{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/hirono-says-child-care-bill-will-help-hawaiians", "Hirono Says Child Care Bill Will Help Hawaiians", "2014-11-17", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Mazie Hirono", "H001042", "www.hirono.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hirono Says Child Care Bill Will Help Hawaiians\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n                Each month more than 9,000 families in the islands rely on federally supported child-care services to help them work or acquire new skills.\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Chad Blair\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Monday, November 17, 2014\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Who says Congress can\u2019t agree on anything?\r\nOn Monday the U.S. Senate\u00a0passed 88-1\u00a0the\u00a0Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014.\u00a0Both of Hawaii\u2019s senators voted in favor of the measure.\r\nMike Lee of Utah was the lone Republican to vote against the measure, which provides federal funding to states to help parents afford child care while working or in job training programs.\r\nThe measure already cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and now heads to the White House for President Obama\u2019s expected signature.\r\n\r\nSen. Hirono promoting quality early learning at an event on Capitol Hill.\r\n\u201cFor some parents, not having access to quality child care means they can\u2019t work to support their family. This legislation allows families to balance the need to work with being able to ensure the health, safety and development of their keiki,\u201d Hirono said via press release.\r\nHirono added, \u201cEach month more than 9,000 Hawaii families rely on federally supported child care services that allow them to work or to acquire new job skills. Strengthening and renewing the (child care)\u00a0program is an important way to keep our families safe and strong, and I\u2019m proud to vote in favor of this bill.\u201d\r\nHirono\u2019s office says that last December, the senator\u00a0partnered with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to send a\u00a0letter\u00a0to Senate committee leaders urging them to ensure Native Hawaiian children continue to be served by the federal government.\r\nAs well, an amendment by Hirono, Murkowski and Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) increases funding for current Native Hawaiian and mainland tribal child-care program.\r\nRead the entire piece at: http://www.civilbeat.com/2014/11/hirono-says-child-care-bill-will-help-hawaiians/", 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.hirono.senate.gov/news/hirono-says-child-care-bill-will-help-hawaiians"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7904008962213993, "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"}