mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Andy Barr (Republican, KY) \u2014 2018-5-22

I rise today in support of this bipartisan legislation incorporating 29 bills originated and passed in this House to ease the regulatory burden on community financial institutions and their customers. This is the most progrowth financial legislation in a generation, and I urge my colleagues to support it. prgtoken The 2010 financial control law, commonly known as Dodd-Frank, was supposed to protect consumers. Instead, this 2,300-page monstrosity unleashed an avalanche of huge new compliance costs on community financial institutions that had absolutely nothing to do with the financial crisis. This hurt consumers by forcing small banks and credit unions to cut back on the products and services they serve their customers with. prgtoken Critics who say this is about Wall Street are wrong. This is not about Wall Street. This is about community banks, community banks in eastern Kentucky who told me that they used to make a business judgment about the creditworthiness of a farmer and now the government, a bureaucrat, decides whether or not that farmer gets a loan. One prominent example of this is the ability-to-repay rule, which made it needlessly difficult for lenders to originate mortgages for creditworthy borrowers. prgtoken The Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act, which I have worked on since I entered Congress, is included in today's package of reforms and would expand access to mortgage credit by extending the qualified mortgage safe harbor to small creditors who hold prgtoken their residential mortgage loans in portfolio rather than selling or securitizing them, allowing those lenders to satisfy the rule. This marks a return to relationship banking, where lenders can tailor products to meet the specific needs of customers without running afoul of government one-size-fits-all requirements. The result is expanded access to mortgage credit without additional risk to the financial system or the taxpayer. prgtoken , I want to thank Chairman Hensarling and Chairman Crapo for including this bill in the final legislation, and I want to thank the Kentucky Bankers Association, the Kentucky Credit Union League, and their customers for advocating and endorsing this solution. prgtoken , I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to finally unclog the plumbing of our economy and give Americans full access to the financial system.
RECOGNIZING SUNDANCE CONSULTING, INC.
James E. Risch (Republican, ID) \u2014 2018-5-22

Idaho is known for its rolling foothills, crystal clear rivers and streams, and of course some exquisite mountains. Idahoans embrace these treasures across our State and are committed to keeping these natural resources pristine for the next generation. This commitment to maintaining our public lands contributes to an abundance of innovation and creativity in the natural resources space in my home State. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize Sundance Consulting, Inc as the Small Business of the Month for May 2018. Sundance Consulting, Inc.'s work on important environmental and natural resource-related issues exemplifies Idaho's entrepreneurial spirit and stewardship of our environment. prgtoken After 19 years of working for the Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program as a consultant focused on addressing environmental problems related to previous Department of Defense activities, September Myres founded Sundance Consulting, Inc in 2005. She founded Sundance with a vision to provide solutions to the environmental challenges faced by Native Americans and Native Alaskans alike. Raised on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho, Ms. Myres has a keen understanding of the unique environmental issues that tribes face. With her background and experience in Tribal lands, Ms. Myres is uniquely positioned to implement innovative solutions to ongoing environmental problems in these communities. Among the solutions that September provides are general consulting services, environmental site assessments, site investigations, radioactive waste retrieval, process optimization, and soil and water sampling, all of which help clients understand the environment they are working in and ways to mitigate any potentially harmful activities. prgtoken Under Ms. Myres' exceptional leadership, Sundance Consulting has grown from a sole proprietorship to a firm of more than 50 employees. The company is headquartered in Pocatello, ID, with eight satellite offices across the Nation. From 2011 to 2016, Sundance increased their revenue by $10 million and hired an additional 50 employees. The firm's continued growth has been a product of its growing client base. From its original focus on tribal clients to today's diverse portfolio of Federal, State, and commercial clients, Sundance prides itself on delivering quality advice and planning services on-time and under budget, while protecting the environment. Over time, the company has expanded its offerings to include public outreach and liaison services that help to build consensus and increase public participation in the planning of client projects. Over its 13 years in business Sundance has earned a reputation of excellence in their field by bringing diverse organizations together to create environmental solutions. prgtoken In 2008, Sundance began utilizing the SBA 8(a) Business
CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVORSHIP, TREATMENT, ACCESS, AND RESEARCH ACT OF 2018
Leonard Lance (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2018-5-22

I rise today in strong support of the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, one of the most comprehensive pieces of childhood cancer legislation ever taken up by the Congress and another major bipartisan accomplishment of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. I certainly congratulate Dr. Burgess. prgtoken It is heartbreaking when a child is stricken with one of these life- threatening diseases. I have met with families who have faced these terrible circumstances, and I have been touched by their stories of perseverance and hope. prgtoken There is more work to be done. We need to improve Federal services for the pediatric cancer community, from research and access to treatment and survivorship. Federal healthcare and research entities must do all they can. The Childhood Cancer STAR Act delivers more resources and reform to make sure we are winning the fight against pediatric cancer by expanding grants for promising and expanded programs. prgtoken Last week I stopped by the Hunterdon County Relay for Life event in Ringoes, New Jersey. The event brought together cancer patients, survivors, and their families. The crowd was large and enthusiastic in the fight against these terrible diseases. prgtoken We owe it to those participants to ensure that federally supported research entities are doing all that they can do in this area. The Energy and Commerce Committee has made the cause of Cures a centerpiece of our work. This bill provides greater hope for all of the Nation's youngest patients and their loved ones. prgtoken , I urge a ``yes'' vote.
THE USO SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS AND VETERANS
Joe Wilson (Republican, SC) \u2014 2018-5-22

as American soldiers risk their lives in the Global War on Terrorism to protect American families, the United Service Organization (USO) is more important than ever. I am grateful to participate in the USO Care Package Day on the Hill today led by CEO and President J.D. Crouch, II, along with Senior Vice President Virginia H. Johnson. prgtoken The USO has always been at the forefront of entertaining and caring for our brave troops and their families. As a 31-year veteran of the Army Reserve and National Guard as well as a father of four sons who have served in the Armed Forces overseas, as well as a member of the Congressional USO Caucus, I am especially grateful for the USO. prgtoken Today, with the help of 30,000 volunteers, the USO provides approximately 1.5 million hours of community service each year. prgtoken I am especially grateful for USO South Carolina, led ably by Director Joanie Thresher. There are USO locations in the Second Congressional District at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and Fort Jackson with extraordinary welcoming volunteers. I also thank longtime friend Jed Becker as President of the USO National Board of Governors. prgtoken In conclusion, God Bless Our Troops and we will never forget September 11th in the Global War on Terrorism.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, REGULATORY RELIEF, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
Blaine Luetkemeyer (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-5-22

I thank Chairman Hensarling for his commitment to regulatory relief. We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for his diligence and for the hard work of all of the great folks of the Financial Services Committee, on both sides of the aisle. prgtoken , in the wake of the financial crisis the American people needed regulatory relief that would lift the economy. Instead, Congress responded with a framework that increased the cost of financial products, restricted access to loans, and redistributed credit from the middle-income borrowers to the high-income borrowers. Today, too many consumers are left struggling to get the tools they need to achieve financial independence. prgtoken S. 2155 is a big step in the right direction. The majority of the provisions included in the bill come from bipartisan House-passed measures, several of which wer included in my CLEARR Act. Despite what rhetoric we might hear today, American borrowers are going to benefit from the relief that extends from this bill. prgtoken However, the conversation cannot end with S. 2155. While the provisions in this legislation are granting important relief, there is so much more to be done. The Financial Services Committee has marked up more than 100 bills this Congress, many of which have the support of the ranking member and deserve to be considered by our colleagues in the Senate. prgtoken We have to continue to rightsize regulation so that it is based not just on size or a single arbitrary factor, but on thoughtful analysis of an institution's business model and risk profile arbitrary figures don't necessarily guarantee a financial system. prgtoken , I thank, again, the chairman for his diligent work on this fine bill, and ask my colleagues to support S. 2155.
Michael C. Burgess (Republican, TX) \u2014 2018-5-22

1\1/2\ minutes for the purposes of a response. prgtoken I would, of course, lead with the observation that those who do not remember their history are doomed to repeat it. I don't remember precisely who said it, but I think it bears repeating today. prgtoken In the 111th Congress, Pelosi and the allowed less than a thousand amendments to be considered on the floor. prgtoken Of the bills that were considered at that time, the Dodd-Frank bill was one of those bills. The amendments that were blocked by the in the 111th Congress were precisely the type of amendments that we are now considering today in the bill to alleviate some of the obstructions, some of the gridlock that has occurred with our credit unions and smaller banks--things that people have been asking us for repeatedly for the last 5 to 7 years. prgtoken , the number of amendments that were blocked in the 111th Congress was significant. We have a chance today to undo some of that process, and I believe we ought to take that opportunity. As of 1\1/2\ weeks ago, over a thousand amendments had been made in order in this Congress. prgtoken The Committee on Rules is run differently today than it was in the 111th Congress. It used to be that you had to submit 45 copies of an amendment and you had a time limit by which you had to submit those amendments. You can submit amendments late now.
WELCOMING REVEREND MARK GOEGLEIN
Vicky Hartzler (Republican, MO) \u2014 2018-5-22

I rise today to welcome my pastor, Mark Goeglein, to the U.S. House of Representatives and to commend him for his many years of faithful service to the Lord and to others. It is a blessing to have him here offering the opening prayer for today's legislative session. prgtoken Pastor Mark grew up familiar with the legislative process, as his mother was a longtime State representative from Indiana. I am thrilled to have him here today and appreciate his support of me and his love for our country. prgtoken Mark has served in ministry for 25 years in churches in his home State of Indiana, Texas, California, and now as pastor of the onville Community Church in Missouri. I appreciate his passion for sharing God's Word with his congregation and how his love of Scripture shows in his preaching and in the faded thumbprint on his Bible, testifying to the many years he has held that Bible preaching, studying, and praying. prgtoken Besides a love of the Word, Pastor Mark loves the Pittsburgh Steelers, basketball, and his family. He is blessed to have his wife, Michelle, here today along with daughter, Makenzie, and sons, Micah and Mason. This family is an inspiration to our congregation and a testimony of God's faithfulness and goodness. prgtoken I wish Pastor Mark God's continued blessings and know his faithfulness will be richly rewarded.
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019
Mike Rogers (Republican, AL) \u2014 2018-5-22

. Mr. Chair, such time as I may consume. prgtoken Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose this amendment. Three successive Secretaries of Defense--Secretary Hagel, Secretary Carter, and Secretary Mattis--have said that nuclear deterrence is DOD's ``highest priority mission.'' prgtoken In its 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, Secretary Mattis conducted a clear-eyed assessment of nuclear threats. In the end, Secretary Mattis concluded: ``We must look reality in the eye and see the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.'' prgtoken This stands in stark relief to the administration's 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, which concluded: ``Russia is not an enemy and is increasingly a partner.'' prgtoken I will not list the many, many ways that this statement from 2010 is so obviously wrong. I will just note that Russia has many thousands of low-yield nuclear weapons, including nuclear artillery shells, nuclear land mines, and nuclear torpedoes, and recently announced even more. Russia regularly exercises them with its ``escalate to de-escalate'' doctrine, which they believe will force the U.S. to surrender early in a conflict. prgtoken The NPR rightly states: ``Correcting this mistaken Russian perception is a strategic imperative.'' prgtoken Russia is not a partner, but a competitor, and we must shore up our deterrence posture. prgtoken Let me briefly address the specifics of the gentleman's amendment. prgtoken First, previous NDAAs already line-item authorize funding for individual warhead programs, regardless of the yield. prgtoken Second, in an April hearing, the Navy confirmed that having a low- yield nuclear weapon does not increase risk to the submarine. prgtoken Finally, Secretary Mattis and General Hyten of STRATCOM have stated that having this low-yield weapon does not increase the risk of strategic miscalculation. prgtoken The bottom line here is that this amendment is designed simply to slow down the long-overdue modernization and improvement of our nuclear forces. Because of that, I have to urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' prgtoken , .
VETERANS CEMETERY BENEFIT CORRECTION ACT
Mike Rounds (Republican, SD) \u2014 2018-5-22

I rise today to discuss the legislation before us, known as the VA MISSION Act of 2018--a significant change for the healthcare delivery system at the Department of Veterans Affairs. prgtoken The VA MISSION Act passed the House of Representatives last week and is scheduled to be voted on in the Senate in the coming days. The bill is a result of months of negotiations and discussions between stakeholders, the administration, and the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees, of which I am a member. prgtoken While I appreciate the hard work of those involved, unfortunately, the final legislation is not something that I am able to support. Before I get into my concerns about the bill and what I believe to be its fatal flaws, I want to acknowledge that there is a host of good provisions in here that I do support. prgtoken The one on the forefront of many minds is the caregivers program expansion. The caregivers program, a program that gives support and assistance to certain veterans so they can receive home healthcare by a family member, has always been limited to post-9/11 veterans. However, there are many pre-9/11 veterans' family members who do the same work as a caregiver recipient but are not compensated for that work. This program is more cost effective over the long term than an alternative long-term care accommodation. It is due time for this expansion to occur for all families. prgtoken I also support section 101, paragraph (a), which expands extended care services, such as nursing home care, through the community care program. It is similar to a bill I introduced with the senior Senator from North Dakota, the Veterans Access to Long Term Care and Health Services Act. This provision will allow long-term care services to more easily work with the VA in serving veterans. prgtoken Further, section 101, paragraph (k) of the VA MISSION Act establishes in law that a veteran shall not pay a greater amount for receiving care or services outside of the VA, compared to receiving care at a VA facility. It is similar to the Veterans Equal Cost for Care Act, which I introduced in Congress last year. This section makes certain that veterans will know that VA policy will not change in this regard and that the VA will not place additional financial barriers for veterans to access care outside of the VA at a private provider in an effort to incentivize in-house VA care. prgtoken Last, section 101, paragraph (d)(1)(D) of this bill, along with section 104, requires the VA to develop appropriate access standards when seeking healthcare. However, I remain concerned that the VA will not implement it properly. prgtoken If the VA implements access standards similar to TRICARE, which is the health program at the Department of Defense, then, these sections could be good for veterans. prgtoken Let me get into my concerns with the bill. This bill makes significant changes to the 40-mile rule under the Choice Progr
FORMERLY INCARCERATED REENTER SOCIETY TRANSFORMED SAFELY TRANSITIONING EVERY PERSON ACT
Bob Goodlatte (Republican, VA) \u2014 2018-5-22

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , in closing, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to not oppose this very important piece of legislation before us today. It appears their opposition to the legislation is based upon what is not in the legislation rather than what is actually in it. I don't believe there is a single provision in the bill that they oppose. prgtoken In fact, many of the provisions in this bill are there because they specifically asked for them. For example, asked for a fix to the way the Bureau of Prisons calculates good time credit. We made changes to clarify congressional intent on that section. prgtoken They also asked for language on the risk assessments to ensure that dynamic factors were used to evaluate a prisoner's risk of recidivating. That request was honored. Various pilot programs and a prohibition of shackling pregnant inmates were also placed in the legislation at the request of . Good requests, good changes, and these are only a few of the many requests that were honored. prgtoken Voting against this meaningful and important bill is a disservice to those men and women currently incarcerated and their families. It is a disservice to those great men and women who work in our Bureau of Prisons, and it is a disservice to the American people. prgtoken The vast majority of those incarcerated are going to get out one day. Let's make sure they have the tools and the resources to successfully reenter society. H.R. 5682 does just that. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to support the FIRST STEP Act, and .
Luke Messer (Republican, IN) \u2014 2018-5-22

. Madam , I rise today in support of this historic bipartisan compromise that rolls back some of the most harmful policies from the Dodd-Frank Act and will help grow our economy. prgtoken The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act includes bipartisan legislation that I authored to help communities in Indiana and across the United States save money on roads, bridges, and schools. It reverses a backward banking rule that gave foreign countries an advantage over American cities and towns. This will drive down the cost of borrowing and make it cheaper for cities and towns to finance local infrastructure projects. prgtoken Ultimately, this bill saves taxpayer dollars. That is why it has passed the House twice. It is supported by numerous advocacy groups, and my good friend, the State treasurer of Indiana, Kelly Mitchell. I applaud this bill's inclusion in this banking reform package, and I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.
TRICKETT WENDLER, FRANK MONGIELLO, JORDAN McLINN, AND MATTHEW BELLINA RIGHT TO TRY ACT OF 2017
Greg Walden (Republican, OR) \u2014 2018-5-22

today represents the third time this year that the House has considered legislation to deliver hope to patients who are battling terminal diseases. Twice already, a bipartisan majority of Members has supported increasing patient access to investigational drugs through a new pathway outside of the existing expanded access program, and the bill before us today is deserving of that same support. prgtoken Thirty-nine States have right-to-try laws, including my home State of Oregon. While the State policies vary, they have a common goal: helping vulnerable patients. President praised the movement during the State of the Union. He said: ``People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure. I want to give them a chance here at home.'' Those are the President's words. Since this time, he has continued to feverishly advocate for this legislation. prgtoken For today's debate, I believe it is important to understand that it is both prgtoken the background of this issue as well as the politics that have brought us back to this floor. prgtoken Today, there is an existing process for patients to access unapproved drugs. The FDA oversees the expanded access program, commonly known as compassionate use. This program has been critical in helping patients access experimental or investigative drugs. prgtoken As I previously said before in this Chamber, Commissioner Gottlieb and the agency should be commended for their continued work to improve the expanded access program for patients. prgtoken To improve this successful program, the bill this Chamber previously passed provides liability protections for manufacturers, sponsors, physicians, clinical investigators, and hospitals that participate in the existing expanded access program and the new alternative pathway created under the legislation. That provision removes one of the biggest hurdles patients face, as identified by the Government Accountability Office, in gaining access to experimental therapies: manufacturer hesitancy to participate. That is the obstacle. That same bill creates a new alternative pathway for patients who do not qualify for a clinical trial. prgtoken It is my view that the House-passed bill strengthens patient protections with clearer informed consent and adverse event reporting. The bill also ensures that the FDA is notified when a patient receives an unapproved drug through the new alternative pathway to ensure proper oversight. prgtoken But when a strong bipartisan majority of this Chamber, of the U.S. House of Representatives, , delivered for patients and answered President 's call to give Americans the right to try, leaders in the Senate on the other side of the aisle objected, blocking terminally ill patients from increasing access to investigational drugs. But we will not allow them to play politics to delay this effort any longer. That is why we are here today. prgtoken , across our great count