Press Releases

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...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking Secretary Sonny Perdue to set aside a portion of the $9.5 billion provided to the USDA in the third...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) called on the leaders of eight domain name registrars and hosting sites to combat scams and misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators asked the executives of GoDaddy, Dynadot, Donuts Inc., Namecheap Inc., Web.com,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 31 of their Democratic colleagues to urge the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to ensure that workers who Congress intended to allow access to the Pandemic...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) signed onto a letter that Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and 13 of their Senate colleagues sent to President Trump, calling on him to intervene in the production of counterfeit personal protective equipment and price gouging on essential medical goods.  The letter calls for a clear...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement about providing additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program: “Small businesses I’ve heard from in Hawaii appreciate the action by the federal government to provide relief, but now find themselves frustrated by the confusing...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) signed onto a letter that Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.) led, urging the Trump Administration to establish strong public health practices for transit agencies and provide frontline transit workers with personal protective equipment (PPE). The letter was also signed by 19 of their Senate colleagues. It highlights...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement on the passing of Irene Hirano Inouye: “My thoughts go out to the Yasutake and Inouye ohana today as we mourn the passing of Irene Hirano Inouye. Irene’s passion for serving her community on the local, national and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and 17 other Senators to call for funding to support local journalists and media in future COVID-19 relief packages.  The letter, sent to Senate leadership, cautions of the already widespread devastation of the coronavirus pandemic on...

ASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that community health centers across Hawaii will receive over $10 million in additional funding to respond to, prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19. The funds are available as part of the CARES Act, the third coronavirus relief package Congress recently passed. Community...