{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://donovan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-donovan-responds-president-s-speech", "Congressman Donovan Responds to Presidents Speech", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Daniel Donovan", "D000625", "donovan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Dec. 7, Congressman Dan Donovan (NY-11) issued a statement in response to President Obamas Oval Office speech Sunday evening. In his address, the President confronted the issue of ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism.\nWe should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria, the President stated. Thats what groups like ISIL want. They know they cant defeat us on the battlefield. ISIL fighters were part of the insurgency that we faced in Iraq, but they also know that if we occupy foreign lands, they can maintain insurgencies for years, killing thousands of our troops and draining our resources, and using our presence to draw new recruits.\nThe threat from terrorism is real, the President acknowledged. But we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL, and any other organization that tries to harm us.\n\nThe President also reiterated his stance on gun control, calling for stricter legislation to keep firearms out of the hands of murderers.\nWhat we can do, he said, and must do, is make it harder for them to kill.\nPresident Obamas remarks raised the ire of many, among them Congressman Donovan.\nLike many across Staten Island, South Brooklyn, and the country, I tuned in to President Obamas speech this evening hoping for clear leadership and action, Donovan said.Instead, I heard the President recite his worn and failed approach to defeating ISIS, then lecture us on American values.\nDonovan added that Congress will grant President Obama the support that he needs, including several of the measures he mentioned this evening. Inspiring a nation concerned about an uncertain future, though, requires more than repackaged ideas and chiding lectures.\nObamas speech was poorly received by other Conservatives as well.\nWithout taking the fight to ISIS on the ground, ISIS wont be defeated, Ohio Governor John Kasich said. Our rights arent the problem, our unwillingness to act to defeat extremists is the problem. We need to decisively and aggressively protect our nation and our ideals. We cant delay.\nObama refused to say that we are at WAR with RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISTS, Donald Trump tweeted.\nThe President should be looking to stop those who would do us harm, Sen. Ted Cruz said, criticizing President Obamas gun control policies. Not attempting to take away the constitutional liberties of millions of innocent Americans.", 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://donovan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-donovan-responds-president-s-speech"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4512520283460617, "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"}