{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://clyburn.house.gov/assistant-democratic-leader-james-e-clyburn-delivers-weekly-democratic-address/", "Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn Delivers Weekly Democratic Address", "2017-06-16", "2017", "2017-06", "Democrat", "House", "SC", "James E. Clyburn", "C000537", "clyburn.house.gov", "clyburn", "https://clyburn.house.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, Assistant Democratic Leader, delivered the Weekly Democratic Address. In this week\u2019s address, Assistant Leader Clyburn wished House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and those involved in the Alexandria baseball practice shooting a complete and speedy recovery. Clyburn also called on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to deliver accessible, affordable health care to all Americans. Video and audio of the Weekly Democratic Address can be downloaded here.\n\nBelow is a full transcript of the address:\n\n\u201cHello. I\u2019m Congressman Jim Clyburn. I proudly represent the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina and serve as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the United States House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cLet me begin by wishing House Majority Whip Steve Scalise a full and speedy recovery. I also wish the same for Matt Mika, the former staffer and volunteer who was also shot in last Wednesday\u2019s senseless and cowardly attack.\n\n\u201cI cannot find sufficient words to express thanks and appreciations to Special Agents David Bailey, Crystal Griner and Henry Cabrera, members of the Dignitary Protection Corps, for their brave and sacrificial actions which contained and eliminated a clear and present danger to only God knows how many dedicated public servants. Having spent several years under their watchful protection, I know first-hand of their hard work and dedication. I wish for them speedy recoveries as well. I\u2019m keeping them and their families in my prayers.\n\n\u201cNo issue is more important to the people of America than their health, and the health of their families. And in my opinion, no issues are more important to the health care of Americans than accessibility and affordability. The ACA repeal legislation recently passed by House Republicans \u2013 without a single Democratic vote \u2013 would have devastating effects on families all across the country. President Trump pushed hard and relentlessly for its passage. Recently, however, he called the bill \u2018mean.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhen President Obama proposed the ACA, he hosted a bi-partisan, bicameral town-hall type roundtable in the Blair House. It was broadcast, in real time, by C-SPAN, and when the bill was introduced in the House, it went to three committees that debated its pros and cons extensively. Republicans and Democrats offered scores of amendments and many of them were accepted.\n\n\u201cI was serving as House Majority Whip at the time, and when the bill was debated on the floor, I called it the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century. I gave it that moniker because the ACA outlaws many forms of discrimination in health care. It outlaws discrimination against women who were often charged more for health care coverage than men. It outlawed discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.\n\n\u201cThe ACA repeal bill that House Republicans passed and sent to the Senate would rip away health care from 23 million Americans, and raise costs and roll back protections for millions more.\n\n\u201cNow, Senate Republicans are working in secret on their own Trumpcare bill. They won\u2019t tell you what it is, but they want you to believe it\u2019s more moderate. There\u2019s nothing moderate about undermining protections for people with pre-existing conditions by repealing the essential health benefits protections. There\u2019s nothing moderate about gutting Medicaid by $834 billion and in the same bill give $900 billion in tax giveaways to a few wealthy families, and insurance and drug companies. Repealing the ACA would once again institutionalize the kind of discrimination against the sick and aged that has plagued hard-working families for generations. Passing the Republican bill would turn the clock back on civil rights and humaneness.\n\n\u201cIt does not have to be this way. Democrats are eager to work with our Republican colleagues to deliver accessible and affordable quality health care to all Americans, but Republicans must set aside their repeal efforts. It is my fervent hope that this is the path we choose going forward.\n\n\u201cThank you for listening and God bless.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T21:48:30Z"]], "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://clyburn.house.gov/assistant-democratic-leader-james-e-clyburn-delivers-weekly-democratic-address/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4871819876134396, "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"}