{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364220", "Chabot Calls For Release of Pastor Abedini", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Steven Chabot", "C000266", "chabot.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Thursday, Rep. Steve Chabot delivered the following statement during a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing regarding the release of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini: First, I would like to commend Chairman Smith and Chairman Ros-Lehtinen for calling this timely hearing today.  In light of recent developments in U.S.  Iran relations, the case of Pastor Saeed Abedini's imprisonment raises very grave concerns.  If Iran expects to engage in a more transparent and honest relationship with the U.S. and other members of the global community, it must cease its egregious human rights abuses and adopt standards practiced by most of the civilized world.  I think my colleagues would agree that the imprisonment of Pastor Abedini is a prime example of Iran's use of abhorrent practices to deny human rights protections to its religious minorities. If the Obama Administration is going to negotiate with Iran concerning economic sanctions, the release of Pastor Abedini must be a priority. It should have a been a precondition from the start.  And with that I yield back.", 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://chabot.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364220"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7408750243484974, "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"}