mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-10-28

I am proud to recognize Lilie Murray of Rye as October's Granite Stater of the Month for her work to provide support and necessities to those in need. prgtoken Lilie was first inspired to take up the cause to help less fortunate members of her community after her advisor and sophomore-year honors ecology teacher, Kimberly McGlinchey, taught Lilie's class about the United Nation's sustainable development goals, The class focused specifically on 3 of the 17 goals: no poverty, quality education, and sustainable cities and communities. prgtoken In an effort to make progress on these goals in her community, Lilie started Portsmouth Community Closet, which donates new or gently used clothing to people in need on the Seacoast. The group distributed its first donations at Gosling Meadows, a public housing neighborhood in Portsmouth. prgtoken During that event, Lilie learned that Gosling Meadows' residents were struggling to clean their clothes after the neighborhood laundromat shut down. Many of the residents did not have cars, and the local city buses do not allow residents to bring large bags on the bus. prgtoken In response, Lilie organized a fundraiser to bring washers and dryers to families living in Gosling Meadows, giving priority to families with students who attended her public high school. The fundraiser was a huge success, raising $4,500 to provide eight families with energy-saving washers and dryers. prgtoken Following up on her work with Gosling Meadows, Lilie started a summer program at Greenleaf Recreation Center in Portsmouth, which mainly serves children ages 6 to 13 from Gosling Meadows, as well as another public housing neighborhood in Portsmouth. She and her classmates brought the children in the program on trips that they normally would not be able to afford, such as rock climbing or blueberry picking. prgtoken Her work with these kids inspired her to jump into another project to help her community, this time focusing on literacy. Lilie could see how much these children love to read, but there was no dedicated space in the Greenleaf Recreation Center for quiet reading. So over the summer she and her classmates built a colorful reading nook in the Greenleaf Recreation Center to give these children the space and resources that they needed to read and learn. prgtoken What is so wonderful about Lilie's story is that each one of her volunteer services builds on the next and goes to show how inspiring and motivating it can be to volunteer in one's community. prgtoken Thank you, Lilie, for your continued efforts to help those less fortunate and for committing yourself to creating a more just and equal society.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
Benjamin L. Cardin (Democrat, MD) \u2014 2019-10-29

today I wish to discuss this administration's perpetual actions to weaken protections for people with preexisting conditions. prgtoken Last fall, the administration issued guidance for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act--ACA--that would loosen the statutory guardrails for 1332 State waivers. The guidance encourages states to increase access to ACA non-compliant coverage. prgtoken The actions of the administration cannot make this message any clearer: President does not support protections for people with pre-existing conditions. prgtoken Because of the ACA, health insurance companies cannot refuse to cover someone or charge someone more just because they have a prexisting condition. Among the most common pre-existing conditions are high blood pressure, behavioral health disorders, high cholesterol, asthma/chronic lung disease, heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. prgtoken In 2017, HHS released a report stating that as many as 133 million non-elderly Americans have a preexisting condition. The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange estimates that there are approximately 2.5 million nonelderly Marylanders with a preexisting condition, 320,000 of which are children. prgtoken Unfortunately, the administration is taking actions that directly threaten these 133 million Americans, actions, which can lead to them being denied access to healthcare. prgtoken The administration's updated guidance on section 1332 waivers skirts the intention of the law. Originally section 1332 of the ACA provided States with the flexibility to test new health coverage programs, as long as innovation waivers met certain criteria. States applying for 1332 waivers had to show that their proposal provided residents with health coverage with at least the same level of protections guaranteed by the ACA, that was at least as affordable, and covered at least a comparable number of State residents as currently covered under the ACA. prgtoken For example, Maryland was able to use a 1332 waiver to establish a State reinsurance program, which lowered insurance premiums by as much as 22 percent from 2018 premiums. prgtoken However, the administration has issued guidance that redefines the guardrails of section 1332 and will now allow States to include plans that do not comply with the ACA's consumer protections. The guidance also encourages states to allow premium tax credits for non- ACA compliant plans, plans that don't offer essential health benefits or protect those with preexisting conditions. prgtoken The updated 1332 guidance allows State waiver applications to ignore statutory guardrails to ensure that coverage is not less affordable under a waiver, especially for those with high healthcare spending. This new guidance also sets a dangerous precedent, where a State waiver could skew numbers to disproportionately count junk plans in a State's total number of lives covered. prgtoken The updated 1332 g
HONORING THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF SAINT JOHN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, MI) \u2014 2019-10-29

. Madam , I rise today in tribute to Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church, a house of worship in Detroit, Michigan, as its members celebrate the church's one hundred fortieth anniversary, as well as Pastor Reverend Richard E. Robinson's twenty-five years in ministry. Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1879 under the leadership of Dr. Theol Emil Hardrat. The church and congregation quickly turned their focus to providing schooling for children. Throughout changes in leadership and building changes, the church and its school have persevered. Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church has created a lasting legacy of prayer, praise, fellowship, and mutual aid that continues today under the leadership of pastor Reverend Richard E. Robinson. His twenty-five year career in ministry brought him to serve the Saint John congregation, where he has touched the lives of many. Whether praying for a good harvest, celebrating love in marriage, or marking the passing of a dear friend and loved one from this world, the members of Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church have drawn strength from each other. Please join me in tribute to Reverend Richard E. Robinson and the members of Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church on this important milestone.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Ron Kind (Democrat, WI) \u2014 2019-10-29

. Madam , I was unable to have my votes recorded on the House floor on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 due to a family matter. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of H.R. 4617. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I believe it would create critical safeguards to protect our elections. I would also have voted in favor of H.R. 777, which would reauthorize a key DNA backlog grant program.
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
Patrick J. Leahy (Democrat, VT) \u2014 2019-10-29

as the Senator knows, Senator Shelby and I have been working very hard on the appropriations bills. I commend his staff and my staff for all the work they have done. It is not just the bill's first page and the number at the end that counts. There is a whole lot that goes in in between. prgtoken There are a number of policy considerations that are in there. There are prgtoken things that Senators from both parties want that make a great deal of sense and both parties are for it, and we are putting those together. I would hope, having done all that, it means that within the next day or so we can get at least four of these appropriations bills passed. prgtoken I remind everybody that the last time Senator Shelby and I went through this exercise, we passed most of the bills, if not unanimously, virtually unanimously. I think it helps the Senate. It shows that we are doing our work and that we can set aside partisan differences and do what is best for the country. prgtoken The other body has been working very hard in the House of Representatives on their appropriations bills. Their Appropriations Committee is led by two of the finest members I have served with: Nita Lowey, the chair from New York, and Kay Granger, the ranking member from Texas--one a and one a --both of whom believe in the Congress and have our support, and they worked hard. I say that just because I have had so many Members ask me how it is going. I think it is going better than anybody thought it might at this point earlier. We will get it done. prgtoken .
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat, NH) \u2014 2019-10-29

first, , the distinguished Senator from Washington, for her leadership on the issue of providing healthcare to all Americans. In a democracy where everyone counts, everyone should have access to high quality, affordable care. prgtoken I rise today to discuss the administration's efforts to undermine our health insurance system and scam healthcare consumers by allowing harmful health plans to be sold to unsuspecting, vulnerable Americans. prgtoken Since the President's first day in office, his administration has taken measure after measure that makes it harder for patients to access necessary care, weakens our healthcare system, and increases costs. prgtoken This latest effort to expand access to what are appropriately referred to as ``junk'' health insurance plans would allow insurance companies to discriminate against Americans who experience preexisting conditions and would also leave patients with higher healthcare costs and worse insurance coverage. prgtoken Junk plans don't cover even basic benefits, such as prescription drugs, substance use disorder treatment, or maternity care. People often don't realize how inadequate these plans are until they are in the middle of a medical crisis. prgtoken Unless you can guarantee that you will never get sick, never break a limb, or never get into an accident, these plans are a bad deal for you. We all know that life doesn't come with those guarantees, and when the worse does happen, when illness or injury strikes, these plans are, more often than not, barely worth the paper they are written on. prgtoken This can lead to two very bad outcomes. The first is that the patient chooses to receive the critical care they need, but, because the short- term junk plan doesn't cover the care, the patient ends up being stuck with an incredibly high out-of-pocket medical bill, or the patient, upon learning that the junk plan doesn't cover critical care, chooses not to get the care they need, which leads to adverse outcomes or an unplanned trip to the emergency room, the cost of which may be footed by the taxpayer. prgtoken If you are someone with a preexisting condition, such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer, you could be charged more, sometimes truly astronomical amounts, for insurance that will not even cover many of your most basic benefits or you can be denied certain benefits altogether. prgtoken If that sounds familiar, it is because it is the same situation people with preexisting conditions were in before the passage of the Affordable Care Act. That is why I am calling on all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote to repeal the administration's rule that authorizes these junk plans, threatening protections for millions of Americans with preexisting conditions and increasing healthcare costs all across the board. prgtoken If there is one thing that s and should all agree on, it is that we must ensure
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER CHAPTER 8 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE, OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY AND THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES...
Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat, AZ) \u2014 2019-10-29

I rise today to address one of the biggest concerns facing everyday families in Arizona: making healthcare more affordable and maintaining critical healthcare protections. prgtoken Sometimes the issues discussed on the Senate floor appear far removed from the concerns of everyday Americans, but not today. Today's debate focuses the Senate's attention on the most important issue for many Arizonans and offers elected officials the opportunity to reject partisan political games in favor of commonsense solutions. prgtoken Not long ago, insurance companies were allowed to deny care or overcharge Americans based on the fact that those Americans had been sick before or had been born with a chronic condition. prgtoken Arizonans who had been previously treated for skin cancer or diabetes were told that no insurance company would cover them or that the insurance plans they purchased would not cover their preexisting conditions, despite promises of comprehensive coverage. Beyond major illnesses, Arizonans with even common conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, and even acne, were denied the coverage they needed. Until recently, insurance companies had also been allowed to charge consumers high prices for insurance plans only to leave out coverage for essential health benefits that virtually all Americans eventually need, such as prescription drug costs, ambulance costs, and hospital stays--critical needs that consumers rightly expect will be covered. prgtoken Insurance is supposed to be there when people need it. Hard-working Americans who play by the rules and pay their monthly premiums shouldn't have the rug pulled out from under them at the very moment they need healthcare. That is why such discrimination against people with preexisting health conditions is now banned and why health insurance plans are now required to cover essential health benefits. That is why it is so disturbing that the administration and some Members of Congress have begun moving backward, allowing insurance companies to again sell plans to Americans that lack the very health protections consumers need. prgtoken Congress has a lot of work to do to make healthcare affordable and protect access for American families and businesses, from lowering premiums to stopping surprise medical billing, but partisan approaches will not solve these challenges. We can and must work across the aisle to pass bipartisan solutions, such as increasing the number of doctors to address provider shortages, lowering costs for home health services, expanding mental healthcare, and eliminating the health insurance tax. prgtoken I have partnered with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to sponsor legislation that achieves these goals, but allowing insurance companies to return to their old practices will only hurt everyday Arizona families. These health plans lack key protections. They are often called junk plans and for goo
CONGRATULATING INDIANA'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT'S NEWEST CITIZENS
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2019-10-29

. Madam , it is with great pleasure and sincerity that I take this time to congratulate twenty-five individuals who will take their oaths of citizenship on November 1, 2019. This memorable occasion will be held at the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Hammond, Indiana. America is a country founded by immigrants. From its beginning, settlers have come from countries around the world to the United States in search of better lives for their families. Oath ceremonies are a shining example of what is so great about the United States of America--that people from all over the world can come together and unite as members of a free, democratic nation. These individuals realize that nowhere else in the world offers a better opportunity for success than here in America. On November 1, 2019, the following people, representing many nations throughout the world, will take their oaths of citizenship in Hammond, Indiana: Vilma Aguilar, Ekaterina Shouldice, Ana Maria Bowie, Rosa Martha Perez Elizalde, Meguila Sesante Alvarez, Damilare Mustapha Jimoh, Felipe Briseno, Ivonett Alejandra Suarez, Alfredo H. Luna, Zarish Raza, Elena Alexandrovna Burtseva, Ivonne Cecilia Rocha, Connor MacDonald McCoy, Elena Ancevski, Francine Ingabire, Ahmad Haisam Zarzour, Alexander Donghui Lee, Maria Asuncion Mansilla, Nyamar Chan Nhial, Arnulfo Loera, Vincent Balinda, Zulema Lissette Lee, Paul Edward Nyongani, Robenson Petit Bien, and Payal Dilipbhai Patel. Although each individual has sought to become a citizen of the United States for his or her own reasons, be it for education, occupation, or to offer their loved ones better lives, each is inspired by the fact that the United States of America is, as Abraham Lincoln described it, a country ``. . . of the people, by the people, and for the people.'' They realize that the United States is truly a free nation. By seeking American citizenship, they have made the decision that they want to live in a place where, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution, they can practice religion as they choose, speak their minds without fear of punishment, and assemble in peaceful protest should they choose to do so. Madam , I respectfully ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join me in congratulating these individuals who will become citizens of the United States of America on November 1, 2019. They, too, will be American citizens, guaranteed the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We, as a free and democratic nation, congratulate them and welcome them.
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN...
Tim Kaine (Democrat, VA) \u2014 2019-10-29

s for their eloquent words on behalf of the Federal contractors. prgtoken If you are a Virginia Senator, and if you are a Maryland Senator, you meet Federal contractors on any occasion all around the State. We often think of the Federal contractors as significantly located in the DC- Metro area or in Hampton Roads, but some of the smallest counties in Virginia have significant Federal contractors. So I am very happy to join my colleagues and applaud Senator Smith's efforts in this regard. prgtoken All Americans were affected by the unnecessary shutdown at the end of last year--people trying to go to parks to enjoy time with their families or visiting other Federal installations that were down. We saw the lines of Federal employees waiting outside of Jose Andres's DC Central Kitchen in cold January weather. Federal employees, many in uniform, were trying to get free meals. prgtoken Some of the most affected, as my colleagues have explained, were workers who were suddenly without paychecks through no fault of their own. These workers--800,000 of them--worked directly for the Federal Government. We were able to secure backpay for those workers and in a very positive way. This is something that the body did together, which I think is important. We not only got a backpay bill for Federal workers for those affected by the last shutdown, but we put in a guarantee that in any future shutdown they would get their pay. Once you have done that as a guarantee, why have a shutdown? If you have guaranteed that people will be paid, why would you lock them out of their office and deprive them of the ability to serve their fellow Americans? prgtoken Hundreds of thousands of contract workers were not included in that backpay bill, and thus they have been left behind. Many of these Americans are paid on an hourly basis. They are not annual salary employees, and they do live paycheck to paycheck. When the shutdown hit, they went home without pay for weeks--5 weeks--and no word on when or whether their job would start back up again. prgtoken The people I meet who are in this category are very hard-working. They are security guards; they are cafeteria workers; they are cleaning staff; they are IT workers--people whose diligent functioning in their jobs sort of keep the lights on and the enterprise going. prgtoken Missing a whole month's pay is not a trivial thing for most American families, and many of the families had to borrow, rely on friends and families to get by, and used the services of soup kitchens or clothes closets. Many likely are still carrying debt incurred because of the shutdown. Some had to make withdrawals from their Federal Thrift Savings Plans, with penalty and interest because of that. prgtoken The individuals were affected, but it is also, bluntly, their families, and even the communities and local businesses in and around where there are these contracting employees. prgtoken Dur
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION, AND HOUSING AND URBAN...
Sherrod Brown (Democrat, OH) \u2014 2019-10-29

I rise to speak about Amendment 1088, which I introduced with Senator Jones. The amendment is straightforward. It provides $5 million to fund Centers of Excellence at 1890 land-grant universities. This amendment--I want to underscore this--includes an offset. prgtoken Let me tell you why I introduced this. The authorization for these Centers of Excellence was included in the 2018 farm bill. I offered it as an amendment in the Senate Agriculture Committee. It could be critical for schools like Central State, west of Columbus, in Ohio. The chairman and the ranking member of the Ag Committee supported it. The Senate majority leader supported it, as did the chair of the Ag Appropriations Subcommittee. The entire committee supported it. It passed by a voice vote. prgtoken Then we passed the farm bill and sent it to the President. We got 87 votes from this body for the farm bill. That is more than ever, I believe, any farm bill has ever passed the Senate. These centers will focus on important challenges facing the agriculture sector and its workforce. prgtoken I ask unanimous consent that the letter of support from Dr. Kent Smith, president of Langston University in Oklahoma on behalf of the Council of 1890 University Presidents, be printed in the Record.