{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/media-research-center-honors-sen-cruz-with-inaugural-free-speech-award", "Media Research Center Honors Sen. Cruz with Inaugural Free Speech Award", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Media Research Center (MRC) has honored U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as one of the recipients of its inaugural Free Speech Award.\n\nAbout the award, Sen. Cruz said, \u201cI am honored to be recognized by the Media Research Center as a champion of free speech. Throughout my tenure in the U.S. Senate, I have fought relentlessly to protect the inalienable rights and freedoms that have made our country the world\u2019s greatest democracy. Liberty can only prevail when the right to speak freely is protected, but as President Ronald Reagan wisely said, \u2018Freedom is a fragile thing, and it\u2019s never more than one generation away from extinction.\u2019 That is truer now than ever before.\n\n\u201cOur first amendment right to freedom of speech is under attack, as radicals on the left try to silence anyone who disagrees with them. The path forward requires us to stand firm against those who seek to suppress free speech. I remain committed to fighting our \u2018first freedoms.\u2019\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nSen. Cruz was recognized as one of 35 leaders fighting to protect free speech. Sen. Cruz was honored alongside members of Congress, members of government service, and private citizens who all share a common commitment \u2013 to counter the forces that aim to stifle our First Amendment rights.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "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.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/media-research-center-honors-sen-cruz-with-inaugural-free-speech-award"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6338531859219074, "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"}