{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sablan.house.gov/close-micronesian-trust-funded", "Close Up, Micronesian Trust funded", "2020-09-09", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "House", "MP", "Gregorio Sablan", "S001177", "sablan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Close Up, Micronesian Trust funded                                           \n              Sep 9, 2020      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n            \n    \n  \n    \n        \n      It is critical each year to include language in the Interior Appropriation report directing the Office of Insular Affairs to use technical assistance funds provided by Congress to support civic education programs, like Close Up. We made sure that language      \n        \n      \n    \n    \n    Close Up is receiving $672,978 this year for its civic education programs for island students. And the Micronesian Conservation Trust is receiving $212,000 to build natural resource management capacity in the Northern Marianas, other U.S. territories, and freely associated states. The Department of Interior's Office of Insular Affairs announced the awards Tuesday.\n TheClose Up Foundationprovides civics education programs for students and teachers and helps bring high school students from the insular areas to experience Washington, DC and other historic cities. The next trip is planned for the summer of 2021. A portion of the funds also helps fund annual educational summits held in the islands and organized by Close Up and supports virtual learning programs and professional development for teachers.\n\tTheMicronesia Conservation Trustsupports capacity development for natural resources management and related careers in the islands by providing fellowships to graduate students from the Northern Marianas, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau. Funds also support the Micronesia Challenge Young Champions program for undergraduate students working with organizations focused on natural resource conservation.\n Congress appropriated $20.8 million for technical assistance grants of this kind for FY20, despite the Trump administration's repeated attempts to reduce funding. For FY21 the Trump administration proposed cutting to $14.7 million, but the House passed the Interior Department appropriation bill on July 10 with an increase to $22.8 million. We made sure to include instructions to continue supporting civic education programs, like Close Up.", 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": ["https://sablan.house.gov/close-micronesian-trust-funded"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9179359767585993, "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"}