{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kevinmccarthy.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-mccarthy-returns-from-visiting-troops-overseas", "Congressman McCarthy Returns from Visiting Troops Overseas", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "Kevin McCarthy", "M001165", "kevinmccarthy.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Congressman Kevin McCarthy just returned from leading a congressional delegation to the Middle East to examine the unfolding campaign against ISIL and to confer with some of America's close partners about regional security threats. The Majority Leader was joined by incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mac Thornberry (TX-13), incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes (CA-22), and chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11). While also on his trip, Congressman McCarthy met with Bakersfield native, Sergeant Jodi Bradshaw who is currently serving in Iraq. Congressman McCarthy released the following statement:\n\u00a0  \"The United States\u00a0is continually mindful\u00a0of the significant challenges posed by\u00a0ISIL\u00a0and other radical extremists to our country\u00a0and our\u00a0allies in the\u00a0Middle\u00a0East. Congress remains concerned about our\u00a0strategy to confront these challenges,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0plan to conduct vigorous oversight on\u00a0the\u00a0President\u2019s policies in the weeks and months to come.\u00a0America\u00a0must\u00a0remain resolute in confronting terrorists and other adversaries that\u00a0mean\u00a0to harm\u00a0us and our partners.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \"In our trip to the Middle East,\u00a0I particularly appreciated the opportunity to personally express my gratitude to\u00a0America's\u00a0men and women in uniform, intelligence professionals, and diplomats who are spending this Christmas season away from their families in defense of our country. Many of our own neighbors are selflessly serving overseas and on this trip I was honored to meet Sergeant Jodi Bradshaw from Bakersfield. Sergeant Bradshaw is one of many from our communities who represent the very best America has to offer in defense of our freedoms in an increasingly hostile world. These brave and selfless Americans will remain in our thoughts and prayers throughout the Christmas season for their service.\"\u00a0\n\u00a0\nNote: The delegation traveled to Abu\u00a0Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Doha, Qatar;\u00a0Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Baghdad and Erbil,\u00a0Iraq  \n\t\u00a0\n\u00a0\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://kevinmccarthy.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-mccarthy-returns-from-visiting-troops-overseas"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6630609277635813, "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"}