{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-applauds-changes-in-us-cuba-policy", "Sen. Whitehouse Applauds Changes in U.S.-Cuba Policy", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Applauds Changes in U.S.-Cuba Policy \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Today the Obama Administration announced a series of changes to our nation\u2019s policies regarding Cuba, including an effort to re-establish diplomatic relations and expanded travel between the two nations.\u00a0 The Administration also announced the humanitarian release of Alan Gross, an American who had been imprisoned in Cuba since 2009.\r\nU.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who traveled to Cuba with a congressional delegation in 2013 whose leaders met with Gross, issued the following statement applauding today\u2019s announcement:\r\n\u201cMore than fifty years since the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and more than 20 years since the close of the Cold War, we are finally beginning the process of re-engaging with our Cuban neighbors.\u00a0 Our nations will continue to have disagreements, but it\u2019s time to begin cooperating on issues of shared interest like protecting our oceans, expanding commerce, and enabling Cuban-Americans to visit their loved ones.\u00a0 I am also hopeful that the prospect of reestablishing diplomatic relations between our two countries will open new channels to increase engagement on human rights issues and promote democratic reforms in Cuba.\u00a0 The release of Alan Gross is particularly good news, and my best wishes go to him and his family as he returns to America.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 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.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-applauds-changes-in-us-cuba-policy"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1537169814109802, "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"}