diff --git a/sunlight/service.py b/sunlight/service.py
index 296c4b8..455f1d4 100644
--- a/sunlight/service.py
+++ b/sunlight/service.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 :class:`sunlight.services.openstates.OpenStates`) inherit from this.
 """
 import sys
+import datetime
 
 import sunlight.config
 import sunlight.errors
@@ -111,3 +112,13 @@ class EntityDict(dict):
     def __init__(self, data={}, meta=None):
         dict.__init__(self, data)
         self._meta = meta
+
+
+def datetime_parser(dct):
+    for k, v in dct.items():
+        for dte_fmt in ("%Y-%m-%d", "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"):
+            try:
+                dct[k] = datetime.datetime.strptime(v, dte_fmt)
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+    return dct
diff --git a/sunlight/services/capitolwords.py b/sunlight/services/capitolwords.py
index 57c85e5..48a9a49 100644
--- a/sunlight/services/capitolwords.py
+++ b/sunlight/services/capitolwords.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 
 from sunlight.errors import InvalidRequestException, BadRequestException
+from sunlight.service import datetime_parser
 
 import sunlight.service
 import json
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ def _get_url(self, pathparts, apikey, **kwargs):
         return ret
 
     def _decode_response(self, response):
-        ret = json.loads(response)
+        ret = json.loads(response, object_hook=datetime_parser)
         if "error" in ret:
             ex = InvalidRequestException(ret['error'])
             ex.response = ret
diff --git a/sunlight/services/congress.py b/sunlight/services/congress.py
index 6dc339f..49f48ab 100644
--- a/sunlight/services/congress.py
+++ b/sunlight/services/congress.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 """
 
 import sunlight.service
-from sunlight.service import EntityDict, EntityList
+from sunlight.service import EntityDict, EntityList, datetime_parser
 from sunlight.pagination import pageable
 from sunlight.errors import SunlightException
 import json
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ def _get_url(self, pathparts, apikey, **kwargs):
 
     def _decode_response(self, response):
         try:
-            data = json.loads(response)
+            data = json.loads(response, object_hook=datetime_parser)
         except Exception:
             raise SunlightException('Error parsing response! Something must be wrong with our Congress... API')
         results = data.pop('results', None)
diff --git a/sunlight/services/opencivic.py b/sunlight/services/opencivic.py
index 04a61f0..087f658 100644
--- a/sunlight/services/opencivic.py
+++ b/sunlight/services/opencivic.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 import sunlight.service
 from sunlight.errors import BadRequestException
-from sunlight.service import EntityDict
+from sunlight.service import EntityDict, datetime_parser
 import json
 
 module_name = "opencivic"
@@ -77,4 +77,4 @@ def _get_url(self, objs, apikey, **kwargs):
         )
 
     def _decode_response(self, response):
-        return json.loads(response)
+        return json.loads(response, object_hook=datetime_parser)
diff --git a/sunlight/services/openstates.py b/sunlight/services/openstates.py
index 735e8b1..4342fee 100644
--- a/sunlight/services/openstates.py
+++ b/sunlight/services/openstates.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # of the LICENSE file.
 
 import sunlight.service
+from sunlight.service import datetime_parser
 from sunlight.errors import BadRequestException
 import json
 
@@ -196,4 +197,4 @@ def _get_url(self, objs, apikey, **kwargs):
         )
 
     def _decode_response(self, response):
-        return json.loads(response)
+        return json.loads(response, object_hook=datetime_parser)