{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/members-of-the-house-support-extension-and-urge-congress-not-to-give-up", "Members of the House Support Extension and Urge Congress Not to Give Up on Diplomacy", "2014-11-24", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep Keith Ellison (D-MN), along with Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim McGovern (D-MA), David Price (D-NC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jim Moran (D-VA), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) released the following statements today after an agreement was reached for an extension on negotiations over Iran\u2019s nuclear program between the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia (P5+1) and Iran.\n\u201cToday's extension is evidence of how far the United States and Iran have come since these negotiations started,\u201d Rep. Ellison said.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe investment in patient diplomacy made by both countries is yielding significant progress. Iran has already complied with the requirements in the Joint Plan of Action and reduced their capacity to build a nuclear weapon. We are closer than we have ever been to reaching a peaceful agreement and we can\u2019t give up now. I call on Congress to support President Obama, Secretary Kerry and the P5+1 negotiators to close this deal.\u201d\n\u201cThe current framework agreement with Iran is actively reducing Iran\u2019s nuclear program, delaying \u2018break out\u2019 capacity, and providing inspections and verification to prevent the advancement of their nuclear program,\u201d\u00a0said Congresswoman Barbara Lee. \u201cThis extension continues these important restrictions and safeguards while moving us toward a long-term deal that will support our national security and global peace. This extension creates the diplomatic space for that deal to be achieved.\u201d\n\u201cDiplomacy is the only viable path to prevent a nuclear Iran,\u201d said Congressman John Conyers, Jr. \u00a0\u201cAccording to a recent CNN poll, 76 percent of Americans support direct diplomacy\u00a0as part of a strategy to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Americans know that military confrontation\u2014the only alternative to diplomacy\u2014would be, in this instance, counterproductive and carry unacceptable costs in terms of lives and treasure. Congress must support President Obama's continuing efforts to obtain a strong and verifiable agreement to peacefully prevent the spread of nuclear weapons in the world's most volatile region.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cI know it's difficult to remain patient, but with a historic agreement within our reach, patience is required,\u201d Rep. Jim McGovern said.\u00a0 \u201cI believe it is far better to take a bit more time to get a strong verifiable agreement than to have no agreement or a weak one. I urge all sides to demonstrate the political will, flexibility and courage to get the job done, and done well. I will continue to follow this issue closely.\u201d\n\u201cI am encouraged by today's news from Vienna. This extension means that the negotiations will continue under the terms of the existing Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), which has verifiably frozen and rolled back Iran's nuclear program over the past year,\u201d said Representative Price. \u201cWhile I shared the administration's hope that the talks would yield a final agreement by now, the fact is that another extension is vastly preferable to a return to the pre-JPOA status quo -- or worse.\u00a0 Instead of rushing to declare the talks a failure -- or taking actions to derail them altogether -- my colleagues in Congress should do everything possible to support the continuation of negotiations and progress toward a final, comprehensive agreement.\u201d\n\u201cIt is welcome news that the U.S. and Iranian diplomats have agreed to stay at the negotiating table by extending talks,\u201d Rep. Hank Johnson said. \u201cWhile some of my colleagues have objected to negotiations with Iran, it must be noted that thanks to these historic diplomatic efforts the world is further from a nuclear-armed Iran, and the risk of an eventual war over this issue.\u00a0Now more than ever is the time to commit ourselves to diplomacy. We know the outcome of a rush to war. Too many hardline members and members-elect are already opposing a deal, emboldening hardliners in Iran.\u00a0 What the hardliners do not say, is that failure to reach a deal clears the path to war.\u201d\n\u201cDiplomacy takes time. I continue to believe that the benefits of an eventual agreement with Iran will be worth the wait. Congress must not undermine our negotiators with unwise legislative actions,\u201d Rep. Jim Moran said.\n\u201cWe have seen meaningful progress since the Joint Plan of Action was agreed to in November 2013,\u201d Rep. Jan Schakowsky said. \u201cUnder this plan, Iran has down blended and stopped production of 20% enriched uranium, halted work on its Arak hard water facility, and allowed daily inspections of its enrichment facilities.\u00a0 None of these achievements would be in place without the Joint Plan of Action, and we shouldn\u2019t abandon this progress today.\u201d", 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://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/members-of-the-house-support-extension-and-urge-congress-not-to-give-up"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5048598870635033, "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"}