mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Orrin G. Hatch (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-1-11

Care exacerbated financial pressures on the Medicaid Program at a time when many States were already facing difficult choices. Even before Care, Medicaid was plagued by quality issues and the law did nothing to address these problems. Instead, under Care, able-bodied adults not previously eligible, including some prisoners, are now covered by Medicaid which has strained already limited resources at the State level. prgtoken s are committed to working with States, stakeholders, and the American public to improve the quality of the Medicaid Program, ensuring its long-term sustainability. That is reflected in my amendment. My amendment would create a reserve fund to allow for reforms to Medicaid and ensure the program has the right priorities. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote for my amendment and against the Menendez amendment, which is simply designed to prevent the repeal of Care and enshrine its flawed approach to Medicaid in a budget point of order.
amendment no. 83
Deb Fischer (Republican, NE) \u2014 2017-1-11

this amendment would strengthen community health centers across this country. In Nebraska we have 7 federally qualified health centers and 40 clinic sites that have served over 75,000 people. These centers provide quality personalized health care that women need and deserve. prgtoken Last year I had the opportunity to visit one of these in Omaha, the Charles Drew Medical Clinic. I saw firsthand the comprehensive, compassionate care that they provide to Nebraskans. Many times, women are the ones who make health care decisions for their families, but with higher costs and fewer choices, Care has hurt, not helped, women in this country. prgtoken They have seen their premiums go up, they have had a hard time finding the doctors that they trust, and they have had to sign up for plans that they don't like. With this amendment, we can alleviate this frustration. We can help ensure that they receive quality care in their communities surrounded by a support system. It would strengthen women's health. It would help take care of our families, our neighbors, and our friends.
TRADE IS A TWO-WAY STREET
John J. Duncan, Jr. (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-1-11

some people have expressed concern that President-elect will start a trade war if he gets tough on trade. But what they are not admitting, or perhaps it has never occurred to them, is that we have been in a trade war for many years, and we have been losing. prgtoken China has followed a China-first policy for years to their great benefit, while we have sent millions of good jobs to other countries and several million of our young people now can find jobs only in restaurants. prgtoken With only 4 percent of the world's population, we buy 21.7 percent of the world's goods. We used to buy about 25 percent, but we have more competition around the world now as most countries are trying to move away from socialism while we seemingly move toward it. But we still have tremendous leverage on trade that we have not used because every country wants desperately into our markets. prgtoken We need to negotiate trade deals that will create more jobs in this country. We need, , to tell foreign leaders that we want to buy things from them, but they need to start buying from us, too. Friendship is a two-way street.
amendment no. 83
Lamar Alexander (Republican, TN) \u2014 2017-1-11

this amendment is an amendment I believe almost every Senator will want to vote for because this is an amendment that guarantees that when you walk into the local drugstore, your medicine is safe because you know that it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. prgtoken This amendment clarifies the current law, which says that if you sell a prescription drug in the United States, it has to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It may be made overseas--and many are, and they are sold here--but they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. prgtoken I have the privilege of being the chairman of the HELP Committee, and I can't tell you the number of impassioned speeches I have heard from my ic friends about the importance of drug safety and the gold standard for the Food and Drug Administration. So if you are for the gold standard of the Food and Drug Administration, if you are for making prescription drugs approved by the FDA, vote yes. If you are against it, vote no.
REGULATORY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Stephen Knight (Republican, CA) \u2014 2017-1-11

I rise in strong support of H.R. 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2017. prgtoken Over the last 8 years, we have seen the administration authorize hundreds of executive orders directing Federal agencies to issue, finalize, and implement an unprecedented number of regulations. Most of these impose one-size-fits-all standards on small businesses with little to no consideration for their impact on small businesses. prgtoken As a member of the Small Business Committee, it is kind of my job to go out and find out what small businesses have to offer, what is impeding their ability to create and make more jobs for our industry and for our economy. What we have found is that overregulation is stifling them. This is the problem. prgtoken This is not something that we have made up. That is the problem in this economy. That is why I am proud to support H.R. 5, and particularly title III, which addresses one vital area that protects small businesses--the Regulatory Flexibility Act, or RFA. prgtoken The RFA requires agencies to assess the economic impacts of new regulations on small businesses. However, Federal agencies regularly exploit loopholes in the RFA requirements that allow them to produce inadequate or inaccurate analysis of impact. prgtoken We know this can have devastating outcomes, as witnessed in the Department of Labor's overtime rule issued prgtoken last year, which was one of the top concerns for many of the small businesses and nonprofits that operate in my district and across this country. prgtoken Title III of H.R. 5 would eliminate loopholes to ensure compliance and would also require agencies to provide more detailed information in each analysis. prgtoken I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 78, SEC REGULATORY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 238, COMMODITY END-USER RELIEF ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Dan Newhouse (Republican, WA) \u2014 2017-1-11

such time as I may consume. prgtoken First of all, in fact, if I could read from a letter I received this morning from over two dozen agricultural groups. In one sentence, it says: ``Thank you in advance for your support of this bill that is so important to U.S. farmers, ranchers, hedgers and futures customers.'' It is signed, like I said, by over two dozen organizations. prgtoken I include in the Record the letter I received this morning, I think, as did my colleague, Representative Polis, from over two dozen agricultural groups and associations located throughout the country in unanimous support of H.R. 238. January 11, 2017. Dear Member of the House of Representatives: The undersigned organizations represent a very broad cross- section of U.S. production agriculture and agribusiness. We urge you to cast an affirmative vote on H.R. 238, the ``Commodity End-User Relief Act,'' when it moves to the floor for consideration. This legislation contains a number of important provisions for agricultural and agribusiness hedgers who use futures and swaps to manage their business and production risks. Some, but certainly not all, of the bill's important provisions include: Sections 101-103--Codify important customer protections to help prevent another MF Global situation. Section 104--Provides a permanent solution to the residual interest problem that would have put more customer funds at risk--and potentially driven farmers, ranchers and small hedgers out of futures markets--by forcing pre-margining of their hedge accounts. Section 306--Relief from burdensome and technologically infeasible recordkeeping requirements in commodity markets. Section 308--Requires the CFTC to conduct a study and issue a rule before reducing the de minimis threshold for swap dealer registration in order to make sure that doing so would not harm market liquidity and end-user access to markets. Section 311--Confirms the intent of Dodd-Frank that anticipatory hedging is considered bona fide hedging activity. Thank you in advance for your support of this bill that is so important to U.S. farmers, ranchers, hedgers and futures customers. Sincerely, American Cotton Shippers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Feed Industry Association, American Soybean Association, Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Michigan Agri-Business Association, Michigan Bean Shippers, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council. National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Grain and Feed Association, National Milk Producers Feder
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Cory Gardner (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-1-11

I come to the floor today to discuss the continued broken promises of Care--the Affordable Care Act--that passed in the most partisan of fashions several years ago, and to discuss the process by which we are putting together a repeal-and- replace package and the pieces we will be voting on tonight and over the next several weeks and months. prgtoken Care's failures are simple. The promises that have been broken are clear. While partisan supporters of the administration's plan continue to promote the success of this poorly conceived law, Coloradans know far better. prgtoken Time and again, hundreds of thousands of Coloradans have felt the consequences of the Affordable Care Act in their pocketbooks, in their workplaces, in their doctor's offices, and in the choices they have for health care. The past 6 years have been marred by higher costs, fewer choices, and less competition in Colorado and across the Nation. prgtoken It is now time that we stand up for the American people to restore reliable and stable health care, as well as health care markets and insurance markets, and to undo the damage done to our health care by the failed law known as Care. prgtoken Let's just review the broken promises we have seen--not just a broken promise that the President himself made to the American people but broken promises echoed by the partisan supporters of Care. President assured the American people over 35 times: Don't worry about Care because if you like your plan, then you can keep it, period. It is on video. It is on YouTube, and you can probably find it on Snapchat. It is available to find, this first broken promise. prgtoken As Coloradans began to receive cancellation notices, they quickly learned that this promise was far from the truth. In late 2013, nearly 335,000 small group and individual policies in Colorado were canceled due to requirements in the Affordable Care Act. These cancellations also included my family's cancellation, because we had chosen to stay in the private market in Colorado. But in August of 2013, we received the letter that 335,000 others received in Colorado saying that our policy had been canceled thanks to Care. prgtoken But, unfortunately, those cancellations--those 330,000-plus cancellations in August of 2013--were just the beginning, because in January of 2014, the Colorado Division of Insurance canceled an additional nearly 250,000 plans for the same reason. prgtoken Again in 2015, Coloradans were made abruptly aware of the failures of Care when another 190,000 more plans on the individual and small group market were canceled. In total, according to the Congressional Research Service, over 750,000 health insurance plans were canceled in Colorado between 2013 and 2015. prgtoken The promise that if you like your health care plan, you can keep it was so bad--that promise was so broken--that the fact-checking organization PolitiFact named
THE PEOPLE'S NIGHT: OBAMACARE
Mark Walker (Republican, NC) \u2014 2017-1-11

tonight is our third time that we have hosted People's Night. This is a time for our Members to bypass outside forces and influences and talk directly to the American people. prgtoken Tonight we are presenting something that has been very important, not just a topic, but something that nearly 6 years ago--or a little over 6 years ago--right here where we stand tonight was passed in an overly bipartisan manner and has burdened the American people in what is now known as Care, the Affordable Care Act. prgtoken This is a piece of legislation that has burdened small businesses and individuals alike. Now we have been asked to fix it, to repeal and to replace. Well, it takes Members to be able to have experience in this particular field to understand the heart of community. One of the people who does that most, specifically in the area of poverty initiatives, who reaches across community lines, reaches across party lines is the gentleman from Kentucky, my good friend, Representative Andy Barr from Kentucky. from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).
THE PEOPLE'S NIGHT: OBAMACARE
Austin Scott (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-1-11

there is something I very much want to speak on. I rise today on behalf of my many constituents back in Georgia's Eighth Congressional District who have been negatively impacted by Care. prgtoken It is pretty clear to the vast majority of us that the attempt to fix our Nation's healthcare problems by inserting more Federal control into the system has simply failed. There are some counties in the district that I represent in middle and south Georgia that are down to just one--maybe two--insurance providers that people can choose from. That is not competition, and that is not affordable. It is not even a choice really, and it is certainly not ``if you like your plan you can keep it.'' prgtoken My colleagues and I on the Study Committee have worked for a couple of years, and we have offered a plan to repeal Care and replace it with patient-centered reforms and free-market solutions for American citizens. prgtoken The American Healthcare Reform Act is not just about repealing Care. It is about fixing problems that existed in the healthcare system before Care and problems that, quite honestly, were made worse by Care. There is a lot of talk about what is in the bill that is a problem. I would like to talk just a second today about what is not in the bill that is a problem. prgtoken , the President, by leaving the health insurance industry exempt from the antitrust laws of the country, created a bigger problem than we had prior to the healthcare bill going in place. That's right. I want you to hear what I said. Under Care, health insurance providers are exempt from the antitrust laws. These are the very laws that are designed to promote competition for the benefit of the consumer. prgtoken How is it that Care can mandate that Americans purchase a product from an industry that that very bill left exempt from playing by the rules? Why did the President and the ic leaders leave the health insurance industry exempt from the antitrust laws in the bill? I have asked these questions over and over. It is baffling to me. It means the big boys can play and the little man has to pay. prgtoken I wish somebody from the press would ask that question. I don't understand why the press doesn't ask the ic Party: Why did you leave the health insurance industry exempt from the antitrust laws of the country? It is a question the President should answer. prgtoken The American Healthcare Reform Act reverses that. Our legislation injects much-needed competition into the health insurance marketplace by eliminating the antitrust exemptions for the insurance providers. By applying the antitrust laws to the insurance industry, we are making the market more competitive which, in turn, will drive down premium cost, increase choice, and does so without adding any new taxes. prgtoken I hope the American Healthcare Reform Act will serve as the baseline for discussions on how to repeal
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Tim Scott (Republican, SC) \u2014 2017-1-11

I think it is important for us to realize and note that while Senator Graham did in fact grow up just a few miles from Clemson--which means his affinity for the university is natural-- it is consistent with his upbringing. For me, it is very different. When you are born in South Carolina, and you are born on the coast near the Atlantic Ocean, the likelihood of your being a Gamecocks fan and wearing garnet and black is about 75 percent. So I must concede that I still pull for the Gamecocks. That is a controversial position to be in when you are talking about the new national champions. prgtoken I would also like to say to Senator Shelby--a man of integrity, character, and long service--thank you for making the bet. I am so glad you lost. prgtoken I would also say to the Clemson Tigers--the ``Tigers Nation''--we are so incredibly proud of what you have accomplished. It is amazing, not only the successful season that you have had on the field but the character that has been the focus of so much of the conversation off the field. prgtoken We have talked specifically about No. 4, Deshaun Watson, and the amazing story about his relationship with his mother. I have a special relationship with my mom. So I appreciate his focus and determination to honor her when he is on the field and to continue to honor her when he is off the field. That story is a remarkable story that deserves more attention. It really does. prgtoken As to Coach Dabo Swinney, is an amazing coach, without any question, but he is also an Alabama alum. Having won the national championship as a part of the Alabama football team--I believe it was 1992--you have a champion come into Clemson University and making champions by loving compassionately, by challenging on the field, and by embracing these men and the entire apparatus around the university and college athletics. He has done a fabulous job. prgtoken I think of the walk-on receiver that Senator Graham mentioned. In every facet of the team--whether you are the so-called water boy, whether you are the athletic trainer, whether you are a physical therapist--people win because of the team that they are on. There are no self-made success stories. prgtoken We should remember that as we focus on these young athletes. I know their lives will be meaningful because of the team they played on and not simply the victories they celebrated. prgtoken I do want to take a few seconds and mention the president, Jim Clements, who is a fantastic guy and one of my dearest friends. Jim and I were having a conversation through text before the game, and I decided, since we can't use our phones on the floor of Senate--I know they frown on that kind of stuff, technology; it is an interesting concept here--I decided to print the text. This was a Wednesday evening around 10 p.m. I had just predicted that Clemson would win, 27 to 24. Jim Clements said: Seriously if we play like we did last week then
RECOGNITION OF PROJECT VIDA
Will Hurd (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-1-11

I rise today in recognition of the 25 year anniversary of Project Vida in El Paso, Texas. prgtoken Project Vida was founded in 1991 with the support of residents of El Paso's Chamizal neighborhood and the Presbyterian Church. The institution's first goal was to support the community's self-determined needs to help improve lives. Over the years, Project Vida has expanded its services to provide dental and behavioral health care; early childhood education and child care; affordable housing as well as gang and homelessness prevention. prgtoken The contributions of Project Vida have been invaluable to the residents of El Paso's Chamizal neighborhood over the past 25 years. There is no question that the program will continue to set the precedent for community care. I am proud to represent such a dedicated program and to congratulate its dedicated staff and supporters on 25 years of service to others.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 2017
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2017-1-11

I rise today to give voice to some of my fellow Utahns, including a few of my fellow Utahns who are suffering because of the health care law passed by this body nearly 7 years ago. These are not stories from wealthy Utahns who have simply had to pay higher taxes, nor are these stories from low-income Utahns who already have insurance through Medicaid. prgtoken These are letters are from the too often invisible victims of Care--those middle-class families who used to be able to afford health care when they needed it but are now forced to pay for it and to pay for what amounts to, in some cases, one of their largest payments or even their largest payment they make each month for a so-called insurance plan that never seems to pay out because of high deductibles. prgtoken Jenica from Davis County, UT, writes as follows: I am an ordinary mother raising my kids and striving to live within my means. For the first time, my family is facing a year with no health insurance. Our gross income falls a few hundred dollars per month too high for us to receive help through CHIP or UPP programs, but we cannot afford to purchase health insurance through my husband's work or through the Marketplace. After this year's premium increases, the most inexpensive plan offered to us on the Marketplace is a full quarter of our gross income per month (before taxes), and if we put that into our budget we will not be able to save any money to pay deductibles as healthcare needs arise. We face the same problem with my husband's work insurance; it would be even more expensive, and we cannot wisely budget a quarter or more of our income toward health insurance premiums. I know this problem is not limited to my family, and I want you to be aware of those of us who are falling in the gap this year. We earn barely too much to receive any assistance, but not enough to actually pay for insurance premiums. It seems the wisest course for us is to withdraw from insurance and save our money to pay for medical expenses in cash, as well as saving to pay the fine on our taxes next year. It is a decision I do not make lightly, as I know that the insurance companies need more people, not less, to participate to make the system work. However, my family cannot afford to participate this year. I know you will represent us well and take our needs into consideration as you work with the other members of Congress to make our country's healthcare system work for all of us. Thank you for serving our state and our country. May God bless you in your efforts. prgtoken May God bless you, Jenica. May God bless you for having the courage to write these things down and to share them with your fellow Utahns and your fellow Americans. prgtoken I promised Jenica that I will do everythi
REGULATORY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Tom Marino (Republican, PA) \u2014 2017-1-11

. Mr. Chair, I simply would add that I ask my colleagues to oppose this amendment. prgtoken As far as the jobs increase, or lack thereof, that my colleague speaks of, we have had the slowest growth rate in jobs in the history of this country. There are millions of people that are unemployed that are not seeking unemployment benefits, and they are not taken into consideration in the unemployment rate because it is much higher than it is; and the mean family income is at a low as far back as 14 years ago.