Press Releases
Hirono Stresses Importance of Continued Federal Disaster Resources for Hawaii Businesses, Homeowners
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today during a U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) highlighted the importance of continued disaster relief for Hawaii businesses, homeowners, and others who were impacted by last year's natural disasters, and requested U.S. Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon's continued commitment to supporting individuals and families who were impacted. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded roughly $48 … Continue Reading
February 13, 2019
Hirono Secures Important Hawaii Priorities in Natural Resources Management Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, successfully secured important Hawaii priorities in the Natural Resources Management Act that passed the Senate today on a 92-8 vote. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. "Passing the Natural Resources Management Act is a great example of what the Senate can accomplish when we come together on a bipartisan basis to get things done," Senator Hirono said. "… Continue Reading
February 12, 2019
Hirono, Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Protect America’s National Monuments from Donald Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.), along with 23 Senate colleages, re-introduced legislation to improve protections for national monuments as part of an effort to counter the unprecedented attacks on public lands by the Trump administration. The America's Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States, (or, ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2019 reaffirms Congress' original intent in the Antiquities Act of 1906 … Continue Reading
February 08, 2019
Hirono Requests Information about Credit Protections for Federal Employees, Contractors Impacted by Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote to the executives of the three national credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian North America, and TransUnion requesting information about what steps have been taken to protect the creditworthiness of federal employees and contractors impacted by the government shutdown. Senator Hirono urged the companies to consider the unique circumstances of the government shutdown when considering actions that could negatively impact these workers' credit … Continue Reading
February 08, 2019
Hirono, Markey, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Green New Deal Resolution
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and 10 of her Senate colleagues in unveiling a bicameral Green New Deal resolution that calls for aggressive action to combat climate change by creating high-paying jobs, prioritizing environmental health and wellness in a way that allows communities, families, and individuals to thrive. Senate co-sponsors of the Green New Deal resolution include: Senators Jeff… Continue Reading
February 07, 2019
Hirono Urges Swift Passage of Bipartisan Public Lands Package that Includes Critical Hawaii Priorities
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) took to the Senate floor to urge the swift passage of S.47, the Natural Resources Management Act. The sweeping bipartisan public lands package includes, among other critical Hawaii priorities, a permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, legislation to expand Conservation Corps programs like KUPU, and legislation Senator Hirono introduced in the 115th Congress to expand and improve volcano monitoring across the co… Continue Reading
February 01, 2019
Hirono, Reed, Brown Propose $100 Billion Investment to Rebuild and Repair America’s Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and 16 of their colleagues, to unveil new legislation aimed at improving school infrastructure in the United States. The bill, the Rebuild America's Schools Act, would provide $100 billion in federal grants and school construction bonds over the next decade to assist communities in building and renovating schools while creating an estimated 1.9 million jobs. "Far too many children ac… Continue Reading
January 30, 2019
Hirono, Murkowski, Coons, Gardner, Takano Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal
WASHINGTON, D.C.- On what would have been his 100th Birthday, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced bicameral legislation to award Fred Korematsu the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his fight against the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and his work to advance civil rights. "Fred Korematsu stood up for the rights of more than 1… Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
Hirono Continues to Fight to Ensure Federal Contract Workers Hurt by Shutdown Receive Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined 32 BJ SEIU union members and several of her colleagues, including Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), to urge the passage of legislation that would secure back pay for federal contractor employees impacted by the government shutdown. From Senator Hirono's remarks at the press conference: "Thank you to SEIU for bringing us together so we can focus on wh… Continue Reading
January 28, 2019
Hirono, Van Hollen, Murkowski Urge OPM to Expedite Back Pay for Federal Workers Impacted by Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a bipartisan letter to Margaret M. Weichert, Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska.), and several of their colleagues wrote to the Trump Administration urging OPM to provide back pay for federal workers as soon as possible following the conclusion of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. "More than 800,000 federal workers have gone without pay beca… Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Hirono Statement on the Announcement of a Deal to End the Trump Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement after the announcement that a deal has been reached to end the Trump shutdown: "Today's announcement is a welcome, albeit temporary, end to this unnecessary, unconscionable Trump shutdown. "Over the past 35 days, Donald Trump took hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors, and indeed the entire country, hostage - all because of his obsession with building his vanity wall. It was telling that even in ann… Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Hirono Announces Nearly $1 Million in Federal Funding for Hawaii’s Preschool Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive nearly $1 million in continued support under the federal Preschool Development Grant program. This funding will support ongoing efforts to promote and improve the quality of early learning opportunities for children by better connecting and aligning existing programs and services throughout the state. “This grant will help to improve high-quality early learning programs across Hawaii through a ne… Continue Reading
January 22, 2019
Hirono, Smith Introduce Legislation to Ensure Federal Contract Workers Hurt by Shutdown Receive Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and 21 of their colleagues introduced legislation to secure back pay for the federal contractor employees impacted by the government shutdown. The bill-the Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act-would provide back pay up to $600 per paycheck for employees of federal contractor employees who were furloughed or had their hours reduced due to the government shutdown. The bill aims to help low-wage federal… Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Hirono to Continue to Serve as Top Democrat on Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono was reappointed to serve as the Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, which oversees the vast majority of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps programs. "Our Navy and Marine Corps are at the center of confronting many of our country's most pressing strategic challenges," Senator Hirono said. "I look forward to continuing my role in ensuring that our Armed Forces can meet these challenges in a responsible manner, while also supporting … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Hirono Rallies with Federal Workers, Calls on Trump & McConnell to End Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined hundreds of furloughed federal employees who are members of more than 20 labor unions at a rally to call on President Donald Trump and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to end the government shutdown. From Senator Hirono's remarks at the rally: "We know there are two people who can end this shutdown right now. One is the President, who is an amoral hostage taker. The other is Mitch McConnell, who has had no problem bringin… Continue Reading
January 04, 2019
Senators Hirono, Harris Lead Senators in Calling for DHS to Reexamine Arbitrary Detention and Deportation of Southeast Asian Refugees
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) led 13 senators in urging Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen to reexamine her Department's "arbitrary detention and deportation" of many long-term U.S. residents from Southeast Asia, including those who fled war and genocide. The Senators noted with particular concern that the Trump Administration's targeting of Vietnamese refugees who arrived in the country prior to the reestablishment of dipl… Continue Reading
December 27, 2018
Senator Hirono to Donate Pay to Food Banks Across Hawaii During Partial Government Shutdown
Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that she will donate pay she receives during the partial government shutdown to food banks in all four counties across Hawaii. "More than 2,500 federal workers in Hawaii are either furloughed or working without pay during the holidays because Donald Trump shut down the government," Senator Hirono said. "As long as Donald Trump refuses to re-open the government, I will be donating my salary to Hawaii's food banks - who serve nearly one in eight Hawaii residents … Continue Reading
December 22, 2018
Hirono Statement on the Partial Government Shutdown
Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement on the partial government shutdown: "Two nights ago, the Senate did its job by passing a bill to keep the government open with the expectation that the House would pass it and that the President would sign it into law. But at the 11th hour, Donald Trump succumbed to pressure from his far right-wing base and chose to shut down the government for a $5 billion down payment on his vanity wall. "This shutdown is totally unfair, completely unnec… Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
After Passing the House, Hirono, Duckworth, Royce, Lieu Bill to Honor Chinese-American WWII Veterans Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) to recognize the contributions of more than 18,000 Chinese-American World War II veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian honor that Congress can bestow. The Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act was introduced by Senators Hirono and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Representatives Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (… Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
Hirono Statement on Trump Administration’s Announcement that it Will End Policy that Lengthens Incarceration of Unaccompanied Minors
Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would end its policy of requiring fingerprinting of all adult members in the households of potential sponsors for unaccompanied minor immigrants to the United States: "Last weekend, I visited Tornillo - a tent city housing 2,700 unaccompanied children from across the southern border. I saw how the Trump administration made a dire situation even worse by requiring fingerprinting of every adult in t… Continue Reading
