Press Releases

~ NEA grant recipients include Bishop Museum, Maui County, and others ~ WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) announced that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is awarding grants totaling $423,000 to Hawaii groups and organizations to promote the arts across the islands. The recipients include the Bishop Museum; Hawaii Women...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) recognizing National Board Certified Teachers by designating the last week of January as “National Board Certified Teacher Week.” “I am glad the Senate has...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced a resolution to recognize National Board Certified Teachers by designating the last week of January as “National Board Certified Teacher Week.” The resolution, also led by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), encourages administrators,...

~ Amendment reiterates longstanding, bipartisan consensus on need for separate, mutually-recognized states for Israelis, Palestinians ~ WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 47 colleagues in announcing plans to file an amendment to the forthcoming national security supplemental package that...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representatives Grace Meng (D-NY) and Judy Chu (D-CA) led 12 of their House and Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to prevent House Republicans from reinstating the “China Initiative,” a Trump-era program created in 2018 that purported to combat...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 11 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Martin Gruenberg, and Acting Comptroller Michael Hsu, reiterating their support for the new capital requirements proposed by the Federal...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in introducing bipartisan legislation to develop guidelines for state and local governments to improve emergency evacuation preparedness. The Emergency Vehicle and Community (EVAC) Planning Act would...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 27 of her Senate colleagues in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young, sounding their concerns about the administration’s delay in finalizing proposed rules to end the sale of menthol flavor in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars. The Food and...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) announced the nomination of 32 Hawaii students to U.S. military service academies for the Class of 2028. The nominees will advance for consideration by each academy’s director of admissions. “It is inspiring to see students across Hawaii, year after year, apply to our military service academies...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and 27 of their colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requesting information about the company’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program and its efforts to avoid legal liability for the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers. The...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) released the following statement after President Biden renominated Julie Su to serve as the country’s next Secretary of Labor: “Throughout her career, Acting Secretary Su has been a strong and effective champion for working people and families across the country—work she has continued at...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and 27 of their colleagues in sending a letter to 13 non-unionized automakers urging them not to illegally block United Auto Workers’ (UAW) unionization efforts at their...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and 16 other colleagues in sending a letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 44 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) urging them to reject any new poison pill policy riders in the Fiscal Year...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting the historic progress made by the Biden-Harris Administration to create over 14 million jobs and keep unemployment rates low. In her remarks, Senator Hirono also commended Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for her work in achieving these...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led 10 of her colleagues in introducing the Impact Aid Infrastructure Partnership Act, legislation that would provide a total of $1 billion over four years for Impact Aid Construction Grants to address the significant backlog of facility needs at federally impacted school districts. Companion...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 13 of her Senate colleagues in calling on the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to finalize guidance for and maximize inclusive access to the 30C Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included an...

WASHINGTON, DC –U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) introduced a resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and celebrating the contributions that Chinese American communities have made to the United States. The Magnuson Act, which repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed on December 17, 1943....

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), in sending a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough, urging them to take swift action to protect veterans seeking opioid prescriptions...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, voted to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the U.S. Senate, securing several key provisions for Hawaii and the Pacific region, U.S....