{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=3de4b14f-7a26-4009-831f-ec53df171aaf", "The Attacks in Paris", "2015-11-16", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the terrorist attacks in Paris:\r\nAllow me to express what I know each of my colleagues feels today.\r\nWe, the 100 men and women of the United States Senate, send our sincere condolences to the people of France. From across the Atlantic, Americans send condolences to the victims, to their families, and to first responders.\r\nWe understand the pain and the loss that accompany a terrorist attack.\r\nSome feel it in the most personal way.\r\nSome never come home.\r\nBut everyone shares in the loss.\r\nIn our case, many shared in the response and the recovery too.\r\nIn a dark hour, we were reminded of the things that bound us together. I hope you will feel something similar take hold in your terrible hour as well.\r\nWeve already seen rays of light begin to shine through the darkness.\r\nWe even saw it last Friday.\r\nThen, as Paris reeled, a soft hum emanated from a tunnel.\r\nMarch, came the echo in French. March on.\r\nEnemies in history and rivals on the soccer pitch had united around a common humanity. Dazed, disoriented, but alive, French and German fans marched through the tunnels together.\r\nSome put defiance to verse.\r\nAgainst us, they sang. Tyranny has unfurled its bloody banner.\r\nAnd indeed, that night it had.\r\nA song sung so many times before came alive with new meaning that horrible night. Many knew it as Frances national anthem. But that night, it became an aria for their sorrow and an ode to their fraternity.\r\nWe heard it here from an ocean away. We add our voices to the harmony now.\r\nWe know that these attacks were directed not just at the victims we mourn today, but also at modernity and the free world.\r\nPresident Obama has called ISIL the face of evil. It clearly presents a challenge to NATO, to our moderate Sunni allies, and to the United States. But its also shown that it can attack innocent victims in the West too  right where they live. These terrorist have declared their intention to do so again and again.\r\nWe know that trying to contain ISILs conventional advance as an operational concept has proven insufficient in the face of determined terrorist attacks. But we also know something else.\r\nWith resolve and determination ISIL can be defeated.\r\nIt wont be easy. It wont come quickly or without cost. But we also have no other option.\r\nI look forward to engaging with President Obama to determine his strategy and the tools that will be necessary to achieve it.\r\nWere looking forward to hearing the Presidents proposed strategy when Senators are briefed by the White House this week.\r\nWhatever he does though, I encourage him to work cooperatively with both parties on the way forward.\r\nThis is a challenge thats going to require all of our efforts to confront, and its a discussion that will be ongoing.\r\nBut today is a time to remember and to reflect.\r\nWe have the people of France in our thoughts today.\r\nThats true here in the Senate, and thats true across our country.", 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.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=3de4b14f-7a26-4009-831f-ec53df171aaf"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.924911979585886, "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"}