{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/democrats-oppose-ego-act_-would-have-banned-taxpayer-funded-oil-paintings-of-government-officials", "Democrats Oppose EGO Act - Would Have Banned Taxpayer-Funded Oil Paintings of Government Officials", "2015-11-18", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DR. BILL CASSIDY:The Eliminating Government-FundedOil Painting Act, or the EGO Act, is common sense legislationthat bans the federal governmentfrom spending taxpayer dollarson oil paintings of presidents,vice presidents, cabinetsecretaries or members ofCongress.\r\nThese paintingscan cost as much as $40,000 andare often placed in a back hallof a government bureaucracynever to be seen by the public.And I will note that $40,000 isthe same as the average annualwage of a worker in Louisiana.Think about it.That worker would work a wholeyear, and as much as she wouldearn, that is what the federalgovernment will spend on acabinet secretary who serves forsix months and then it is put inthe back of the building neverto be seen.\r\nNow, with trillions in debt,there is more to do and ourobligation to the taxpayer tospend their money wisely, butthis is a start.I offer my strong support of theEGO Act and urge its passage.\r\nIask unanimous consent that theSenate proceed to the immediateconsideration of [the EGO Act] Calendar Number165, S. 310.I further ask that the bill beread a third time and passed andthat the motion to reconsiderbe considered made and laid uponthe table.\r\nDEMOCRAT MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID:I object.", 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://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/democrats-oppose-ego-act_-would-have-banned-taxpayer-funded-oil-paintings-of-government-officials"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6970299184322357, "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"}