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586 rows where chamber = "House", state = "HI" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending

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https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403 Case Releases End Of 116th Congress Report To Hawai’i 2020-12-30 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper (Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today released his 116th Congress End-Of-Term Report back to Hawai’i on his activities and efforts throughout the two-year 116th Congress (January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021). “In January 2019, as I returned to Capitol Hill for my third full term representing Hawai’i in the U.S. House of Representatives, the country was mired in what soon became the longest federal government shutdown in our history,” said Case. “As I end the 116th and am sworn into the 117th Congress this Sunday, we continue to confront the far-worse crisis of COVID-19. “These are truly difficult times, when we desperately need our institutions of government to function as our founders intended. “And a critical part of functioning government is staying in very close touch with those we represent, reporting back and seeking guidance wherever and however we can.” In his report, Case summarizes his activities in the 116th in his three areas of focus: leading on national issues; helping Hawai’i; and helping constituents. “I hope my report will provide those I serve with some sense of where I’ve been in the 116th and where I’m going in the 117th as we all chart the best path forward for our county and Hawai’i over the next two years and beyond”, said Case. ### 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395 Case Statement on the President Approving the $900 Billion Further COVID-19 Emergency Relief and $1.4 Trillion Regular Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations Measure 2020-12-27 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper (Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) issued the following statement following the President’s signing of H.R. 133, passed by Congress December 21st and including $2.3 trillion in both further COVID-19 emergency assistance and the regular annual funding of the federal government for Fiscal Year 2021: “The President’s approval of Congress’ bipartisan compromise $900 billion COVID-19 emergency assistance measure, along with our $1.4 trillion regular annual federal funding bill, is welcome news for all Americans. Not only does it deliver further critical COVID-related assistance across-the-board, but it averts a federal government shutdown amidst the worst of the crisis. “But I’m not going to fawn with gratitude for his doing what he could and should have done almost a week ago, as soon as Congress sent him a measure he and his own administration negotiated and he said he’d sign if Congress got it to him. He knew then, as he knows today, that his own party had firmly rejected a higher direct stimulus payment and that the only way to get critical aid out now was to sign the bill right away. “We will keep seeking a higher direct stimulus payment starting with a vote in the U.S. House tomorrow, though the real obstacle has always been and remains the U.S. Senate majority. But what a disruptive and cruel week the President unnecessarily imposed on the country and on families, communities, businesses and governments throughout.” 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=392 Case Statement on Passage of Second Massive Federal COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Package 2020-12-21 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper The $900 billion measure follows on the CARES Act in delivering further critical assistance to the frontlines of health care including vaccine distribution, to small businesses, to unemployed workers and directly to American families (Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) issued the following statement on passage in the U.S. House today of a second huge federal COVID-19 emergency assistance package, the second largest federal rescue measure ever passed by Congress after the CARES Act this past March, and the fifth federal assistance package overall. “As our COVID-19 public health, economic and social crisis continues on, for far too many Americans this further assistance is not just about stability and stimulus but survival,” said Case. “Though the delay in enacting this further emergency assistance was inexcusable, the additional $900 billion in federal funding to address critical COVID-19 needs throughout our country could not come at a more critical time for our country and Hawai‘i,” said Case, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for federal funding. “I especially support the additional assistance to our healthcare frontlines including vaccine distribution, to hard-hit areas of our economy such as travel and tourism, to our small businesses, and to our unemployed workers.” “But like the CARES Act, our work in making sure this critical assistance gets to where it needs to get throughout our country and Hawai‘i as quickly and fully as possible is just starting.” “There were also many needs that were unfortunately not addressed in this measure, such as further direct state and local government funding. Finally, it is crystal clear that even this major additional emergency assistance will not be enough to see us all through COVID-19. “So, I’m already working with my colleagues on addressing those additional needs and delivering further assistance in the early part of the upcoming 117th Congress which begins January 3rd.” Highlights of the $900 billion relief measur… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394 U.S. House Approves $1.4 Trillion Federal Funding Bills for Current Fiscal Year 2021 2020-12-21 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper Bills Will Avert Threatened Government Shutdown and Include Major Funding for Hawai‘i Projects Sought by Appropriations Committee Member Case (Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for all federal discretionary spending, today voted with a majority of his colleagues to pass a $1.4 trillion measure to fund the federal government for the current 2021 fiscal year (FY). If approved by the Senate as expected, the bill will go immediately to President Donald Trump for his consideration and expected signature into law. “It was way too late and unnecessarily disruptive, but Congress is finally coming together to avert what would have been another disastrous government shutdown with an agreement to pass this bill providing critical funding for our current fiscal year,” said Case. “This measure supports indispensable programs for all Americans across the board including defense, health care, education, social services and natural resources. It also includes key provisions of special importance to our Hawai‘i that I requested and worked for through my House Appropriations Committee and otherwise.” Highlights of the FY 2021 measure of special interest to Hawai‘i and for which Case advocated throughout the yearlong appropriations process include: Homeland Security $355 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, rejecting the Administration’s proposal to cut this program by $76 million. This program helps fund the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency. Direction that the United States Customs and Border Protection consult with and provide recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other state and local partners on preventing the introduction of invasive species to Hawai‘i and non-contiguous U.S. territories. $101 million, level funding from FY 2020, for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which includes the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Directio… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=390 Case Announces Winners of 2020 Congressional App Contest 2020-12-15 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper (Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced the winners of his 2nd annual Congressional App Challenge for Hawaii’s First Congressional District. “The Challenge is a great opportunity for our local students to focus their skills and creativity on developing, testing and analyzing new applications for real-world use,” said Case. “And results of this year’s Challenge prove again that they have the skill set, imagination and resolve to compete against the best of our young people nationwide in science, technology, engineering and math, along with the potential to lead the next generations of computer science and technology.” The winners include: 1st Place Tony Dang Grade: 12th grader, Iolani School App: Glaucomark Video: Glaucomark: Congressional App Challenge 2020 YouTube Summary: This web application is based on deep learning that offers a handy and cost-worthy glaucoma exam that is available to everyone with access to the Internet. Users only need to upload a picture of a retina taken by any smartphone with a 20D lens that costs only 10 dollars. 2nd Place Harvey Lloyd Picar, Reyan Lee, Destiny Shishido and Kristine Orpilla Grade: 12th graders, Waipahu High School App: ClubHub Video: 2020 Congressional App Challenge: ClubHub -YouTube Summary: This is a website was designed specifically for Waipahu High School students to find out everything about the clubs they signed up for as members, as well as other extra-curricular activities offered by the school. 3rd Place Xhavier Teocson, Kalani Ashton Agustin, Jett Marco Palacpac and Aaron Moises Paned Grade: 12th graders, Waipahu High School App: Studentjobapp Video: Congressional App Challenge 2020-"studentjobapp" Demo - YouTube Summary: This App provides a simple way for students and minors to find part-time job listings and reaches out to companies that are looking for applicants interested in part-time work. Honorable Mention: Kieri Isara Grade: 8th grader, Ewa Makai Middle School App: What’s Next Video: What’s Next App on Vimeo … 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=389 Case Introduces Measure to Require Federal Benefit Coverage of Compact Migrants 2020-12-09 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=28 scraper (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today introduced a measure in the U.S. House of Representatives to require the federal government to extend the same federal benefits to citizens of three Pacific Island nations legally entitled to live and work in the U.S. as are available to other legal permanent residents. “For over three decades our country and Hawai’i have welcomed citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau to live and work in our country legally under Compacts of Free Association (COFA) between our nations,” said Case. “Yet, although COFA are critical national agreements for our country in the increasingly critical Indo-Pacific, our federal government has dumped the financial burden of providing needed services to FAS citizens on the few states and territories with the most migrants, in part by disqualifying legal FAS citizens from receiving the same basic federal benefits from key federal programs like Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP) that other legal permanent residents are entitled to.” “In fact, Hawai’i, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands, which have the highest relative COFA populations in the country, were required to spend some $3.2 billion for services to COFA migrants from 2004 to 2018 but were only reimbursed some $500 million, for a whopping bill of $2.7 billion”, said Case, citing a comprehensive June 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). “For Hawai’i alone, our bill is now around $200 million annually and no doubt growing rapidly with the severe COVID-related needs of our COFA communities. “It is fundamentally unfair for our federal government to ignore its obligations under agreements that are purely national in interest and scope and transfer this crushing financial burden to the states and territories. My measure would address much of this unfairness by requiring our federal government to extend to FAS citizens the same basic f… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=388 U.S. House Passes Case's Measure Advancing First National Forest for Hawai‘i 2020-12-05 2020 2020-12 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) announced that the U.S. House of Representatives this Thursday passed his bill to advance creation of Hawaii’s first National Forest. A member of the House’s Natural Resources Committee and of its Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands with jurisdiction over the National Forest System, Case managed (led majority party efforts) in the full House in debating and passing his (H.R. 7045) and several other key Natural Resources bills. Case’s bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration. “My measure will move us toward finally correcting a longstanding omission by adding the best of Hawaii’s unique and endangered forests to our country’s invaluable National Forest System,” said Case. “It will direct our federal government to pursue a formal process led by the U.S. Forest Service of engaging with state and community stakeholders toward identification of the most suitable Hawaii forests for inclusion as National Forests.” The National Forest System currently comprises 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands and several other federal land designations containing 193 million acres. Its core mission is to conserve precious resources for a variety of uses to include watershed management, research, cultural site preservation, wildlife habitat management and research and outdoor recreation. Case said: “Despite having some of the most unique and endangered forest lands in the country, Hawai‘i is one of only a handful of states nationwide without a National Forest. Establishing a National Forest in Hawai‘i would support tropical forest conservation and research throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and provide appropriate recreational, cultural and commercial opportunities in Hawai‘i,” all with financial and other assistance from the federal government. Earlier this year, Case arranged for Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ First Deputy Robert Masuda to testify before his Subcommittee in favor of the measure. “The citizens of Hawaii … 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:42:23Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=384 Case Announces Nominations to Nation’s Service Academies for Incoming ‘21 Class 2020-11-16 2020 2020-11 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today announced his 2021 nominations to four of our nation’s service academies: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point/Army); U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis/Navy); U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs/Air Force) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point). “I take my responsibility to nominate deserving applicants from my district to our legendary service academies very seriously, and personally interviewed all 44 potential nominees before making my decisions on nominations,” said Case. “I was truly impressed with the applicants, and it was very encouraging and rewarding to have spent time with our next generation of military leaders.” Case named the following nominees to the four service academies: United States Air Force Academy (1) Kaylee Jones, Randolph-Macon Academy via Mililani High School (2) Kali‘inoa Maeva, Punahou School (3) Jasmine Oki, Hawai‘i Baptist Academy (4) Neo Takazawa, Punahou School (5) Rosabel Mahimer, Hanalani Schools (6) Jacob Flores, University Laboratory School (7) Luke Philips, Punahou School (8) Roshan Engineer, Mililani High School (9) Peter Herrington, Home School, ‘Ewa Beach (10) Sonny Koa Rosales, Kapolei High School United States Military Academy (1) Annika Swanson, Punahou School (2) Jack Schwab, Moanalua High School (3) Joshua Burnett, Damien Memorial School (4) Mary-Magdalene Kim, Moanalua High School (5) Ocean Mao, McKinley High School (6) Lillian Piedad, Mid-Pacific Institute (7) Iwalani Campbell, McKinley High School (8) William Nagel, Punahou School (9) Ethan Gerhardt, Punahou School (10) Luke Garcia, Island Pacific Academy United States Naval Academy (1) Scott Lyons, Naval Academy Preparatory School via St. Louis School (2) Cara Cunningham, Columbia University via Punahou School (3) Sky Lactaoen, Naval Academy Preparatory School via Campbell High School (4) Alexsandra Huntimer, ‘Iolani School (5) Jonah Lee, Radford High School (6) Curtis Meares, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa via Kalani High S… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:39:51Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=380 Case Issues Statement on the Election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris 2020-11-07 2020 2020-11 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Honolulu, HI) – U.S Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) issued the following statement on the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris: “We took the time democracy deserved, and democracy chose Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” said Case. “Now the real work begins, of charting a better path forward for all Americans, of healing a bitterly divided country, of listening to and including the almost half of our fellow Americans who chose differently. “This work will be profoundly difficult. But today we all can reflect with pride and humility on the resilience of our democracy and recommit ourselves each in our own way to our own role and responsibility." ### 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:39:51Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=378 Case Releases Recording of Co-hosted National Aeronautics and Space Administration Virtual Event Last Friday with Kapolei High School Students 2020-10-27 2020 2020-10 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Honolulu, HI) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Commerce Justice and Science with funding jurisdiction over NASA, today released a recording of his Talk Story-NASA Artemis Next Generation STEM virtual event last Friday which he co-hosted along with NASA leaders for a NASA Artemis Next Generation for Kapolei High School students. Who: Congressman Case NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine NASA Astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim When: Last Friday, October 23, 2020 9AM to 10 AM HST NOTE: If media are interested in reaching out to students and faculty who participated in the session, please contact Nestor Garcia. NOTE: If media are interested in reaching out to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim, please contact Katy Summerlin. “Under NASA and increasingly public-private partnerships, the exploration of space has charged the imagination of generations of Americans and launched the careers of countless students including Hawaii’s own,” said Case. “And we have again seen in just the last few months, with the award of the Nobel Prize to two women with Hawai’i ties - Professor Andrea Ghez in Physics and Professor Jennifer Doudna in Chemistry - as well as our scientists atop Mauna Kea contributing to the first-ever images of a black hole, that we can lead the world in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). “But we must always carry that forward in sparking our next generations into STEM learning and the opportunities it yields for both students and us all. It is a privilege to contribute by bringing the head of NASA and one of NASA’s storied astronauts right into Kapolei High’s classroom.” “Hawaii has made great contributions to scientific achievement over the years, and we hope to continue to provide opportunities for students to get involved in NASA missions,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. Bridenstine, NASA’s 13th Administrator, previously served as the United States Representative for the 1stCongressional Di… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:34:36Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=374 Case Leads Introduction of Visit America Act in U.S. House 2020-10-01 2020 2020-10 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Washington, DC) – Congressman Ed Case (D-HI) today joined his House Travel and Tourism Caucus co-chairs Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) along with Congressman Don Young (R-AK) in introducing the Visit America Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Visit America Act, developed with and supported by the nation’s travel and tourism industry, would mandate a coordinated national effort to stabilize and recover one of the country’s primary industries which has been particularly devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID-19, U.S. travel and tourism generated some $2.6 trillion in economic output and supported some 16 million jobs, or one in ten of all U.S. jobs. With its component industries, especially accommodations, air travel and food services, it was a major U.S. export and trade surplus contributor to the country, and that is before accounting for domestic travel and tourism. COVID-19 changed all that precipitously, devastating many state and local economies. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that the pandemic has caused over $386 billion in cumulative losses for the industry since March, with some $50 billion in lost federal, state, and local revenues. Over 80% of the industry are small businesses, many if not most of which expect a recovery of well over six months if they survive to start with. Over a quarter of all leisure and hospitality sector workers remain unemployed, double the next most hard-hit industry. The Visit America Act is the House companion to a U.S. Senate measure previously introduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Angus King (I-ME). It thus represents a fully bipartisan, bicameral effort to address the crisis facing U.S. travel and tourism. The Visit America Act would: Express the sense of Congress that the federal government must work with the industry and other stakeholders toward a visitation goal of 116 million annual travelers to the United States by 2028, an increase of some 25% over pre-COVID numbe… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:34:36Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=371 Case Statement on the Passing of U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 2020-09-18 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Washington, DC) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) released the following statement upon the passing of United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “We have lost a giant. A good and decent citizen who believed passionately in her country and Constitution and, when called to great responsibility, discharged it honorably and fully. “Rest in peace, RBG.” ### 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:28:51Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-senators-urge-trump-to-work-with-congress-to-provide-emergency-rental-assistance-protections Schatz, Senators Urge Trump To Work With Congress To Provide Emergency Rental Assistance, Protections 2020-09-17 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Senators Urge Trump To Work With Congress To Provide Emergency Rental Assistance, Protections Vulnerable Infants, Children, Young Adults, Caregivers, Parents Facing Unprecedented Economic Strain amid Public Health Crisis Thursday, September 17, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and 30 of his senate colleagues today called on President Trump to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to enact legislation that provides the emergency assistance and protections renters need to stay in their homes. Millions of children and youth are at risk of being evicted from their homes due to the Trump administration's refusal to support critical rental assistance and relief measures to protect their health and well-being during this pandemic. Today, millions of households are facing impossible choices between paying the rent or mortgage, or purchasing food or medicine. Given recent spikes in COVID-19 caseloads and an economic crisis that continues to deepen, we urge you to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to enact legislation that provides the emergency assistance renters need to stay in their homes, the senators wrote. Along with Schatz, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). A full copy of the letter can be f… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon-2-foxcw-house-bill-aims-discourage-ballot-harvesting KHON 2 Fox/CW | House bill aims to discourage ballot harvesting 2020-09-17 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy A bipartisan bill that aims to improve the security of mail-in ballot voting was re-introduced to the house floor on Thursday, Sept. 17. Bill H.R. 8285, better known as the Election Fraud Prevention Act, would prohibit election funding to states which permit ballot harvesting. The Election Fraud Prevention Act was proposed by representatives Tulsi Gabbard (Hawai'i) and Rodney Davis (Illinois) as most states, like Hawai'i, gear up for an all mail-in general election. The representatives expressed their concerns with states who are legally allowed to practice ballot harvesting, which involves allowing third parties to collect and deliver ballots in some states. Gabbard's proposal advocates for voting ballots to only be handled by election officials and mail carriers. Family members, household members and caregivers would also be able to deliver ballots on behalf of the voter, according to the bill. While some states have prohibited vote harvesting, many states lack any regulations that would stop third-parties from fraudulently collecting and mishandling ballots as has occurred in recent elections. Our bipartisan bill incentivizes states to take action and prevent any political parties or any third-party special interest groups from interfering with our sacred right to vote,-Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District The Election Fraud Prevention Act would also amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit election funding to states which permit ballot harvesting. 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-votes-confront-anti-asian-bigotry Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Votes to Confront Anti-Asian Bigotry 2020-09-17 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) voted to pass H.Res.908, a bipartisan resolution which draws attention to the increased anti-Asian bigotry that has been observed during the coronavirus crisis and calls on the Federal government to work with state and local law enforcement to confront and prosecute hate crimes related to this. She cosponsored the resolution earlier this year to draw attention to at-risk communities as Congress began its work to address the broader fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, too many Asians across the country have become the targets of bigotry, slurs, and even physical attacks due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Especially during this time of crisis, now is the time for our community to come together and care for one another, not tear itself apart,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Background:Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been a leader in Congress fighting for equality for all and advocating for the protection of at-risk and minority communities in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. In March, she cosponsored H.Res.908. She recently joined her colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) to urge the Administration to make translated materials available on all official federal websites that have information related to COVID-19 and any of the benefits programs created to address this pandemic to ensure that everyone has access to these resources. About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii's Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010, and prior to that at age 21, was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. Tulsi Gabbard has served in the Hawaii Army National Guard for over 17 years, is a veteran … 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-votes-workplace-protections-pregnant-workers Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Votes for Workplace Protections for Pregnant Workers 2020-09-17 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) voted to pass H.R.2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill which will greatly expand workplace protections for pregnant workers, preventing them from having to choose between a safe pregnancy and financial security. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a cosponsor of the bill. The bill was passed by a vote of 329-73, and now heads to the Senate for consideration. We are a stronger society when we care for one another and our families. Too often, pregnant women are faced with the impossible decision of ensuring a safe pregnancy or providing for her family. This bill helps make sure basic protections are in place while she is at work that best serve the wellbeing of mom and her baby, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Background:The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 was a critical step forward in ensuring employment protections for pregnant women in the workplace. Though the Pregnancy Discrimination Act prevents mothers from employment discrimination, H.R.2694 goes a step further to ensure that employers provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. Such accommodations may include allowing pregnant employees in the service industry to sit while working, or have the opportunity to take more bathroom and water breaks. Women are working later into their pregnancies. More than 80 percent of pregnant workers continue to work into their last trimester. While reasonable accommodations may not be requested in all cases, there are many reports of employers firing or pushing unpaid leave onto pregnant workers who need reasonable accommodation. The effect is disastrous, cutting off both a paycheck and health insurance just when both are needed the most. About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii's Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/reps-tulsi-gabbard-and-rodney-davis-introduce-bill-ban-vote-harvesting-protect Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Rodney Davis Introduce Bill to Ban Vote Harvesting & Protect Mail-In Ballots from Third-Party Predators 2020-09-17 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCToday, Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) introduced H.R.8285, the Election Fraud Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill that aims to improve the security of the mail-in ballot process. The strength of our democracy lies in the integrity of our elections. Whether in the midst of a pandemic where mail-in voting is likely to drastically increase, or in a normal election, no one should get in between a voter and the ballot box. While some states have prohibited vote harvesting, many states lack any regulations that would stop third-parties from fraudulently collecting and mishandling ballots as has occurred in recent elections. Our bipartisan bill incentivizes states to take action and prevent any political parties or any third-party special interest groups from interfering with our sacred right to vote,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Banning ballot harvesting shouldn't be a partisan issue, said Rep. Rodney Davis. Allowing any individual, including political operatives, to pick up multiple voters' ballots and deliver them to a polling location undermines the integrity of our elections. We've seen ballot harvesting widely used in states like California and a recent court case in North Carolina outlined the clear opportunities for fraud and coercion with the ballot harvesting process. This bipartisan bill will encourage states to ban this process that is ripe for fraud and is a major threat to the integrity of our elections. Background:H.R.8285, the Election Fraud Prevention Act would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit payments to States which permit ballot harvesting. Currently, depending on the State or locality, voters have the option of mailing their ballot, leaving their ballot in a drop box, having their ballots collected and submitted by a third party, or returning them at the polls or a local election office. The Election Fraud Prevention Act ensures that voters seeking to turn in their mail-in ballots may only be assisted by an election official or mail carrier acting… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hirono-booker-introduce-i-am-vanessa-guillen-act Senators Hirono, Booker Introduce I Am Vanessa Guillen Act 2020-09-16 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy September 16, 2020 Senators Hirono, Booker Introduce I Am Vanessa Guillen Act Bill removes barriers to reporting sexual harassment, sexual assault in the military WASHINGTON, D.C. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the I Am Vanessa Guillen Act, legislation that addresses sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military by removing decisions about prosecuting those cases from the chain of command, establishing independent investigators outside of the chain of command, and creating a standalone punitive article for sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Vanessa Guillen's story makes painfully clear the need for a better response to sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military. The I Am Vanessa Guillen Act knocks down barriers to reporting sexual harassment and sexual assault and directly addresses the culture that protects the perpetrators of these crimes. It's time to make a system that respects and protects survivors,Senator Hirono said. It's far past time we address the epidemic of sexual assault and harassment in our military and change a system where these cases aren't reported because of fears of retribution from superiors,said Senator Booker.The I Am Vanessa Guillen Act will make major changes to how our military handles these cases, including moving prosecution decisions out of the complainant's chain of command, while also increasing oversight of the military's handling of missing soldier cases. I'm proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this bill. The I Am Vanessa Guillen Act would: Shift prosecutorial decisions on sexual harassment and sexual assault cases outside the chain of command to an Office of the Chief Prosecutor established within each military service Create a standalone punitive article for sexual harassment under the UCMJ Establish and train sexual harassment investigators outside of the… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-doh-epidemiologist-jennifer-smith-legally-protected Honolulu Civil Beat | Is DOH Epidemiologist Jennifer Smith Legally Protected As A Whistleblower? 2020-09-16 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Putting a worker on paid leave soon after she blew the whistle can be enough to establish a case under Hawaii's law. But legal elements can be hard to prove. The Department of Health's decision to put on leave a staff case investigator who exposed flaws in the state's COVID-19 contact tracing program that led to a program overhaul and the departure of the state health director is raising questions about retaliation. Retaliating against a whistleblower sends a dangerously chilling message to others in our government who are doing the right thing, that they better toe the line or they will be punished, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said in response to Jennifer Smith's forced paid leave from the department. Hawaii has a law designed to protect people like Smith. The question is whether it will apply in her case. Smith has hired a lawyer but not yet filed a lawsuit, and it's not clear whether she will. Still, her situation raises questions about how the state's whistleblower law works and what protections workers have. As Lt. Gov. Josh Green sees it, people like Smith should be encouraged to speak out. No one in Hawaii should ever have to fear retaliation if they express their concerns about how people are acting, Green said in a text message. This is America for god sake. Unfortunately, the law protecting people who speak out isn't that simple. Anna Elento-Sneed is an attorney and president of ES&A Inc., a Honolulu law firm that's the sole Hawaii member of the Employment Law Alliance, a leading network of labor and employment lawyers. Sneed said it's important to note that whistleblower protections are found in numerous laws dealing with employment issues, not just Hawaii's whistleblower protection statute. In addition, Sneed said, whistleblower cases are fact intensive. And many facts of Smith's case have yet to emerge. It's very hard at this stage to say whether she has a claim or not, Sneed said. Still, a close look at the state's whistleblower statute does provide some insight… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/marijuana-moment-congressional-lawmakers-ask-supreme-court-hear-marijuana-lawsuit Marijuana Moment | Congressional Lawmakers Ask Supreme Court To Hear Marijuana Lawsuit Against DEA 2020-09-16 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Seven members of Congress and a slew of marijuana reform groups have submitted legal documents urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) refusal to change the federal classification of cannabis. In an amicus brief filed on Tuesday, the lawmakers sided with the plaintiffs and said the prohibition of marijuana is unconstitutional and should be resolved by the Court. The Schedule I status of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act creates an unconstitutional framework that unfairly burdens their constituents, the brief states. The original lawsuit against DEA was filed in 2017 by a coalition of medical cannabis patients and activists, including Alexis Bortell and former NFL player Marvin Washington. It was rejected in a series of rulings by lower courts, but attorneys for the plaintiffs said those decisions made it clear their only source of acceptable relief would come from the Supreme Court. That's because both a U.S. District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit previously determined that advocates would have to first seek administrative relief through existing channels such as a petition asking DEA directly to reclassify cannabis. But the plaintiffs said they wouldn't go that route because they believe the request would be denied by DEA and because the agency would, at best, reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, which they say could create additional harms in terms of patient access to the plant. It's not clear whether the Supreme Court will take the case, but the batch of amicus briefs could give added weight to the case, particularly when members of Congress are calling for action. The nine justices are scheduled to discuss whether to grant a hearing during a private October 9 conference. The submission of an amicus brief by seven members of Congress is significant, not only because it adds legitimacy to our petition, but more importantly, because it provides critical support for one of the central poi… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-brings-attention-targeted-kidnapping-torture-and-slaughter Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Brings Attention to Targeted Kidnapping, Torture and Slaughter of Christians in Nigeria 2020-09-16 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCRep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) joined representatives of the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON) along with former Rep. Frank Wolf (VA) and former NFL New England Patriots Tight End Benjamin Watson to raise awareness around the decades long atrocities being committed against Nigeria's Christian community by Boko Haram and other Islamist extremist terrorist organizations. She delivered the following remarks: Just five days ago, we observed the solemn 19th anniversary of Al-Qaeda's attack on our country on September 11th. 19 years after that attack, Islamist extremists like Al-Qaeda and ISIS are continuing to carry out terrorist attacks around the world. They are continuing to slaughter and enslave Christians and other religious minorities around the world. Too often, these attacks go unnoticed. These attacks are continuing in Nigeria by Boko Haram -- an Islamist extremist terrorist group formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda that now pledges allegiance to ISIS. It is estimated that around 60,000 Christians have been targeted and killed in Nigeria over the last two decades. Things like truckloads of Boko Haram terrorists arriving at a Christian village and going in and slaughtering every person there -- man, woman, child. According to the Global Terrorism Index, the killing in this region is greater than that committed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, combined. I am here today to join my friends in bringing attention to this crisis, to raise our voices in opposition to the systematic slaughter, kidnapping, and torture of Christians by Boko Haram and other Islamist terrorist organizations in Nigeria and in the region. Background:Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been an outspoken leader in Congress focused on defeating Al-Qaeda in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks it committed against the United States. After the attack on 9/11, she became the first state official to voluntarily leave her public office to serve in a war zone. She previously introduced a resolution recognizing the persecution of reli… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/additional-703-million-in-federal-unemployment-dollars-heading-to-hawaii Additional $70.3 Million In Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii 2020-09-15 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Additional $70.3 Million In Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii New Federal Money From CARES Act Follows Previously Announced $253 Million, Will Provide Additional $300 A Week In Unemployment Assistance For Those Impacted By COVID-19 Tuesday, September 15, 2020 WASHINGTON The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced it has approved an additional $70,293,866 grant to Hawaii to provide those unemployed due to COVID-19 with an additional $300 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefit. The new funding follows nearly $200 million in federalfunding announced last month and $53.4 million announced last week. While this new funding will provide some immediate help, it's not enough for Hawaii families who are struggling to make ends meet,said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.We'll continue working to secure more federal funding to help Hawaii get through this tough time. The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program is funded by FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, which received $45 billion from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-murkowski-sullivan-introduce-bill-to-extend-key-2020-census-deadlines-due-to-covid-19-pandemic Schatz, Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bill To Extend Key 2020 Census Deadlines Due To COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-09-15 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Bill To Extend Key 2020 Census Deadlines Due To COVID-19 Pandemic Bipartisan Bill Would Help Ensure Accurate Count By Extending Deadlines To Report Data, Complete Field Operations Tuesday, September 15, 2020 WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) introduced a bipartisan bill that would extend two key statutory deadlines for the 2020 Census by four months and require the Census Bureau to continue field operations through October 31, 2020. Delays in census operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic could result in a severe undercount of the population, specifically in Native, minority, and rural communities across the country. These extensions would allow the Census Bureau to continue collecting and processing data, which will lead to a more accurate count. The pandemic has caused real concerns around getting everyone counted in the 2020 Census," said Senator Schatz."Our bill extends key deadlines so that the Census Bureau has enough time to reach more communities and ensure an accurate count." Obtaining an accurate Census count is always difficult. But now, with the added delays and difficulties caused by COVID-19, it's become increasingly clear that more time is needed to ensure a fair and accurate census count. For an effort that happens once every ten years, with impacts that last for the next ten years, this is far too important to not get right. The Census determines how much federal funding our local communities will receive for services like schools, roads, and other public serviceseach vital to Alaska's livelihood, said Senator Murkowski. This legislation is critically important, taking into account all the various challenges and hurdles that have occurred during this year's Census, and providing the extensions necessary to have a complete 2020 Census. An accurate population count in Alaska is notoriously difficult given our many diverse and remot… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-gains-support-burn-pits-legislation-joins-new-bill-help-troops Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Gains Support For Burn Pits Legislation, Joins New Bill to Help Troops Exposed to Toxins 2020-09-15 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) announced growing support for H.R.7072, the SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pit Transparency Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill which she introduced this summer with Rep. Brian Mast (FL-18). Senator Sherrod Brown (OH), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee leading on burn pits issues, introduced the bipartisan companion bill in the Senate with Senator Rob Portman (OH). Rep. Gabbard has also requested to be an original co-sponsor of the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act, which is being introduced today. The cost of war is carried by our servicemembers long after they return from the battlefield and put down the uniform. We know that millions have been exposed to these toxic substances which have ruined the lives of thousands of our servicemembers and veterans, often cutting lives short. SFC Health Robinson was one such individual. I hope his story spurs the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs to do more, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. As a veteran of two Middle East deployments, also exposed to toxic burn pits, I will continue to push for legislation that will mandate care for those suffering due to toxic substance exposure in the line of duty. Since its introduction in June, the SFC Heath Robinson Burn Pit Transparency Act has gained over a dozen bipartisan cosponsors with more signing on this week. Burn Pits 360, an advocacy organization fighting to raise awareness about this issue and secure care for servicemembers and veterans exposed to burn pits supported the bill when it was introduced. Since then, the Fleet Reserve Association, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., and the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network have all provided their support for the bill. As an organization we worked for many years to pass the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (H.R. 299) that became a law last year. The law allows Navy Veterans who ser… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-calls-on-avalon-health-care-to-review-and-improve-infection-control-practices-as-covid-19-outbreaks-persist-at-all-three-of-its-nursing-homes-in-hawaii Schatz Calls On Avalon Health Care To Review And Improve Infection Control Practices As COVID-19 Outbreaks Persist At All Three Of Its Nursing Homes In Hawaii 2020-09-12 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz Calls On Avalon Health Care To Review And Improve Infection Control Practices As COVID-19 Outbreaks Persist At All Three Of Its Nursing Homes In Hawaii Saturday, September 12, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) called on Avalon Health Care to review and improve its infection control policies and practices as all three of its facilities in Hawaii have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks. The Utah-based company operates three facilities in Hawaii: Avalon Care Center and Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Honolulu, and the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. In a letter to Avalon's CEO, Schatz wrote, Given that outbreaks have occurred at all three of Avalon's facilities in Hawaii, I am alarmed that Avalon's facilities are not able to adequately protect its residents and staff. Therefore, I urge you to immediately review the practices, and in particular the staffing and infection control practices, at your facilities in Hawaii and in other states to identify and resolve any deficiencies that could result in the spread of COVID-19. Residents of nursing homes are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19, and each Avalon facility needs to be sufficiently prepared to keep its residents and staff safe during the pandemic. The latest COVID-19 outbreak at its Hilo facility has resulted in the death of at least nine residents and infected 59 residents and 19 staff members. As cases rose last week, Schatz called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to step in and provide support. They have since mobilized a medical team to assist and help save lives. The full text of Schatz's letter to Avalon Health Care is below and available here. Dear Mr. Kirton: I am writing because of serious concerns about Avalon Health Care's policies and actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within its facilities. Avalon Health Care operates three facilities in Hawaii: Avalon Care Center - Honolulu, Hale Nani Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, and the Yukio Oku… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-to-receive-10-million-in-additional-community-development-block-grants-to-respond-to-covid-19-crisis Hawaii to Receive $10 Million in Additional Community Development Block Grants to Respond to COVID-19 Crisis 2020-09-11 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy September 11, 2020 Hawaii to Receive $10 Million in Additional Community Development Block Grants to Respond to COVID-19 Crisis WASHINGTON, D.C. SenatorMazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive an additional allocation of more than $10 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG-CV) to provide critical assistance for the community as it continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic. These CDBG-CV funds are the third round of CDBG funding from the federal CARES Act. Hawaii County will receive $1,077,958, Kauai County will receive $677,028, Maui County will receive $1,874,312, and the City and County of Honolulu will receive $6,445,350. These funds are specifically intended to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus in vulnerable populations across Hawaii. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to dramatically impact day-to-day life in Hawaii, these funds will help address essential needs across our state. The flexibility of CDBG-CV funds allow each county to maximize their efforts to support communities who have been hit hard by the pandemic, including Pacific Islanders and other communities of color. It will take collective action to address the economic consequences of the pandemic, and I remain focused on getting federal assistance to those who need it most,Senator Hirono said. Senator Hironoannouncedin May more than $5 million of CDBG funding in the second disbursement of funds. These funds supported a variety of projects including mobile youth outreach services at the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island, emergency food distribution equipment at The Food Basket, laundry and utility improvements at Na Kahua Hale O Ulu Wini, Project Vision Hawaii's mobile health and hygiene services, Malama Pono Health Services' rent, mortgage and utilities assistance, rental assistance from Maui Economic Opportunity and Family Life Center, and homeless prevention, mobile testing, and eviction prevention efforts on Oahu. ### Print… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/following-urgent-request-from-schatz-va-health-team-mobilized-heading-to-hilo-as-early-as-today Following Urgent Request From Schatz, VA Health Team Mobilized, Heading To Hilo As Early As Today 2020-09-11 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Following Urgent Request From Schatz, VA Health Team Mobilized, Heading To Hilo As Early As Today VA Support Comes After Schatz Made Urgent Request For Federal Intervention Into Hilo Veterans Home Outbreak Friday, September 11, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has mobilized a team of infection control experts, nurses, and other health care professionals to provide immediate support and help contain aCOVID-19outbreak at the YukioOkutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. The move comes just days after Schatz made an urgent request to the VA following rising COVID-19 cases and deaths at the Hilo facility. More help is on the way, said Senator Schatz. This medical team will be a big help in containing the outbreak happening on the Big Island. My staff and I will continue working with the VA and state and local officials to make sure we are utilizing all the federal help that's available. Details of the VA mission follows: VA Subject Matter Experts will conduct an onsite assessment in the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo for infection control issues. The purpose is to formulate recommendations for interventions, processes, and procedures to address an outbreak of COVID-19. The VA team is expected to consist of: an infectious disease physician, a facilities engineer who understands environmental air flow and AC systems,an infectious diseasenursespecialist with expertise in running COVID-19units,asafety officer, an industrial hygienist, and anursemanager. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/videos/view/senator-hirono-on-the-senate-floor-mitch-mcconnell-and-senate-republicans-arent-meeting-the-moment Senator Hirono on the Senate Floor: Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans Aren't Meeting the Moment 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy Senator Hirono on the Senate Floor: Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans Aren't Meeting the Moment Connect with Senator Mazie Hirono Online: Visit Senator Mazie Hirono's WEBSITE: https://sen.gov/Z7ZK Like Senator Mazie Hirono on FACEBOOK: https://sen.gov/W7WW Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on TWITTER: https://sen.gov/X5X0 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-senators-demand-answers-from-census-bureau-on-how-they-will-ensure-fair-count-accurate-apportionment-of-congressional-representation-in-2020-census Schatz, Senators Demand Answers From Census Bureau On How They Will Ensure Fair Count, Accurate Apportionment Of Congressional Representation In 2020 Census 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Senators Demand Answers From Census Bureau On How They Will Ensure Fair Count, Accurate Apportionment Of Congressional Representation In 2020 Census Thursday, September 10, 2020 WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) led a group of 19 senators in calling on the Census Bureau to provide more details on how they plan to use data from the 2020 Census to apportion congressional representation. This comes after multiple attempts by President Trump to interfere with the count for political purposes, as well as the limitations on conducting the census in full during the coronavirus pandemic. With the president's unconstitutional memorandum excluding undocumented people from apportionment, coupled with your agency's decision to end the 2020 Census count one month early, we also raise serious concerns about a fair and accurate distribution of congressional representation,the senators wrote. In their letter to Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham, the senators are asking for answers on the data and methodologies that the bureau will use to decide how many members of the House of Representatives each state will receive in the 118th Congress. They highlight concerns about how only certain states are sharing citizenship information and the data acquired could be inconsistent, unreliable, or incompletewhich may lead to an inaccurate distribution of congressional representation. The resulting reapportionment report submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives by the president will be an inaccurate, arbitrary, and unconstitutional distribution of congressional seats across the country,the senators wrote. In addition to Senator Schatz, the letter was signed by Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Amy… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-cftc-climate-risk-report Schatz Statement On CFTC Climate Risk Report 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz Statement On CFTC Climate Risk Report Thursday, September 10, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chair of the Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, released the following statement on a new report titled Managing Climate Risk in the U.S. Financial System from the Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC). The findings in this report should be a wake-up call: climate financial risks are real. They will destabilize our financial system and the whole U.S. economy if left unchecked. We need the Federal Reserve, the SEC, and our other regulatory agencies to immediately move forward with the recommendations in this reportincluding climate risk stress testing and mandatory public company disclosure of climate risks and emissions. I thank subcommittee chairman Bob Litterman for his hard work and Commissioner Rostin Behnam and his staff for championing this effort. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-star-advertiser-whistleblower-says-hawaii-department-health-s-toxic Honolulu Star Advertiser | Whistleblower says Hawaii Department of Healths toxic culture of fear impeded work of investigators 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Hawaii Department of Health whistleblower Jennifer Smith, the epidemiologist who was suspended with pay on Friday after speaking out about the understaffing of COVID-19 contact tracers, says the DOH fostered a toxic culture of fear that impeded the work of investigators trying to stop the spread of disease in the community. A management culture of bullying, shame and blame fosters a culture of fear, not the solid science that is essential to ensure Hawaii's public health, she wrote in a letter issued by Honolulu Attorney Carl Varady, who is now representing Smith. Employees should not have to choose between protecting their careers, through unquestioning loyalty to ineffective leadership, versus asking for the tools to do the kind and quality of science necessary to stop the pandemic. Our job is saving lives, not saving face. A DOH spokeswoman said the Health Department would not comment on personnel issues. Smith said she was forced to leave the department due to a faction protecting Dr. (Sarah) Park, the state epidemiologist blamed for failing to build a robust COVID-19 testing and contract tracing program. Park was placed on paid leave on Sept. 4, four days after her boss, Health Director Bruce Anderson, announced his retirement on Sept. 15. Days before, Emily Roberson, who was recently hired to take over the contact tracing program, asked to be placed on leave, but is now back on the job. Park could not be reached for comment. Character attacks on me after I spoke up publicly, and We with Sarah' buttons, are not going to stop the pandemic or save a single life in Hawaii, Smith said. Saving lives will only occur through good science, conducted by dedicated people who have the resources necessary to do their work without managers who put micromanagement and personal loyalty ahead of Hawaii's public health. She said she took a personal and career risk by exposing the chronic staffing shortages at the DOH since the start of the pandemic, even as the department claimed it had a sufficient p… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-kitv4-exclusive-covid-positive-resident-yukio-okutsu-state-veterans-home KITV 4 ABC | KITV4 exclusive: COVID-positive resident at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home speaks out 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Former Air Force airman describes depressing atmosphere, what he says is the need for more staff, and the feeling of watching "war brothers" getting sick and dying all around him. A state veteran's home on Hawaii Island has become a hotspot for COVID-19 cases, and on Thursday, we're hearing an exclusive story from one of its residents. The Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo reported no new deaths Thursday, but in the past 12 days, ten residents lost their lives to the virus, and 64 residents and 24 employees have tested positive; 71 of those cases are still active. Former Air Force Sgt. Noa Ka'akimaka once served his country in the Vietnam War. He saw men all around him going down, and he's seeing it again today with the coronavirus. "This is a deadly virus," he states. Ka'akimaka lives at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. He's quarantined in a room alone because, he says, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 at the end of August. He says he's lucky to be asymptomatic. He says he hears about the sick and the dying from the nurses. "I'm finding out some of these patients are not making it. And they tell me. I say, 'Oh my goodness, I knew him, I used to talk to him before. Now he is down, he's not making it." "Do you feel things are under control? Are there enough nurses, protective equipment?," I ask. "No, no. It's not. The nurses are coming from Honolulu too because some of our staff was infected," he tells me. Over the weekend, US Sen. Brian Schatz twice called for an urgent federal intervention into what he terms a public health crisis. We need to contain this outbreak immediately, and we need federal help, said Sen. Schatz. I'm calling on the VA to immediately step in and deploy infection control experts and other health care professionals to the Big Island to get this under control. This is a public health emergency, and we need all the help we can get to stop this outbreak and save lives. In a pair of letters to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wil… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-s-statement-10th-death-yukio-okutsu-state-veterans-home Rep. Tulsi Gabbards Statement on the 10th Death at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home 2020-09-10 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) released the following statement on the 10th death of a resident at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home: Our nation's heroes and their families made profound sacrifices for the country we love, and it is our honor to care for them in their time of need. Losing ten of my fellow veterans at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home to COVID-19 leaves a profound hole in our hearts. It is unconscionable that these veterans who selflessly sacrificed so much now find themselves struggling to survive under the threat of this virus yet another consequence of the lack of testing and contact tracing should have been in place months ago, that continues to plague our state. We are in close contact with those responsible for managing the facility to help provide support to contain this outbreak and prevent more undue suffering and loss of life. Not only is urgent action needed to protect our veterans, urgent action is needed to protect every person in our state. Background: Opened in 2008, the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home in Hilo is the only dedicated veterans care home in Hawaii. The facility is named for the late Technical Sergeant Yukio Okutsu, who was awarded the Purple Heart and the Medal of Honor for his bravery and service in the Army's legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. Since August, the home has been battling a growing COVID-19 cluster. A majority of residents at the 95-bed facility have tested positive, as have a mounting number of staff members. About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii's Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010, and prior to that at age 21, was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. T… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-secures-27-million-in-new-federal-funding-for-native-hawaiian-education Schatz Secures $27 Million In New Federal Funding For Native Hawaiian Education 2020-09-09 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz Secures $27 Million In New Federal Funding For Native Hawaiian Education In August, Schatz Urged U.S. Department of Education Not To Delay Release Of Grant Funding, Citing Challenges Caused By COVID-19 Pandemic Wednesday, September 9, 2020 WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive $26,992,923 in new federal funding to supportgrants under the Native Hawaiian EducationProgram (NHEP).This federal funding,secured by Senator Schatz through his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee,was awarded to 23Native Hawaiian educational programsacross the state. This new federal funding will ensure that Native Hawaiian educational programs have the resources they need in timefor the upcoming school year,said Senator Schatz.As we work through the appropriations process, I will keep fighting for more resources for the Native Hawaiian community. The release of these fundscomesas schools are preparing to start the 2020-2021 school year.In August, Senator Schatz sent a letter to the U.S.Department of Education urging them not to delay therelease of thisgrantfunding until late September, as previously announced. During the COVID-19pandemic,Native Hawaiian educationprograms have been invaluablefor families, and furtherdisruption to these programs would leavemanyhard pressed to find an alternative option for their children. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Schatz hasworked to preserve and expandgrantfunding for NHEP.WhilePresident Donald Trump hassought tozero outfunding forthese grants, Senator Schatz has fought to protectmorethan $100 million over the lastthreefiscal years.In addition, he hasgarnered bipartisan support to increase annualfundingfor NHEPeach year by $3 million. These multi-year competitive grants will be used forearly childhood education, family engagement,Hawaiian language education, creation of STEM pathways,curriculum and professional development, and more. The progra… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-department-health-whistleblower-says-she-was-placed-leave KITV 4 ABC | Department of Health whistleblower says she was placed on leave 2020-09-09 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Whistleblower at the Department of Health and case investigator Jennifer Smith says that she was placed on leave. NOTE: Video of segment included at kitv.com, includes statement from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. She was the first to sound the alarm on the the state's understaffed COVID-19 contact tracing program. A health department spokesperson confirmed Smith is on leave, but did not provide any further details. Hawaii U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a big critic of the department was by Smith's side when she came forward, she calls the move retaliation. "It sends a very chilling message to any employee within the state government that if you speak out when you see something that's wrong, that's negatively affecting the people of Hawaii then you too may be punished," Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said. Director Bruce Anderson announced his retirement, State Epidemiologist Sarah Park was placed on leave and after less than a month on the job Doctor Emily Roberson who had been put in charge of the contact tracing program also asked for time off. 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/additional-534-million-in-federal-unemployment-dollars-heading-to-hawaii Additional $53.4 Million In Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii 2020-09-08 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Additional $53.4 Million In Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii New Federal Money From CARES Act Follows $200 Million Announced Last Month, Will Provide Additional $300 A Week In Unemployment Assistance For Those Impacted By COVID-19 Tuesday, September 8, 2020 HONOLULU The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced it has approved an additional $53,368,466 grant to Hawaii to provide those unemployed due to COVID-19 with an additional $300 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefit. The new funding follows nearly $200 million in funding announced last month. While this new funding will provide some immediate help, it's not enough for Hawaii families who are struggling to make ends meet, said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. We'll continue working to secure more federal funding to help Hawaii get through this tough time. The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program is funded by FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, which received $45 billion from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-hawaii-dept-health-whistleblower-forced-out-shakeup-continues Honolulu Civil Beat | Hawaii Dept Of Health Whistleblower Forced Out As Shakeup Continues 2020-09-08 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy After revealing flaws in the state's contact tracing program, Jennifer Smith, a state DOH case investigator, was put on leave on Friday. A state Department of Health case investigator who exposed flaws in Hawaii's COVID-19 contact tracing program has been placed on paid leave. Jennifer Smith, a virologist who has been praised as a whistleblower for bringing the department's problems to light, confirmed that her supervisor told her late Friday that she was being forced to go on leave. Smith declined to say why she was ordered on leave or what rationale the department gave her. In a statement, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said the action sends the message that Gov. David Ige and his administration will punish people who speak out. In an email, DOH spokeswoman Janice Okubo confirmed Smith is on leave, and added, No other information will be provided. Smith's forced exit capped a week of continuing drama for the embattled department. First, on Aug. 31, Ige announced the retirement of Bruce Anderson, the Department of Health director. Two days later, Emily Roberson, an epidemiologist newly assigned to take over an overwhelmed contact tracing effort, requested a leave of absence until leadership could clarify chain of command issues that had made it hard to do her job. The next day, the department announced the state epidemiologist, Dr. Sarah Park, was put on paid leave. Smith was put on leave late Friday, the same day as Park. Anderson and Park had both been under mounting criticism for their apparent failure to execute the state's coronavirus response strategy effectively. With tourism dried up and much of Hawaii's economy shut down, the daily virus case count was low for much of May. The idea was to slowly reopen the economy and use extensive contact tracing and testing to keep the virus in check when things reopened. A number of organizations, including the Hawaii National Guard, offered to help build a small army of contact tracers, a strategy called for under national criteria. … 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon-2-foxcw-doh-whistleblower-placed-leave-firearm-allegations KHON 2 Fox/CW | DOH whistleblower placed on leave for firearm allegations 2020-09-08 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy NOTE: Video of segment included at khon2.com, includes statement from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Another shakeup at the Department of Health, as KHON2 has learned Tuesday that the DOH whistleblower who brought to light the state's contact tracing program was understaffed, is now on leave. Dr. Jennifer Smith went public back in August about the state's understaffed contact tracing program at the DOH. The Department confirmed her absence Tuesday night but refused to give other details. Smith's spokesperson, Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group Hawaii, tells KHON2 she was placed on a 30-day paid leave from the DOH on Friday for accusations of threatening other DOH employees with a firearm. I was contacted by Jennifer in tears when she had received a letter that stated she was being put on administrative leave, and she was escorted out of the Department of Health by a sheriff, Dr. Miscovich said. He adds that Dr. Smith was presented with a letter upon notification of her forced leave. Although she denies the accusation, Dr. Miscovich says that she is under whistleblower status as the state is forced to investigate the allegations. Josh Green basically took her case to the Attorney General and presented to the Attorney General for whistleblower immunity, Dr. Miscovich said. Hawaii U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard helped facilitate Smith's whistleblowing efforts back in August. She told KHON2 in a statement Tuesday evening: It appears Dr. Jennifer Smith has been punished for telling the people of Hawaii the truth about what was really going on at the Department of Health. After bravely coming forward to expose the lies coming from Drs Anderson and Park that cost people their health and in some cases their lives, she has been forced to take leave. This latest action from Governor Ige and his administration further erodes the public trust. Retaliating against a whistleblower sends a dangerously chilling message to others in our government who are doing the right thing, that they better toe … 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-whistleblower-department-health-says-she-was-placed-leave KITV 4 ABC | Whistleblower at Department of Health says she was placed on leave 2020-09-08 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Whistleblower at the Department of Health and case investigator Jennifer Smith says that she was placed on leave. She was the first to sound the alarm on the the state's understaffed COVID-19 contact tracing program. A health department spokesperson confi [sic] NOTE: Video of segment available on kitv.com, including interview with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Whistleblower at the Department of Health and case investigator Jennifer Smith says that she was placed on leave. She was the first to sound the alarm on the the state's understaffed COVID-19 contact tracing program. A health department spokesperson confirmed Smith is on leave, but did not provide any further details. Hawaii U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a big critic of the department was by Smith's side when she came forward, she calls the move retaliation. "It sends a very chilling message to any employee within the state government that if you speak out when you see something that's wrong, that's negatively affecting the people of Hawaii then you too may be punished," Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard said. Director Bruce Anderson announced his retirement, State Epidemiologist Sarah Park was placed on leave and after less than a month on the job Doctor Emily Roberson who had been put in charge of the contact tracing program also asked for time off. 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-calls-for-immediate-federal-intervention-into-hilo-veterans-home-outbreak-as-covid-19-cases-deaths-continue-to-rise Schatz Calls For Immediate Federal Intervention Into Hilo Veterans Home Outbreak As COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Continue To Rise 2020-09-06 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz Calls For Immediate Federal Intervention Into Hilo Veterans Home Outbreak As COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Continue To Rise With 5 Deaths, 46 Residents And 18 Staff Members Testing Positive, Schatz Raises Urgent Concerns About Infection Control Practices, Staff Capacity To Contain Outbreak Sunday, September 6, 2020 HONOLULU As COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise at the Yukio Okutsu Veterans State Home in Hilo, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) called for direct federal assistance with the outbreak. We need to contain this outbreak immediately, andwe need federal help,said Senator Schatz. I'm calling on the VA to immediately step in and deploy infection control experts and other health care professionals to the Big Island to get this under control. This is a public health emergency, and we need all the help we can get to stop this outbreak andsave lives. In a pair of letters to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie and Governor David Ige, Schatz raised concerns about the handling of the outbreak and called for immediate federal help to identify where the facility is falling short and how it can improve infection control protocols, use of personal protective equipment, and other measures that will protect its residents and the workers who care for them. Schatz wrote,It is increasingly clear to me that the state home is understaffed and ill equipped to stop this outbreak on its own. Moreover, I am concerned that the state and county have been too slow to respond to the crisis with the urgency that it demands, including with a request for more federal assistance. The full text of the letter to VA Secretary Wilkie is available here. The full text of the letter to Governor Ige is available here. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-statement-on-covid-19-outbreak-at-veterans-home-in-hilo Schatz Statement On COVID-19 Outbreak At Veterans Home In Hilo 2020-09-05 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz Statement On COVID-19 Outbreak At Veterans Home In Hilo Saturday, September 5, 2020 HONOLULU U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today released the following statement on the COVID-19 outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. In May, Schatz called on Governor David Ige to step up efforts to prevent such outbreaks at nursing homes. The outbreak we are seeing at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home is heartbreaking. My staff and I are working with state and local officials to make sure they utilize all the federal help that's available.TheDepartment of Veterans Affairs iscapableof doing evenmore, but we cannot be shy about asking themfor help. We also need to focus on infection control best practices to contain this outbreak.The state should ask VA toshareinfection control specialists, provide additionaltesting, and continue to share PPEto get this under control.Residents of senior homes are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. That's why it isalsoabsolutely critical that thefacility follows infection controlguidelinesandthat the statedramatically expandstestingat these facilitiesto continue to protect these vulnerable residents and theircareworkers. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/hawaii-to-receive-4-million-in-new-federal-funding-to-help-state-respond-to-meth-crisis-opioid-misuse Hawaii To Receive $4 Million In New Federal Funding To Help State Respond To Meth Crisis, Opioid Misuse 2020-09-04 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Hawaii To Receive $4 Million In New Federal Funding To Help State Respond To Meth Crisis, Opioid Misuse Funding Comes After Schatz Called For More Federal Resources To Combat Meth Epidemic in December 2019; Hawaii Meth-Related Death Rate Nearly Three Times Higher Than National Rate Friday, September 4, 2020 HONOLULU Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that the state of Hawaii will receive $4,001,647 in new federal funding to help respond to the growing crisis of methamphetamine misuse, as well as opioid misuse. This is the first year that this grant has allowed the flexibility to address stimulants, including meth; previously, this grant could only be used to respond to the opioid epidemic. This new funding and increased flexibility comes after Senator Schatz called for more federal resources to respond to the meth crisis in December 2019. Meth misuse and addiction has been a serious problem in Hawaii for decades, but recently the meth-related death rate has skyrocketed, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. This grant will help us put critical resources towards saving lives and combating this crisis. Hawaii has experienced some of the worst effects of meth misuse, making it an important public health priority. In 2016, Hawaii had 6.8 meth-related deaths per 100,000 residents three times the national rate of 2.4 deaths per 100,000 people. Meth-related deaths on the islands have outpaced opioid-related deaths for each of the past five years. This grant comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and will help fund prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon-2-foxcw-tulsi-gabbard-says-she-cautiously-optimistic-after-recent-changes KHON 2 Fox/CW | Tulsi Gabbard says she is cautiously optimistic after recent changes to Department of Health leadership 2020-09-04 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Representative Tulsi Gabbard issued a statement saying she is cautiously optimistic after it was revealed that Dr. Sarah Park would be taking a leave of absence from her role as Hawaii Department of Health's (DOH) Chief Epidemiologist. In the statement, Gabbard expressed her hopes for improved leadership within the DOH and more efficient contact tracing efforts. The public trust has been broken. New leaders in the Department of Health have the opportunity to begin to rebuild that trust by hiring and building a robust testing and tracing operation, and providing transparency to the people about the progress that's being made. Every day we are losing our loved ones to this virus. We must do all we can to act urgently to defeat it. Allowing the status quo to continue will only result in more unnecessary sickness and death. -TULSI GABBARD, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FOR HAWAII'S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. Dr. Park's departure was announced just a day after Dr. Emily Roberson, who had been hired to fix the state's contact tracing program. According to Representative Scott Saiki, Roberson cited frustrations with DOH leadership which included claims that Dr. Park blocked her efforts to hire more contact tracers. For Representative Gabbard's full statement, click here. 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/maui-now-hawai-i-congressional-delegation-calls-postmaster-general-preserve-usps Maui Now | Hawaii Congressional Delegation Calls Postmaster General to Preserve USPS Lifeline 2020-09-04 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Hawai'i's congressional delegation called on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to reverse and suspend further changes to the US Postal Service's operations, which they say have caused widespread service delays. In a letter sent to the postmaster on Thursday, Hawai'i's congressional delegation emphasized the state's dependence on the postal service for prompt deliveries of food, medicine and other goods. Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to the Postmaster General, requesting and immediate reversal of changes that they say have led to service delays for Hawaii mail, and suspend further changes to US Postal Service operations until there is no longer a nationally declared public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The delegation also expressed alarm at the Postmaster General's confirmation that he is considering price increases for service in Hawaii, Alaska and the US territories. We are especially alarmed that proposed additional changes may increase mail delivery costs for Hawaii in particular, the lawmakers wrote. The lawmakers continued, These service delays have the potential of affecting the 120,000 veterans in Hawaii, especially the 50,000 who receive their medication through the mail from the Veteran's Health Administration. Hawaii's small business owners, who have already been impacted by COVID-19 are now having to work around delayed supplies or deal with late deliveries to customers. We have also heard from several constituents who were not able to cast their ballot and vote in Hawaii's primary election on Aug. 8, 2020, as some ballots took weeks to reach the voter or did not arrive at all. 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-dr-park-s-departure-provides-cautious-optimism-department Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Dr. Parks Departure Provides Cautious Optimism for Department of Health Action 2020-09-04 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) issued the following statement after it was announced that Dr. Sarah Park, the Hawaii Department of Health's Chief Epidemiologist is taking a leave of absence: I'm cautiously optimistic that this change will provide new leaders within the Department of Health an opportunity to step up and fix the truly fatal flaws the people of Hawaii have suffered from under Drs. Anderson's and Park's tenures. The public trust has been broken. New leaders in the Department of Health have the opportunity to begin to rebuild that trust by hiring and building a robust testing and tracing operation, and providing transparency to the people about the progress that's being made. Every day we are losing our loved ones to this virus. We must do all we can to act urgently to defeat it. Allowing the status quo to continue will only result in more unnecessary sickness and death. Background: Dr. Park's departure was announced just a day after Dr. Emily Roberson, who had been tapped to fix the state's virtually non-existent contact tracing program, requested a leave of her own, citing frustration with DOH leadership issues which included Dr. Park blocking her efforts to hire more contact tracers. On August 14, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard hosted a press conference in Honolulu where she was joined by a Department of Health (DOH) whistleblower who came forward to expose the failure of Hawaii's DOH to hire, train and deploy a contact tracing operation in response to the coronavirus crisis. During the press conference, Rep. Gabbard and public health experts outlined the resources that Congress provided for testing and contact tracing efforts, the vital role they play in preventing the spread of the virus, and how the state went from having virtually no new infections to becoming one of the most infectious states in the nation a trait directly impacted by the quality of contact tracing efforts. Rep. Gabbard reiterated her call for Dr. Bruce Anderson and Dr. Sarah Park to be fired for their negligence and i… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-to-postmaster-general-stop-service-delays-preserve-hawaiis-usps-lifeline-during-pandemic Hawaii Congressional Delegation to Postmaster General: Stop Service Delays, Preserve Hawaii’s USPS Lifeline During Pandemic 2020-09-03 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy September 03, 2020 Hawaii Congressional Delegation to Postmaster General: Stop Service Delays, Preserve Hawaii's USPS Lifeline During Pandemic WASHINGTON, D.C. Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy requesting he immediately reverse changes that have led to service delays for Hawaii mail, and suspend further changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations until there is no longer a nationally declared public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Postmaster General DeJoy's recent appearances before two congressional committees, Hawaii's Congressional Delegation called attention to the widespread delays that communities across the country face, citing concerns raised by Hawaii residents about timely deliveries of essential mail, and alarm at the Postmaster General's confirmation that he is considering price increases for service in Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. territories. The letter emphasized that as an island state, Hawaii is dependent on the Postal Service for prompt, reliable deliveries of food, medicines, and other goods, and residents lack the option to drive to another state for these services. We are especially alarmed that proposed additional changes may increase mail delivery costs for Hawaii in particular,the lawmakers wrote.We request that you eliminate the service delays, reverse previous changes that have contributed to these delays, and suspend implementation of further changes to USPS operations until we no longer have a nationally declared public health emergency due to COVID-19. The lawmakers continued,These service delays have the potential of affecting the 120,000 veterans in Hawaii, especially the 50,000 who receive their medication through the mail from the Veteran's Health Administration. Hawaii's small business owners, who have already been impacted by COVID-19 are now having to work around delayed supplies or deal with late deliveries to customers. We have also hear… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/hawaii-news-now-heels-health-director-s-retirement-state-epidemiologist-takes-leave Hawaii News Now | On the heels of Health directors retirement, state epidemiologist takes leave 2020-09-03 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy NOTE: The article contains embeded video of an interview with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Dr. Sarah Park, the state's embattled epidemiologist, has taken a leave of absence, the state Health Department confirmed Thursday night. In a statement, the department said: At this time, Dr. Sarah Park is taking a leave of absence from her work at the Department of Health. During her leave, Deputy Director Danette Wong Tomiyasu is in full charge of all disease investigation and immunization activities under the Disease Outbreak Control Division. The news comes just days after the governor announced state Health Director Bruce Anderson planned to retire later this month. Anderson and Park have been on the front lines of the state's beleaguered response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid a surge in infections that the state was ill equipped to handle, they have also faced calls to resign. Park, in particular, has been roundly criticized for the state's failure to stand up a robust contact tracing program capable of handling a rise in cases. From the very beginning, she has failed to take the necessary steps to address this global pandemic. It appears she never took it seriously. For whatever reason, she was unwilling to hire the contact tracers we knew we would need, said U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Congresswoman Gabbard says Park had created a catastrophe in terms of contact tracing. And the consequence of that is every single day lately people here in Hawaii are losing their loved ones, Gabbard said. After weeks of grilling Park at hearings, state lawmakers made an unannounced visit to the Health Department to find investigators overwhelmed, overworked and unable to follow up on most cases. Last month, the state brought in Emily Roberson in to help fix the state's overwhelmed contact tracing program, taking oversight of the effort away from Park. But on Wednesday, Roberson asked to go on leave a request that was approved citing confusion over who was in charge. Those familiar with the si… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-gabbard-doh-has-consistently-failed-step-plate KITV 4 ABC | Gabbard: DOH has consistently 'failed to step up to the plate' 2020-09-03 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Rep. Tulsi Gabbard recently hosted a tele-town hall meeting to update Hawaii residents about COVID-19. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard recently hosted a tele-town hall meeting to update Hawaii residents about COVID-19, with epidemiologist Dr. DeWolfe Miller, and Dr. Scott Miscovich who has been at the forefront of testing efforts across the state. Prior to the meeting, the Department of Health's (DOH) new investigations branch chief and head of the state's contact tracing program, Dr. Emily Roberson, requested a leave of absence until issues can be sorted out. Though Dr. Sarah Park had been removed as head of the contact tracing program, recent reports indicate she is blocking and micromanaging Dr. Roberson. Earlier this week we saw Director Anderson step down and it's long past time for Dr. Sarah Park to go as well. People will continue to get sick and die if the Governor fails to take action at this critical time. We've heard horror stories of people not being informed about exposure or being discouraged from getting tested even if they have been exposed, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. People across the state have made huge sacrifices to their day-to-day lives following preventative measures. They expect Governor Ige to lead, to make sure his Department of Health is doing its job with a robust testing and tracing program that is transparent and accountable to the public. In the meeting, Gabbard noted that the DOH has consistently "failed to step up to the plate and implement common-sense methods that we know work to stop this disease: testing and contact tracing." The state has received over $50 million in federal funding for testing and tracing efforts, in part for her work in Congress with Hawaii's Congressional delegation. Gabbard says it is "absolutely unacceptable that this funding has not been used to develop a robust testing and contact tracing effort in our state, and the outbreak that we are currently experiencing is a direct result of DOH's failure in leadership." Dr. Scott Miscovich and Dr. DeW… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-postmaster-general-stop-service-delays-preserve Hawaii Congressional Delegation to Postmaster General: Stop Service Delays, Preserve Hawaiis USPS Lifeline During Pandemic 2020-09-03 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCSenators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy requesting he immediately reverse changes that have led to service delays for Hawaii mail, and suspend further changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations until there is no longer a nationally declared public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Postmaster General DeJoy's recent appearances before two congressional committees, Hawaii's Congressional Delegation called attention to the widespread delays that communities across the country face, citing concerns raised by Hawaii residents about timely deliveries of essential mail, and alarm at the Postmaster General's confirmation that he is considering price increases for service in Hawaii, Alaska, and the U.S. territories. The letter emphasized that as an island state, Hawaii is dependent on the Postal Service for prompt, reliable deliveries of food, medicines, and other goods, and residents lack the option to drive to another state for these services. We are especially alarmed that proposed additional changes may increase mail delivery costs for Hawaii in particular, the lawmakers wrote. We request that you eliminate the service delays, reverse previous changes that have contributed to these delays, and suspend implementation of further changes to USPS operations until we no longer have a nationally declared public health emergency due to COVID-19. The lawmakers continued, These service delays have the potential of affecting the 120,000 veterans in Hawaii, especially the 50,000 who receive their medication through the mail from the Veteran's Health Administration. Hawaii's small business owners, who have already been impacted by COVID-19 are now having to work around delayed supplies or deal with late deliveries to customers. We have also heard from several constituents who were not able to cast their ballot and vote in Hawaii's primary election on August 8, 2020, as some ballots took weeks to re… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-court-ruling-against-illegal-nsa-surveillance-civil-liberties Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Court Ruling Against Illegal NSA Surveillance a Civil Liberties Victory 2020-09-03 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) issued the following statement in response to a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which determined that the warrantless telephone surveillance program that secretly collected phone records of millions of Americans violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Today's court ruling reaffirms every American's right to privacy found in the 4th Amendment to the Constitution,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. This flagrant government overreach through this NSA program and others show that we cannot stand idly by as our freedoms are undermined, even by entities within our own government. We must stand vigilant and fight for those freedoms. We must hold those responsible accountable for their abuse of power, and protect brave whistleblowers who expose them. We should never be presented with the false choice of freedom or security. We deserve better from our leaders that they uphold our freedoms and work to secure our nation. The surveillance program in question began under President George W. Bush and continued under President Obama. In its ruling, the 9th Circuit noted that the program's renewal by the FISA Court, beginning in 2006 and subsequently after that, were legally flawed. As part of the unanimous, ruling by a panel of 3 judges including appointees by President George W. Bush and President Obama the Appeals Court debunked the Department of Justice argument that the government had a right to the data collected, arguing that it was voluntarily provided to the telecommunications providers by customers. Today's ruling also agreed with another unanimous, 2015 ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which ruled that the NSA program was not consistent with Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, the statute used to authorize the program. Rep. Gabbard had previously raised this issue, decrying the program on the House Floor in 2013. The NSA program in question was exposed by Edward Snowden who leaked details about it to the press and who subsequently fled… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon-2-new-hawaii-doh-contact-tracing-chief-takes-leave KHON 2 | New Hawaii DOH contact tracing chief takes leave 2020-09-02 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy The Department of Health (DOH) introduced Dr. Emily Roberson in August as the new Disease Investigation Branch Chief to take over contact tracing, but now she is on leave. We're told that frustration led to Dr. Roberson stepping aside until the chain of command can be figured out. This comes just after the announcement made on Aug. 31 that DOH Director Dr. Bruce Anderson will be retiring in the middle of September. Governor David Ige also announced that Dr. Libby Char will take over as interim director. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has spoken out multiple times against the DOH's handling of the pandemic. It sounds like Dr. Roberson is being blocked from doing her job. Congresswoman Gabbard explained. Unfortunately, she has not been empowered to do her job. Look, this is why for months now I have been calling for Dr. Park to be removed from her position because I have heard numerous times from credible sources for months that she has been actively blocking people from trying to do their job to protect the health of the people of Hawaii. Gabbard is not alone in her criticism of the DOH, as House Rep. Scott Saiki also shared his disapproval with Always Investigating. Emily Roberson will be taking leave from her contact tracing position out of frustration working within the administration, Rep. Saiki explained. There is a problem with Sarah Park, the governor should remove Sarah Park immediately. She should not be allowed to obstruct the work of others who are trying to fix the contact tracing problem we have. On behalf of Dr. Park, the DOH declined to respond to criticisms about Park in particular. The DOH told KHON2 that Deputy Director Danette Wong Tomiyasu will oversee contact tracing while Dr. Roberson is on leave. There are currently 212 DOH contact tracers statewide. I just hope that Dr. Char is able to rein everyone in and provide direction there, Rep Saiki said. And the governor needs to support her efforts. The City and County of Honolulu recently announced that it… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-hosts-telephone-town-hall-talks-shake-doh-need-better-testing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Hosts Telephone Town Hall & Talks Shake Up at DOH, Need for Better Testing, Tracing, and Transparency 2020-09-02 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIThis afternoon, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) hosted a tele-town hall meeting to update Hawaii residents about COVID-19. She was joined by Dr. DeWolfe Miller, an epidemiologist, and Dr. Scott Miscovich who has been at the forefront of testing efforts across the state since the start of the pandemic. This was the twenty-first coronavirus-related virtual town hall Rep. Gabbard has hosted since the pandemic began to impact Hawaii. Just as the event was scheduled to begin, news broke that Dr. Emily Roberson, the Department of Health's new investigations branch chief and head of the state's contact tracing program, had requested a leave of absence until chain of command issues can be sorted out. Reports indicate that Dr. Sarah Park, who had been removed as head of the contact tracing program, is blocking and micromanaging Dr. Roberson as she seeks to carry out her duties. Earlier this week we saw Director Anderson step down and it's long past time for Dr. Sarah Park to go as well. People will continue to get sick and die if the Governor fails to take action at this critical time. We've heard horror stories of people not being informed about exposure or being discouraged from getting tested even if they have been exposed, said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. People across the state have made huge sacrifices to their day-to-day lives following preventative measures. They expect Governor Ige to lead, to make sure his Department of Health is doing its job with a robust testing and tracing program that is transparent and accountable to the public. Rep. Gabbard began the call with an update on the latest news, including Emily Roberson's leave of absence request and Director Anderson's announcement that he will be retiring. She noted that the state Department of Health throughout this crisis has consistently failed to step up to the plate and implement common-sense methods that we know work to stop this disease: testing and contact tracing. She noted her work in Congress with Hawaii's Congressional delegation that led to t… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-cost-failure-contain-virus-massive-layoffs Honolulu Civil Beat | The Cost Of Failure To Contain The Virus? Massive Layoffs 2020-09-01 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy With no end in sight to the shutdown of tourism, dozens of companies have filed letters with labor officials outlining job cuts and extended furloughs. In June, Flora LaMontagne watched The Kahala Hotel and Resort's reawakening. After being dormant for weeks Hawaii had reopened its local economy after weeks of closure to stop the spread of COVID-19 the hotel's airy lobby was bustling with residents seizing discount rates for staycations at the quiet property in Oahu's poshest neighborhood. The rebirth, although modest, was cause for the cautious optimism starting to pervade the tourism industry at the time: Hawaii had quashed the coronavirus and the next step was to execute a plan to reopen the state to tourists as one of the world's safest destinations. It was so nice to see: this hotel and the lobby came back to life again, said LaMontagne, who is director of guest relations for the 378-room property. It seemed like old times. Fast forward to late July, and the Kahala was among dozens of Hawaii companies sharing bad news with state labor officials. The virus was out of control, and Gov. David Ige had made it clear the state wouldn't open to tourists any time soon. The promised rebirth wasn't happening. At the time we closed the Resort we did not believe our colleagues would be furloughed for more than six months, Nichole Morales, the Kahala's director of human resources, wrote to state officials on July 29. Although we have reopened on a limited basis our occupancy remains low and social distancing requirements limits our F&B operations. The letter catalogued continuing furloughs and work reductions for 496 employees, including 23 bell staff and valet parkers, known as front service attendants, 67 housekeepers and 76 wait staff. The Kahala isn't the only company that's shared such grim news. Local institutions like the Waikiki Trolley, Honolulu Cookie Co. and Sea Life Park have echoed the Kahala in recent letters to the state, which are required by federal law when compani… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-telephone-town-hall-discuss-shake-doh-need-better-testing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Telephone Town Hall to Discuss Shake Up at DOH, Need for Better Testing, Tracing, and Transparency 2020-09-01 2020 2020-09 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HITomorrow at 4:00 p.m. HST, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) will be hosting her next telephone town hall meeting to update Hawaii residents about COVID-19. She will be joined by Dr. DeWolfe Miller, an expert infectious disease epidemiologist, and Dr. Scott Miscovich, a physician and the president and founder of Premier Medical Group Hawaii, who is running COVID testing sites across the state. Rep. Gabbard will provide an update on the latest developments in Congress to respond to the pandemic. Together, they will discuss the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in an Hawaii and how it is impacting hospitals, testing and tracing capacity. They will also answer questions from listeners about the ongoing public health crisis. This will be the twenty-first coronavirus-related virtual town hall Rep. Gabbard has hosted since the first COVID-19 cases were recorded in Hawaii. Telephone Town Hall | COVID-19 Update # 21 Wednesday, September 2 at 4:00 p.m. Hawaii Time Background:Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and her team have been working since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis to bring more resources home to Hawaii, while also keeping Hawaii residents informed through a resource hub on her website, https://gabbard.house.gov/COVID-19. In addition to outlining federal, state, and local COVID-19 resources, the website provides a synopsis of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's work to address COVID-19 and related issues including protecting and providing for Americans during this public health crisis, securing emergency assistance, highlighting her votes and statements regarding legislation and Congressional action, as well as demands for protective measures to prevent the spread of the virus. About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii's Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-anderson-espinda-out-ige-cabinet-shake Honolulu Civil Beat | Anderson, Espinda Out In Ige Cabinet Shake-Up 2020-08-31 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy The Hawaii health and public safety directors are the latest in a series of departures. State Health Director Bruce Anderson and Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda, the embattled directors of the state health department and prison system, are leaving Gov. David Ige's Cabinet, officials announced Monday. Anderson has been faulted for failing to rapidly ramp up the state's contact tracing capacity, release meaningful data and take other steps when the COVID-19 infection rate in Hawaii was the lowest in the nation this spring. Critics said those shortcomings left the state unprepared for the forewarned surge in infections that began after crowds gathered on the July 4 holiday weekend and continued into August. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has repeatedly called for Anderson to be replaced, and on Monday U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz criticized the Ige administration response in general as well as specific failures by the health department. Schatz cited the health department's initial skepticism of mandatory mask wearing and refusals to conduct widespread coronavirus testing early on in the pandemic. In a news release Monday morning, Ige said Anderson informed the governor he planned to retire, and Ige said he accepted his decision. Bruce has served the people of Hawaii for many years and has led the department through some rough times, including through the extremely challenging months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ige said in the announcement. I wish him well as he relaxes and enjoys time with family and friends. Ige said he appointed Dr. Libby Char interim director of the Department of Health effective Sept. 16 following Anderson's retirement, which is effective Sept. 15. Char is an emergency medicine physician who provided administrative oversight for the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services system for years, Ige said. She currently focuses on developing systems of care, training, protocols and emergency response utilizing best practices in the pre-hospital environment, according to the governor's statement. In a lette… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/politico-paradise-lost-how-hawaii-went-covid-19-star-cautionary-tale Politico | Paradise lost: How Hawaii went from Covid-19 star to cautionary tale 2020-08-30 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy The state's infection surge shows the risk of complacency, say local officials who fault the governor for neglecting basic public health measures. Hawaii's control of the coronavirus has swiftly unraveled this summer, transforming what was the nation's best-performing state into one of the worst. Just two months ago, the island state had the fewest cases per capita in the country at less than two dozen per day. Democratic Gov. David Ige was praised for acting early to close Hawaii's borders and impose strict quarantines, a painful economic sacrifice for a state heavily dependent on tourism. But a ten-fold surge in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations over the last month has triggered new shutdown orders and a scramble to bolster the public health measures state officials neglected before reopening. When the state was locked down and caseloads were smaller, a key to Hawaii's success was quick testing and contact tracing to find people exposed to the virus. But failure to build up that capacity for reopening, along with growing public complacency around social distancing measures, allowed the outbreak to spiral out of control, say numerous state officials including many from Ige's party. Now the state, once hailed as a Covid-19 success story, has become a cautionary tale for other parts of the country that are preparing to open schools and loosen economic restrictions as infection rates come down. For public health experts and Hawaii officials, the state's worsening outbreak is a stark reminder that this virus will easily exploit gaps in defenses. Hawaii was in an optimal situation, set up for success because it's an island, said Cyrus Shahpar, a former emergency response leader at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who now leads the outbreak tracker Covid Exit Strategy. But you need to have ongoing eyes on the virus and be ready to react early when you see a handful of cases and have enough of a workforce to deal with it. Only a handful of states have conducted fewer tests per capita tha… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/nearly-200-million-in-new-federal-unemployment-dollars-heading-to-hawaii Nearly $200 Million In New Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii 2020-08-29 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Nearly $200 Million In New Federal Unemployment Dollars Heading To Hawaii New Federal Money From CARES Act Will Provide Additional $300 A Week In Unemployment Assistance For Those Impacted By COVID-19 Saturday, August 29, 2020 HONOLULU The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced it has approved a $193,933,095 grant to Hawaii to provide those unemployed due to COVID-19 with an additional $300 per week on top of their regular unemployment benefit. While this new funding will provide some immediate help, it's not enough for Hawaii families who are struggling to make ends meet, said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. We'll continue working to secure more federal funding to help Hawaii get through this tough time. The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program is funded by FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund, which received $45 billion from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hawaii-congressional-delegation-calls-on-usda-to-extend-flexibility-for-child-nutrition-programs-to-combat-hunger-during-covid-19-pandemic Hawaii Congressional Delegation Calls on USDA to Extend Flexibility for Child Nutrition Programs to Combat Hunger During COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-08-28 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 28, 2020 Hawaii Congressional Delegation Calls on USDA to Extend Flexibility for Child Nutrition Programs to Combat Hunger During COVID-19 Pandemic Extending Waiver Authority for Several Child Nutrition Programs Would Help Schools, Community Organizations Feed Students During the 2020-2021 School Year Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to extend child nutrition waivers to assist schools and community organizations in feeding students during the coming school year. Following nationwide school closures earlier this year, USDA granted several waivers to provide flexibility for schools to use federal school lunch programs and funding to feed students even if they are not physically at school. These waivers were only granted through August 31. Without extending the waivers into the coming school year, it will be even more difficult for schools to feed students learning remotely due to the COVID pandemic. To date, the flexibility for schools and community partners to provide meals under USDA's waiver authority has helped students, families, and communities across the country prevent hunger through programs like the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO or Seamless Summer),Hawaii's Congressional Delegation wrote.The flexibility provided by these waivers has had a significant impact for Hawaii students and familiesby some estimates providing tens of thousands of meals per day during the recent school closures. Given the success of the flexibility provided by these waivers and the clear need that remains, USDA should be focusing on providing maximum flexibility to support our families and schools. Instead, USDA is poised to let current waivers expire, and has failed to provide a detailed explanation of the legal or budgetary roadblocks that h… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/hawai-i-congressional-delegation-calls-usda-extend-flexibility-child-nutrition Hawaii Congressional Delegation Calls on USDA to Extend Flexibility for Child Nutrition Programs to Combat Hunger During COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-08-28 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz, and Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to extend child nutrition waivers to assist schools and community organizations in feeding students during the coming school year. Following nationwide school closures earlier this year, USDA granted several waivers to provide flexibility for schools to use federal school lunch programs and funding to feed students even if they are not physically at school. These waivers were only granted through August 31. Without extending the waivers into the coming school year, it will be even more difficult for schools to feed students learning remotely due to the COVID pandemic. To date, the flexibility for schools and community partners to provide meals under USDA's waiver authority has helped students, families, and communities across the country prevent hunger through programs like the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO or Seamless Summer), Hawaii's Congressional Delegation wrote. The flexibility provided by these waivers has had a significant impact for Hawaii students and familiesby some estimates providing tens of thousands of meals per day during the recent school closures. Given the success of the flexibility provided by these waivers and the clear need that remains, USDA should be focusing on providing maximum flexibility to support our families and schools. Instead, USDA is poised to let current waivers expire, and has failed to provide a detailed explanation of the legal or budgetary roadblocks that have prevented the agency from extending these waivers, the Delegation continued. As Hawaii's schools grapple with the challenges of serving meals to our keiki, the Hawaii Child Nutrition Program is grateful for the support of Hawaii's Congressional delegation, said Sharlene Wong, Program Administrator for the Hawaii Child Nutrition Program. The extension of these critical waivers will allow us to meet the overwhelm… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-murkowski-spanberger-wagner-to-defense-secretary-fight-online-child-sexual-exploitation-protect-vulnerable-children-punish-offenders Schatz, Murkowski, Spanberger, Wagner To Defense Secretary: Fight Online Child Sexual Exploitation, Protect Vulnerable Children, Punish Offenders 2020-08-27 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Murkowski, Spanberger, Wagner To Defense Secretary: Fight Online Child Sexual Exploitation, Protect Vulnerable Children, Punish Offenders Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Urge DoD to Implement New Law, Investigate Child Exploitation On DoD Servers Thursday, August 27, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) this week called for Defense Secretary Mark Esper to provide updates on how the Defense Department (DoD) is preventing and combating child sexual exploitation. Their call comes eight months after Schatz's legislation to fight online child exploitation on the DoD's network was signed into law as Section 550D of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 (NDAA). The bill was co-led by Senator Murkowski, Representative Spanberger, and then-Representative Mark Meadows (R-N.C.). It is imperative that DoD fully implement Section 550D and begin the necessary work of ending child sexual exploitation, the members wrote. The timely implementation of these provisions is critical to ensure that all available federal government resources are being delivered to protect children and combat the perpetuation and sharing of inappropriate content. Across the internet, more than 45 million online images and videos of child sexual abuse material were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2018, the DoD's network ranked 19th out of 2,891 networks nationwide when it came to peer-to-peer file trading of child pornography. Before the Section 550D of the NDAA became law, DoD lacked the training and law enforcement tools for the DoD to take on child sexual exploitation. The new law directs DoD to train military investigators on the use of technologies, tools, and techniques, including digital forensics, to enhance their ability to detect and combat child sexual exploitation. Additionally, the NDAA requires DoD to collaborate wit… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/delauro-garcia-haaland-gabbard-mccollum-lead-86-members-congress-demanding DeLauro, Garcia, Haaland, Gabbard, McCollum Lead 86 Members of Congress in Demanding Answers on New CDC Testing Guidelines 2020-08-27 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCRepresentatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Deb Haaland (NM-01), Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), and Betty McCollum (MN-04) led 86 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Doctor Robert Redfield condemning, urging the immediate halt of, and demanding an explanation for the recent modifications to COVID-19 testing guidelines that suggest not all those exposed to COVID-19 need to be tested. In their letter, the Members wrote, Widespread testing is crucial to our public health and safety considering the sustained high rate of spread in the country, the prevalence of asymptomatic cases and our reliance on testing to track the status of the virus in our communities. That is why Congress has appropriated more than $25 billion to ramp up testing efforts with the explicit purpose to research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity for testing to effectively monitor and suppress COVID-19 including tests for both active infection and prior exposure.' Funding was not provided for the purpose of minimizing the case count. Without explanation, it is difficult to comprehend how this updated guidance will work to provide any public health benefits to our country. In addition, the Members requested a response from Director Redfield to a series of questions including the political motivations behind these changes, whether officials at the White House requested the CDC to issue this change in guidelines, and if an analysis was conducted regarding the impact of this policy change on communities of color and vulnerable populations. Congress has provided funding and public health departments and private partners have worked tirelessly to ensure there is ample testing for our communities, especially the most vulnerable, and we are still falling short, the Members wrote. This new guidance is counterproductive to these efforts. Until a sufficient explanation and the answers to our questions are provided that ens… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/hawaii-county-set-to-receive-306-million-in-new-disaster-relief-funding-for-2018-natural-disasters Hawaii County Set To Receive $30.6 Million In New Disaster Relief Funding For 2018 Natural Disasters 2020-08-26 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Hawaii County Set To Receive $30.6 Million In New Disaster Relief Funding For 2018 Natural Disasters New Funding Comes After Schatz Called On HUD To Review Funding Calculations, Ensure Hawaii Receives Fair Share Of Federal Recovery Dollars; To Date, Hawaii Has Received More Than Half A Billion Dollars In Relief Funding for 2018 Natural Disasters Wednesday, August 26, 2020 HONOLULU The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that Hawaii County will receive $30.6 million in new federal disaster relief funding. The $23.7 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding will help the county to safely rebuild impacted communities, especially in low- and moderate-income areas, and provide resources to small businesses to help them recover and thrive. This new funding comes after U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged HUD to recognize the unique response and recovery challenges posed by the eruption and called for a review and increased funding for Hawaii County. We haven't fully recovered from the natural disasters in 2018 yet, so this new funding will give Hawaii County more resources to continue working with residents on how to best rebuild, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. As we continue to recover, I will keep fighting for more federal resources at every opportunity. The county will also receive $6.8 million in a new funding to improve community resilience and mitigate the negative impacts of future disasters. The funding can be used to invest in measures that will prevent home flooding or harden infrastructure. To date, Hawaii has received more than a half a billion dollars in federal relief funding to help the state recover from the 2018 natural disasters. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-kapiolani-medical-center-to-receive-more-than-107-million-in-new-federal-funding-to-support-patients-protect-providers-during-covid-19-pandemic Schatz: Kapiolani Medical Center To Receive More Than $10.7 Million In New Federal Funding To Support Patients, Protect Providers During Covid-19 Pandemic 2020-08-24 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz: Kapiolani Medical Center To Receive More Than $10.7 Million In New Federal Funding To Support Patients, Protect Providers During Covid-19 Pandemic Monday, August 24, 2020 HONOLULU U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today announced that the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children received $10,771,601 in new federal COVID-19 relief funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kapiolani Medical Center is the only children's hospital in Hawaii, providing care to children and women regardless of their families' insurance status or ability to pay. Hawaii's hospitals are experiencing increasing hospitalizations, and they need all the financial support they can get, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. This new funding brings much need relief to Kapiolani Medical Center, ensuring they can continue to provide high quality care to vulnerable children and women. Children's hospitals have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. Many have suspended nonemergency surgeries, purchased additional personal protective equipment (PPE), and served as a backup to other hospitals to support patient surges. As a result, they have faced lost revenues and increased expenses due to COVID-19. The new funding for Kapiolani is part of the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This week, HHS also announced $300,000 in new federal funding for The Queen's Medical Center (QMC) to increase access to telehealth services. Specifically, the funds will be used to expand QMC's Telestroke Network, which connects QMC's neurology experts to emergency doctors in rural communities to help make treatment decisions quickly for patients who don't have access to specialists. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-senators-demand-fcc-increase-funding-for-health-providers-help-expand-telehealth-services-during-pandemic Schatz, Senators Demand FCC Increase Funding For Health Providers, Help Expand Telehealth Services During Pandemic 2020-08-21 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Senators Demand FCC Increase Funding For Health Providers, Help Expand Telehealth Services During Pandemic Despite Increased Demand For Telehealth Due To COVID-19, FCC Chair Ajit Pai Failed To Adequately Scale Up Rural Health Care Program Friday, August 21, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) led a group of 15 senators in urging Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Ajit Pai to increase funding for and improve the operations of the Rural Health Care (RHC) program, which helps expand access to telehealth services in hard-to-reach and economically depressed communities. Demand for telehealth services as an alternative to in-person care has dramatically increased due to the pandemic resulting in increased costs and stretched capacity for health providers. However, the FCC has denied the RHC program sufficient funds to operate and delayed making funding decisions that would send critical aid to communities across the country. Cash-strapped health care providers are looking to the RHC Program for help to defray these costs, but you have so far not taken steps that would allow health care providers to receive additional support through the program, the senators wrote to Chairman Pai. We urge you to address these issues as soon as possible. Telehealth allows health care providers to treat patients safely without putting themselves or their patients at risk of contracting COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend telehealth over in person visits wherever possible. However, many providers lack the resources to handle this increase in demand for telehealth services. These providers depend on the RHC program, the only federal initiative that supports broadband connectivity for health care providers. Senator Schatz has also led the bipartisan effort in the Senate to expand telehealth in the American health care system. After the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act included multiple provi… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-leaves-army-reserve-duty-assist-alaska-native-tribe-critical Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Leaves for Army Reserve Duty to Assist Alaska Native Tribe with Critical Community Needs 2020-08-20 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) is leaving to fulfill her annual two-week Army duty requirement where she will be joining a U.S. Army Reserves Civil Affairs team to assist an Alaska Native Tribe with critical community needs through the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program. IRT provides joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness as well as key services such as health care, construction, transportation, and cybersecurity that benefit communities across the country and U.S. Territories. Hawaii residents in her Congressional district have taken advantage of this program through Tropicare, a two-week annual training event during which military medical professionals provide free health care clinics throughout the islands. In past years, the clinics have offered basic dental, medical and optometry examinations, health education classes, and pharmaceutical and laboratory services to the public at no cost, with a focus on underserved communities. While on duty, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's congressional staff will continue to work on behalf of residents throughout Hawaii through individual constituent casework, coordination with authorities, and on-the-ground efforts as well as in Washington, D.C. Background:Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has served in the Hawaii Army National Guard for 17 years, and is a highly-decorated veteran of two Middle East deployments. She has participated in multiple joint-training exercises with countries such as Japan and Indonesia. She has been activated twice in recent years in response to natural disasters and community crises in Hawaii. In November 2014, Rep. Gabbard was activated and served in Hawaii National Guard efforts as an eruption of Klauea lava flow headed toward Phoa on Hawaii Island. In May 2018, as lava erupted from fissures throughout Lower Puna neighborhoods, Rep. Gabbard again served in uniform to provide support to a community facing the loss of homes, schools, and livelihoods. She continues to serve as a Major in the Army Reserves. Since the ea… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-california-congresswoman-wants-answers-hawaii-s-virus-response Honolulu Civil Beat | California Congresswoman Wants Answers On Hawaiis Virus Response Effort 2020-08-19 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy The chairwoman of a congressional subcommittee on health wants to know details about how the state spent $50 million in CARES Act money aimed at testing and tracing. A California congresswoman is pressing Gov. David Ige for answers on why Hawaii has had such a turnaround on its COVID-19 infection rate and whether it mismanaged millions of dollars in federal stimulus money aimed at helping with virus prevention efforts. In a letter dated Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, who chairs the House Health subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, asked Ige for more information on the Hawaii Department of Health's testing and contact tracing program, including things like how many contact tracing personnel the state has had on staff each week since the outbreak began. As you know, less than two months ago, Hawaii had the lowest number of COVID-19 cases per capita of any state in the nation, wrote Eshoo, a California Democrat whose district includes Silicon Valley. However, this trend has reversed and now Hawaii has the highest infection rate in the United States. Eshoo's criticisms and demands for transparency echoed those of U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who last week called for the resignations of Hawaii Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson and Dr. Sarah Park, the state epidemiologist. The crisis we face today is a direct result of our state's failed leadership, Gabbard said in a press release that cited Eshoo's letter. Governor Ige and his team had months to hire, train and deploy a robust contact tracing team to prevent the very situation we face today. Months ago we worked in Congress to deliver over $50 million in funding to the state so that they had the resources to trace, test, and contain future COVID-19 cases. Yet, we have around a dozen people doing contact tracing today, who are so overwhelmed that they can only reach a small number of individuals who have contracted COVID-19. Gabbard blamed Ige and his staff for dropping the ball on contact tracing and testing and suggested the state's in… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-tulsi-gabbard-demands-answers-governor-about-hawaiis-contact-tracing KITV 4 ABC | Tulsi Gabbard Demands Answers From the Governor About Hawai'i's Contact Tracing 2020-08-19 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Hawaii District Office 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 5-104 Honolulu, HI 96850 Phone: (808) 541-1986 Fax: (808) 538-0233 Email: TulsiOffice@mail.house.gov 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kwxx-island-conversations-rep-gabbard-says-state-must-fix-contact-tracing-snafus KWXX (Island Conversations) | Rep Gabbard Says State MUST Fix Contact Tracing SnafusWhere Are The Federal Funds? 2020-08-19 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy (NOTE: Listen to the full interview on kwxx.com) United State Congress Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who represents Hawaii Island and all the other neighbor islands plus rural O'ahu, talked with New West Broadcasting's Sherry Bracken on Wednesday, Aug. 19, about the state's response to COVID-19, its lack of doing appropriate contact tracing, concerns over federal monies allocated for tracing and testing, and the upcoming House bill addressing the issues with the post office. Gabbard said she has serious concerns about the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic, specifically regarding how and if the state is doing effective contact tracing. A whistleblower, Dr. Jennifer Smith, appeared with Rep. Gabbard last Friday at a press conference. Dr. Smith said despite the State Department of Health saying it had somewhere between 77 and 105 contact tracing, in reality there were few, and contact tracers were trying to handle 100 to 192 cases of COVID-19. Rep. Gabbard said Gov. David Ige and Dr. Bruce Anderson, head of the State DOH, must be clear about how many contact tracers they have, and how they are ramping upthough Rep. Gabbard said the ramp-up should have been done in May. The State's Congressional delegation (Gabbard, Rep Ed Case, and State Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz) secured $50 million in funding to be used for contact tracing, testing, and more. Two days ago, Sen. Brian Schatz indicated his staff was having difficulty getting the state to explain how the funding was being used. Today, U.S. Congress Representative Anna Eshoo, chair of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health wrote a letter to Gov. David Ige asking that the state account for the monies allocated to it as part of the Federal CARES Act, funding that must be used for COVID-19 activities by December, 2020. The letter from Eshoo, in part, as she asked for an accounting of the funds: As you know, less than two months ago, Hawaii had the lowest number of COVID19 cases per capita of any state in the nat… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/congress-demands-answers-governor-about-failure-use-federal-funds-coronavirus Congress Demands Answers From Governor About Failure to Use Federal Funds for Coronavirus Testing & Contact Tracing 2020-08-19 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at a press conference last week adressing the media regarding revelations by a Department of Health whistleblower revealing that the Department had lied about the state of Hawai'i's contact tracing operation. Honolulu, HIToday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) joined Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health in demanding answers and transparency from Governor David Ige about how federal funds designated for contact tracing and testing have been used in Hawaii. Representative Anna Eshoo has served in Congress for nearly 30 years and her committee exercises oversight over public health and quarantine, among other health-related issues. The crisis we face today is a direct result of our state's failed leadership. Governor Ige and his team had months to hire, train and deploy a robust contact tracing team to prevent the very situation we face today. Months ago we worked in Congress to deliver over $50 million in funding to the state so that they had the resources to trace, test, and contain future COVID-19 cases. Yet, we have around a dozen people doing contact tracing today, who are so overwhelmed that they can only reach a small number of individuals who have contracted COVID-19. If Governor Ige and his team had done what they were supposed to do, we could have prevented the major outbreak we are experiencing today that has taken more lives and resulted in so many of our kupuna, families and keiki getting infected and sick. This is a punch in the gut to Hawaii residents who have sacrificed so much to try to prevent the spread of this virus, only to see our state leaders failing the people,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. This is inexcusable. The people of Hawaii deserve better, and they deserve answers. So far, we are getting none. I want to thank Rep. Anna Eshoo for her leadership in seeking the truth and getting answers to determine where over $50 million in federal funding has gone, and what specifically is our state doing with contact tracing. In… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-coons-murray-colleagues-call-on-hhs-cdc-to-provide-comprehensive-guidance-for-child-care-providers-dealing-with-covid-19 Hirono, Coons, Murray, Colleagues Call on HHS, CDC to Provide Comprehensive Guidance for Child Care Providers Dealing with COVID-19 2020-08-18 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 18, 2020 Hirono, Coons, Murray, Colleagues Call on HHS, CDC to Provide Comprehensive Guidance for Child Care Providers Dealing with COVID-19 HONOLULU Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined a bicameral letter led by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Representatives Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) calling forthe Office of Child Care (OCC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide comprehensive and detailed public health guidance for child care providers dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The letter follows a recentconversationSenator Hirono had with Hawaii child care providers. During their conversation, the providers indicated that the current guidance available to child care programs was oftentimes conflicting or unclear, and that additional guidance would be helpful. Nationally, child care centers and family-based child care providers have also noted that more guidance would be useful as they work to keep children healthy and safe while maintaining high-quality child care programs. Currently, more than one in three child care facilities could be at risk of permanent closure due to the financial strain of the pandemic. The child care system is instrumental to our nation's recovery. By offering work support for essential workers and families, the child care system ensures that families can safely return to work. Equally paramount is the role providers play in fostering children's healthy development and providing supplemental education for our nation's youth,the Senators wrote. The Senators continued,We request that the OCC work with the CDC and relevant health and child development experts to issue additional, specific recommendations for center-based and family child care providers. This detailed federal guidance can assist them with implementing the CDC's public health recommendations, while also maintaining high quality child care and providing developmen… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363 Case Calls the Administration's Actions Undermining the United States Postal Service an Attack on Democracy 2020-08-18 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Washington, DC) – Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) today called on the Trump Administration to immediately reverse course and commit fully to strengthening the United States Postal Service as a critical core government service to weather the COVID-19 crisis and assure a full, fair and free election. “The Administration’s various actions to date, though explained as necessary to ‘improve’ the USPS, can in fact only be viewed a direct and coordinated attack on the USPS,” said Case. “I also consider the Administration’s actions as motivated at least in part to disrupt and call into question voting by mail in this year’s crucial elections, and that is an attack on our democracy itself. “The USPS is a creature not of statute but of our Constitution because our founders recognized it as critical to a functioning government, democracy, economy and society. The USPS is not a business; it is a service that we all contribute to as a core function of government.” Case continued: “The COVID-19 crisis has only magnified that importance. Now more than ever, the USPS is essential to continuing to address so many goals and needs, from business (especially small businesses) to health care (especially prescription drugs), Social Security, disability, veterans, unemployment and other benefits and assistance, tax returns and refunds and more. “Let’s take Hawaii’s over 110,000 veterans and their ‘ohana as just one of many examples. For those receiving medicines, some 80% do so by mail; delaying these critical prescription deliveries could seriously jeopardize their health. More broadly, a fully functioning USPS was critical to so many Americans receiving desperately needed CARES Act assistance in the initial months of this crisis. “But nowhere this year is the USPS more essential than to ensure a full, free and fair general election. In a time of required social distancing when in-person voting is not a safe option for whole segments of our country, vote-by-mail is the only practical option to ensure the widest possible access to t… 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:24:54Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/videos/view/senator-hirono-shares-your-usps-stories Senator Hirono Shares Your USPS Stories 2020-08-15 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy Senator Hirono Shares Your USPS Stories I heard from dozens of you about the delays in receiving medication, paychecks, ballots - all because Donald Trump is scared of the election. He comes right out and says it - he isn't funding the USPS because of mail in ballots. We have to fight back. And we will together. Connect with Senator Mazie Hirono Online: Visit Senator Mazie Hirono's WEBSITE: https://sen.gov/Z7ZK Like Senator Mazie Hirono on FACEBOOK: https://sen.gov/W7WW Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on TWITTER: https://sen.gov/X5X0 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-star-advertiser-us-rep-tulsi-gabbard-calls-contact-tracing-numbers-lie Honolulu Star Advertiser | U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard calls contact tracing numbers a lie 2020-08-15 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who called for the resignations or firings of state Health Director Bruce Anderson and state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park in April and again this week, said on Friday that there are fewer than 10 so-called contact tracers on Oahu and fewer than 20 across the entire state--not the nearly 100 that state Health officials claimed this week are tracking down people who may have been exposed to. At a press conference, Gabbard stood by a Health Department whistleblower named Dr. Jennifer Smith, an epidemiological specialist /influenza surveillance and response coordinator, who said she is one of fewer than 10 contact tracers on Oahu who are overwhelmed and unable to do their jobs properly. In a Wednesday email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo wrote that Oahu had "76 individuals working on contact tracing and investigation. ... There are 15 additional contact tracing and case investigation staff who will be working this coming weekend on Oahu. This makes a total of 100 staff working on Oahu to investigate cases this week. Additional staff located on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island investigate cases in those counties for a statewide total of more than 100 staff members focused on the investigation of cases with positive test results." Gabbard on Friday called similar claims from the Health Department about its contact tracing staffing "a lie." Gabbard said she is working with congressional leaders to conduct oversight over Hawaii's $50 million in federal funding to improve COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, which Gabbard said appears to have been misspent or gone unused. She called on Gov. David Ige to :--Immediately activate at least 560 contact tracers, with hundreds more on standby should the infection numbers continue to climb. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, a Hawaii island emergency room physician, has previously said that Hawaii needs 420 to 564 contact tracers to be on par with national recommendations.--Improve Hawaii's testing capability to test ev… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/maui-now-rep-gabbard-and-whistleblower-call-immediate-action-hawai-i-contact Maui Now | Rep. Gabbard and Whistleblower Call For Immediate Action in Hawaii Contact Tracing 2020-08-15 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy US Representative Tulsi Gabbard was joined by three medical experts, including a Department of Health employee whistleblower, criticizing the Hawai'i Department of Health leadership and contact tracing efforts. State leaders have assured the public that sufficient contact tracing staff were in place; however, the whistleblower said the states contact tracers are extremely overwhelmed and unable to conduct contact tracing for many of the positive cases in the state. Rep. Gabbard is calling for a change in state leadership, and an immediate expansion of contact tracing and testing capacity. The congresswoman also announced that she is working with congressional leaders to conduct oversight over the state's COVID-19 response. This will help to determine how $50 million in federal funding awarded to the state to improve testing and contact tracing is being spent. On Thursday, Governor David Ige highlighted some of the clusters the State has been seeing and the efforts to enhance Hawaii's contact tracing capacity. He also publicly announced a new Disease Investigation Branch Chief, Dr. Emily Roberson, who he said would take over contact tracing at the state Department of Health. Department leaders outlined changes to the contact tracing program that Dr. Roberson is helping oversee, which includes automating processes to reduce workload for contact tracers, standing up a call center with support from outside agencies to help with case management, and building in real-time monitoring and rapid-cycle evaluation of procedures and messaging. Rep. Gabbard was joined at Friday's press conference by Dr. Jennifer Smith, an Epidemiological Specialist/Influenza Surveillance and Response Coordinator in the Hawaii Department of Health's Disease Investigation Branch, with an expertise in virology and pandemics. She is among the case investigators on the island of Oahu who is conducting contact tracing. Today we find ourselves greatly under-funded, under-resourced, and unable to serve the State of Hawaii at the level that is n… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-capito-whitehouse-call-on-cms-to-make-all-recommended-vaccines-accessible-to-medicare-beneficiaries Hirono, Capito, Whitehouse Call on CMS to Make All Recommended Vaccines Accessible to Medicare Beneficiaries 2020-08-14 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 14, 2020 Hirono, Capito, Whitehouse Call on CMS to Make All Recommended Vaccines Accessible to Medicare Beneficiaries WASHINGTON, D.C. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) led a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues in a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma requesting CMS make all recommended vaccines accessible to Medicare beneficiaries. Under current law, Medicare immunization coverage varies by vaccine. Some vaccines, like those that protect against influenza and pneumococcal infection, are available with no additional out-of-pocket spending. However, other vaccineslike the shingles vaccineoften require significant additional spending, which in turn contributes to lower vaccination rates, particularly for elderly, disabled, and chronically ill people. As the current COVID-19 pandemic rages on around the globe, researchers are racing to find a vaccine to protect and prevent further morbidity and mortality as a result of this novel virus. Older adults and persons with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease are especially vulnerable to serious illness and complications from vaccine preventable disease. Yet, Medicare coverage design for vaccines for these populations does not encourage access to this proven and cost-effective form of prevention,the Senators wrote. The Senators continued,We encourage CMS to work with Part D sponsors to offer either a $0 vaccine tier, or to place vaccines on a formulary tier with low cost-sharing. Now is the time to empower vulnerable elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries with the tools they need to stay healthy and out of the health care system. Immunizations are one of the most reliable and efficient forms of prevention that we know save lives and billions in avoidable health care costs. In addition to Senators Hirono, Capito, and Whitehouse, the letter was also signed by Senators Tim Scott… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-whistleblower-exposed-health-department-s-covid-19-shortcomings Honolulu Civil Beat | This Whistleblower Exposed The Health Departments COVID-19 Shortcomings 2020-08-14 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy As the spread of COVID-19 spiraled out of control over the last week on Oahu, a story emerged about mismanagement at the Hawaii Department of Health. Despite previous assurances, Gov. David Ige on Thursday acknowledged that the department hadn't hired enough disease investigators to contain the virus. On Friday, the state epidemiologist responsible for blowing the whistle on the department's failure came forward to tell her story, standing with a U.S. congressional representative and a prominent medical doctor at the forefront of the fight against the virus. Jennifer Smith, a doctor of virology and an epidemiological specialist with the state Department of Health, explained how she and her colleagues, commonly called contact tracers, were so understaffed that she felt she had to begin looking outside the department for help. Department of Health virologist Jennifer Smith exposed the shortage of contact tracers within the department. By last week, state lawmakers were calling Dr. Sarah Park, the state epidemiologist, to testify, and they later stormed the Department of Health offices to fact check whether there were really as many contact tracers as Park claimed. Never slow to engage on public health issues as a leader in the state's COVID-19 response, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who is a medical doctor, also weighed in. On Thursday, Ige announced changes meant to solve the problems, including a vow to bring on board more contact tracers and the removal of Park from her previous role overseeing the investigators. None of that would have happened if not for Smith, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said during a press conference outside the federal courthouse in Honolulu. We wouldn't be standing here today without Dr. Smith, Gabbard said. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard press conference about contact tracing whistleblower that came forth and shared about a future congressional inquiry into the matters. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said she will have news next week of a congressional inquiry into Hawaii Health Department matters. Dr… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/khon-2-foxcw-whistleblower-says-doh-lying-about-number-contact-tracers KHON 2 Fox/CW | Whistleblower says DOH lying about number of contact tracers 2020-08-14 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy With another day of triple-digit spikes in coronavirus cases, a whistleblower is speaking out. She's a contact tracer with the Hawaii Department of Health who says officials are lying to us about how many are working to track down possible cases. Dr. Jennifer Smith is with the health department's Disease Investigative Branch, which is responsible for contact tracing. For months, the DOH has been saying it has close to 100 contact tracers. But Smith says the number is closer to 10. We need help, we sit there everyday crying out for help. We need more, that's the bottom line. We don't have enough and we need more, she said. Smith says she even had an anxiety attack as she saw the number of cases piling up. And that's why she finally decided to speak out, despite the great efforts from her coworkers. I'm here as a virologist and public health professional to tell you that I'm so proud of the work our team has done and humbled by all their sacrifices, said Smith. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has been calling for Anderson and Park to step down, says the federal government gave DOH $50 million for contact tracing and testing. And now wants Congress to investigate to see what happened to that money. They spoke themselves of the need to prepare for this situation and yet they have failed to stop it all. They have lied to the people of Hawaii all along, saying don't worry, we have it under control, said Gabbard. Gov. David Ige announced Thursday that Anderson and Park will no longer be in charge of contact tracing but Gabbard says they should be fired, and says he's partly to blame. It is his responsibility to lead and to make sure that he has a team that the people of Hawaii can trust and that is not what we have, said Gabbard. The governor released a statement saying, The recent restructuring of DOH's Disease Investigation Branch is an important step in addressing the surge, and the department will continue to increase its capacity in the coming weeks. The health department did not respond specifically to the … 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-whistleblower-claims-state-health-officials-are-lying-about-contact KITV 4 ABC | Whistleblower claims state health officials are lying about contact tracing program 2020-08-14 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Dr. Jennifer Smith says there's no army of contact tracers -- only a group of demoralized workers buried under mounting positive cases and forgotten by their leadership. A whistleblower from the Department of Health sounded the alarm on what she describes as dire conditions that make it impossible to do effective contact tracing. Dr. Jennifer Smith has been a case investigator for DOH since 2016 and says she had no choice but to go public to get help. There is no army of contact tracers -- only a group of demoralized workers buried under mounting positive cases, believing they've been forgotten by their leadership. Smith says health director Bruce Anderson has never met with her team during the pandemic, and Dr. Sarah Park spoke to them only once. "All I heard was do more, do more, do more. All the while I thought we're drowning. There's not much more to give. It was just too much," said Smith, who said she suffered a panic attack from the overwhelming amount of cases assigned to her -- at one point as many as 59. She says she watched press conferences where Anderson and Park said more contact tracers would be added, but no help came. She felt it was time to tell the public what's really happening. All positive cases reported to DOH by a hospital or clinician start with an investigator who interviews the infected person and identifies people they may have come into close and prolonged contact with. Those contacts can be passed on to another worker to do contact tracing. But the bottleneck starts with the small number of investigators on staff. As far as she can tell, Smith says 10 investigators are handling contact tracing on Oahu and four on neighbor islands. They also have other duties that take up time, including collecting and entering data into the DOH's system. Dr. Park previously told KITV-4 a tracer can manage as many as 20 cases, but Smith says the reality is they can only do a handful each day. And with cases rising, Smith believes people are slipping through the cracks and have not been contac… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/video-rep-tulsi-gabbard-department-health-whistleblower-reveal-lies-call VIDEO: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Department of Health Whistleblower Reveal Lies, Call For Immediate Action & Congressional Oversight 2020-08-14 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIRep. Tulsi Gabbard was joined by three medical experts, including a Department of Health employee whistleblower, exposing the lies coming from the Department of Health leadership regarding contact tracing efforts in Hawai'i. State leaders, including Governor David Ige, have long assured the public that sufficient contact tracing staff were in place. However, the whistleblower revealed that in fact there were less than 20 people statewide conducting contact tracing, and that they are extremely overwhelmed and unable to conduct contact tracing for many of the positive cases in the state. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard called for a change in state leadership, and an immediate expansion of contact tracing and testing capacity. The congresswoman also announced that she is working with congressional leaders to conduct oversight over the state's COVID-19 response, as over $50 million in federal funding awarded to the state to improve testing and contact tracing, appears to have been misspent or gone unused. Rep. Gabbard was joined at the press conference by Dr. Jennifer Smith, an Epidemiological Specialist/Influenza Surveillance and Response Coordinator in the Hawaii Department of Health's Disease Investigation Branch, with an expertise in virology and pandemics. She is one of less than 10 case investigators on the island of Oahu who is conducting contact tracing. For the last three months, we have heard wildly different and conflicting information coming from state leaders about how many active contact tracers they employed. All along, Governor Ige and his state health leadership assured the people of Hawaii, not to worry, that they had it under control. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Thanks to the bravery of Dr. Jennifer Smith, a Department of Health employee who has spoken publicly about how little contact tracing is going on in the state, we now know state leaders were lying to us. Even as they reported dozens or even over 100 contact tracers were working, in reality, there were around a dozen c… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-casey-harris-colleagues-introduce-coronavirus-language-access-act Hirono, Casey, Harris, Colleagues Introduce Coronavirus Language Access Act 2020-08-13 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 13, 2020 Hirono, Casey, Harris, Colleagues Introduce Coronavirus Language Access Act Bill helps make COVID-19 resources accessible to LEP individuals, individuals with disabilities, older Americans WASHINGTON, D.C. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and other colleagues introduced the Coronavirus Language Access Act, which expands access to coronavirus-related resources by increasing language access services and supporting culturally appropriate COVID-19 response programs to help older Americans, those who have limited English proficiency (LEP), and people with disabilities. The pandemic has magnified language access issues and disparities in health care, as more than 25 million people in the United States have limited English proficiency15 percent of whom are age 65 or older. For many limited English proficient individuals, their work on the front lines of the pandemic response leaves them more vulnerable and subject to greater risks of contracting COVID-19. The Coronavirus Language Access Act would: Require federal agencies receiving COVID-19 funding to provide translated materials for COVID-19-related programs and opportunities within 7 business days after the English version is available. Require federal agencies receiving COVID-19 funding to provide oral language assistance services for COVID-19-related programs and opportunities. Require the head of every federal agency affected by the bill to submit a report about its compliance with the requirements of the bill to the relevant congressional Committees. Provide $200 million for coronavirus-related language access services $150 million of which must be for state (including DC), Tribal, and territorial health departments and community-based organizations to support culturally appropriate coronavirus response programs. Require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to c… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-star-advertiser-hawaii-health-department-has-new-contact-tracing-leader Honolulu Star Advertiser | Hawaii Health Department has new contact tracing leader 2020-08-13 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Hawaii's top health officials have turned their much maligned "contact tracing " program over to a new hire, following record numbers of COVID-19 cases and a call for the removal of the state's health director and epidemiologist. By the end of the week, there should be more than 100 contact tracers spread across the state, including 18 "contact tracer team leaders " from the Hawaii National Guard and approximately 20 contact tracers hired through a University of Hawaii training program, Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an email Wednesday. More than a week ago, Health officials said they already had 105 active contact tracers and possibly some other staff, along with Hawaii National Guard members, public health nurses, and volunteers. Whatever the exact numbers, the number of Hawaii's contact tracers appears to be well below the 420 to 564 Lt. Gov. Josh Green said Hawaii needs to be on par with national recommendations. On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard called for the removal of Health Director Bruce Anderson and state epidemiologist Sarah Park. "This is gross negligence, " Gabbard tweeted. "Anderson & Park need to go." In her email to the Star-Advertiser Wednesday, Okubo wrote, "Bruce Anderson and Dr. Sarah Park have led the pandemic response efforts based on sound national guidance and have had to work within constraints. They have been able to navigate this pandemic and helped us achieve many positive milestones that many have forgotten. "Hawaii is not the only state that is experiencing a disenchantment with their public health leaders. Across the country, at least 49 state and local public health leaders in 23 states have stepped down. "We believe there is always room for improvement, and we will continue to refine and enhance our efforts in prevention, detection, containment and treatment." Several key state legislators on Wednesday expressed ongoing frustration with the Health Department's response to COVID-19, but declined to join Gabbard in cal… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-hosts-facebook-live-virtual-town-hall-discuss-covid-19 Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Hosts Facebook Live Virtual Town Hall to Discuss COVID-19 Pandemic, Testing, Tracing Needs 2020-08-13 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCTomorrow at 4:00 p.m. HST, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) will be hosting a Facebook Live virtual town hall event to update Hawaii residents about the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. She will also discuss her press conference, to be held tomorrow morning, on the failure of Governor Ige and the Hawaii Department of Health to deploy an effective contact tracing strategy. This will be the twentieth coronavirus-related virtual town hall event that Rep. Gabbard has hosted since the first COVID-19 cases appeared in Hawaii. Facebook Live Town Hall | COVID-19 Update # 20 Friday, August 14 at 4:00 p.m. Hawaii Time (a Facebook account is NOT required to watch the event) Background:Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and her team have been working since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis to bring more resources home to Hawaii, while also keeping Hawaii residents informed through a resource hub on her website, https://gabbard.house.gov/COVID-19. In addition to outlining federal, state, and local COVID-19 resources, the website provides a synopsis of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's work to address COVID-19 and related issues including protecting and providing for Americans during this public health crisis, securing emergency assistance, highlighting her votes and statements regarding legislation and Congressional action, as well as demands for protective measures to prevent the spread of the virus. About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawaii's Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010, and prior to that at age 21, was elected to the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. Tulsi Gabbard served in the Hawaii Army National Guard for over 17 years, is a veteran of two Middle East deployments, and… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-leahy-colleagues-demand-white-house-sustain-full-funding-for-national-guard-covid-19-response Hirono, Leahy, Colleagues Demand White House Sustain Full Funding for National Guard COVID-19 Response 2020-08-12 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 12, 2020 Hirono, Leahy, Colleagues Demand White House Sustain Full Funding for National Guard COVID-19 Response WASHINGTON, D.C. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) joined a letter led by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and signed by 32 of their colleagues calling for President Trump to restore full federal funding in states where the National Guard has been deployed to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Without explanation, last week President Trump slashed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement for National Guard operations from full funding to 75 percent for all states except Texas and Florida. Later, on August 7, President Trump directed the federal government to cover all the costs for National Guard units in Arizona, California, and Connecticut through September 30. National Guard units have collaborated with state and local officials to assist with testing, food distribution, and other urgent community health needs. States and territories will now have to pay for National Guard operations up front before requesting a lower reimbursement rate. This shift in reimbursement rates forces states to pay more for emergency services at a time when they are facing significant budget shortfalls. In Hawaii, the National Guard has increased the state's capacity to meet the public health emergency brought on by this pandemic. The National Guard has performed temperature checks and symptom screenings on thousands of airport passengers, assisted with various medical projects like transporting beds and masks, supported the Department of Health with swabbing tests on Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui, and helped with traffic and security during food drive and distribution efforts on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island, among other missions. We write to request you restore one hundred percent Federal cost share to all states and territories for use of the National Guard under Title 32 of U.S. Code for responding to coronavirus, which was terminated by your August 3 memorandum for all states… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hirono-announces-15-million-in-grants-to-university-of-hawaii-to-expand-education-programs-focused-on-food-agriculture-and-natural-resources-for-native-hawaiian-students_ Senator Hirono Announces $1.5 Million in Grants to University of Hawaii to Expand Education Programs Focused on Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources for Native Hawaiian Students 2020-08-12 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 12, 2020 Senator Hirono Announces $1.5 Million in Grants to University of Hawaii to Expand Education Programs Focused on Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources for Native Hawaiian Students WASHINGTON, D.C. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced that the University of Hawaii will receive $1.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to expand education programs focused on food, agriculture, and natural resources. This funding is part of a competitive grant program for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to promote educational equity for underrepresented students, expand education programs, and provide job training in these fields. The food insecurity too many families are facing during the coronavirus pandemic only further highlights the urgency of Hawaii's efforts to promote food and agriculture sustainability,Senator Hirono said.This grant funding will support the University of Hawaii's work to increase educational and job training opportunities for Native Hawaiian students in these critical fields. I will continue to advocate for robust funding to support Native Hawaiian-serving institutions as we continue our work to diversify our economy and increase our food security. More information about the individual projects receiving grants is included below: HI!AG CONSORTIUM UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII: EXPANDING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN FY2020 ($1,040,235):UH's Hi!ag program provides education and training resources for underrepresented individuals and businesses to break the negative cycle of resource and employment insecurity. Grant funding will support individuals and businesses by ensuring equitable access to UH, state, and federal agribusiness resources, while addressing issues related to food security, climate change, social equity, land preservation, and a diversified economy. Separately, it will also support activities to improve science-based education, increase rural economic via… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/videos/view/senator-hirono-wants-you-to-share-your-usps-story Senator Hirono Wants You To Share Your USPS Story 2020-08-12 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy Senator Hirono Wants You To Share Your USPS Story Donald Trump and his newest cronie Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are deliberately delaying your mail to undermine your confidence in the USPS. . I want to hear your stories on how Donald Trump's latest attempt to destroy our democracy is affecting you. Let me know below. Connect with Senator Mazie Hirono Online: Visit Senator Mazie Hirono's WEBSITE: https://sen.gov/Z7ZK Like Senator Mazie Hirono on FACEBOOK: https://sen.gov/W7WW Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on TWITTER: https://sen.gov/X5X0 Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on INSTAGRAM: https://sen.gov/Y1YZ 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/nearly-96-million-headed-to-kauai-maui-hawaii-island-to-acquire-new-buses-and-improve-infrastructure Nearly $9.6 Million Headed To Kauai, Maui, Hawaii Island To Acquire New Buses And Improve Infrastructure 2020-08-12 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Nearly $9.6 Million Headed To Kauai, Maui, Hawaii Island To Acquire New Buses And Improve Infrastructure Wednesday, August 12, 2020 HONOLULU Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive $9,596,669 in new federal funding to purchase new buses for Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island. Our communities depend on public transportation to get to work, buy groceries, and support local businesses, said Senator Schatz, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. This grant will help make transit services on the neighbor islands more accessible, reliable, and clean. The federal funds will be used to replace seven 35-foot hybrid buses and to acquire three new 40-foot to 45-foot ADA-compliant buses. The grant will also cover the land acquisition for and construction of a baseyard in Kona as a hub for operations, maintenance, and storage. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program, which awarded Hawaii this competitive grant, offers state and local governments funding to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct bus-related facilities. ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-murkowski-lead-bipartisan-group-of-48-senators-in-calling-for-extension-of-census-deadlines-to-give-census-bureau-enough-time-for-full-and-accurate-count-amid-delays-due-to-pandemic Schatz, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan Group Of 48 Senators In Calling For Extension Of Census Deadlines To Give Census Bureau Enough Time For Full And Accurate Count Amid Delays Due To Pandemic 2020-08-11 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz, Murkowski Lead Bipartisan Group Of 48 Senators In Calling For Extension Of Census Deadlines To Give Census Bureau Enough Time For Full And Accurate Count Amid Delays Due To Pandemic Senators Urge Extension Be Included In Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Package Tuesday, August 11, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today led a group of 48 bipartisan senators in calling for the extension of the statutory deadlines for the delivery of apportionment data and redistricting files following the 2020 Census. The senators urged House and Senate leaders to include the extension in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. Extending the deadlines for the delivery of these files in the next COVID-19 relief package will ensure that the Census Bureau has adequate time to complete a full, fair, and accurate 2020 Census. It will also ensure that both the Congress and the states receive accurate data for apportionment and redistricting, the senators wrote in their letter to House and Senate leaders. Citing a request first made by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham to extend the deadlines for apportionment to April 30 and redistricting to July 31, the senators underscored the need to give the Census Bureau adequate time to collect and report an accurate count following delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to Senators Schatz and Murkowski, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jacky R… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://case.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359 Case Comments on Selection of Senator Kamala Harris as Vice President Joe Biden’s Choice to be His Running Mate 2020-08-11 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Ed Case C001055 case.house.gov case https://case.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=29 scraper (Honolulu, HI) - Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) commented as follows on former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection today of United States Senator Kamala Harris as his Vice-Presidential running mate in November’s general election: “Vice President Biden made a very difficult choice from among an incredibly talented pool of candidates, and he chose very well. “I believe any candidate for Vice President must meet three critical criteria. “First, the candidate must have the knowledge, experience, temperament, commitment to our Constitution and laws and other qualities necessary to serve as our country’s Vice President. Second, the candidate must be a full partner to the President, devoted to assisting him or her in the critical responsibilities of governing our country and leading our world in a critical time. Third, in the worst-case scenario, the candidate must be able to assume the responsibilities of President at a moment’s notice. “Senator Harris fully meets all of these criteria, and I fully support Vice President Biden’s choice.” ### 1 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z 2026-06-28T00:24:54Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-civil-beat-tulsi-gabbard-calls-ige-fire-top-health-officials-gross Honolulu Civil Beat | Tulsi Gabbard Calls On Ige To Fire Top Health Officials For Gross Negligence 2020-08-11 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard renewed her attacks on Hawaii Gov. David Ige and two of his top health officials Tuesday as the Aloha State struggles with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that so far has claimed 34 lives on the islands. Hawaii has seen a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, and currently boasts the highest infection and virus reproduction rates in the country. Yet, the state's response, which is led by Health Department Director Bruce Anderson and State Epidemiologist Sarah Park, has been underwhelming, Gabbard and others believe, especially when it comes to mobilizing contact tracers who can help find and contain the virus. Gabbard took to Twitter to voice her frustrations Tuesday, citing a Honolulu Star-Advertiser article reporting that the state was slow to hire new contact tracers even though many of them are ready to go. She blamed Ige directly and said it's time to get rid of Anderson and Park. This is your responsibility, Gabbard told Ige. Your Health Director is keeping hundreds of trained contact tracers on the bench' because he doesn't think they're needed. Meanwhile we have the highest infection rate in the nation. This is gross negligence. Anderson & Park need to go. In a statement to Civil Beat, Ige said the Department of Health has played a critically important role in the state's response to the pandemic, and that it comprises just one part of a team made up of federal, state and local officials. The recent rapid surge in cases in Hawaii requires that we continue to improve and expand our response, in addition to reinstituting restrictions on social gatherings, Ige said. I am in ongoing discussions with DOH leadership on ways to improve our testing and contact tracing systems and capacity. And we are confident that plans and resources are being put in place to meet the needs of our community. His statement did not address Gabbard's calls for Anderson and Park to be removed. This isn't the congresswoman's first call out of Ige or his health department during th… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/honolulu-star-advertiser-us-rep-tulsi-gabbard-says-state-health-department-leaders Honolulu Star Advertiser | U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says state health department leaders need to go 2020-08-11 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard today posted a second twitter message calling for a change in leadership at the Hawaii state Department of Health, which has recently come under fire for its contact tracing capacity. Gabbard's tweet to Gov. David Ige said DOH director Bruce Anderson and State Epidemiologist Sarah Park need to go. This is your responsibility. Your Health Director is keeping hundreds of trained contact tracers on the bench' because he doesn't think they're needed. Meanwhile, we have the highest infection rate in the nation. This is gross negligence, Gabbard said in her tweet. Gabbard's latest tweet is similar to an April 8 tweet, where she said. It's time for @LtGovJoshGreen to take charge of Hawaii's coronavirus crisis. I'm calling on everyone in Hawaii to join me in demanding the resignation of Dept of Health leaders Bruce Anderson & Sarah Park who're putting the lives of ourselves & our loved ones in grave danger by failing to take necessary actions to protect us from coronavirus. Latest example is their continued refusal to carry out most basic & effective policies to prevent spread of coronavirus: contact tracing, testing & isolation of those who've been in contact with the disease. Gabbard's latest call for action follows a grievance filed by the Hawaii Government Employees Association that alleged there were only 15 epidemiological specialists on Oahu and three on the neighbor islands to perform contact tracing for thousands of potential COVID-19 cases. The grievance, which was emailed to state Department of Heath director Bruce Anderson on Friday, was filed on behalf of employees who are performing or have performed COVID-19 contact tracing, field swabbing and outreach response duties. The state DOH told the Star-Advertiser Monday that it was not available for immediate comment. It still hasn't responded to today's follow-up request for comment. The union alleges that far fewer employees are working in contract tracing than DOH has publicly indicated and that they are overwork… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/kitv-4-abc-congressional-member-demands-removal-state-health-department-leadership KITV 4 ABC | Congressional member demands removal of state health department leadership 2020-08-11 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also looking into what kind of federal oversight and accountability can be created to manage use of federal CARES Act money. HONOLULU - A Congressional member is calling for heads to roll at the state health department. The flap is over the lack of contact tracers. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI 2nd District) wants Governor David Ige to remove Department of Health (DOH) director Dr. Bruce Anderson and chief epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park from their posts. This, after news broke late last week that the health department does not have as many contact tracers as it's indicated. The state Senate COVID-19 committee made a surprise inspection and says it found just a handful of people working in a disorganized space. Committee chair Senator Donovan Dela Cruz says on Monday, the health department promised to "stand up" 100 more contact tracers. But Gabbard says she's angry it hasn't happened sooner. "The word shocking doesn't even begin to describe how appalling it is to see that, as our state has the highest rate of COVID infections in the country, we don't have an effective contract tracing team or strategy in place," she tells me. Lieutenant Governor Josh Greens confirms there are whistle blowers making accusations there are less than two dozen contact tracers working in disorganized conditions. Director Bruce Anderson says there's more than 100 of them on the job. Gabbard reacts, "We have a handful of people working really hard to do an impossible task. Their caseload is so heavy they cannot reach out to individuals within 24 hours to make sure contact tracing is even effective. Over and over we've heard from the Department of Health, 'Don't worry, we have enough contact tracers. We're good to go.' Now they've been exposed." State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D-24 Kane'ohe, MCBH, Kailua, He'eia, 'Ahuimanu) last week was part of the Senate COVID-19 committee that made a surprise inspection at the health department's contact tracing division. "We went through the Department of Health buildin… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-hawaii-set-to-receive-more-than-3-million-in-federal-funding-to-help-low-income-families-elderly-disabled-make-rent-during-covid-19-pandemic Schatz: Hawaii Set To Receive More Than $3 Million In Federal Funding To Help Low Income Families, Elderly, Disabled Make Rent During Covid-19 Pandemic 2020-08-10 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Schatz: Hawaii Set To Receive More Than $3 Million In Federal Funding To Help Low Income Families, Elderly, Disabled Make Rent During Covid-19 Pandemic New Funding Will Help Cover Rent For Existing HCV Recipients Who Have Lost Their Job Monday, August 10, 2020 HONOLULU Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive $3,004,369 in new federal funding to cover the increased costs associated with the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant will allow counties to increase the rent subsidies to low income, elderly, and disabled residents currently receiving HCV assistance who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. Families should not have to worry about being evicted in the midst of a public health emergency, said Senator Schatz, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. This grant will help some of our most vulnerable residents make rent and stay in their homes while we ride out this pandemic. The HCV program provides federal dollars to help subsidize rent payments for about 16,500 low income, elderly, and disabled voucher holders in Hawaii. These subsidies cover up to 70 percent of a recipient's rent.However, some beneficiaries of the program have recently lost their job because of the pandemic and can no longer afford to pay their share of rent after the subsidy. This surge in unemployment has resulted in rising rental costs for public housing authorities and this grant will cover the increase in subsidies as well as cover increased administrative costs. This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The total allocated to each public housing authority is below: Hawaii Public Housing Authority: $707,968 County of Hawaii: $538,316 City and County of Honolulu: $1,126,482 County of Maui: $423,813 Kauai County Housing Agency: $207,790 ### 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/videos/view/senator-hirono-speaks-on-the-senate-floor-on-essential-workers Senator Hirono Speaks on the Senate Floor on Essential Workers 2020-08-07 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy Senator Hirono Speaks on the Senate Floor on Essential Workers The people doing the essential work aren't the Fortune 500 CEO or investment banker. It's the custodian, child care worker, or bus driver who have ALWAYS been essential - it isn't enough to simply tell them thank you and call them heroes. Actions speak louder than words. Connect with Senator Mazie Hirono Online: Visit Senator Mazie Hirono's WEBSITE: https://sen.gov/Z7ZK Like Senator Mazie Hirono on FACEBOOK: https://sen.gov/W7WW Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on TWITTER: https://sen.gov/X5X0 Follow Senator Mazie Hirono on INSTAGRAM: https://sen.gov/Y1YZ 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/in-the-news/hawaii-news-now-congresswoman-gabbard-calls-contact-tracing-doh-half-hearted Hawaii News Now | Congresswoman Gabbard calls contact tracing from DOH "half-hearted" 2020-08-06 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Hawaii District Office 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 5-104 Honolulu, HI 96850 Phone: (808) 541-1986 Fax: (808) 538-0233 Email: TulsiOffice@mail.house.gov 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-gillibrand-smith-and-colleagues-introduce-impact-aid-infrastructure-act-to-boost-school-infrastructure-projects Hirono, Gillibrand, Smith, and Colleagues Introduce Impact Aid Infrastructure Act to Boost School Infrastructure Projects 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Mazie Hirono H001042 www.hirono.senate.gov     legacy August 05, 2020 Hirono, Gillibrand, Smith, and Colleagues Introduce Impact Aid Infrastructure Act to Boost School Infrastructure Projects WASHINGTON, D.C. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with her colleagues Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced the Impact Aid Infrastructure Act (IAIA), which provides $1 billion in supplemental funding for school infrastructure construction grants through the Impact Aid program. Similar legislation was introduced in the House last year. IAIA provides competitive and formula grants for school infrastructure projects, including school construction and facilities upgrades, in school districts with high percentages of children with military parents or children living on Indian lands. With these grants, school districts would have the flexibility to focus on their specific renovation and repair needs, which could include changes to help protect the health, safety, and well-being of students, teachers, school leaders, and school personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) estimates that Hawaii would receive at least $17.8 million through the bill. As schools in Hawaii prepare to open in the coming weeks following coronavirus-related delays, it is essential they have the expanded tools to protect students, their families, and staff. This bill would increase critical funding to help school districts across the country meet their specific infrastructure needs, so that every child, regardless of where they live, receives a quality education in a healthy and safe learning environment,Senator Hirono said.I will continue to advocate for federal resources to support our nation's schools, including through long-term investments in school infrastructure that keep students safe." Even before the pandemic, many federally impacted school districts were in need o… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/view/protect-our-oceans-act-on-climate_sen-brian-schatz Protect Our Oceans. Act On Climate. | Sen. Brian Schatz 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Our oceans sustain communities, regulate weather patterns, and provide a home to marine life. But right now, they're under siege by the climate crisis. Today, on World Oceans Day, hear from professional surfers working with the Surfrider Foundation about why it's so important to protect oceans. To hear more about what we're up to, connect with us on: Twitter ? @SenBrianSchatz Instagram ? @SenBrianSchatz Facebook ? @SenBrianSchatz Online ? www.schatz.senate.gov 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/view/we-need-to-demilitarize-the-police_sen-brian-schatz We Need to Demilitarize the Police | Sen. Brian Schatz 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy American communities are not battlefields. The American people are not enemy combatants. And groups on the left and right agree: it's time to start to demilitarize the police. Senator Schatz introduced an amendment that would limit the transfer of tear gas and other weapons of war to police, as well as ban police from using military equipment from the 1033 program against peaceful demonstrators. To hear more about what we're up to, connect with us on: Twitter ? @SenBrianSchatz Instagram ? @SenBrianSchatz Facebook ? @SenBrianSchatz Online ? www.schatz.senate.gov 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://www.schatz.senate.gov/view/wear-a-mask_sen-brian-schatz Wear a Mask | Sen. Brian Schatz 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Brian Schatz S001194 www.schatz.senate.gov     legacy Honolulu 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm 7-212 Honolulu, HI, 96850 PHONE: (808) 523-2061 FAX: (808) 523-2065 Washington 722 Hart Senate Building Washington, DC 20510 PHONE: (202) 224-3934 FAX: (202) 228-1153 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-calls-hawai-i-department-health-fully-mobilize-covid-19 Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Calls For Hawaii Department of Health To Fully Mobilize COVID-19 Contact Tracing Force 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Honolulu, HIFrustrated by the Hawaii Department of Health's half-hearted deployment of too few trained contact tracers, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) is calling for answers and for the department to fully mobilize its contact tracing force. The sheer number of COVID-19 infections that we are continuing to see blow through the roof require extensive testing and contact tracing. Congress has provided funding for contact tracing, and the Department of Health has over 400 trained contract tracers while only employing around 100 of them. There is no excuse not to actively employ all available, trained contact tracers, along with additional personnel from the Hawaii National Guard, to rapidly trace, investigate, and contain every single positive COVID case,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Given the rate of infections we are seeing in Hawaii, George Washington University recommends a staffing ratio of at least 40 contact tracers per 100,000 population. If the problem gets worse in Hawaii, that ratio will increase. Currently the Hawaii Department of Health has deployed less than 19% of that amount. The people of Hawaii need a minimum of 564 contact tracers activated and employed immediately. Every hour, every day we delay puts more people in our community at risk. Contact tracers are trained to communicate with people who have tested positive for COVID-19, determine who they may have been in contact with, and contact those individuals to quickly implement protective and isolating measures to contain the virus. Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson said recently that slightly over 100 Department staff are actively engaged in contact tracing today, while hundreds more are trained but not being utilized. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's call comes as Hawaii's daily COVID-19 case count continues to reach new records including a new high of 173 infections today. Medical professionals, county officials, and both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor have all highlighted the need for increased contact tracing capacity and speed in order to … 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-cosponsors-bill-help-independent-restaurants-devastated Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Cosponsors Bill to Help Independent Restaurants Devastated by Coronavirus Crisis 2020-08-05 2020 2020-08 Democrat House HI Tulsi Gabbard G000571 gabbard.house.gov     legacy Washington, DCYesterday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) cosponsored H.R.7197, the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act. This bipartisan bill would help independent restaurants through the end of 2020 as they continue to be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 100,000 Hawaii residents work in the independent restaurant industry which continues to be hammered hard by the coronavirus crisis. That puts enormous strain on them and their families to make ends meet and for these businesses to stay afloat. Our local restaurants are valued members of our community and this legislation provides assistance both to employees and independent restaurant owners to weather the storm of this pandemic,said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Independent restaurants directly employ 11 million workers and indirectly employ 5 million more up and down the food and hospitality supply. They are particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the nature of how the virus spreads and the required physical distancing measures that prevent it. In Hawaii, nearly 100,000 people are employed by such restaurants nearly 15% of the workforce and they account for billions in sales. The bill would establish a $120 billion restaurant revitalization fund at the Department of Treasury. Funding under the program would be available to food service or drinking establishments that are not publicly traded or part of a chain with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name. The grant values would cover the difference between revenues from 2019 and projected revenues through 2020. The first 14 days of the grant's availability is only available to restaurants with annual revenues of $1.5 million or fewer, ensuring that the smallest restaurants are prioritized. Additionally, the legislation directs $60 million of administrative funding toward outreach and engagement to restaurants owned and operated by women, Veterans, and people of color. Eligible expenses include: payroll (no… 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z

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