{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-to-biden-austin-authorize-special-forces-to-rescue-american-hostages", "Cotton to Biden, Austin: Authorize Special Forces to Rescue American Hostages", "2023-10-12", "2023", "2023-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "Tom Cotton", "C001095", "www.cotton.senate.gov", "cotton", "https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 224-2353\n\nOctober 12, 2023\n\nCotton to Biden, Austin: Authorize Special Forces to Rescue American Hostages\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, urging them to authorize U.S. special operations forces to rescue the Americans held hostage by Hamas. The letter notes that National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby has said there are at least 14 American citizens unaccounted for after Hamas attacked Israel last weekend.\n\nIn part, Senator Cotton wrote:\n\n\u201cWe have a duty to act, including with the use of force if necessary to save our fellow Americans. Now is the time for bold and audacious action, not timid half measures or bureaucratic constraints. I\u2019m confident the American people will support its government in all actions necessary to rescue these Americans from the savages in Gaza.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter may be found here and below.\n\nOctober 12, 2023\n\nPresident Joseph R. Biden\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.\n\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nSecretary Lloyd J. Austin\n\nDepartment of Defense\n\n1000 Defense Pentagon\n\nWashington, DC 22202\n\nDear Mr. President and Secretary Austin,\n\nNational Security Council spokesman John Kirby said today that at least 14 American citizens are unaccounted for after Hamas attacked Israel last weekend. Some of these missing Americans are presumed to be hostages of the Hamas terrorists.\n\nThe United States has special-operations forces specially trained in hostage rescue, and these forces are already in Israel to assist with intelligence and planning efforts. I urge you to use these elite warriors in a hands-on role to rescue the American hostages. Nothing can be taken for chance. Israel is our closest partner, but the safety of American citizens is the responsibility of the United States government.\n\nWe have a duty to act, including with the use of force if necessary to save our fellow Americans. Now is the time for bold and audacious action, not timid half measures or bureaucratic constraints. I\u2019m confident the American people will support its government in all actions necessary to rescue these Americans from the savages in Gaza.\n\nSincerely,\n\n_____________________\n\nTom Cotton\n\nUnited States Senator\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "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.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-to-biden-austin-authorize-special-forces-to-rescue-american-hostages"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9278759825974703, "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"}