Press Releases

Honolulu, HI – Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement in recognition of Hawaii Statehood Day: “Hawaii’s transition from a territory to a state in 1959 was a tremendous event that forever changed the islands we love, and today Hawaii is a modern, vibrant state of nearly 1.4 million people. Statehood Day holds a...

Honolulu, HI – Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that $800,000 awarded to the County of Maui from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is now available for the county’s use. The county originally received a competitive grant award last year to build ten shelters in high-impact locations in Kahului, Wailuku and Kihei. These...

Honolulu, HI – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined a number of her Senate colleagues in urging the Pentagon to change military lending rules to better protect service members and their families from deceptive and predatory lending practices. Hirono and her colleagues sent a letter calling on...

Kona, HI -- After working sixteen months to expand Social Security Administration (SSA) services for kupuna on Hawaii Island, Senator Mazie K. Hirono unveiled a new video conferencing service yesterday that will allow West Hawaii residents to meet with SSA reps without having to make a four hour round-trip drive to Hilo. Check out the front-page...

Kona, HI – After working for 16 months to increase Social Security Administration (SSA) service for West Hawaii residents, Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined SSA Regional Commissioner Grace Kim and Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi to announce expanded Social Security services for residents at the West Hawaii Civic Center. In November, the Social...

Washington, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono praised President Obama’s announcement today that he is awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Senator Daniel K. Inouye. The award is one of the highest civilian awards bestowed in the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal, which Inouye previously received for his World War II...

Honolulu, HI – More than 60 Hawaii small business leaders attended a workshop held by Senator Mazie K. Hirono and the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) of the United States aimed at boosting the exports of local small businesses. During the session, members of the Ex-Im Bank briefed small business owners on how their agency can help businesses...

Washington, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono today praised the confirmation of Raymond Chen as United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit. Chen becomes the first Asian Pacific American (APA) on the federal circuit in over 25 years as well as the first Taiwanese American on a federal appellate court. Hirono presided over the Senate Judiciary...

Honolulu, HI - Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that she is partnering with the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) of the United States to offer a free workshop for Hawaii’s business community. The Export-Import Bank is a government agency that helps American businesses increase the number of goods and services they export to other countries....

Senator Mazie K. Hirono praised the confirmation of President Obama’s nominees to run the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the entity that arbitrates federal disputes between workers and management. “Over the past month, we’ve seen a lot of progress in the Senate for working families,” Hirono said. “We have...

Washington, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono expressed her continued commitment to affordable housing for Native Hawaiian families during a meeting today with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) Chair Jobie Masagatani. “I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Chair Masagatani and express my continued commitment to both affordable housing...

Washington, D.C. - Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) removed the state’s Race to the Top grant from “high risk” status. This means the state is no longer at “high risk” of losing $75 million in federal education funding through the U.S. Department of...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees, remembered those who served in the Korean War. Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended one of the bloodiest wars in American history.“This weekend, I ask all Hawaii residents to remember those brave...

Senator Mazie Hirono and the Export-Import Bank of the United StatesInvite You to Attend the Exporter Forum EXPORTER FORUMTuesday, August 6, 20139:30 AM to 12 Noon Neal S. Blaisdell Center777 Ward AvenueHonolulu, HI To view the full invitation, please click here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted against a Senate plan that would lock-in major interest rate hikes on federal student loans for the long term. While the plan - known as the the Student Loan Certainty Act - would keep rates low in 2013, it would allow student loan interest rates to balloon over the next two to four years...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono and her Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee colleagues voted to approve eight bills today that aim to help jobless vets find employment opportunities, improve assistance for homeless vets, improve care for female vets and keep benefits pegged to increases in the cost of living. The committee...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The day before the Veterans’ Affairs Committee considers eight bills that would have major impacts on vets across America, Senator Mazie K. Hirono filed three amendments designed to specifically help vets in Hawaii access federal veterans’ programs. Two of Hirono’s amendments would help unemployed Native...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono today announced $6.7 million in federal funds for Honolulu International Airport. The U.S. Department of Transportation grant will fund the replacement of 12 existing passenger loading bridges in the Main Overseas Terminal that are outdated and have reached the end of their useful lives....

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono met today with President Barack Obama at the White House during a meeting with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Hirono specifically spoke up in support of initiatives that help Native Hawaiians. Other issues addressed by CAPAC included issues like education and immigration...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono met today with Cornelia “Nina” Pillard, Georgetown University Law Center professor and President Obama’s nominee to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hirono will participate in Pillard’s...