Press Releases
VIDEO: Hirono Highlights Inflation Reduction Act’s Health Care Savings for Hawaii Families and Seniors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono delivered remarks at Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's weekly press conference highlighting the historic provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 to make health care more affordable for people in Hawaii and across the country. The IRA will lower health care costs for seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs and capping out of pocket drug costs for Medicare recipients at $2,000 a year. The law also inclu… Continue Reading
September 12, 2022
Hirono, Democrats Applaud Biden Administration’s Proposed Title IX Rule, Push to Further Strengthen Protections
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 18 of her colleagues, in a letter led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), in commenting on the Department of Education's proposed Title IX rule. In the letter, the Senators commend the Department's efforts to ensure survivors can seek justice, extend discrimination protections to trans students, and strengthen protections for pregnant and parenting students-and they urge the Department to further strengthen protections for survivors of se… Continue Reading
September 09, 2022
Hirono Announces $500K to Help Hawaii Small Businesses Expand Into Overseas Markets
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Small Business Committee, announced that the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) will receive $500,000 through the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). The funding will be used to support Hawaii's small businesses as they work to expand into overseas markets and create more jobs. The funding comes just weeks after Senator Hirono hosted SBA A… Continue Reading
September 09, 2022
Hirono Joins Colleagues in Bicameral Push to Permit Individuals living with HIV and HBV to Serve in the Military
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined five of her Senate colleagues in urging the Department of Defense (DOD) to permit individuals living with well-managed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) to enlist and serve in the military. Given the advancements in medicine for both HIV and HBV, the risk of battlefield transmission is near zero and people living with HIV and HBV can manage their condition wi… Continue Reading
September 08, 2022
Hirono Statement on Updated DOD Plan for Red Hill Defueling and Closure
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 Department of Defense's updated plan for the defueling and closure of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility: "DOD has updated its defueling plan and added additional information in response to feedback from state, local, and community leaders. This updated plan should continue to prioritize safety, while streamlining certain processes to allow… Continue Reading
September 08, 2022
Hirono Statement on Final Biden Administration Rule Reversing Harmful Trump Immigration Policy
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the only immigrant serving in the Senate, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) final "Public Charge" rule. This rule, which DHS Secretary Mayorkas finalized today, replaces the Trump administration's xenophobic rule which made it significantly more difficult for many immigrants to become lawful permanent residents by lowering the threshold for who … Continue Reading
September 07, 2022
Hirono, Warren, Murray, Duckworth Applaud Landmark Abortion Access Measure for Veterans Amid Republican Attacks
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) condemned Republican attacks on the Biden Administration's landmark decision last week to allow the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide abortion care to veterans and their eligible dependents to protect the health and life of the woman and in cases of rape or incest. The action comes after Senators Hirono and Warren led Senators Murray, Duckworth and … Continue Reading
September 04, 2022
Hirono Honors Workers Ahead of Labor Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement ahead of Labor Day: "On Labor Day, we honor working people in Hawaii and across the country who keep our communities and our economy running. Workers have helped keep us healthy, fed and safe over the past two and a half years, and as we continue to rebuild from COVID-19, they are central to our economic recovery. Working people play an essential role in our society, and far too many are still treated… Continue Reading
September 02, 2022
Heeding Call From Hirono, Warren, Colleagues, VA to Begin Providing Abortion Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) announcement that it will begin offering abortion services in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. In July, Senators Hirono and Warren led 23 of their colleagues in calling on VA to immediately begin offering abortion services after the far-right Supreme Court’s disastrous Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Because of the Dobbs decision, … Continue Reading
August 29, 2022
Hirono Announces Release of Edith Kanaka`ole Commemorative Quarter Design
HONOLULU, HI - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), announced the release of a new commemorative quarter design honoring Edith Kanaka`ole. The quarter's design is one of five released today by the United States Mint honoring prominent women in American history, including Bessie Coleman, Jovita Idar, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Maria Tallchief, as part of the Mint's American Women Quarters Program. Senator Hirono previously urged the Mint to include Kanaka`ole as one of the women highlighted. "Edit… Continue Reading
August 26, 2022
Following Request from Hirono and Grijalva, GAO Report Confirms Political Interference in Trump Department of the Interior Grant Review Process
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, applauded the release of a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommending changes to the Department of the Interior's (DOI) competitive grant making process in light of inconsistencies and irregularities found in multiple DOI bureaus' grant review processes during the Trump Adm… Continue Reading
August 24, 2022
Hirono Hosts U.S. Small Business Administrator for Tour of Oahu Small Business Centers
HONOLULU, HI - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Small Business Committee, hosted U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Guzman for a tour of organizations supporting small businesses and small businesses on Oahu. During the day-long event, Senator Hirono and Administrator Guzman visited centers focused on promoting Native Hawaiian and women-owned small businesses, as well as small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. The day-long tour is part … Continue Reading
August 23, 2022
Hirono Convenes Reproductive Rights Working Group for Follow Up Conversation Following Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe
HONOLULU, HI - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) convened a working group of local reproductive leaders and health care experts to discuss reproductive freedom in Hawaii and across the country. The conversation was a follow-up to a roundtable Senator Hirono previously hosted at the beginning of July shortly after the far-right majority on the Supreme Court issued its disastrous Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Attendees included representatives from the American College of Obstetricia… Continue Reading
August 22, 2022
Hirono Highlights Federal Investments in Clean Energy Infrastructure During Tour of TheBus Electric Fleet Charging Station
HONOLULU, HI - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, toured TheBus Electric Fleet Charging Station with leaders from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS) and Oahu Transit Services to highlight federal investments in Hawaii's clean energy infrastructure. Earlier this month, the City and County of Honolulu received a $20 million federal Low or No Emissions (Low-No) grant from the Infrastructure Inv… Continue Reading
August 16, 2022
Hirono Meets with Local Businesses, Military Leaders at 25th Annual ALA Hawaii Food Show & Conference
HONOLULU, HI - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with local business owners and military leaders, and delivered remarks at the 2022 Daniel K. Akaka American Logistics Association (ALA) Hawaii Food Show & Conference. The ALA Hawaii Food Show features many products made in Hawaii, distributed solely in Hawaii, or unique to Hawaii, and helps to get these products in U.S. military commissaries and exchanges in Hawaii and around the world. O… Continue Reading
August 12, 2022
PHOTOS: Hirono Attends Kaimuki High School Festival Celebrating People & Cultures of Cambodia, Palau, and Hawaii
HONOLULU, HI -Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) visited her alma mater, Kaimuki High School, to attend the school's first "HA: Breath of Kaimuki" festival and meet students and staff. The festival was a celebration of the people, history, art, music, and cultures of Cambodia, Palau, and Hawaii. "As a proud Kaimuki High School graduate, I am glad to see Kaimuki highlighting the diversity of its student body with this inaugural event," said Senator Hirono. "It was great to see staff members, and ot… Continue Reading
August 11, 2022
PHOTOS: Hirono Tours MA'O Farms and Aloha Shoyu Facilities in West Oahu
HONOLULU, HI - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) toured the facilities of local businesses in West Oahu, starting with MA'O Farms in Waianae, followed by Aloha Shoyu in Kapolei. The Senator began her day with a visit to the MA'O Farms Waianae Community Post-Harvest Processing Facility, where she toured the current facility and spoke with staff and student interns who were sorting and packing fresh produce. MA'O Farms is a local, organic farm and nonprofit organization that grows produce for local … Continue Reading
August 09, 2022
Hirono and Kahele Urge FCC to Advance Broadband and Spectrum Access for Native Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Kaiali'i Kahele (D-HI), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Representatives Ed Case (D-HI) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel urging the FCC to consider more ways to advance Native communities'… Continue Reading
August 07, 2022
Hirono Votes to Pass Inflation Reduction Act to Lower Costs for Hawaii Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, landmark legislation to lower costs for families by investing billions in renewable energy, allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, and requiring wealthy corporations to pay their fair share in taxes. "The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic investment in our families, our climate, and our future. From tackling inflation, t… Continue Reading
August 05, 2022
Hirono Presses FBI Director to Protect Native Hawaiian Community During Judiciary Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray on what the Bureau is doing to protect the Native Hawaiian community from sexual exploitation at a full Judiciary Committee hearing. During the hearing, Senator Hirono highlighted how sexual exploitation disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian women and children in the state of Hawaii. "According to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Native Hawaiian women and g… Continue Reading
