The U.S. Senate Thursday passed a bill co-authored by Sen. Lamar Alexander. R-Tenn., to continue a successful program that provides child care vouchers to low-income children nationwide, including 39,000 in Tennessee. The vote was 97 to 1.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant program provides funding to states to subsidize child care for low-income families so that parents can work or participate in education and training activities.