{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.daines.senate.gov/2026/05/20/daines-bill-to-codify-first-lady-melania-trumps-fostering-the-future-initiative-to-help-foster-youth-build-successful-careers-passes-u-s-house/", "Daines Bill to Codify First Lady Melania Trump\u2019s Fostering the Future Initiative to Help Foster Youth Build Successful Careers Passes U.S. House", "2026-05-20", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "MT", "Steve Daines", "D000618", "www.daines.senate.gov", "daines", "https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the news that his bill, the \u201cFoster Youth Education and Workforce Opportunity Act,\u201d passed the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cHuge news- my bill to expand workforce training and career opportunities for America\u2019s foster youth passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday! One of the greatest gifts that we can give our children is the opportunity to succeed, and this bill will help set our foster youth up for success by increasing access to education and workforce training needed to build a career. Next step: the Senate,\u201d said Daines.\n\nBackground:\n\nDaines introduced the \u201cFoster Youth Education and Workforce Opportunity Act\u201d in April 2026- read the release HERE.\n\nEach year, about 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system and face significant barriers to employment, education, and housing. By their mid-20s, former foster youth earn approximately 50 percent less and have lower employment rates than their peers, underscoring the need for stronger pathways to self-sufficiency.\n\nThe John H. Chafee Foster Care Program provides support through Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) to help foster youth pursue postsecondary education. However, the program has not kept pace with rising costs or the evolving demands of today\u2019s workforce needs.\n\nThe Foster Youth Education and Workforce Opportunity Act would modernize the program by:\n\nExpanding the allowable uses of ETVs to include short-term, workforce-aligned training programs registered apprenticeships, career and technical education, GED attainment, and remedial education\n\nIncreasing the maximum individual ETV award from $5,000 to $12,000 annually\n\nImproving flexibility for states to address barriers to participation, including transportation challenges, particularly in rural communities, and by simplifying the application process.\n\nThis bipartisan legislation strengthens pathways to self-sufficiency and aligns federal support expanding access to education and training opportunities beyond a traditional college degree.\n\n###", 1, "2026-05-21T06:28:16Z", "2026-05-21T06:29:43Z"]], "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://www.daines.senate.gov/2026/05/20/daines-bill-to-codify-first-lady-melania-trumps-fostering-the-future-initiative-to-help-foster-youth-build-successful-careers-passes-u-s-house/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1319173499941826, "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"}