Press Releases
Senator Hirono Announces Senior Staff Promotion
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) today announced the promotion of Coti Haia to Chief of Staff. "I am proud to announce that Coti Haia will serve as my Chief of Staff," said Senator Hirono. "Coti has been an invaluable member of my team, most recently serving as my Deputy Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C. Coti brings a wealth of experience as a seasoned Senate staffer, policy expert, and former prosecutor with deep roots in Hawaii. I am confident in her ability to guide th… Continue Reading
March 30, 2022
Senator Hirono Announces $3.6 Million to Lower Energy Costs for Working Families in Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) announced that the state of Hawaii will receive $3,641,796 in federal funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which provides grants for households with low incomes to save money by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. The funding comes from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law last year and can be used for improvements such as installing insulation, upgrading heating and co… Continue Reading
March 30, 2022
Hirono Questions Deputy Assistant Secretaries on US Support of COFA Nations and Citizens
WASHINGTON, D.C. - At an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) questioned Dr. Siddharth Mohandas, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, Mark Lambert, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Keone Nakoa, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Interior for Insular and International Affairs about the status of the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) and citizens of the Freely Associated States (FAS… Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
Senator Hirono Applauds Inclusion of $1 Billion to Close Red Hill in President Biden’s FY2023 Budget Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement applauding the inclusion of $1 billion in funding for Red Hill in President Biden's fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget proposal, which was released earlier this week. The proposed funding comes in addition to the more than $1 billion for Red Hill included in spending bills signed into law earlier this year. "The Department of Defense made the right decision in … Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
After New Revelations of Ginni Thomas’s Efforts to Overturn the 2020 Election, Senator Hirono, Colleagues Demand Explanation from Justice Clarence Thomas on Failure to Recuse from Key Supreme Court Decisions, Seek Future Recusals
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and more than 20 of their colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court demanding answers regarding Justice Thomas's potential violation of federal ethics law after last week's explosive reporting on the efforts of his wife, Ms. Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, to overturn the results of the 2020 … Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
VIDEO: Senator Hirono Delivers Remarks in Support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Nomination to SCOTUS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks at Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's weekly press conference in support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Senator Hirono commended Judge Jackson for her composure and temperament throughout last week's hearing, and noted the historical significance of Judge Jackson's nomination, particularly as a role … Continue Reading
March 25, 2022
Senator Hirono Reflects on Nomination Hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a series of videos sharing her thoughts on the Committee's hearings this week to consider the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. In the videos, Senator Hirono reflects on Judge Jackson's qualifications to serve on the Court, the impact of her historic nomination, the baseless attacks launched by Committee Republicans, and… Continue Reading
March 25, 2022
With Child Nutrition Waivers Set to Expire, Senator Hirono Leads Hawaii Delegation in Urging USDA to Act to Keep Children From Going Hungry
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led the entire Hawaii Congressional Delegation in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend pandemic-related child nutrition waivers through September 30, 2023. The waivers have provided school districts and nonprofit organizations with the flexibility they need to keep children fed over the past two years. Originally established by Congress at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the waivers are currently scheduled to expire … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Senator Hirono Statement on the Conclusion of Supreme Court Nomination Hearings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement upon conclusion of the Committee's hearings to consider the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. "Throughout this hearing, Judge Jackson proved what we all knew to be true: she is eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Judge Jackson showed us th… Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Senate Unanimously Passes Hirono, Tester, Boozman, Collins Bill to Improve Veterans’ Access to Lifesaving Breast Cancer Screening & Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Boozman (R-AR), and Susan Collins (R-ME) to expand veterans' access to high-quality breast cancer screening and lifesaving cancer care. This legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. "We have a duty to provide our veterans the care and treatment they need to stay safe and healthy after serving our… Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Senator Hirono and Colleagues Slam Taliban’s Refusal to Open Secondary Education to Afghan Girls
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to the Taliban's decision to renege on its promise to open schools to Afghan girls above the sixth grade, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following joint statement with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). "The Taliban's decision to continue to deny girls access to secondary education confirms what we warned was a go… Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Senator Hirono Statement on the Passing of Madeleine Albright
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement on the passing of Madeleine Albright: "As the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright proudly represented our country as a champion of human rights and democracy. Secretary Albright immigrated to the U.S. as a refugee and became a brilliant leader in the international community, shaping our country's foreign policy for decades to come. "Today, we mourn the loss of this iconic tra… Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Hirono, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan Effort to Prioritize Broadband Access for Small Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and John Kennedy (R-LA) in reintroducing legislation to prioritize broadband access for small businesses. The Small Business Broadband and Emerging Information Technology Enhancement Act would improve programs operated by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address problems around the lack of broadband internet and other… Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Senator Hirono Statement on 12-Year Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), released the following statement on the 12-year anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law: "Twelve years after it was signed into law, the Affordable Care Act continues to help provide Americans the care they need to stay healthy. Thanks to the ACA, more than 133 million individuals with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage, women can get essential treatment like birth control … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Senators Hirono, Portman Introduce Resolution Designating April 2022 as National Native Plant Month
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating April 2022 as "National Native Plant Month" and recognizing the importance of native plants to environmental conservation and restoration, as well as in supporting a diversity of wildlife. "Native plants are an important piece of Hawaii's history, culture, and environment. As home to 44 percent of our country's threatened and endangered plant species, in Hawaii, w… Continue Reading
March 21, 2022
Senator Hirono Delivers Opening Remarks at Confirmation Hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks on the first day of the committee's hearing to consider the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. In her remarks, Senator Hirono highlighted Judge Jackson's extensive professional qualifications, her personal background, and the historic nature of her nomination to be the first Black woman ever to … Continue Reading
March 18, 2022
Senator Hirono, Colleagues Urge White House to Include $4 Billion in Homeless Assistance Grants in FY2023 Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined thirteen Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to include $4 billion in homeless assistance grants in his Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget so the country can make additional progress towards sheltering unhoused people and ending homelessness. "Nationwide, nearly 600,000 people experience homelessness on any given night, and around one-third of them are unsheltered: living somewhere unfit for a person, like a car or tent," t… Continue Reading
March 15, 2022
Senator Hirono Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Atlanta Spa Shootings
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), released the following statement ahead of the one-year anniversary of the devastating shootings at three Asian-owned spas in the Atlanta area that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women: "One year after the horrific spa shootings in Atlanta, the increased rise in anti-Asian hate crimes continues to spur fear, anger and grief in the Asian and Pacific Islander community. In remembrance of the women who were murdered in Atlanta, an… Continue Reading
March 15, 2022
Heeding Call from Hirono and Colleagues, Biden Administration Extends Pandemic Relief for Millions of Small Businesses
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, applauded the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) decision to extend the deferment period for the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, a move she called for last week in a letter to the SBA. The COVID EIDL program was established by Congress in 2020 and has provided financial relief to nearly four million small businesses, including more than 19,000 in Hawaii, amid th… Continue Reading
March 11, 2022
Senator Hirono Statement on the One Year Anniversary of President Biden Signing the American Rescue Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of President Biden signing the American Rescue Plan (ARP): "The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities in Hawaii and across the country. The American Rescue Plan allocated crucial funding to help lower costs for families, address the housing crisis, and provide resources and support to respond to this public health emergency. "In Hawaii, the ARP pro… Continue Reading
