Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) renewed their call for Congress to strengthen and improve the Social Security program. Earlier today, the Social Security Administration (SSA) released its annual Trustees Report, which indicated that while the program remained strong in 2017, improvements...

HONOLULU— Senator Mazie K. Hirono participated in the commemoration of operations ceremony for the Schofield Barracks multi-fuel power plant and highlighted how this facility serves as an example for future Department of Defense energy projects. Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) will operate the 50-megawatt power plant, which will serve three...

HONOLULU- Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that the University of Hawaii will receive a $119,821 grant to study the ongoing volcanic activity on Hawaii Island. The project, RAPID: Tracking magmatic and volcanic changes in the May 2018 Kilauea Eruption, seeks to inform why the current volcanic activity is occurring and help...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee, attended the official change of command ceremony for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) today at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The ceremony marked the formal transition from outgoing Commander Admiral Harry B. Harris to...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii President & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara visited local businesses on Oahu who will participate in the Fifth Annual Hawaii on the Hill. The event, which includes the Hawaii on the Hill Policy Summit and the highly-anticipated Taste of Hawaii on Capitol Hill, will take...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined Gold Star families, veterans, active duty military personnel, and local elected officials to pay tribute to fallen American service members on Memorial Day. Senator Hirono spoke during the Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Senator Mazie K. Hirono and a bipartisan group of 21 Senators introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and recognizing the contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. “Each May, we come together to celebrate the contributions of the Asian...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono successfully included several provisions that will benefit Hawaii in the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill, which sets policy and funding levels for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy was approved by Senator...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted for S. 2372, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act today, comprehensive legislation that strengthens the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care...

HILO– Senator Mazie K. Hirono visited with Hawaii Island residents who have been displaced by volcanic activity in lower Puna. Senator Hirono received a briefing at Emergency Operations Center in Hilo from Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim, the Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory, the Hawaii National Guard, Hawaii County Civil Defense, Federal Aviation...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) secured the passage of S. 346, the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act. This legislation improves the nation’s volcano monitoring and early warning capabilities to help keep communities and travelers...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of the successful Senate vote to restore net neutrality rules, Senator Mazie K. Hirono emphasized the importance of a free and open internet to local media. Senator Hirono highlighted how the Trump administration’s plan to undermine net neutrality protections could make it more difficult and expensive for...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono pledged to work with Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon to assist Hawaii small business owners affected by recent natural disasters. Administrator McMahon also committed to visiting Hawaii. Senator Hirono urged her to meet with business-owners impacted by natural disasters on...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the President’s approval of a federal disaster declaration to bolster the response to volcanic activity on Hawaii Island.  “Federal, state, and county governments are coordinating and working together to ensure the safety of Hawaii Island...

WASHINGTON – Today, Hawai‘i’s Congressional Delegation urged President Donald Trump to act swiftly on Governor David Ige’s request for a presidential disaster declaration for areas on Hawai‘i Island impacted by the ongoing Kilauea Volcano eruptions. The declaration will help ensure that the affected communities can...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono urged her colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee to support former Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett’s nomination to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court for the Ninth Circuit during a Committee markup today. Only Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) opposed Mr....

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono continued her engagement with local and federal stakeholders in response to the ongoing volcanic activity on Hawaii Island. Today, Senator Hirono spoke with Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim and Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IX Administrator Robert Fenton. “The impact of ongoing...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono issued the following statement after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from and violate the Iran Nuclear Deal. “Today, Donald Trump jeopardized our national security by unilaterally violating an international agreement whose compliance by all parties until now has effectively...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the President’s approval of a federal disaster declaration to assist communities on Kauai and Oahu affected by April’s floods. “Rebuilding Kauai and Oahu communities affected by historic flooding requires a long-term, comprehensive response, and approval of a disaster...

WAIMANALO – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Governor David Ige, and representatives from State Government agencies met with farmers and business owners in Waimanalo who were affected by destructive flooding last month.  “Farmers and businesses in Waimanalo lost their crops and inventory to flooding last month, but this resilient community...