Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement honoring the lives and service of Hawaii’s fallen service members in observance of Memorial Day:  “On Memorial Day, our nation comes together to honor the lives and sacrifices of the service members who have fallen in service to their country....

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and 22 of their colleagues to call for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to work with states to address the alarming delays in processing Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.  The CARES Act, the third coronavirus relief package Congress...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) led 22 of her Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution in honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month this May, noting the significant contributions to our nation made by generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The resolution recognizes...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) introduced a bill to boost access to high-speed internet for college students as they continue their studies remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. The Supporting Connectivity for Higher Education...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive more than $5 million in supplemental Community Development Block Grants coronavirus response (CDBG-CV) funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. This is the second disbursement of CDBG-CV funds from the CARES Act, the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced today that farmers and distributors in Hawaii will receive $5.2 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide food to families in need. The funding, distributed under the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, is part of the Coronavirus Food...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the City and County of Honolulu $90,815,591 to provide public transit service through TheBus. This funding will ensure that TheBus continues to operate during the pandemic. Funds can be utilized to offset...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) cosponsored the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, legislation Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) introduced that would expand national service programs like AmeriCorps as the United States responds to and recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive over $4 million in AmeriCorps funding for the Hawaii Commission for National and Community Service programs, including Kupu’s Environmental Stewardship programs and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii’s Project Kaulike.  The...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with 14 Senators urged the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to take concrete steps to address the surge in discrimination and hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals. These steps are similar to...

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $30 million in funding to the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply to repair water systems damaged during the 2018 Kilauea eruption. “These urgently needed repairs to water systems on Hawaii Island will help...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and dozens of their colleagues to call on the Office of Management and Budget to support local television, radio, and newspapers who are struggling as...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and more than 30 of their colleagues to call for the U.S. Treasury Department (Treasury) and the Social Security Administration to guarantee that families who do not normally...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and eight of their colleagues to demand the Trump Administration provide the American people a comprehensive COVID-19 testing and contact tracing plan, which health experts have identified as vital to safely reopening society....

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement about Senate passage of interim coronavirus relief legislation (COVID 3.5): “Since the passage of the CARES Act in March, I have been focused on making important reforms to the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses that need it most,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the Hawaii County Department of Public Works $61 million to repair roads damaged during the 2018 Kilauea eruption.  A portion of the funds will go to repair Highway 137, Pohoiki Road, Leilani Avenue, Hinalo Street,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that Social Security beneficiaries and others who do not file taxes with qualifying dependent children should apply for their direct cash payments (up to $1,200 per individual) and additional payments for eligible children ($500 per child) before the Internal Revenue...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced today that the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the Hawaii State Department of Health received $2 million in emergency grant funding from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand and strengthen access to substance abuse and mental health...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.) led 28 Senators and 76 Members of the House of Representatives in writing to members of Congressional leadership to call for an inclusive coronavirus relief package that ensures that urgently-needed coronavirus testing and medical care and relief...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and 25 of their colleagues urged Senate and House leadership to include at least $1 billion for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Lifeline program in future coronavirus relief packages. The Lifeline program extends access to internet...