Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation announced that the University of Hawai‘i will receive $1.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for research in high energy physics. Eventually, a total of $8.9 million will be invested. “Investment in science and technology is an investment...

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after the Senate voted 98-1 to pass the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015: “The bipartisan compromise that passed the Senate today is a step forward in reaching...

Washington, DC – The Republican budget favors the wealthy and special interests on the backs of middle class families, seniors, and students in Hawaii and across the country. While Democrats continue to work for a middle class budget that would give hard-working families a fair shot at a better future by creating good paying jobs and creating...

Washington, D.C. – This week during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s official visit to the United States and Japan’s Golden Week, Senator Mazie K. Hirono will participate in several key events to highlight the important alliance spanning seven decades between the United States and Japan. Tonight, Senator Hirono will attend the...

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on Loretta Lynch’s historic confirmation as the first woman of color to serve as Attorney General of the United States:   “Loretta Lynch is a strong leader with a long and distinguished record of public service.  Her wealth of experience...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono is rolling out her comprehensive plan to permanently protect and expand the Pell Grant program. For over 40 years, the Pell Grant program has been foundational to putting higher education within reach for students from low-income backgrounds across the country. The Pell Grant program has...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation announced that the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veteran Affairs (VA) awarded $1,252,253.00 to go toward 110 targeted vouchers to help provide housing for Hawaii’s veterans experiencing homelessness. The City and County of Honolulu will...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-21) introduced the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act — a measure that strengthens Social Security for generations to come and improves benefits for all Americans by restoring fairness to Social Security contributions. Currently, most Americans...

Washington, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. The measure passed both the House and the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan majorities, passing in 329-37 and 92-8, respectively. "This is compromise legislation, and while...

HONOLULU – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden traveled across Oahu, meeting with the next generation of Hawaii farmers and visiting programs working to foster and encourage Hawaii’s growing agricultural economy. Today, the average farmer in Hawaii is 60 years old. As Hawaii seeks to...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Hawaii Congressional Delegation honored the dedication of Honouliuli National Monument, which permanently protects a site where Japanese American citizens, resident immigrants, and prisoners of war were held captive during World War II. “The stories of the more than 1,000 innocent Hawaii civilians...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono congratulates Hawaii Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe on his appointment to Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). “Ronn has been a great asset in our state and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to highlight how the Senate budget resolution, which provides a policy framework for funding and other legislation Congress will debate in the future, proposed by Republicans favors special interests and the wealthy and would hurt our middle class and economy....

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Hawaii Congressional Delegation announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will allocate almost $3.3 million to Hawaii for programs that prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests, diseases, and pathogens, including the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle and other invasive...

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced the formation of a Federal Judicial Selection Commission to make recommendations on candidates to fill a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii following Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway’s retirement from active...

Washington, D.C. -- Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on the Senate’s confirmation of Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown as the next Assistant Secretary for Environmental Observation and Prediction at the Department of Commerce. The Assistant Secretary also serves as the Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Harry Reid (D-NV) introduced the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act today, a bill that would expedite the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans. These veterans were offered U.S. citizenship in recognition of their service, but this hard-earned benefit did not...

Washington, D.C. – The Hawaii Congressional Delegation today announced that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will allocate over $47 million in Title I, Part A Grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) in Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui counties for school year (SY) 2015-2016. “Investing in our children’s education is...

Washington, D.C. – Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Lisa Murkowski, and Brian Schatz introduced legislation today that would exempt Hawaii, Alaska, and communities that rely on essential air service as subsidized by the U.S. Department of Transportation, from the increase in air travel fees included in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2013....

Washington, D.C. – This weekend, Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Congressman Mark Takai will travel to Alabama to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Selma On Saturday, Senator Hirono and Congressman Takai will join civil rights leaders, President Obama, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in marching across the...