mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ISSUES OF THE DAY
Jefferson Van Drew (Republican, NJ) \u2014 2023-6-21

I feel like a broken record talking about the invasion of our southern border over and over again, but it continues to get worse day by day. prgtoken When we have a President and an administration that do not take the crisis seriously, someone has to talk about it. We need to talk about it. We need to speak about it until we get it fixed. prgtoken From day one, has completely and utterly neglected his duties as President of the United States to enforce our rule of law and protect the national security of our great Nation. It is truly shameful. prgtoken From day one, abandoned strong and effective border policies put in place by President that had our border nearly totally under control. prgtoken From day one, and his administration created this crisis. This is a crisis of their own doing, and have no one to blame other than themselves as to why thousands of illegal migrants come to our border daily. Ironically, some of them actually wear T- shirts. prgtoken To make the border crisis even worse, and it is hard to believe that you could make it even worse, the radical are now using elementary and secondary schools to house these illegal immigrants. It is shameful. prgtoken There is absolutely no way to know the backgrounds of the individuals, yet find it appropriate to provide shelter for these migrants in children's gyms, auditoriums, and school spaces. Why do continue to put our children at risk? prgtoken As if trying to indoctrinate our children in the classroom isn't enough, as if it is not enough to see what they are doing in trying to affect the relationship of parents and their children in the school when parents are concerned about education, God knows how long they will be sheltered at these school campuses. prgtoken show time and time again they are not committed to protecting the American public and that they care more about the illusion of appearing compassionate when in reality they are neither compassionate nor competent. prgtoken cry that it is a political stunt when 40 migrants get flown to a sanctuary city or their luxury vacation island, yet when our border States and towns are overrun by this engineered crisis, there is no concern on their part. It is completely okay. It is okay for you. It just isn't okay for us. prgtoken It is also okay to that migrants are being held in places where there are virtually no bathrooms or sanitation facilities--so much for compassion, so much for caring, so much for the good of the country. This is hypocrisy at an astronomical level. prgtoken Unlike , s are committed to protecting your children and will be voting this week to highlight and condemn this insanity. Once again, we will fight the fight. prgtoken Enough is enough. It is time to protect our children. It is time to take our country back. prgtoken I thank my fellow colleagues for
RAISING A QUESTION OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE
Anna Paulina Luna (Republican, FL) \u2014 2023-6-21

such time as I may consume. prgtoken I take a second to thank all of my colleagues from across the aisle who have spoken today for putting themselves on the Record defending the Russia collusion hoax, even after the Burisma payments to Hunter and the big guy have been made public. The Congressional Record is a very useful accountability tool. prgtoken , .
TAX CONVENTION WITH CHILE
Mike Lee (Republican, UT) \u2014 2023-6-21

it is important to point out that this legislation makes no distinction between those covered by it, whether they are children or adults, and that is my whole point, is that one of the problems with this is that it would block the effectiveness of State statutes that are there to protect children against interstate trafficking for the purpose of getting them abortions in another State without the knowledge or consent of their parents. That is an issue. prgtoken Yes--and I do maintain--I am not aware of a single State law that prohibits a woman from traveling out of State, an adult woman from traveling out of State. If such a law exists, I am not aware of it, and if it exists despite my nonawareness of it, it is unenforceable. It would be deemed invalid instantaneously. You can't do that. prgtoken But what this would do, since it makes no distinction between children and adults, is it would halt the operation of these States' State laws designed to protect children from interstate trafficking for the purpose of obtaining an abortion, which is very often necessary in order to conceal child sex perpetrators and child traffickers and what they are doing. prgtoken Now, my colleague and friend from Nevada, the distinguished Senator from Nevada, referred to this--kept characterizing the ``far right.'' Now, to my knowledge, nearly every in this Chamber is pro- life. There are a few variations along the way, but nearly all of us are pro-life. To call all of us far right is excessive, and it is unfair. It is unfair especially because there is a mischaracterization also of why we believe what we believe. At least I can tell you what I believe about this. prgtoken She refers to States' rights. I never call it that. Why? Well, because States don't have rights; States have authority. Authority is sort of the inverse polar opposite of a right. A right is something that you have that protects you from actions by the State, by the government, protects you from the authority of the collective, coercive force that is government. So they aren't States' rights; this is State authority. And that is really how we arrived here. That is really where we have been for the last half-century. prgtoken While people are, on the left, bemoaning the depravation of a right, I challenge each of them to tell me where in the Constitution it talks about abortion. Of course, the word ``abortion'' doesn't appear in the Constitution, but what part of the Constitution actually confers that right? That is the problem we are getting at prgtoken here, and that is what I would like to address here for a moment. prgtoken You see, because in Washington, it sometimes starts to feel like we are up against an immovable object and where progress is measured in inches and then victories are sparse and hard-fought, and occasionally the tides turn and something significant happens and there is a seismic shift. prgtoken One year ago, we experi
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Chip Roy (Republican, TX) \u2014 2023-6-21

. Madam Chair, I notice that my friend and colleague from Texas talks about the current system discriminating. Well, the current system discriminates against small businesses and people who can't afford the massive cost of insurance or care. That is the truth. prgtoken My colleague refers to an icky kind of coverage. The fact of the matter is prgtoken that we have a large segment of the American people who are trapped in so-called coverage, but they are not able to get care. prgtoken That is why we are here. We are trying to increase options for the American people. prgtoken My only concern about what we are doing with this legislation, which I wholeheartedly support, and trying to encourage small businesses and give them options to be able to provide better options for their employees, is I don't believe that, in America, you should only be able to get insurance through government or your employer. prgtoken We should be freeing up the system. We should be embracing healthcare freedom. We should be creating an environment where the American people control their healthcare rather than employers and government. That is the truth. prgtoken I offered an amendment to simply spell that out in the form of a sense of Congress, a sense of Congress that the future of healthcare lies in healthcare freedom, not in socialized medicine; that Congress should take steps to address the broken healthcare system by restoring free market practices to lower costs; that coverage is not care and expanding direct access to healthcare should be prioritized over expanding access to coverage; and that patients and doctors, not government bureaucrats or insurance bureaucrats, should make healthcare decisions. prgtoken Why do I think that? Well, the deals that are struck with the government by big corporations are the problem. For example, most recently, Care guaranteed their actual growth and profit. For example, Anthem had a 344 percent increase in government revenue from 2010 to 2020. UnitedHealthcare had a 198 percent increase. Cigna, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, and Humana have seen an average increase of 562 percent in their stock prices from January 2011 to January 2021. prgtoken Here is the kicker. In 2018, for at least three of these companies, the majority of their revenue came from the government: UnitedHealthcare, 53.4 percent; Anthem, 58.7 percent; and Humana, a whopping 86.9 percent. prgtoken It is that corporate cronyism that is reducing options. They are making it more difficult for the American people. prgtoken The fact is, for Americans who are trapped in coverage through Care--for example, when I came to Congress as a Member of Congress, I was put on Care, not some gold-plated plan that flies around on the internet that we supposedly have, but on Care. The place I went to cure the cancer that I had a decade ago, MD Anderson, I wouldn't be allowed to use. What kind of coverage is that? prgtoken That is what we ar
TAX CONVENTION WITH CHILE
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican, MS) \u2014 2023-6-21

this bill presents a solution in search of a problem. Unfortunately, it appears that the intent of this legislation is to treat abortion as healthcare, to prevent pro-life entities from sponsoring ads designed to help provide women and girls with trustworthy support during pregnancy, and to make it harder for States to enforce their own laws protecting life and the most vulnerable. prgtoken When it comes to ensuring patient privacy and healthcare, I believe there are bipartisan solutions to be found that we can all agree on. One-sided efforts to promote abortion are not the way for us to find common ground on this issue. prgtoken I would also like to point out that this bill has not received a hearing or markup in the Commerce Committee, which would be a great opportunity to have. prgtoken I would like to turn now to recognize that this Saturday will mark the first anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. I am incredibly proud that this victory for the pro-life movement, reversing the moral stain of Roe v. Wade, came out of my State of Mississippi. I am amazed and grateful that in God's sovereign plan, a law introduced by my friend, Mississippi State Representative Becky Currie, ultimately achieved what I and so many have prayed for, for 50 years now, to restore the sanctity of life. prgtoken My friend, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, our State's solicitor general, Scott Stewart, and the many others in the AG's office worked tirelessly to represent our State's direct challenge to Roe. prgtoken After a draft of the Dobbs majority opinion was shamefully leaked, the conservative Justices resisted disgraceful intimidation tactics and threats to their own lives. They stayed true to their judicial oaths to uphold and defend the Constitution. prgtoken The Supreme Court recognized correctly in Dobbs that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and that Roe was ``egregiously wrong and on a collision course with the Constitution from the day it was decided.'' prgtoken While the Dobbs decision did not end abortion in America, it took a monumental step in returning the issue back into the hands of the people and their elected representatives. Today, as a result, 14 States are protecting unborn children through all 9 months of pregnancy. Several others now protect babies at the point where they have a heartbeat, at 6 weeks, and still others at 12 weeks. One recent study found that there were more than 24,000 unborn children saved from abortion in the first 9 months since Dobbs. That is 24,000 miracles, because that is what a child is--a miracle. prgtoken But it is not just the States that can protect life after Dobbs. We in Congress also have a responsibility to protect life and stop the ' extreme pro-abortion agenda. prgtoken It saddens me deeply that in Congress continue to advocate for appalling legislati
HIGHLIGHTING TERRI STILLSON'S COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS
Mike Garcia (Republican, CA) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today to recognize a dedicated teacher and community member who consistently goes above and beyond what is normally expected of educators today. Terri Stillson is a reading teacher at Castaic Elementary School whose passion for education and inspiration have encouraged her to take a unique and creative approach to rewarding academic achievement. The result of these efforts is increased motivation for students and teachers alike. prgtoken Every Wednesday, Mrs. Stillson mounts the ``Treat Trike'', a decorated tricycle with Castaic Elementary School swag and a cart filled to the brim with toys and prizes. She rides around the school's campus playing cheerful music and going classroom to classroom to reward children for their academic work. But she doesn't just reward the top of each class, she utilizes an online program that captures students' performance to recognize different types of progress and praise students of all different stripes. Mrs. Stillson also motivates teachers to do their best by using stuffed plushies to award the educator in each grade level who passed the most lessons each week, encouraging playful competition among staff. prgtoken Now more than ever, children are struggling to remain engaged in their education, as the effects of prolonged lockdowns and Zoom learning continue to be felt. It is heartening to see Mrs. Stillson lead other educators across the nation by example and offer a roadmap for how teachers can make the classroom a fun place to be while also driving students' success. All it takes is a little creativity and whimsy. prgtoken Once again, I want to recognize and thank Mrs. Stillson for all the work that she does to make Castaic Elementary School a shining example of educational excellence in our community. Her creativity and hard work are a blessing to her students, and we look forward to all she will accomplish throughout the rest of her career as a teacher.
EMPLOYER REPORTING IMPROVEMENT ACT
Adrian Smith (Republican, NE) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today in support of our bill, the Employer Reporting Improvement Act. As was mentioned, the bill was adapted from legislation that my colleague, Mr. Thompson, and I have been working on for years, the Commonsense Reporting Act. prgtoken The Employer Reporting Improvement Act is a strong step toward cleaning up the complicated process employers use to report data required by the IRS and providing employers relief. prgtoken This data is used to determine if an employee's health coverage is considered affordable. Unfortunately, an inadvertent mistake or omission in reporting this data can result in a financial penalty for the employer long after the original submission. The potential financial penalty can put a serious strain on small businesses who are already struggling with workforce shortages and persistently high inflation. prgtoken While the vast majority of these mistakes are ultimately corrected without a financial penalty being enforced, employers are still forced to navigate a complicated maze of bureaucracy to clear up these unintentional mistakes. prgtoken The Employer Reporting Improvement Act makes simple, yet effective changes, including codifying actions previously taken to create more safeguards and flexibilities, improving the reporting process, and making it less likely employers are faced with resolving reporting problems several years after the fact. prgtoken In fact, one of the most important pieces of the bill is the creation of a reasonable statute of limitations, 6 years, for penalties resulting from reporting errors. prgtoken As we continue our work to improve employer reporting requirements, I hope we can work with the Treasury Department to find a path forward on prospective reporting, as Mr. Thompson also elaborated on. prgtoken I am glad to support the Employer Reporting Improvement Act. I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Daniel Meuser (Republican, PA) \u2014 2023-6-21

I thank the chairman of Ways and Means, my good friend from Missouri, very much for having this important debate for the CHOICE Arrangement Act. prgtoken , this bill does nothing more than expand the association health plans. Businesses want to have current coverage that exists today. They can keep it. President years back enacted an expansion of association health plans which greatly benefited the farmers in my district and the small businesses in my district to find plans that suited them. prgtoken They used the power of their numbers to reduce costs 29 percent. We have better coverage, preferable to the entities, at lower costs. If they like their current coverage, they can keep it. It sounds way too logical, apparently, for this body. There is no logical reason to oppose H.R. 3799 other than for special interests or political motivation.
CUSTOM HEALTH OPTION AND INDIVIDUAL CARE EXPENSE ARRANGEMENT ACT
Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Republican, OR) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise in support of the CHOICE Arrangement Act. prgtoken Small business owners are being hamstrung by soaring healthcare costs. I know firsthand because I am a small business owner, but you don't have to take my word for it. The data speaks for itself. prgtoken In Deschutes County in my district, the average small business premium for a family has increased by 111 percent from 2014 to 2022. prgtoken It is past time to provide small business owners with more options so workers can access cheaper coverage. We can accomplish this by expanding association health plans and providing more flexibility to ensure employees can get the coverage that fits their needs best. prgtoken , I am proud to support small businesses, which create jobs, foster innovation, and keep our economy running strong. prgtoken Let's get this done to ensure these employers can keep their doors open.
CELEBRATING THE RENOVATION OF THE PLATTE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
John Barrasso (Republican, WY) \u2014 2023-6-21

I rise today in recognition of the distinct history of Wyoming's Platte County Courthouse. The courthouse reopens this summer following its first significant renovation in over a century. For 105 years, the residents of Platte County have recognized the courthouse as an important landmark and testament to the county's history. Located in the county seat of Wheatland, WY, the roots of this historic courthouse are tied to the wild frontier. prgtoken After the county's incorporation in 1911, the Platte County Board of Commissioners agreed to lease office space in the Stock Growers Bank for $55 per month. Five years later, the commission recognized the need for a permanent structure to house both the court and jail. Eager to start, commissioners issued $50,000 in county bonds to finance construction, subject to voter approval. Residents were passionate about the campaign for a new courthouse and jail. There were well- reasoned arguments on both sides. On November 7, 1916, the will of the people won: Platte County would build a new courthouse and jail. prgtoken Construction progressed quickly. Commissioners contracted with architectural firm Baerreson Brothers, based in Denver and Cheyenne, for initial design plans. By April 6, 1917, the county approved Archie Allison's bid for general construction. State Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge, Herbert King of Laramie, dedicated the building's cornerstone on June 20, 1917. In January 1918, the county completed work on the courthouse and jail. The total cost, including furnishings, was $85,000. Since then, generations of dedicated civil servants have preserved and enhanced the building. The National Park Service recognized the rich historical value of the courthouse on October 15, 2008, when the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. prgtoken Today, the courthouse acts as an archive for the history of Platte County. It provides a sense of community for its citizens and is an important gathering place for public activities. Remarkably, in its 105-year history, the Platte County Courthouse has undergone only small renovations to adapt to changing technology and workplace standards. That changed in 2018, when voters authorized the county to collect $4.7 million in Specific Purpose Excise Tax--more commonly known as a sixth- penny sales tax. This, plus other reserve funds and grants, allowed the county to complete $6.5 million in extensive renovations. For the past 18 months, county officials have been temporarily displaced while the building underwent massive changes. In addition to a brandnew HVAC and electric system, the renovation includes added insulation, new plumbing, and a new elevator. The county implemented all of these designs with an intent to increase efficiency and accessibility. prgtoken On July 1, 2023, residents of Platte County will gather to celebrate this impressive achievement. Officials will host a county-wide
TRIBUTE TO DR. ROCHELLE P. WALENSKY, M.D., M.P.H.
Raphael G. Warnock (Democrat, GA) \u2014 2023-6-21

today I have the honor and privilege to recognize Dr. Rochelle Walensky for her unwavering dedication, service, and contributions to public health. prgtoken Before her time at the CDC, Dr. Walensky's groundbreaking work in understanding the transmission, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS was paramount in addressing disparities in access to care, vaccine efficacy, and distribution among underserved communities while addressing gaps in knowledge, earning her widespread recognition and acclaim. prgtoken With a drive toward making a difference, Dr. Walensky began her tenure as Director of the CDC in 2021, in the midst of the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this challenge, Dr. Walensky boldly stepped into the role, bringing her years of experience and perspective to the Georgia-based Agency. As evidenced by the CORE Health Equity Science and Intervention Strategy, which she unveiled within months of starting, and declaration that racism is a serious public health crisis, Dr. Walensky's passion for health equity has ensured that equity is baked into the CDC's mission. prgtoken Dr. Walensky's pursuit of truth and dedication to the well-being of others has left an indelible mark on the field of public health. Her leadership during the most challenging public health crisis of this generation saved lives. She has displayed true servant leadership by prioritizing science, empathy, and public welfare during heightened times of distrust and misinformation. prgtoken As we reflect on Dr. Walensky's remarkable achievements before she begins the next chapter in her career, I am proud to honor her as a pioneer for health equity. Her commitment to public health and pursuit of the idea that we all have inherent value, combined with her tireless efforts to protect and improve the lives of all individuals, will forever inspire future generations of healthcare professionals. Thank you, Dr. Walensky, for your great service to the American people.