mesut/congress_speeches huggingface dataset:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1628, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
James P. McGovern (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-3-24

the balance of my time. prgtoken , I include in the Record a letter from 87 patient and provider organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is strongly opposed to this bill. March 20, 2017. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, Washington, DC. Hon. Paul Ryan, of the House, Washington, DC. Dear Leader McConnell and Ryan: The undersigned organizations write to express grave concern about proposals put forth in the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to alter the fundamental structure and purpose of Medicaid, a vital source of health care for patients with ongoing health needs. We feel compelled to speak out against proposals to phase out Medicaid expansion and implement per capita caps, which threaten the ability of Medicaid to provide critical health care services to many of our most vulnerable citizens. These proposals aim to achieve cost savings of approximately $880 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, at the expense of tens of millions of patients who rely on Medicaid for life-sustaining care. While we appreciate the opportunities we have had to work with your staff, we cannot support the Medicaid provisions in this bill and cannot accept policies that prioritize cutting costs by limiting patients' access to care. Medicaid is Critical for Patients Medicaid is a crucial source of coverage for patients with serious and chronic health care needs. Pregnant women depend on Medicaid, which covers roughly 50 percent of all births including many high-risk pregnancies. Medicaid covers cancer patients: nearly one-third of pediatric cancer patients were enrolled in Medicaid in 2013 and approximately 1.52 million adults with a history of cancer were covered by Medicaid in 2015. Over fifty percent of children and one-third of adults living with cystic fibrosis rely on Medicaid to get the treatments and therapies they need to preserve their health. Nearly half of children with asthma are covered by Medicaid or CHIP and adults with diabetes are disproportionally covered by Medicaid as well. The patients we represent are eligible for Medicaid through various pathways, including through income-related and disability criteria. Reject Per Capita Caps The proposal to convert federal financing of Medicaid to a per capita cap system is deeply troubling. This policy is designed to reduce federal funding for Medicaid, forcing states to either make up the difference with their own funds or cut their programs by reducing the number of people they serve and the health benefits they provide. For patients with ongoing health care needs, t
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1628, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
James R. Langevin (Democrat, RI) \u2014 2017-3-24

I rise in strong opposition to the effort to gut the Affordable Care Act, an effort that will result in millions of people across the country and tens of thousands of my constituents in Rhode Island to lose their health coverage, and it will ultimately result in costs rising. prgtoken Before the ACA was passed, the House held 79 hearings over the course of a year. Today's plan was pushed through three committees without a single hearing and with substantial changes being made behind closed doors in the dead of night. prgtoken , I am a veteran of many healthcare debates, and I can tell you this is not how sound policy is made, especially policy that will have real consequences for hardworking Americans. prgtoken Since the passage of the ACA, I have had faith that s and could come together to strengthen the law and further improve healthcare for all Americans. There is still that opportunity to come together, , but the rule, along with the underlying bill, has shaken that faith. prgtoken Supporting the rule means putting ideology above the well-being of the American people. This does not have to be a zero-sum game. I know that we can come together. prgtoken Let's defeat this rule and the bill. Come together in a bipartisan way to fix the problems of the ACA.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1628, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-3-24

if this extreme bill becomes law, a bill which has been rushed through Congress, amended without care, brought before us without hearings, without a CBO score, without thoughtful consideration, without a ic amendment being approved, and without a clue, I fear--indeed, I know--that the American people will find themselves with nothing left to lose when it comes to their and their family's health care, which is the most perverse and wretched kind of freedom as you may have ever seen.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Ben Ray Luján (Democrat, NM) \u2014 2017-3-24

my colleagues have called Care everything from an act of mercy to a rescue mission. Now, I might live at the end of a long dirt road, but I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday and neither did the American people. prgtoken Congressional s are jamming their catastrophic bill that will take health insurance away from 24 million Americans, raise your premiums, raise your deductibles, raise your out-of-pocket costs, and will slap a crushing age tax on those over the age of 50. prgtoken s in Congress promised they would lower costs, but this mess raises costs on families. Not only does the CBO tell us premiums will increase 15 to 20 percent, but Care will allow insurance companies to increase deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. prgtoken Under the guise of State flexibility, s say they are shifting responsibilities to States. Here is what that means: Care will force States to raise taxes and ration care. It will repeal the requirement for insurance plans to cover doctor visits, emergency room care, prescription drug coverage, and even mental health services. prgtoken Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts. The fact is Care will raise your premiums, raise your deductibles, and hurt millions of hardworking families. prgtoken I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Jerry McNerney (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-24

since the implementation of the ACA, over 3.9 million women age 18 to 64 have gained health coverage through Medicaid. The ACA ended gender rating, meaning that the insurance companies cannot charge women more than they charge men for the same coverage. Care also eliminates Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood, reducing access to health care for women. Millions of women rely on Planned Parenthood for both routine and lifesaving care, such as preventative services, family planning, and preventing unwanted pregnancies. When the GPO strips Planned Parenthood funding, health care of women will suffer. prgtoken Care and its Medicare cuts also hurts seniors. Older Americans account for over 60 percent of Medicare spending. Insurance companies will now be able to charge more based on their age, which will increase premiums by thousands. prgtoken , watching s sell this bill is like buying a used car from a guy with a crooked smile, even they don't believe in it. I ask my colleagues to withdraw this horrible bill and work with to improve the ACA instead of trying to sell this atrocity.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Paul Tonko (Democrat, NY) \u2014 2017-3-24

a resounding ``no'' to Care, President 's broken promise to our great America. There is no disputing the devastation this bill will cause for America's working families. prgtoken Care will rip health insurance away from 24 million people. prgtoken It will raise costs for consumers and lower standards of care, with premiums rising and deductibles increasing by an average of $1,500. prgtoken Care will eliminate required mental health and addiction benefits, jeopardizing recovery for millions of Americans in the midst of this opioid epidemic. prgtoken It imposes a crushing new age tax on seniors and those approaching retirement, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars. prgtoken Care steals from Medicare, and it cuts Medicaid by $839 billion, mercilessly putting children, the elderly, the disabled, and our most vulnerable at risk. prgtoken It does all this to give a $1 trillion tax cut to millionaires, billionaires, and corporations. prgtoken The American people overwhelmingly reject this bill. prgtoken Defeat Care. Vote ``no.''
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1628, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Peter J. Visclosky (Democrat, IN) \u2014 2017-3-24

I rise in opposition to the rule and the underlying legislation. prgtoken I believe that the purpose of any healthcare legislation should be to improve the well-being of our Nation's citizens and to allow for access to quality and affordable health care for all. I think, particularly, the gentlemen from Massachusetts and Florida ably describe why today's legislation fails those tests. I would add that it will also jeopardize the healthcare coverage of over 429,000 Hoosiers currently enrolled in Indiana's expansion of Medicaid, the Healthy Indiana Plan. prgtoken Further, I believe it is disingenuous that, if this bill is successful, the House will have pushed numerous adverse consequences until after the next congressional election. prgtoken Congress should work to improve the Affordable Care Act. Congress should work to ensure affordable pharmaceutical products. Congress should act for the health concerns still facing ordinary Americans. But today's legislation does no such thing. prgtoken I find it unacceptable, and I urge my colleagues to oppose the legislation. prgtoken , I rise in strong opposition to the American Health Care Act. prgtoken I believe that the purpose of any health care legislation should be to improve the health and well-being of our nation's citizens, and to allow for access to quality and affordable health care for all. prgtoken That is why in the 111th Congress I was proud to support the Affordable Care Act. As a result of this landmark legislation, 19 million people in the United States now have health insurance coverage who did not before, and over nine-in-ten individuals in my home state of Indiana now have health insurance. prgtoken Regretfully, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the legislation we are considering today will leave approximately 14 million more Americans without health care insurance by 2018, and this number will continue to rise to an estimated 24 million by 2026. prgtoken I am especially concerned that the American Health Care Act will jeopardize the health care coverage of the over 429,000 Hoosiers currently enrolled in Indiana's expansion of Medicaid, also known as the Healthy Indiana Plan. prgtoken Further, I believe it is especially disingenuous that if this bill passes today, this institution will have pushed the financial cuts to programs like the Healthy Indiana Plan conveniently until after the next congressional election. prgtoken The Act before us also would negatively impact the health of millions of women and men who receive the medical services provided by Planned Parenthood. Additionally, it would not improve the well-being of our nation's elderly by allowing providers to charge older enrollees up to five times as much as younger individuals. prgtoken Finally, I would note with great concern that a provision was just added to the American Health Care Act today that would remove the requirement that insurers cover life-saving, essenti
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Tony Cárdenas (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-24

I rise today to urge my colleagues to own up to their bad bill. It is clear this is not what the American people deserve or what the American people are asking for. prgtoken This legislation guts Medicaid. It steals from Medicare. It crushes our seniors and our working families. And prgtoken just when you thought it couldn't get worse, they went after veterans and their children. prgtoken What's more, this bill means insurance companies won't cover new mothers, newborn babies, and prescription drugs. The s are making health care for Americans worse and worse and worse. prgtoken The s have secretly wheeled and dealed in back rooms at the expense of millions of Americans in our great country, while giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires. prgtoken , I urge my colleagues to own up to this bill and oppose it for the sake of the American people. prgtoken God bless us.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Richard E. Neal (Democrat, MA) \u2014 2017-3-24

the balance of my time. prgtoken In closing, I want to make sure the people of America understand what we are doing here in about 1 hour. We heard during the course of a Presidential campaign the promise that everything was going to be covered and we would be tired of winning. prgtoken If winning means that 24 million Americans are going to lose their healthcare coverage, if winning means imposing an age tax on seniors, if winning means higher out-of-pocket costs for working Americans, and if winning means robbing $75 billion from the Medicare trust fund, we don't want to be part of that victory lap. prgtoken This isn't about one person making up alternative facts. Our statements today have been based upon the CBO, the National Rural Health Association, the American Medical Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the March of Dimes. prgtoken This bill has fewer covered, weaker protections, and higher costs. Let's call this what it is today; it is a $1 trillion tax cut for the richest amongst us. prgtoken The s are now facing the art of the ordeal. They have a bad plan, and they know it. They have scrambled for the last week to try to figure out how to stitch it together, and it hasn't worked. prgtoken For those across this country, think of the following: no maternity care, fewer hospital visits, no mental health services for those families who are struggling with a family member who has an opiate addiction, which is the crisis of our time. prgtoken This is more of the same: tax cuts for the wealthiest amongst us and healthcare cuts for everyone else. prgtoken , .
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Democrat, NJ) \u2014 2017-3-24

the question I get asked is: What the heck were they thinking about? prgtoken Let me tell you what they are thinking about. Medicaid is the source of 25 percent of all projected public and private spending for drug abuse treatment. It is about $8 billion. prgtoken Let's consider James Suber from my hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. Mr. Suber began seeking treatment when New Jersey expanded its Medicare program and provided more comprehensive access to treatment. prgtoken At least New Jersey got it half right. prgtoken Each morning Mr. Suber receives treatment at Paterson Counseling Center, which allows him to go to work as a cleaner at Well of Hope, another treatment center in Paterson serving the homeless. prgtoken Without the treatment he receives through Medicaid, he wouldn't be working. He would be using the emergency department at St. Joseph's hospital, the most expensive part of the hospital. Or maybe he wouldn't have survived. prgtoken So, , for the life of me, I don't understand why we would jeopardize treatment for James and the millions of other Americans facing similar challenges. What were they thinking? prgtoken Will this bill improve Medicaid? Nope. prgtoken Will this bill increase the number of Americans with health coverage? Nope. prgtoken Will it lower costs on the exchanges? Nope. prgtoken Will this bill bolster employer coverage? No. prgtoken Will coverage now provide more access to care, a promise time and time again by Mr himself? No. prgtoken Will it strengthen Medicare? No. prgtoken , it is obvious. We know we are trying to change things and make them better. prgtoken We changed Medicare. We did it together. prgtoken We changed Medicaid. We did it together. prgtoken We changed a lot of things together, but you chose the only lonely path.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Democrat, FL) \u2014 2017-3-24

I stand in opposition to the pay more for less care act, under which Americans will suffer from higher healthcare costs, less coverage, a crushing age tax, and a ransacking of the Medicare trust fund, which our seniors depend on for long-term care. prgtoken Under the age tax, Americans aged 50 to 64 will be forced to pay five times higher premiums than others, no matter how healthy they are. Under Care, a 64-year-old with an income of $26,500 in the individual market will pay $12,900 more in their premiums every year under this bill. prgtoken In addition, Care will take away health care from 24 million hardworking Americans and will force families to pay higher premiums and deductibles. In fact, for families enrolled in the ACA marketplace, premiums are expected to increase by 15 to 20 percent. prgtoken It will also punish millions of people who experience a lapse in coverage by forcing them to pay a 30 percent higher premium each month in order to receive care. prgtoken Tell that to Suzanne Boyd from Sunrise, Florida, who, with two daughters heading to college, lost her husband to lung cancer and then lost the insurance coverage she had through her employer. Thankfully, she was able to obtain coverage under the ACA for $192 a month with subsidies rather than a 30 percent sick tax for getting a life-threatening illness. prgtoken Yet this bill apparently isn't harmful enough for the far-right extremists in the Party, whom leadership has tried to appease by cutting the ACA essential health benefits like mental health, maternity, and emergency services. prgtoken , this bill is like taking a sledgehammer to a clock that is moving a little slow rather than working on precision fine tuning instead. It is an immoral piece of legislation. As a breast cancer survivor, I urge every Member to stand with my sister survivors all across the country, who number in the millions, to make sure that you don't devastate our health and make sure that we don't have our lives threatened.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Al Green (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2017-3-24

although care is a terrible Healthcare plan, it is a terrific Wealthcare plan. prgtoken care is terrific Wealthcare because in the final analysis, it allows the 400 richest families to get $7 million a year ad infinitum, $7 million a year forever. prgtoken In the final analysis, 79% of the cuts become Wealthcare dollars for the very rich, not healthcare dollars for the very poor. prgtoken In the final analysis, it sacrifices $1 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid to enrich the lives of millionaires and billionaires. prgtoken In the final analysis, it provides more money for Wealthcare and less money for Healthcare. prgtoken , care is more Wealthcare and less Healthcare.
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1628, AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Doris O. Matsui (Democrat, CA) \u2014 2017-3-24

I thank the gentleman for yielding. prgtoken , we have heard a lot of rhetoric about how this bill would supposedly fix our healthcare system. President said that his plan would provide insurance for everybody. That is not the bill before us today. prgtoken The last-minute backroom changes have only made a bad bill worse. s stuck in a provision to strip away essential health benefits for American families. prgtoken The list of services in jeopardy is long, devastating, and cruel, services like emergency services, hospitalization, prescription drugs, preventive care, and many other guarantees. prgtoken These are basic health services that every person in the country deserves, like my constituent Elizabeth, whose daughter is guaranteed pediatric care to treat her type 1 diabetes because of these essential benefits. Without coverage, out-of-pocket costs would add up to more than her entire year's salary. prgtoken I can't stand here and allow my colleagues to say they are saving people from Care while they are stripping away essential care for families like Elizabeth's. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2017
Diana DeGette (Democrat, CO) \u2014 2017-3-24

President promised his healthcare plan would be ``much better health care at a much lower cost.'' Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price even promised ``nobody will be prgtoken worse off financially.'' In reality, of course, the Care bill will leave just about everybody worse off, with less care at a higher cost. prgtoken This bad bill would rip health insurance money away from millions of people--24 million over 10 years, and 14 million next year alone. prgtoken Americans who are lucky enough to hold on to coverage if this bill becomes law will pay more for it in premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs, especially people age 50 and up. prgtoken , the deals that were cut last night to win more votes for Care would be even more devastating. Trips to the emergency room, mental health and substance abuse treatment, maternity care both before and after birth, prescription drugs, lab tests, and more essential services could be cut. prgtoken Apparently, some people don't think these services deserve guaranteed health insurance. They would let insurers sell skimpy plans that don't even cover patients' basic needs. prgtoken believe we can, and should, work together to improve the ACA, not to work on a misguided bill that would gut it. prgtoken We owe this to folks like Amanda Miller of Denver. Amanda changed jobs last year. During her period of unemployment, she and her husband decided the smart thing to do was to get coverage to fill the gap. Thank God they did. prgtoken Shortly after that, she and her husband got into a serious car accident. Amanda walked away unscathed, but her husband was badly injured. She could see more of his skull than she could see of his scalp. Luckily, there were some nurses in a car behind them, and they stabilized him and took him to the emergency room. prgtoken Their hospital bill of $16,000 was paid in full, thanks to Amanda's coverage through the ACA. What do we say to Amanda? Can we guarantee her better insurance and a better financial situation? I don't think so. prgtoken Let's defeat this bill, and let's start working towards a good one that will cover everybody.