{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://simpson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352482", "Simpson joins Colleagues to Pay National Guard Service Members", "2013-10-04", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Mike Simpson", "S001148", "simpson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Idaho Congressman Mike\u00a0Simpson today signed a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asking that he use his authority to designate National Guard employees exempt status during the government shutdown to ensure they are paid.\u00a0 Congress recently passed H.R. 3210, which ensured that members of the armed forces continue to receive their paychecks.\u00a0 National Guard troops have not been included as exempt employees, but could be designated as so under the authority of H.R. 3210. \u00a0The letter states in part, \r\n\u201cOur National Guard is a critical component of ensuring that our Nation stands prepared to rapidly confront disaster at home and abroad.\u00a0 That is why we ask that you deem those activated under Title 32 \u2013 Active Guard & Reserve, dual status military technicians, and Active Duty Operational Support \u2013 as excepted employees.\u201c\r\nThe House of Representatives yesterday passed H.R. 3230, the Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act which made appropriations in effect for the pay and allowance of members of reserve components of the Armed Forces. This bill passed 265-160 with Congressman Simpson\u2019s support.\u00a0 It now moves to the Senate for consideration.", 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://simpson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352482"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9005949832499027, "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"}