Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Dean Heller (R-NV) joined with Congresswoman Grace Meng in introducing the Filipino Veterans Promise Act, a bipartisan bill that would help all Filipino World War II veterans receive benefits that they earned for their service to the United States. These veterans fought alongside...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono has been named the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Seapower. The assignment places Senator Hirono in position to oversee matters directly relating to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. “I am proud to serve as the ranking Democrat on the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Senator Mazie K. Hirono today applauded the announcement that President Obama will nominate former Bank of Hawaii Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Allan Landon to serve as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “Our nation’s economic policy should be focused on growing...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Tonight the Senate voted on a 1,600 page bill that funds nearly every policy area and government program through September 30, 2015. Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined a number of her colleagues in voting against this proposal, which passed on a vote of 56 to 40. Senator Hirono joined 39 of her colleagues including...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services and the Veterans’ Affairs committees, today voted to pass the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The defense bill includes important provisions for Hawaii including providing for construction and upgrades to military facilities,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today announced she will continue her work on the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs during the 114th Congress. In addition, Senator Hirono has been assigned to three new committees; the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Senate...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today presided over a full Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining President Obama’s executive order that will bring 5 million undocumented people in our country out of the shadows, including an estimated 7,000 individuals in Hawaii. The committee hearing highlighted the executive...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance the nomination of Admiral Harry B. Harris, Jr. to the post of Commander of the United States Pacific Command. Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted in favor of Admiral Harris’s nomination, which now goes to the full Senate. “During my conversations with Admiral...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today released the following statement on the announcement by Hawaiian Electric Industries and NextEra Energy. “Today’s announcement is profound and historic for Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI) is well established in this community and the decision to combine with...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted to confirm Nani A. Coloretti to the position of Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Senate confirmed Coloretti’s nomination by a vote of 68–28. “Congratulations to Nani on her confirmation as Deputy Secretary of HUD. We are...

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, the only immigrant serving in U.S. Senate, released the following statement on President Barack Obama’s executive order on immigration enforcement. “This is a big step toward bringing millions out of the shadows to help strengthen our economy and our national security. Every...

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Senator Mazie K. Hirono today released the following statement after voting against the expedited construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The bill failed on a 59-41 vote as 60 were needed for passage. "The fact remains that we as a country should refocus our efforts on developing truly clean and renewable...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today were joined by a bipartisan group of Senate women including U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.),...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted in favor of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. The Senate passed the bill by a bipartisan vote of 88-1. The bill updates the 1990 CCDBG program, which provides federal funding to states to help parents afford child care while working or in job training...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today applauded the joint announcement by President Barack Obama and People's Republic of China President Xi Jinping on the issue of climate change with an agreement to significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by each nation. "This announcement demonstrates bold...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono praised today’s announcement that President Barack Obama has posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink. Among Congresswoman Mink’s numerous accomplishments during her decades of public service, she is most widely known for being one of the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today applauded President Obama’s announcement that the U.S. and China have agreed to mutually extend the validity period for travel visas between the two countries. Beginning this November 12, the maximum validity of short-term tourist and business visas will increase from one to ten...

HONOLULU – Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the passing of Hawaii business leader and philanthropist, Robert Richards Midkiff. “I am saddened to learn of the passing of my longtime friend, Bob Midkiff. Bob was a true champion for early education in Hawaii. He and I worked together on this key issue...

The United States Postal Service issued the following update for Hawaii Island residents affected by the lava flow: The Pahoa Post Office will remain open for business as long as it can operate without jeopardizing the safety or security of our postal employees, our customers and the mail. U.S. Postal Service (USPS) management is in close contact...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Hawaii residents and business owners affected by Tropical Storm Iselle that occurred August 7 - 9, 2014, U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet announced today.  SBA acted under its own authority to declare a...