Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement ahead of the two-year anniversary of President Biden signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. In March 2021, following the rise of hate crimes and violence targeted at Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the RTCP Revitalization Act, legislation to secure additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) Program. The program enables geographically disadvantaged farmers and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in reintroducing the Affordability is Access Act, bicameral legislation that would ensure that once the FDA approves an over-the-counter birth control option, insurers must fully cover over-the-counter birth...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) to mark May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The resolution recognizes the significant contributions that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ahead of Endangered Species Day, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Extinction Prevention Act, bicameral legislation to provide much-needed funding for some of the country’s most imperiled yet vastly underfunded wildlife...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) led 11 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the My Body, My Data Act, legislation to create a new national standard to protect reproductive and sexual health data by minimizing the information collected and retained, and preventing that information...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) in asking for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to confirm...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, delivered remarks on the Senate floor to request unanimous consent to confirm the promotion of U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Frederick W. Kacher to serve Commander...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, applauded the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for launching a review of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program. Following disturbing reports of sexual misconduct by instructors, Senator Hirono, Senator...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced legislation to promote the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history in public schools. The Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act would help increase awareness of the history,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies, including ice packs. The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act, co-led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led 30 of her Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution marking May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The resolution recognizes the significant contributions that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced legislation that would provide for fair Medicare payments for nursing facilities in Hawaii and Alaska. The bipartisan Equitable Payments for Nursing Facilities Act, also led by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), will...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced a resolution marking May 10, 2023 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Mental Health Day. The resolution recognizes the importance of mental health to the well-being of AANHPI families and communities and acknowledges the importance...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined all of her Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic colleagues in sending letters to Republican mega-donor Harlan Crow and the holding companies that own his private jet, private yacht, and Topridge Camp. As revelations continue...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the Joint Task Force (JTF) Red Hill released the findings and recommendations of its investigation into the aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) spill: “The Joint Task Force Red Hill...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) announced the passage of a bipartisan Senate resolution—led by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jon Tester (D-MT)—designating May 5th, 2023, as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The resolution, introduced by...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) led 35 of their colleagues in reintroducing the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to tackle the child care crisis and ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) urging the agency to conduct a comprehensive review of federal agencies and military services tasked with oversight of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program. The letter was sent following disturbing...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on the need to protect Hawaii’s native birds and the importance of the Compacts of Free Association during a full committee hearing. “I am hopeful that the...