Press Releases
Hirono Highlights Importance of Energy Storage Technologies to Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Goals
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned a panel of experts about developments in energy storage and battery technologies, and the importance of these technologies to Hawaii's goal of transitioning to 100 percent renewable power by 2045, during a full committee hearing. "Hawaii not only faces some of the highest gas prices in the country, but our state also relies on oil for most of its electricity," said Senator … Continue Reading
September 22, 2022
Hirono, Colleagues Open Investigation into Failure to Protect Students in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps from Sexual Misconduct
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, opened an investigation into the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program following disturbing reports of widespread patterns of sexual misconduct by instructors in the program. The senators sent letters to the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Education (ED), which are tasked with sha… Continue Reading
September 22, 2022
Hirono Announces $1.5 Million in Federal Funding to Support Veterans’ Suicide Prevention Efforts in Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded $1.5 million in federal funding to Hawaii to support veterans' suicide prevention efforts. The funding is made possible through the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (Hannon Act), a bill that Senator Hirono cosponsored, and will go to multiple organizations in Hawaii, including… Continue Reading
September 22, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Votes to Advance Legislation Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Political Spending, Slams Republicans for Continued Obstruction
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted to advance the DISCLOSE Act of 2021, legislation to end dark-money spending in our elections. The legislation failed by a vote of 49-49, without a single Republican voting in favor. Shortly before voting, Senator Hirono spoke about the bill on the Senate floor, highlighting how anonymous dark money spending by special interest groups is corrupting our elections, our courts, and our democrac… Continue Reading
September 21, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Highlights Importance of Supporting Female Service Members and Increasing Public Trust in order to Meet Military Recruitment and Retention Goals
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned a panel of Department of Defense (DOD) leaders about the impact that access to reproductive health care, family planning, and military culture have on military recruitment and retention efforts during a hearing of the panel's Subcommittee on Personnel. "Recruiting and retaining female servicemembers is essential for our military readiness and national security," said Senator Hiron… Continue Reading
September 21, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Secures Commitment to Protect VA Employees Who Provide Abortion Care, Questions VA Secretary on Unique Challenges Hawaii Veterans Face
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, questioned Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), about legal protections for VA employees who provide abortion care-as well as challenges veterans in Hawaii face, including excessive wait times in VA facilities, during a full Committee hearing. Following the VA's Interim Final Rule (IFR) to allow the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide abortions in certain insta… Continue Reading
September 21, 2022
Hirono Introduces Legislation to Combat Rapid Ohia Tree Death in Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced legislation to combat Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), which has killed more than a million Ohia trees in Hawaii since its discovery in 2014. The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2022 authorizes $55 million in federal funding over the next eleven years to support ongoing efforts by federal agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), working in partn… Continue Reading
September 21, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Pushes to Advance Kaena Point National Heritage Area Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, delivered remarks at a Senate National Parks Subcommittee hearing, emphasizing the importance of the Kaena Point National Heritage Area Act, which she introduced earlier this year. This bicameral legislation would require the Department of the Interior (DOI) to study the feasibility of designating Kaena Point, on Oahu, as a National Heritage Area. Representative Ed Case (D-HI) i… Continue Reading
September 20, 2022
Hirono Announces Investment of $3.8 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Cultural Tourism on Oahu
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.8 million grant to Hi'ipaka, LLC, Haleiwa, Hawaii, to boost tourism through the renovation and expansion of an important Native Hawaiian cultural site and popular tourist attraction on Oahu. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan's Indigenous Communities program. "Democrats in Congress passed the American Rescue Plan … Continue Reading
September 19, 2022
Hirono Statement on Appointment of Commander of Joint Task Force Red Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the appointment of Rear Admiral John Wade to serve as Commander of the Joint Task Force responsible for the safe defueling and closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on Oahu: "In his role with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Rear Admiral Wade has been responsible for coordinating the successful execution of all U.S. military activities in the… Continue Reading
September 19, 2022
Hirono Announces Historic Award of Over $31 Million in Clean Water Funding to Hawaii
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded more than $31 million in capitalization grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to Hawaii through the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) program. This announcement marks the first significant distribution of water infrastructure funds as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. "Ensuring that peop… Continue Reading
September 16, 2022
Hirono Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize & Improve Women’s Business Center Program, Enhancing Support for Local Entrepreneurs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, joined Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, and several of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing the Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2022-legislation to reauthorize and improve the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Women's Business Center (WBC) Program. The WBC program played a key role in the SBA's s… Continue Reading
September 15, 2022
Hirono Joins 29 Colleagues in Urging Biden Administration to Strengthen Privacy Protections for Women Seeking Reproductive Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 29 of her Senate colleagues in a letter led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), in calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take immediate action to safeguard women's privacy and their ability to safely and confidentially get the health care they need. Specifically, the Senators urged the Biden Administration to strengthen federal privacy pro… Continue Reading
September 15, 2022
Hirono, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Resolution Commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), John Cornyn (R-TX), and 43 of her Senate colleagues in introducing a commemorative resolution recognizing September 15th through October 15th, 2022, as Hispanic Heritage Month. The resolution celebrates the heritage, culture and immense contributions of Latinos to the United States. "Our country, our culture, and our communities have been shaped and strengthened by the contributions and achievemen… Continue Reading
September 15, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Condemns National Abortion Ban, Calls Out Republican Hypocrisy in Press Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), along with several of their Democratic colleagues, in a press conference to speak out against Senate Republicans' recently-introduced legislation to ban abortion nationwide and punish providers for providing abortion care. The bill, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), would ban abortion after 15-weeks across the coun… Continue Reading
September 15, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono-Sponsored Legislation to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault and Harassment Passes Out of Senate Judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance legislation sponsored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) to limit the enforceability of non-disclosure agreements and non-disparagement agreements (NDAs) where a sexual harassment or sexual assault dispute arises and survivors wish to break their silence. The bipartisan, bicameral Speak Out Act now advances to the full Senate. "This bill will provide survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault who have signed a predi… Continue Reading
September 14, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Delivers Remarks in Support of Nomination of Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta on the Senate Floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of the nomination of Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta to serve as Ambassador-at-large for Global Women's Issues and condemning Republicans' continued obstruction of her nomination. For months, Republicans blocked consideration of Dr. Gupta's nomination because she supports the right to access abortion care, endangering the health and safety of women in the U.S. and around the world. "Dr. Gupta has spe… Continue Reading
September 14, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Urges Immigration Reform to Address Health Care Workforce Strain
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety, emphasized the need for immigration reform to address the strain caused by the shortage of health care workers in Hawaii and across the country during a Subcommittee hearing. In the hearing, Senator Hirono questioned Dr. Ram Sanjeev Alur, a physician at the Marion Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Sarah Peterson, an attorney with almost two deca… Continue Reading
September 14, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Speaks Out Against Radical GOP Proposal for Nationwide Abortion Ban on the Senate Floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor speaking out against the radical nationwide abortion ban recently introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Despite previous Republican statements that abortion laws should be decided by the states, Senator Graham's bill would ban abortions after 15-weeks of pregnancy across the country, including in states like Hawaii where abortion currently remains legal… Continue Reading
September 13, 2022
VIDEO: Hirono Investigates Twitter’s Alleged Mishandling of Data and Information
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, highlighted the serious privacy and national security threats posed by Twitter's alleged mishandling of data and information at a full Committee hearing. In the hearing, Senator Hirono questioned Mr. Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, a data security expert and Twitter's former head of security who recently alleged serious privacy and security failures by the company, about the dire consequences of the company… Continue Reading
