{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=224", "Statement from Castro, Vel\u00e1zquez, Doggett, Jayapal, Khanna, Ocasio-Cortez, Balint, Casar, Takano, McGovern, Barbara Lee, Blumenauer, Chu, Johnson, Carson, Watson Coleman, Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda, Jonathan Jackson, and Tokuda on the Israel Security Supplemental", "2024-04-20", "2024", "2024-04", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Becca Balint", "B001318", "balint.house.gov", "balint", "https://balint.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, nearly 20 members of Congress \u2014 Reps. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (NY-07), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Greg Casar (TX-35), Mark Takano (CA-39), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Judy Chu (CA-28), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Andr\u00e9 Carson (IN-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jes\u00fas \"Chuy\" Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02), released the following statement after voting against H.R. 8034, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act:\n\n\u201cThis is a moment of great consequence \u2013 the world is watching. Today is, in many ways, Congress\u2019 first official vote where we can weigh in on the direction of this war. If Congress votes to continue to supply offensive military aid, we make ourselves complicit in this tragedy.\n\n\u201cOur votes against H.R. 8034 are votes against supplying more offensive weapons that could result in more killings of civilians in Rafah and elsewhere. We believe strongly in Israel\u2019s right to self-defense and have joined colleagues previously in affirming our shared commitment.\n\n\u201cAll of us support strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems and we are committed to a sovereign, safe, and secure future for Israel. To protect that future, we believe the United States must help achieve a ceasefire that allows hostages to be freed, humanitarian aid to be delivered, and peace talks to begin.\n\n\u201cBenjamin Netanyahu appears willing to sacrifice the hostages while inflicting extraordinary suffering on the people of Gaza. He is willing to expand this conflict to preserve his power at the expense of Israel\u2019s safety. In recent weeks, reports have indicated that Netanyahu is moving closer to a full-scale invasion of the southern Gaza town of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken shelter. When faced with the question of whether to provide offensive aid to further this conflict, we believe there is a moral imperative to find another path.\n\n\u201cMost Americans do not want our government to write a blank check to further Prime Minister Netanyahu\u2019s war in Gaza. The United States needs to help Israel find a path to win the peace.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T20:47:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://balint.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=224"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.244110917672515, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}