{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/press-releases/icymi-new-hirono-bill-to-protect-workers-in-hawaiis-longline-fleet-", "ICYMI: New Hirono Bill to Protect Workers in Hawaii’s Longline Fleet", "2016-10-31", "2016", "2016-10", "Democrat", "House", "HI", "Mazie Hirono", "H001042", "www.hirono.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ICYMI: New Hirono Bill to Protect Workers in Hawaii\u2019s Longline Fleet \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, October 31, 2016\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tSenator Mazie K. Hirono will introduce a bill in the new Congress to protect foreign fishermen from exploitation and preserve Hawaii\u2019s longline fishing industry. The Senator laid out her principles for this bill in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:\r\n\u201cHirono\u2019s bill would give the fishermen temporary work visas designed to afford the workers wage protections, safe working conditions and contract enforcement provisions, similar to those afforded other foreign workers with comparable visas.\r\n\u201cThe visas would allow the fishermen to leave their vessels when docked in Honolulu, as well as travel in and out of Honolulu Airport. Currently, the workers aren\u2019t permitted to fly into the country in order to board the American boats. Instead, captains pick up the workers at foreign locations, such as Samoa.\r\n\u201cThe legislation is aimed at protecting the fishermen while also preserving the longline industry. Hirono has also been working with federal agencies to come up with nonlegislative fixes to the fishermen\u2019s plight.\r\n\u201c\u2018I am committed to protecting foreign fishermen from exploitation and preserving Hawaii\u2019s longline fishing industry,\u2019 Hirono said in a statement Saturday. \u2018I am reviewing relevant laws and regulations and working with federal agencies, stakeholders and other knowledgeable sources to develop legislation that will accomplish these goals.\u2019\u201d", 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/press-releases/icymi-new-hirono-bill-to-protect-workers-in-hawaiis-longline-fleet-"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 9.211656171828508, "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"}