{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://royce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363601", "Chairman Royce on the Passing of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "Edward Royce", "R000487", "royce.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Chairman Royce on the Passing of Nelson Mandela \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        December 5, 2013,\r\n        December 5, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa\u2019s first democratically elected president.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa\u2019s first democratically elected president:\r\n\u201cThe world has lost a humble, courageous and generous man.\u00a0 One of democracy\u2019s strongest champions, Nelson Mandela selflessly served South Africa.\u00a0 His vision and lack of vindictiveness was amazing, and brought South Africans through a very difficult transition, which could have gone in a very different, violent direction.\u00a0 Most impressively, he elected to serve a single presidential term, turning over power he assuredly could have kept.\u00a0 When others remained silent, Mandela spoke out against Mugabe\u2019s tyranny in neighboring Zimbabwe.\u00a0His message of reconciliation must endure.\u201d\u00a0\r\nNote:\u00a0From 1997 to 2004 Royce chaired the Subcommittee on Africa, working to promote democracy and the rule of law in Africa.\u00a0 Leading a congressional delegation, he met with President Mandela in 1997 in South Africa.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 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://royce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363601"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.366636948660016, "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"}