{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2019-11-05-pt1-PgE1398-2", "2019-11-05", 116, 1, null, null, "RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF RICHMOND FOR REDUCING BARRIERS TO VOTING IN VIRGINIA'S 2019 ELECTIONS", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "RECOGNIZING", "E1398", "E1398", "[{\"name\": \"A. Donald McEachin\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "165 Cong. Rec. E1398", "Congressional Record, Volume 165 Issue 176 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 176 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Page E1398]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n  RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF RICHMOND FOR REDUCING BARRIERS TO VOTING IN\n                       VIRGINIA'S 2019 ELECTIONS\n\n                                 ______\n\n                        HON. A. DONALD McEACHIN\n\n                              of virginia\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                       Tuesday, November 5, 2019\n\n  Mr. McEACHIN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to\nrecognize the City of Richmond for its efforts to remove barriers to\nvoter participation in Virginia's 2019 elections. Mayor Levar Stoney\nand his administration are partnering with the Greater Richmond Transit\nCorporation (GRTC) for the second year in a row to provide free rides\nto the polls for Richmond residents on Election Day. Additionally, the\nCity of Richmond is giving its employees the day off on Tuesday,\nNovember 5, 2019. Both measures will address potential impediments to\nvoting and will help encourage participation in both state and local\nelections.\n  Access to transportation has historically been an obstacle for\nunderserved and marginalized communities to exercise their rights on\nElection Day. To address these concerns, GRTC will provide free\ntransportation to nearly every polling location in the City of\nRichmond. In doing so, more individuals will be able to access polling\nstations, enabling many more Richmonders to vote.\n  The ability to take time off from work has also been a barrier to the\nballot box. To help tackle this issue, the City of Richmond will close\nits offices on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 to make it easier for city\nemployees to vote.\n  Since my time in the Virginia General Assembly, I have fought for\nvoters' rights; the right to vote is sacred and should be protected.\nThat is why I introduced the Election Day Holiday Act, which would make\nElection Day a federal holiday. At a time when our elections are under\nattack from outside and within our country, it is more important than\never that we remove barriers to the ballot box.\n  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mayor\nStoney, the Stoney administration, and GRTC for improving access and\nremoving barriers to voting for Richmond residents.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2019-11-05-pt1-PgE1398-2"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7090539913624525, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}