{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/two-years-president-obama%E2%80%99s-failed-cuba-policy-has-only-seen-increase-repression", "Two Years of President Obamas Failed Cuba Policy Has Only Seen An Increase In Repression By The Castro Regime, Says Ros-Lehtinen", "2016-12-16", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen", "R000435", "ros-lehtinen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Two Years of President Obama\u2019s Failed Cuba Policy Has Only Seen An Increase In Repression By The Castro Regime, Says Ros-Lehtinen\nMiami, FL \u2013 U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) made the following statement prior to the second anniversary of President Obama\u2019s unilateral policy of failed concessions to the Castro regime. Since the president\u2019s announcement on December 17, 2014, repression has continued unabated in Cuba as there have been more than 16,000 arrests in 2015 and 2016. Additionally, data indicates that many have rushed to leave the oppressive island as Pew Research has reported more than 89,000 Cubans arrived in the United States in the past two years.\nStatement by Ros-Lehtinen:\n\u201cAfter two years, President Obama\u2019s failed and disastrous Cuba policy has only resulted in increased levels of repression and the flight of record numbers of Cubans desperate to escape the Castro regime. Rather than seeing an improvement in their day to day lives, ordinary citizens on the island have only seen an increase in the dictatorship\u2019s fierce oppression against them and the continual denial of their most basic human rights.\u00a0\u00a0Two years later, none of President Obama\u2019s unilateral concessions \u2013 an embassy, increased commercial ties, and working to undermine the embargo \u2013 have led to one iota of positive results for those who must live with the horrific consequences of living under the yoke of Castro\u2019s oppression. Rather than continuing this misguided policy, I urge the new administration to focus on promoting democracy in Cuba and work for the day when the Cuban people can determine their own future.\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://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/two-years-president-obama%E2%80%99s-failed-cuba-policy-has-only-seen-increase-repression"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3614647798240185, "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"}