Press Releases
Hirono Statement in Honor of Veterans Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day: "Veterans Day is an opportunity to celebrate the bravery and commitment of those who have served and those who still serve our country. As a nation, we are humbled and honored by their sacrifices in defense of our freedoms. "Veterans Day is also a reminder to honor our veterans, service members, and their families with action. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I hear f… Continue Reading
November 10, 2020
Hawaii Congressional Delegation Urges FEMA to Allow Reimbursement for PPE, Testing Equipment and Supplies
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor, calling on him to reconsider recent policy changes that prevent state and local governments and private nonprofit organizations from receiving reimbursements for critical purchases like personal protective equipment (PPE), coronavirus testing equipment and other supplies and services in non-medical settings. … Continue Reading
October 30, 2020
Hawaii Congressional Delegation Calls for USDA to Swiftly Assist in Response to Identification of Coffee Leaf Rust on Maui
HONOLULU - Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, calling attention to the recent positive identification of Hemileia vastatrix, the fungus that causes Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR), on coffee leaves on Maui. This is the first known presence of the fungus in Hawaii. CLR is considered the most economically damaging threat to coffee worldwide. On October 21, coffee leaves on Maui suspected t… Continue Reading
October 30, 2020
Senator Hirono Leads Resolution to Recognize Filipino American History Month
HONOLULU - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced a resolution in the United States Senate to recognize October as Filipino American History Month. S. Res. 761 honors and celebrates the history and culture of Filipino Americans. It also honors Filipino-American contributions to the United States. Representative T.J. Cox (D-Calif.) introduced a similar resolution in the House. "This resolution acknowledges the immense contributions of Filipino Americans to our country over hundreds of ye… Continue Reading
October 25, 2020
Hirono Urges Senate to Reject Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court in a speech on the Senate floor. During her remarks, Senator Hirono shared the story of how the late Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy Mink helped stop the nomination of Judge G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court by testifying against him before the Senate Judi… Continue Reading
October 22, 2020
Hirono, Van Hollen, Durbin, Sinema, Cardin, Baldwin, Warren, Carper Call for Secretary Esper to Better Educate DoD Service Members and Employees About Impact of Trump Payroll Tax Deferment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with her colleagues Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Tom Carper (D-Del.) wrote to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Mark Esper, calling for him to actively educate the hundreds of thousands of Department of Defense employees and service members who are affected by President Trump's payroll tax deferment to m… Continue Reading
October 20, 2020
Hirono, Schatz, Durbin, Klobuchar to Senate Leadership: Support Funding to Detect Invasive Species
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with her colleagues Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asking them to provide additional funding to protect America's agriculture and environment through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program. Th… Continue Reading
October 15, 2020
Hawaii to Receive $500,000 to Help Local Businesses Promote Products Overseas through SBA State Trade Expansion Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced that Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) will receive $500,000 to support local businesses as they adapt and respond to the pandemic. The funding, provided through the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), will fund several programs at DBEDT, including those to help businesses reach c… Continue Reading
October 13, 2020
Hawaii to Receive More Than $1.5 Million in Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants to Support State and Local Park Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive more than $1.5 million in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to support the City and County of Honolulu and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) with improvements to various parks on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. The City and County of Honolulu will receive $653,036 to update playgrounds and make other renovations at Geiger Community Park, Lanakila District Park, Aina Ko… Continue Reading
October 09, 2020
Hirono, Booker Announce Legislation to Improve Distance and Blended Learning for K-12 Schools During COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with her colleague Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced their plan to introduce the Learning Opportunity and Achievement Act (LOAA), which would improve distance and blended learning in our public schools during the coronavirus pandemic. LOAA combats instructional loss, particularly for at-risk and marginalized students, by providing support for professional development and training programs for teachers, tutoring and academic servic… Continue Reading
October 07, 2020
Hirono, Colleagues Announce Health Equity and Accountability Act to Create a More Equitable Health Care System
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) announced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA), sweeping legislation that would address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomic… Continue Reading
October 06, 2020
Hirono, Booker, Markey, Sanders Announce Neighbors Not Enemies Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that repeals the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Originally part of four laws known as the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Alien Enemies Act is only one of the four that remains in effect. The Alien Enemies Act allows the president to target foreign nationals of a specific country to be "apprehended, restrained, secured and re… Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Hawaii County to Receive Nearly $1.5 Million for Repairs at Isaac Hale Beach Park Following Kilauea Eruption
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that Hawaii County will receive $1,494,360 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of a grant agreement based on losses at Isaac Hale Beach Park due to the 2018 Kilauea eruption. The funding will utilized for park related infrastructure to assist with Puna's recovery. "We have come to realize and value the importance of our parks and outdoor spaces during this coronavirus pandemic, particularly when our activities were res… Continue Reading
October 01, 2020
Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Federal Worker Leave Fairness Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with her colleagues Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), introduced the Federal Worker Leave Fairness Act, legislation that will allow all federal workers to carry over the leave they have accrued when a national pandemic prevents employees from taking time off of work. Federal workers th… Continue Reading
September 28, 2020
Hirono, Wexton Introduce Legislation to Examine Spread of Coronavirus Misinformation, Disinformation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) introduced the COVID-19 Disinformation Research and Reporting Act, legislation directing a study of the "infodemic" of COVID-19-related disinformation and misinformation that has impacted the effectiveness of the response to this pandemic. In the first three months of this year alone, disinformation and misinformation about COVID-19 sent an estimated 5,800 people to the hospital and cost at least 800 … Continue Reading
September 26, 2020
Senator Hirono Announces Opposition to the Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement announcing her opposition to the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the United States Supreme Court: "I will not support the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for the following reasons: "She will vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act after being rushed on the Supreme Court in time to hear the case on November 10. Millions of Americans will lose their health care - catastrophic in the middle of a pandem… Continue Reading
September 25, 2020
Hirono Announces Over $13 Million in CARES Act Funding for Workforce Training Programs at the University of Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced the University of Hawaii (UH) has been awarded nearly $13.4 million from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to develop workforce training programs focused on high-paying, in-demand jobs within the health care, technology, and skilled trades industries. The funding, created by the CARES Act, will be administered through ED's Education Stabilization Fund (ESF). "During this time of great uncertainty for our community, we should be… Continue Reading
September 24, 2020
Hirono Provision to Help VA Home Loan Recipients Rebuild After Natural Disasters Passes Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, supported passage of the Veteran Benefits Enhancement and Expansion Act, which includes her Veteran Home Loan Disaster Recovery Act. The bill was approved by the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee yesterday. Senator Hirono's provision would allow veterans replacing homes lost to natural disasters through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Guaranty Program to access a lower fe… Continue Reading
September 24, 2020
Hirono Urges Governor Ige to Spend Federal Coronavirus Funds Before December Deadline, Make Spending Information Clear to Public
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote to Governor David Ige earlier this week asking that he detail how he will spend down the $321 million that the state received from the federal government and has not yet allocated to any purpose, which may have to be returned to the U.S. Treasury. In her letter, the Senator noted that the state has spent roughly $23 million of the $863 million Hawaii received in the CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Fund, and that Hawaii residents should … Continue Reading
September 18, 2020
Senator Hirono Statement on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement on the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: "Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a giant. There are literally not enough words to describe the transformational impact she had on the lives of millions of Americans as an advocate and a jurist. "I have a very simple message for Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell tonight. The best and only way to honor the life's work of Justice Ginsburg, a giant of a jurist, is to h… Continue Reading
