Senator Mazie K. Hirono hailed an agreement reached this week between the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Taiwan to facilitate its membership in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry Program, which...
With the federal tax filing deadline less than three weeks away, advocates joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono today to urge Hawaii seniors to be aware of tax-related scams, such as con artists pretending to be Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents by phone. Senator Hirono, along with representatives from the IRS, AARP Foundation Tax Aide program, and...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono hailed U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez’s decision to approve the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142’s request for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative TAA for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company workers displaced by the cessation of sugar...
Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act, legislation that would provide durable medical equipment (DME) providers and patients in certain parts of the country with relief from harmful payment policies. DME providers help connect patients with medically...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Mark Takai (D-HI) introduced the Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act, legislation that would jumpstart research related to coral reef conservation.
“In the past two years, Hawaii’s coral reefs have experienced two serious coral bleaching events, and with rising ocean...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono urged U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Tom Perez to expedite review and approval of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 142’s request for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative TAA for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company workers displaced by the cessation of sugar...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today introduced the Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act, legislation that would provide support to increase the number of women and minorities entering science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
“Approximately half of the U.S. population and...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono today voted against legislation that would override state laws that require labeling of genetically modified food products. The legislation would establish a voluntary national labeling standard and would only create a mandatory disclosure program if, three years after enactment of the law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture...
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced legislation Tuesday to ensure veterans with a disability rating of 30 percent or higher who are hired by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can access additional paid sick leave during their first year on the job for the purposes of receiving medical care...
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that she and 224 other Members of Congress today will file an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the United States v. Texas case, in which Texas and 25 other states sued to block implementation of the President’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded Deferred...
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Senator Mazie K. Hirono questioned U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Chief Thomas Tidwell on progress to combat Rapid Ohia Death at today’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. Senator Hirono also called for robust funding for the USFS as Congress reviews the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono, joined by Senate colleagues and Congressional Black Caucus leaders today, took Senate Republicans to task over their failure to do their job and commit to taking any action on President Obama’s eventual nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.
“It is...
The United States Senate unanimously approved a resolution authored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono recognizing February 2016 as American Heart Month, and February 5, 2016 as National Wear Red Day. This is the second year that Senator Hirono led the effort to recognize American Heart Month and reaffirm the country’s commitment to fighting heart...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono introduced a resolution marking the anniversary of the issuance of Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II, and affirming that America must stand against intolerance. In a show of support, advocates from nearly ten organizations were...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono applauded President Obama’s nomination of Lucy Koh to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
“Lucy Koh’s experience on the federal bench, in private practice, and as a prosecutor make her a qualified candidate to serve on the Ninth Circuit, whose jurisdiction includes Hawaii, and...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted to support the confirmation of Dr. Robert M. Califf to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Califf was confirmed today as FDA Commissioner by a bipartisan 89-4 vote.
“The FDA is facing real challenges in addressing the impact of opioid addiction in our country,...
HONOLULU – With the federal tax filing deadline set for April 18th, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and advocates today urged Hawaii families to utilize helpful tax credits, now that these important benefits have been made permanent by Congress. Representatives from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), the AARP Foundation Tax Aide program and...
HONOLULU – Today, the U.S. Department of State announced a final agreement between the U.S. and Japanese governments to increase flights from the U.S. to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Under the new agreement, five round trip flights during the day and one round trip flight at night will operate between the U.S. and Haneda. Currently, U.S. airlines...
WASHINGTON, D.C.– The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation authored by Senator Mazie K. Hirono that streamlines the process for families of veterans to receive survivors benefits. The Veterans’ Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act was introduced by Senator Hirono in the Senate and identical legislation...
Senator Mazie K. Hirono voted to support H.R.757, the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act, which passed the Senate 96-0. Before the vote, Senator Hirono took to the Senate floor to speak in support of additional sanctions on North Korea in the wake of the North Korean regime’s recent missile tests, and called for continued support for the...