{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-applauds-senate-passage-ndaa-conference-report-includes-sanctions", "Portman Applauds Senate Passage of NDAA Conference Report that Includes Sanctions Against North Korea", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Rob Portman", "P000449", "www.portman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Portman Applauds Senate Passage of NDAA Conference Report that Includes Sanctions Against North Korea\n \n      \n  \n      \n                           \n      Portman Cosponsored Otto Warmbier Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea Act \n      \n  \n  \n\n          \n                          \n      December 17, 2019\n      \n  \n |     \n                          \n      Press Releases\n      \n  \n  \n    \n                  WASHINGTON, DC  Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded the Senate passage of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report, which includes the Otto Warmbier Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act to strengthen and expand mandatory sanctions on foreign banks and companies that facilitate illicit financial transactions for North Korea. This will hold North Korea accountable for their actions and human rights abuses against Cincinnati-native Otto Warmbier as well as other illegally held prisoners. Portman traveled to the demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea earlier this year and invoked the memory of Otto Warmbier on several occasions, including in the demilitarized zone, with South Korean government officials, and with a North Korean defector, with whom he met to discuss North Korean human rights abuses. Portman is a cosponsor of the Otto Warmbier BRINK Act along with Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The conference report will now head to the president's desk for his signature. \nThis bipartisan sanctions legislation will help hold North Korea accountable for their actions and human rights abuses against Cincinnati-native Otto Warmbier as well as others they've illegally held captive. I'm glad these sanctions were included in the NDAA conference report and we must continue to work together to confront the threat that North Korea poses. Fred and Cindy Warmbier and their family have been through so much. I'm proud to be their friends and support their efforts to hold North Korea accountable and ensure that Otto is never forgotten. \n###", 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.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-applauds-senate-passage-ndaa-conference-report-includes-sanctions"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4474531635642052, "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"}