mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
James Lankford (Republican, OK) \u2014 2024-2-7

. In about an hour, this body will gather. There will be 100 Senators here to make a decision about what we are going to do to take a step on border security. It is an issue that has bedeviled, quite frankly, this body for decades. It has been three decades since we passed anything into law to be able to change border security. prgtoken In the meantime, administration after administration has pieced together broken pieces of law in the disjointing pieces and tried to make regulatory actions to see what they can do to be able to change the direction of the country. prgtoken We have seen just over the last 10 or 15 years what really happened to that. This is just an encounter number from CBP; and we can look back to 2009, and we can see the numbers stayed about half a million or so for multiple years. prgtoken This is through the administration. They struggled because the numbers were lower than this even before. They struggled with half a million numbers. We see during the administration how the numbers bump up and jump up here almost to a million in a single year, twice as many as it was during the time period. Then we see COVID time period, it dives back down. Then right there is the transition in President 's time, and the numbers have skyrocketed. They doubled from the administration to this year in the administration, but then they tripled even from the highest year of the administration during the administration. prgtoken It wasn't a single bump year like it was under the administration. It has been year after year after year. By the way, this little one is this fiscal year. That is just since October--which by the way, you will notice in the last 4 months is higher than any year under the administration and almost as high as the peak year under the administration, and that is 4 months so far this year. prgtoken Americans feel it. We feel it in our cities. We feel it in our schools and our communities. We see the television, and we see all of the chaos on our southern border. Cities around the country have said: Do something. Make this stop. prgtoken Americans, whether they are , , or Independent, are all unanimous on this issue: This is a problem that needs to be solved; do what you can. prgtoken Today, we get to decide if we are going to do that or not; if we are going to do nothing or do something. The bill that has been put together has been a bipartisan effort. Welcome to the U.S. Senate. That is what we have to do. While I have people from around the country and back home that say: Do a -only bill; just get all of our priorities and none of theirs. I smile at them and say: Welcome to governance. You can do a partisan bill in the House, but in the Senate, we have to look at each other across the aisle and then figure out a way to be able to solve this. Sometimes it is in committees; sometimes it is a gathering;
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Roger F. Wicker (Republican, MS) \u2014 2024-2-7

. Well, may I say something on just this quick point, ? My question to the ic leader was about the way he intends to proceed. prgtoken Obviously, he has counted the votes, as we have on this side, and the package with the border provision will not pass. Then he intends to move to a package that does not contain the border provision. prgtoken My question to the distinguished leader would have been: Does he intend to negotiate an amendment process where Members from both sides of the aisle would be able to propose changes in the legislation? And how will that affect when we go forward and when we are able to deal with these important issues that he has advocated for so vigorously? Those would have been my questions, and I think the American people and the Senate deserve an answer on how we are going to proceed, and will there be an open process of amendments?
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY) \u2014 2024-2-7

4 months ago, Senate s asked our colleague from Oklahoma Senator Lankford to take on a pretty tall order: negotiate serious border security policy with an administration that had shown no interest in actually securing the border. He put in an enormous amount of work, and I am very grateful for the persistence he has shown over many nights, weekends, and a few holidays. prgtoken The product he was able to secure earned the endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council, a sign that you are pointing in the right direction. But as our colleagues recognize, the agreement does not have a path to become law. The border crisis that President invited through his rhetoric and his willful neglect will continue to challenge the brave men and women of the CPB and ICE and impact communities across the country, and its effects will follow his legacy forever. prgtoken I wish I could say that a record-setting border crisis was the only challenge that the President's failures have laid before us, but our colleagues know as well as I do that that isn't the case. There have always been aggressive forces seeking to harm America and to challenge our interests. The very existence of a Western order in which sovereign nations choose their own leaders has always been an affront to repressive and aggressive regimes around the world. prgtoken But even in the face of serious threats, for large portions of modern history, the United States has dictated the terms of engagement. For decades, the world's foremost superpower has been the one doing the deterring. Not anymore. It is no longer a settled question that America will meet aggression with overwhelming force or even that we will back our allies 100 percent. prgtoken Take this headline about President 's response to the attack that killed three U.S. soldiers last month: U.S. Strikes Steer Clear of Iran's Red Lines. prgtoken Here is the subhead of another one: U.S. officials acknowledge that the militias targeted still retain the majority of their capability to carry out future attacks. prgtoken Oh, here is one more: Pentagon says it's not planning for a long-term campaign [against Iran's proxies] in Iraq and Syria. prgtoken So, , what can the American people--and the entire world--gather about the administration's approach to the threats that we face? prgtoken First, we know that Iran is deterring America, not the other way around. prgtoken Second, we know that the Commander in Chief has not yet directed the strongest military in the world even to exercise sufficient force against expendable proxy terrorists, let alone their Iranian sponsors. prgtoken Finally, we know that the administration lacks the resolve to defeat those who spill American blood. prgtoken The Pentagon conceded this week they were not aware that even a single IRGC officer had been eliminated by their response. Yet admi
PROTECTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PATIENTS ACT OF 2023
Marcus J. Molinaro (Republican, NY) \u2014 2024-2-7

. Mr. Chair, I begin first by expressing my support for the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act and my appreciation to the leadership of Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers. prgtoken This bill seeks to address a longstanding concern for the disability community, a community that I have spent the better part of the last 20 years working in and among. It bans the use of quality-adjusted life years, QALYs, measures from being used in Federal healthcare programs. prgtoken As we know, QALY measures have devalued the lives of disabled and chronically ill patients when it comes to deciding if a certain treatment is cost effective, putting a dollar sign on their lives and barriers to accessing proper treatment. prgtoken You heard a moment ago my colleague across the aisle refer to the bill in chief as dangerous. As the parent of a child living with epilepsy and on the autism spectrum, I can tell you what is dangerous is the way in which the healthcare system too often treats children and adults like her. It is neither progressive nor compassionate to put a dollar sign on the lives of those who need such life-affirming care. prgtoken The use of QALYs has put those with chronic illnesses and disabilities, like epilepsy, ALS, and Down syndrome, at the back of the line for treatment, too often denying them access and creating barriers to the support they need. It undermines our commitment to life- affirming care for our most vulnerable. No matter how it is expressed, no matter how it is denied, this practice devalues the lives of American citizens and loved ones like my own child. prgtoken My amendment seeks to provide additional oversight into the negative impact QALYs have on those with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. prgtoken The amendment is simple. It directs the Comptroller General to submit a report to Congress to thoroughly assess the damage QALYs have on our IDD community and how this measure adversely affects their access to lifesaving treatments and medical care. It is simple and meant to provide additional oversight. prgtoken As noted, as the father of four children, one who lives on the autism spectrum with a seizure disorder, and a staunch advocate for our disability community, I again applaud Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers' work on crafting the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act to ensure our most vulnerable populations have access to the medical treatments and services to manage their conditions and lead longer, healthier, and freer lives. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment, and .
PREPARE NOW FOR ATTACKS
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2024-2-7

2 days ago, I issued a heartfelt warning for all families in America. This is bipartisan in that the terrorists consider all Americans as targets. prgtoken I had been excusing the irresponsible open borders as recruiting millions of low-information voters to perpetuate elitist power. Sadly, well-respected Members of Congress, last weekend, clarified open borders is purposeful insanity, putting American families at risk everywhere of murderous attacks. prgtoken With terrorists and millions of illegal aliens, more 9/11 attacks will lead to growth of government for elitist power. The ``ends justifies the means'' concentrates power in their worship of government run by elitists. prgtoken , I urge that all American families, having full gas tanks, should prepare now with an attack rally point when communications are cut. Families should have a pre-chosen refuge of safety to face the terrorists that are facing our country. prgtoken Most at risk of mass murder and starvation are the homebound and disabled elderly. There should be plans for their recovery. prgtoken In conclusion, God bless our troops, who have protected America for 20 years in the global war on terrorism as it continues moving from the Afghanistan safe haven to America with open borders for terrorists. It is sadly clear that there will be more 9/11 attacks across America, as the FBI has indicated.
PROTECTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PATIENTS ACT OF 2023
Lizzie Fletcher (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2024-2-7

. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 485, the so- called Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023. prgtoken This legislation harms the very people it says it protects, increases prescription drug costs, and decimates funding for essential public health programs. prgtoken Last Congress, passed the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation that gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services the power to negotiate drug prices for Medicare. This critical step is estimated to lower drug prices by at least 25 percent, saving seniors and taxpayers tens of billions of dollars and ensuring that people with Medicare get better, fairer prices for prescription drugs. prgtoken The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that this provision in the IRA alone will save the government $100 billion over the next 10 years. In contrast, the CBO estimates that the bill before us today would not only increase drug prices across Federal health programs, but it would also increase Federal spending by $1.1 billion over the next 10 years by eliminating important tools to manage drug prices. Without effective tools to determine the value of a drug, the government is at a disadvantage, and the taxpayers pay the higher price. prgtoken We know that 8 in 10 adults in the United States today say that the cost of prescription drugs is too high, and we know that 3 in 10 say that they don't take all of their prescriptions as prescribed because they can't afford them. It is simply unacceptable. prgtoken It is unacceptable that Americans struggle so much to pay for the lifesaving and critical drugs that they need to ensure their quality of life. prgtoken Just last week, the administration announced that it had sent initial offers to participating drug companies for the first 10 drugs selected for price negotiation, a milestone in implementing the IRA. These 10 drugs alone cost seniors $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Richard J. Durbin (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2024-2-7

after I complete my remarks, the following is going to be the schedule of speakers on the floor before the rollcall vote. It is a bipartisan agreement. I ask unanimous consent that following my remarks, the following Senators be permitted to speak prior to the scheduled vote: Senator Lankford of Oklahoma for up to 30 minutes; Senator Murray prgtoken of Washington, up to 10 minutes; Senator Sinema of Arizona, up to 15 minutes; and Senator Schumer for up to 5 minutes.
PROTECTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PATIENTS ACT OF 2023
Anna G. Eshoo (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2024-2-7

. Mr. Chair, I rise, sadly, in opposition to this bill, H.R. 485. prgtoken I support, and everyone here supports, banning quality-adjusted life years, also known as QALYs. It is a discriminatory metric that should not be used, and are the ones who recognized this in 2010 when we banned Medicare's use of QALYs in the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken If this bill simply banned QALYs, it would pass the House, the Senate, and become law. It would become law quickly. However, the problem is that the legislation bans QALYs and ``similar measures.'' I have repeatedly said that this vague ``similar measures'' phrase is a problem, including during the hearing and the markup of the bill. prgtoken This overly broad ``similar measures'' phrase weakens the Federal Government's ability to negotiate drug prices by ruling out any type of comparative effectiveness. Without this analysis, CBO found that States and the Federal Government would have less leverage for drug discounts. prgtoken The CBO estimates that this ``similar measures'' phrase will raise Federal costs in Medicaid by nearly half a billion dollars--that is with a b--and by nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in TRICARE and the VA. It also means out-of-pocket costs will rise for veterans and Federal workers, and State budgets will be hit by higher Medicaid spending. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I have tried everything I could to fix this legislation. I voted ``present'' in the markup to continue bipartisan negotiations and met with the chairwoman about changing the language, but the bill before us today is the same bill that passed out of committee. It adds insult to injury because the s are using the Affordable Care Act Public Health Prevention Fund to pay for it. Over 170 patient and public health groups oppose using this fund as an offset. prgtoken My colleagues have said they wish the legislation could be bipartisan, but their actions say otherwise. This bill has only five cosponsors, all s, no . It has a poisonous pay-for, and the Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services Committees never heard the bill despite its major impact on the VA and TRICARE. prgtoken This is, in my view, a partisan bill that needlessly cuts public health to increase drug spending, and that is why I urge my colleagues to vote against it.
PROTECTING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL PATIENTS ACT OF 2023
Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2024-2-7

such time as I may consume. prgtoken s are pointing to the Congressional Budget Office's score of their bill as proof that healthcare programs are already using the QALY to discriminate against people, but that is simply not what the CBO score says. prgtoken It is ironic s would point to CBO's analysis, given it highlights my exact concern that this bill's reference to other ``similar measures'' is ambiguous and undermines drug price negotiations. prgtoken It is precisely this uncertainty that would result in a chilling effect on States and Federal agencies being willing to look at the cost of prescription drugs. prgtoken Again, I take no issue with banning QALYs, and I offered an amendment in committee to ban QALYs when this prgtoken bill was marked up, but that is not what this is about. prgtoken This is an effort by the s to back up pharma and make sure that we don't look at cost measures; that we don't negotiate prices, which they oppose in Medicare; and that we simply let the pharmaceutical companies charge whatever they want. prgtoken Imagine what it would be like if the pharmaceutical companies could charge whatever they want. Not only would it cost another $1.1 billion, which is what the CBO says, but it could undermine any efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs throughout any Federal and State programs. prgtoken What does that mean? What does that mean for people? How would we continue to fund programs for seniors, for the disabled, for anyone if we cannot adjust the cost issue and keep costs down for prescription drugs? prgtoken There is no effort here on the ' part to continue with QALYs. We are opposed to them, but you have to continue to be able to look at costs in a nondiscriminatory way. prgtoken That is what is not going to happen if this bill becomes law. There will not be any way or any effective way for any Federal, State, or local agencies to look at cost measures, and costs will continue to skyrocket, exactly what pharma wants. prgtoken Mr. Chair, .
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024: HONORING REV. LILLIAN ARCHIBALD
Elissa Slotkin (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2024-2-7

I rise to honor a woman who defied not only the odds but her own family's wishes to become a pioneer in the pulpit at a landmark Black church in Livingston County, Michigan. prgtoken Though her father was a devout Baptist preacher in the early part of the 20th century, Lillian Archibald was taught from a young age that ministry was strictly for men. The fourth of five children, Lillian's father was clear in his message to his daughters: love the Lord, but find another calling for work. prgtoken Skeptical but obedient, Lillian attended a business college in her hometown of Memphis and spent time as a missionary before starting a family of her own. Tragically, the youngest of her four children was killed in 1977 in a crash between a car and a train. Despite her profound grief, Lillian took solace in her unshakeable faith, and made the decision that it was time to answer the call that had been placed upon her heart. prgtoken Lillian enrolled at Payne Theological Seminary, and entered the ministry at age 50. She spent some time as an itinerant elder before being ordained as a full minister in 1985. And of course, she broke the news to her father, who she says grew quiet before finally giving her his blessing. prgtoken She brought that blessing to Michigan, first serving six years assisting the pastor at a church in Jackson, before being assigned to pastor St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Brighton--the only African American church in predominantly white Livingston County-- in 1990. prgtoken With her melodic voice and charismatic style, Reverend Archibald is credited with breathing new life and hope into the congregation, where she stayed for four years. During her tenure, the church grew in size and in spirit, and began reaching out to the community and joining with other churches with a sense of common purpose and passion. prgtoken Though her time in Livingston County was brief, her impact was profound. She received numerous recognitions for her commitment to the community, including her work with victims of domestic violence at the Women's Resource Center in Howell, and her efforts to shelter the unhoused through Habitat for Humanity. prgtoken Perhaps one of her greatest gifts was the mentorship she offered to other women contemplating the call to ministry. Reverend Archibald is still warmly remembered today by many of them as a compassionate guide and a listening ear. Her courageous ministry and her golden voice still guide the work of St. James AME Church.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Charles E. Schumer (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2024-2-7

. First, happy birthday, . Have a good one. I hope we all have a good one today. prgtoken All right. Today, , Senators face a decision several months in the making: Will Senate s vote to start debate-- just a debate--on bipartisan legislation to strengthen America's security, stand with Ukraine, and fix our border or will they cower to 's orders to kill this bill? Will the Senate stand up to brutish thugs like Vladimir Putin and reassure our friends abroad that America will never abandon them in their hour of need? Will s take ``yes'' for an answer and seize the best opportunity--the best opportunity--that Congress has seen in decades to secure our border? This is the choice s face today. They can either choose what is good for the country's national interest or they can choose what is good, at least in their minds, for . prgtoken I have always believed the Senate works best when we take the bipartisan path. Not everything is perfect in this bill, but I see it as my job to let bipartisanship take hold whenever possible, and this bill reflects that. But all week long, Senate s have looked more and more like their House counterparts and transformed themselves into the chaos caucus. s have said they can't pass Ukraine without border. Now they say they can't pass Ukraine with border. So, today, I am giving them a choice. They can show America where they stand and what they stand for. Which way will it be? prgtoken Today, I have laid out both options for s to do the right thing. certainly want to fix the border. It is extremely important, and we have shown our willingness time and time again to take big steps to secure the border, but we will move forward today with either option. prgtoken First, I have scheduled a vote on the supplemental that includes strong bipartisan border reforms that s have demanded for months. Negotiators on both sides worked themselves to the bone putting this border package together. I was heavily involved. I saw the work-- the blood, the sweat, the tears--that went into it. Why did we do it? Because that is what s wanted. They said: Can't do Ukraine, can't do Israel, can't do humanitarian aid without border. prgtoken I made sure negotiators had enough time to do their work. I gave them the space to keep going, even when it seemed like a deal was out of reach, because, again, want to secure the border because it is extremely important. It is urgent. It can't wait. We must act. We are ready to move forward on this bill now. prgtoken Today, when we vote, it will be clear as day who is serious about fixing the border and who is not. I urge s to take ``yes'' for an answer. prgtoken If s block this national security package with border legislation that they demanded, later today, I will give them the opportunity to move forward w