Press Releases

Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a Senate conferee to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), voted against the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report today. While it passed the Senate 70-22, President Obama has vowed to veto the bill because of its use of the Overseas...

Today, the Department of the Interior released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding “Procedures for Reestablishing a Government-to-Government Relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community.” This Proposed Rule is a culmination of years of work by the Hawaii Congressional Delegation, the Native Hawaiian community, the State of...

The United States Senate unanimously passed S. 2082, which extends a number of crucial health and benefit programs for veterans that are scheduled to expire on September 30. The legislation includes provisions authored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono to renew and extend seven programs that provide outreach and services to homeless veterans, and keep the...

After voting to reject a Republican ploy to tie the budget to defunding Planned Parenthood, Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement: “Keeping the federal government open for business is one of Congress’ core responsibilities. So is ensuring that the least fortunate among us have access to basic necessities. Yet for the...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement on Pope Francis’ address to Congress: “Pope Francis’ address to a joint meeting of Congress was a reminder to us, the American people, that our country was founded as a place where families can fulfill their dreams if we fight for the common good. “His call for...

Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) issued statements calling for continued funding for the Preschool Development Grants Program.   “Too many children in Hawaii will enter kindergarten without having the benefit of a preschool...

Senators Mazie K. Hirono and John Boozman (R-AR), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation Thursday to authorize federal homeless veteran programs for the next fiscal year. The Keeping Our Commitment to Ending Veteran Homelessness Act would reauthorize seven Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department...

Today, the Hawai‘i Congressional Delegation announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded $2,118,174 in two grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to help curb veterans’ homelessness in Hawaii. “As we address the serious issue of homelessness, it is imperative that we...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the American Legion, and many veteran service organizations expressed their support for three of Senator Mazie K. Hirono’s bills to improve VA healthcare and benefits at Wednesday’s Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing. Senator Hirono also called for...

Today, the Hawaii Congressional Delegation announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded $8,610,632 in federal grants to support Native Hawaiian education. The grants, which include funding for every county in Hawaii, will support eleven education projects to improve academic achievement, strengthen early childhood literacy and...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement in remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001: “Communities across the country gather today to reflect and remember the more than 3,000 individuals, including five from Hawaii, who perished in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and to cherish the heroism...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to support President Obama’s landmark international agreement to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Legislation to disapprove of the Iran deal failed to advance on a 58-42 vote. Senator Hirono voted against advancing the legislation. Read Senator Hirono’s...

Today, President Obama announced the nomination of Clare Connors to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii.  Ms. Connors was among those recommended by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and the Federal Judicial Selection Commission. The Federal Judicial Selection Commission, which...

U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced S.1998, the Middle Class Creating Higher Education Affordability Necessary to Compete Economically (CHANCE) Act, a bill to increase access to affordable post-secondary education for low- to moderate-income students. The bill would address the significant loss in value of Pell...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement in support of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as agreed to by the P5+1 and Iran: Since receiving President Obama’s proposed deal to end Iran’s nuclear program, I have attended and participated in classified...

Today, on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), Senator Mazie K. Hirono called for the restoration of the landmark legislation that prohibits discrimination in voting: “Fifty years ago, the Voting Rights Act gave millions of Americans a voice in our democracy. For the first time, federal protections guarded minority voters...

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted to pass the highway bill, which if enacted, will increase highway and bus funding for Hawaii. “The six-year highway bill will give transportation agencies more certainty to plan for the long-term building and repair of our roads, bridges, public transit systems, and other...

Today, many of Senator Mazie K. Hirono’s priorities were included in the Energy Policy Modernization Act, which passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on a 18-4 vote, with Senator Hirono’s support. The broad, bipartisan legislation includes Senator Hirono’s proposals to provide grants to modernize electrical...

Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to the Senate floor to oppose the Republican bill to defund Planned Parenthood, a service that 2.7 million including 7,000 in Hawaii, rely on for primary health care. One in five women will visit a Planned Parenthood clinic in her lifetime for health care such as cancer screenings, disease testing, birth control,...

Washington, D.C. – Following the White House announcement of a new policy that will reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their children, Hawaii and national advocates highlighted the importance of expediting the visa process for the families of the brave Filipino people who served our country: “This is a day to celebrate,”...