Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) led 15 of their Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) colleagues in urging President Biden to reduce the visa backlog, which keeps millions of immigrants—including many immigrants from Asia—separated from their families. “This backlog shows...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in introducing the bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act to reauthorize relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined over a hundred colleagues from the House and Senate in calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to finalize their proposed rule to expand health coverage for those participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, crime victims, and...

WASHINGTON, DC – President Joseph R. Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN). The Korean American VALOR Act allows veterans who served in the armed forces of the Republic of Korea during the Vietnam War, and have...

~ Members advocate $6 billion be allocated to ACP, as requested by President Biden’s emergency supplemental funding proposal ~ WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined the Chairs of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and 100 of her colleagues in...

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, urged the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, to take steps to improve the way the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) handles major disasters across the services. “Over the...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, ahead of World Public Transport Day, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) led the introduction of the Saving Transit Art Resources (STAR) Act, legislation that would allow local transit authorities to incorporate art into federally-funded transportation project through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). “Through its...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, delivered remarks on the Senate floor emphasizing the need for the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote to authorize issuing subpoenas to Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, and Robin Arkley...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Government Surveillance Reform Act, to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act with important new protections for Americans’ constitutional rights.    The bill, led by Senators...

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to a letter from the Hawaii Congressional delegation, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it is implementing a 6-month deferment period for Maui businesses impacted by the Hawaii wildfires. This deferment period covers principal and interest payments, as well as a pause on interest accrual, and...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and five of her colleagues in reintroducing the Federal Firearm Licensing Act, legislation that would require individuals to obtain a federal firearm license before purchasing or receiving a firearm. “Our nation is awash with guns—just this year alone, there have...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) voted to pass a package of three Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills, which includes a provision secured by Senator Hirono to provide $2 million in federal funding to address deferred maintenance at U.S. schools of agriculture. The package—which includes the Agriculture; Military Construction and...

~ Video of Senator Hirono’s full remarks is available here ~ WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA) in holding a press conference to respond to the recent election of anti-abortion...

WASHINGTON, DC – As the United States Senate prepares an emergency supplemental appropriations bill to respond to the ongoing humanitarian and military crises in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and elsewhere, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined five of her Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI) led the Hawaii and Alaska delegations in introducing the Parity for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Students in Agriculture Act, legislation that would reauthorize the Alaska Native and Native...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined a letter led by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) urging the Biden Administration to require federally and state-regulated health insurance plans to fully cover over-the-counter contraceptives, including Opill—the...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in introducing new legislation to provide a comprehensive framework to reform the federal government’s care and...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) in releasing the following statement on the Israel-Hamas War: “Israel has a right...

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), joined seven of her colleagues in introducing the Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act, legislation to establish 18-year term limits and regularized appointments for Supreme Court justices. Under the senators’ legislation, a new justice would take the bench every two years and...

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that Hawaii was awarded over $7.4 million in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This funding will help individuals and families with low incomes in Hawaii lower their home energy costs, such...