mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
IMPROVING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ACT
Al Franken (Democrat, MN) \u2014 2017-3-30

I rise to talk about a path forward on healthcare. prgtoken Last week, s in the House failed to pass the American Health Care Act--a deeply flawed policy that amounted to little more than a massive tax break for the wealthy at the expense of working people. The failure of that bill means that, as Ryan put it, the ACA is the law of the land for the foreseeable future. So today I would like to invite my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to leave repeal efforts behind and instead roll up their sleeves and work with me and other to improve the system we already have, which is the law of the land for the foreseeable future. It is time to pass commonsense reforms that build on the successes of the ACA and lower healthcare costs. prgtoken In a recent HELP Committee hearing, Chairman Alexander said that he wanted to work on a bipartisan basis to stabilize the individual market. Great. Let's do that. We should reinstate and strengthen programs that help insurance companies stay in the marketplace and continue to serve even the sickest patients. We should pass a public option to make sure there is competition in every market. We should provide more tax credits to more people. prgtoken While we work on those things, there is something else we should do, something that, together with a group of my colleagues, I introduced a bill about yesterday. It is time to bring down healthcare costs for everyone by reducing the price of prescription drugs. It is time to pass the Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act. prgtoken I think all of us would agree that no one should have to choose between affording a lifesaving drug and putting food on the table for one's family, but right now that is happening. Companies are setting prices that are beyond the reach of consumers and that are driving up costs for insurers and taxpayers. prgtoken One in five Americans says he has not filled a prescription simply because he could not afford it. Others are rationing care due to high prices. A study published just last month found that about 10 percent of cancer patients skipped their medication and about 13 percent delayed filling their prescriptions. We have all been shocked by the stories of EpiPen's prices shooting up nearly 500 percent. The price of insulin has more than doubled in the last 5 years. prgtoken Drug companies can essentially set whatever prices they want. As a result, in recent years, drug companies have secured some of the highest profit margins of any industry. prgtoken Drug prices are too high. That is why my colleagues and I are introducing comprehensive legislation to tackle prescription drug prices. We want to make sure companies cannot exploit the sick and dying to make a profit. The bill includes 17 policy changes that will improve transparency, promote affordability, spur innovation, and enhance competition. Today, I would like to highlight just three of those
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chris Van Hollen (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2017-3-30

the majority is continuing its assault on women's reproductive healthcare rights, this time using the Congressional Review Act to reverse a rule and tear a hole in our safety net for access to family planning and preventative healthcare. The resolution before us would overturn the Department of Health and Human Services' rule, which reinforces regulations that prevent States from denying title X funds to health clinics like Planned Parenthood, even though none of these funds are used for abortions. Repealing this rule would limit access to healthcare, which would harm public health in communities that rely on this funding. prgtoken Congress created the Title X Family Planning Program with bipartisan support in 1970 to help provide comprehensive basic primary, family planning, and preventative services to uninsured and low-income people. It continues to be the only Federal grant dedicated to providing family planning and preventive service. Recipients of the grants use the program's funding to provide basic healthcare, such as cancer screenings, HIV testing, and family planning counseling to 4 million women and men. Both public and private entities run title X service sites. These sites broaden access to healthcare services in rural parts of our country. Often, they are the only option for the populations they serve. About 40 percent of women who use title X service sites say that they are their primary healthcare service provider. prgtoken Despite the benefits of the funding, States have taken actions that discriminate against family planning clinics. Texas, for example, slashed its family planning budget by 65 percent. As a result, Texas forced a quarter of its family planning providers to close their doors to patients in need. prgtoken To ensure that States do not discriminate against family planning providers, the administration issued a rule that forbids States from withholding title X funding for family planning providers for any reason other than being unable to deliver effective services. This rule prevents States like Texas from attempting to defund needed providers like Planned Parenthood. This rule protects access to vital preventive services that provide a safety net for our country's most vulnerable patients. prgtoken All people should have a right to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Reversing this rule will deny critical healthcare services to women, men, and their families. I urge a ``no'' vote.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Jeff Merkley (Democrat, OR) \u2014 2017-3-30

last week the Senate watched the House and the American people watched the House because the House was on the verge of taking away access to healthcare for 24 million Americans. Then last Thursday, a week ago from today, the House said: We are going to postpone that vote. We are not sure we have the votes to take healthcare away from 24 million Americans, but maybe we will vote tomorrow, Friday. prgtoken That was 6 days ago. Friday came, and the House said: No, we are not going to do that vote today because we don't have the votes. prgtoken Why didn't they have the votes? Because across the country, millions of Americans said that taking away healthcare is the wrong thing to do--to take away healthcare from Medicaid expansion, the Oregon Health Plan; to take away healthcare by restricting standard Medicaid as it existed before ACA; to take away the healthcare bill of rights that people so much appreciated; to undermine the ability of low-income working families to buy policies with significant subsidies on the exchange--all of that. prgtoken The House set it aside. I thought that was tremendous because this week, we are not going to have a diabolical bill destroying healthcare here on the floor of the Senate. But the majority party decided: No, we can't go a week without destroying healthcare, so we are going to put up this Congressional Review Act that would take healthcare away from 5 million mostly low-income women who gain access to healthcare through Planned Parenthood. We won't bring up on the floor the bill that failed in the House for 24 million Americans; no, we will just focus on 5 million mostly low-income women and take away their healthcare. prgtoken That is what this vote is about right now, later today. Clearly this attack on healthcare for women across America is wrong, just as it was wrong to try to destroy healthcare for 24 million Americans. It is an attack on women's right to choose what to do with their own bodies. It is an attack on the basic decency and compassion of the American people. prgtoken Since 1970, the title X family planning provider network has been dedicated to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and critical health services, such as screenings for breast and prostate cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. prgtoken Just in 2015 alone, title X provided basic primary and preventive healthcare services, including Pap tests and breast exams and birth control and HIV testing, to more than 4 million low-income women and men at nearly 4,000 health centers across the country. That is a huge impact on the health of the individuals served through title X. prgtoken In 2010, title X services prevented 87,000 preterm or low birth weight births. I can tell you, when my wife Mary was carrying each of our two prgtoken children, I so much hoped that we would not have a complication that would result in a low birth weight birth or a preterm birth in which
CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT RESOLUTIONS
Dianne Feinstein (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-30

today I wish to express my disappointment in today's vote on H.J. Res. 67 and my strong opposition to H.J. Res. 66. These resolutions overturn rules issued by the Department of Labor that are essential to providing increased access to retirement savings programs at the city and State levels. prgtoken Among all working families in America ages 32 to 61, the median family in America had only $5,000 saved in 2013. This indicates to me that we are clearly facing a retirement savings crisis. prgtoken In California, 7.5 million workers don't have access to a retirement savings plan through their jobs, including 3.4 million women. Of those without a workplace retirement savings plan, almost 5 million are individuals of Color, and over 3.5 million are Latino. prgtoken The good news is that, when a person has access to a retirement savings program through their workplace, they are 15 times more likely to save for retirement. prgtoken In California, legislators have been working for more than 4 years to create the Secure Choice program as a way of addressing the retirement crisis we face. This program allows workers to easily save for retirement through a deduction made directly from their paycheck. prgtoken Those who need access to a workplace retirement program the most, individuals with lower incomes, are far less likely to have that access. These are the people who stand to gain the most from the Secure Choice program and lose the most by Congress halting its progress. prgtoken Let me share some examples of the people who would be impacted. Most eligible employees work for small businesses that might not be able to offer retirement savings plans on their own, and nearly half of eligible workers work in the retail, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. prgtoken This program supports lower- and middle-class workers by providing access to the tools they need to control their financial future. The average wage of workers eligible for this program is $35,000, and 80 percent of eligible workers earn less than $50,000. prgtoken We are facing a time of deep income inequality and must stand up for programs that support the middle class, like Secure Choice. Nationwide, the bottom 90 percent of households have seen their income drop compared to what it was in 1970. Meanwhile, the top 1 percent has seen their household income triple. prgtoken As workers struggle to make ends meet, it is appalling to me that Congress would actively take away a key resource for financial planning. prgtoken Californians want to ensure that all employees have access to a retirement savings program. The Department of Labor's State rule clears the way for California to set up programs like Secure Choice by clarifying employers' obligations to the accounts. prgtoken This rule would also help small businesses compete for qualified workers who expect and deserve access to a workplace retirement savings program. Small Business Cal
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Mazie K. Hirono (Democrat, HI) \u2014 2017-3-30

the Congressional Review Act, or CRA, resolution we are debating today is the latest attack in the unrelenting crusade against funding--or defunding--Planned Parenthood. They have tried everything: passing stand-alone bills, attaching poison pills to must-pass bills, threatening a government shutdown, struggling and failing to pass Care. prgtoken Today, we are debating whether to repeal an administrative action that protects abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, that receive title X funding. Just a little while ago, Vice President was here to break a tie because s in Congress couldn't get enough men to tell women what to do with their bodies. prgtoken For nearly 50 years, title X funding has helped low-income Americans access vital health services like birth control and cervical and breast cancer screenings. Title X funding has been a healthcare lifeline for millions of women in all parts of the country. But if this Congressional Review Act resolution is passed, Planned Parenthood clinics across our country can be prohibited from receiving title X funding, even though it is currently illegal to use Federal dollars to fund abortion services. Let me repeat: No Federal dollars can be used to fund abortion services, period. prgtoken I understand the strong anti-abortion belief held by some of my colleagues, but I don't understand why this translates into relentless attacks on an organization that uses no Federal funds for abortion. Planned Parenthood uses Federal funds to provide vital healthcare services to millions of people, mainly women. Yes, I acknowledge there are men who go to Planned Parenthood also. prgtoken In 2014, Planned Parenthood provided over 600,000 cancer screenings and over 4 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections. But this is a factual argument, and we have learned over the years that many of my colleagues simply will not listen to facts when it comes to Planned Parenthood. prgtoken Let me share a few stories from my constituents about the transformational impact Planned Parenthood has had in their lives. Perhaps after hearing these stories, we will think twice about attacking the vital services Planned Parenthood provides all across our country. prgtoken Hawaii is home to a large military community. Taylor from Honolulu is a military spouse who wrote to me that she and other military dependents turn to Planned Parenthood because of long wait times and confidentiality concerns within the military healthcare system. Taylor wrote: My friend was experiencing severe cramping and pelvic pain to the point where she had to utilize a sick day. When she visited the medical services provider through the military, they scheduled her for an appointment for four days out. She was sent home with no pelvic exam or ultrasound. The pain was so severe that she went to Planned Parenthood be
SMITHSONIAN WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM ACT
Carolyn B. Maloney (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-3-30

as we conclude Women's History Month, I am pleased to introduce the Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act along with Rep. Ed Royce and 128 bipartisan cosponsors. prgtoken In November 2016, a bipartisan commission that was created through a bill I authored submitted its recommendations to Congress about establishing a women's history museum in our nation's capital. The Commission unanimously said in its report that the U.S. needs and deserves such a museum to properly tell our whole history. In fact, in the entire country, there is no comprehensive museum solely devoted to women's history. Women make up half the population, but are only depicted in about 10 percent of history book material, about 5 percent of national monuments and a fraction of the hundreds of statues on Capitol grounds. By not telling or preserving the stories of women who shaped our country, we are in danger of losing them completely. And that would be a great loss to us all. prgtoken This bill has been decades in the making and it is based on the excellent American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission final report, which was the result of 18 months of thorough study. The bill would establish a Smithsonian museum dedicated to women's history prominently located on the National Mall. It calls for the Smithsonian Board of Regents to designate a site for the museum within six months of enactment, and the cost of construction would be raised privately. The museum will be governed by a 25-member Advisory Council appointed by the Board of Regents. prgtoken I am honored that so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have joined me in this historic effort because honoring women's history should not be a partisan issue. All Americans--men and women of all ages--deserve to learn and be inspired by the stories of the women who contributed to our country's history. prgtoken I am always struck by the story of Sybil Ludington. Everyone has heard of Paul Revere's ride, but few know that Ludington, the daughter of a colonel in the Continental Army, was just a 16 year old girl when she rode through the night an even greater distance than Revere to warn her father's troops about the approaching British forces. prgtoken I have worked on this issue for many years and believe that establishing a women's history museum on the National Mall is long overdue. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in this important effort to create an enduring tribute to women's history for generations to come.
INVESTIGATING RUSSIA'S INFLUENCE ON OUR ELECTION
Nydia M. Velázquez (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-3-30

. Madam , Russia's efforts to influence our election constitutes a direct assault on our democracy. These alarming events must be thoroughly investigated. In particular, we must determine if any Americans collaborated in these attacks and are legally culpable. prgtoken Sadly, the House Intelligence Committee chairman is either unwilling or incapable of conducting a fair investigation. How can Mr. Nunes run this investigation if he is briefing the President before talking with members of his committee? How can he be secretly meeting with so-called sources at the White House? prgtoken Madam , the American people need to know that democracy is intact, and that requires a full, fair, and impartial investigation. prgtoken Since December, I have repeatedly called for the Department of Justice to appoint a special counsel. I have also cosponsored legislation to create a bipartisan commission to investigate. prgtoken The bottom line is this: Chairman Nunes has lost all credibility. He must recuse himself. We need a real investigation. Appoint a special counsel now.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF A RULE SUBMITTED BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Patty Murray (Democrat, WA) \u2014 2017-3-30

I want Senate s who are about to take this vote--and Vice President --to be very clear on what they are about to do. As a direct result of their choices today, extreme politicians in States across the country will have greater power to take away women's choices. prgtoken I think it speaks volumes that the vote to uphold this rule--which simply says family planning centers, where women can exercise their constitutionally protected rights, should not be prgtoken discriminated against--is bipartisan. But do you know what I think is most striking about this vote? The deafening silence from the group of almost entirely male Senators who are voting today to make it harder for women to get the healthcare they need. Not one spoke today to justify this vote. Where are those Senators? Why did they feel so entitled not just to interfere with women's healthcare decisions but to do so without explaining themselves? If they are ashamed of their votes, which they should be, they had ample opportunity to reconsider. prgtoken I came to the floor with my ic colleagues weeks ago to urge s not to bring this damaging legislation to the floor. We asked for just one vote today to prevent this attack on women's health. And women across the country, in and ic States, called, emailed, tweeted, and organized to say that these restrictions on women's access to healthcare have no place in our country or in the 21st century. But what have these 50 Senate s done? They refused to listen, and they refused to answer for their actions. prgtoken Frankly, women deserve better. The thing is, women know it. So today, as a woman, I am angry. As a mother and a grandmother, I am furious about what attacks like this mean for our daughters and our granddaughters, especially those who are struggling and disproportionately rely on family planning centers. But as a Senator, I am more confident than ever that s who fail to listen to the women of this country do so at their own peril. I have had the chance to see how much impact women have when they call and march and organize and make their voices heard. prgtoken The fact that Vice President had to come and break this tie today, that Senate leaders could not twist enough arms to pass this bill on their own, is clear evidence. So is the failure of House s' abysmal Care bill, which would have cut off access to critical services at Planned Parenthood. prgtoken I know without a doubt that Senators who vote against women and with their extreme base today and who rely on this anti-women administration to jam this resolution through will be held accountable both by women across the country and women right here in the Senate. We will keep making our voices heard. We will fight back against these attacks on our rights and our own self-determination, and u
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
Bradley Scott Schneider (Democrat, IL) \u2014 2017-3-30

addressing climate change is one of the most important long-term challenges for our future. But this week's executive order from President reverses recent progress and will worsen this slow-burning crisis. prgtoken The order undercuts the Clean Power Plan, weakens restrictions on emissions, and expands Federal coal mining leases. It undermines the success of the Paris Agreement and damages our relations with the signatories, including China and India. At the same time, the order makes it harder for our government and military to plan for the already occurring consequences of climate change--including assessing its impact on national security policy. prgtoken That is why today I am introducing the CLIMATE Act to prevent the irresponsible executive order from being implemented. Whether the administration recognizes it or not, the international community understands climate change is real and is rapidly embracing a renewable energy future. The administration's decision to move our energy policy backwards only weakens the United States' global leadership role, making it more likely that green energy jobs of tomorrow will be created elsewhere. prgtoken We must come together to support policies that grow clean energy jobs in the United States and ensure we pass on a healthier planet to the next generation.