Press Releases

Senator Mazie K. Hirono introduced a bipartisan resolution in the United States Senate to recognize the month of October as Filipino American History Month. The resolution acknowledges the key role Filipino Americans play in shaping our country. Representative Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced an identical measure in the House of...

Today, Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and others told the Obama Administration that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should not be considered by Congress until it is renegotiated. In a letter to the Administration today, the Senators outlined TPP’s fundamental flaws and the need to fix them before Congress votes on the...

In response to a request by Senator Mazie K. Hirono, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General released an inspection report on a six-point plan the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) undertook to improve patient wait times for VA medical services. The VA first pledged to implement the plan at Senator...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono continued her call to guarantee access to legal counsel for unaccompanied children who come to the United States fleeing violence in their home countries during a visit to immigration “Kids Court” in Baltimore today. These children, some as young as three, are forced to navigate through immigration proceedings...

“Today’s announcement is the long-time culmination of efforts to provide a pathway for Native Hawaiians to achieve self-determination. I commend the Obama administration for creating this opportunity that will enable the Native Hawaiian community to establish a government-to-government relationship on par with Alaska Natives and Native...

The U.S. Senate today passed S. 2683, the Federal Aviation Administration Veteran Transition Improvement Act, legislation authored by Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Deb Fischer (R-NE) to equalize paid sick leave for veterans who work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA). S. 2683 is cosponsored...

Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today introduced the Youth Access to Sexual Health Services (YASHS) Act, a bill that would create a competitive grant program to expand access to fact-based,...

The U.S. Senate today approved the extension of a package of veteran health and benefit programs, which includes the Keeping Our Commitment to Ending Veteran Homelessness Act authored by Senators Mazie K. Hirono and John Boozman (R-AR) to renew a number of important veteran housing programs. Without action, these programs, which served over 600...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono successfully included several Hawaii priorities in S. 2848, the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, which passed the Senate today. The bill authorizes over $12 billion in funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, and supports water infrastructure projects across the country. “Hawaii residents know too well the...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that the State of Hawaii will receive $7.15 million from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Military Airport Program to build 10 additional hangar and storage buildings and complete repairs to Hangar 110 at Kalaeloa Airport (John Rodgers Field) on Oahu. “Kalaeloa Airport serves as a...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement in response to the Associated Press report on working conditions in Hawaii’s longline fishing fleet: “I am deeply disturbed by the situation described in the Associated Press' report on conditions in Hawaii's longline fishing fleet. It is completely unacceptable that the inhumane...

The National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) honored Senator Mazie K. Hirono for her advocacy on behalf of National Guard members and their families. NGAUS President Gus Hargett and Hawaii National Guard Adjutant General Joe Logan presented Senator Hirono with the Montgomery Medal, one of the organization’s highest...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement in remembrance of the September 11 attacks: “Fifteen years ago, our nation stood stunned as we learned about attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Today, we again stand together, in memory of the thousands who were killed on September 11, and gratitude for the heroism of first...

Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Patty Murray (D-WA) called on Senate Republicans to stop stalling critical federal funding to fight the Zika virus. President Obama first sent an emergency funding request to Congress to address Zika in February. “It’s been nearly four months since the Senate overwhelmingly passed a compromise measure that...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono, for the third time, took to the Senate floor to call for the confirmation of Hawaii’s Clare Connors to Hawaii’s U.S. District Court, and other judicial nominees from courts across the country who have been waiting over a year for a floor vote. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) blocked Senator Hirono and other...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement in observation of Labor Day: “Today, as families in Hawaii and across the country celebrate Labor Day, we thank the generations of men and women who sacrificed for basic rights that we enjoy. Hawaii’s rich tradition of organized labor began more than 80 years ago, when the first...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company employees displaced by the cessation of sugar production will continue to receive federal assistance through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Trade Adjustment Assistance was originally granted in March. That assistance is...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) for finalizing its decision to award Hawaiian Airlines a daytime slot to fly directly from Honolulu International Airport to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Earlier this year, Senator Hirono worked with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to increase...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono took to Twitter to fire back at Donald Trump after his latest speech on immigration. As the only immigrant currently serving in the U.S. Senate, Senator Hirono has been the leading advocate for family unity in fixing our broken immigration system. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 113th Congress, she was...

Senator Mazie K. Hirono congratulated Dr. Richard Vuylsteke on his recent selection as the next president of the East-West Center. Dr. Vuylsteke will replace outgoing President Charles Morrison. “Dr. Vuylsteke’s previous experience at local institutions including the East-West Center, University of Hawaii, and Chaminade University,...