{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kennedy.house.gov//media/press-releases/congressman-kennedy-statement-on-national-defense-authorization-act", "CONGRESSMAN KENNEDY STATEMENT ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Joseph Kennedy", "K000379", "kennedy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -- Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement\u00a0 after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act, which included a $5.1 billion request for the fight against ISIL in Syria and Iraq.  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\u201cAlmost three months after the U.S. launched its first airstrike against ISIL, Congress has still failed to clearly debate, define or authorize our mission in the region.\u00a0 While I support much of the spending outlined in today\u2019s defense authorization bill, I cannot support piecemeal efforts to escalate an open-ended military engagement that sorely lacks parameters, goals and exit plans. I am encouraged so far by the international coalition and the gains we have made in deterring the grave threat posed by ISIL, but our ultimate success will be guided by the thorough deliberations that define our mission. We cannot ask our men and women in uniform and their families to shoulder a conflict their elected officials aren\u2019t willing to take a vote on.\u00a0 I continue to call on Congressional leadership to bring a comprehensive authorization of military force against ISIL to the floor.\u201d  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t###\nFor Immediate Release:  \n\tDecember 4, 2014  \n\t\u00a0  Contact:  \n\tEmily Kaufman (617) 332-3333  \n\tDan Black (202) 225-5931 Follow Congressman Kennedy on Instagram, Facebook, and\u00a0Twitter.", 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://kennedy.house.gov//media/press-releases/congressman-kennedy-statement-on-national-defense-authorization-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0763108730316162, "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"}