{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=64db33df-5f52-452c-ad97-1f55c81698f7", "ICYMI: Rubio: D.C. Dysfunction Hurting Military, Veterans", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Marco Rubio", "R000595", "www.rubio.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "D.C. dysfunction hurting military, veterans     By Senator Marco Rubio     The Tampa Tribune     December 6, 2013     http://tbo.com/list/news-opinion-commentary/marco-rubio-washington-dysfunction-getting-in-way-of-military-veterans-20131206/  \r\nWhen the Senate reconvenes next week, its dysfunction will again be on display as it considers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), major legislation that spells out our priorities for most national security and military matters. \r\n   \r\nGiven the complexity of our military and the myriad security challenges we face, this should be an opportunity to have robust debates on a wide range of issues. In the past, this has normally been the case, but there is nothing normal about today\u2019s dysfunctional Senate. \r\n   \r\nIn this case, the Senate\u2019s Democratic majority leadership is drastically limiting debate and amendment opportunities on the NDAA, except for a few hand-picked issues. In the real world, this means that many worthy ideas with bipartisan \u2014 in some cases almost universal \u2014 support won\u2019t ever see the light of day. \r\n   \r\nFor example, I\u2019ve joined one Democratic colleague, Jon Tester from Montana, in an effort to raise the salaries of active duty military personnel by 1.8 percent. In its current form, the NDAA includes President Obama\u2019s original budget request for a 1.0 percent increase \u2014 even though a 2004 law requires that this year\u2019s increase be 1.8 percent. During this time of record debt, we believe doing right by our service members, their families and existing law is our duty to them; therefore, we\u2019ve offered a spending offset that prioritizes this pay increase. \r\n   \r\nUnfortunately, even with broad bipartisan support, the Senate\u2019s Democratic leadership has decided to block any consideration of this measure, short changing our troops in the process. \r\n   \r\nAnother example of how Washington\u2019s dysfunction stands in the way of helping our military and veterans is evident in a measure I\u2019m pursuing with Elizabeth Warren, one of my Democratic colleagues from Massachusetts. \r\n   \r\nWe\u2019ve proposed stronger financial protections for veterans being targeted by scams in the Department of Veterans Administration\u2019s Aid and Assistance Benefit, which helps pay for assisted living or in-home personal care for eligible veterans. Our legislation directs the VA to work with other federal agencies and states to crack down on scam artists who are exploiting our elderly veterans by charging unnecessary fees for this benefit and sometimes taking control of veterans\u2019 assets. \r\n   \r\n\u2026\r\n   \r\nKeep reading here.", 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.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=64db33df-5f52-452c-ad97-1f55c81698f7"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6505448147654533, "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"}