall, of Van Nuys, California and John K. Lane, a radio operator from Deland, Florida, were captured by German patrol and were Prisoners of War at Stalag 7A. William C. Howell, of Goldsboro, North Carolina and Paul prgtoken McConnell, the navigator from Montgomery, Alabama both evaded capture. Francis E. Owens, of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, also evaded capture, but he died of exposure in the Pyrenees Mountains while trying to assist other crewmen through the dangerous passage. He was awarded the Soldiers Medal for dragging wounded men out of harm's way. Co-pilot, John Marshall Carrah, from Chico, California, evaded capture and escaped to Switzerland, to Spain, and then returned to the U.S. in March 1944. He continued to assist in the war effort. He was a career United States Air Force Officer, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. prgtoken A documentary was created about these seven brave American aviators and will be featured at an event in Warren, Ohio on July 2, 2018. The son of co-pilot John M. Carrah will also be at the event to share his firsthand knowledge about his father's experience. prgtoken I am inspired by the stories of these brave Americans, and I'm so proud of the individuals who are keeping this history alive for younger generations.
CELEBRATING GROWN FLOWER MONTH
Salud O. Carbajal (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-22

this July, our Nation will come together to celebrate American Grown Flower Month and the contributions of the cut flower industry to our country. prgtoken The cut-flower industry generates thousands of jobs across our State and produces $1.13 billion in economic activity each year through flower farmers, distributors, and florists. prgtoken Whether it is celebrating Mother's Day, an anniversary, or a graduation, flowers have been used to mark special occasions for thousands of years. prgtoken California, alone, produces a staggering three-quarters of all cut flowers grown in the United States. During my visits to flower growers and artistic florists on the central coast of California, I have seen firsthand the value of the flower industry as an economic engine in our region. prgtoken By designating July as American Grown Flower Month, we celebrate the incomparable beauty of flowers and what they bring to our homes and our celebrations year-round.
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Scott H. Peters (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-22

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , I want to take a moment to say a special thank you to Mr. Pallone and his committee staff for their tireless work to address this crisis. prgtoken The opioid crisis has ravaged our Nation. It twice has been declared a national public health emergency under Federal law. More than 100 people will die from an overdose just today. prgtoken That is why this bipartisan effort to address it is so important. There is certainly work to be done, but I am happy that legislation that I worked on with my colleague, Dr. Bucshon, is included in this bill, and it aims to stop addiction where it frequently begins: after surgery. Millions of Americans are prescribed opioids following routine surgeries because they are cheap and accessible, and nearly 70 percent of those pills go unused. prgtoken Our bill reverses the perverse incentive that put so many cheap pills in people's hands in the first place. It allows innovators to receive extra compensation for nonaddictive opioid alternatives if they can show that their alternative therapies have substantial clinical benefit. prgtoken In the short term, the policy reduces the incentive to simply use the cheapest postsurgical pain treatment, which is typically an opioid. In the long term, it will spur innovation by providing additional compensation for the future development of nonaddictive alternatives. That means as long as this crisis takes to solve, there will be an incentive to continue to develop nonopioid alternatives. prgtoken Of course, access isn't enough. These treatments must also be affordable. We will continue to work with CMS and FDA to ensure that safer and more effective nonopioids are affordable for the people who need them most. We must find better ways to treat this problem where it starts. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
RECOGNIZING MARGOT JAMES COPELAND
Marcia L. Fudge (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2018-6-22

I rise today to honor Margot James Copeland and acknowledge her achievements. She is known for her commitment to improve the local economy and foster inclusive multicultural and multiracial relations in Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Copeland is an integral force for change in shaping an inclusive urban community that welcomes constructive change by means of intercultural dialogue and cooperation. prgtoken A native of Richmond, Virginia, Mrs. Copeland graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. She went on to receive her Master of Arts in Educational Research and Statistics from the Ohio State University. prgtoken Mrs. Copeland began her corporate career at Xerox Corporation, Polaroid, and Picker International. She later served as Executive Director for Leadership Cleveland before becoming President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable. prgtoken Currently, Mrs. Copeland is Executive Vice President and Director of Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at KeyBank, one of the nation's largest bank-based multi-line financial services companies. In her role, Mrs. Copeland also serves as Chair and CEO of the KeyBank Foundation, where she guides strategic philanthropic investments promoting affordable home ownership, high quality education, and small business growth. By supporting organizations and programs, she helps make dreams become reality. Mrs. Copeland has been a proven leader in a number of community organizations and sits on several boards. She is the 15th National President of The Links, Inc serving from 2010 to 2014. She served as President of the Junior League of Cleveland, sat on the Kent State University Board of Trustees, acted as a Protege Program Advisor for Morehouse College, and was a member of the Business School Advisory Board at Hampton University. Mrs. Copeland's public service is marked by her appointment as Vice Chairperson of the Cleveland Bicentennial Commission and, subsequently, the Cleveland Millennium Commission by former Mayor Michael R. White, whose second term Inaugural Committee she chaired. She also served on the Transition Committee for current Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. prgtoken Mrs. Copeland's extensive record of excellence in service to her community makes it truly an honor to know her, and it gives me great pleasure, , to celebrate her today
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2018-6-22

I want to enter into the Record my extended remarks regarding a provision included in H.R. 6 that does not enjoy bipartisan support. prgtoken Section 301 was passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee on a party-line vote. Had a committee report been filed, I would have filed the dissenting views that I am now seeking to have added to the Record. prgtoken Mr. Chair, H.R. 5806, the 21st Century Tools for Pain and Addiction Treatment Act, would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hold a public meeting regarding the challenges and barriers of developing non-addictive pain and addiction treatments and to issue guidance regarding the eligibility of such treatments for either the Accelerated Approval Program or Breakthrough Therapy Designation. This legislation could undermine FDA's implementation of the Accelerated Approval and Breakthrough Therapy Designation programs and divert critical financial and personnel resources away from activities related to addressing the opioid crisis for purposes of incentivizing an industry that is already taking advantage of these programs. This legislation is a solution in search of a problem. prgtoken Opioid overdose death rates are now the leading cause of unintentional, non-traumatic deaths in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths from opioids have quadrupled in the last 20 years. Approximately 116 deaths per day occur from an opioid overdose resulting in over 42,000 deaths per year. prgtoken Of those deaths, 40 percent are due to a prescription opioid. Every day, over 1,000 individuals are treated in emergency departments for complications due to the misuse of opioids, and hospitalizations have increased by over 60 percent since 2005. It is within this context that there has been increasing interest in developing non-addictive treatments for pain and substance use disorders. prgtoken FDA, led by Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, has acknowledged that the agency has a role to play in addressing the opioid crisis, including ensuring that fewer individuals become addicted through medical use of these products. According to Commissioner Gottlieb, this includes ``helping support the development of new, safe and effective treatments for pain that don't carry all the same risks of addiction as opioid medicines.'' One of his first actions was the creation of the Opioid Policy Steering Committee (OPSC) that has been tasked with fostering the development of novel pain treatment therapies, and the advancement of non-addictive drugs and devices to treat pain was also included as one of the agency's priorities in FDA's 2018 Strategic Policy Roadmap. prgtoken Despite this, concerns have been raised from some pharmaceutical manufacturers that more could be done to help incentivize manufacturers to develop non-addictive treatments for pain and addiction. This included legislation that would direct FDA
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Danny K. Davis (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2018-6-22

I thank Mr. Neal for yielding. prgtoken , I support H.R. 6 as a step to the puzzle to address substance abuse. However, I think we need to expand this bill in an important way as it moves forward. prgtoken To prevent opioid addiction, we must address the social and emotional harm caused by trauma that often underlies opiate use. prgtoken Research demonstrates that exposure to four or more adverse childhood experiences, such as neglect, experiencing a parent battling addiction, witnessing violence, or observing domestic violence, makes an individual 10 times more likely to misuse illicit narcotics. These drugs serve as a coping response to traumatic life experiences. prgtoken The Senate's bipartisan Opioid Crisis Response Act included provisions from my Trauma-Informed Care Act with Senator Durbin to help improve the Federal response to trauma to help prevent opioid abuse. These provisions would expand the workforce capacity to help children exposed to trauma, they would improve our understanding of trauma by improving Federal data and best practices, and they would increase services for children exposed to trauma to help these young people heal. prgtoken Our efforts to prevent the opioid crisis will be insufficient unless we address the role of trauma in it, which is why 28 organizations supported my effort to amend H.R. 6 to focus on trauma--organizations like the Child Welfare League of America, the Jewish Child and Family Services, the National Association of Social Workers, Partners for Our Children with the University of Washington, and the YMCA USA--but my amendment was not made in order. prgtoken The science is clear that trauma has devastating effects on a child's healthy development well into adulthood. When children experience traumatic events, stress alters the developing brain, which harms them physically and mentally. prgtoken , I include in the Record this outline of the research by prgtoken the Society for Research in Child Development documenting the harm caused by trauma and parental separation. [From the Society for Research in Child Development, June 20, 2018] prgtoken Statement of the Evidence--The Science Is Clear: Separating Families Has Long-Term Damaging Psychological and Health Consequences for Children, Families, and Communities After the United States Department of Justice announced the ``Zero olerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry,'' Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE--an arm of the Department of Homeland Security) separated approximately 2,000 children from their parents in April and May 2018 as they approached the U.S. border. Children and parents were placed in separate facilities as they were being processed and were not told when or how they would be reunited. This policy and its consequences have raised significant concerns among researchers, child welfare adv
RECOGNIZING NEPHCURE KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL
Theodore E. Deutch (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2018-6-22

I rise today to recognize the work of NephCure Kidney International. prgtoken Roughly 31 million Americans live with kidney disease, and 3 in every 100,000 people suffer from nephrotic syndrome. prgtoken Nephrotic syndrome is not a disease itself; rather, it is an umbrella term for the signs and symptoms that result from damage in the kidneys' filtering units. prgtoken NephCure Kidney International is the only organization committed exclusively to supporting research into finding the cause of the kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS, and nephrotic syndrome. prgtoken I am proud of the work of this organization and their leaader, Dr. Irving Smokler, NephCure's president and founder and a constituent of mine. prgtoken In 1999, Dr. Smokler launched the NephCure Foundation, inspired by his son, Matthew, who was diagnosed with FSGS when he was just 11 years old. prgtoken Dr. Smokler has since dedicated himself to the fulfillment of the foundation's mission: to find the cause of and cure for FSGS and nephrotic syndrome. prgtoken , today I call on all of our colleagues to recognize and support the goals of this important organization and to support robust funding for research at NIH to help find a cure for FSGS and nephrotic syndrome.
SUBSTANCE USE-DISORDER PREVENTION THAT PROMOTES OPIOID RECOVERY AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2018-6-22

I rise in support of H.R. 6, and I thank our ranking member for yielding time to me. prgtoken There isn't any question that our country is in the midst of a destructive opioid epidemic that claims 142 lives every day. This is a national crisis, and it is our duty as Members of Congress to do everything in our power to stem the tide of addiction and the devastation that this epidemic is causing. It is claiming more lives than were lost in the Vietnam war. They are staggering figures. prgtoken H.R. 6 includes policies to expand the number and types of providers who can administer medication such as buprenorphine and naloxone to opioid-addicted patients, and it allows Medicare to pay for opioid treatment programs. That is a very important addition in the legislation. This will help people suffering from opioid use disorder to get access to the critical treatment they need on the day this legislation is signed into law. prgtoken H.R. 6 also creates a payment structure that incents rather than discourages the use of nonopioid alternatives. I think this is a very important provision in the legislation because it will help to decrease the number of opioids prescribed and keep patients from becoming addicted in the first place. prgtoken I want to point something out that I believe is deeply troubling, and the ranking member did as well. The majority has repeatedly voted to gut funding for the benefits offered by Medicaid, which is the single largest payer of mental health services, providing health coverage to 27 percent of adults with a serious mental illness. prgtoken The majority has also consistently and repeatedly undermined the Affordable Care Act, including refusing to defend the protections for patients with preexisting conditions.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Jared Polis (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2018-6-22

I was absent for the vote on passage of H.R. 6082, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act (Roll Call vote No. 278), had I been present I would have voted NO. prgtoken I was absent for the vote on passage of H.R. 5797, the Individuals in Medicaid Deserve Care that is Appropriate and Responsible in its Execution Act (Roll Call vote No. 276), had I been present I would have voted NO.
ISSUES OF IMMIGRATION
Niki Tsongas (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2018-6-22

I want to enter into the Record two haunting stories from migrant mothers reported this month. prgtoken The first, ``Don't take my child away,'' said a mother, and her child started screaming and vomiting and crying hysterically. And she asked the officers, ``Can I at least have 5 minutes to console her?'' They declined. prgtoken And next, another mother set her 2-year-old daughter down and an agent began to run gloved hands across her body. Immediately, the girl began to scream. It all happened so quickly, and the girl's despair was so complete in those few seconds. She would be taken from her mother when the van reached its destination. prgtoken There are more than 2,300 similarly heartbreaking and unimaginable stories. prgtoken The administration cannot undo the trauma and terror they have caused, but they must immediately outline their plan to reunite these loved ones.