{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sablan.house.gov/press-release/legislature-should-decide-about-cock-fighting", "Legislature should decide about cock fighting", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislature should decide about cock fighting                                           \n              Nov 6, 2017      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n    \n    Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan issued the following statement in response to the introduction of a bill in the House of Representatives that would outlaw cock fighting in the Marianas and the other non-State areas of the U.S.\n\u201cWhether to continue allowing cock fighting in the Marianas is a question best left to our local legislators to answer. \u00a0\n\u201cFederal law already bars the interstate shipment of fighting cocks, which is a legitimate exercise of federal authority. But cock fighting that is strictly confined to the Marianas, stays within our borders, and involves no federal interests should remain a matter for local decision-makers.\n\u201cI want to thank those in the Democratic Caucus who consulted with me before deciding whether to cosponsor this bill, especially those who decided not to cosponsor as a result of our discussion. Because I know that animal fighting is hard to defend and understand in other parts of our country.\u201d\n\u201cI was able to explain that this is a culturally accepted practice in the Marianas that is best regulated by local law. And, if the bill does move forward in Congress, I will continue to make the case that this is a decision for the Commonwealth Legislature.\u201d\n-30-", 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://sablan.house.gov/press-release/legislature-should-decide-about-cock-fighting"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5115602873265743, "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"}