{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcclain.house.gov/2021/12/mcclain-thune-introduce-bicameral-legislation-protect-toddlers-federal", "McClain, Thune Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Protect Toddlers from Federal Mandates", "2021-12-16", "2021", "2021-12", "Republican", "House", "MI", "Lisa C. McClain", "M001136", "mcclain.house.gov", "mcclain", "https://mcclain.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) and U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the Preventing Mandates on Toddlers Act. This bicameral legislation would nullify an interim final rule (IFR) that was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that requires universal masking for all individuals in a Head Start facility above the age of two, including all staff, volunteers, and contractors. The IFR also requires toddlers to wear masks while they are outside on the playground, and it mandates staff and volunteers to be vaccinated by January 31, 2022.\n\n\u201cThe science shows masking is detrimental to early child development. It\u2019s time we start following the science, not the political science, and put policies into place that are beneficial to our toddlers and children,\u201d said McClain. \u201cThis commonsense legislation ensures not a single dollar of taxpayer money will go to enforcing the HHS rule that is detrimental to our future generations.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe long arm of the federal government should not extend to the kickball field at our kids\u2019 and grandkids\u2019 playground,\u201d said Thune. \u201cA toddler mask mandate highlights everything that\u2019s wrong with Washington, which is why I introduced this common-sense bill that would prohibit the Biden administration from enforcing or implementing this intrusive, one-size-fits-all Washington rule. It would ensure these decisions can continue to be made by individual Head Start programs and families who know these kids best \u2013 as they have been doing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u201d\n\nThis legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas) and Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "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": ["https://mcclain.house.gov/2021/12/mcclain-thune-introduce-bicameral-legislation-protect-toddlers-federal"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.717318780720234, "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"}