{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-slams-inadequate-covid-19-relief-proposal", "Blumenauer Slams Inadequate COVID-19 Relief Proposal", "2020-12-14", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "OR", "Earl Blumenauer", "B000574", "blumenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, a group ofsenators revealed the details of a new$908 billionCOVID-19relief package. Following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), author and primary sponsor of the RESTAURANTS Act and a proponent of direct cash assistance, on the Senate's failure to adequately addresstheurgent needs of families and small businesses:\nTheSenate'snewCOVID-19reliefbillcompletely failsto provideadequateaidfor working families throughdirect cash paymentsandglosses overtargeted relief for independent restaurants  the industryhithardest by this pandemic.\nNovember'sjobsreport was a stark reminder that the worst of this economic crisis could still be ahead of us.Millions of people remain out of work, and for the first time since April,the restaurant industry actually lost jobsa trendthatissure to worsenas we enter the winter months.\nGetting direct cash toworkersand smallbusinessesismoreimportantnow, than ever.We know that the earlier $1,200 payments helped families pay for groceries, utilities, housing, and other essentials. Another round of payments will not only help the millions of people who've lost jobs or had hours cut,but also lift up the economy at a make-or-break moment.\nTime is also running out for local, independent restaurants. ThePaycheck Protection Programwas ashort-termlifeline formillionsof operations to keep them afloatandmove forward,butit wasn'tdesignedforrestaurants, whoneed atailoredlong-term solution.Restaurants don't need more debt,they don't need a short-term solution, andtheycertainlydon't needCongressto doubledown on a failed approach.They need direct cash grants, as outlined in my RESTAURANTS Act,to have any fighting chanceof staying in business.\nThe Senate needs to stop paying lip service tothese urgent needsand actuallyprovide relief.Willful ignoranceisunacceptable. Without delay, we need to come together on a deal that addresses therealneeds of our people and small businesses.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-slams-inadequate-covid-19-relief-proposal"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6915959529578686, "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"}