{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=93E1BB22-AD80-41AE-9929-43F5F32137C3", "Hatch Praises Nominee for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Role", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Orrin Hatch", "H000338", "www.hatch.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)\u2014a member and former Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and a longtime champion for Americans with disabilities\u2014issued the following statement in support of Johnny Collett, the President\u2019s nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education. The HELP Committee advanced Mr. Collett\u2019s nomination earlier this evening:\r\nMr. Collett is a superbly qualified nominee with over 15 years of experience supporting students with disabilities. His track record speaks for itself, and I\u2019m confident that his years of experience as a special education teacher, as a State Director of Special Education, and as the Director of Special Education Outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers makes him uniquely qualified to lead this office. As Assistant Secretary, he will continue supporting the needs of students with disabilities. This is a critically important position, and having a strong, qualified nominee to serve in this role is vital to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full academic potential.\r\n\r\n\r\nThroughout my term of service, I have championed an even playing field in education for students with disabilities. I was an author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and just this year, I co-authored the Respond, Innovate, Support, and Empower Students with Disabilities Act. I also sponsored the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act to ensure proper accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education. Johnny Collett has my full confidence, and I look forward to supporting his nomination when it moves to the Senate floor for a vote.", 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://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/releases?ContentRecord_id=93E1BB22-AD80-41AE-9929-43F5F32137C3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.498284051194787, "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"}