{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F0963B20-E11B-4A57-91E0-F60F78E840A6", "Republicans Recognize Scope of National Security Threats", "2023-12-12", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cThis morning, the Senate welcomed Ukraine\u2019s inspirational and determined President Zelensky to the Capitol.\n\n\u201cFor nearly two years, the people of Ukraine have defied the world\u2019s expectations. They\u2019ve ground down the world\u2019s second most powerful military. And they\u2019ve confounded Putin\u2019s aggressive imperialist aspirations.\n\n\u201cAt every step of the way, America\u2019s commitment and support has provided critical fuel for Ukraine\u2019s resistance and helped European allies wake up from a holiday from history.\n\n\u201cNow, our allies are awake. They\u2019re investing in collective defense.\n\n\u201cAnd clear majorities of Americans understand the importance of America continuing to lead as the arsenal of democracy.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been a staunch supporter of Ukraine\u2019s fight to take back its land, liberate its people, and restore its sovereignty since the beginning of Russia\u2019s invasion way back in 2014.\n\n\u201cOur Ukrainian friends\u2019 cause is just. And if the West continues to stand with them, they can win.\n\n\u201cBut let\u2019s be absolutely clear: Ukraine\u2019s cause hasn\u2019t always been popular here in Washington.\n\n\u201cIn 2021, Republicans recommended that the Biden Administration step up assistance to help Ukraine deter renewed Russian threats.\n\n\u201cAnd the Administration seemed to think Ukraine was a frozen conflict, and a distraction from other priorities.\n\n\u201cIn early 2022, as the gravity of Putin\u2019s plans came into focus, Republicans urged the President to expedite shipments of critical weapons systems to stop Russia\u2019s advance.\n\n\u201cBut his Administration\u2019s unfounded fear of escalating the conflict repeatedly kept decisive capabilities out of Ukrainian hands at critical moments.\n\n\u201cWhen Russia\u2019s troops crossed the border and the Administration first came to Congress for assistance, it was Republicans who demanded we use emergency funds to pay for the cost of deploying U.S. forces to Europe rather than forcing our military to take these costs out of hide.\n\n\u201cAnd it was Republicans who demanded that our supplemental appropriations bills include funding to replenish and modernize the stockpiles we were drawing down to support Ukraine.\n\n\u201cPerhaps they expected the war to be over quickly, but the Biden Administration requested neither of these things.\n\n\u201cIn fact, when the Senate received the President\u2019s first supplemental request, I called the Democratic Leader and said, \u2018Double it.\u2019 He agreed with my suggestion, and that\u2019s precisely what we did.\n\n\u201cRepublicans on the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Appropriations Committees have worked overtime to help equip Ukraine for victory.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve pushed relentlessly for investments that strengthen our armed forces, degrade our adversaries, and stand firmly with a sovereign democracy against authoritarian aggression \u2013 all while expanding our defense industrial capacity and creating American jobs at the very same time.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve done it because we know that American leadership has ripple effects. Just look at how our European allies are now contributing more to Ukraine than we are\u2026 How allies around the world are investing in hard power, and in our collective defense.\n\n\u201cWe know that the threats we face are intertwined... That Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea work together to undermine America and the West.\n\n\u201cWe know that our border \u2013 just like Ukraine\u2019s borders, and Israel\u2019s, and Taiwan\u2019s \u2013 must be inviolable.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why \u2013 for months now \u2013 we\u2019ve supported supplemental action on all four of the most pressing national security challenges we face.\n\n\u201cMy support for Ukraine and Israel is rock-solid. I\u2019m committed to preparing the U.S. military to deter and defend against Chinese aggression. I\u2019m determined to get the national security crisis at our southern border under control.\n\n\u201cAnd I\u2019m going to work to get it done, as long as it takes.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"]], "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.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F0963B20-E11B-4A57-91E0-F60F78E840A6"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8042498957365751, "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"}