mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
FEDERAL POWER ACT AMENDMENT
Diana DeGette (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-7-18

in the spirit of bipartisanship, I won't talk exclusively about the Broncos today. Instead, I want to thank Representative Hudson for working with me on the bill. It has been a pleasure. prgtoken I also want to thank Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Rush and Energy and Commerce Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone for helping us work on this important bill. It is really an example of what we can accomplish when we put partisanship aside and work to address our country's needs. prgtoken Hydropower is a clean, domestic energy source. Over the last 2 years, it has provided almost 6 percent of U.S. electricity and almost half of all renewable electricity. It also supports hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the country. prgtoken As a westerner, I know how important water is to our environment and to our communities, and I am committed to advancing hydropower in a way that both respects existing water rights and minimizes environmental disruption. prgtoken Hydropower is often associated with large-scale projects like dams, but I have been particularly interested in prgtoken smaller-scale projects attached to existing infrastructure, including irrigation canals and municipal water supply systems. prgtoken As Mr. Rush noted, in 2013, I worked with Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, another westerner, to pass the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act. That bill became law, and it established a process for qualifying conduit hydropower facilities to move forward without requiring a license from FERC. prgtoken A lot of people in western Colorado told me that this was one of the most important bills that they had ever seen come out of Congress, only demonstrating that all politics is local. Even though maybe it didn't seem so important to some people here at the time, 83 hydropower projects have been successfully promoted using the new process, including 23 projects in Colorado. This progress is encouraging, but there is even more we can do. prgtoken The Colorado government estimates that existing agricultural irrigation conduits in our State could support an additional 30 megawatts of hydropower, and municipal water supply systems could support another 20 to 25 megawatts. But to realize this potential, we need to listen to the advice that the Energy and Commerce Committee has heard on how to make the process as simple and flexible as possible. prgtoken We have heard testimony from FERC that the existing comment period is rarely used for comments that have a bearing on determining whether the project qualifies under the statute. In response, the bill we are considering today would shorten the comment period from 45 to 30 days to avoid unnecessary delays. prgtoken Second, FERC suggested lifting the megawatt cap on qualifying conduit projects. The amount of energy demonstrated by a hydroelectric project is not a good indication of its environmental impact. In fact, any project built on existing conduit infra
Healthcare (Executive Calendar)
Tom Udall (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-7-18

I know Senator Durbin is on the floor so I am going to wrap up very quickly. I first want to thank Senator Franken, who came down here and advocated for his State and for Native Americans across the country. I thank Senator Heitkamp for her passionate speech about Native Americans and Native children. I have known her almost 30 years, as the State attorney general, when she was doing the same things, and she has made real progress. prgtoken You can see from this roundtable today--and I really appreciate Senator Heitkamp coming and helping me chair that. I had to slip out to Foreign Relations, but she spent a significant amount of time chairing that roundtable. I think it really made a difference to all of the Tribal leaders there. prgtoken I want to finish with what one of those Tribal leaders said to us. prgtoken Senator Heitkamp, you said something very similar. prgtoken This Tribal leader reminded us, he said: Decades ago, Tribes made a downpayment on the healthcare they receive. We are not asking for a handout. We made a downpayment. prgtoken What was he talking about? prgtoken We made a downpayment with our land, with our water, and with large areas of what were then either territories or the United States--that they considered their homelands. How sad it is to see that we are not fulfilling the promises of these sacred treaties they entered into. prgtoken With that, I would conclude--as Senator Franken did and I believe it was the same thrust of what Senator Heitkamp was saying--with this. We have hit a wall on healthcare. We have come up to the point where you don't know where to go. The best thing to do when you hit a wall is to get back to the regular order, work on a bipartisan basis, go into committee, let people put proposals forward, have amendments, open up the process. prgtoken That is where we need to go at this point. I would urge the leadership to take a look at the regular order. That may help us find our way out to improve the healthcare situation for not only Native Americans but all Americans, which is what we face with this Care, which is taking us in the wrong direction. prgtoken With that, .
Healthcare (Executive Session)
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2017-7-18

I also take to the floor to talk about healthcare. I appreciate my colleagues who are here, earnestly pleading with all of our colleagues to be about a process-- and s and the committee process that we have in the Senate--that does the work that we are supposed to be doing, which is listening to the American public and improving our healthcare system. prgtoken Let me tell you about my first meeting of the day. It was an amazing one. I had a mom, Rebecca, and her 5-year-old daughter, Charlie, in my office. They had asked for the opportunity to meet with me to talk about healthcare. Here is their story. prgtoken Charlie is just about 5 years old. She starts kindergarten in the Charlottesville public schools in September. She was born at 26 weeks, or about 14 weeks early. She weighed 1 pound and 11 ounces at birth. She went through the NICU and had great care. When she was released to go home, the doctors thought she would be fine, but within a couple of months, it was pretty clear that she had some significant challenges as she has the diagnosis of cerebral palsy, and she gets 80 percent of her food through a feeding tube. This family has many, many needs. prgtoken Charlie, from a cognitive standpoint, is very, very sharp and is excited about starting school, but she has significant needs. Her mother Rebecca said that Charlie is like the case study for why a repeal of the ACA would be a disaster. Charlie has a preexisting condition because of the CP and her challenges. Charlie has already hit all of the lifetime caps that would have rendered her unable to get insurance pre-ACA. prgtoken In the hospital, because of her dramatically low birth weight, Charlie was the recipient of Medicaid funds that would be cut under the current bill. Charlie is currently the recipient of a Medicaid waiver, which will help her afford supplies for her feeding tube. When she starts kindergarten in the Charlottesville public schools, Charlie will be given an individualized education plan under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and some of those expenses are being compensated by Medicaid. prgtoken The preexisting condition, lifetime caps, and Medicaid cuts all affect this dynamic, young 5-year-old, who is as entitled as any of us to try to be all she can be. If we persist on the path that we are on now with regard to the bill that is being proposed, we will hurt families like these, and we do not need to do that. Instead, we can help them. prgtoken Before the passage of the Affordable Care Act, we know that Americans, like Charlie, who had preexisting conditions faced unfair barriers to accessing health coverage. There are challenges that we need to fix, but let's celebrate a few things. Since 2010, the rate of uninsured Americans has declined to a historic low. More than 20 million people have gained access and have healthcare coverage--many for the first time in their lives. Another
OZONE STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2017
John Shimkus (Republican, IL) \u2014 2017-7-18

the balance of my time. prgtoken I would first of all like to thank my colleague from New York who serves as the ranking member of the committee. We have done some good work together that we look forward to bringing to the floor in a more amicable setting. Obviously, this one is not. I wish it could have been, but so the public policy world goes. prgtoken Let me, in my remaining time, highlight some of the organizations that are supporting our action. Through the committee process, we had the Farm Bureau, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, the Portland Cement Association, National Association of Manufacturers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce express the need to reform and modernize the Clean air Act in order to encourage economic growth and job creation, because we understand that what has, also, a major impact on health and welfare is our citizens having good-paying jobs. prgtoken There is a focus on what we are trying to do as s through the legislative process, and we want to reduce the tax burdens, to ease the regulatory burdens, and to create jobs so that all of our citizens are able to achieve their economic goals and aspirations. prgtoken We also received a letter today that I include in the Record from over 145 organizations and over close to 20 State chambers of commerce. July 18, 2017. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Paul Ryan, , House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Ryan, and Minority Leaders Schumer and Pelosi: The undersigned, which represent a diverse group of industries from across the country, write to express our strong support for H.R. 806 and S. 263, the ``Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017.'' This legislation provides a common-sense approach for implementing national ambient air quality standards, recognizes ongoing state efforts to improve air quality through a reasonable implementation schedule for the 2015 ozone standards, streamlines the air permitting process for businesses to expand operations and create jobs, and includes other reforms that bring more regulatory certainty to federal air quality standards. Additionally, the undersigned support language including certain elements of H.R. 806 and S. 263 included in the Fiscal Year 2018 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. We have significant concerns that the 2015 ozone standards overlap with existing state plans to implement the 2008 ozone standards, leading to duplicative and wasteful implemen
OZONE STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2017
Lamar Smith (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-7-18

I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for yielding me time, and I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) for sponsoring H.R. 806, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017. I appreciate the efforts of Chairman Walden, subcommittee Chairman Shimkus, and members of the Energy and Commerce Committee to reduce the regulatory burden on the American people and the economy. prgtoken As chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have worked to ensure that EPA regulations are based on sound science. Specifically, the committee found that the 2015 ozone standards implemented by the previous administration were based on questionable science and would cost billions of dollars to implement. H.R. 806 is commonsense legislation that appropriately delays the implementation of these new standards, allowing States more time to work through compliance. prgtoken This legislation also resets the time period for the next review of Clean Air Act regulations. This is necessary to provide the Agency with ample time to analyze the science and economic impact of new rules. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and reduce the regulatory burden on the American people and return the Agency to sound scientific rulemaking. prgtoken Again, I appreciate Chairman Olson taking the initiative on this subject.
ENHANCING STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANNING AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACT OF 2017
Fred Upton (Republican, MI) \u2014 2017-7-18

such time as I may consume. prgtoken , this is an important bill. It really is. This bill, H.R. 3050, is a bipartisan bill introduced by myself and by my good friend and colleague across the aisle, Mr. Rush. It is bipartisan. prgtoken This bill reauthorizes the State Energy Program and it strengthens our prgtoken energy emergency planning and preparedness efforts in a big-time way. This bill builds upon the Energy and Commerce Committee's impressive record of hearings and legislation focused on energy security, emergency preparedness, job creation, and infrastructure protection and resilience. prgtoken Across the country, States have to respond to a variety of hazards, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fuel supply disruptions, physical and, yes, cyber threats, too. This legislation provides States with tools in the toolbox so that they have flexibility that they need to address local energy challenges. prgtoken It ensures that State energy security planning efforts address fuel supply issues, assess State energy profiles, address potential hazards to each energy sector. It mitigates risk to enhance reliability and incorporate regional planning efforts. prgtoken Let's face it, the consumer at home, businesses trying to put out a product, they want to make sure that the electricity is on. They don't care what the excuse is. They want it on. prgtoken This bill makes significant strides to protect our Nation's fuel and electric infrastructure from physical and cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. It makes sure that we are thinking ahead not just about the actual threat, but, in fact, how our energy and electric systems might be vulnerable in a broader sense. prgtoken The bill also encourages mutual assistance, an essential part of responding and restoring in the event of an energy emergency. Teamwork: prioritizing and elevating energy security planning and emergency preparedness is, yes, an important step in the face of increased threats, vulnerabilities, and interdependencies of energy infrastructure and end-use systems. prgtoken This bill is important and is going to get to the President's desk in a bipartisan way. Again, I thank my good friend and colleague for his help in getting this bill through our committee and here to the House floor. prgtoken , .
HONORING THE MEMORY OF WEST VIRGINIA CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE JOHN YODER
Alexander X. Mooney (Republican, WV) \u2014 2017-7-18

I rise today to honor the life and memory of West Virginia's Circuit Court Judge John Yoder, who passed away on June 7, 2017. prgtoken Judge Yoder served on the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which included Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties in the eastern panhandle of the Second Congressional District, which I represent. He practiced law in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, for 23 years. prgtoken Judge Yoder earned a bachelor of arts degree at Chapman University, and then studied law at the University of Kansas. He also obtained an MBA at the University of Chicago. prgtoken John Yoder was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 to serve as the director of the asset forfeiture office for the U.S. Department of Justice. He continued his distinguished career as a public servant, including two stints as a West Virginia State senator before being elected as circuit court judge. prgtoken Judge Yoder is one of the early pioneers of State drug courts and was well known for his big heart and compassion. I join all West Virginians in keeping Judge Yoder's family and friends in our prayers. He will truly be missed.
RECOGNIZING SCOTT WALDRUP
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican, GA) \u2014 2017-7-18

I rise today to recognize Mr. Scott Waldrup who was a victim of violent crime during the Fourth of July festivities in Savannah, Georgia. prgtoken A Cary, North Carolina, native, Mr. Waldrup came to Savannah in 2011 to join the city's booming food service industry. He tirelessly worked in the industry until he became the general manager at one of Savannah's most popular restaurants, The Grey. prgtoken Mr. Waldrup certainly never knew a stranger. His family and friends described him as being adventurous and bold, yet caring and selfless. prgtoken During the violence in Savannah that night, Mr. Waldrup selflessly helped others to safety until he was hit by the gunman's car during a police chase to apprehend the criminal. By all accounts, Mr. Waldrup was a hero. prgtoken I wish his family, his friends, and his coworkers the best during this very, very difficult time. I will certainly be thinking about all of them. prgtoken I encourage others to learn from Mr. Waldrup's example and hope his life serves as a reminder of the tragedies involved in violent crime and deter others from acting violently and recklessly.
OZONE STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 2017
Pete Olson (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-7-18

. Mr. Chair, first of all, I appreciate my colleagues's challenge back in the San Joaquin Valley. It is a very tough place with ozone. prgtoken Fresno County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Kern County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Kings County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Madera County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Merced County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; San Joaquin County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Stanislaus County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley; Tulare County is extreme for ozone, the San Joaquin Valley. That is a tough problem for your own district in the San Joaquin Valley, but your amendment does not fix this problem in any way. prgtoken Under this bill, the amount of resources that EPA needs to review proposed nonattainment designations and approving complex State implementation plans under 2015 ozone standards will be greatly reduced. EPA will do more with less. Therefore, EPA will be able to carry out the new requirements of this bill within existing authorizations, helping out the San Joaquin Valley. prgtoken This amendment is unnecessary because the bill will reduce the implementation costs by eliminating redundant and overlapping Federal regulatory requirements. Less red tape means lower implementation costs. prgtoken States testified that the bill will reduce the cost of EPA in their existing ozone programs while continuing to improve air quality and reduce ozone emissions. Our States have an excellent track record for cost-effective emission reductions over the last several decades. prgtoken The State of Maine sums up the point of this bill exactly, and they have very little ozone problems. The director of Maine's Bureau of Air Quality testified before our committee: The changes, as proposed, in H.R. 806 to delay final designations under the 2015 standard until 2025 and to extend the timeframe for standard review from 5 to every 10 years, including concurrently published clearly defined implementing regulations, would allow the due process to be followed and fulfilled. This would more effectively and efficiently utilize Federal, State, and individual facility resources to establish a standard and work for the improvement of air quality and the protection of the people of our Nation. prgtoken This amendment is unnecessary. I urge my colleagues to oppose it, and .
REMEMBERING BARBARA ANDREWS-MEE
Lisa Murkowski (Republican, AK) \u2014 2017-7-18

this Saturday Alaskans will observe ``Ted Stevens Day,'' a living memory to Alaska's greatest Senator, who left us 7 years ago next month. As family, friends, and former staffers of Senator Stevens gather in Alaska for this annual observance, many will take time off on Thursday to honor a beloved member of the Stevens' team, Ted's loyal assistant and State director, Barbara Andrews-Mee, who passed away earlier this year. I will not be able to attend this event because the Senate will be in session on Thursday, but I wanted to take this opportunity to speak in memory of this loyal and dedicated employee of the U.S. Senate, as well as great friend of Alaska. prgtoken Barb's tenure with Senator Stevens long predates his Senate service. Barb began working with Ted in 1962, 2 years after she came to Alaska. She followed him to the Alaska Legislature and the U.S. Senate, retiring in 1997. Upon her retirement, Stevens said, ``For half of my life--and two-thirds of hers--Barbara Andrews-Mee has been my boss. . . .'' Barb returned the compliment noting that she had been with Ted Stevens longer than she had been with three husbands. prgtoken Barb had a great sense of humor and a huge and welcoming personality. She was regarded as a mentor and grandmother-like figure to generations of young staffers who went to work for Senator Stevens. prgtoken She could sure turn a phrase. Alaska humorist Mike Doogan published a few of Barb's quips in the Anchorage Daily News to celebrate her retirement. Among them, Barb, who was 5-feet tall, once said, ``I tell people I used to be 6-foot-2, and then I went to work for Stevens.'' But she wasn't always so humble. Another ``Barbism'' was ``[m]y grandmother always told me dynamite comes in small packages.'' I am told that one came in handy when she was working difficult constituent problems prgtoken to successful conclusion and building Ted's brand in the process. Whether it was Norwegian stubbornness or Alaskan toughness, she got the job done. prgtoken That seemed to be her second best characteristic from Ted's standpoint. In his May 21, 1997, floor tribute to Barb, Senator Stevens said, ``When I've been asked what her best characteristic is, I say `loyalty'. That means more to me than any of the help that she's given me and the people of Alaska over more than three decades; work above and beyond the call of duty.'' prgtoken Barb was quite the worker, delivering care packages to visiting dignitaries whose flights were refueling at what was then called Elmendorf Air Force Base, picking up Senator Stevens at what is now called Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, whatever the hour, and making sure he made the flight back to Washington, and supporting servicemembers and military families. prgtoken It wasn't all work though. Barb actually christened a Navy PC8 coastal patrol craft, the USS Zephyr. She flew in an F-15, experienced several aircraft carrier landings, and
Healthcare (Executive Session)
John Cornyn (Republican, TX) \u2014 2017-7-18

reserving the right to object. prgtoken The Senator from New Hampshire has acknowledged that she had made this previous request last week. The Kaiser Family Foundation, among other publications, has clearly stated that the cost-sharing reductions she is asking for are paid directly by the Federal Government to insurance companies. Thus, when I call this an insurance company bailout, I believe that is literally true. prgtoken The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of these payments at $7 billion in 2017, $10 billion in 2018, and $16 billion by 2027. prgtoken So what my friend, the Senator from New Hampshire, is proposing is an insurance company bailout in the tens of billions of dollars with no reform, throwing more money at a broken Affordable Care Act, which has been in existence 7 years now. prgtoken I know they would like to blame this on President , who has been in office just a short time--about a half a year--but this is built into the very structure of the Affordable Care Act, and it isn't working. prgtoken I, personally, will not be part of any bailout of insurance companies without reforms. That is why we were trying to structure something under the Better Care Act, which unfortunately we haven't been successful with so far. We are going to keep on trying, but this is not the answer. prgtoken I object.