{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365150", "Hastings' Statement on the Expiration of Unemployment Benefits", "2013-12-28", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Alcee Hastings", "H000324", "alceehastings.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hastings' Statement on the Expiration of Unemployment Benefits \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Fort Lauderdale, FL,\r\n        December 28, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement after emergency unemployment benefits lapsed for the first time since 2008:  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u201cRepublicans should be ashamed of themselves for having left so many Americans out in the cold this holiday season.  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u201cStarting today, an estimated 1.3 million Americans will face new hardships because of Republicans\u2019 failure to extend unemployment benefits. Millions more may lose their unemployment in the upcoming year, if Republicans do not allow Congress to extend these vital benefits.  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u201cUnemployment compensation is neither reckless nor wasteful spending \u2013 it is a lifeline for millions of families struggling to recover from the worst economic recession of our time. Congress\u2019 first order of business in the new year must be to address this failure, and to ensure that Americans facing difficult times are provided with the support they need as they continue to look for work.\u201d  \r\n\u00a0  \r\nCongressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.\r\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": ["http://alceehastings.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365150"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0698088444769382, "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"}