Press Releases

HONOLULU –Senator Mazie K. Hirono today encouraged KUPU interns to continue their good work, serving their communities through conservation. KUPU, an AmeriCorps program, provides young people with service learning and educational opportunities through maintaining and preserving Hawaii’s natural resources. “KUPU’s work...

HONOLULU –Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging him to create an interagency task force to address the tragic increase in hate crimes that has stricken the United States. The recent outburst of violent racism and domestic terrorist activity by white supremacist...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today spoke with Filipino World War II veterans and their spouses, widows and family members at the World War II Filipino-American Veterans, Hawaii Chapter meeting at Hale Halea in Kalihi. Her remarks focused on the sacrifice and commitment of our Filipino World War II veterans and the importance of...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, reaffirmed her commitment to supporting Hawaii’s shipyard workforce at today’s Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program graduation ceremony. “Given what’s going on in the world today, the work...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation to renew a number of important federal homeless veteran programs for the next fiscal year. The Keeping Our Commitment to Ending Veteran Homelessness Act would renew seven U.S....

Washington, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that the Manoa Heritage Center and East-West Center will receive more than $200,000 from the National Endowment of the Humanities to support activities that enhance the understanding of Native Hawaiian and East Asian history and culture. “Programs like the Manoa...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that programs on Hawaii Island will receive $1 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture grant funding to support the purchasing of fruits and vegetables by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants. “Affordable, nutritious food is one of the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced today that the National Science Foundation has awarded $1,099,959 to the University of Hawaii (UH) to support the advancement of women and minorities in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at its seven community colleges. “Developing a...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced today that Maui Family Support Services, Inc. will receive $1,317,440.00 in Early Head Start funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase early education services for low-income children and families on Maui. “Access to early, quality education has a...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that the Heeia National Estuarine Research Reserve (HeNERR) will receive $673,000 in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for research, education, and stewardship activities. “Estuarine reserves serve a vital role in providing...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the only immigrant serving in the U.S. Senate, released the following statement on the Trump-Cotton-Perdue immigration proposal: “It is shortsighted to think that America became the great nation it is by only letting certain kinds of people into our...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate the best possible price of prescription drugs to cut costs for nearly 41 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D. Current law bars Medicare from bargaining directly with pharmaceutical companies. “Our kupuna deserve to...

Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) introduced the Science Laureates of the United States Act of 2017, bicameral legislation to establish a Science Laureate for the United States. “Our country’s scientific achievements contribute to our national economy,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that the University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) will receive $299,404 from the National Science Foundation to develop a comprehensive, industry-driven cybersecurity education and workforce development program. “Today’s complex cyber threats require an educated...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced a resolution today to recognize July 28, 2017, as World Hepatitis Day 2017, and to encourage the elimination of viral hepatitis. “Millions of Americans live with viral hepatitis, including nearly ten percent of all Asian American and Pacific Islanders who live with...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono introduced a measure to protect Americans living with pre-existing conditions from the devastating effects of Senate Republicans’ health care bill. More than 590,000 adults in Hawaii live with pre-existing conditions that could keep them from accessing affordable health care under the Republican...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today introduced the Keeping Our Commitment to Overseas Veterans Act to extend an expiring provision under law that allows the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to operate the VA Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic in Manila, Philippines. The introduction of Senator Hirono’s...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement following the motion to proceed vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act: “Today’s vote was disappointing, but our fight to save the Affordable Care Act is only beginning. Any proposal Senate Republicans come up with will kick millions off of their health care and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) today announced that Hawaii will receive more than $1.6 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding to increase airport safety and operations at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. “Hawaii’s residents and visitors depend on safe, reliable, and efficient air...

Hawaii Farmers Can Immediately Add Designation to Their Products WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Hawaii Congressional Delegation applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of a petition that certifies that eating macadamia nuts can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease under certain circumstances. The approval of the petition...