{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/12/11/2020/toomey-statement-on-ndaa-passage", "Toomey Statement on NDAA Passage", "2020-12-11", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Patrick Toomey", "T000461", "www.toomey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington,\r\nD.C.\r\n- U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement on his vote in\r\nfavor of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):  Congress\r\nhas a responsibility to the American people to ensure our armed forces and\r\nnational security agencies have the tools and resources they need to keep the\r\nnation safe. On balance, this year's NDAA meets this obligation by enhancing\r\nmilitary readiness; increasing pay for the troops; upgrading federal\r\ncybersecurity protections; and establishing clear benchmarks for any troop\r\nwithdrawals in South Korea, Germany, and Afghanistan.   However,\r\nthe NDAA does have a glaring shortcoming in that the Blocking Deadly\r\nFentanyl Imports Act was omitted from the final product after being\r\nincluded in the Senate version. This provision would have permitted any\r\npresident to suspend certain foreign aid to foreign countries that fail to\r\nlimit the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States. The fact that House\r\nDemocrats objected to this provision, which earned widespread bipartisan\r\nsupport in the Senate, is equal parts baffling and foolish.   Background\r\non Toomey-Supported Provisions in the NDAA:   FIND\r\nTrafficking Act: offered with Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.)\r\n \r\nDirects\r\nthe Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the use of virtual\r\ncurrencies and online marketplaces in sex and drug trafficking  Prohibition\r\non the Department of Defense's Purchase of Russian Natural Gas  \r\nProhibits\r\nthe use of Russian gas at a major Department of Defense hospital under\r\nconstruction in Germany   Chinook\r\nBlock II Upgrade \r\nDirects\r\nthe Department of Defense to provide Congress with an assessment on the\r\nindefinite delay of the Chinook Block II upgrade o The Chinook Block\r\nII upgrade was being done, in part, by Boeing's facility in Delaware County,\r\nPa.   Establishing\r\nan Academic Liaison for the Sharing of Threats with Universities: offered\r\nwith Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.)  \r\nRequires\r\nthe Department of Defense to task a current official as an academic liaison'\r\nfor the purpose of sharing foreign threat information with universities o Offered with the\r\nsupport of Penn State University   Israeli\r\nAssistance: co-sponsor of provision authored by Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)  \r\nAuthorizes\r\nannual security assistance to Israel until 2028", 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.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/12/11/2020/toomey-statement-on-ndaa-passage"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0367310605943203, "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"}