{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-applauds-senate-confirmation-of-us-ambassador-to-timor-leste_", "Merkley Applauds Senate Confirmation of U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Applauds Senate Confirmation of U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste   \n\t\n\t\t Calls confirmation \u2018good step forward\u2019 in dialogue regarding Stacey Addison \n\t\n\t\n\tTuesday, November 18, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley applauded the Senate confirmation of Karen Stanton to be the U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste and expressed his hope for expanded talks with the Timorese government regarding Dr. Stacey Addison. \u00a0The Oregon veterinarian has been imprisoned for weeks even though, according to reports, she has not been charged with a crime and appears to have no connection other than as a witness to criminal activity.\u00a0 Yesterday\u2019s confirmation of Karen Stanton comes just a week after Senators Merkley and Wyden sent a letter to Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell urging them to schedule a vote on this nomination. Dr. Addison\u2019s case highlights the importance of having high-level representation in the form of our ambassadors.\r\n \r\n\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m hopeful that the confirmation of Karen Stanton will be a good step forward in advancing our dialogue with the Timorese government and will help to encourage a fair and speedy process for Dr. Addison,\u201d said Senator Merkley.\r\n \r\nSenator Merkley met with the Ambassador of Timor-Leste last week to discuss Dr. Addison\u2019s case and his staff has been working with the State Department to offer assistance to Dr. Addison and her family.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 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.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-applauds-senate-confirmation-of-us-ambassador-to-timor-leste_"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.394553739577532, "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"}