{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-venezuela-s-election-to-the-united", "Congressman Sires Statement on Venezuelas Election  to the United Nations Security Council", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)- \u00a0Congressman Albio Sires issued the following statement regarding Venezuela\u2019s election to the United Nations Security Council: \u00a0\n\u201cThe election of Venezuela as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council is a great disappointment.\u00a0 Venezuela, a country whose own intransigence and disrespect for democracy, human rights, and freedom of assembly are antithetical to the principles of the UN Charter, is sorely underserving of such a coveted and solemn responsibility upon whose task is maintaining the peace and security of the world.\u00a0\nThe fact that Venezuela was the sole candidate on behalf of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries in the United Nations (GRULAC) was disconcerting as it demonstrated a step back and blind disregard for democracy and human rights in the hemisphere.\u00a0 It is unfortunate that the GRULAC group of nations chose to hide behind a veil of procedural correctness whereby a nation whose leadership has a penchant for abusing democratic institutions and the rule of law is allowed to simply have its turn.\nAt a time when the world is facing an increasing number of threats, it will be incumbent upon all member states, and in particular the GRULAC group, to put Venezuela to task and compel it to comport itself with the dignity and seriousness the responsibilities of the Security Council demands.\u201d\nCongressman Sires serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere within the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the 113th Congress.\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://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-venezuela-s-election-to-the-united"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.6584439910948277, "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"}