Press Releases
HIRONO PROTECTS NATIVE HAWAIIAN PROGRAMS IN JOB-TRAINING BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted today to pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), bipartisan legislation to update the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. The bill improves the nation's workforce development system by streamlining programs, increasing efficiency and helping local businesses find workers with relevant skills. Hirono led a bipartisan coalition, including members of the Hawaii and Alaska congressional delegations, to send a letter in May to key… Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
HIRONO BEGINS WORK ON CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TO REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR VETERANS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Conference Committee, gave an opening statement on Hawaii wait times at the committee's first meeting. The committee is working on a compromise version of the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act, which was recently passed by the House and Senate. Today's meeting is the first Veterans' Affairs conference committee since 1990. Footage of Hirono's remarks: You… Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
SENATOR HIRONO CELEBRATES THE 42ND ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE IX
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, commonly known as Title IX. This landmark federal law requires gender equity in federally-supported education programs and athletics: "When Title IX - the legacy of my friend Patsy Takemoto Mink - was signed into law 42 years ago, it opened a new realm of possibilities for women and girls. Suddenly, women were able co… Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
HAWAII DELEGATION ISSUES STATEMENT ON DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ANNOUNCEMENT ON NATIVE HAWAIIAN RECOGNITION
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Department of the Interior released an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding "Procedures for Reestablishing a Government-to-Government Relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community." The purpose of this ANPRM is to solicit public comments on whether and how the Department of the Interior should take administrative action regarding Native Hawaiian government recognition. The Hawaii delegation issued the following statement on the ANPRM. This state… Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
HIRONO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $2 MILLION FOR HILO AIRPORT UPGRADES
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced a grant of more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for upgrades at Hilo International Airport. This grant will fund the installation of approximately 12,500 linear feet of perimeter fencing to deter unauthorized persons, vehicles and wildlife from entering onto the airfield. "With an average of 4,500 passengers served each day, Hilo International Airport is one of Hawaii Island's critical connections for i… Continue Reading
June 16, 2014
HIRONO ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION FOR UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ENERGY RESEARCH
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to the University of Hawaii for energy research. This grant comes as part of the DOE's nationwide initiative to advance hydrogen production and delivery technologies to produce, deliver and dispense hydrogen at a cost equivalent of less than $4 per gallon. Expanding use of hydrogen in transportation can help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, save drivers and families money ov… Continue Reading
June 12, 2014
SENS. HIRONO & MORAN PUSH TO EXPAND VETERAN EMERGENCY CARE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), members of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced the Veterans Emergency Health Safety Net Expansion Act of 2014. This legislation expands access to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) emergency safety net to all VA-enrolled veterans who rely solely on the VA for their medical care. The Hirono-Moran bill helps veterans by cutting red tape and eliminating the 24-month rule that can prevent veter… Continue Reading
June 11, 2014
HIRONO VOTES TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH BETTER ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services Committees, voted to pass the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act. This bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Hirono, was introduced in response to widely-reported problems with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. "The compromise bill passed today will help improve veterans' access to health care by giving patients more p… Continue Reading
June 11, 2014
HIRONO EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR HUMANITARIAN CRISIS ON U.S. BORDER, CALLS FOR HOUSE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION REFORM AS A SOLUTION
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement today reaffirming her support for comprehensive immigration reform and expressing her outrage with the recent situation where unaccompanied children have been detained near the southern U.S. Border. Hirono urged her colleagues and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to join her in protecting these children by supporting and passing comprehensive immigration reform. "Opponents of comprehensive immigration reform have… Continue Reading
June 09, 2014
HIRONO STATEMENT ON HAWAII VA WAIT TIMES
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement on data revealed today showing Honolulu's Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center has the longest average wait time - 145 days - in the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) system when it comes to new patient primary care appointments. This information came to light as part of a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) audit of the VA. "These long wai… Continue Reading
June 05, 2014
HIRONO PRAISES DACA RENEWAL FOR UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting renewal requests for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for undocumented immigrant children. "I commend the Department of Homeland Security for announcing the renewal of the DACA program for undocumented children. These millions of young people, including the estimated 4,000 in Hawaii who … Continue Reading
June 03, 2014
HIRONO HELPS TO SHAPE SENATE RESPONSE TO VA CRISIS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono and her colleagues on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee released the Ensuring Veterans Access to Care Act today to improve administration and increase accountability at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to quickly expand access to medical care for veterans. The Senate is expected to take up this critical legislation this week. Hirono has hosted numerous veterans roundtables across Hawaii this year and will hold a Veterans Affair… Continue Reading
June 02, 2014
HIRONO APPLAUDS NEW EPA RULE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded today's new proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cut carbon-dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants by 30 percent by 2030. "Today's announcement by the EPA is a significant, historic development in the global fight against climate change," said Hirono. "It sends a firm signal to the world that the United States is serious about addressing the growing environmental threat to our people and our livelihoods. As our nati… Continue Reading
June 02, 2014
HIRONO CONGRATULATES DAVID LASSNER ON APPOINTMENT AS UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement congratulating David Lassner on his appointment by the University of Hawaii (UH) Board of Regents to be the 15th president of the UH system."I have no doubt David's experience and relationships will serve him well as President of the University of Hawaii. While he was interim President, we worked together on important issues such as college affordability, DREAMers and veterans. I appreciated his leadership then and look f… Continue Reading
May 30, 2014
HIRONO STATEMENT ON RESIGNATION OF VA SECRETARY ERIC SHINSEKI
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services and the Veterans' Affairs committees, released the following statement on today's resignation of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki. "General Eric Shinseki's patriotism and dedication to this nation is without parallel. I've had a number of opportunities to talk directly with General Shinseki about the challenges facing the VA. I agree with the President's statement that his 'commitme… Continue Reading
May 22, 2014
HIRONO ANNOUNCES HAWAII BENEFITS IN WATER BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted today to pass a bipartisan water infrastructure bill - the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) - that includes a number of key provisions for Hawaii. The legislation heads to President Obama for his signature. A member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during her six years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Hirono and her office worked with her colleagues on a bicameral basis to include measures to … Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
HIRONO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $15 MILLION FOR HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced more than $15 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for Honolulu International Airport improvements. These grants will fund the improvement of the intra-terminal shuttle stations within the Overseas Terminal Building and the replacement of a metal roof canopy covering passenger loading and unloading areas within the Overseas Terminal. "As Hawaii's largest airport and often the first impression visitors have of our state, Honolulu… Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
HIRONO APPLAUDS SELECTION OF HAWAII AS HOST OF IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded today's announcement that Hawaii will host the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, a major international event that brings together a wide range of stakeholders to tackle environmental and conservation challenges. Beginning with the 1948 Congress in Fontainebleau, France, Congresses are now held every four years, with Hawaii serving as the first American host. "It makes perfect sense to host… Continue Reading
May 16, 2014
HIRONO FIGHTS FOR NATIONAL GUARD
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono introduced the National Guard Leadership Act, legislation to provide the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (NGB) with greater input into the selection of senior leadership for the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. Currently, the NGB's internal recommendation process is fluid and not governed by law or regulation. As a result, the input of the Chief of the NGB may or may not be sought. This legislation ensures that the Chief of the … Continue Reading
May 09, 2014
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COMPLETES DRAFT STUDY OF HONOULIULI THAT HIRONO HELPED TO COMMISSION WITH INOUYE IN 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded yesterday's announcement by the National Park Service that Honouliuli Internment Camp has been identified for potential inclusion as a National Historic Site or National Monument into the National Park System. The study that led to this announcement, the Honouliuli Internment Camp Special Resources Study Act of 2009, was requested by Senator Daniel K. Inouye as part of the Interior Appropriations bill in 2009. A stand-alone bill was also intro… Continue Reading
