{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chriscollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-congressman-chris-collins-ny-27-on-the-unnecessary-and", "Statement from Congressman Chris Collins on the Unnecessary and Inexcusable Delay in Military Death Benefits", "2013-10-09", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Chris Collins", "C001092", "chriscollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There is no excuse or defense for why the Administration has failed to pay military death benefits to deserving families since the partial government shutdown began.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nPrior to the shutdown, Congress passed unanimously and the President signed legislation (H.R. 3210, the Pay Our Military Act) that ensured pay for active duty military would continue.\u00a0 That bill provided the Defense Department the funds and ability to pay death benefits during a shutdown.\u00a0 It is inexcusable that the Secretary of Defense and the President have stood by while bureaucrats in the Defense Department have failed to make these payments.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nToday, the House voted to pass a bi-partisan bill (H.J. Res 91, the Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act) that provides explicit authority to the Defense Department to disburse these payments.\u00a0 It is disgraceful that today\u2019s action was necessary to honor our commitment to the families of those service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.", 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://chriscollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-congressman-chris-collins-ny-27-on-the-unnecessary-and"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4667860232293606, "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"}