Press Releases
Hirono, Durbin, Kennedy, Tillis Bipartisan Bill to Defend Intellectual Property from Theft Heads to U.S. Senate Floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), unanimously passed the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and will now head to the U.S. Senate floor. The CASE Act establishes the Copyright Claims Board at the Copyright Office to make it easier and less expensive for independent creators, such as photographers, song… Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
Senators Hirono, Merkley Introduce Legislation that would Create Good-Paying Jobs in a Green Economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and nine of their U.S. Senate colleagues introduced legislation to spur economic development and create jobs during the transition into a clean economy. As new and innovative opportunities in the clean energy, infrastructure, and technology sectors continue to grow, the Good Jobs for 21st Century Energy Act would provide tax credits to businesses and industries who adhere to pro-worker standards of living, such… Continue Reading
July 18, 2019
Senators Hirono, Rounds Reintroduce Legislation to Promote Veteran Small Business Exports
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), both members of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, reintroduced the Veterans Small Business Export Promotion Act. The bill would amend the Small Business Act to waive up-front guarantee fees for veterans and their spouses participating in the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) export promotion loan programs. "Veteran-owned businesses are vital to Hawaii's economy," Senator Hirono said. "However, a … Continue Reading
July 15, 2019
Senator Hirono Leads Letter Warning of Scientific Data Suppression within USGS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and twenty-one of her U.S. Senate colleagues sent a letter to Dr. James Reilly, the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), to express their concern over recent reports that USGS will only utilize climate models that project the effects of climate change through 2040. USGS has historically used models that projected the anticipated impact of climate change through the end of the century. The Senators called into question US… Continue Reading
July 09, 2019
Senator Hirono Highlights Hawaii’s Continued Efforts to Expand Renewable Energy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Energy, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) highlighted ongoing efforts in Hawaii to adopt sustainable energy sources and reaffirmed her support for S. 1593, the Promoting Grid Storage Act of 2019, which would provide federal resources to support research, development, and deployment of energy storage systems, including assistance to local organizations to identify and design ener… Continue Reading
July 08, 2019
Senator Hirono Announces Federal Funding to Promote Maui Business Connect Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced $100,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the Maui Economic Development Board's (MEDB) creation of the Maui Business Connect program. "The more new businesses get started and grow, the more we can diversify the local economy, creating new opportunities and good paying jobs on Maui for years to come," Senator Hirono said. "It is my hope that this fede… Continue Reading
July 03, 2019
Hirono Promotes Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program, Encourages Eligible Veterans to Apply for Program before 2021 Deadline
HONOLULU - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono encouraged eligible veterans to apply for the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) Program today during a meeting with the Milla Family - the first family to benefit from the program in Hawaii. Senator Hirono successfully lobbied the Obama Administration to establish the FWVP program in 2016. The program, which has successfully reunited hundreds of families in the United States, will expire in June 2021. "Facing a decades-long visa backlog, thous… Continue Reading
July 02, 2019
Senator Hirono Emphasizes Importance of Coral Reef Research in Visit to Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Facility on Coconut Island
HONOLULU, HAWAII - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono emphasized the importance of coral reef research during a visit to the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology's facility on Coconut Island. During her visit, Senator Hirono met with scientists studying coral restoration, assisted coral evolution, and threats to coral reef ecosystem - including climate change. "The unique ocean conditions in Kaneohe Bay make it an ideal location to study how different species of coral might respond to the growing threa… Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
One Year Since Janus Decision, Senators Hirono, Stabenow, Whitehouse Release Report on Status of Workers’ Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) released a new report detailing the impact on workers' rights since the Supreme Court's decision to weaken public-sector unions in the Janus v. AFSCME case, which was decided one year ago today. The report also examined the role of dark money campaigns to defund unions. "The Supreme Court's harmful Janus decision was the capstone on a campaign by conservative, right-wing forc… Continue Reading
June 27, 2019
Hirono, Menendez, Booker Joint Statement on SCOTUS Decision on Citizenship Question on 2020 Census
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J) issued the following joint statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Trump Administration's justification for adding a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. Earlier this year, Senators Hirono, Menendez, and Booker introduced the Every Person Counts Act (S. 201), legislation that would prohibit the Secretary of Commerce from including any question regarding one's citizenship… Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Hirono, Cartwright, Senate & House Democrats Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Va.), and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) introduced bicameral legislation, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2019, that will guarantee the right of public employees to … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Senators Hirono, Stabenow Lead Call for Investigation at USDA Amid Reports of Scientific Data Suppression
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and 17 of their U.S. Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Ms. Phyllis K. Fong, the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to request an investigation into potential instances of suppression and alteration of scientific reports, documents, or communications produced by USDA. The Senators also called for the Inspector General to investigate instances of retaliation and political decis… Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Hirono, Matsui Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Promote Title IX, Gender Equity in Education
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) reintroduced bicameral legislation to provide more resources, training, and technical assistance to address discrimination in education throughout the United States. The Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) would provide these resources through the Patsy Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, more commonly referred to as Title IX, which is the federal la… Continue Reading
June 24, 2019
Senators Hirono, Capito, Whitehouse Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Shingles, Tdap Vaccines
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earlier this month, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced legislation that would provide Medicare beneficiaries access to vaccines at no additional cost. S. 1872, the Protecting Seniors through Immunizations Act of 2019, would improve access to all recommended vaccines for Medicare beneficiaries, including shingles and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap), with the goal of helping to increase vaccin… Continue Reading
June 24, 2019
Hirono Delivers Principal Address at Christening for the USS Daniel Inouye
BATH, MAINE - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, delivered the principal address at the christening ceremony of the USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine today. The 509-foot ship is the Navy's 68th Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, and is expected to arrive at its home port at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in 2020. The ship carries the "Go for Broke" motto of the 442nd Regimental … Continue Reading
June 21, 2019
Hirono, Case Introduce Legislation to Address Threats Facing Coral Reef Ecosystems
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, in recognition of National Oceans Month, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Ed Case (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation that would support practices to preserve, sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems. The Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2019 addresses threats facing our nation's coral reef ecosystems by directing the 12 federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to use existing cross-agency funding to carry out a cor… Continue Reading
June 18, 2019
Senators Hirono, Murkowski, and Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Energy Efficiency in Federal Buildings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Cory Gardner (R-Col.) introduced S. 1857, the Federal Energy and Water Management Performance Act of 2019, which would formally authorize the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and establish energy and water usage reduction goals for federal buildings. Buildings account for about 40 percent of all U.S. energy consumptio… Continue Reading
June 17, 2019
Senators Hirono, Booker Introduce First-Ever Slavery Reparations Bill in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and 11 of their U.S. Senate colleagues introduced S. 1083, the H.R. 40 Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, which establishes a commission to consider proposals for reparations for African-American descendants of slavery. The commission would address policies that continue to uphold systemic racism and result in disparities in economic and educational opportunities … Continue Reading
June 14, 2019
Senators Hirono, Gillibrand Reintroduce Legislation to Bring Justice to Survivors of Sexual Assault in the Military
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Thursday, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and 28 of their U.S. Senate colleagues reintroduced legislation that would remove the sole decision-making authority over whether serious crimes are prosecuted from the military chain of command and give it to independent, trained military prosecutors. The Military Justice Improvement Act would professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes like sexual assault in order to remove the syst… Continue Reading
June 12, 2019
Over 60 Hawaii Businesses, 2,500 Attendees Flock to Sixth Annual Taste of Hawaii on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii celebrated the success of the Sixth Annual Taste of Hawaii on Capitol Hill, which drew over 60 Hawaii businesses and 2,000 attendees. Each participant received a fresh orchid lei and learned about an array of Hawaii businesses representing the diversity of Hawaii's economy. "The Taste of Hawaii on Capitol Hill is the most popular state showcase on Capitol Hill, and every year we are privileged to host so many people i… Continue Reading
