{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-hawaii-island-selected-as-finalist-for-up-to-100-million-grant-to-support-local-farmers-help-grow-agricultural-economy", "Schatz: Hawai\u2018i Island Selected As Finalist For Up To $100 Million Grant To Support Local Farmers, Help Grow Agricultural Economy", "2021-12-13", "2021", "2021-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "HI", "Brian Schatz", "S001194", "www.schatz.senate.gov", "schatz", "https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) today announced that the Hawai\u2018i Island Coalition was named a finalist for the Biden Administration\u2019s Build Back Better Regional Challenge and will receive $500,000 to further develop a proposal for between $25 and $100 million in potential future grant funding. If successful, the coalition would use the funds to create jobs, train workers, and expand the market reach of Hawai\u2018i Island\u2019s farmers.\n\n\u201cThis announcement is great news for the Big Island and the state,\u201d said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. \u201cInvesting in agriculture will create jobs, support families, and grow our local economy. I\u2019ll do everything I can to get this application over the finish line and make sure Hawai\u2018i secures this federal funding.\u201d\n\nThe Hawai\u2018i Island Coalition, led by Hawai\u2018i County, seeks to create a robust agricultural economy that corrects past systemic barriers to growth that are unique to islands, while also helping respond to economic downturns due to the pandemic and natural disasters. The coalition aims to divert 20 percent of Hawai\u2018i\u2019s food import market to local producers, creating thousands of new jobs and stimulating the specialty export market. If successful in securing the larger grant, the coalition would build an industrial park, train workers, and increase food processing and production capacity.\n\nThe Economic Development Administration launched the Build Back Better Regional Challenge with funds provided by the American Rescue Plan, which Congress passed \u2013 and Senator Schatz supported \u2013 earlier this year. The challenge leverages $1 billion to boost economic recovery from the pandemic and rebuild American communities, with 30 winners receiving grants worth between $25-100 million to develop local initiatives. The Hawai\u2018i Island Coalition is one of 60 finalists selected from 529 applications.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "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.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-hawaii-island-selected-as-finalist-for-up-to-100-million-grant-to-support-local-farmers-help-grow-agricultural-economy"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3351170346140862, "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"}